Side Story 2
Lord Arka was among the most conservative and stubborn of the lords, and he opposed this war.
So naturally, everyone assumed he would roar at that outrageous Lahan Norwich.
The Caracal Marquisate explained the situation in full to him.
“Well, when we told him not to use Til Neve Cedric fruit oil…”
Lord Arka narrowed his eyes and listened carefully. Then he took a few steps forward, surveying the scene.
The Caracal soldiers stood back, swallowing nervously, while the supply officer looked helpless, held fast by the soldiers.
Meanwhile, Lahan Norwich and his soldiers ignored everything, adding generous amounts of oil to the pots and frying the food.
“What on earth is this chaos, Sir Norwich?”
Lord Arka’s characteristic stern, low voice echoed through the yard. Even the oblivious soldiers seemed to sense now was not the time to interfere and stepped back.
But Lahan, seated by the fire, looked at him and grinned.
“Greetings, Lord Arka. As befits the Devil’s Child, I’m frying bread with plenty of sugar.”
“Huh…”
There was a confident gleam in his eyes, as if daring anyone to challenge him.
Indeed, Lahan and Lord Arka had been engaged in heated arguments for years, so Lahan expected Arka would scold him loudly again this time.
However…
“Fried bread, eh?”
Lord Arka approached, hands clasped behind his back, glancing at the pot of oil as he spoke.
“In our region, we call this ‘Beautiful Olivier.’ We add lemon and brush it with honey. In the Grand Duchy, you sprinkle sugar instead? That must be ridiculously expensive.”
Lahan blinked. He had expected a shout, not a question, and it felt entirely unfamiliar.
But Lord Arka didn’t seem to care.
“Hmm, let’s taste this sugar-sprinkled Olivier.”
He even picked up a piece of bread the soldiers had just pulled out and took a bite.
The Caracal lords gasped in shock.
“Lord Arka! What are you doing…?”
“Hmm, not bad at all.”
Ignoring the chaos, Arka devoured the bread in a few bites and even sucked the sugar off his fingers. Then he looked at the still-stunned Lahan and spoke again.
“I have some lemon peels drying in my quarters. Shall we add them to the dough?”
Looking back, this was something only Lord Arka could suggest, foreseeing the situation.
Indeed, the expedition crossing the Lililigious Strait would eventually rely on fruit oil from Til Neve Cedric, since imperial oil could not be obtained there.
They had long been stuck, unable to cross the strait due to skirmishes. Discipline had weakened, morale was low, and forbidding oil for religious reasons would have only increased rebellion.
“…Very well.”
Lahan finally spoke. Lord Arka gestured for his soldiers to fetch the lemon peels from his quarters.
He then returned with two pieces of freshly fried bread containing the lemon zest. By that time, the Caracal lords had already vanished.
Even the soldiers who had been hesitant to eat the bread made by the “Devil’s Child” gradually rushed in, and soon everyone was eating heartily.
The bread alone wasn’t enough for the entire expedition, but there were plenty of other dishes as well.
“This is really delicious!”
“I’ve never had sugar like this before! So sweet!”
The soldiers were overjoyed, though some still felt uneasy.
“They say the Devil tempts humans with sweet things… maybe it’s true.”
Regardless, Lahan had boosted the soldiers’ morale in a uniquely effective way that day.
Surrounded by his troops, he laughed heartily. He had expected the day to end in battle, but it had turned out otherwise, which seemed to please him slightly.
About a decade later, on a summer day…
Norwich Castle, the heart of the Norwich March, was normally quiet. The Marcher Lord himself disliked fuss, and for twenty years, the Norwich family had seen few joyful events.
Even Lady Norma of Norwich, who had secluded herself for years, was surrounded by endless rumors.
Naturally, the castle was staffed with discreet servants, keeping the atmosphere generally calm.
But today, the castle courtyard was bustling.
“Bring the oil!”
“And plenty of sugar!”
Large cauldrons and stoves filled the yard. Servants carried sack after sack of flour, sugar, and spices.
At first glance, one might think a feast was being held—and in a way, there was a reason. Visitors had come to the Norwich March days ago.
The visitors were none other than Lahan Norwich and his wife, Eris Ahen, the Duke and Duchess of Ahen, who had been staying at Norwich Castle for a week.
But this scene differed greatly from a typical feast. Usually, a feast featured elegant tables piled with food under warm lighting.
Here, there were only cauldrons, sacks of flour and sugar, and busy, smiling people.
Most striking were the Duke and Duchess of Ahen themselves.
Eris Ahen, once called the saint who saved the empire, now ruled as Duchess of Ahen—her beauty and sparkling silver hair were impossible to miss.
And by her side, the young man with glowing red eyes who never took his eyes off her—the famous Devil’s Child, Lahan Norwich.
Those familiar with the Norwich March could not have missed him.
Born with red eyes and abandoned by Lady Norma, he was now happily married to the saint who saved the empire.
Eris Ahen often publicly credited Lahan, saying that without him, she would have remained a simple country girl.
So even though his red eyes were intimidating, no one dared disparage Lahan openly.
Moreover, his appearance was handsome, and many admired him and Eris as a perfect couple.
But what made them stand out today was their attire.
Eris was dressed appropriately, luxurious and beautiful, as befits a duchess. Her pregnancy was apparent, of course.
But Lahan’s attire was notable for other reasons.
A stranger might have thought he was a servant or a lowly attendant: a clean but simple shirt, sturdy pants, sleeves rolled up, and holding a container of dough.
Yet Eris looked at him as if he were the most magnificent man in the world, holding his hand with bright, shining eyes.
The reason was simple.
“I like it with sugar!”
…In other words, Lord Norwich,
the highest-ranking noble of the Empire, Duke of Ahen, and husband of the saint who saved the empire,
was earnestly asking how she wanted her bread prepared.
“Oh, you don’t like cinnamon? We also have lemon peel.”
Of course, for Eris, that was the most delightful question in the world at that moment.
“Well… what to do? I like both sugar and cinnamon.”
Lahan smiled brightly in response to his beloved wife.
“Then eat it all. I’ll make everything. You can eat ten pieces, right?”
“Of course!”
Eris Ahen’s face lit up with joy. Even the pink lizard resting on her shoulder snorted and whispered a private remark:
<Idiot. Eris isn’t a pig—she’s pregnant.>
Of course, the pink lizard’s perch had already been moved by Lahan into the bread dough.
