Translator: Nabi

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Chapter 19

‘…Again, that look on that face.’

His gaze was hot as if he were observing her.

‘What is he looking at? …I don’t think so?’

As Min-ha was wondering where his gaze was she then noticed it was the pierogi in her hand.

‘I wonder if he wants to eat this?’

Well then.

With that thought, she then put the pierogi on the other skewer next to the box and moved it out in front of Seth.

“Here you go.”

“….”

“What, you don’t want this? Didn’t you look at it because you wanted to eat it?”

“…Right.”

“Tell me if you want more. Here.”

At those words, Seth gave a rare blank expression before moving his face closer to the skewer Min-ha was holding. Then, after a slight frown, he returned to his usual blunt expression as he reached out and grabbed the skewer.

At that moment, Min-ha, startled by the firm touch of his calluses, almost missed the skewer. But thankfully, the pierogi passed safely into his hand.

She glanced at him, wondering if he would throw it away because she had given it to him, though Seth didn’t eat or throw away the pierogi. He was just holding it with a blunt face.

‘What? Is he carrying food and performing ancestral rites?’

Min-ha tilted her head at the sight of him like that.

“Sister-in-law, I’d like some more of this.”

“Huh? Okay!”

She quickly put another pierogi in Noah’s mouth as the little boy urged her. Min-ha then asked with a big smile at the child who was chewing with his cheeks full.

“Is it delicious, Noah?”

“Yes! It’s delicious!”

“Can I try it, too?”

“Yes! Sister-in-law, eat it, too!”

“Oh! Are you feeding me? Ah—”

Noah happily stuck a pierogi on an empty skewer, and Min-ha happily ate it. Seeing this, Seth silently squatted in front of her as he was staring at the two people in front of him who were blowing the pierogi into each other’s mouths.

As they ate one by one, the three servings of pierogi in the small wooden box ran out quickly.

Min-ha said, holding an empty box to Noah, who opened his mouth as if asking for more.

“I’m sorry, Noah. There’s no more.”

“Can’t we buy more?”

“Hey, are you going to eat only this?

“Yes?”

“Let’s go eat something else with sister. Yes? Or, should I just buy more of this?”

“No! I want to go!”

Seeing her talking while pointing to another store, Noah nodded his head swiftly without making a fuss.

Min-ha, who smiled at Noah’s cute appearance, met Seth’s eyes, who was staring at her. Thinking that she seemed to be making eye contact with him frequently a lot today, Min-ha opened her mouth, as she rubbed her cheek where his gaze touched, with her hand.

“Is there something on my face?”

“…No.”

“Ah. I see!”

“What?”

“I’m sorry. Even though I bought the pierogi for you, I ate it all.”

“…No, it’s okay.”

‘I don’t think him saying it’s okay means it’s really okay…’

Minha slowly frowned at Seth’s appearance as he answered roughly in a dazed voice a while ago, then pointed to the pierogi still in his hand.

“What, you still haven’t eaten yet? Don’t force yourself to eat if you don’t want to because I can just throw it away.”

“….”

“Noah, would you like to go over there with sister?”

“Yes!”

Min-ha, who gave Seth an eye, pointed at pierogi, which had already cooled and blown. She then turned and grabbed Noah’s hand before heading towards the candy store opposite her.

Seth, who was looking at the back of the two of them, lowered his gaze and stared at the pierogi in his hand. He took it to his mouth with an indifferent face. Chewing the pierogi that had entered his mouth with an indifferent expression, he spat out his feelings in a low voice.

“…Sweet.”

When he bit into the pierogi, what popped out was a mouth-watering blueberry jam. The sweetness was strong enough to make Seth, who didn’t like sweets, frown, though he only frowned and didn’t spit it out.

He rarely had a chance to eat sweets in his life, but it seems to be happening more often these days…

Seth thought so and swallowed pierogi.

* * *

Red-tinted apple candies, butter-grilled squid, cubed steak seasoned with pepper and salt, caramel that bursts with fruit jam, and Noah’s head-sized cotton candy…

Min-ha and Noah ate them all in less than two hours. Of course, Seth also ate some of the food as well, but he did not contribute much because he only tasted a little.

Thanks to that, Min-ha and Noah, who filled their stomachs, smiled with the same expression and patted their slightly protruding stomach.

She asked kindly to Noah, who was grinning with a bright face that he couldn’t see in the castle.

“Now that we’re full, I’m going to buy you a present! Noah, is there anything you want?”

“No, this is enough!”

“Come on, don’t be shy and tell me. It’s your birthday, when else could you ask for it like this?”

“I’m really fine…”

“Take your time and think about it slowly, okay?”

At her question, Noah tilted his head a little. It looked like he couldn’t think of anything. Seeing that, she also fell into trouble.

‘What should I do? What should I buy?’

Suddenly, a middle-aged woman, who had been watching the two of them for a while, shouted out behind Min-ha, who was worried.

“There, young lady! Are you thinking about your son’s birthday present?”

“Yes?”

“If that’s the case, how about this amber necklace here? Amber has been a gemstone used since ancient times to pray for a long life for children!”

“Oh, really?”

Min-ha, moved by those words, quickly turned her body and walked towards the shop. At that, the middle-aged woman smiled kindly and held out a box wrapped in a purple velvet cloth towards her.

Inside the box was a delicate yellow-amber necklace filled with spiders and butterflies. Even with Min-ha’s eyes, who doesn’t really know much about jewelry, the necklace looked quite valuable. She stared at the subtly shining amber necklace with an interested gaze.

As she was looking at it intently. The middle-aged woman put the necklace on her hand and explained eagerly.

“It is this amber necklace that the current Crown Prince also received as a gift for his first birthday!”

“Wow, the Crown Prince also has one?”

“Of course! Since ancient times, amber has been said to ward off evil spirits with its light and to bring good luck to its owner with its aura!”

When the positive response returned, the middle-aged woman sputtered her saliva as she continued to explain the efficacy of the amber necklace.

Min-ha smiled at the sight, though she backed away slightly before turning towards Seth and asked in a low voice.

“Really? Did His Majesty the Crown Prince also receive an amber necklace as a gift?”

“What is the stone for?”

“Ah… The first birthday.”

“…Ah, well. That’s right.”

“Oh, my god! Is that true? So, did Noah get it when he was one year old as well? Aren’t nobles usually imitating the actions of the Imperial Family?”

“…No.”

“Huh? Why?”

It was not enough to give him the title of a fool for his brother, so why wouldn’t he? When Minha asked with a surprised expression on her face at the unexpected answer, Seth replied with a bitter smile.

“Because that’s when my mother passed away. I was on the battlefield.”

“…Oh.”

“Besides, I wasn’t even a noble at the time. So, I couldn’t afford to do that for Noah.”

“…I see.”

“Why do you make this face again? It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve heard of it.”

‘…No. It’s the first I’ve heard of it.’

Min-ha thought so, but of course, she didn’t say it out loud. Instead, she gazed at Seth, who had a hard expression on his face as if he had remembered things from the past, and Noah’s, who seemed to be peering at him.

Then, as soon as she made up her mind, she pulled out a pocket of gold coins and placed them in front of a middle-aged woman jeweler.

As Min-ha put it down in a loud voice, she pointed to an amber necklace with butterflies and opened her mouth.

“Give me that, auntie. how much is this?”

“Oh, madam! You have a great eye! It’s one thousand five hundred rupees!”

“…Ugh”

The price the middle-aged woman said with a smile was about three times the amount of money Min-ha now receives.

It was quite an expensive jewel. Min-ha let out a brief groan and opened her pocket to check the gold coins inside. Fortunately, she had enough money to buy the amber necklace.

She then immediately said, holding out her pocket.

“Give me one!”

“Oh, my God! Thank you, madam! It will definitely be a great gift for the handsome prince!”

“Thank you!”

Min-ha smiled broadly as she received the amber necklace in a luxurious box surrounded by velvet fabric. At the sight of Min-ha, who finished the calculations without a chance to stop her, Seth looked at her with a slightly hardened face and opened his mouth.

“Wait, you…!”

“Don’t even think about giving money like before because I really want to buy it.”

“….”

“Noah, let go of your hand for a second. Here, um… would you like to come closer?”

“Yes.”

After interrupting Seth, she released Noah’s hand, squatted in front of him, and pulled out the amber necklace from her box.

Slowly, she hung the amber necklace around Noah’s neck and, with another hand, also fixed the little boy’s clothes, which had been a little messy from walking around the market.

When the amber necklace the size of his palm hung around his neck, Noah turned his head with a curious expression, and stared at Min-ha and the amber necklace alternately.

‘Pretty… It’s perfect. He looks like a prince, our Noah.’

Although feeling a little empty because she had spent such a large sum of money at once, Min-ha felt more proud than empty, as the little boy was wearing the amber necklace that looks as though it had found its owner.

“Noah, happy birthday. This necklace is a gift from sister.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. It’s pretty, right? Amber necklaces are said to bring good luck and longevity. Do you like it?”

“…Yes. I like it.”

“I should have given it to you sooner, I’m sorry. Instead, I will take responsibility every year and celebrate Noah’s birthday.”

“I, really? …Really, every year with sister-in-law together like this?”

“…That, well. It can be a little difficult together… Oh, my! Why are you crying?!”

“Ahh!”

Is it because of the memories of the happy birthday he received for the first time since he was born, or is it because of Minha’s kind words…?

Noah, who grabbed the amber necklace with his little hand, burst into tears when Min-ha said that she would celebrate his birthday every year.

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