Chapter 70

Low-hanging clouds parted slightly, allowing a faint ray of sunlight to peek through.

The snowy landscape streamed past the window of the four-horse carriage, flowing backward and backward. The snowfield, reflecting the winter sun, began to sparkle, blindingly bright.

The carriage, heading for the ancient capital, moved quietly northward through the snow. There was no wind, and it was very quiet.

Something darted past the edge of Maximilian's vision.

It was a pika.

A pika with pure white winter fur, which he had never seen before.

"Hey, look!" he almost called out, but stopped himself at the last moment.

The "wife" sitting next to him in the carriage had her face turned toward the opposite window, asleep.

No, Maximilian knew she wasn't really sleeping. Hildegard had stubbornly vowed not to speak during their marital spat.

Muttering "stubborn" under his breath, he turned back to the window.

The pika he had just spotted was already lost in the white expanse of the snowfield.

Born into a noble family, Maximilian still didn't understand politics.

The daily affairs of state were all handled by his ministers, so Maximilian had almost nothing to do. His tasks were limited to sitting at the large desk in his office, signing documents, and stamping important letters with a seal. The rest was just nodding to reports. This was probably not what politics was about.

After all, he had just turned eleven, and marrying a wife was what politics entailed. He tried to understand, but his comprehension couldn't keep up.

Hildegard, a year older, was a lovely bride with flowing golden hair and blue eyes, but like Maximilian, she was still a child.

Dressed in beautiful dresses, Hildegard could greet people properly in social settings, but her favorite things were fluffy cushions and sweet pastries, and she would become instantly moody without either.

Moreover, she was very stubborn.

When they had a minor argument, she hardly spoke to him.

Before they were married, he thought marital spats were ridiculous, but now they were a daily occurrence.

While he thought she could be a bit more flexible, given that she was older, he always ended up apologizing.

Usually, they would make up after two or three days, but this time it was dragging on.

"Hey, Maximilian."

"What is it, Hilda?"

Thinking she was indeed awake, he wished he had called out to show her the white pika.

"Where are we going now?"

"To the ancient capital. That izakaya."

"Really?!"

She turned to him with a smile but quickly looked back out the window, apparently remembering their ongoing spat. This reaction was cute, and it made bringing her here worthwhile.

"It's true. Let's eat something delicious."

But there was no response.

Peering at her face, he saw her pressing her cheek against the cushion, pouting.

"Don't you want to go?"

"Maximilian, do you think I'm a cheap woman who can be lured with food?"

The carriage jolted.

"I don't think that at all."

"Then why did you suddenly decide to go to the ancient capital when there's no business to attend to?"

Ah, Maximilian cursed inwardly. He understood her feelings, but he also wondered if all adult couples had marital spats like this. Was their situation unique among married couples?

"This has nothing to do with our argument. It's a gift for you, Hilda, because you always work hard. I want you to smile more often."

He meant it sincerely. Their marriage was a political arrangement, but Maximilian was deeply in love with Hildegard.

Of course, he preferred her smiling to her being angry.

However, her response was unexpected.

"…Are you still thinking you can lure me with food?"

"No, that's not it."

He hurriedly denied it, but Hildegard didn't respond. She just pouted and continued to punch the cushion with her small fists.

He wondered if he should have given her flowers or jewelry, but that would have felt like luring her with material things.

Ultimately, he wanted his sincerity to be conveyed, but it was hardest to do so during an argument. That's why he tried to convey it through a gift, but this time it backfired.

Women's hearts are truly complicated.

At eleven, he was becoming increasingly knowledgeable about marital spats.

If he could resolve this argument successfully, he might be able to write a book on how to handle marital spats.

While he was lost in these trivial thoughts, the ancient city's towering walls appeared on the other side of the hill.

"Welcome!"

"…Thank you."

Unlike when they came from the market, today the izakaya Nobu was in regular operation. The wooden and plastered building always exuded a foreign atmosphere. Commoners were enjoying their drinks and dishes, savoring the flavors.

Thinking about it, this was the first time Maximilian had visited such a place.

He had left his attendants with the carriage, so it would be a private meal for the two of them.

"Can we sit here?"

"Of course."

Guided by a waitress named Shinobu, they sat at a table. When he pulled out a chair for Hildegard, she showed a slightly surprised expression. Normally, this was something the servants did. Seeing this reaction made him feel good.

Sitting down in the warm interior, which seemed to contradict the cold outside, he felt a mix of hunger and anticipation, eager to eat something. However, he wasn't sure how to order.

"Hilda, how do you order in a place like this?"

The last time he came, dishes were served without ordering, but today was different.

Looking around, he saw other customers ordering their favorite dishes, but he wasn't sure how to do it.

He asked Hildegard because she was always eager to teach.

However, today was a bit different.

Usually, she would act like an older wife when asked something, but today she just fidgeted and didn't say a word. He thought it might be an extension of their argument, but it seemed not.

"Hilda, how do you order dishes here?"

"…I don't know."

"But didn't you often come here with Uncle Johann-Gustav?"

It all started when Johann-Gustav and Hildegard discovered this place. Now, the izakaya Nobu was somewhat known among the imperial nobility, and some even visited incognito.

"…We always got Ankakeyudofu."

"Oh, right…"

Maximilian knew all too well about his wife's picky eating habits.

It wasn't that she couldn't eat certain things; it was that she had preferences.

She could eat anything if she wanted to, but if she didn't like it, she wouldn't touch it. Her pickiness was so severe that the head chef, who had served the family for generations, had given up, but she would eat a wider variety of foods when in a good mood.

Some in the household thought she had been spoiled, but Maximilian believed it could be resolved gradually.

She had married at twelve, and it was natural for her to have some complaints and thoughts.

"What would you like to order?"

A young waitress, not Shinobu, approached. She was probably around the same age as Maximilian and Hildegard. She was called Epha the last time they came.

"We haven't decided yet… Oh, can you recommend something that would suit Hilda, my wife?"

"Of course."

She bowed and went to place the order with the chef.

He thought she might ask about their preferences, but she didn't. It was a bit disappointing.

He had forgotten to specify that he wanted something other than Ankakeyudofu, but he decided it was fine. According to Johann-Gustav, the restaurant could handle any request, so they might still be able to accommodate his request.

Besides, he didn't mind if Ankakeyudofu was served. If it made Hildegard happy, he was fine with anything.

While pretending to look around the restaurant, he glanced at Hildegard.

She was still turned away, but she seemed more relaxed than before. Perhaps being in a familiar place had made her feel better. Marrying at her age must have been stressful.

He listened to the noise of the restaurant for a while, but then Hildegard spoke, seemingly impatient.

"Hey, Maximilian."

"What is it, Hilda?"

"What do you think we'll get today?"

He couldn't honestly say anything was fine.

Since Hildegard had initiated the conversation, he needed to keep it going.

"I'm not sure."

"Come on, think about it."

"Well, you've been here more times than I have. If you don't know, I won't either."

"You always dodge the question."

He was startled by her "again." Reflecting on it, he realized he often did that. He tried to respect Hildegard's seniority by avoiding stating his own opinions.

But that was because he respected her.

"I'm not dodging the question."

"Maximilian, I didn't marry a man who would avoid stating his opinions just to please me."

Facing him, Hildegard said this, leaving him speechless.

Her large blue eyes seemed to see right through him.

"Th-that's…"

Before he could say anything, Epha brought something over.

"Please wait a moment while we prepare it."

The tabletop stove was larger than the one used for Ankakeyudofu. Epha operated it, and a blue flame appeared in the center. A pot was placed on top.

"This is homemade Donabedofu. Please wait a moment."

"Donabedofu?"

Was it a relative of Ankakeyudofu? The pot was filled with something resembling cow's milk. Perhaps it was a kind of milk porridge.

The aroma that rose as it warmed seemed somewhat like beans.

After a while, a thin film formed on the surface. Epha skillfully scooped it with chopsticks, placed it on a plate, drizzled soy sauce, and set it in front of Hildegard.

"This is yuba. Please enjoy."

He was about to ask if there was any for him but decided against it when she immediately prepared another plate.

Noticing his hesitation, Hildegard chuckled.

"Don't worry, Maximilian. There's enough for both of us."

"I know."

He took a bite of the yuba to hide his awkwardness. It had a unique texture he had never experienced before.

Indeed, this was an interesting dish. The milk soup was heated, and the yuba was scooped out to eat.

It was a thoughtful idea. Hildegard also seemed to enjoy it, closing her eyes in satisfaction.

He wanted to eat more. As he waited, the surface didn't seem to form a film.

Instead, Epha added some liquid to thin the milk, closed the lid, and turned off the flame.

"Is this it?"

"No, please wait a bit longer. It takes some time to prepare."

He was surprised by the idea of finishing the dish at the table, as he had been with Ankakeyudofu. Facing Hildegard across the mysterious pot, he found himself smiling naturally.

"Sorry, Hilda. I was wrong."

"Maximilian, what are you apologizing for?"

"I wanted to make up before the food comes."

Hildegard pouted playfully in response.

"You always do that. You think apologizing will get you forgiven, don't you?"

"I don't mean it that way. But if I do something wrong, I should apologize."

"Then what do you think you did wrong?"

He opened his mouth to speak but paused to think.

They had been arguing for days without speaking, but what had started it all? He couldn't remember.

"Sorry, what were we arguing about again?"

"There you go, apologizing again."

Despite her tone, a smile had returned to her lips.

"Just kidding, I forgot too."

He vaguely remembered it was over something trivial. In the end, they had continued the argument without really knowing why.

"Ah, this is ridiculous. Maximilian, I'm hungry."

"Me too, Hilda."

Just then, Epha came to remove the lid of the pot.

When she opened it, instead of soup, tofu had formed inside.

"Here it is, Donabedofu. Please enjoy it together."

"Together? Can we serve ourselves?"

"Yes, please help yourselves."

This was interesting. After serving Hildegard's portion, he took some for himself. He spilled a bit but didn't mind. The pot was still full of tofu.

He scooped some with a ladle and brought it to his mouth.

"…It's delicious!"

It was soft and smooth, yet had a silky texture.

The mild flavor was addictive.

"It's delicious, Maximilian."

"Right, Hilda."

Initially, he had been serving Hildegard, but it soon turned into a competition.

Neither had eaten much since morning, and they eagerly fought over the tofu, quickly reducing the pot to a single piece.

"The last bite."

"…Hilda, I'm sorry."

"Wow, that's unusual. Maximilian, you're asserting yourself."

"Sometimes it's good, right?"

He picked up the ladle, and Hildegard poured the tofu into his plate.

They smiled at each other, and the past few days of arguments seemed trivial.

A loud laugh came from the table behind them. The people there were also eating Donabedofu.

In this restaurant, there was no distinction between nobles and commoners. They were all customers enjoying good food.

"Let's come again."

"Of course. Next time, I'll get the last bite."

They laughed together.

He thought about making many more days like this with her.