The little days in the farmhouse went without a mishap, well, except for one.

She didn't know how she got into the pernickety butler's eyes when out of nowhere he approached her offering to partake half of her brown bread in exchange for the precious white buns made by their cook. 

Ayan was taken aback. Is this a normal thing? That's your lordship's bread, won't I get into trouble if you feed him mine?

In the end, she did not get any violent reaction nor was she called to be reprimanded. The next day, the Old Tom personally came to their cottage along with a little maid to make her knead their dough. Yes, knead. The elderly steward and his companion sat in the parlour looking at her boys playing blocks while stroking Milk who was earnestly pretending to be a normal cat. 

He was there to wait for the bread. 

She on the other is battling with the lumps of brown dough in the kitchen which was very convenient since she secretly replaced all the ingredients he sent with the fairy ring's things. However, when the old butler's keen sense of smell caught the fragrance coming from the other foods she cooked he forgot his usual pernickety demeanour and went to sneak a peek like a naughty kid, much to the maid's surprise. 

Hmm, his old kitchen doesn't look like it had changed much on the outside. It was still the same narrow partition he knew aside from those neatly placed food on a service table and well, those ingredients in the cupboard.

Old Tom's eyes roamed around the small area and returned to the small table from time to time. There is a plate of crispy crab cakes, a bowl of light albondigas soup in salted noodles, in the pan is a vegetable stir fry and simmering in the clay pot is a very fragrant sweet and spicy pork ribs now glistening with oil.    

He coughed unnaturally, embarrassed to lose his composure at this age. Then very generously he let out praise, "Mr Rozenberg failed to mention how talented his madam is."

At the mention of Clayton, Ayan's hand pinching the dough came down hard and it made the table rattle. The old butler stepped back in caution.

D-Did I say something wrong? 

Thankfully the two boys smelled the same scent and habitually ran to the kitchen with their chubby legs to stare at the pot making Ayan laugh. Old Tom patted his chest, it must have been an illusion. She wasn't mad or anything. 

Milk climbed on Carmine's head for a better view, when he saw the red and caramelized ribs the drool on his mouth overflowed. Ayan set aside the dough, covered it with a cloth to leave to rise then wordlessly took a portion of several foods to let her audience taste.

Needless to say, Old Tom had to have his share as well. How could she not see the same eager expectant face as her children?

Never once did she expect that because of this tiny incident, she was given the privilege to make Lord Morrigan's meal. 

The third lord is not just sick based on the faithful steward's tearful narration. He is terribly ill. He could barely leave his bed to get sunshine on the balcony of his room and any food he sends to his mouth is vomited out after a few minutes. 

It's not that she was soft-hearted. He is a part of the great cause. Yeah, that's it. The image of a sickly young man in her mind reminded her of the scrawny as twigs children months ago and her motherly instinct kicked up. If she can give him something he could swallow then so be it, she will feed him until he is plump and healthy once again just like her babies.

But, what she did not know is that the fragile young master in her imagination turned out to be a full-fledged adult man in the end.  

Their days went by like this: She cooks plenty of food, either Old Tom or the little maid would come twice a day, get a portion of the lord's meal, return to the mansion and feed the sickly master until later she grasped the right timing and was able to budget her time for other things. 

 

Lachlan's stomach had been nourished back to health from eating light food and soups to finally regular meals. He didn't know when they changed cooks but his meals are getting more and more delicate. He began to wonder if what he had been eating before was really 'food'.

If not heavy in spices, they were either bland or mushy. In contrast, the food Ayan served was neither fancy nor extravagant. They were just ordinary meals she learned to make from her mother and nannies and some comfort food she loved to eat. Among the lord's favourites, she noticed was simmered beef bone marrow and vegetable soup.  

Today he was out of the bed enjoying the white scenery outside the balcony with a cup of ginger lemon tea with a drop of honey and a plate of salted biscuits his valet bought from the city. He usually doesn't eat such fancily made snacks but the familiar scent tickled his nose whetting his appetite. 

Who would have known that these biscuits shaped in various ways only cost five pence a bag? It was cheap but surprisingly fragrant and filling you cannot help but continue to nibble.

It has a crunchy texture to it, a little salty yet has a sweet aftertaste the moment it melts in the tongue. Olson said that the place he bought it from always has a long queue. Aside from cheap biscuits, they also served free hot soup and there are other products that are outrageously expensive as well. But despite that people from all classes still came to patronize the strange stall. 

The wealthy came for the novelty of it. Where have they seen such exquisitely designed cakes and such? Although some complained that a mere food was priced too high, they would still return the next day buying the same thing and ask for more. Olson also added that the ingredients used in other foods were undoubtedly fresh that it attracted the attention of two restaurants nearby.

So aside from selling pastries and snacks, the stall also supplies the two rival restaurants with new ingredients doubling their customer volume this winter.

When Lachlan finished the salted biscuits, Olson put a small plate of tiramisu in creamy mascarpone cheese.

"Have this next, milord. This is one of the stall's best selling products that people loved to buy." 

Back in the cottage, Ayan had no idea that the little snacks she made for the boys became a hit in the city. The fairies were as busy as bees while she became as idle as a pig. All she knew is that she put products on the stall and waited for the coins to pile up before collecting and converting them into gold.

When the snowstorm arrived the seventh night Ayan knew something big was going to happen. Tonight an event briefly mentioned in the book is about to take place. Looking out the white wonderland framed by the window she calculated the hours according to memory and waited for the twins to fall asleep before proceeding to do a very important task. 

Coco was in pins and needles the moment he sensed his master was about to do something incredibly outrageous. Ayan packed herself tight with a layer of thermal clothing, waterproof hiking gear, gloves, a thick down jacket, trekking pole and snowshoes.  

"I don't think it is necessary for you to intervene."

Ayan secured the clips on her snowshoes before replying. "As someone who knows the development of the story, I can't just sit here and let things unfold without seeing it. I feel upset somehow."

She needed to see for herself to mute the growing restlessness she feels. It had been bothering her since the snow started. 

"Alright but you must promise to return immediately if things became a lot more dangerous than expected."

"Don't worry, I can enter the ring if there is an emergency," she assured him. "Thank you for asking the sylphs to help me look after the children by the way."

"You don't need to ask," Yellow answered proudly. 

Blue also came out of the ring to accompany him to watch over the little masters to put her mind at ease. "As long as we are here, nothing will happen to them."

Ayan smiled, "Tomorrow, I'll make you a mixed fruit crepe for a snack. How's that sound?" 

The two drooled hearing the name of the food. 

But Yellow thinks it was troublesome for her so he shyly declined, "You don't have to--"

He was quickly cut off by Blue, "We'd love that."

Thus it was decided that she will make them a nice dessert after breakfast.

The cranky weather ceased throwing a fit giving Ayan ample time to climb the back mountain. With Coco's help, she continues towards her goal for tonight. It was extremely dark that if it wasn't for the fairy's spell, she would have tumbled over many times even with a flashlight. 

Why did she suddenly decide this midnight hike you ask? It was to see one of the most important book characters who will appear up in the remote mountain; male lead number one!  

She was knee-deep into the cold passing by several clusters of withered trees. From time to time she would hear intermittent coos, the shadows created by the dried branches seemed like claws reaching out to her from the dark and added by the eerie winter sky she started to feel afraid. Ayan knew she was scaring herself by overthinking but she couldn't help it. 

The surrounding is simply a set for a blockbuster horror film! 

After nearly an hour of trekking, she asked Coco, "Where are we now?" 

"Close to the first peak where the ravine is located."

They are almost there.

Ayan wanted to stop to rest her feet but she did not want to do that in the middle of the woodlands. What if some dead tree gets blown by the wind and smacked her? Walking a little bit more, she came near two giant boulders forming a natural barrier from the wind. As she was about to rest her butt, her eyes caught on something in the pure white snow.

"It already began?" Coco knitted his eyebrows in confusion. 

Ayan took a closer look, "The blood is still fresh. We arrived a little late." 

Unfortunately, before Coco could stop her, Ayan picked up her pace and followed the trail at the same moment. Seeing her expression, he knew right then that no matter what he said the stubborn woman would not listen.

She circled the whole stone monolith, slid down a slope as she followed the drops of blood then arrived at a hollowed tree trunk. Even if Coco had some hesitation before, he can no longer protest the moment he saw the situation ahead. 

How could this be?! Ayan's whole body shook seeing the heavily injured man curled up in the hole. Not only that the event is finished, but the person she saw is also dying and by the looks of it, his attackers did not simply want to murder him.

"Coco, I think something was wrong with the novel characters' destiny." 

Coco already knew that but this is beyond his expectation. 

"Ayan, you need to do something. Save him. He cannot die here. Asturia will fall!" he rushed out frantically.

Ayan was already checking the person's breath before Coco could finish his words. His breathing was very weak but at least he still lives. Had they been a little delayed… Ayan shivered. Sweat covered the tips of her nose despite the cold.

"Help me take him out of the tree."

Old White came out just in time. He and Coco carefully held the person out, at the same time Ayan took out her first aid kit and every necessary tool to keep him from cold. The two helped her set up the heater and tent placing the injured man inside. 

"How long until help arrives?" she asked while trying to keep the large wound from bleeding. There is a long garish cut in his stomach, his chest looked suspiciously dented and his right leg was twisted out of proportion. It made her scalp tingle by only looking at the unnatural posture. 

"A couple of hours or so…" Coco replied. 

Late. Why are they late?!

Ayan looked at the medicines and felt overwhelming hopelessness engulfing her. These are not enough. He is dying. To Coco and Old White's surprise, Ayan suddenly took out a ceramic bathtub, filled it with lakewater and called Red. "I need you to help me heat the water. This person is about to die."

She doesn't know as to what extent the effect of lakewater can cure his injuries but she still has to try. Being put to the task, Red was more than glad to help. When the tub was ready, Old White raised the person into the warm bath to soak. The water was instantly turned into a pool of blood. It appeared even more terrifying. 

Ayan never saw so much blood it made her a little faint.   

"The lakewater may be too strong for his injured body." Old White said. "It's best if we have other things to protect his insides."

Finally, before she could get too muddled she remembered that when Old Darius gave her the Cornucopia there were some unknown items included that she hadn't checked. 

"Ayan, here." Coco walked towards her and handed several pillboxes made of polished wood. "These things were from the old warlock you met in the Hot Dunes. Perhaps there is something in here that can help." 

She carefully looked into them one by one until she heard Old White's voice. "Draught of Health pill." 

"The green one is?" 

Old White nodded in approval. "That's it."

"This is very rare but it has potent healing properties." Coco put the bean-sized pill near his nose for a sniff. "Together with the lakewater it can help him heal quickly without adding more pain."

She thanked them then put the whole pill in the person's mouth. As soon as it touched his tongue, everything melted and slid down his throat wasting, not a drop. 

"Now we only have to wait for him to pass the most critical period. He will get better."

Ayan clasped her hands together hoping for the same result. 

"Leave the rest to me milady." Old White, as the oldest of them all, took the job of helping the person see to his condition. Ayan, Red and Coco went outside to clean up the blood.

"Fortunately you were a stubborn one," Coco said with a rarely lost expression. "If you did not insist on going out, an irreversible consequence might have occurred tonight and we can only stand in remorse."

The first male lead did not just experience hell. He was sent into it. To bear this kind of hardship, all for the sake of turning him into the designed typical indifferent and cold prince in the future bothered her so much. 

A man as unmoved as a solid block of ice became deaf to his subjects suffering but only has eyes to one person. Is that fair? 

How much hatred does the queen have for him to deliberately insult him like this? As the heir to the throne, dying in this faraway unknown forest without any of his loved ones knowing was simply too tragic.

Ayan silently covered the blood trails with a pile of snow. At first, she was only spurred by her curiosity despite having no intersection with the person. As one of the main characters in the book, she wanted to see how the heir to the empire looks like. Witness his first introduction and perhaps help him avoid the catastrophe. 

But she didn't expect when she arrived here, he would already be in dire straits and the situation was a lot worse than written. There was no falling into the ravine nor was a case of poisoning. He was purposefully mangled and is left in the cold to die. At this rate, the cold and indifferent prince in the story will most probably transform into a psychotic overlord instead!  

"Milady, the prince is saved." Old White informed from the inside.

Red went back to the ring while Coco and Ayan entered the tent. 

The tub was gone now, Old White had cleaned up the person and laid him on a thick woollen blanket. The ghastly stomach wound had no trace, the broken ribs and leg had been fixed. Old White also cast an illusion of injuries to cover up the completely healed wounds. 

What surprised Ayan was when he saw the person's face.

Why of all people… isn't this Beck?! 

The person laying there was none other than the carefree mercenary she knew. Just a few days ago he went into their cottage to mooch off some food and tease her cubs. She could still remember him making silly faces. Then here he is about to ride the boat to Hades! 

Ayan had a rare shocked expression. He's the prince?! 

She did not recognize him when he was caked with blood and dirt a while ago. She already conjured the stereotypical princely visage in her mind and prepared herself for it, in the end, she was still caught off guard. 

Ayan looked at the sleeping man for a good minute before finally agreeing that she wasn't hallucinating nor did she admit the wrong person because she was too eager. When the danger passed, and her nerves relaxed, her anticipation of seeing the royal heir also dissipated when she recognized this acquaintance.

"You really pulled one on me," she mumbled with a shake of her head. 

Coco flinched, not sure whether it was for him or the person laying motionless. 

Just when Ayan thought she would finally have a chance to meet a real live prince like those in the fairy tales she was let down again. Where all the golden-haired and charming men have gone? Instead of a crown, Beck has his hair tied up with some random rope, the angular face is bursting with stubbles and he was wearing the kind of coarse clothes you'd see just about anywhere. The heir to the empire simply looked like a roadside ruffian. Added by these wounds, he was further demoted looking worse than a beggar. 

Ayan admonished herself for mentally lambasting an injured man. To think he was disguised deeply. Surprisingly, because of some random circumstance she already met Asturia's first prince without her knowing. 

What are the odds of bumping into royalty when getting out of the forest? 

According to what she understood, prior to his character's appearance, he had a conflict with his father emperor because of the queen. He stormed out of the capital to show his protest after rashly declining the Crown Prince's position. He went far to clear his thoughts and met with an accident returning only to recuperate. While he was outside, the empress and his little brother inside the palace had no support, giving the queen ample time to win more allies. Because of the emperor's blatant disregard, his relationship with his father has further declined. 

And since she met Beck-- or His Highness Reginald rather she assumed that the 'unnamed intimate friend' mentioned would be Master Schon. Knoll mentioned that he was the nephew of the emperor. The person who will be arriving in a while to carry Beck back to the Morrigan manor and later drag him back to the imperial capital. 

"How far are they?" 

Coco coughed, "Enough time for you to escape."  

"So fast?"

Oh! She realized she had lingered too long here.

A couple of hours is short, especially when you're doing something sneaky. Coco mused. He watched Ayan scrambled to hide all the things they used, leaving only the poor 'highness' in a pile of dried leaves inside the tree hole looking as sorry as can be. 

By the time Ayan was ready to go back, it was already two o'clock in the early morning. But at least they have treated his wounds, kept him from dying and made sure he won't die a second time from being eaten by some unknown wild beast. 

Unfortunately, the wind picked up as she hurriedly left the place and she was forced to trudge on the snow. Ayan could no longer be bothered by the threat of falling trees or the eerie look of the forest. She needed to return home, take a nice warm bath and snuggle to the sheets with her little cubs as soon as possible. 

She had too much excitement for tonight that can sustain her till the following months of boring winter.