MFTR 73

Chapter 73

 My Wish Has Already Come True

Samuel, who had been crouching in a corner, trembled when he somehow caught those words.

When he cautiously lifted his gaze, he saw Cardin glaring at him with a look that said, “You’d better be grateful I’m holding back because today’s a good day.”

Meanwhile, Annette, whose eyes had welled with tears, quickly blinked them away.

As soon as they entered the dining room, she awkwardly adjusted the cone hat Larisa had quickly placed on her and asked,

“C-can I blow out the candles?”

“Of course.”

The moment Cardin gave permission, Annette took a deep breath and blew out the candles in one go, watching the flames flicker and melt down.

“Ah! My Lady, you were supposed to make a wish first!”

“A wish?”

“Yes!”

Larisa hurriedly explained that there was a saying—if you make a wish before blowing out the candles all at once, it will come true.

Annette, hearing this for the first time, blinked in surprise and moved to stop Larisa, who was already preparing to relight the candles.

“It’s fine, Larisa.”

“Huh? But…”

“My wish has already come true.”

As she said that, Annette unconsciously glanced at Cardin.

Cardin, who had been determined to seize the chance to say something special despite losing the first birthday celebration to Samuel, did not miss that look.

At last, he came up with the perfect words to express his feelings, and a bright smile spread across his face.

“Princess, thank you for being born.”

He blurted it out hastily, determined not to let anyone steal his moment this time.

“Ah… um, thank you.”

Annette’s heart started pounding so hard she felt dizzy for a moment.

When she barely managed to calm down and respond, Cardin looked utterly satisfied, filled with a sense of accomplishment and pride.

I thought he was perceptive…

Was he really this clueless in matters like this?

Annette had worried that her feelings might have been obvious, that he’d noticed how easily she got flustered at his words and how actively she behaved around him—enough for her to become the subject of teasing.

But seeing Cardin still oblivious to her emotions made her wonder.

Cardin, once unmatched in confidence and self-esteem in the entire Alkhan Empire, had no idea how timid he’d become after such a long unrequited love.

Annette tore her gaze away from Cardin and looked at everyone in the dining room.

“Thank you all for celebrating with me.”

The thought ‘someone like me doesn’t deserve this’ flickered in her mind, but she quickly erased it.

There was someone who said he was thankful she was born.

Someone who said it hurt him whenever she thought so little of herself. She didn’t want to say something that would make him sad.

Hearing Annette’s shy words of gratitude, the faces of the Grand Duke’s servants lit up brightly.

They had been terribly worried that the Lady’s surprise party might end in failure.

After preparing everything until dawn and even wearing cone hats with determination, they had gathered quietly on the first floor of the main hall, full of excitement.

They waited nervously for Samuel, who had planned the entire event, to signal that the Lady had left her room.

But instead of the promised signal, they heard a loud thud, as if something had fallen down the stairs. Everyone instantly sensed something was wrong.

They froze when they saw the Grand Duke, his face pale, rushing up the stairs.

Even after he ordered them not to follow, they understood what had caused that terrible noise the moment they saw him shielding the Lady with his entire body.

While Larisa took Annette back to her room in tears, the rest returned to the dining room with heavy hearts.

They were overwhelmed by emotions they couldn’t explain.

Although they usually maintained strict silence as members of the Harzent Grand Duke’s household, they still had ears.

And Annette, after all, was once known as the greatest swordswoman on the continent—famous from birth.

The servants, each with their own harsh past, held no prejudice against the so-called “Seed of the Demon Beast.” She was their master’s chosen partner; that was enough for their loyalty.

But meeting her in person had changed everything. She was so small and precious that their hearts warmed to her naturally. And the longer she stayed at the Grand Duke’s estate, the stronger their resolve to serve her well grew.

With that affection, they had planned the surprise party, hoping to see her happy smile—only for this accident to happen.

She must be bruised all over after tumbling down the stairs. How much it must hurt… I feel awful.

No more surprise events ever! From now on, if the Lady calls, we come running in five—no, one—minute!

They raised their voices cheerfully and put on excited faces, afraid she might feel sad recalling painful memories.

But deep down, they were all anxious and restless.

So when Annette bravely blew out the candles and thanked them for celebrating, they felt an immense sense of relief.

“It’s nothing, my Lady! We should be thanking you.”

“We’ll celebrate with you next year, the year after that, and every year to come.”

The head butler, Hubert, and the head maid, Madam Hilda, said in choked voices, then quietly bowed and led the others out of the dining room.

They would have loved to stay longer and celebrate more—there were still plenty of planned events—but they couldn’t.

Because the Grand Duke was glaring at them with eyes that clearly said, “Get out and leave us alone.”

As the servants slipped away like the ebbing tide, only Annette, Cardin… and Larisa, along with a pale-faced Samuel, remained.

Larisa stayed firmly by Annette’s side like a mother bird protecting her chick, undeterred by Cardin’s icy stare. The earlier incident had shocked her too much.

And because Larisa remained glued to Annette, Samuel also lingered awkwardly, unable to leave.

Cardin wanted nothing more than to snap at them to get lost, but he couldn’t show such a side of himself in front of Annette, so he forced a strained smile instead.

With a faint sigh, he decided to think of Larisa and Samuel as furniture—like wallpaper or chairs—and ignore them. Then he spoke.

“Princess, it’s time to open your presents.”

Annette had already noticed the pile of large and small gift boxes on the table, especially the biggest one in the center that Cardin kept sneaking eager glances at.

His obvious anticipation nearly made her laugh out loud.

Barely managing to keep her lips from curling, she reached toward the center—then, seeing Cardin swallow nervously, deliberately picked up the flat, neatly wrapped package next to the large box instead.

“Ah…”

“Oh! My Lady chose mine first!”

Cardin and Larisa’s faces reflected contrasting emotions—Cardin’s crestfallen, Larisa’s thrilled—as Annette felt an odd, surprising sense of satisfaction.

Have I picked up Cardin’s mischievousness? Or have I always had this sly streak hidden inside me?

Well, whatever the case, it doesn’t matter.

Back when she was almost always alone, she had plenty of time to drift into idle thoughts, but now things were different.

Carefully unwrapping the well-wrapped gift envelope, Annette froze for a moment.

“My Lady, do you like it?”

“Uh… yes… thank you, Larisa.”

Annette answered awkwardly, her eyes trembling slightly as they fell on what was inside.

It was a pair of socks, clearly hand-knitted from white yarn.

Small and adorable in size… with a big strawberry pattern in the middle.

“I made them so your feet stay warm in winter!”

“Uh-huh. I see.”

Will I even be able to wear these in winter?

She couldn’t bring herself to ask that, so instead, she said,

“They’re… really cute. Too cute to wear, honestly.”

She had been with Larisa almost constantly since the day they first met, so she had no idea when Larisa had found the time to make these.

They were so heartfelt that Annette felt they were too precious to wear.

“Oh, you like them that much? My Lady, I’ll make more for you! Always!”

Larisa vowed enthusiastically, declaring that all winter socks from now on would be her responsibility.

Annette felt like she had dug her own grave and could only thank her with teary eyes.

To change the subject, even belatedly, she grabbed another gift at random. Then—

“Gulp.”

“Oh, that one’s mine— eek!”

Samuel had just raised his hand when he met Cardin’s deadly glare and froze, sucking in a sharp breath.

Even as a strategist who had gone to the battlefield, he had never seen such a terrifying expression.

He now realized that even the most beautiful face could look utterly terrifying.

While Samuel was coming to terms with that, Annette finished unwrapping the present.

Samuel’s gift was a luxurious fountain pen and a set of scented stationery favored by noble ladies.

Knowing from past conversations how much Samuel loved “beautiful things,” Annette nodded in genuine admiration.

Seeing that look of appreciation, Cardin’s aura grew even darker, making Samuel’s face turn even paler.

But Annette, completely absorbed in the gift-unwrapping, didn’t notice at all.