The next day, Leon set off for home, carrying a pouch of maple sugar and a bucket of tofu. Im had given them a holiday for Spring Awakening Festival—Etho's most important celebration of new life and harvest. Leon had invited Im to join his family, but the mage declined, choosing to stay alone at Moonlight Cottage instead of visiting the lord's manor.
Their maple sap harvest had yielded more than expected: 100 kilograms of sap boiled down to 10 kilograms of rich, amber sugar—worth several gold coins on the market.
When Leon reached Erika's Bakery, his parents were still serving customers. He washed his hands and hurried to help. "Mom, I'm home! Master gave us a holiday."
Erika's face lit up. "Welcome back! How long can you stay?"
"Until after the festival—Master didn't specify a return date," Leon replied. He realized he hadn't asked for a "start date" either. Im's holidays were arbitrary—classes resumed when he felt like it, no summer break, just short winter respites.
"I brought sugar," Leon said, pride in his voice.
"Sugar? Where did you get the money?" Erika asked.
"Not bought," Leon said, preening like a proud rooster. "There are sugar maples in Master's valley. We collected over 20 pounds of sugar."
"That much?" Erika thought, surprised. Sugar maples were far more profitable than bread.
With Leon home, Erika closed the bakery early to prepare for the festival. "What's this?" she asked, pointing to the bucket of tofu submerged in water.
"Tofu," Leon explained. "Made from ground beans—soy milk curdled with gypsum. We should make more at home. I also brought fried tofu stuffed with pork."
He walked her through the tofu-making process, then suggested, "We can make fried tofu, pan-fried tofu, braised tofu, tofu stuffed with meat, and egg-tofu pudding—all from beans."
Erika smiled. "You might not be the best mage apprentice, but you're a genius with food."
Leon blushed, then defended himself. "I'm good at magic too! Master wouldn't let me make tofu or bring home sugar if I wasn't."
Just then, Isabella and Gage returned from school. Leon handed them each a piece of maple sugar, then asked Erika to store the rest. "How's your magic going?" Isabella whispered, curious but not eager to learn herself. She was the only one in the family who knew Leon was studying magic—commoners held deep prejudices against spellcasters, especially in remote areas.
"I'm never behind," Leon said, glancing at their parents. He held out his hand, summoning a tiny flame for a split second before snuffing it out. The room was dim, and while Erika and Garin didn't see the flame, they noticed the flash of light.
"What was that?" Erika turned, eyes narrowing. Leon was always the cause of odd occurrences.
"Nothing—just showing Isabella my gift from Master," Leon lied, pulling out a glass mirror. He'd made it while crafting window panes, and Im had helped plate it with silver using magic. Mirrors weren't rare among mages, but they were luxury items for commoners—most used bronze mirrors or still water.
Erika gasped, taking the mirror. "Where did you get this? Did you steal it from your master?"
"Master gave it to me," Leon said, changing his story. He couldn't explain how he'd made it without revealing his glassworking skills. Guilt washed over him—he'd been so focused on magic that he'd never thought to make a mirror for his mother, only bringing one home as an afterthought. The divide between his past life, his magic studies, and his family felt sharper than ever.
"Mom, you keep it," Leon said. "Isabella doesn't need it yet."
Isabella rolled her eyes but didn't object, grinning when Erika handed it to her. "I'll lend it to you anytime, Mom."
Over the next few days, the family prepared for the festival. With Leon's tofu, they experimented with dozens of dishes: fried tofu crust (cooked directly in a hot pan), tofu skin (dried layers of soy milk film), braised tofu, and egg-tofu pudding (blended tofu and eggs steamed until set). Erika marveled at how versatile beans could be—she'd only ever boiled them before. She resolved to keep the tofu recipe a family secret, too valuable to share.
On the eve of the festival, they gathered for a feast—just like Earth's New Year's Eve or Christmas Eve, saving the festival day for rituals. Leon stared at the table, filled with tofu dishes and maple sugar treats, and felt a pang of sadness. As he advanced in magic, these family meals would grow scarce. But he'd chosen this path—one that would lift him beyond the life of a baker's son, beyond calling Flower or Dahlia "lord" when they were older.