~Chapter 11~
Carmine felt torn. His two younger sisters always asked him for help, so he was used to people relying on him. But now, a strange woman had appeared in front of him.
How could she possibly dig with such fragile arms? They’d snap like twigs.
Still, her determined face and firm voice told him she wasn’t lying.
And what’s this about an ice cave…?
She kept talking with her small lips, chattering about things he had never even heard before.
After visiting the house of the woman who owned the Ego Sword, the emperor stayed silent. The escort knight, uneasy about his master’s quietness, finally asked with a bow:
“Your Majesty, is something wrong?”
The knight thought back to the time when this odd woman had dared to refuse the emperor’s proposal. Maybe she had insulted him in another shocking way? The knight ground his teeth.
If she knew who stood before her, she’d faint from shock.
In his eyes, the emperor was too soft. Even if he had entered this kingdom in secret, it wasn’t difficult to deal with one ordinary woman.
Once her master is gone, the Ego Sword would return to the royal family anyway.
The knight made up his mind. If the emperor gave the order, he would immediately seize the sword.
But then Carmine spoke very different words:
“Do you know how people store ice?”
“…Pardon?”
Ice?
The knight wondered if His Majesty had simply grown too hot and started craving ice. Well, it was a hot day.
He fumbled with an answer. “You keep it in a freezer, don’t you?”
“Yes, usually.” Carmine nodded.
To him, freezers were as normal as breathing. He had grown up with them in the palace. So he had never considered—how did ordinary people live without them?
“And how much does a freezer cost?”
“You can’t really buy one. It only works if a tower mage casts magic on it.”
“Then how do commoners eat ice?”
“…I don’t know.”
The knight had no answer either.
Carmine’s brow furrowed deeply.
No one around me understands the lives of ordinary people. Can such men really rule a country well?
Maybe what he needed was someone who could give him practical advice… like that strange girl who casually dug a hole in her yard, saying she wanted ice.
What am I even thinking…
He shook his head quickly.
The knight, still suspicious of the woman, noticed the emperor’s skin.
“Your Majesty, why is your arm so red today? Did that insolent commoner leave you standing outside?”
“No. I simply helped her with some work. The Ego Sword made an excellent pair of scissors.”
“…What?”
The knight was speechless. Should he be more shocked that the emperor had done chores for a common woman—or that the sacred Ego Sword had been used as scissors?
Ignoring his knight’s confusion, Carmine muttered softly:
“She’s a curious girl. Knows many things.”
Coming from the cold, fair emperor, it was an unthinkable kind of praise.
“Again? You came again?”
“….”
At my complaint, Carmine just stiffened his handsome face. I slapped my forehead and shook my head.
He ate my knife-cut noodles and omija tea so happily yesterday, he must have fallen for my cooking. What should I do about this irresistible charm of mine? If he tastes my peaches or apples, he’ll probably demand to live here forever.
This must be my karma.
If he’s coming only to ask for Louis, then fine. But if he’s actually clinging to me because he likes me… I might get soft.
“I’m a busy woman, you know. At most, I’d only raise one child—boy or girl, doesn’t matter.”
“…What nonsense are you talking about?”
Oops. My inner thoughts slipped out again.
Still, I had been thinking about him since yesterday. I tugged on his sleeve.
“Come here.”
“Hm?”
“Lie down here.”
I tapped on the wooden bench. Carmine gave me a look as if I’d asked him to do something improper.
What? People will think I’m trying to eat him alive.
I just wanted to help.
Letting this man’s skin get damaged would be like ruining a national treasure.
I forced a reassuring smile. After some hesitation, Carmine finally lay down on the bench with a sulky face.
“Stay still. Don’t raise your hands or interfere.”
I touched his arm lightly. Heat radiated from his skin. I clicked my tongue.
“Tsk. You stood under the sun yesterday without anything on. Of course you got burned.”
“This could be healed quickly with a potion—”
“Don’t talk. Just stay still.”
Potions? I hadn’t seen any since arriving here. I’d heard only royals might use one or two in a year.
Besides, there’s a much better natural cure right here.
I pressed the cool gel of aloe onto his arm. Carmine tensed at first, but his eyes widened when the coolness spread across his skin.
“What is this?”
“Aloe. I planted it in the yard for times like this.”
Yes—aloe, cucumber, and grapes were perfect for burns.
When I moved up to his face, Carmine murmured dreamily:
“It’s sticky… but so refreshing.”
“Exactly what it’s for.”
As I spread the aloe, a thought popped up.
Oh right, the lord’s grandmother has an agave plant in her greenhouse.
She had once asked if I knew about it. In Korea, agave was rare, so I hadn’t been much help.
Carmine probably doesn’t know about it either.
I showed him the aloe leaf.
“There’s a similar plant in the greenhouse. If your skin stings again, cut a bit and use it like this.”
“How do you know so much?”
He looked amazed. I just shrugged and smiled lightly.
Carmine whispered: “So this is the wisdom of commoners.”
I chuckled.
“You must be from a high place, the way you talk.”
I didn’t laugh to mock him. It was just funny.
How many people in this country outrank me? Riena Pond, daughter of a duke, once bride-to-be of the crown prince… And now here I am, teaching a noble about commoner tricks. Life is strange.
Carmine frowned slightly, misunderstanding my laugh. Then he asked quietly:
“Did your parents teach you this knowledge?”
“I don’t have parents.”
“….”
I answered casually while rubbing aloe onto his skin. But Carmine went silent, lips sealed like a clam.
Realizing how harsh that sounded, I added quickly:
“Well, they exist, but they abandoned me.”
“….”
Now his mouth stayed firmly shut.
See? He’s not a bad person. He actually cares.
I burst into laughter, then stretched my legs and sat comfortably beside him.
“When I was young, I was disgraced and my engagement was broken. My family tossed me aside, useless. Honestly, I didn’t expect it either. But it’s not bad. Living alone is pretty nice.”
It wasn’t a lie. Being Duke Pond’s daughter hadn’t been awful, but I liked the freedom of my current life more.
Even though I spoke cheerfully, Carmine still watched me carefully. I smirked.
“What, curious about the details?”
“No.”
His face screamed Yes, I’m dying to know.
Without thinking, I patted his golden hair like he was a child.
“Good boy.”
He instantly scowled, and I quickly pulled my hand away, blushing.
“I—I don’t mean I trust you! And you can’t have Louis back.”
“…I didn’t say anything.”
Exactly! That makes it worse. You’re making me embarrassed.
I broke into a sweat and changed the subject. Food was always safest.
“Do you like grapes? Want some? They’re at their sweetest right now.”
I offered kindly, like a generous farmer. But Carmine frowned.
“If I eat them, you’ll have nothing left to sell.”
Excuse me? Did I look like someone who’d give away everything? I poked him playfully.
“Of course I kept the best ones for market. These are rejects—ugly ones that won’t sell.”
“….”
He puffed his cheeks at my answer. I laughed and grabbed a basket of grapes.
“Don’t pout. Just because they look bad doesn’t mean they taste bad.”
My grapes were sweet—like holding sugar in your hands. I’d worked hard with fertilizer, carefully protecting each fruit from bugs and scratches.
The sweet scent filled the air. Carmine glanced sideways at me and asked:
“Hard to eat lying like this. Can I get up now?”
“If the aloe’s absorbed, you can. But your face still has a lot left.”
I shrugged.
“Just open your mouth. I’ll feed you.”
