Chapter 45
“People have been talking.”
Mark said this as he applied medicine to Baberi’s eyelids.
“They say a significant amount of the magic stones stored in the warehouse seems to have disappeared.”
“……”
“Did Lord Kur take them?”
Mark noticed Baberi’s lips twitch slightly while her eyes were closed.
“How should I know? Are you saying he did it?”
“Of course, they’d suspect us as soon as we arrived here. That’s only natural.”
Mark let out a small sigh. Baberi had already dealt with Basluui’s betrayal, and now they had to cooperate with these new people. Maintaining a good relationship would be ideal, but she was already earning their resentment.
“What are you planning to do?” Mark asked softly.
“It’s fine. I can’t split open my stomach. They won’t find out.”
The magic stones had already been digested and were gone. So she decided to confront the suspicion boldly.
Baberi opened her eyes and gave a sly smile.
“…I don’t know if I’m serving a king or a thief.”
“You sometimes say things worse than Kur himself.”
Baberi pointed out his bad habit, and Mark frowned slightly as he closed the medicine bottle.
“If anyone asks, we’ll just say we don’t know anything.”
Mark put the medicine safely into his pocket and stepped back. Then, briefly, he faced Kur, who was glaring at him as if ready to kill.
“…….”
“…….”
The two men stared at each other silently for a moment. Mark twitched the corner of his mouth and slightly lowered his head.
That subtle smile only made Kur angrier. He glared until Mark was out of sight.
“Did you see that?”
As Kur was sending murderous intent, Baberi spoke to him, and his brows furrowed slightly in irritation.
“A servant should bring medicine when I get bitten by a mosquito, not laugh at me.”
Kur diverted his gaze from the now-invisible Mark and looked at Baberi.
“You won’t marry. You won’t have children. And even when needed, you don’t bring medicine.”
“……”
“And it’s not like you’re cute either.”
Baberi raised both hands and made a face as if she couldn’t deal with him.
She felt a sense of revenge for having been laughed at since the morning. Seeing Kur’s eyes blaze with anger made her feel satisfied.
Kur kept his mouth shut, thinking about something, before finally speaking.
“Shall I tell you an honest secret?”
“What?”
“I really find Your Majesty irritating.”
Wasn’t that not a secret but just his usual complaint?
Baberi tilted her head and kept listening.
“Sometimes I can handle it if I think of you as just a mere human. But other times, it makes me so angry I can’t stand it.”
Was this one of those times? Kur paused and snorted.
“So, are you saying we should fight?”
Baberi clenched her fist—but she knew that if she actually hit him, it would be her who got into trouble.
“This is just me expressing my honest feelings.”
“That’s just you picking a fight.”
“You… handkerchief human… no.”
Kur shook his head mid-sentence.
Handkerchief human? Baberi rolled her eyes in confusion.
“What’s a handkerchief human?”
“Nothing. I just forgot that your memory isn’t that great.”
Kur sighed and glared at Baberi.
“I wasn’t harmed by His Majesty.”
Lavender told those questioning her truthfully.
Onion knelt on one knee in front of her and asked again.
“If you were threatened, you can speak freely. We will protect you, so don’t worry.”
Lavender seemed uncomfortable with his serious demeanor. Carrot pushed him slightly with her hand.
“If it wasn’t, then it wasn’t.”
She didn’t like how he seemed ready to interrogate her until she admitted being threatened.
“Don’t harass Lavender.”
“Harass? I’m trying to help!”
Onion shouted indignantly.
“Who are you? Lavender’s knight or something?”
Onion was left speechless by his sister’s words.
“Don’t interfere just because you’re an apprentice knight in Lancaster. Know your place.”
Carrot’s tone was sharp; she was still bothered by the abuse Onion had thrown at her father the night before.
“You did well coming, Lavender. I’ll take care of you here, so don’t worry.”
That clingy human would protect her. Lavender smiled gently. Despite being in the lair of those who had rebelled against her father, she felt at ease.
She trusted Carrot, who had been a childhood friend, as well as Pumpkin, who she had known for a long time. They wouldn’t harm her.
“It’s my fault I was brought here by His Majesty.”
Onion looked uncomfortable at Lavender’s words that seemed to defend the kidnapper. But after a rebuke from his sister earlier, he kept silent.
“I said something that might have sounded like I wanted to leave.”
Lavender spoke with regret, and Carrot was startled.
“You wanted to leave? You? What happened?”
‘Your mother jumped off a cliff and died because of you. If you hadn’t caught your father’s eye, that wouldn’t have happened. You ran away because you hated being left behind.’
Lavender had never once dared to tell Basluui that it was too harsh, no matter what he said.
If a friend like that wanted to leave her father’s side, something serious must have happened.
“Lavender.”
Carrot held her hand, urging her to explain. Lavender moved her lips.
‘Father tried to give me to King Manmi to kill you all.’
It felt too miserable to say it aloud. Lavender simply gave a lonely smile and remained silent.
A mountain path not far from the mine entrance.
“People need a clear line of sight, after all.”
Baberi panted, kneeling in front of Weed. Even after entering the mine, Baberi continued pulling weeds.
“Oh, you’re getting up?”
Maybe the change in environment affected Weed’s spirit. He stood, having previously given up after being beaten repeatedly.
“Have you gotten more venomous after getting hit so many times?”
Baberi laughed, thinking she should rename the weeds “poisonous plants.”
“You weren’t this weak before.”
Weed answered awkwardly, glancing sideways. Baberi followed his gaze and saw Carrot. She was with Lavender, watching them curiously.
“Is Lavender worrying about you now?”
“No.”
Weed answered, clearly displeased.
“Then, the woman next to Lavender?”
“……No.”
His denial was slightly delayed, and his face was red.
“Do you want to marry her?”
“What… what are you saying? I haven’t even spoken to her yet…”
He stammered, worried Carrot might overhear. When their eyes met briefly, he quickly looked away.
“Pfft.”
Baberi burst out laughing. Witnessing the awkward love of a sulky teenage boy was amusing.
“So that’s it. You’re the type who’s clumsy in front of someone you really like.”
Baberi nodded, understanding. Weed could only bite his lips; he couldn’t deny it.
Baberi gestured toward Lavender and Carrot.
Lavender cautiously approached, while Carrot’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
Baberi understood why Weed would be flustered around such a girl.
“Show him around this area, will you?”
Baberi pointed at Weed. Lavender relaxed, but Carrot’s lips tightened slightly in disappointment.
The three went off to explore the mountain surroundings, and Baberi watched them with satisfaction.
She felt proud to have seemingly helped form another couple.
“What a sweet time. Fresh.”
Baberi murmured with contentment. Kur, sitting under a tree with a sulky face, scoffed.
“Funny to hear you talk about love when you’ve never experienced it.”
Baberi snorted.
Never experienced love? How would he know that?
Her first love hadn’t happened yet. But Baberi didn’t want to admit or remain silent—it would feel like losing.
“Who hasn’t been in love?”
She smiled confidently and lied. Kur saw through it and didn’t believe her.
“You’ve never had a man.”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Baberi stubbornly insisted, recalling past fleeting moments.
“I’ve had two.”
Maybe she should’ve said more. Slightly regretting it, Kur stood up abruptly.
“Don’t lie.”
Baberi inwardly laughed at his urgent tone.
“I’m telling the truth.”
“……”
“Do you think men would ignore such a pretty face?”
Baberi placed a wooden sword under her arm and cupped her face in her hands, blinking playfully.
Kur’s face gradually hardened.
“At the exile?”
He strode toward Baberi.
“I thought you suffered in exile, but apparently not. While I barely survived death, you were…!”
Baberi flinched at his genuinely angry expression.
“What do you mean? I suffered plenty in exile!”
She raised her voice to match his intensity.
“Do you know how harsh it was when the guards didn’t work? They didn’t even feed us!”
She thought, they could’ve just eaten and done the dishes afterward. Yu Chaerin always made them wash dishes first.
“It’s not just about work. The angles matter.”
If laundry wasn’t folded neatly, it had to be redone from the beginning.
“I suffered so much in exile. Who had it easy?”
“Then where did we meet?”
“Why do you need to know?”
Baberi tried to evade and slip between the trees. But she felt something massive descending above her.
“……!”
Looking up, she jumped in shock. A giant spider hovered above her—bigger than her face.
“Ahhh!”
Baberi leapt onto Kur like a koala. Kur was also startled by her sudden movement.
“What is it?”
“Sp-sp-spider!”
Seeing the spider, Kur relaxed slightly. He almost transformed into a dragon, thinking a disaster had occurred.
“It has too many legs. It’s huge!”
Baberi, usually fearless, found this spider terrifying.
Clinging to Kur, she shouted while hugging his head. Kur winced, his ears hurting.
“Your Majesty, stop shouting.”
“Grrr… rrrr.”
She roared like a beast instead.
Kur glanced at the spider and had an idea.
“Your Majesty, answer my question properly. Where did you meet a man?”
Kur stepped closer to the spider. Baberi screamed and grabbed his collar.
“Tell the truth! Or I’ll let this spider crawl on your head!”
Kur took another step toward the spider. Baberi squeezed her eyes shut and yelled:
“It was a lie! It was a lie, Kur!”
