Chapter 5
Rogien wiped Prim’s wet feet and fanned them to dry.
Following Prim’s gaze, he suddenly shouted,
“Hey! Prim! Look at your hands too!”
“Ah, it’s fine.”
“They’re not fine at all!”
Seeing Prim’s hands, scratched from rose thorns in multiple places, Rogien’s mouth dropped open. He glanced at the bouquet, then swallowed the words he had intended to say and changed the subject.
“…Did you make this because you wanted to?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay… but next time, wait a little. I’ll come quickly when you call.”
“It’s fine. By nighttime, everything will heal anyway.”
Her curse didn’t allow calluses to form.
“The problem isn’t healing.”
Grumbling, Rogien confirmed that all the blood had been washed from Prim’s feet, then turned his back to her.
Prim rubbed her eyes, seeing the back she had known for so long now appearing so small. Her eyes quickly reddened.
“Prim?”
“Mm.”
Rogien reached out, leaning against her, lifted her onto his back, and stood up in one motion.
Rogien was strong for his age, and Prim was smaller than most, so carrying her was never a problem.
“Do you want to take the bouquet with you?”
“No, I’ll leave it here.”
Leaving the bouquet on the altar, Rogien readjusted Prim on his back and stepped out of the dilapidated temple.
“Prim, guess what I did today?”
“What did you do?”
“Wanna see?”
“Yeah.”
Prim already knew what Rogien had done, but she didn’t say she knew. Rogien’s pace quickened.
The orphanage behind Barin’s temple was even poorer than the impoverished Sanbertal territory, yet it had one small advantage—a beautiful view from the low hill behind the orphanage.
Carrying Prim, Rogien turned slightly and climbed the hill. The first thing she saw was a large tree—and something hanging from it that hadn’t been there until recently.
“See it?”
“…Yeah, I see it.”
It was a swing.
With the orphanage’s meager resources, there was no way to acquire such strong, long rope and finely grained wooden planks.
Since Rogien arrived at the orphanage, he had spent an entire year helping with various tasks to finally obtain the rope and planks. And hanging it that high wasn’t an easy feat.
“It’s a swing. It’s really fun, even if it shakes a little.”
“….”
He carefully placed Prim on the swing. It was high enough that her feet didn’t touch the ground.
Her feet didn’t reach the ground…
“Prim, hold onto the ropes tightly. I’ll push you.”
Rushing behind her, Rogien cautiously pushed the swing. It moved slowly back and forth, the scenery coming closer and receding in a gentle rhythm.
The air carried the scent of wild grasses and flowers, mingled with the fresh aroma of leaves brushed by the wind.
“How’s that? Fun, right?”
“….”
“If you ever want to swing again, just tell me, okay?”
Worried she might be scared, Rogien gently pushed the swing as he spoke.
He never mentioned how long he had struggled to make the swing, nor the effort it took to acquire the sturdy rope and planks.
Prim felt as if she were being rocked slowly in a cradle. She had no idea who her parents were, being an orphan with no home, yet…
In her previous life, she hadn’t been able to feel joy even when receiving this gift, only thinking about her inability to walk.
Even then, she hadn’t been able to be angry at Rogien, because without him, she had nowhere else to go.
She had taken her revenge silently, never asking to swing even once.
Rogien, as if he understood her heart, had simply smiled the whole time, watching the swing he had worked so hard to make remain unused.
But now, she realized she no longer had to leave her silence for him to interpret.
“Rogien.”
“Yeah, what is it?”
As the swing tilted backward, Rogien tilted his head to respond. Prim spoke slowly, feeling the gentle motion of the swing.
“I’m going to become a perfumer.”
At her words, Rogien abruptly stopped the swing and ran toward her, leaping forward.
“Really? Yes! You have talent! Let’s ask the priest to teach you! And take the perfumer qualification exam next year! Don’t you need a recommendation from the temple to apply? Well, the priest can handle that, right?”
“Being an orphan actually helps, right?”
It wasn’t a particularly funny remark, but Rogien laughed heartily. Seeing him laugh, Prim gave a faint smile and slowly drew in a breath.
Deciding to become a perfumer wasn’t a grand achievement—it was just repeating what she had done in her previous life.
Her true reason for returning lay elsewhere. Choosing her words carefully so as not to reveal her tension, Prim spoke slowly.
“Rogien, you know…”
“Hmm? Should we try to get some scent ingredients first? If a merchant caravan comes, we have almost nothing left at the temple. Until then…”
“I’ll become a perfumer, and you’ll become a knight.”
“Practice… hmm?”
Rogien’s eyes widened, pointing at himself.
“Me? A… knight?”
“Yes.”
Prim nodded. Rogien’s eyes rolled.
“I… don’t think I could do that as an orphan.”
Becoming a knight was something usually reserved for the children of noble families. Training a single knight required tremendous funds.
The honor and authority of knights came from fighting monsters and surviving, and the cost of weapons and warhorses was astronomical.
Learning swordsmanship and other martial arts wasn’t easy. Such skills weren’t taught to just anyone, and the fees for masters were high.
Yet Prim spoke firmly:
“No, you can do it.”
“Ah, really? …I can do it? Me?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm… how is that even possible…?”
Rogien stammered. When Prim said she would become a perfumer, words flowed easily, but the idea of taking on a knight’s dream left him speechless.
Instead, Prim continued speaking:
“You have talent. You’re athletic, strong, and tall. Join as a squire, learn swordsmanship by observing, gain experience, and earn your knighthood. It’s entirely possible.”
Despite growing up in such poverty and hardship, Rogien had grown tall and strong, capable of feats that would impress any man.
Even without formal sword training, he could defeat knights by observing them.
His red hair, often the source of conflict, didn’t hinder him for long.
Knights under the Radiant Prelate and the Earth Prelate had tried to recruit him into their orders.
If it weren’t for her, he would have become a knight long ago.
He could have basked in glory, but he had refused every opportunity.
Instead, he had gotten his hands dirty to ensure Prim could have what she wanted, as quickly as possible.
But now, he would no longer do that.
Hearing Prim’s determined plan, Rogien blinked, ran his fingers through his hair, and gaped.
‘Is that even possible?!’
