Chapter 13

When they stepped outside the estate to wait, it wasn’t long before the ostrich carriage arrived.

Gwooooh!

The loud cry of the ostrich sounded like an invitation straight to hell.

Screeech—!

As Heidi rubbed her goosebumped arms, the carriage wheels sparked against the ground and came to a halt before her.

Behind the golden carriage was the “cargo cart” she had ordered.

But this “cargo cart” looked less like a wagon and more like a giant mattress with a pink canopy, as if made from fairy wings.

“Wow… every time I see it, it’s breathtaking,” Heidi muttered, staring in disbelief.

Of course, back when she was a civil servant, she too had sometimes wished her bed could sprout wheels and carry her to work, just for five more minutes of sleep.

She’d never tried it—lacking the strength, money, or skill to build such a thing.

Besides, she didn’t have the guts to ride around town in a bed-carriage and become a walking spectacle. Most people wouldn’t either.

It felt like the world was still about two centuries too early to accept such an invention.

But regardless of Heidi’s thoughts, the familiar coachman greeted her with a radiant smile.

“Hellooo~! This is the ostrich carriage that goes wherever the customer calls! Thank you for choosing our fast and friendly service again today~!”

“H-hello…” Heidi answered weakly.

His over-the-top energy already felt exhausting. Her face paled slightly.

“Coachman.”

At that moment, Ber spoke up politely.

“Oh! Hello again~! You’re the worker gentleman from last time!”

“Please call me Ber. And tell me, is it really safe to load goods onto that bed-wagon?”

“No worries at all! The mattress is made with a triple shock-absorption system—special feathers, cotton, and springs! Nothing will shake your goods loose. And see those tall wooden sides around it?”

Indeed, the “bed” was surrounded by high wooden frames connected to its base.

“Those guardrails make sure nothing ever falls off in transit!”

The coachman’s tone was oddly excited, his explanation unnecessarily detailed. He radiated the air of a “quirky expert,” deeply obsessed with a niche field no one else cared about.

“And if you’re interested, I can tell you more about the carriage’s structure—”

But Ber firmly cut him off.

“That’s quite all right. I’m reassured enough. I’ll fetch the strawberries from the storage.”

“Oh right, the strawberries! I’ll help too,” Heidi said eagerly, hoping they could chat more while carrying crates together.

“No. I can manage alone. Please rest.”

With that curt reply, Ber turned away.

“…Oh.”

Heidi froze, blinking in surprise.

She knew he said it out of consideration—wanting to spare her the heavy lifting. She knew he was just being the perfect worker, focused on doing his job.

And yet, she couldn’t help feeling a sting of disappointment.

She’d tried so hard to start conversations, but he gave her no openings. He was too serious, too dutiful, leaving no room to get closer.

It made her sulk a little… but also stoked her stubbornness.

They say the steeper the mountain, the greater the joy of climbing it.

Someday, she swore, that stoic man would say the words: “I’ll stay by your side forever (as your worker).”

“…Miss, you look like you’re plotting something strange,” the coachman asked warily, noticing her sly grin.

“It’s nothing. By the way, did you finally add cushions like you promised last time?”

“Yes indeedy~!”

“Really? After two years at last! Finally, a less bumpy ride!” Heidi cheered inwardly.

“For the customer’s special condition, I even prepared a donut cushion.”

“…Special condition? Donut cushion?”

At first she tilted her head, puzzled. But then she remembered her own careless words from before:

“At this rate, I’ll get hemorrhoids! At least put some proper cushions on these seats!”

Donut cushions are, of course, for hemorrhoids.

The realization hit her—and her face flushed crimson with outrage.

“Hey! I don’t have that! I just said I was worried about getting it! You could at least listen properly!”

But the coachman had already scurried back to his seat, well out of earshot.

Left fuming, Heidi clenched her fists in frustration.

Loading the Strawberries

Once Ber had finished loading all the strawberry crates safely onto the wagon, a sense of satisfaction welled up inside him.

…I may not know farming, but this much must have been helpful to the boss.

A proper worker should notice what needs doing and handle it without being told.

She would’ve struggled to carry all those crates herself—so he’d suggested coming along, and then moved them all single-handedly. Perfect.

Yes, this was what a model worker should be.

Pleased with himself, Ber climbed into the carriage.

Inside, the same gaudy pink décor surrounded him as last time. On the seat sat a strange donut-shaped cushion.

A decoration, maybe, Ber thought, and sat down without a second thought.

Beside him, Heidi spoke.

“Thanks for all the hard work. Wasn’t it tiring doing that all alone?”

“No,” Ber answered simply.

And it was true. He had once carried five wild boars at once without breaking a sweat. A few strawberry crates were nothing.

“That’s good. Still, I appreciate it. You should relax now.”

She gave him one of her bright, grateful smiles.

Whenever she thanked him like that, Ber felt her smile was more than he deserved.

The reason he worked for her at all was because of the heavy debt he owed her parents. For that debt, he would do any amount of labor.

I only did what needed to be done.

That had been her parents’ mantra too.

Responsibility. Conviction.

Those words defined her parents—and had also taken their lives.

Ber hoped Heidi would never sense those same shadows in him. No child should be burdened by the weight of their parents’ death.

He brushed aside the darker thoughts and looked at his employer again.

Her smile was like pure white midday sunlight streaming through a window. Every time, his chest tickled strangely. It was unfamiliar… but not unpleasant.

“By the way, Ber,” Heidi’s playful voice broke his thoughts.

“Since we’ll be on the road for five hours, how about we chat a little? It’d be boring otherwise.”

“Yes.”

Ber answered readily—and immediately surprised himself.

He usually disliked idle chatter. On the battlefield, words had to be short and precise. Dragging things out could mean missing the moment—and losing lives.

But this woman… felt harmless. Safe. With her, even meaningless talk didn’t feel like a burden.

The sunlight finally reached his eyes clearly, where once only darkness had been his refuge.

It was unsettling, this dulling of his edges. Yet before anxiety could creep in, Heidi smiled again.

She was someone far removed from war. Around her, even his nightmares seemed to fade. He feared he might grow addicted to that feeling.

“Then, tell me about your family, Ber,” she asked curiously.

“…I have one older sister, two years my senior.”

He didn’t mention his late parents. Heidi already grieved her own fallen parents—he didn’t want to weigh her down further.

“What’s she like? If she’s like you, I imagine she’s very calm.”

“That’s not the case. She’s violent and troublesome.”

“Really? Then I bet we’d get along great.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Yes! Siblings always speak harshly about each other. I have a feeling she’s actually cheerful and lively. I’d love to meet her someday.”