Chapter 6
Tina quickly scribbled on the next page of her notebook. Fernandez read along with her hand movements.
“This outfit… can only be worn by the S-Sa-intessss.”
“But it’s way too long. I almost tripped over it multiple times.”
“Even so, you shouldn’t do thaaaat.”
Ren snapped her fingers as she thought about how to excuse herself.
“I can’t even hunt monsters in that outfit. It would take all night just to catch one.”
Tina’s hand hesitated.
“But High Priestess Hatasha will get mad!”
Now Fernandez shouted, nearly in tears. Finally, Ren understood what was going on.
She gave them a wry smile.
“I’ll say I did it on my own.”
“……”
“You saw it yourselves. I can’t do anything in that outfit. Can’t even fight monsters. If it’s the holy maiden’s garment and only one person can wear it, shouldn’t her taste be taken into account?”
Ren spoke sweetly.
Eventually, Tina gave in and handed her the scissors, and Pani gave her the dress.
Ren laid the garment back on the floor and began cutting with confidence, focusing on the parts she had decided to trim.
Rustling sounds followed.
Fernandez, who had turned around with her eyes closed, pricked up her ears.
“Take a look at me, Fernandez.”
Fernandez quickly turned and lowered the hands that had been covering her eyes.
There stood Ren, holding up the newly shortened hem of her skirt with both hands.
She gracefully bent her knees and then spun around once. Her movements were light, like a bird’s.
“How is it?”
“You look beautiful!”
Tina and Pani nodded in agreement.
Scraps of expensive-looking fabric lay scattered on the floor. It was clear just from a glance that the fabric had been luxurious, worth a fortune. But it couldn’t be helped.
Ren had learned during her healing process that rotten parts must be cut away. Clinging to them would only cause further infection.
“How much would this sell for?”
Ren asked Tina and Pani.
After thinking for a moment, the two scribbled on the notepad.
[10,000 gold]
Fernandez translated, and Ren asked again.
“How much is that?”
This time, Tina wrote and Fernandez read aloud.
“Enough to buy one hundred horses. Wow!”
Fernandez exclaimed, her eyes wide. Having grown up in the temple since childhood and lived solely on temple-provided goods, she couldn’t fully grasp how much that amount was. But if it could buy a hundred horses, she could at least guess it was enormous.
“So that’s the total value, huh.”
Ren murmured to herself and nodded in understanding.
The other three tilted their heads in confusion.
Rix dismounted his black horse with long, swift strides. Mabel immediately ran over to take the reins.
“She hasn’t come out yet?”
“No.”
“She didn’t run away, did she?”
“She stayed in her room with the attendants after dinner.”
“Until now?”
“Yes.”
Mabel answered briefly. He was the one who had been standing by the door when Ren entered the dining room.
Rix shook his head and chuckled.
Just then, Scarlett approached and bowed.
“Everything is ready.”
“Good. But why isn’t the Saintess here yet?”
“Shall I go check the temple?”
Rix looked up at the sky. The twin silver moons shone brilliantly in the night sky. Just as he was about to shake his head, a rustling came from the bushes.
All three instinctively reached for their weapons.
“Are you sure this is the place?”
“This is the entrance.”
A woman’s voice and a young boy’s voice could be heard, and the three relaxed. They had a good idea who it was.
“Seriously, what a selfish person. He makes plans without telling me the time or place?”
“Saintess, he is His Highness the Prince…”
“I know. But he’s not here right now, is he?”
“Still, please always be careful.”
“Got it. The walls have ears and the night has…”
“…mice?”
“Eek!”
“Waaah!”
Ren and Fernandez screamed while grabbing each other like they had just seen a ghost in a haunted house.
Rix, arms crossed, curled one corner of his mouth.
“Yeah. My bad for not giving you the time and place clearly.”
Ren muttered, “My heart almost dropped,” trying to catch her breath.
Rix casually approached her with his long strides.
Suddenly standing right in front of her, he looked down at her with a crooked smile.
“If you had asked the old lady, you’d have known immediately.”
“…Next time, just tell me yourself, please.”
Ren took a step back, flustered by his handsome face being so close.
After the fire incident, he was the first person she had faced so intimately—besides her doctor.
“What happened to your clothes?”
Rix furrowed his brow. Ren glanced down at her clothes and answered.
“They were uncomfortable, so I cut them. Do they look weird?”
Rix stroked his chin without a word. Meanwhile, Mabel brought over Rix’s beloved horse. With his black horse and uniform, his red hair and golden eyes stood out even more.
“Looks much better.”
He murmured to himself as he climbed back onto the horse. As Ren puzzled over what he meant, Scarlett approached.
“Can you ride a horse?”
“No.”
“Then please take the carriage.”
Scarlett guided her and Fernandez to the carriage. Ren followed her absentmindedly.
Just as she was climbing in, a thought struck her.
Wait, how does the Prince know a Korean proverb?
How would he know that? Does this world have something similar?
Ren mulled it over as the carriage jostled violently over rough terrain. She didn’t look her best, to be honest.
“Fernandez…”
Ren called out in a strained voice. Fernandez, sitting in a corner looking dazed, weakly replied, “Yees…”
She was barely holding back nausea.
“Walls have ears, and the night has…”
Fernandez gave her a blank look. Her angelic eyes looked hollow.
The carriage jolted violently again, lifting their seats into the air before dropping them.
Fernandez grimaced and managed to ask,
“What are you talking about?”
“A saying. You don’t know proverbs?”
“What’s that—ugh.”
Fernandez clamped her mouth shut.
The speed increased, and the carriage began to feel like a rollercoaster.
Ren also gave up thinking and just held back the urge to vomit.
Fernandez was completely out of it. With a pale face, she cried, “Saintess, save me,” but all Ren could say was, “Just hang in there.”
Only much later did the carriage come to a stop.
They stepped out into a pitch-black forest, looking thoroughly worn out.
When Scarlett opened the door, the two of them rushed into opposite bushes to dry-heave.
“So weak.”
Ren wanted to grab Rix by the collar for that comment, but didn’t have the strength.
Rix handed her a gun—the one he had used yesterday.
“This forest is known for frequent monster sightings.”
And he said it as casually as discussing dinner.
He looked down at her like she was a little kid, smiling playfully.
“Wanna make a bet?”
“A bet?”
Is this guy crazy?
Ren frowned, and Rix grinned slyly.
“Let’s see who can kill more monsters.”
Kill? Not just subdue?
Rix seemed to read her mind.
“Don’t tell me… you don’t know how?”
Ren avoided his gaze and started thinking hard.
What did they do in “The Saintess’s Dilemma” again? The crown prince and the saintess went monster hunting… Didn’t they almost kiss in a secluded forest?
“Well, uh… you aim for the head…”
“The head?”
What was it again?
Ren swallowed dryly. He narrowed his eyes and said,
“Pierce the skull or sever the head from the body. Then burn the remains so nothing is left.”
“Oh, right!”
Ren finally nodded as if she remembered.
But he still looked doubtful.
“You’re a rare case who can destroy them with a single shot.”
So the normal method requires two steps, while she can skip straight to the end.
Ren nodded in understanding.
In the novel, the monster hunting parts weren’t detailed—it focused more on romance. So it made sense that she didn’t know much.
Still, a bet?
Not a bad idea. Now that her body was fully healed, she wanted to test how synced she was with Minsuji.
“Okay.”
“What should we bet?”
Rix hummed as he looked around. Ren also scanned the area and smiled slyly.
“That horse.”
“The horse?”
“Not any horse. That one. Yours.”
She pointed at the horse Rix had ridden.
Even as a novice, she could tell it was a top-tier steed.
Glossy black coat, massive build, strong enough to crush a person with one kick. Other horses didn’t compare.
Rix raised an eyebrow.
She’d clearly chosen well.
“Nothing else?”
“I don’t need anything else. I’ll ride it back down. No more carriages for me.”
There was another reason she wanted that horse.
From the carriage, she had noticed that his horse was the most stable and smooth during travel.
And if she took his horse, he’d have to walk or ride in the bumpy carriage.
That was a bit satisfying.
As Ren smirked, Rix stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“He doesn’t let just anyone ride him.”
“I’ll manage.”
“Can you even ride a horse?”
“I’ll learn.”
Ren felt her senses sharpening and confidence building. She might not be a jockey, but she trusted her athletic skills.
Rix’s eyebrows twitched subtly. Scarlett and Mabel noticed the prince’s lips curl slightly and got chills.
Rix asked one more time with a mischievous grin.
“You might get kicked.”
“I’m the Saintess. Surely you’ll save me if I’m about to die.”
Ren replied coolly, and Rix burst out laughing.
Behind her, Mabel and Scarlett were silently making frantic “X” gestures to stop her.
But when Ren looked back, they acted nonchalant and turned away.
After a brief pause, Rix nodded.
“Alright. If you win, the horse is yours. But if I win…”
Oh, she hadn’t thought about that part.
“Tell me about yourself.”
“Me?”
“Who you were, how you got here. That sort of thing.”
Ren hesitated.
“I told you I don’t remember.”
“You don’t remember everything?”
“…Is that really necessary?”
“If we’re working together, it’s better to know.”
Ugh.
Refusing would probably lead to a major headache.
She had to win. At the very least, she had to take the horse.
Besides, Rix didn’t know—
That before coming here, Ren had once been a star sharpshooter.
Ren gripped the gun tightly and pulled her skirt up even shorter.
She vaguely heard Fernandez’s distressed cry of “Saintess!” behind her, but it was too late.
