5. Bread and Dagger (8)
It wasn’t until long before I calmed her down.
Despite several minutes of consolation and persuasion, Emma was still blushing. I saw a hallucination of steam rising above my bowed head.
Probably because it was so embarrassing.
At most, it looked like he was messing around with dried mushrooms. It was, in fact, nothing to be ashamed of.
yeah, i should have said that
I hesitated and couldn’t hand it over.
It was because the scenery of the time was constantly replayed in my mind.
The image of him holding dried mushrooms with tears in his eyes.
It was a face like a work of art containing a total appreciation for life.
From the squatting position to minimize the consumption of physical strength, to the pitiful effort of deliberately melting dried mushrooms with saliva.
It was sincerity that only those who had not eaten for a long time could see.
Of course, neither hunger nor poverty were sins.
It was just an unavoidable condition of life.
Life sometimes functions on such an unreasonable basis. I had no intention of criticizing or shaming for this.
If there is someone who wants to do that, there is a high probability that it will be someone who has nothing to brag about.
However, this was just my personal opinion.
Even so, Emma had an inferiority complex in the fact that she was from a commoner’s background.
She pretended to be equal with me, but spoke in a casual way, but Emma’s sense of self-doubt was often revealed in the way she was exposed at first glance. Needless to say, now that I feel a sense of debt to me.
In the meantime, it was a board that showed that he couldn’t even solve the meal properly.
It wasn’t strange if Emma felt ashamed.
Besides, I didn’t want to see what Emma was doing.
It wasn’t because I was disappointed or ashamed.
I just did it because my heart hurts.
It was unbearably painful that Emma was suffering so much, and that I was one of them.
So I couldn’t bear to pretend that nothing was wrong with Emma.
Because I must be the main reason that made her that way.
However, Emma seemed to have misunderstood the feelings expressed in my expression.
In a voice still wet with tears, Emma apologized.
“M-I’m sorry… Unsightly… … .”
“No, no!”
I immediately denied Emma’s words.
It was dangerous to leave it like this. Emma’s mood might dig an endless tunnel.
In such a sense of crisis, I continued persuasion, which is rare.
“Why are you so ugly? Rather, it was nice to see you openly… He was also a little cute… … .”
“… … cute?”
At the words I spat out casually, watery emerald eyes turned to me.
It wasn’t sad or painful.
I nodded my head desperately not to miss the opportunity that came to me.
“Well, then! Of course he was cute, he’s usually meticulous, but when he does this, he just seems like an idiot.”
After fidgeting for a while, I finally let out a deep sigh.
Fortunately, Emma’s mood seemed to have eased a little.
I decided to tell a true story now.
My hand gripped Emma’s slender hand.
Emma flinched and flinched, but she did not reject my touch.
A light blush appeared on her cheeks.
“… … But Emma, I hope you’re not having a hard time. I eat every meal, and I don’t overdo it. Every time your complexion turns pale, my heart hurts too.”
Emma stared blankly at me without saying anything.
It seemed that he had no desire to throw up at my words.
It was a positive sign.
I just hoped that this would make Emma’s daily life even a little better. Emma had such a devoted personality that it was difficult not to put the brakes on her like this.
It was like that even just a moment ago.
Emma said that she had recently been to the Alchemy Guild. I heard that he couldn’t stand it and sold the potion, so for a while it was normal to have enough funds.
But if he was chewing dried mushrooms again, there was only one reason.
It was wasted on material costs.
I can’t stand that bird, for the sake of research.
As it is, no matter how much money I give, there is a limit.
Even if the quality of food improves, sleep time will decrease or decrease.
So it didn’t work.
“As much as I am precious to you, you are very precious to me… So please don’t overdo it. I will fill in as much as I need in the future… … .”
“… … That, stop it.”
But my words were not finished.
It was because Emma said that while looking away, her face flushed red.
The reaction seems to have been good.
I was dumbfounded and had no choice but to keep my mouth shut.
“You, don’t do that again. While holding hands and looking at each other seriously… Well, then you’re mistaken.”
“… … What?”
At the question I asked while tilting my head, Emma said, clearing her throat.
Of course, he still couldn’t make eye contact with me.
“I know you’re serious… … .”
“Am I serious?”
“Ah, really!”
Emma finally couldn’t stand it and raised her voice.
A pretty face with a teary face turned to me.
“… … This is why I can’t stop.”
It was a brand new complaint.
I had no choice but to wait silently for Emma’s next words. In the first place, he had no idea what Emma was talking about, so it was a natural step.
Emma let out a deep sigh after a while.
It meant reflection.
“I-I didn’t mean to spend all the money in the first place… But as I kept worrying about you, the alchemy ingredients caught my eye… … .”
Every word he hurriedly threw out was warm.
That was Emma’s nature.
A woman like a pebble, warm and caring.
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Just being by her side made me feel free.
I couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
The firm determination to tell Emma had long since disappeared.
How could he go out with such a kind woman so resolutely?
Emma lost her temper and glanced at me.
“… … Sorry for worrying you.”
“No, Emma. thanks… For thinking of me a lot.”
After that, they shared their current situation after a long time.
Of course, the story of my confrontation with the family of the evil spirits had to be shortened somewhat. It was because I was afraid of Emma’s reaction when she found out that I was really close to dying.
He might have stayed up all night saying that he needed to make a potion with better performance.
Or I might pass out as it is, and only shed tears while my eyes are open.
Emma was weak.
I had to keep it.
As if my judgment was not wrong, the conversation with Emma proceeded in a fairly gentle atmosphere. In some passages of the story, Emma burst into exclamations of surprise.
However, there were some things that didn’t disappear no matter how much shed and shed.
For me, the breakup with Ned was like that.
I spoke as calmly as possible, but I couldn’t avoid Emma’s worried gaze.
she asked me cautiously.
“… … it’s okay?”
“Yeah, now.”
“Perhaps,” I swallowed with a gulp.
I didn’t want to make Emma worry.
But it was a futile effort, and Emma, as always, was quick-witted.
yes, as always
Emma studied my expression without speaking, then hesitantly hugged me.
I thought I would survive for a day.
Even so, I was able to bury my face in Emma’s chest after a while as if possessed. A sweet scent tickled his lungs.
It was soft and elastic.
I decided to enjoy the touch without thinking about it for now.
“You worked hard, Ian… … .”
The scenery of hometown passed by.
The villagers were crying as they buried unrecovered bodies among the burned and fallen rubble. The tombstones stood innumerable like seedlings.
It was painful and painful.
Loss engraves a heavy pain in the heart. I think I’ll forget it if I want to forget it, but the cry of that day that comes back to life at a glance and chokes my breath.
Ned’s sister, May, asked me.
“… … Bocchan, where did your brother go?”
It wasn’t a question to ask me, who was wrapped in bandages all over my body.
However, the opponent was a child, and he was at an age where he did not know if he even understood death properly.
What am I supposed to say
I don’t know, because I don’t know.
At best, he had no choice but to put his hand on Mei’s head.
The excuses that were barely concocted followed.
“I went to keep my promise.”
“… … why?”
As if unable to understand, Mei asked with tears in her eyes.
“Why did you have to go to keep your promise? Leaving me alone?”
“because… … .”
Because I had to protect you.
Because that was Ned’s only oath.
Burying all those words in my heart, I answered May.
“… … Because good knights don’t lie.”
Hoping that Ned will remain as a great knight in Mei’s memory.
Now, when I look back on all those memories, the tears don’t come out.
However, I managed my aching chest with Emma’s scent and touch. As if then all the painful memories would be overwritten.
Emma held me tight until I quit.
how long has it been since
Only then did I calm down and slowly lifted my head buried in Emma’s arms. I coughed out of shame for nothing.
Even so, Emma just looked at me silently with a kind smile.
He didn’t say anything, but his heart was conveyed.
That alone made me feel very empowered.
After another long time, Emma forced a bright voice to evoke the subdued atmosphere.
“Yes, Ian. Would you like to see the ingredients I bought? I found a rare ingredient in town this time!”
It must have been something I didn’t even know I had to see anyway.
But I was grateful for Emma’s heart for me, so I got up with a faint smile.
“You mean the ingredients you exchanged for your meal?”
“Yeah, right! yes… I have no regrets though!”
Emma took out the sack that had been placed on the shelf with a determined expression on her face.
There was a lot of white moss grass that gave off a soft light.
It was something I had never seen before.
Seeing my puzzled eyes, Emma immediately began to explain.
The pose with the shoulders pinned and the fists placed on the chest was quite cute, so my smile darkened a little.
“It is a moss that grows only in coniferous forests in the northernmost part of the North! It’s a grass that grows by absorbing the magic of permafrost, so it’s difficult to find… As you know, the curse of one of the seven deadly sins dwells in the northernmost part of the continent.”
The North and the Seven Sins.
As I listened to Emma’s story, those two words suddenly came to my ears.
Come to think of it, I remembered what I had heard in a mythology lecture before.
The reason why the North is surrounded by perpetual cold.
Before I could continue my thoughts, Emma’s words continued, unable to hide her pride.
“It is a very cold place, so it grows only in places where it is difficult to enter, let alone harvested, but in such a large amount… Isn’t it really amazing?! So, this is the ‘snowflake’… what?”
It was then that the ominous signs were sensed.
Emma’s tone, which had been wet with excitement, suddenly subsided. I had no choice but to examine Emma’s face with eyes that I did not know why.
Emma was stunned and looked at the handful of ‘snowflakes’ in her hand.
“Eh, this isn’t ‘snowflake’… … ?”
“… … What, is it all fake?”
Emma shook her head slowly, and then began examining each of the snowflakes in the sack. And the conclusion I came to with tears was as follows.
“About 1 in 10 is fake. weird… … ? I’ve never been a merchant like this before, but why all of a sudden… … ?”
It’s 1 in 10.
It was a very odd ratio.
Was it intentional and trying to cheat, or was it the result of trying to deceive even the eyes of an expert like Emma based on trust?
Unbeknownst to Emma, I fiddled with the hatchet at the waist.
“… … That, you bought it with your food expenses.”
At my point, Emma let out an anguished sound.
She broke out in a cold sweat and started looking at me.
Emma seemed to believe the false rumors about me as well.
I’m just a pacifist, but if you look in Emma’s eyes, it’s like dealing with a time bomb that doesn’t know when it will explode.
She said to me with a bright smile.
“Gwa, it’s okay! Mushrooms are delicious! In particular, white stump mushrooms often appear in the forest these days, and there are many dishes you can cook! Mushroom sashimi, grilled mushrooms, stir-fried mushrooms, mushroom juice, dried mushroom seasoning… … .”
Mushrooms, mushrooms, mushrooms.
No matter how long I waited, the only food that came out of Emma’s mouth was mushrooms. Even though the number of strong dishes she counted one by one was over 10.
Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, I let out a deep sigh.
And just one word.
“… … Where does he live?”
I only asked the questions that were needed right away.
Emma hesitated and avoided my gaze, but I laughed inwardly.
‘Northern’ and ‘Moss’.
Isn’t it a strange relationship?
I felt like I should share my encounter with Emma next time.
Let Emma try your 20cm mushroom, Ian. jkd 🙏