Chapter 48
“Here you are, today’s lettuce delivery.”
Prina held out freshly harvested lettuce, ready for today’s discerning taste test.
“Mr. Lucky, please sample our farm’s lettuce and give it a sharp critique so we can see just how excellent it is.”
The moment Prina held the lettuce out in front of his nose, Lucky twitched his cute little snout and sniffed it. Judging by the way he smacked his lips, at least the smell had passed.
Apparently pleased with the lettuce, Lucky took it neatly in both paws and began nibbling away.
“Is it tasty?”
Prina watched him fondly as she asked. Seeing him happily devour lettuce she had grown for him filled her heart with warmth.
“It’s the best, right? Thanks to Mr. Hunter, you get to eat until your belly’s ready to burst. My goodness, look at that round tummy.”
She pointed at Lucky’s plump belly.
“Go on and thank him now.”
The critic, however, was far too absorbed in eating to care. Seeing his aloof attitude, she let out a little laugh.
Hunter was building a neat fence around the garden. He could make and fix anything, and surely his handiwork was everywhere throughout the mansion.
She wondered if there was anything he couldn’t do. Anything she needed seemed to appear without her even asking. And she knew she was getting better and better at accepting what he gave her.
Once the fence was finished, what would they do next? If there were something they could work on together, it would be even nicer. Such a light, silly thought crept into her mind.
Watching Hunter’s skillful hands, Prina spoke up.
“Mr. Hunter, I’m bored. Let me help you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“But there’s a lot for you to do just by yourself.”
“You’re getting cheeky. If you’ve got that much energy, save it for tonight.”
She was offering to help, but Hunter didn’t even look up before brushing her off.
“You’re awful.”
“What’s awful is how you pass out every time we sleep together.”
“T-That’s because… you go for too long. I can’t help it.”
“It’s not my fault, it’s yours. You’re the reason my c**k won’t go down.”
“……”
‘How can a man talk so annoyingly well?’
At first, she’d thought he was nearly mute because he spoke so little, but there was no way to win against him.
Prina pouted and grumbled.
Even if he was a bit infuriating, she liked that they were comfortable enough now to bicker over little things like this.
Thinking back to when she had first come here, when she’d spent five whole days trembling and hiding in her room, this was a huge step forward.
At ‘Lucky Farm’, they planted vegetables, herbs, and spices together. They chatted as they tended the plants, spending time side by side. Though it might seem insignificant, those small moments were a great happiness to Prina.
Peaceful days went by for a while. Perhaps because she finally had some breathing room after being consumed by the urgency of surviving day to day, Prina found herself thinking about the future.
It was a strange and wonderful feeling.
Back when she lived in the convent, imagining tomorrow was meaningless… and even if she did, it never brought hope or joy. The future she pictured was always a monotonous, anxious stretch of time, like living in fog.
But by Hunter’s side, the days ahead felt clear and bright. Just thinking about what she might eat tomorrow, or how she might spend the day, was enough to make her happy.
When she had first arrived here, she had begged just to be allowed to hide until the knights’ search died down.
‘Staying like this forever might not be so bad!’
These days, even such brazen, shameless thoughts came to her.
Of course, she hadn’t asked that taciturn yet sharp-tongued man what he thought. For now, it was only Prina’s own thought.
She trusted and relied on Hunter completely.
The reason was simple: she could show him exactly who she was.
‘Even though I have black hair… Mr. Hunter likes me just as I am.’
Since coming here, Prina had not covered her hair even once. Everyone else, except Hunter, pointed at her black hair as an ill omen and avoided her.
She even learned that the royal family—her only blood relatives—had tried to get rid of her. That knowledge had felt like being pushed off the edge of a cliff.
In those circumstances, Hunter’s acceptance of her had been nothing short of salvation for Prina.
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.