Chapter 82 – Chapter 3: Strange Guest – 2
The memory illusion passed on to the next day.
As soon as Tia got up, she put on her clothes and put on her apron.
After tying her hair with her familiar touch.
Grumbling-!
Light a fire in the kitchen brazier.
Start preparing the dish by slowly preparing the ingredients.
Cheeeeek-!
Cook finely chopped green onions in a cast iron pan.
When the sour oil came out, I beat an egg and started making stir-fry.
A pinch of salt and a little spice.
Stir-fried eggs were quickly made thanks to skillful workmanship.
Did the fragrant smell seep into the underground warehouse?
A pig-like guy opened the warehouse door and crawled out.
I quietly walk up behind Tia, who is concentrating, and blow on the exposed nape of her neck.
“Hey, are you cooking?”
“Kyaaa?!”
Tia almost dropped the fan she was holding.
It was a dangerous moment.
The angry guy turned around and looked behind her.
“What is it!”
“No… T-I think Tia woke up… Just wanted to say hello… If you’re surprised… I’m sorry…”
“Ha-okay.”
Tia let out a sigh and focused on cooking again.
Even though he heard a stinging sound, he didn’t leave the kitchen and just wandered around.
Tia asked sharply, probably getting on my nerves.
“What’s wrong?”
“Are you angry?”
“… I’m not angry. Furthermore, I’m doing that because it’s dangerous. There are knives, a fire, and a heated pan in the kitchen. If you do it wrong, you could get hurt. That’s why men don’t enter the kitchen carelessly.”
“Yes…”
“It will be ready soon. “I’ll make it delicious for you, so I’m waiting quietly in the living room.”
“That is… Hehe.”
Posao laughed awkwardly.
“I live alone, so I know how to cook. But what others do… Well, I’ve never seen it… I want to see it properly.”
“You want to watch me cook? I have nothing to brag about… My aunts are better than I…”
“I think Tia is good enough.”
“…”
Tia lowered her eyes and smoothed her hair.
“What… If you don’t disturb me… It’s okay to watch from the side.”
“Really? Hehe.”
After receiving permission, Posao quickly entered the kitchen.
I was impressed by Tia’s skillful cutting skills. I applauded her for her skill in handling her fans.
The excited guy showed off tricks he had never shown me before.
He even put a spoonful of the stew directly into Posao’s mouth to check if the seasoning was right.
“Wow, it’s delicious! “It’s the best!”
“Really? Hehe-.”
Something nauseating comes up inside.
You brought a stranger into the kitchen?
As Tia said, a man cannot dare enter the kitchen guarded by a woman.
But he didn’t seem to know yet that there was an exception to this unwritten rule.
There is a man who can be allowed into the kitchen.
Should… He is the person who becomes that woman’s ‘husband.’
Maybe that was why.
The two of them were like… They looked like a couple preparing breakfast together.
Rattling-.
For the first time in a while, fantastic dishes prepared with great skill were laid out on the table.
“It’s shabby, but I worked hard to make it. “Try it once.”
“Well, it’s so shabby… No. I love it. Wow, it’s even better than the food at the fall banquet.”
“Anyway, you speak well-.”
Tia chuckled and sat across from Posao.
This is how we prepare breakfast together and eat food together.
This… This is the life with Tia that I have dreamed of my whole life.
By the way.
There is someone else sitting there, not me.
… He is also much older than me.
A disgusting, ugly guy, as fat as a pig…
In front of my beautiful and brilliant Tia, I am gorging on food.
“Is it delicious?”
“Yes! Wow, it’s delicious!”
Even though it is so unpleasant.
I hate that pig so much that I feel like I’m going crazy.
I am… I couldn’t blame Tia for smiling happily.
Now, this place was the only home where Tia, who was trapped in a cage, could hide.
Because it is a place where there are friends who comfort and care for you.
This moment for him… It was a time when I could forget all my worries.
I understand, but.
You know everything.
The happier you are, the more why do I become so sad and sore?
It was that time.
Thump thump thump!!
Suddenly, someone knocked harshly on the door.
Tia, who was trying to eat the stew, was startled and dropped her spoon.
“Mister! Hide!”
“Naaah-!”
Posao ran towards the kitchen in her haste, and Tia wiped her mouth and hurriedly opened the door.
Aunt Merid was standing in front of the door.
I knew it as soon as I saw the tightly closed lips.
Her aunt was very angry.
Tia seemed to sense that the atmosphere was not good and greeted her with a trembling voice.
“Joe, good morning. “Aunt.”
“Okay. Good morning.”
“Uh… “I was about to leave, but what happened?”
Aunt Mary de crossed her arms.
“Did you get medicine from the village downstairs last time?”
“Yes.”
“But why didn’t you tell me that the price of medicine has increased and that there has even been an additional charge?”
“… !”
“Do you know that Luyev went to the village below early in the morning to get medicine, but wasted a trip because of you?”
Tia was embarrassed and quickly made an excuse.
“Aunt Sherry said I should go next time… I was going to tell you when I got my money today…”
“Aha- So your aunt did something wrong?”
“That’s not what I said…”
“Tia.”
The aunt snapped in a cold voice.
“Why do you keep judging and acting as you please?”
“…”
“You put Ritz in that situation, and you still don’t realize it?”
For a moment, Tia’s expression became blank.
Like she heard something she never wanted to hear.
“It’s up to you to make up the shortfall. “I know it will be your fault if I don’t bring the medicine by tonight.”
The aunt who threatened her fired one last shot.
“And don’t even dream of asking Ritsu for a favor. Because I don’t want to see a sick child suffering.”
My aunt quickly disappeared up the hill.
Tia, who was left behind, lowered her head.
It was an uncommon occurrence.
Although Aunt Mary was the most difficult and sensitive person among the village people, she was not the type of person to speak in such a cold tone.
Rather, he seemed relaxed enough to solve this problem on his own, saying it was not a big deal.
At some point, leisure disappeared in this town.
Everyone was so busy that it became difficult to even see their faces, and their tone of voice became cold.
I feel the same way as I watch the past.
What was it like for Tia who faced that coldness?
When Tia returned and sat in front of her table with a stern face, Posao, who had been hiding, appeared.
“T, Tia?”
“…”
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing… No.”
She tried to hold a spoon and pretended to eat, but her hands were weak.
Posao asked.
“Oh, something is in trouble?”
“I said no.”
“I know it when I see it. Tia… Hee, that’s what you make when you’re having a hard time.”
“… !”
Suddenly, Posao went down to the cellar and came up with a silk pillow.
Then he put his big hand in it and started rummaging around.
“… What are you doing?”
“Use this.”
When he opened his fist, several gold coins appeared tangled in cotton.
Posao grinned.
“Heehee! “I brought it with me just in case.”
“…”
Tia’s eyes widened slightly, but she quickly shook her head.
“That’s Okay. She’s already been indebted to her several times… Man, I can’t spend my money. “When people ask where I got the gold coins, it’s difficult to answer.”
“Say you earned it.”
“What do you say you earned it from? I haven’t done anything…”
“We earned it together.”
Posao held Tia’s small hand by the chin.
Then he placed a gold coin on it and pressed it.
“This is the money Tia earned. And, I pay for lodging in this house.”
“…”
“Me… Even if it’s like this, I buy it because I’m a merchant. “The calculations are thorough.”
Posao took his hand away.
A bright red mark was left on Tia’s palm, as if a brand had been engraved on it.
One gold coin.
Tia, who was watching in silence, quietly covered it with her finger.
As if receiving a precious gift, she squeezed and closed her eyes.
“Thank you.”
* * *
Sabak. Sabak.
Tia came down to Tail Dawn and covered her head with her cloak.
Cross the village at a fast pace.
Squeak-.
When I entered her pharmacy, I was immediately recognized by Taildon’s pharmacist.
“Did you bring the money again? Ruyev came down in the morning.”
“Here.”
Tak.
When I placed a gold coin on it, the pharmacist looked surprised.
“Please calculate all the medicine and credit costs today.”
“Oh, of course! But I never thought I would receive a gold coin. Sorry. “I don’t have the money to return it.”
“Change is okay. Instead, please deduct it from the cost of the next medicine.”
“I will do so.”
Tia pulled down her cloak and peeked out her window.
“I… Pharmacist.”
“Huh?”
“Maybe you’ve been to Taildon recently… Did something happen?”
“What happened? Hmm-.”
The pharmacist frowned and thought, then shrugged her shoulders.
“Well, of course it was there.”
“What is it?”
“I heard that the lord of Gordburg came all the way here to meet our lord. Thanks to this, the market became bustling with vendors from that area. If you have time, it would be nice to take a look.”
“… Thank you for letting me know.”
“Okay. Come again next time!”
Tia left her store.
After thinking with a serious expression, she turned her steps towards the market.
The pharmacist was right.
The market was bustling with unfamiliar peddlers.
Originally, Tailden’s market was a place where many people came and went. Now it is overflowing with merchants from the Gordburg region.
But strangely, there were as many soldiers as there were merchants.
It’s natural.
A big event where the Lord of Gordburg personally came to Teildon.
It is very customary to bring a private soldier to protect your precious body…
Somehow the number seemed a bit high.
It seemed like Tia felt the same way about this unique atmosphere that lingered in Taildon.
Tia got lost in the crowd and moved towards the liaison office.
And I looked closely at the mercenaries holding weapons one by one.
I was able to find it soon.
Two men holding a large longbow and an axe.
The royal soldiers still remained in Taildon.
Rather, the number increased more than before, and now there seemed to be about 5 people.
“Sister!”
Suddenly, Vincent appeared from somewhere.
The guy who ran excitedly had an apple in his hand that he had just taken a bite of.
“Did you come to enjoy the festival too? But Ritz isn’t there anymore? “You said you couldn’t come because you were sick?”
“Ah… Yes.”
“It’s a shame. Oops. Do you want to eat this?”
Vincent held out the apple hidden in his sleeve.
“Gordburg apples!”
“…”
Tia picked it up.
Squeaky texture and bright red color.
I know.
This… It was the ‘carnelian’ that I ate in Deseo.
“Where did you get this?”
“I heard they sell it at the market? 5 silver each!”
In Deseo, those apples cost as much as 1 gold each.
It’s being sold for 5 silver here.
… Is it a privilege?
Tia held the apple and looked at it for a while.
In the red eyes reflecting the bright red ruby, a gun was shining.
“Vincent.”
“Huh?”
“Thank you for the apology. Instead, I’ll tell you an interesting story.”
“… Interesting story? “What is it, what is it?”
Tia whispered to Vincent, who was looking forward to it with sparkling eyes.
