episode_0028

The place where Mila, wearing a hood pulled down low, brought Ray to was a desolate street with an eerie atmosphere. Until a few days ago, it was a place bustling with people, but now it was a place where only animals like rats and stray cats roamed.

As they reached the area where the inn was supposedly located, they began to remove the haphazardly fallen pieces of wooden planks one by one, and a cart that she had personally wrapped tightly with chains and locked with a padlock came into view, and Mila’s expression brightened.

“Thank goodness you’re okay.”

Mila repeatedly mutters the word “thank goodness” as she wipes off the white dust that has settled on the tent covering the cart with her hand. After thoroughly checking for a long time to make sure nothing is missing, Mila finally shakes her hands.

Ray runs his hands through the rough, woven fabric of plant fibers that Mila has just swept away. Growing up as a farmer’s son in this life, he has developed the ability to gauge the weather for the day just by feeling the fibers.

“It looks like it’s going to rain soon… So are we going to go out of Fraua right now?”

“I have a place to stop by before that.”

“Where?”

“Bank. Before going on a long trip, you should prepare some travel money.⋯⋯Don’t you want to ride?”

As Mila prepares to pull the cart outside, she looks at Ray standing blankly next to her and asks.

“I thought you hated riding in carts.”

At first, I thought Mila was a vicious merchant, but when did she become so sweet? Ray, who had planned to walk, struggles to get on the cart.

“Give me your luggage, I’ll carry it. What’s in here?”

“Snacks prepared by my father-in-law and various things prepared by my mother⋯.”

“There’s a book too.”

“⋯! That’s⋯.”

Mila takes out the book she found in her backpack and glances at the title.

『New Groom Class – Basic Housework』

『Grooming and Etiquette for a Boy Who Wants to Become a Prince』

Mila’s face turned red as titles that seemed like they would be sent as a dowry appeared before her eyes. Wasn’t it Carlin who had said that she would only allow her to accompany him to the south, and that it would be better to come separately to ask for permission for marriage? Mila felt strange as the topic of marriage suddenly entered her mind.

“Oh, your mother is very considerate⋯.”

“⋯That’s something I bought with my own money at Julep.”

“Ah… Really? Hmm, I see.⋯⋯But did you do this yourself?”

“Milla said that before. You said you thought I was some kind of prostitute?”

Ray climbs onto the cart and sits down.

“Ah⋯ No, that was just a misunderstanding on my part. I’ve been wandering around alone for so long.⋯⋯I’m sorry.”

Mila awkwardly apologizes and puts the book back in her backpack before handing it to Ray.

“It’s okay. I bought it because I thought everyone else, including Mila, thought the same thing. This world… no, by city standards, I think I’m too uncultured. ”

“That’s what it was⋯?”

“I guess the book was helpful. I see that even you, who used to be prickly, have come to like me. Are you attracted to my culture?”

“Ahahaha⋯.”

Mila started pulling the cart with an awkward smile. Her face, expression, and gestures were all so unappealing that I couldn’t bring myself to say that we were dating.

***

Hesset walked with his eyes on the ground, trying to calm his troubled mind. Christie had deliberately avoided looking at him during the not-too-long walk to the conference room, and the poor man felt a little guilty that for a moment he had allowed a desire to sprout in his heart that he, a married man, should not have.

Of course, in the head of the woman who was walking about a step and a half ahead of him, a sticky fantasy was unfolding, with the difference in their strides being as much as the difference in their progress.

How can such a cute reaction come from such a simple trick? Maybe the couple’s relationship isn’t that smooth normally.

It could be that your wife is more interested in power struggles than married life, or she is the type to go out and forget the value of the fish she catches. Or it could just be your husband who is revealing it.

Either way, things would go more smoothly since the pent-up desires were like oil, easily ignited by a small spark.

“Hmm, I think the meeting is going to be a little long.”

As we were waiting, loitering near the closed conference room door, Christie opened her mouth.

“It’s past mealtime… When will it end?”

“I don’t know very well because you’re so busy these days.”

Hesset was feeling the rise in social status through his wife’s increasingly busy schedule, her luxurious food, clothing, and shelter, and all sorts of splendid ceremonies.

“It would be rude to make our commander’s wife wait for so long, so if it’s okay, I would like to deliver the message and lunch box on your behalf⋯.”

And it was also quite exciting that such a neat and capable-looking person would treat his wife like a commander and treat him with such respect. Hesset cleared his throat, straightened his back, and spoke in a voice that he thought was as dignified as he could, imitating the duchess’ wife he had once seen from afar.

“Ahem, ahem. Would you do that? Hmm… I’ll send the message. We can talk about it later.”

Hesset, who had to show off his authority, could not bring himself to tell his subordinates to please make their beds in the morning and go to work. It was a matter of the commander’s prestige.

“Then I will just deliver the lunch box to you.”

“Be kind.”

As soon as Christie carefully received her lunchbox, raindrops began to fall one by one from the dark clouds that had covered the Frauen sky all morning.

“Oh my, it’s raining already⋯.”

Both Christie and Hesset look up at the sky, with embarrassed expressions on their faces.

“Then I should go back quickly.”

“Madam. If it’s okay with you⋯.”

Hesset turns around to see Christie standing there holding her officer’s uniform overcoat. Hesset looks up at her with hesitant eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry. How dare you bring my dirty clothes⋯.”

“No! I, I’m more sorry.”

Then Hesset took the outer garment and put it on. He hurried to the commander and his wife’s residence. Christie was watching him from behind as he walked away, smiling.

***

The sound of raindrops hitting the ground, which had become heavier, flowed into the building. Ray was leaning against the wall of the Frauenbank, which was made entirely of white marble, and was blankly staring outside at the rain.

“I told you I’ve never invested in that?”

And Mila, who is scuffling with the banker.

“It wasn’t you, it was the bank that invested. For the reconstruction of Frauen.”

“Are you saying that you put all my money in those Eastern Army guys’ mouths? Who would do something like that?”

“Didn’t I tell you from the beginning? We use your deposits to carry out various projects. Your money is just being held in the bank for a short while for the future of Fraua.”

“The owner of the money is taking it out now! Give it to me now!”

When Mila couldn’t stand it anymore and started yelling at the bank clerk, everyone in the bank focused their attention on her. The bank clerk, with his expression unchanging, turned his gaze to the soldiers inside the building, and then approached Mila.

“⋯Before that, I think we should check with the bank to see if this income was earned legitimately. Why don’t you go over there for a moment?”

“What is this⋯! Don’t come here. Let go of it. Let go of it!”

As Mila jumps up from her seat, the soldiers grab her.

“Milla⋯⋯!”

Ray runs up from behind and shouts.

“Let’s just go out for now. Calm down! Okay?”

“That’s a good idea too.”

A banker muttering and talking.

“Be quiet!”

Mila shouts at the banker, then lowers her head and sighs.

“Ha, okay. Let’s go. Follow me, Ray.”

The two of them leave the building, holding Ray’s hand tightly. Mila runs through the rain to the cart, brings back a raincoat, and gives it to Ray.

“Use this.”

“What’s going on with Milla⋯?”

“I don’t care.⋯I guess I’ll have to cool off a bit because of those things.”

Then, he kicked the exterior wall of the bank with the words “Seggram Bank” carved on it and headed towards the cart.

“Privsimo, Segram. These vile things⋯.”

She had been traveling around the country for years and all her savings had gone to waste, so rain was nothing to her. She was actually glad that she could leave this stinking city with a light body, and she drove the cart with eyes filled with venom.