The place where Christie stopped her horse was an old timber shop on the outskirts of Frauwa. Faded traces were visible here and there.

    “I thought you were leaving right away, what are you doing here?”

    Chloe tilted her head, then dismounted and asked.

    “You can’t go looking for someone who’s hiding in here dressed like this. You need a proper disguise first.”

    Christie said as she picked up a couple of clothes hanging on the shelf. As she said, their uniforms were easy to spot wherever they went. The commoners were looking at them with fear and tension, enough to infer the general style of government under Uriel.

    Christie ignores their gazes and wanders around the lumber shop.

    “Hey, is there no owner here?”

    As she shouts sharply, a woman in a panic rushes out of the store and bows down before Christie.

    “Yes, yes. I am the owner of this place. If there is anything I can help you with… … .”

    “… … … .”

    Christie stares at the woman in silence. When there is no answer, the lumber shop owner glances up to examine her face, and trembles with an ominous feeling of foreboding.

    “Excuse me, if I offended you in any way, I apologize. Please, show mercy… .”

    Christie’s brow furrowed as she watched her fidget and continue to apologize.

    “Straighten your back.”

    “Yes!”

    A woman who stands upright at Christie’s order.

    “Look back.”

    “Yes… …Yes!”

    In this situation where he had to follow instructions without question even though he didn’t know them, the pressure was indescribable even though Christie looked young enough to be his daughter.

    Christie looked back and forth between the clothes on display in the store and the appearance of the lumber shop owner, then took out the ones that looked most like the ones she was wearing and draped them over one arm.

    “Your fashion sense is just so-so. Why are you wearing such a shabby coat? Why are you wearing such a tacky belt?”

    “Oh, sorry, sorry… … .”

    The lumber shop owner apologizes again without understanding Christie’s words.

    “How much are all these clothes?”

    “Are you living there?”

    When the owner asks in surprise, Christie stands there with an expression as if asking why he is asking such a thing.

    “Of course I have to sell them. So… … if you add them all up… , it will be nine silver coins. ”

    The lumber shop owner said, glancing at the clothes hanging on Christie’s arm.

    “… … You’re not going to disguise yourself? Please give me another set of the same thing. ”

    Christie said, turning her head to look at Chloe.

    “That would be eighteen silver coins… … .”

    Christie takes a small cloth bag from her waist and hands her a gold coin. The lumber shop owner goes into the shop and brings back twelve silver coins as change.

    “What, it fell more than halfway? Looks like you found a new silver mine.”

    Chloe, who was watching the change amount from the side, said.

    “Gold is getting scarce. Oh, and can I borrow your room? It’ll only be for a little while. I’m going to change clothes. ”

    The lumber shop owner nodded and guided them to a separate room inside the shop. Christie went in first with her clothes and was about to take off her uniform, but Chloe followed her in and looked at her with displeasure.

    “… … Can’t you even wait a moment?”

    “So what? It’s a girl.”

    Christie was about to take off her clothes, but instead, she stood there, hugging her uniform to her chest. Then, Chloe’s chest, which was inadvertently revealed, caught her eye, and she turned her head away with an annoyed expression on her face.

    “I’m talking about a woman who sleeps. It seems like it’ll be quite difficult to find her. Is that okay?”

    Chloe speaks to Christie, who has just turned her back.

    “No, I heard Marian already has someone watching over you. They know where you are staying, and they know every move you make.”

    “Is that true? Why didn’t you tell me until now? Then, why didn’t you handle it yourself and instead asked me to do it for you?”

    Chloe was shoving herself into the already cramped room, and Christie spun around and pushed her away as soon as that disgusting lump of fat made contact with her back.

    “Don’t you want to fall over there?… … You should have asked so I wouldn’t have answered. That’s what I’m curious about too.”

    Chloe still stands with a serious expression on her face.

    “Please put on some clothes. It’s ugly.”

    Christie deceives herself into thinking that this boiling anger is not jealousy but something closer to hatred.

    “Don’t you think something is strange? You might just get kicked out if you’re not careful!”

    Chloe whispered.

    “I know. Put on clothes.”

    Christie closes her eyes tightly, finishes changing her clothes, opens the door to the separate room and comes out.

    Christie had sharp eyes and neatly tied hair, but if you just look at her clothes, she gives off the impression of an ordinary merchant you could see anywhere in the country.

    “Hey, wait! We have to go together!”

    Chloe shouted as she watched Christie leave the lumber shop and climb onto the horse she had tied up on the road. She hurriedly finished changing her clothes and followed her, as if she really thought she was going to run off alone.

    “Take a look… … .”

    The two head towards the western gate of Fraua, leaving behind the greeting of the lumber shop owner who is feeling tired.

    “But what does it mean that gold has become expensive?”

    Chloe asks.

    “… You have so many questions.”

    Christie muttered.

    As they neared the western gate checkpoint and the long line showed no sign of abating, Christie turned her head from side to side and spoke with a crackling sound.

    “What is it? The soldiers who got a taste of the hat went into accumulating wealth. The previous traitors knew how to spend money. What good is it if they just save it up?”

    Chloe, who had been listening silently, sighed as she looked at the distant mountains.

    “… … I thought the Eastern Army saved this country.”

    Chloe muttering.

    “Everyone thought so.… …mostly stupid people.”

    Christie said. Chloe turned her head to look at her, but she decided to ignore her without even looking at her.

    “You were also loyal to Uriel. Did you have some other intention?”

    Christie scoffs at Chloe’s words.

    “… You don’t have to know.”

    “Ahh… … That’s right.”

    In her eyes, Christie was a blunt and arrogant woman, but Chloe thought that because of that, Christie was even more unreadable and different from ordinary people.

    From the moment she confronted Christie, who was taking the prince hostage on the castle walls, Chloe had an unusual impression, and was wondering if she could put her trust in Christie, who might really be a hero of the times.

    ‘I wonder what kind of face he’ll make if I tell him that I just wanted to try it once.’

    ***

    Back to Remili’s quarters.

    “Isn’t your face a little red today? Do you have a fever…?”

    Ray places a hand on Remili’s beet-like forehead.

    “Huh… ? Rice, not really… … like that.”

    Her tongue is twisted as she mumbles.

    “Hmm… , do you have a fever… … . I don’t know. It’s cold these days, so you should dress warmly and go out. Okay? Eat quickly before it gets cold.”

    Ray touched his forehead and Remili’s forehead alternately and said.

    “Ugh… … .”

    Between the two, steam rose from golden fried chicken pieces. It was a sight too deadly for the hungry Remili, and the delicious aroma made her mouth water.

    I knocked on the door, my heart pounding as if it was going to burst, and brought him into the room. He said he wanted to sit comfortably and talk, so I sat down on the bed.

    And then, saying that I must be hungry, let’s eat, he takes out a dish that he said he made himself and places it on a small table in front of me.

    After I eat all of this… … ? What on earth happens?

    It’s delicious. It melts in your mouth. You, you, you too.

    As the pieces of chicken on the plate began to disappear, Remili began to snort roughly like a racehorse just before the start.

    “I’m glad it suits your taste. I was worried that it might fail.”

    He laughs. How can he have such a bright and pure expression in this lonely beast’s den? Should I be relieved or sad that he doesn’t see me as a predator?

    Remili spat out the Y-shaped bone from her mouth and made up her mind. She had never done it before, but she thought she could do it pretty well if she tried. Standing tall on the sand castle built on that unfounded confidence, she was determined to make him submit in bed.

    If that happens, I will be able to make his heart my own.

    “Oh, I have to give the kids a bath. The boiled water needs to cool down.”

    “… … … ?”

    “Then I’ll go! Thank you again for helping the kids. I’ll take this and throw it away.”

    He gets up from his seat.

    Bow to greet.

    Then he turns around, opens the door, and walks out.

    The door to the room closes, and I am left alone in the room.

    “Uh… why… … ?”

    I thought it was soon, I thought that just a little longer… …I would be able to sleep with him.

    Did I eat my food too carelessly? I was so absorbed in him that I didn’t have time to think about proper table manners. Did I make him give up because I looked so ugly?

    Clearly as a token of gratitude… … Huh? Why did you just turn around? Are you no longer grateful?

    There was another possibility. A single possibility so horribly cruel that it was almost impossible to imagine.

    “This just won’t work out with me… … Is this what it is?”

    Tears welled up in Remili’s eyes.

    ***

    “Ugh… … It’s cold.”

    Ray, carrying a basket of fried crumbs and leftover chicken bones under his arm, hurried his steps, shivering in the cold winter wind.

    “… Woohoohoo.”

    Thinking about Remili’s expression, Ray couldn’t help but smile. Ray felt that Remili, who seemed eccentric and rough, actually had a cute side.

    Ray thought that the women of this world, in addition to all having pretty faces, liked the fact that their thoughts were clearly visible on their faces. Weren’t women the creatures that had troubled him in his previous life because he couldn’t figure out their minds at all? Of course, there were exceptions like Mila, who had now turned into a snake and was completely absorbed in teasing him, but Remili was shy and rarely acted like the old men in her previous life, and most of all, he liked the fact that she didn’t just rub her body against him.

    With such a proud expression on his face, he ate so hurriedly. Isn’t fried chicken really a charm that transcends time and space? Ray once again admired his own amazing ability to choose a menu and made a proud face.

    “Hehehe… … Ouch! Sorry! ”

    As Ray walks down the street, thinking of Remili, a cute girl who loves chicken, he bumps into someone standing on the side of the road and stops in his tracks.

    “Ray… … .”

    “La… Latia?”

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