Chapter 08
Chirp, chirp.
Marsha slowly opened her eyes to the morning bird sounds.
“Ah… an old dream…”
Was it a nightmare? No, since she saw her father’s, grandmother’s, and Berry’s faces, she couldn’t call it a nightmare.
Marsha struggled to sit up on the worn-out bed.
Her hair, once thick and beautiful four years ago, was now quite dry and had grown so short that the ends danced above her shoulders.
In the Duchy of Domique, it was unthinkable for a woman to cut her hair short, even if the sky fell.
But here in Strabane, especially among the common women in the outskirts, cutting hair short was sometimes done, so it didn’t seem very strange.
“Phew…”
Marsha opened her tired, dull eyes and scanned the room.
Maybe it was because she dreamt of the past after a long time, but the room felt smaller than usual.
After her grandmother passed, it usually felt much bigger.
The people who found Marsha that day were an old, nameless herbalist and a girl her age named Berry.
If they had ignored the carriage like that man, Marsha might have died.
[…!]
“Oh! Grandma! This person opened her eyes!”
“What?! She’s waking up?!”
Marsha thought she would never forget the faces of those two people making a fuss when she woke up.
No, she couldn’t forget them.
The warm kindness in their panicked voices.
They took care of Marsha without asking many questions.
When Marsha finally showed fear that she had no place to go and that the person who kidnapped her might come back to do terrible things, the grandmother said,
“Then live here from now on.”
“Ah, no. That’s not what I meant. I’m just thankful you saved me. I don’t want to cause more trouble.”
Then how will you live? Your dress is torn everywhere and can’t be sold. The only thing left is that ring set. Can you live off selling that forever?”
“Those are my father’s keepsakes. I will never sell them…”
“Then that won’t get you money either. So, how will you live?”
“…”
“Tsk, just because someone new arrived doesn’t mean you’ll starve. Luckily, I needed help with housework anyway.”
Since then, the woman, who had no name and was simply called “Grandma,” taught Marsha how to do all kinds of chores, even how to gather herbs.
“If you can’t even tell this, you’re useless! Even a stray dog outside would learn faster than you!”
Grandma was strict, and every time, Marsha would shrink back, tightly hold the ring case her father had left, and swallow tears.
“Geez, Grandma’s so mean, isn’t she? Of course, you don’t know these things—it’s your first time doing any of it! She always yells! She’s seriously a cranky grandma!”
Berry often came to visit and joked about Grandma on Marsha’s behalf, making silly faces so Marsha could smile.
With Berry’s support and Grandma’s tough lessons, Marsha lived each day and learned how to survive tomorrow.
‘‘Is this what you organized? Now it looks useful.”
“Wow, it looks no different from Grandma’s work! Grandma, is this suitable to sell?!”
“Hmph, well, I suppose you could sell it for some pocket money.”
Marsha tried to give the money she earned to Grandma for living expenses, but Grandma refused.
“Keep it. You’ll need money to live. Don’t waste it. Save it carefully.”
“…Thank you.”
“Hmph. You thank me for everything.”
Marsha sometimes cried through the night because of the sadness from losing her father, the fear from that event, and worry about being found and chased away by the guards.
Still, she wanted to believe her life would get better.
No, she decided to believe it.
Just like a miracle, Grandma and Berry had been a miracle that gave her a new life.
She thought she could also uncover the truth about her father’s death.
But the old woman who gave Marsha this chance didn’t have much time left.
“Don’t trust people too much. Don’t cry in front of others. There will be those who try to use your weak points. Always act strong and smart.”
After collapsing once, she couldn’t get up from bed easily.
And often sat Marsha down to give her worried advice.
“Women… especially women who live alone, must be stronger than anyone. You can’t keep crying. Hurry, hurry, and get back on your feet…”
Even in her final moments, she worried about Marsha.
Life is never easy, after all.
But at least she hoped Marsha wouldn’t suffer the same misfortunes—maybe even avoidable ones—that she faced just because she lived alone.
She never told Marsha that she cared for her or loved her, but Marsha knew she did.
Beneath her furrowed brows and gruff tone was a warmth like her own inner heat, like her father’s, like her mother’s.
Since that day when Grandma passed away, Marsha hadn’t shed a single tear.
It wasn’t that there was nothing to cry about—she missed her parents and grandmother, worried about the future, felt sorrow over the past, and feared Rosna might keep searching for her to do terrible things.
Still, she held back her tears.
It was the wish of the woman who took her in, and it was the way Marsha had to live going forward.
‘…I have to get up.’
Brushing off her bed, Marsha put on a necklace with a pair of rings that her father had given her.
It was a bit heavy, but she always wore it hidden inside her clothes because she worried about leaving it alone in the empty house.
After finishing her preparations, Marsha stepped outside.
Just then, Berry came toward her house and waved.
“Hey, Marsha!”
Berry ran over with a bright smile.
Marsha smiled back and waved.
“Good morning.”
“Yeah, good morning! Where are you going? Ah, selling herbs?”
Berry was as lively and talkative as always.
Seeing Berry like that always gave Marsha strength.
“My dad went to the market earlier, too. He said it was so hectic.”
“Why?”
“The lord is coming to the villa for a hunt. Was it about four years ago? He came once, then, bringing many servants and buying almost all daily necessities nearby. Everyone was so happy. Of course, my dad loved it.”
Berry’s family made a living selling milk and butter.
That’s why Berry’s hand, when she came early to see Marsha, always carried…
“Here, fresh milk from my mom and fresh butter from my dad!”
“I always feel bad just talking.”
“What? When did you just take it? Who made the ointment for my mom’s finger yesterday? Oh, right! By the way, the ointment worked well!”
“That’s good to hear.”
“My mom wants to thank you and invite you to dinner. Want to come?”
“…”
Marsha shook her head. Berry pouted.
“Your grandma made you way too cautious, you know?”
“No, it’s not that I don’t trust your parents. Of course not.”
“Then why?”
Marsha had met Berry’s parents before.
They were kind and warm people who often visited because they worried about their grandmother living alone in a remote house in the forest outside the village.
“Maybe it’s because your parents keep telling you to live in the village, and you feel pressured?”
“Hmm…”
More than that, seeing Berry’s happy family just made Marsha miss her parents more, especially her father, which was hard.
‘If I say I get sad sometimes and avoid talking about it, kind-hearted Berry won’t bring up my parents in front of me anymore.’
Berry sighed, thinking Marsha’s silence meant yes.
“Honestly, I worry about you, too. Is it because you’re a bit pretty?”
“What? You’re prettier.”
“Marsha, my parents wouldn’t say that.”
Berry seriously continued.
“I’m just worried some guy like James will show up again and bother you.”
Marsha’s face tightened at the name she hadn’t heard for a long time, but then she consciously relaxed her muscles and said,
“I understand what you mean. But…”
She hesitated, then said,
“I’ll think about it more.”
“Really? Take your time! I’ll tell my parents firmly not to say that stuff either.”
“No, you don’t have to do that because of me…”
“Come on, that’s why you can come eat comfortably! Got it? You’re coming, okay?”
Berry happily left.
Marsha smiled quietly at her friend bouncing away.
At least with Berry around, she could smile like this.
***
Sedem was a fairly large market used by more than ten villages.
Normally it was bustling, but today it was over three times as noisy.
The reason for this was that the lord who had been so giving during his visit four years prior was returning.
“Traders from everywhere will congregate, eager to introduce themselves to the Duke!”
“We should prepare silver cups for the Duke’s servants in advance!”
“They say he’s going hunting? Since the wolves have been causing trouble lately, that’s fantastic!
Sometimes he hunts and eats in the village. The entire second floor should be cleared out because many knights will be arriving as well.
Times like this are why I’ve been learning to play the harp! I’ll earn some nice cash and impress the Duke with my abilities!
The Duke of Gloria was the man with the largest land and wealth in Strabieen and was of a bloodline nobler than the current king.
Marsha was not happy about his visit.
“I’ve heard he’s a cruel man without mercy.”
He was generous when he chose to be but was known for showing no mercy to criminals or anyone who got in his way.
Even other nobles were careful around him…
Marsha felt uneasy with worry but soon pushed the thought aside.
What business would a quiet herbalist like her have with the Duke?
“Don’t worry for no reason.”
Nothing will happen.
Nothing will happen.
