TTMLPTWW ~ Chapter 79

* * *

“It seems we have enough firewood for the winter.”

I looked at the mountain of firewood piled up at the orphanage and wore a satisfied expression.

Masera’s soldiers were splitting logs and stacking them.

And on the other side, snow removal was underway.

“Wow, that looks fun.”

Because the snow made it difficult for cars and carriages to travel, people were using reindeer-pulled sleds.

Anyway, everyone is working hard, so I should set an example. The other VIPs had already run away, afraid of being made to do manual labor.

While I was engrossed in chopping firewood into small pieces, someone spoke to me.

“Wow, you look like a survival expert.”

When I turned around, I saw a tall, handsome man with ash-gray black hair and golden eyes. His luxurious attire, consisting of a suit and a long black coat, made him look like a wealthy businessman.

He had a similar atmosphere to Masera, yet somehow different. If Masera was like the scent of trees in the chilly dawn, he had an image that felt like cold steel.

“Hello.”

The man, who seemed to always be smiling with his eyes, greeted me first. At the same time, goosebumps prickled my skin.

‘Why do I feel so much déjà vu?’

It was definitely our first meeting, but somehow, he felt familiar…

A sharp pain.

Especially when I saw those beast-like yellow eyes, a headache struck.

‘The original Cynthia’s memories are reacting.’

And with ingrained fear.

I pondered whether it was the human’s unique detection ability, ‘sensing something is off,’ or ‘physiognomy is science.’

For now, I accepted his greeting.

“Yes, hello. Are you a volunteer from somewhere else?”

I forced a smile and tried to be sociable. I planned to deal with him appropriately and then leave.

He extended a hand wearing a leather glove, asking for a handshake.

“It’s nice to meet you for the first time. My name is…”

That’s when it happened.

“Uncle! Thank you for the presents!”

Children rushed over and hugged him.

He lowered himself, picked up one of the children, and continued.

“Not Uncle, but Makia Wiesberg.”

His name was as unique as Masera’s, so he must be from a foreign country.

“You seem to be close to the children?”

“I lived here for a while when I was young due to some circumstances. I’ve been visiting ever since because of that connection.”

“What kind of circumstances…”

Before I knew it, his smile had turned sad.

“My father became a war refugee and went to prison…”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“But I met him again after a long time. What I realized from living alone was that children need adults to protect them.”

I thought as I looked at his kind appearance.

Those slit-eyed characters have many secrets and are scary when they open their eyes, but I shouldn’t judge hastily, right?

The children like him so much, so he might be a good person. I slightly lowered my guard.

The man who was greeting the children asked me.

“My Lady, is there anything I can help you with?”

“Moving firewood for the kitchen. It’s too much for me to handle alone.”

At my request, the man named Machia lifted the pile of firewood with ease.

I carried a small bundle of firewood and followed him, asking.

“Are you living happily with your father now?”

He turned to me again with a sad smile.

“We saw each other occasionally, but he passed away a few years ago. Someone killed him.”

“Oh… I’m really sorry…”

“He was always busy and indifferent, but I liked my father.”

As I stared intently into Machia’s yellow eyes, a throbbing headache suddenly struck me.

For a moment, a scene flashed through my mind.

Snow falling so heavily that it obscured my vision, the cold, a gray landscape, someone’s heavy breathing.

“It can’t be helped. Just like you, I have something to protect.”

Yellow eyes shining like a beast in the blizzard-filled darkness.

‘Is this the original Cynthia’s memories?’

But it passed by too quickly, so I couldn’t properly grasp what kind of memory it was.

The man’s kind voice, walking ahead, was heard again.

“You are Princess Cynthia, aren’t you? Brigadier General Masera del Vicente’s wife.”

There was a subtle emphasis in his tone as he pronounced Masera’s name clearly.

“Do you know my husband?”

“We first met at a facility where children who lost their parents went. I wonder how he’s doing.”

I couldn’t see his expression as he walked ahead.

After putting the firewood in the kitchen, we washed our hands.

“Oh, I didn’t bring a handkerchief…”

Machia approached me as I was about to wipe my hands roughly on my apron.

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Princess. I heard you have great business skills to receive investment from the Medea royal family.”

He had already taken out a handkerchief and was wiping my hands himself.

He added, noticing my embarrassment at his sudden kindness.

“I’m also in the sales business.”

“I’m not buying.”

I quickly pulled my hand away and refused.

Phew, I almost made a pre-payment before he even introduced the product.

If I had been momentarily captivated by that deep voice and languid eye smile, my room would be filled with jade mats and health foods.

Machia let out a soft chuckle at my serious expression.

“Don’t misunderstand. The company I work for makes and sells machine parts, so you wouldn’t have anything to buy from me.”

Then he focused his gaze on the kitchen table. There, the desserts that the noble ladies and I had brought were laid out.

“Would you like one?”

At my offer out of courtesy, he put a piece of cake on a plate without refusing.

“I like to eat. Especially these kinds of desserts.”

“Eat a lot.”

“I intend to.”

Actually, you shouldn’t! If we run out, we have to buy more!

But I couldn’t be stingy about food, so I couldn’t bring myself to object.

“Have you not been in contact with my husband recently?”

I was trying to gather general information to avoid him if he was someone with a bad relationship with Masera.

“We went to different orphanages. Even when we volunteered as child soldiers later, we were assigned to different training camps. Our units were also different, so there was hardly any chance of running into each other.”

“Child soldiers…”

That man also barely survived and became an adult. I chose my words carefully.

“Volunteering as a child soldier at a young age. That’s amazing.”

“It wasn’t that amazing of a reason.”

He shook his head, wiping the cream from the corner of his lips with his thumb.

“It was because I was hungry. I think Brigadier General Vicente was the same.”

I stared at him as he ate the second piece of cake and thought of Masera.

Masera is also crazy about desserts. I had never heard the story of his past directly from him, but I knew that he had lived a difficult life.

That man also seems to have a pitiful story…

“…But if you eat a whole cake? Our house’s special chef made it since dawn.”

When did he eat it all? Is that why he followed me, the volunteer leader, and started talking to me? I sent Machia a resentful look.

Machia, who was clearly a glutton, gave a sheepish smile.

“It was so delicious that I couldn’t help it. I’ll buy a new one.”

“Let’s go together.”

He might eat it all on the way, so I had no choice but to follow and supervise.

* * *

So we went to the market and ate again. This time, together.

“Wow! Mr. Machia, the waffle has so much whipped cream! To know such a great place, you have an extraordinary eye for food!”

Machia was an expert in gourmet tours, captivating even the soldiers who came with us for security.

“I know all the best restaurants in this area. Now, let’s go to the food alley.”

At Machia’s words, everyone had expectant faces.

I was happy to have met a comrade since the glutton Dahlia, but only for a moment, I found someone standing in a corner of the alley.

‘Duke Rukanosa? I thought he ran away because he didn’t want to chop firewood.’

Then I widened my eyes when I saw the woman standing in front of him.

‘Anna?’

She was a sewing room maid who worked at Count Queensguard’s mansion.

Anita had told me in advance that she was alive, but…

Why is she with Duke Rukanosa?