WDHMTU | CHAPTER 26

Chapter 26

Several days had passed since Urian left.

Marsha’s eyes sparkled as she looked over the neatly sorted herbs stacked before her.

“Sure enough, working together really speeds things up.”

If they kept selling herbs at this pace, they’d be able to save money even faster.

“But how much will I need to hire an informant in the big city?”

She gave Claudio a sidelong glance as he was nearly done processing the batch for the day. 

Catching her gaze, he smirked and asked,
“What’s on your mind? Did I mess up again?”

 “…No.”

“Then why?”

“You’re living in Gloria, right?”

“Yeah.”

“How’s the cost of living there?”

What? The cost of living?

Claudio rolled his eyes upward and looked at her.

“Why do you want to know that?”

Marsha couldn’t bring herself to say. I wanted to roughly calculate how much it would cost to hire an informant. 

If she could have, she would have asked outright from the start how much an informant in Gloria cost.

“I was just wondering how much you could make selling herbs.”

“I don’t know the exact market price for herbs, but generally, agricultural goods sell for about two to three times the price here.”

According to that estimate, it would cost at least 150 gold to hire an informant in Gloria.

“That’s insane. I may not even be able to save that much even if I work extremely hard for years.

She recalled Urian’s words—she said they’d pay her back later, right?

“…For a noble, 150 gold probably isn’t that much money, right?”

She was a noble, but she had never made a purchase herself. She had no financial sensibility.

Just as she was stroking her chin, lost in thought—

“Trying to get your hands on something in Gloria?”

Claudio asked, brushing dirt off his hands. 

Marsha blinked. 

She had only asked about prices.

She would appear interested in the price at which herbs could be sold, wouldn’t she?

He seems pretty surprised that I caught on to what he’s thinking.

Claudio smirked.

She doesn’t even realise how much his thoughts show on his face…

If Claudio told the truth, she’d have to work hard to hide her expressions around him from now on. 

So, she suspected he had no intention of satisfying her curiosity.

“Anything you need, just say the word. I can get it for you.”

“I don’t know what you think I want, but don’t be so confident.”

“I can get anything. So just tell me what you want.”

Claudio gave a sly smile.

Marsha felt suspicious.

He was handsome, but honestly, he didn’t look very trustworthy—when he smiled like that, it felt like he had some hidden agenda.

“You don’t look like you believe me. You think I’ll just listen and say I can’t get it?”

She raised an eyebrow. 

Marsha wasn’t doubting his ability—she just wasn’t sure if he’d willingly get her what she wanted.

He probably thinks what I want is some kind of “thing.”

If he knew she was asking about a person, that easygoing smile would vanish, replaced with a suspicious glare.

“Forget it. I was just curious about the cost of living.”

“Really?”

He leaned toward her as he asked.

“Really,” she replied while Marsha moved herbs into a basket.

 

Just as she reached to lift the basket full of herbs,
“Where do you plan to put this?”

Claudio got up and took the basket from her.

Her hand, now empty, twitched as she said,
“Give it back.”

“Why? Do you think I’m going to steal this and sell it to Gloria?

He answered with a teasing grin.

“No, it’s just… what if the patient has to carry the load?”

“I’m not so weak that I can’t carry this.”

“No, but still…”

Marsha reached out toward the basket, but he swiftly lifted it high out of her grasp. 

She was dumbfounded. 

That would surely pull at her wounds and make them worse.

“Don’t you care? What if you make the injuries worse?!”

“It was an instinct—I didn’t even realise my hands moved. So don’t just snatch other people’s things like that.”

So, that’s my fault now?

Marsha glared at him and snorted.

“Fine, fine. If you want to carry it, go ahead.”

She pulled a large, clean cloth from the cupboard—washed and dried carefully—and opened the front door.

“I’m going to dry the herbs in the sun. If you have time, come help hang them.”

Stepping into the warm sunlight, she turned back, expecting Claudio to follow—but he was still standing inside the house.

“Why? You don’t mind carrying the load, but you don’t want to help dry the herbs?”

Her voice was sulky.

“No, not that.”

“Then what?”

Claudio tilted his chin forward, gesturing toward something ahead.

Marsha turned her head—and froze.

There, standing partially hidden in the shadows of the forest, was a familiar figure.

“Marsha…!”

Berry called her name, eyes wide with shock as if they might pop out.

***

Berry took a sip of warm tea, then let out a long sigh.

“Alright… let me get this straight. You say you rescued this guy a few days ago?”

Marsha nodded.

“Yeah.”

“Well, then, and then…”

Berry glanced at Claudio.

Gasp!

Meeting Claudio’s gaze, Berry jumped as if a lion had suddenly appeared before a rabbit.

“…Could you step outside for a moment?”

“…I’ll give you two some space.”

Claudio rose from his seat. 

Marsha looked up at him, flustered.

“How much should I tell her?” she wanted to ask him.

Then Claudio turned to her and said,
“Talk freely.”

He emphasised “freely,” as if he already knew what she was worried about.

With a sly smile, he walked naturally into the next room, and as the door closed behind him, Berry sprang up from his seat.

“I told you before…! Be careful…!”

His small but intense voice struck Marsha’s chest sharply.

If Berry knew Dio was at the house that day, too, he’d probably feel hurt.

Marsha didn’t want to deceive Berry, but she cared more about protecting him from pain, so she decided not to explain everything.

“Sorry. But he’s not a criminal. He’s from the duke’s household.”

“R-Really?”

“Yeah. I met one of his companions, too.”

“Oh…”

It was a relief that he wasn’t a bad person…

“But then, why is he still here even though he met his companion?”

“Well, if Duchess Gloria sees him injured, he’ll get angry. So, I guess he’s planning to stay here until he’s mostly healed.”

“So, you’ll be here alone together until he gets better?”

“Looks like it.”

Marsha answered casually, but Berry’s face twisted in shock.

“What’s so shocking?”

“Well, you know… living alone with a man…”

Even if he wasn’t a criminal, Berry couldn’t be sure the man wasn’t dangerous.

And even if he was as gentle as could be, he was still a man—sharing a home with him must be uncomfortable.

“So far, nothing too uncomfortable has happened. Making the medicine is a bit bothersome, but honestly, thanks to him, I’m getting to try making some. Plus, he helps out with work.”

Just as Berry was about to ask her bluntly, frustration creeping into his voice,
“But there is one problem. The guy eats so much that the supplies run out quickly.”

“Huh…?”

“He seriously eats a lot. That meat you brought? He nearly finished it all in one sitting. Honestly, I’m pretty sure he is a knight.”

“What do you mean when you say that you’re pretty sure he’s a knight?”

“Well, you know when I asked him if he’s a knight, and he gave that annoying answer like ‘maybe yes, maybe no’? It drives me crazy.”

Ugh, Marsha scowled.

“But he doesn’t seem like someone who just sits at a desk all day, so I’m betting he is a knight…”

Suddenly worried she might have sounded strange, Marsha hurriedly added,
“I only say that because I saw when I was treating him—not spying or anything like that…”

Her face flushed bright red. 

Berry studied her quietly for a moment.

Marsha looks so full of life these days.

She found this new, lively side of her a little unfamiliar—and quite refreshing.

“So, no real problems so far, right?”

Berry asked, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Marsha cooled the flush from her cheeks and nodded.

“Yeah.”

“Wow, Marsha, you’re amazing. If it were me, my heart wouldn’t survive this.”

“Why?”

“Why? Look at his face! I was seriously shocked. If you hadn’t said he wasn’t a bad guy without any proof, I would’ve just assumed you were taken by his face…”

“Reaaaally? If it were me, I probably would’ve just fallen for him…”

Marsha laughed, thinking Berry was joking, but Berry was dead serious.

“Oh! By the way, I came because I have something to tell you.”

“Yeah? What is it?”

Berry hesitated for a moment, then sighed as he spoke.

“Have you ever seen James?”

The radiant smile on Marsha’s face instantly vanished.