WDHTMU | CHAPTER 28

Chapter 28

The early morning hour was unusual.

Marsha stared in disbelief at the storage room: piles of dried herbs stacked haphazardly, and nothing but dry onion skins scattered across the food supplies shelf.

This can’t go on any longer.

She decided she had to sell herbs—and while she was out, she’d pick up some groceries too.

Just as she tied her hair back and prepared to head out, Claudio appeared from his room.

“What are you up to?” he asked.

“I’m going to the market,” she replied, casually fastening her hair and lifting the rattan basket filled with herbs.

“By yourself?”

“Berry’s been busy lately.”

The Duke of Gloria was quick to scold his subordinates if they came back injured, but generous to his people, constantly throwing festivals and buying food supplies without hesitation.

Because of this, Berry’s family had been swamped with deliveries of milk and butter.

“Well, even if Berry weren’t busy, I’d still go to the market on my own.”

“How far is it from here?”

Marsha stared off into space, calculating for a moment, then nodded.

“About an hour, maybe a bit more… at my pace.”

So that meant at least two hours round trip—alone, walking through harsh, unforgiving forest paths.

“She’s got no sense of danger, does she?” With a frown tugging at one brow, Claudio said, 

“I’ll go with you.”

“Huh? You can’t go there!”

The way she reacted—like he’d just demanded to storm into enemy territory—made Claudio cross his arms, feeling oddly offended.

“Why? Would something terrible happen if I went?”

“Something terrible could happen. You’re still injured.”

“Staying in bed all day isn’t good for me either.”

“You need rest to heal.”

“That’s bad for my mental health.”

Claudio lowered his head slightly, gazing intently at Marsha.

“Ugh. He always has to have the last word.”

Marsha sighed deeply and put her hands on her hips.

“Then take a walk around the estate. The market is way too much.”

“I’m sure I can handle it.”

He was determined, wasn’t he?

Pouting, Marsha said, “If you get sick later, don’t expect me to care.”

“Fine. I don’t mind. By the way, could you give me something to wrap around me?”

“Wrap around you? You mean you want to wear it?”

Claudio nodded absentmindedly.

“But it’s hot outside…”

Marsha had tied her hair tightly because she knew she’d sweat once they started walking.

“I’m not saying I feel cold. It’s just… My face tends to stand out so much.”

Claudio smiled—a slow, knowing smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes like a painter adding the final brushstroke. 

Marsha’s eyes snapped open.

“Oh. Are you trying to avoid being recognised… by anyone from the Duke’s House, except Yurian?”

“Hm?”

“If that’s the case… wait a moment.”

Marsha slipped back into the room. 

Left alone, Claudio watched her retreating figure, lips pressing into a thin line.

That woman… she must think my face is just so-so, he thought. 

Hearing her say something like that. 

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of his lips. 

What is this feeling?

 Misery? 

That seemed a little dramatic, but not entirely wrong either.

 He’d spent his life confident in everything, especially his looks.

…Huh?

Movement inside the room caught his eye. Marsha was rifling through the top shelves of an old wardrobe, then eventually crouched down to open the bottom drawer.

Squatting down, already small, she looked even more fragile.

She’s curled up like a cat.

He chuckled softly, drawn closer to her.

Strangely, even moving nearer, she seemed smaller somehow.

“Did I ask too much of you?”

“No. It has to be here. It definitely is.”

Her grandmother used to spread out a khaki-coloured muslin cloth in the yard to dry herbs.

That would be large enough to wrap even a person as big as him.

Ah. Is this it?

Just as Marsha gripped the cloth hidden deep in the drawer, Claudio watched her closely. 

Her loosely tied, thick brown hair with soft waves. 

Her slender neck… She paid no mind to him behind her, fully absorbed in her task.

It felt common, yet somehow rare.

Huh?

His eyes caught a few stray hairs from the nape of Marsha’s neck slipping inside her collar.

Isn’t that itchy?

He spoke softly.

“Your hair’s tucked inside your clothes.”

“Huh?”

Marsha, struggling to pull the cloth free from between layers of fabric, barely heard him and asked again.

“…”

Claudio hesitated—should he explain again? 

He bent slightly. 

It wasn’t polite to touch a woman’s body without permission, but maybe just gently lifting a few strands wouldn’t hurt.

“Hold still.”

“That’s going to make it impossible to pull this out…”

Marsha answered roughly but finally pulled the cloth free. 

Just as a pleased smile spread across her face, Claudio’s fingers carefully lifted her hair.

A thin golden thread tangled in her strands came up with it.

“!”

Startled by the strange sensation, Marsha whipped her head around.

“W-What are you doing right now?!”

From her neck to her cheeks, her skin flushed bright red as she cried out with a trembling voice.

“I was just helping your hair out.”

Claudio kept his head bowed, casting a deep shadow over her.

“W-Why did you have to do it yourself? You could’ve just told me!”

“I already said something earlier, but you didn’t seem interested, so I took matters into my own hands.”

Claudio’s eyes crinkled in a knowing smile.

Marsha still touched her blazing neck, catching her breath.

“I don’t get why you’re so surprised.”

“Who’d be okay with someone touching the back of their neck without warning?”

“I did say something, though. Anyway, you okay? Didn’t hurt?”

“My head’s fine, but my heart aches.”

“Such drama.”

Claudio chuckled. 

Marsha, feeling flustered, jumped up from her seat, and Claudio raised his head as well.

“Here you go!”

Marsha held out a neatly folded, worn cloth into Claudio’s arms. 

He smoothed the fabric with his fingers.

“Is this really something a person can wear?”

“I don’t know. This is the only cloth in the house that might fit you, so wear it or don’t.”

Hmph! Marsha huffed and stormed out of the room.

I didn’t expect her to be so startled, Claudio thought.

He had actually planned to sneak it out without her knowing.

He quietly rubbed his thumb against his index finger. 

The faint sensation of soft hair still lingered. 

How could a few strands of hair leave such a lasting impression…

A smile tugged at his lips, and suddenly he remembered the golden thread. 

He hadn’t imagined that a strand of hair could have gotten caught on the necklace.

Did she usually wear that necklace?

He had never seen it before.

Since she tucked it under her clothes, perhaps she always hid it like this.

Why?

Wasn’t a necklace meant to be shown? 

If there was no reason to display it, wouldn’t it be better to keep it somewhere safe?

Was there any need to keep it hanging around her neck all the time?

Curiosity gnawed at Claudio. 

What was that necklace? 

Maybe there was no special reason, but still—he was curious.

***

Marsha kept glancing sideways.

“Why do you keep looking over there?”

Sensing her gaze, Claudio lowered his eyes and smiled gently.

“I was just making sure you’re keeping up.”

“I told you, walking this slowly is fine.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

Marsha’s eyes drifted toward his hand. 

The sack of herbs she had prepared was now in his grasp. 

When she first packed it, it had been smaller and lighter than hers. 

But Claudio had insisted that since they were already going, they might as well sell everything and fill the sack with all the herbs in the storage.

Is it really okay for a patient to carry all this?

Claudio caught the meaning in her eyes and chuckled softly.

“Don’t worry. It’s far too light for me.”

“W-who said anything about that?”

Marsha snapped her head forward sharply.

That cloth is shorter than I thought.

She had assumed it would wrap around him down to his calves, but it barely reached his knees.

I definitely need to buy him some proper clothes.

There were some old clothes left from patients her grandmother had cared for, but none fit Claudio. 

So far, he’d been wearing ill-fitting garments.

Yeah, I really must get some clothes for him.

It would cost some money, but Urian would take care of it later anyway.

How long had they been walking?

The market entrance was still nowhere in sight, but loud, bustling noise began to fill the air.

What’s going on? Why is it so noisy?

She’d heard about the ongoing festival causing a ruckus, but this much?

When Marsha reached the market gate, she couldn’t help but gape in astonishment.