The Exciting Adventure Begins!? (3) – The Rumored Princess
The man asked without hesitation. His behavior, which didn’t consider rejection at all, made me momentarily think ‘Did we already give permission?!’
He let go of the reins and greeted us politely. Neighhh! The horse whinnied and shook its head. Dust rose. His common brown hair looked exactly the same color as the horse’s mane.
“Whoa, whoa.”
The man who soothed the horse smiled while making eye contact with every single one of us—Temarr hyung, Ruman, and even me—without exception.
Ruman and Temarr hyung exchanged glances.
“……”
“……”
“My companions are very tired. It’s difficult to find another spot, so could we rest here for a bit?”
“Find another spot. The land is vast, so why does it have to be here? We also have a carriage, so there’s not much space.”
With my hands extended toward the campfire, I spoke bluntly.
Go look for a spot somewhere else.
“I apologize. My younger brother has bad speech habits.”
Temarr hyung, who had been making a wary expression, relaxed his face.
“Hyung! I told you not to share a table with strangers carelessly.”
Does hyung have some disease where he’ll die if he doesn’t show kindness?
Huff huff. I wanted to shout but held it in firmly.
If only it weren’t for the coughing!
Phlegm kept bubbling up in my throat and I kept wanting to cough. Because I was controlling my breathing to keep from coughing, it was hard to speak at length. As I cleared my throat with ahem ahem sounds, the man made an apologetic face.
“Not at all. You could feel that way. I’m truly sorry. But couldn’t it somehow work out?”
Hyung, who had glanced at me, shook his head.
“It seems difficult.”
What, what’s gotten into hyung?
For a moment the man’s expression seemed to stiffen slightly, but that expression vanished without a trace.
He asked again if it couldn’t somehow work out while making a troubled smile and subtly approaching us.
It was Ruman who blocked the approaching man.
“I’m sorry but it won’t work. Didn’t we make that clear?”
Ruman’s smile was no less impressive!
When he gently refused with his beautifully handsome face, the man’s smile deepened even more.
As he approached closer, the campfire’s light dyed the man’s face red, and now that I looked, the man had a long scar crossing his cheek.
It seemed like an old scar, but seeing how clearly visible it was, it must have been quite a deep wound.
Was it because of his genial voice and attitude? How did I not see that big scar?
“Ah, this… is a rather old wound. Are you frightened? I’m so sorry…. I forgot to cover my face.”
“Uh…. No, it’s not that….”
Huk. I made a mistake. I stared too intently. That’s completely rude!
I was about to stand up and apologize when Ruman pressed down on my shoulder.
“The child tends to look people straight in the eye.”
“Well….”
I was about to say something but Ruman put strength into the hand gripping my shoulder as if telling me to stay still.
No, more than that, I’m not young enough to be called a ‘child’?!
I can pull my own weight too! I’ll definitely show you…….
The man who had been touching his cheek asked “Is that so?” and laughed.
What kind of person making a request is this relaxed? I glared at him with a crooked gaze for no reason.
“Couldn’t it somehow work out?”
How many times do we have to say no!
Ruman is also uncomfortable to death, and I don’t want another stranger joining us in this situation!
The man kept asking repeatedly like a leech, but he didn’t seem as urgent as his earnest voice suggested. I occasionally observed hyung’s expression. It was Ruman who was dealing with the man who kept talking genially. Hyung turned his gaze away as if he didn’t have the confidence to keep refusing while looking at his face, then made eye contact with me!
I was so proud and happy that hyung was doing something difficult for me (it should be for me! Even if it’s not, it is!)! Even though his discomfort was plainly visible on his face, he was enduring it for me! My chest swelled. For me! Hyung has definitely changed! I was so excited I felt like I might snort.
But hyung had an uncomfortable face. His thick eyebrows twitched. Seeing him, words spilled out of me without realizing it.
“Tch. As expected of a Hero….”
What! Why are you looking! The man looked at me. Did he hear me muttering by any chance? No way his hearing could be that good! I glared. Huhu. Did he get scared? He turned his gaze away pretending not to look.
Hey, hyung! Tell him to leave quickly! Stop making our hyung’s heart uncomfortable!
Hihi. To think it’s discomfort he’s enduring for me!
That man might be more persistent than he looks, so I should take hyung and avoid this spot. I grabbed hyung’s arm and was about to suggest we go fetch water or something, when the man suddenly grabbed Ruman’s hand. This time even his expression had changed as if it would be terrible if we didn’t help.
“Hyung, we….”
“I’m really in a difficult situation. I know it’s rude, but couldn’t it really work out? There’s a young girl riding in the carriage. If we continue like this, she might collapse from exhaustion. If it weren’t for the child, I absolutely wouldn’t have made this request.”
No, why are you suddenly being more aggressive?! Weren’t you about to give up?!
I opened my mouth in bewilderment. No way, hyung! You’re not falling for it, are you?!
“A young child, you say?”
However, Temarr hyung reacted immediately…….
“A young ‘girl’ child, to be precise.”
Ruman’s voice was lukewarm.
It was a voice saying what does that have to do with us. Good job, Ruman!
“Achoo!”
“We don’t prefer accepting unfamiliar companions. There’s no ‘benefit’ to us whatsoever, is there? Unfortunately, I’m not fond of such things…. Since our child was rude, we’ll at least pack up some dry firewood for you. That should be acceptable, right?”
Then Ruman swept firewood into a large sack.
Wow… is this refusing while refusing?! Without giving time to answer, he swept it all up rapidly, then lightly lifted the sack and walked briskly toward the man.
“This should be enough.”
An exchange of smiles occurred between the beautiful handsome man and the genial man.
Wow! What amazing defense. Ruman, I might like you a bit.
“……Haha…. I suppose it can’t be helped after all? If we take the wrong road at night…. Our young miss….”
“Achoo! Achoo!”
The man continued speaking while watching me. My mouth itched wanting to tell him that looking at me was useless. I’m firmly against sharing a table!
“Aachoo!”
Ugh…. Snot. I wiped it with my hand and rubbed it on the dirt ground… and made eye contact with hyung.
Damn, embarrassing.
When I turned my gaze away, this time I made eye contact with Ruman.
S-snot can come out a little! I-it’s okay to wipe it on the ground!!
I also subtly avoided Ruman’s gaze and looked at the carriage.
But who’s riding in it? You’d think they’d look outside out of curiosity, but there was no sign of anyone from inside the carriage.
“Couldn’t it really work out somehow?”
The man asked with an attitude suggesting he’d give up cleanly if refused one more time—though he’d already been persistent enough. It seemed like he’d leave after being refused once or twice, so why is he being such a leech!
Yes!! It can’t work out, so please leave! I’m sorry for staring, but I really hate sharing a table with strangers, okay? Hyung! Hurry up and refuse! That man is really persistent too. I said no! Leave quickly.
“…Yes.”
“Whew. Yes. I understand. I’m truly sorry for making such an unreasonable request.”
The man bowed his head like before and turned his back to grab the horse’s reins.
Then, as if remembering something, he made an “Ah!” sound and spun around.
He still had a smiling face as he glanced at me, then looked at Temarr hyung.
“I happen to have cough medicine, shall I share some? I’ll also give you some warm soup before I go. Our young miss doesn’t like soup. There’s nothing better for a cough.”
“It’s fine! Ach, hng! We don’t need it, achoo.”
Clueless coughing!
Even when I held my breath and covered my mouth, the coughs kept coming. The man smiled gently.
Temarr hyung furrowed his brow as if troubled.
“……If it’s just for a moment, please rest.”
“…! Would that really be alright?”
The man brightened.
“Thank you! Young miss!”
Like Ruman, the man quickly greeted us as if fundamentally blocking any chance for rebuttal, then approached the carriage.
Bang!
Before the man could open the door, the carriage door flew wide open.
It opened so forcefully that the door hit the carriage wall with a thud! and rattled from the rebound.
“No way! Who wants to stay while begging?”
What emerged from opening the door was a woman who looked bratty at first glance (!) I mean, looked wealthy.
She looked too mature to be called a girl ‘child,’ but looked a bit young to be called a young lady.
The woman with her purple hair pulled up tightly wore an expensive dress, and from every angle looked completely distant from the word camping.
“Ah!”
At my exclamation, the woman’s (?) girl’s (?) sharp gaze turned toward me.
What?! Why are you glaring?! I suddenly got angry, but my curiosity took priority. I furrowed my eyebrows once to substitute for irritation, then tugged on Ruman’s sleeve.
Earlier! That! Right?? The princess!! Isn’t that the princess from the newspaper who’s inheriting a massive fortune??
“Grrrr—!”
I couldn’t say it in front of the person in question, so I groaned.
Tap! Ruman placed his hand on top of my head as if he understood, and his hand was so large that his fingers reached down to my forehead.
Ugh, gross!
When I swatted it away in shock, I heard Ruman’s laughter.
“Really rude.”
