Traveling with Unfamiliar Companions (4) – Scattered Tea Leaves
“What!”
“Ride in the carriage together. Didn’t you hear?”
“What? Ruman! Why do I have to ride with the princess?”
“If we’re not going to abandon someone as bait, it’s better to ride together in one carriage for cover.”
“……Okay.”
Ruman was kind, but he seemed displeased. And yet, the fact that he was smiling was scarier. Ugh.
“Ah!”
“Ren?”
I quickly ran to the carriage I had been riding in. I flung the door open… it’s not here!
My bundle I left on the seat! My medicine! My medicine is gone!
“Wh-where did it go. My bundle!”
It’s not under the seat either! Did I drop it? Did I load it somewhere else? I was stomping my feet when Princess Coco poked my back.
“What!”
“Are you looking for this?”
“What? Give it back! Why do you have it?”
“Hmph. Just get in first.”
“Hey! Why are you taking other people’s things on your own….”
“Ren.”
“…….”
Princess Coco got into the carriage.
Temarr hyung looked at me shouting with stern eyes, and my cheek stung at that gaze.
Should he hit the other side too—are you thinking this, hyung?
I got into the carriage with shuffling steps, clutching the bundle I snatched back from the princess.
When I got into the carriage, Ruman closed the door for me.
Perhaps because Princess Coco was a noble, the inside of the carriage was quite spacious and cozy. The cushions were so plump my butt probably wouldn’t hurt. The windows were wide and the whole carriage felt thick. Like it could block anything that flew at it.
The carriage slowly started and gradually increased speed.
“…….”
“…….”
I’m tired of fighting and it’s annoying. My stomach hurts too. I’m sleepy. I felt like I had a fever again.
It wasn’t this bad the first day.
What’s causing it. Has the illness gotten worse? My heart grew anxious.
Is the day of my seizure getting closer? No! Even if I calculate by the original cycle, there’s still over a month left…. Even if I collapse… not now. I can only collapse after arriving at the capital and parting with hyung!
I fidgeted with the wrapping cloth.
I should take medicine once Princess Coco falls asleep.
The old man made it easy to drink as tea, but…. I don’t have time to drink tea! I have no choice but to just chew it…….
When will she sleep?
Princess Coco was sitting with her back straight… staring at me intently.
Our gazes met head-on.
I somehow felt like I should say something. But I didn’t particularly have anything to say….
Her violet eyes narrowed. As if gauging me. What, how unpleasant.
Now I was glaring at Princess Coco too, when eventually her mouth opened.
“You.”
The princess, who had been drawing it out, spoke with a face full of certainty.
“You’re a patient, aren’t you?”
“……What?”
“That wrapping cloth obviously has medicine in it. That’s why you were trembling while looking for it, right?”
“…….”
“Seeing that your hyung and Ruman don’t know, you’re hiding it, I guess? Is it some serious illness? I also learned medical arts as a refinement, so I know roughly. I’ll examine you….”
Princess Coco’s hand reached out toward the wrapping cloth I was holding.
How dare you act so carelessly when you don’t know anything… something inside me surged up.
Something hyung doesn’t know, how can you know when you’ve only seen me for 3 days.
I swallowed the rising bile and glared at her.
“Shut up.”
Coco, who had been chattering away, snapped her mouth shut. Her hand also stopped in midair.
“…What?”
Coco frowned as if she had misheard.
Her vivid violet eyes seemed to want an explanation from me.
“I said shut up! What do you know!”
“Why are you suddenly getting angry?? What did I do!”
“How would you know! You’ve only seen me for 3 days, how much do you know about me to speak so carelessly….”
Why do tears come at times like this? How embarrassing…. These aren’t tears from sadness or hurt. It’s frustration. I’m frustrated at myself for not hiding it properly!
But Princess Coco’s face also turned bright red.
Without withdrawing her hand suspended in midair, she snatched my wrapping cloth with quick and forceful hand movements!
I pulled on the wrapping cloth to avoid having it stolen, but it was no match.
The wrapping cloth, tied clumsily in my haste to pack, came undone, and I tumbled onto the carriage floor.
Thud!!
The wrapping cloth came undone and the green medicinal herbs disguised as tea leaves scattered in the air.
And then they were strewn across the floor.
Princess Coco’s two eyes shook, lost.
“So….”
She looked at my face and couldn’t continue her words.
But I couldn’t see Princess Coco’s appearance at all.
“What happened!”
“Ren. What’s going on?”
From outside the carriage, I could hear Ruman and Del’s voices.
The carriage that had been running quickly was gradually slowing down.
My body that had collided stung.
But more than my stinging arms and legs from the collision… I was so embarrassed and humiliated by the medicinal herbs the medicine shop old man had packed for me scattered on the carriage floor…. My situation felt exactly like tea leaves scattered on the carriage floor, and that hurt more.
Somehow the world felt cruel.
Why can’t I even hide something like this properly?
What would hyung say if he saw?
I’m afraid of hyung finding out. I don’t have the confidence to explain.
But… what I hate most is,
Slam!
“Princess. What is the meaning of this?”
“What are you doing, Ruman-nim!!”
“Ren.”
“No! I was wrong, stop it Del! Sheathe your sword!!”
The fact that resentment toward hyung arose—that Princess Coco noticed in 3 days what… hyung hadn’t known all this time.
I was frozen in a daze as if looking at a broken bowl.
The herb leaves rolling around mixed with the dust on the carriage floor were exactly like shards of glass.
“Princess Coco! I’m asking what you did.”
“Ruman-nim. What rudeness is this toward the princess!”
“Del!! Del Belkerman!”
At the princess’s dignified calling, Del closed his mouth.
“I told you to lower your sword.”
“Princess!”
“Lower it.”
“…….”
The sound of the sword entering its sheath rang out coldly.
“I made a mistake.”
I rolled my dazed eyes to look at the princess.
The princess slowly opened her mouth with stiff cheeks.
D-don’t say it… please.
Being found out this way… I….
The words in my head weren’t organized. Even though I clearly slept and woke up, like I had stayed up all night, like my mind and body were separating, it felt exactly like being in a dream.
I gaped my unmoving mouth, trying to say something. But making my efforts futile, my throat remained locked tight, unable to make any sound, and in the meantime, Coco’s small lips moved.
“…I! Hit him!”
“…What?”
……?
She hit me?
I blinked and stared at Princess Coco.
Sensing my gaze, she sharply turned her head toward me and pointed at me.
“This kid was acting cocky! Not losing even once!! When I cursed saying I hate disgusting tea, he told me to apologize because some precious old man or whatever-man or mister or old man or lady or anyway some precious person gave it to him?? Ha! Could I, Coco Ganien, possibly apologize to a common brat?? Just because I threw the wrapping cloth in anger, you’re doing this! Is this necessary?!”
Coco huffed.
She pointed so much it felt like my face was getting punctured by Coco’s finger!
“Princess. Even so….”
Ruman’s voice softened a bit.
“To hit someone.”
A flash of contempt crossed Ruman’s eyes.
He still had his hand on his sword.
Hyung… was looking at me with a serious expression.
“I only pushed him slightly! Huh… I got angry during the argument, that’s all.”
Huh… after that, the princess seemed like she was about to say “medicine.” I had the illusion of the swallowed word buzzing in my ears. But Coco naturally let the word flow out as a sigh and placed her hand on her waist.
Perfectly acting out a bratty noble young lady!
Tsk! Princess Coco even clicked her tongue, then glared at me.
Raised eyebrows, fierce eyes, and pointing—a perfect three combo, but…. I could see her stiff cheeks and trembling eyelashes. Through the gaps in her perfectly hidden expression, I could see something like a bit of guilt.
Hearing Princess Coco’s voice that seemed to pound, my stopped thoughts seemed to slowly flow.
And I realized that the situation of me sitting stupidly on the carriage floor was making things worse, and that Princess Coco had decided to protect the secret I didn’t want revealed even if I died.
The princess finished her act, so now it was my turn!
I blinked rapidly to drop the tears that had formed, then raised my head sharply.
“A girl as aggressive and fierce as you is a first!! What kind of strength is this! It’s several times worse than a normal person!!”
“I ate well and grew up well, so how could I compare to a commoner like you?! Ha! Clean up those cheap tea leaves!!”
We glared at each other as if we’d claw each other at any moment, but… we could discover relief subtly settling in each other’s eyes!
Slide.
Eventually, Ruman’s sword also quietly entered its sheath.
Wow Coco…… you’re really crazy brave, aren’t you? The sword was pointed at her all this time! Realizing this belatedly, I was shocked and glared at Ruman.
