I Just Traded in the Forest of Monsters, but the World Changed - Chapter 28

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 28
‘The Duke’s Residence is too rigid.’
His thoughts turned elsewhere at once.
Cassian, thinking that Sehee loved forests, pictured a place where air flowed freely and sunlight poured in abundantly.
‘I should renovate a separate annex with a spacious garden instead.’
Cassian’s gaze shifted from the tent to the Clearing.
Then he watched Sehee’s back as she sat in the chair for a moment.
Sehee would not give up on her business.
This was a woman who kept her shop open even in the heart of this dangerous forest.
‘Just watching her conduct business against Monsters in a place like this says everything.’
Then the problem was not where she lived.
She needed a place where she could continue her business.
‘Perhaps I should purchase the largest and safest commercial building in the heart of the Capital?’
Cassian unconsciously ran his hand along his jaw.
That much was not difficult.
‘If it were there, I could visit her every day and guarantee her sales myself.’
The peaceful relocation Sehee had mentioned was perfectly transformed in Cassian’s mind into a grand entrance to the Empire alongside him and cohabitation with him.
It occurred to him that this might be what Sehee had struggled to say, and out of consideration, he turned his gaze away as if composing himself.
He did not want her to feel embarrassed if he acknowledged it too readily.
Instead, Cassian gazed at Sehee’s silhouette with resolute eyes and made a vow to himself.
‘Don’t worry, Sehee.’
Cassian slowly closed his fists.
‘The day you leave this forest, the safest and most magnificent Carriage in the Empire will come to this place.’
He nodded, so subtly that no one could see.
Cassian began to seriously consider how to make it happen, taking for granted a future spent with Sehee.
The forest wind that evening blew with unusual coolness.
As it passed, it scattered the fallen leaves between the two of them.
Meanwhile, oblivious to everything, Sehee continued her calculations while tapping the armrest.
“The Capital will have lots of people. I wonder if sales would actually be better than here.”
Both of them were running their own happiness calculations.
* * *
Sehee pressed her forehead as she turned over in her mind the Commission attached under the name Galaxy Distribution once more.
The number converted to Points was certainly reassuring.
But the text beside it—a 40% local living withdrawal fee—made the back of her neck ache.
She found herself wondering why she had to go through this hardship of all places.
She rubbed her forehead once and let out a sigh.
“Is this telling me to actually do business, or to make a charity donation? Manager Kim never took this much.”
But Sehee, well aware that thinking negatively wouldn’t change anything, shook her head and cleared the thought.
“Either way, what needs to be done has to be done.”
There was no point in overcomplicating things in her head.
What she needed now was not contemplation but calculation.
Her fingers unconsciously tapped the armrest.
The longer you dwelled on a problem, the worse it was for you.
If there was no way, you made one; if the road was blocked, you took another.
As Cassian and Sehee each pressed forward with their own thoughts, the commotion in the Clearing gradually died down.
‘They’re all making good preparations now, it seems.’
Most of the Knight Order who had been outside had withdrawn into the tents.
Erasmus was nowhere to be seen either.
For an Archmage, camping was merely an option.
He had likely stepped away and used Teleport to return to his villa on the outskirts of the Empire, where he was now enjoying a warm bath and a soft bed.
Sleeping in this forest was not a choice he needed to make.
Of course, Sehee had no way of knowing that.
‘Where does Erasmus stay every time, anyway?’
Curiosity stirred in her, but she did not voice it aloud.
With that, silence finally descended on the Clearing, but Sehee could not rest easy.
A third-year employee at the Distribution Company Sales Support Team, night meant the start of overtime for her.
Sehee opened her Inventory window and began mentally organizing what to sell tomorrow.
“Let’s see…”
Her fingers slowly traced through the invisible list.
The remaining quantities of instant Ramen, instant noodles of various brands, Instant Rice, Beverages, Mix Coffee.
Numbers floated in a neat row.
Ramen, at least, was in sufficient supply.
If anything, it was overflowing.
“Ramen again? When is anything else coming in?”
Since arriving here, the thing she’d seen most wasn’t monsters—it was ramen.
To be precise, ramen that changed flavors every single day.
Sehee closed the screen on impulse, then opened it again.
The System Shop displayed only one item per day.
Yesterday it was spicy, today seafood flavor, the day before that black bean sauce.
The variety seemed apparent enough, but at any given moment she could only see one.
‘There must be plenty of other things in there.’
Sehee hadn’t managed to check everything yet.
The problem was that no matter the flavor, it was still noodles.
Granted the selection was diverse and there were other items besides, but there was nothing you could really call a staple.
“Can’t be helped, I suppose.”
Sehee had just made a small sound of resignation and begun to rise from her chair.
A large shadow fell across it, and footsteps halted beside her before a voice came.
“Stay seated.”
A firm voice pressed lightly on her shoulder.
It was Cassian.
“I beg your pardon?”
Somehow he’d already set his sword down and rolled up his sleeves, approaching her side.
“Oh—Your Grace? I thought you were going to bed?”
“Hardly. With you looking as poorly as you do, there’s no way I’m going to sleep first.”
At that, Sehee blinked.
‘What is this.’
Something felt strange.
She couldn’t recall anyone ever worrying about her quite like this.
‘It’s probably not because of chasing out those monsters earlier.’
He’d already done more than enough on that front.
He’d even seated the Knight Order and filled the day’s sales quota, then personally helped tidy up.
There seemed to be no reason for him to fuss over her further.
“I came to finish helping you.”
Sehee paused briefly, wondering what help he meant.
“Surely you’re not saying you’ll clean up after the knights made a mess as well?”
At her incredulous question, Cassian simply nodded in confirmation.
“Exactly.”
“No, that’s just—”
Sehee straightened in her chair and spoke firmly.
“This is my responsibility. You’ve already done more than enough.”
Cassian swallowed his words and picked up the cups scattered across the table.
At the sight, Sehee quickly waved her hand.
“Really, you don’t need to help! I can manage this much on my own.”
……
Cassian said nothing, simply looking down at her.
His gaze showed no sign of yielding.
“Why would you go this far?”
“Because I want to.”
Sehee found herself momentarily at a loss for words.
With no other choice, she rose and joined him in the work.
* * *
Once the tidying was done, Sehee sank deep into a chair and stretched her legs out full.
Her feet, which had been standing all day long, loosened into comfort.
The Clearing was quiet, with only the distant sound of insects singing softly through the night.
“Why don’t you sit beside me, Your Grace?”
At that, Cassian quietly seated himself without a word.
“Doesn’t this feel kind of healing? How would you say it—like forest therapy?”
Sehee tilted her head back, gazing up at the sky.
Countless stars were embedded in the darkness.
“What is therapy?”
“It just… makes me feel better. Being still and empty-headed, you know?”
Sehee interlaced her fingers behind her head and exhaled slowly.
“During the day everything’s chaos. But when it gets quiet like this, I feel like I’m actually alive.”
Cassian didn’t answer. Instead, he turned to look at her.
The face that had been calculating sales and commissions just moments before was now drained of tension.
A breeze passed through, brushing against her hair.
Cassian’s gaze followed the ends for a moment.
“Is this enough for you?”
“This is plenty.”
Sehee smiled without thinking.
The corner of Cassian’s mouth lifted ever so slightly.
Normally, if you’re still here at this hour, exhaustion should be crashing down, and everything left to organize should feel like mountains of work.
But not today.
“I can’t believe we’re allowed to just sit like this.”
Cassian’s gaze settled gently.
“Why not?”
Sehee fell quiet for a moment.
Her eyes drifted down from the sky.
“I don’t… it’s nothing.”
Her lips moved slightly, then she laughed despite herself.
“Usually, if I’m still here this late, there’s always something more I should be doing.”
She continued as Cassian’s gaze prompted her forward.
“Double-checking if anything’s left to organize, reading emails, prepping tomorrow’s materials.”
Sehee shrugged.
“It makes me anxious to just sit still. Like I’ve forgotten something important.”
Her tone was calm, but her words painted a portrait of exactly how she’d learned to live.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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