(Risking My Life) Proposing to Miss Hazel - Chapter 2

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 2

My day starts at 6 AM.

I wake up to the dim morning sunlight and cover Felix, who has fallen asleep on the floor, with a blanket.

I’d like to braid my waist-length hair nicely, but I don’t have time today.

“I had a morning appointment, didn’t I.”

I took a spoonful of cold oat porridge and roughly tied up my hair.

Next to my hair tie, I noticed a mini bouquet of wildflowers. It’s Felix’s drinking habit. He picks pretty flowers, weaves them together, and gives them to me as gifts.

The craftsmanship of weaving pink wildflowers and green sprouts together is quite delicate.

“Tch.”

I let out a small laugh.

I tucked the bouquet between my hair and the tie, then glanced at myself in the mirror.

The pink flowers don’t match particularly well with my ash-gray hair, but they give me a feeling that spring has come, making my heart flutter for no reason.

“It is pretty though.”

If I had a pink dress like Sara’s, it would have matched even better. The green dress Meribel made recently would be nice too.

Unfortunately, all I own are two yellow dresses with patchy, faded dye, a brown vest, and a shawl with cheap lace. Even those I have to wear sparingly.

I checked for any holes in my clothes and neatly ironed and put on my dress. It should last another six months at least.

6:30. Time to leave the house.

Creak-.

When I opened the cottage door covered with ivy, white fluffy clouds hanging on the hillside greeted me.

Sunlight flowing gently through the Oak Forest sparkled like gold.

Someone once said our village’s scenery was like a masterpiece painting.

The morning after rain is twice as beautiful as any painting capturing a moment.

I stopped in front of the door for a moment and deeply breathed in the peaceful scenery.

Just breathing felt fulfilling.

“Alright, let’s do our best today too.”

Following the winding path downward, I could see red brick houses clustered together.

The houses of herb gatherers living near the mountain. Nearby are the homes of Bill and Monica, who greatly helped us siblings settle in the village.

“Child, forget about the difficult times. Think of this place as your hometown now and just grow up healthy.”

I will never forget what they said to me.

Cluck cluck cluck, a hen recognized me and came out of the chicken coop. Yellow chicks followed their mother in a line.

“Clucky, you can’t follow me. Go back inside.”

Cluck-. I petted the dejected hen and chicks one by one, then turned the corner into the Village Center.

Just three more steps from here-.

“Wow, are those croissants today?”

As always, the aroma of freshly baked bread wafts through the air.

I checked my pockets for money and let out a deep sigh. To pay taxes to Lord Cromwell tomorrow, I need to make do with oat porridge and potatoes until today.

Just as I was turning away.

“Hazel!”

Maria opened the bakery door and caught me. In her hands was a steaming croissant.

“Maria, good morning!”

I waved at her with a bright smile. She responded with an even brighter smile.

“Hazel is always so diligent. We have a new bread today, would you like to try it?”

“…Is that really okay?”

I accepted the bread with an awkward smile. This is already the third time this month I’ve received sample bread.

I’m always grateful, knowing it’s Maria’s kindness toward me out of pity.

Holding the warm bread made my steps naturally lighter.

I left the Village Center paved with white, wide stones and entered the alley next to Albert’s Bookshop, who turned 100 this year.

A dark alley where light doesn’t reach because of a large tree.

There sits mine and Felix’s small general store.

Golden Goods.

Contrary to its name that sounds like gold would pile up endlessly, it’s a shop where only dust accumulates.

“The sign is crooked again.”

I straightened the tilted wooden sign and turned the door handle with its half-peeled paint.

Ding-a-ling-.

The fish-shaped bell attached inside the door spun clockwise.

The narrow interior of the shop, which would have no room to step if four people entered, is much brighter than the alley.

“How have you been? Sprout, nothing happened last night, right?”

I greeted the flowerpot under the windowsill and bit into the warm croissant.

Crunch, the bread crumbled and raspberry jam and custard cream spread throughout my mouth. I naturally started humming.

“Mmm, so delicious. Maria is a genius.”

Along with admiration came a feeling of guilt.

It’s obviously expensive bread. Is it really okay for me to eat something like this?

But contrary to my feelings, my mouth hurriedly devoured the bread. It seems like it’s been three days since I tasted flavor in food.

I gave the end piece of bread without jam to a stray cat and tied on the white apron hanging on the right wall.

I swept up bread crumbs and dust with a broom and neatly arranged the items on the display stand.

Most are old items that might never sell.

“Felix would need to work for us to bring in new items…”

Felix only works just enough so we siblings don’t starve. Even then, he’s always drunk.

“The purified water is almost running out too, what should I do.”

Purified water.

Life water needed to purify bodies and objects contaminated by dark magic.

It’s Golden Goods’ main product.

We don’t sell 100 percent purified water, only 10 percent and 30 percent diluted solutions.

Even this doesn’t have many customers in a mountain village barely affected by dark magic.

I displayed even the purified water I had set aside for emergencies on the counter, then looked over the reservation list.

Most are familiar names.

Except for one person, the 8 o’clock appointment.

Baron.

“Who is this? It’s a name I’ve never seen.”

There are exactly three types of outsiders who visit Ruden Village.

First are relatives of Ruden Village people.

Those who came as refugees fleeing the civil war, most of whom settle down in the village.

Second are people from Cromwell Castle.

Visits are rare except for the lord’s son coming once a month to collect taxes.

Naturally, they don’t get along well with the villagers.

Third is the Imperial Army.

In the midst of a civil war lasting over 15 years, the Imperial Army maintains the Empire’s security without taking anyone’s side.

Following only the orders of Count Cedric, the Imperial Army’s commander-in-chief, they regularly stop by Ruden Village, which is adjacent to The Realm of Monsters, to obtain purified water from monster territory.

Ding, ding-a-ling-.

When the fish announced a customer’s visit, a bright smile reflexively appeared. Cheerful service is a basic quality of a shop owner.

“Welcome!”

Fine black hair gently showed through the gap in the door.

The man, who was much taller than the shop door, bent his head low and entered the store.

He wasn’t just tall. His build was more than twice that of an ordinary person.

My gaze naturally went to his broad shoulders and thick latissimus dorsi that looked quite strong.

‘Is he a soldier?’

I hadn’t heard that the Imperial Army had come.

“Is this Golden Goods?”

A voice as dark as his hair tickled my ears.

Goosebumps prickled along the back of my neck.

When he lifted his head, jewel-like crimson eyes glinted sharply.

Sunlight settled over his sculpted brow bone and nose bridge.

‘Wow…’

His face was so unrealistically beautiful that I was left speechless.

A dangerous man who didn’t belong in this peaceful Countryside Village.

That was my first impression of him.

Without realizing it, I found myself staring intently at his face, then quickly turned my head away when our eyes met.

‘I must have stared too much. I hope he doesn’t get the wrong idea.’

For the record, handsome men with good bodies are not my type.

Just look at Felix—handsome men are completely useless. Big men just eat more food.

Men should be diligent above all.

Diligent men usually look like freshly dug potatoes from the field. They’re never big, just sturdy.

Those are the kind of men who never let their wives and children go hungry.

A diligent worker who eats little and works hard—that’s the ideal husband material in a countryside village.

I cleared my throat and put on a bright smile again.

“Yes, this is Golden Goods. Are you here to buy holy water?”

“That’s not it. I’d like to find the owner of this item.”

As he approached the counter, I felt an overwhelming presence like a massive wall closing in. It wasn’t just his size, but his entire existence.

Through the loose knots of his shirt, I caught a glimpse of his well-defined chest muscles.

If Sara had been here, she would have squealed with delight, but I just felt embarrassed.

‘Honestly, these outsiders.’

My eyes rolled around, not knowing where to look.

Then he took out a ring from a small box and placed it on the counter.

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