(Risking My Life) Proposing to Miss Hazel - Chapter 43

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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 43

 

Felix’s delighted laughter echoed loudly throughout the mountains.

 

The nearby animals scattered with rustling sounds.

 

It wasn’t because of Felix, but because they sensed the monster’s aura.

 

He didn’t even feel tired as he dug the cave deep into the night.

 

At this rate, the work would progress much faster than he had expected.

 

“No problems so far.”

 

His only concern was not letting Lord Cromwell discover his intentions.

 

Eventually, people would find out that a road connecting Ruden Village and Benu had been built.

 

But it had to be as slow as possible—at least he couldn’t be caught before the road was completed.

 

That’s why he couldn’t ask anyone for help.

 

The finger-pointing due to misunderstandings actually helped.

 

He didn’t care if everyone treated him like a fool. He could endure that much easily.

 

Felix silently endured the lonely and difficult times.

 

‘It’s not hard at all.’

 

Hazel had gotten him new shoes so he wouldn’t suffer, packed him lunch boxes, and brought him a handful of candies from who knows where.

 

Actually, it wouldn’t have mattered if Hazel did nothing at all.

 

Just imagining his one and only little sister’s bright smile gave him strength.

 

This time, he would absolutely never let that smile disappear.

 

That was all Felix wanted.

 

‘I stopped Hazel from marrying before she turns twenty-two, but I can’t relax until the 13th Prince ascends to the throne.’

 

The 13th Prince.

 

Basarion Abraksia.

 

The true heir to the emperor who must be hiding his identity and building his power in Benu’s underground by now.

 

The time when he would reveal himself above the surface wasn’t far off.

 

Basarion always ascended to the throne at twenty-five. Trampling down his brothers as if it were natural, as smoothly as flowing water.

 

When he became emperor, peace would come to the Empire. Until then, Hazel had to be very thoroughly under his protection.

 

That’s why Felix was so busy these days that even 24 hours weren’t enough.

 

He had to use all the information he’d collected to make Hazel rich.

 

He had to perfectly handle all the housework so his sister, who had suffered taking care of his messes for seven years, wouldn’t have to lift a finger at home.

 

He had to protect Hazel from the bastards who were constantly targeting her.

 

Even three bodies wouldn’t be enough.

 

He knew it too.

 

That someday he’d have to send away the sister he’d raised so preciously to another man.

 

That part was okay.

 

It was a sadness he’d already experienced countless times.

 

But he couldn’t help feeling melancholy every time he gave Hazel shoes as a gift.

 

Because when Hazel left, Felix was always left alone.

 

The foolish brother had never even thought of leaving first and abandoning his sister alone.

 

That would break his promise to their parents, and it was something he wouldn’t allow himself to do.

 

He couldn’t marry Hazel off until the civil war ended and peace arrived. Half the reason he played the role of a scoundrel was essentially to avoid marrying Hazel off.

 

Because Hazel’s husband must not discover her abilities.

 

So until then—

 

‘I should enjoy everyday life.’

 

May the happy days with Hazel continue.

 

May he watch her smiling face up close for even one more day.

 

May he prepare even one more delicious meal for her.

 

That was all he wished for.

 

***

 

The savory smell of cheese tickled my nose. The salty aroma of bacon came with it too.

 

The ultimate combination that never gets old no matter how often you eat it.

 

I opened my eyes with my mouth full of saliva.

 

‘Oh no.’

 

I was late.

 

Today, Felix had beaten me to claiming the kitchen first.

 

Felix, who made eye contact with me, smiled as if melting.

 

“Look at you drooling.”

 

“Ah.”

 

I wiped around my mouth with the back of my hand. Embarrassingly, quite a bit of drool came off.

 

“Who told you to wake me up with the smell of grilling bacon?”

 

“And it’s thick bacon at that?”

 

“What luxury is this from the morning?”

 

I kicked off the blanket, got up, and rushed to the kitchen.

 

In the frying pan, bacon sliced thicker than a finger joint was cooking, showing off its beautiful form.

 

In the pot next to it, Felix’s special cheese potatoes were warming gently.

 

It’s a dish made by putting plenty of milk and three kinds of cheese into mashed potatoes so you can dip things in it like a sauce.

 

Usually you dip hard bread, (vegetables), cold meat, etc., but I like dipping thick bacon in it the most.

 

My mouth filled with saliva.

 

Today I would eat breakfast to my heart’s content, so much that I wouldn’t think about lunch.

 

Though I was happy about the feast after so long—

 

“Are you tired of the tasteless food I make now?”

 

Remembering how I’d boasted a few days ago about leaving the cooking to me, I added the comment for no reason.

 

Felix cheekily shot back.

 

“Sometimes there are days when you want to care less about your health.”

 

“Thanks for packaging it as ‘healthy taste.'”

 

“If you know that, hurry up and sit down.”

 

Breakfast was perfect.

 

Each bite was so moving I almost teared up.

 

Fully savoring the bacon’s juices wrapped in cheese and potatoes, I unconsciously made groaning sounds.

 

Felix, who had been watching me contentedly, passed over another piece of his bacon and said.

 

“From today on, Hazel, don’t come into the kitchen. Eating suits you better than cooking.”

 

“Are you indirectly saying my cooking skills aren’t improving terribly?”

 

“That’s also true, but making food for you is my happiness.”

 

“Why did you forget that happiness for seven years then?”

 

At my playful complaint, Felix burst into an embarrassed laugh.

 

“I was wrong.”

 

That day, we went to work together after a long time.

 

As we went down the hill, Clucky came out to greet me as always.

 

Cluck, cluck!

 

But when Clucky made eye contact with Felix, she quickly changed direction and went into the house.

 

The fluffy hen and chicks’ bottoms shook urgently.

 

“Clucky’s kids have grown a lot, haven’t they?”

 

“You’re just noticing that now?”

 

“Clucky doesn’t show me her kids. They’ll become chickens soon and meet Carson, won’t they?”

 

“Clooooock!”

 

“That’s why she doesn’t show them to you, because you say things like that.”

 

It wasn’t just Koko who avoided the scoundrel Felix.

 

Usually during commute hours, the Village Center would be bustling with people, making me late for work due to all the greetings, but today it was quiet beyond just peaceful.

 

Even people I happened to encounter in the Alley would shriek “Eek!” and run away.

 

Considering how well they greeted me just yesterday, it all seems to be because of Felix.

 

However, the person himself didn’t seem bitter about this situation at all, but rather looked proud.

 

“That’s right. Everyone’s got their heads screwed on straight.”

 

“What about you, Felix?”

 

“Me? What about me?”

 

“Never mind. Let’s hurry to the Shop.”

 

After work started, once the morning appointment customers left and urgent matters were finished, silence settled over the Shop.

 

It was quiet. Seriously quiet.

 

Yesterday afternoon it was definitely bustling. Though that only amounted to earning two and a half silver coins total.

 

I slumped over the counter, gazing at the sky that peeked out just a palm’s width between the clouds, and muttered.

 

“You could hear a pin drop.”

 

“A pin? Where?”

 

“It’s a figure of speech.”

 

“Ah. Our Shop is always like that though.”

 

“No. Lately it seems like customers only crowd in when you’re not here, Felix. Am I imagining things?”

 

“Probably not imagining it. That’s why I’m not planning to go out digging during the day for a while.”

 

“Shouldn’t you go out if you want to make money?”

 

“I don’t need to earn such small change.”

 

I was about to scold Felix for talking nonsense when—

 

“Huh? What’s that?”

 

Startled, I got up from my seat and pointed out the window with my finger.

 

A hawk with fierce eyes and black feathers.

 

The ‘Newspaper Delivery Man’ that delivers newspapers from Benu was flying straight toward our window.

 

Whoooosh, THUD!!

 

The hawk that crashed its head magnificently slid down below the window.

 

Fortunately, the window didn’t die. Though I’m not sure about the hawk.

 

We rushed out to check on the fallen hawk.

 

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

 

“That guy’s tough.”

 

“Really?”

 

Fortunately, this didn’t seem to be the hawk’s first time with such incidents.

 

The hawk flapped its wings and got up energetically, then ran toward us with quick steps.

 

Today, the newspaper delivery hawk was the first living creature that didn’t run away after seeing Felix.

 

The hawk lifted its leg up high, as if asking us to untie the letter bound to its ankle.

 

“Huh?”

 

The letter bore the symbol of the Basar Market—a golden hand seal.

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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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