(Risking My Life) Proposing to Miss Hazel - Chapter 59

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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 59

 

The main topic of today’s newspaper was an article about how the territories of the Black Magic Rebels were expanding, and serious contamination zones were increasing.

 

Among them, an interview with siblings who barely escaped from the rebel territory with the help of the ‘Black Hand’ touched my heart.

 

[At first, we didn’t realize they were Black Magic Rebels. They even deceived us by claiming to be the 1st Prince’s forces and distributed purification water.

 

They extorted money and crops under the pretext of protection. Up to that point, it was something that always happened, so we just accepted it, but one day the land started turning black and livestock began collapsing.

 

Sensing something was wrong, our parents stopped giving us food from that day. They only gave us the purification water they had stored and drank rainwater themselves.

 

The day the first villager collapsed, our parents sacrificed themselves to help us escape.

 

I managed to flee to Benu with my body intact, but my brother…]

 

“Gasp.”

 

I checked the illustration depicting the siblings’ brother and covered my mouth.

 

He had taken an arrow shot by the rebels in place of his sister to save her, and had to cut off one arm that was contaminated by black magic.

 

[When we arrived in Benu, my brother’s arm was already beyond what purification water could help.

 

The wound had healed, but his entire arm had turned pitch black. His hair began losing color and turning ashen.

 

The only way to save my brother was to cut off the part where the erosion had begun.]

 

“Hah…”

 

A sigh escaped me involuntarily. My chest churned painfully.

 

‘Felix would have done the same thing.’

 

There was no doubt about it.

 

If Felix could save me, he would give up an arm without hesitation.

 

Maybe even his life.

 

When my thoughts reached that point, my eyes reddened without me realizing it.

 

Just five minutes ago I was blinking unfocused eyes, and now suddenly I was sniffling like a woman with a story.

 

I kept my head down low to hide the tears welling up from Felix, cooling my stinging nostrils, when—

 

“Give me the newspaper.”

 

Felix snatched the newspaper from my hands.

 

After checking the newspaper content, he let out a deep sigh.

 

“Oh my…”

 

“It’s pitiful.”

 

“It is, but this brother probably thinks everything’s fine since he saved his sister.”

 

“…How is everything fine.”

 

The brother lost his arm. You fool.

 

My lips protruded like a duck’s. This strange expression came from suppressing my emotions to avoid breaking down in tears.

 

Felix crouched down in front of me and looked up at me. His worried gaze came close, just a span away.

 

Then suddenly, he burst into laughter. His finger stretched out my lips.

 

“You look exactly the same as when you were seven. Do you hold back tears the same way too?”

 

“Mmph, mmm mmm, mmph.”

 

“No way. I’m going to keep pulling until your tears go back in.”

 

“Ugh, ughhh!!”

 

Felix’s annoying prank actually made my tears go back in. It was more irritating because it worked.

 

A dimple appeared deeply in Felix’s cheek. His mischievous eyes curved gently.

 

“Aww, so cute. I don’t want to let go.”

 

Thwack—!

 

He finally let go of my lips only after I kicked his shin. The area that had been grabbed felt numb.

 

“Give me the newspaper. Let me finish reading.”

 

“I’ll only give you half. Stop reading articles like this and look at the fun stuff in the back.”

 

Felix tore the newspaper in half, keeping the current affairs section for himself and giving me the business and advertisement section.

 

I grumbled but obediently opened the back section of the newspaper. Actually, I didn’t have the confidence to read more sad and cruel reality stories either.

 

“Let’s see what Madam Evelyn Corner has…”

 

When I checked ‘Evelyn’s Choice,’ which reported the latest trends in Benu, a colorful catalog caught my eye.

 

From luxury items like hats, perfumes, and jewelry to new products with unique ideas. Time flew by just reading the list.

 

In the past, everything from one to ten was new products I’d never seen before, so I was just amazed, but now it was different.

 

Half of the products featured in Evelyn’s Choice were displayed on our shop shelves. They were all items left by people from the Bashar Merchant Guild.

 

“Wow…”

 

I knew they weren’t cheap items, but I didn’t know they were this ‘hot.’

 

By the way, ‘hot’ is a word Evelyn uses frequently, and for the most trending products, she puts ‘hot’ twice.

 

‘Wouldn’t it be amazing if Golden Sundries Shop’s products appeared in Evelyn’s Choice.’

 

Of course, such a thing would never happen even in dreams, so I indulged in a brief pleasant fantasy before closing the newspaper.

 

“I’m done playing now. I’ll work, so Felix, you should rest.”

 

“Just watching you play was enough for me. Let’s work together.”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean.”

 

I let out a deflated laugh and returned to the seat next to Felix.

 

He slid a row of glass bottles covered in grime in front of me.

 

Just a while ago, seeing the lined-up empty bottles made me feel suffocated, but now I didn’t feel any particular pressure. I just wanted to quickly clean all of this and get off work.

 

Rest is indeed important for humans. Overwork is a shortcut to quick death.

 

Squeak squeak, after silently cleaning empty bottles for a while, the bottom of the empty bottle box was revealed. Felix and I made eye contact and grinned.

 

He grabbed all three remaining empty bottles and casually shared village news.

 

“By the way, those spies you mentioned all disappeared. Haven’t seen them lately.”

 

My fingers trembled slightly.

 

I recalled the murderous glares of Ruden Village’s power holders.

 

They had discussed punishing the traitors with such menacing presence that they could easily be called the fearsome foursome.

 

And according to their decision, the traitors had disappeared from the village.

 

I shuddered and lowered my voice to warn him.

 

“Don’t try to know the details. You’ll get hurt.”

 

***

 

A few days ago, in the forest at the boundary between Ruden Village and Cromwell Castle.

 

Two men limped as they hurriedly crossed the mountain.

 

In their hands, they each clutched a document that Franz from the blacksmith had given them.

 

“Damn it. Why is this day so grueling?”

 

Gwen’s cousin nephew spat out curses with a fierce expression.

 

Every time he opened his mouth, his split lips stung, but thinking about what he’d experienced all day, he couldn’t stop cursing.

 

Yesterday evening, after reporting Felix, he had suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed while talking with his friend.

 

The next day, it was hunters who woke them up. Having barely escaped from traps, they returned to the village complaining of full-body muscle pain.

 

Their whole bodies ached, but especially the area between their legs felt numb. It was pain as if two eggs had burst. They could barely stand still and had to walk awkwardly.

 

However, the village’s only doctor treated them as malingerers and chased them away.

 

They pleaded with the herb women for at least some painkillers, but all they got in return were cold stares.

 

They instinctively knew.

 

The villagers’ attitude toward them had changed.

 

They didn’t know the reason, but it wasn’t their imagination.

 

The people of Ruden Village were all stupidly gentle and kind.

 

When those same people showed sharp glares, instinctive fear arose.

 

Ruden Village was no longer a safe place. Their instincts were telling them so.

 

In the midst of this, one of the village elders approached them.

 

‘I hear the blacksmith at Cromwell Castle is looking for apprentice workers. If you go to Cromwell Castle today, there might still be positions available. If you need it, I’ll write you a letter of recommendation.’

 

‘Really? Are you serious?’

 

‘Let’s hurry and go. If there’s work available, we can settle down at the castle.’

 

‘Hey, but the Cromwell Castle Forge has a terrible reputation, you know. Haven’t you heard?’

 

‘Is that really important right now? The important thing is becoming residents of Cromwell Castle first.’

 

They thought the timing was quite coincidental, but they couldn’t let this golden opportunity slip away.

 

So they ended up climbing the mountain in the dead of night, dragging their aching bodies along.

 

The cool night breeze swept across the back of their necks. It felt like someone was watching them, sending chills down their spines.

 

“There aren’t really ghosts here, are there? Especially after what happened yesterday…”

 

“It’s, it’s probably just our imagination. Ah, damn it hurts.”

 

Unfortunately, it wasn’t just their imagination.

 

Two beasts were following them after all.

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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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