(Risking My Life) Proposing to Miss Hazel - Chapter 66

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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 66

Inventory check complete.

Sample product check complete.

General store cleanliness check complete.

Having finished my morning tasks, I waited for Felix and the Bashar Merchant Guild members with a pounding heart.

‘They’re coming safely, right?’

I was needlessly nervous and couldn’t focus on anything else. I picked up gauze to clean the purification water bottles only to put it down again, flipped through newspapers, then repeatedly fiddled with Ssukssuk for no reason.

Felix went straight into the tunnel after finishing dinner last evening. By now he’d be guiding the merchant guild members without getting a wink of sleep.

Still, far from being tired, he’d probably be wagging his tail excitedly. The bright smile on his face as he looked at me while I saw him off lingered like an afterimage.

‘I should let him rest properly when he comes back today.’

Felix should have some fun too.

Though he’d probably refuse.

Ring-a-ling-.

Ring-.

Every time the fish-shaped bell spun clockwise with a cheerful sound, I jumped up from my seat with an excited smile to greet customers.

“Welcome! This is Golden Sundries Shop!”

But unfortunately, it wasn’t the people I was waiting for.

‘This perfume from Evelyn’s Choice, I heard it can only be purchased here. Is that right?’

‘Please write your name on the waiting list for now. I’ll contact you separately when stock arrives. If you’re lucky, you might receive it tomorrow.’

‘Oh my, really? That’s wonderful! I’ll pay however much money it takes.’

‘Hazel, I’ve been having symptoms of losing finger and toenails recently, so I asked Michael and he said it might be dark magic contamination symptoms. Which purification water should I buy?’

‘Goodness, didn’t you say you went to Lower Village recently? Wasn’t that a dark magic safe zone?’

‘That’s what I’m saying. Still, he said losing finger and toenails isn’t a serious contamination symptom…’

‘That’s right. It’s your body pushing out the contaminated substances on its own… Still, you should drink pure purification water for about a week. Take half a bottle morning and evening. If you buy a week’s worth, I’ll throw in three days’ worth for free.’

‘Hey, charge me full price. You gave me a good price for herbs, so this old man has money.’

The general store was bustling today as well. If there was something unusual, it was that the potatoes who used to wander in and out of the shop without any particular purpose had completely disappeared, and there were many prettily dressed female customers instead.

Most were faces I’d never seen before, and judging by the small, pretty hats they wore that had no practical use, they seemed like customers from other regions. I’d heard that the number of outsiders living in Cromwell Castle and nearby villages had increased, so it must be true.

‘Excuse me, are you alone today? I heard siblings run this place together.’

‘Yes. Felix is busy with something today.’

‘Ah, will your brother be here tomorrow?’

Several of them subtly asked about Felix’s whereabouts. They were all pretty, mentally healthy-looking, decent women.

‘Wow, it was real…’

I was dumbfounded as I truly realized Felix’s popularity for the first time. And I felt sorry for no reason.

It seemed he really had missed his chance to marry because he was taking care of me like a parent. Moreover, Felix had never once mentioned anything about not being able to marry because of me, which made it even worse.

‘Hazel, I’m happy as long as you’re happy.’

I wanted Felix to be happy too. Of course, our current life living peacefully together in a small cottage was happy enough.

As time passed, it was getting close to closing time for the general store. Felix and the merchant guild members still hadn’t arrived by then.

An anxious smile gradually formed on my lips as I greeted customers. Even while selling items with flashy sales talk, my gaze kept lingering on the clock.

Since they were traveling a new route for the first time, it was natural they could be late, but I couldn’t help worrying needlessly.

A little more time passed like that, and 10 minutes before closing the shop. A group of ladies entered the store, fluttering their fans.

“Welcome! Did you make a reservation by any chance?”

Instead of an answer, an uncomfortable silence flowed.

The eyes of the women exchanging silent signals behind their fans moved up and down.

One of them suddenly burst into laughter with a snicker.

“I didn’t know such a small general store took reservations too.”

“Exactly. Ugh, it smells dusty.”

A mocking tone. Eyes filled with contempt.

‘Ah.’

I wasn’t hard-pressed to realize these people were natives of Cromwell Castle. They were the only ones who treated me with such looks and tone.

‘It’s okay. I’m used to this kind of thing. A good general store owner should know how to captivate even difficult customers.’

Of course, there are no difficult customers in this village.

“Is there anything you’re looking for?”

The end of my deliberately cheerful voice cracked slightly. It wasn’t because I was scared.

Looking at their delicate wrists, they all looked like they wouldn’t even amount to a single punch, but if these girls tried to pull my hair, my hair roots would win.

From the start, country women and delicately raised young ladies don’t match in combat power. Even I, who’s among the weakest, could easily handle 4 to 1, and Sara the woodcutter’s daughter has a legendary record of 17 to 1.

So this current trembling wasn’t from present anxiety but stemmed from past wounds.

Whenever I received such glares from strangers, I unknowingly returned to being that helpless child.

They stared at me intently without any response, whispering to each other.

Unpleasant words and malicious mockery like ‘devil’s child,’ ‘Axel,’ ‘shabby store’ pierced my ears.

‘…This is quite severe. It doesn’t seem like they came to buy anything in the first place. Did they come to torment me?’

Why bother? Why?

Thump. Thump. Thump.

My heart beat rapidly regardless of my will.

I don’t want to be swayed by meaningless words anymore.

I wanted to sneer with dignity and ignore them, but it wasn’t easy.

Just because I’m used to it doesn’t mean I don’t get hurt, I suppose.

“What business brings you here?”

I withdrew my friendly smile and faced them directly with clenched fists.

I wasn’t really curious about why they came. It was just my last act of kindness to get to the point.

“If you have no business, please leave. It’s almost closing time.”

The best way to protect yourself without meeting malice with malice is to quickly escape the situation.

When I firmly pointed to the door, the women chuckled and turned to leave.

“Wow, look how shameless she is.”

“We confirmed her face, so let’s go. Elizabeth, you’re prettier. You don’t need to worry.”

Elizabeth?

A woman with gorgeous blonde hair and an innocent, lovely appearance looked at me with large eyes.

The moment our eyes met, I finally understood why they had come to find me.

Elizabeth, that’s the name of that damn bastard Axel’s fiancée.

“Lord Axel must have just been momentarily blinded. Breaking off an engagement with you because of such a lowly woman, it’s ridiculous.”

“Right. The Lord didn’t approve of it either.”

“…”

I must have heard wrong, right?

What did Axel do? Break off an engagement?

Using me as an excuse? Who gave him permission?

My head went blank as if I’d been hit on the back of the head. Before I could logically explain that it wasn’t true, that I was also a victim, my body moved first.

As I strode toward the door, the women gasped in surprise.

“Excuse me, it’s not me.”

I desperately grabbed Elizabeth’s wrist and explained incoherently. I didn’t know about other things, but being misunderstood as having that kind of relationship with Axel was worse than death.

“…What?”

Elizabeth didn’t shake off my hand and stayed quietly in place.

It might be my imagination, but unlike the other women, her eyes didn’t reflect contempt toward me.

Only pure curiosity was mixed in.

“I don’t know where you heard such things, but I have no interest in Lord Axel and have never done anything shameful.”

“Ah…”

Somehow Elizabeth seemed to believe my words. However, the other women became even more hostile and came at me.

“Ha, we heard the rumors, you know? That you’re still unmarried because you want to marry Lord Axel.”

I was so dumbfounded that I grabbed the back of my neck. I wanted to explain that it was only Axel’s delusion, but it was obvious they wouldn’t believe me even if I said it.

Just as I was seething inside.

Knock knock knock-.

“Miss Hazel, are you inside?”

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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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