(Risking My Life) Proposing to Miss Hazel - Chapter 92

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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 92

Squeak squeak.

Squeak squeak squeak-.

I was wiping glass bottles with cloth that had been cleanly dried in the sunlight when I glanced across at the other side.

Squeak, squeak squeak.

A fairy-like young man with blue hair and blue eyes was following my lead, wiping glass bottles.

This young man’s identity is the mayor of Benu, Lucas Aden.

….

Is this real?

No matter how much I looked, I couldn’t believe it, so I kept stealing glances at him.

He stared at the glass bottle with the crazed eyes of a mad scientist, moving his hands persistently as if he wouldn’t miss even the tiniest water stain.

They say you can know ten things by seeing one. People famous for working well must do even these menial tasks sincerely and meticulously.

I didn’t bring him to the shop to help with this kind of work, but somehow we ended up preparing for opening together, and when I came to my senses, we were wiping glass bottles together. This is why habits are scary.

Only after cleaning and polishing 24 glass bottles did I adapt to this surreal situation and carefully opened my mouth.

“You don’t need to wipe them that enthusiastically.”

For reference, while I wiped 24 glass bottles, the mayor wiped 8.

Of course, the glass bottles he wiped shine three times brighter than mine, but being three times slower is a big problem. If it were Felix, he would have wiped 30 by now.

“Ah.”

Exactly 3 seconds after I spoke.

The mayor flinched his shoulders and stopped his hands. His fingertips gripping the glass bottle fidgeted as if embarrassed.

“Is that so.”

“It’s not that you did anything wrong, I just feel sorry for making you do too much work….”

“It’s fine. I’m the one who came suddenly, and I said I’d help with the opening preparations.”

“Still. You’ve helped enough. Please rest now.”

“No. It’s fun doing new work after a long time. I’d like to continue.”

The pleasant argument ended with the mayor’s victory.

I ultimately couldn’t break his stubbornness about helping with the work. Since I couldn’t sense even a bit of pretense in his calm answer.

He really finds the menial task of wiping glass bottles fun.

I heard that true workaholics find any work fun, but I really can’t understand their way of thinking.

‘I’m grateful though.’

We’re already short-handed since Count Cedric won’t return Felix….

And the small general store looks strangely spacious….

Honestly, it was a bit lonely.

It seems Golden Sundries Shop needs at least two people for me to feel motivated to work. I can barely remember how I worked alone when Felix was a scoundrel.

I held up the cleanly wiped glass bottle to the sunlight with a beaming smile.

The sky is blue, and the clouds are white.

Ah, today’s weather is so….

“Nice.”

After blurting out my honest feelings, I casually turned my head to the side.

The mayor of Benu was looking at me with wide, round eyes.

His crookedly worn glasses slipped down to the center of his nose bridge. Looking quite dazed, he opened and closed his mouth.

“Wh-what….”

“…?”

“…is nice.”

“Ah, the weather… is.”

“The weather…. Ah….”

His pale cheeks flushed red. Since he was sitting where direct sunlight was beating down, his skin must have gotten burned.

When I moved him to a shaded spot saying he’d get sunburned at this rate, the mayor obediently moved with his head hung low.

As expected of a city person, he knows the first rule of staying young – avoid the sun. Otherwise, that porcelain skin wouldn’t make sense.

10 minutes before opening time.

I divided the diluted purification water into 50 cleanly wiped glass bottles and neatly arranged them in the display case.

These days, more customers are looking for purification water, so sometimes all 50 bottles sell out in a day.

“Phew, all done.”

I checked the clock, let out a sigh of relief, then dusted off my apron.

The mayor, whose skin color had returned to normal, stared blankly at the display case and clapped his hands together.

That expression was so gentle and innocent that it didn’t suit Benu’s iron-blooded owner at all.

Come to think of it, receiving one letter saying there was something to ask about Ruden Village and immediately flying to Ruden Village wasn’t very mayor-like either.

Bluntly speaking, there’s no need to care about a small countryside village that isn’t even his territory.

However, on the way from home to the shop, he listened carefully to Ruden’s story.

Just because he wanted to be helpful to me.

‘To try to frame Hazel with the false accusation of being a spy for the black magic rebels…. Lord Cromwell is a more shameless human than I heard.’

Even showing cool anger as if his own territorial citizen had suffered some injustice.

‘It’s fortunate that Count Cedric appeared…. Honestly, it was a bit nerve-wracking.’

‘Count Cedric saved Hazel?’

‘Yes. He happened to come that day. Thanks to that, we got through this incident, but I’m worried about future troubles. I wrote to the mayor wondering if there was anything to prepare for. Grasping at straws, you could say.’

‘You did well.’

‘Really? Honestly, I thought you wouldn’t even reply.’

‘That would never happen. I was waiting for Hazel’s letter…, ahem, but does Count Cedric come to Ruden often?’

‘Not often…. I think he comes when he needs high-grade purification water.’

‘…That’s strange. There’s no reason for the count himself to come all the way to Ruden.’

‘Isn’t it because the monsters are dangerous?’

‘Hmm….’

Though he expressed doubt about a completely unexpected aspect, just having the mayor show interest in our village’s situation somehow made me feel reassured.

I heard Lucas Aden is a famous genius, so it feels like he’ll come up with some clever plan.

Though seeing him clap while looking at the neatly arranged purification water bottles seems quite far from the genius image.

I looked back and forth between him and the clock, then casually asked.

“Um, Mayor.”

“Yes, Hazel.”

“But is it okay for you to stay in Ruden Village? What about going to work….”

“Ah. I took vacation time.”

He took out a lens cloth from his inner pocket and wiped his glasses, continuing as if it was no big deal.

“I’m planning to stay in Ruden for a few days and look around the village.”

“….”

The words “Are you doing this because of me?” rose to my throat, but I couldn’t bring myself to say them.

This would be excessive self-consciousness. He’s Lucas Aden, famous for seeing ten steps ahead, so even his vacation must have purpose and planning.

Honestly, his expression has been so dazed since earlier that he seems thoughtless, but that can’t be right. It must be my mistake.

….

It doesn’t seem like a mistake though.

I narrowed my eyes and spoke in a suspicious voice.

“Um… Mayor.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t see any companions, so you came alone, right.”

“That’s correct.”

“Have you looked into accommodations?”

“…!”

He opened his eyes wide and looked up at me. Beyond his lake-blue eyes, I could clearly read his thoughts.

‘I knew this would happen.’

He hadn’t even thought about booking accommodations. This showed his high-ranking official nature, traveling around with aides hanging off him.

“Mayor, our village doesn’t even have a hotel, let alone a shabby inn. There are a few empty houses, but unfortunately soldiers are here and they’re probably using them all.”

“….”

“But there is a place to stay. When guests come to the village, there are people who rent out their annexes as lodging. May I introduce you to someone?”

Lucas Aden nodded with a dazed expression.

I debated whether to recommend Maria’s house or Uncle Franz’s house, then chose the latter.

Uncle Franz’s house was newly built not long ago, so it’s large and clean.

“You must be tired from traveling all night, so go rest there. If you mention my name as a reference, they’ll treat you well.”

His stiff expression finally relaxed smoothly.

“I understand. Miss Hazel, you’re truly smart and considerate.”

“Not at all. Since you came to our village for vacation, we should treat you well. But will you use your real name in the village? I was wondering if it’s okay for people to find out the Mayor came here.”

Fortunately, he seemed to have thought about this part. I could tell from how quickly he answered.

“That won’t do. I’ll need to use an alias….”

His previously monotone voice gradually grew quieter.

“If Miss Hazel could… come up with one….”

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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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