(Risking My Life) Proposing to Miss Hazel - Chapter 93

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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 93

The Mayor of Benu gets embarrassed in the strangest places. Why does he hesitate so much when asking me to come up with an alias?

I answered with a cheerful laugh.

“That’s not difficult at all!”

“…!”

The blue eyes visible behind his glasses sparkled with joy. He looked like a puppy waiting for its owner to give it a delicious treat, which was a bit overwhelming, but I couldn’t take back what I’d said.

“Really?”

“Of course. It’s not even a difficult task. Let’s see… What name would be good? Since your real name is Lucas…”

Luke? Cas? Lus?

Would these be too half-hearted? I think there was someone with a similar name among the Bashar Merchant Guild staff, Luke or something.

Looking at the clock with about 3 minutes left until opening time, I racked my brain, and with exactly 2 minutes and 37 seconds remaining, I shouted like a caveman who had discovered fire.

“Ruki!”

It’s a bit like a nickname, but it doesn’t damage the original name while having a cute sound – this should do.

Thinking that, I confidently turned my head toward the Mayor…

‘What’s wrong…?’

He was holding his breath and looking at me with a somehow sorrowful expression.

His pupils, which had been swollen with anticipation just moments before, trembled pitifully. A smile of unknown meaning cast over his powerless lips.

Soon, a choked voice flowed into my ears.

“That’s my nickname.”

“Pardon…?”

“Ruki, I mean.”

“…!”

“My late father gave it to me.”

“…I didn’t know.”

When I didn’t know what to do, he shook his head as if it wasn’t necessary.

“I like it. Ruki.”

“Ah, that’s a relief.”

“Could you call me Ruki just once more?”

I glanced at the clock with 10 seconds left until opening time, then moved my lips with an awkward smile.

“Ruki, it’s time to open the shop now.”

“…That’s nice.”

I didn’t know what he meant by nice, but there was no time to ask. As soon as I flipped the ‘Closed’ sign to ‘Open’, the reservation customers poured into the shop one after another.

The Mayor quietly watched me frantically serving customers from a corner of the shop, then disappeared without a sound.

‘I should have prepared lunch for him…’

That thought did cross my mind, but today was so busy that even two bodies wouldn’t have been enough. I barely had time to eat the lunch box Felix packed for me.

All I managed to eat for lunch were two pieces of honey mushroom bacon cut to bite-size.

But it’s okay.

My pockets got as full as my stomach got empty.

***

That’s a lie. It’s not okay.

As closing time approaches, I’m newly realizing that the stomach and money pouch are completely separate things.

“I’m hungry…”

10 minutes before closing time, I clutched my empty stomach and changed the ‘Open’ sign to ‘Closed’.

I’m definitely working overtime to clean up the shop, but at least I can eat comfortably without customers.

The moment I crouched pitifully behind the counter and took out my lunch box.

Ding-a-ling.

The sound of the fish bell rang out clearly.

I pushed the lunch box inside the counter and reflexively stood up, when a welcome voice struck the top of my head.

“Hazel!”

“!”

It was Felix.

Felix, who I felt like I hadn’t seen in such a really, very, extremely long time, was standing at the door holding a large bread bag.

He smiled brightly enough to show deep dimples and held out the bread bag.

“I finished work early today. Let’s have dinner together.”

Seeing Felix’s characteristic smile somehow made my nose tingle.

I snatched the bread bag from him and grumbled for no reason.

“Why did you come so late? I thought I was going to die of hunger.”

But instead of snapping back at my sulky tone, Felix smiled maturely and patted my head.

As if even my complaints made him happy.

“I was wrong.”

“Yeah.”

“You waited a long time for me.”

Instead of answering, I opened the bread bag and buried my nose deep inside.

Sniff, as I breathed in, the scents of wheat, sugar, and butter – a perfect trinity of smells – rushed into my nostrils.

My mood suddenly improved, and I answered with a beaming smile.

“No. I didn’t wait.”

Five large breads.

Two bowls of soup.

Five strips of bacon disappeared in an instant. Two hungry humans had devoured them ravenously.

Our siblings have always had good appetites, but today it was suspicious that we both focused only on food without saying a word throughout the meal.

I could understand it since I skipped lunch, but…

“Felix.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you skip lunch by any chance?”

“I ate. The Imperial Army is famous for taking good care of meals.”

“What did you eat?”

“Hard biscuits that become soft when you put them in your mouth.”

“Isn’t that combat rations?”

“That’s right.”

“Is that stuff tasty?”

“It’s not tasty. Literally has no taste at all. But biscuits are still edible. Oil candy is really terrible. It’s black in color and smells awful. But the worst part is the texture. It’s all squishy and ugh…”

When Felix shuddered as if disgusted, I shuddered along with him. At the same time, yesterday’s events suddenly came to mind.

‘Ah, that’s why.’

That’s why Count Cedric made that expression when he ate the bacon.

Maybe it was his first time eating such delicious preserved food.

“Still, it’s a hundred times better than getting food poisoning from spoiled food while being picky about taste. A thousand times better than starving.”

Felix spoke matter-of-factly, as if he’d been rolling around in the Imperial Army for years despite only following them for a few days. Then he popped the last remaining bacon into my mouth.

I naturally accepted the bacon but felt sorry for no reason.

Tomorrow I should secretly put bite-sized bacon pieces in Felix’s pocket.

“How do you know such things, Felix?”

“Military affairs are obvious.”

“That’s what I mean. How do you know when you’ve never been in the military?”

“…Since we’re done eating, shall we clean up the shop?”

“…”

There it is again. Suspicious Felix.

Felix, who has no talent for lying whatsoever, quickly changes the subject when something unfavorable to him comes up. Not knowing that makes him even more suspicious.

“Miss Hazel, please sit comfortably. I’ll take care of all the cleanup today.”

“No. Let’s do it together. It’ll finish faster that way.”

“I’m fast even doing it alone.”

Felix efficiently cleared away the finished food first, then organized the display shelves that had become sparse with missing items.

Today too, the small bottles of purification water that had been freshly stocked in the morning were almost completely sold out.

It was because the villagers who had been to the foot of the mountain bought multiple bottles at once, and did so regularly.

‘I hope everyone isn’t getting sick…’

My heart ached as I remembered the herb gatherer who had come to buy purification water with all his fingernails missing.

The increase in his ashen white hair was noticeably visible, making it even more concerning. Still, it was fortunate that thanks to consistently consuming purification water, the necrosis at his extremities hadn’t progressed.

As I continued these various thoughts while looking at Felix’s broad back, he turned his body at an angle while holding a small bottle of purification water.

His eyes narrowed suspiciously, as if something seemed off.

“Hazel.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Who cleaned this?”

“…Huh?”

“Why are the glass bottles sparkling like this?”

“…Ah.”

So that was the problem.

I let my guard down. I underestimated Felix’s keen eye.

“You’re right. I must have cleaned them thoroughly. Don’t worry about strange things and hurry up finishing the cleanup. I want to go home.”

I answered as if it was nothing and smoothly changed the subject. If Felix could do that, why couldn’t I?

Felix went “Hmm…” drawing out his words as he turned back around. The way he looked at the glass bottle was quite suspicious, making me shiver.

Really, even though he’s my brother, sometimes he’s more like a beast than human.

After finishing organizing the display shelves, he headed toward the counter. There was something really concerning underneath it, so I hurriedly tried to stop Felix—

Thunk!

Moving one step faster than me, Felix flicked my forehead.

“Ow…”

His eyebrows twitched menacingly as he stood up holding the lunchbox that had been hidden under the counter.

“Ha, so you didn’t eat lunch.”

“…”

“Do you want to get scolded by your brother?”

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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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