Surviving as the Wife of the Swordsmanship Clan’s Troublemaker - Chapter 5

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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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Episode 5

When I arrived at the blacksmith, the long swords hanging on the wall visible from afar caught my eye.

‘I wonder if they sell kitchen knives in a place like this.’

I decided to stop by to look around and ask.

But then—

“Oh.”

I spotted that man there.

“That mercenary from before?”

The man with dark red hair hanging down, polishing a sword with leisurely movements.

“Excuse me.”

The time had finally come to collect payment for the apples.

Up close, the mercenary looked like a painting.

The long hair still covering his eyes.

His long, high nose bridge.

Beads of sweat glistening in the warm sunlight.

Even the way he handled the sword with his large hands.

Looking at just his flawless, smooth face, you’d think he’d never suffered hardship, but his hands were a mess of scars.

His muscular forearms, visible thanks to his slightly rolled-up sleeves, were also covered in scars.

‘Why does he have to roll up his sleeves and make me feel soft-hearted?’

He’s a mercenary, so being covered in scars is natural, but I almost felt sorry for him and considered reducing the apple payment.

Sorry, but I have my own problems to worry about.

At least mercenaries make good money.

If I can’t do business right now, I’ll go hungry.

Clang clang.

I raised my voice again over the noisy hammering of the shopkeeper.

“Excuse me.”

Whether I approached him or not, he silently focused on polishing his sword.

It looks like an old sword, so what’s so precious about it?

“Excuse me, sir polishing the sword.”

I put more force into my voice.

At this point, isn’t he just pretending not to hear me?

Stomp—

Sorry, but I stepped on his military boots. Since he was looking down at the ground, he must have seen his foot getting stepped on.

“…What.”

He spoke in a hoarse voice.

He finally raised his head.

“You remember me, right?”

Even if he said he didn’t remember, I was prepared to collect payment anyway.

But he nodded very slightly.

“…It’s fortunate that you remember.”

He really remembers?

I thought he wouldn’t remember, so I was flustered, but I pretended otherwise and held out my hand.

A question mark appeared on his face.

“Money.”

“Did I owe you a debt?”

“If you call it a debt, then it’s a debt.”

Payment for ruining the apples I was selling.

Since I paid for it.

“So it’s not a debt.”

Oh my?

Look at this guy.

“It is a debt!”

I was about to argue with him when he stood up from his seat.

But his legs were so long that his face was positioned way above my head.

“Why, why are you standing up and making a fuss?”

Does he think I’ll be intimidated if he pushes me around with his height and build?

Right now I may look like a young, delicate, and pretty woman on the outside, but inside me is a tough daughter-in-law who made 3,000 heads of kimchi by herself in the middle of winter! Don’t underestimate me!

“Why are you stepping on my foot?”

“Ah, sorry. You were ignoring what I was saying so much that I thought maybe you’d look if I did this. If you want to step on something, step on my foot.”

Swoosh, I pushed my foot forward in front of him.

Hallara had small hands and feet to match her small build.

Moreover, placed next to his thick military boots, it looked like it was cut in half.

“You’re seriously saying it’s okay to step on it?”

“Yes. If you were offended.”

“Your foot won’t survive.”

He muttered in a serious voice. Normally at this point people would say “never mind” and move on, but this man seems like he’d seriously step on it properly.

“You’re really going to step on it?!”

“You asked me to step on it.”

“What I meant was! That’s just a figure of speech. Usually when people say this, they pretend to step and stop, or just say it’s okay and move on!”

“…Usually?”

“Of course.”

When I answered somewhat excitedly, he tilted his head.

“Who decides the standard of what’s usual?”

“What did you say?”

“Maybe they’re someone who wants to be stepped on? There are all kinds of people in the world.”

Is this person completely lacking in social skills?

That might be the case.

Looking at how deep and numerous his scars were, it seemed like he’d been living as a mercenary for quite a long time. He must have lost social skills while going from battlefield to battlefield.

That’s why I kept feeling soft-hearted.

“…If you don’t really want to step on it, please don’t.”

I carefully hid my foot under the hem of my long dress.

“More importantly, you know you have to pay back 2 silver, right?”

“2 silver?”

“Yes. The cost of two apples you owe at the vegetable shop over there.”

“What kind of nonsense is this?”

Rough language came out, as if he was sensitive about money.

“Don’t you remember? Last time you ran away with the apples. You said the ones you picked weren’t in good condition, so I recommended proper ones for you.”

When I described that incident in detail, the mercenary finally opened his mouth as if he remembered.

“You remembered. So pay up. 2 silver. It’s a huge amount of money for the shopkeeper at the vegetable shop. Even if he does business all day, he doesn’t make that much in pure profit.”

“Then shouldn’t the one who has to pay be that merchant, not you?”

“Since I paid for it instead, it’s a debt to me.”

“You paid for it?”

He tilted his head. The hair covering his eyes slipped down slightly. His slightly widened pupils were briefly visible before disappearing.

“Why?”

“Because he’s also someone who lives day by day on what he earns each day. Besides, if I hadn’t told you about the condition of the apples, you wouldn’t have smashed them like that.”

“…Ah.”

What’s with that short response?

I couldn’t tell if he was going to pay or not, but looking closely, his appearance was quite shabby.

“But… 2 silver would be a lot of money for you too, wouldn’t it?”

“….”

Seeing no response, it seemed his pride was hurt and he couldn’t bring himself to answer.

“Instead of paying back 2 silver, pay with your body.”

“…Body?”

The corners of his mouth seemed to tremble slightly.

In contrast to him, I pulled up the corners of my mouth into a grin.

“From now on, you’ll have to help me out for the equivalent of 2 silver.”

I also felt a bit burdened about taking actual money.

Even though he had thoughtlessly crushed the apples.

Instead, I decided to make use of him, who had much better physical abilities than me.

“It’s simpler work than you’d think.”

I showed him the potatoes in the basket.

Well, compared to mercenary work, this would be very easy.

***

While Hallara was meeting with the unfamiliar mercenary, butler Carlos had been grabbing onto the arm of Michelle, Hallara’s neighbor, moving his lips for several minutes.

Though he had grabbed her thinking he couldn’t miss this opportunity, Karl had absolutely no idea how to bring up what he wanted to say. What if he spoke carelessly and the other party refused to cooperate?

While he was pondering, Michelle, tired of waiting, glared at him with a suspicious expression.

“What is it?”

“J-just a moment. Just one minute.”

“You said one minute earlier too. It’s been a good ten minutes now, hasn’t it?”

Michelle shook off the hand gripping her arm in one swift motion.

Karl tumbled helplessly from the grip strengthened by axe work.

“If you have nothing to say, I’m leaving?”

At those words, Karl immediately stood up like a roly-poly toy.

“I have something to ask about the person living next door!”

Finally, his mouth opened.

“Next door? You mean Hallara?”

“Yes!”

At his vigorous response, Michelle crossed her arms and looked Karl up and down.

The first thing she noticed were shoes so shiny they could have just been polished, and clothing that looked quite expensive. At first glance, he looked like someone from a well-off family, or a high-ranking servant working for nobility.

“What are you curious about?”

“Well… Hallara.”

Karl pondered how to address Hallara before settling on her name.

He felt that if he said “that woman” or “the woman living in this house,” Michelle somehow wouldn’t give him a proper answer.

“Hallara? You seem quite close.”

“Ah, a little….”

“What’s your relationship?”

“It’s a bit complicated to explain.”

Karl couldn’t bring himself to make up a lie and scratched his head.

Since he didn’t know how close Michelle was to Hallara, making excuses like being distant relatives might arouse suspicion.

“Oh?”

Michelle’s eyes narrowed.

Her gaze was full of doubt.

So Karl quickly changed the subject.

“That… what’s that sign about?”

Let me ask about that first!

“It’s exactly what you’re looking at? I even drew pictures so ignorant people like me could understand it, but you can’t figure it out?”

“No. I can read it! It’s not that, I’m just curious about what it means.”

Though his pride was hurt by Michelle’s sarcastic attitude, Karl held back his rising anger since he had something he needed to find out.

“I’m telling you it’s exactly what it looks like. You must know how pretty Hallara is without me saying. It’s a warning sign telling the men who come barging in every day to please not come.”

“But why all of a sudden?”

Karl’s voice grew louder.

But when Michelle frowned, he immediately backed down.

“I mean…. What I’m saying is, she didn’t stop the men coming and going before, so why suddenly stop them now.”

Hmm.

Michelle looked Karl up and down again.

‘This man must be one of Hallara’s followers too.’

Clothing that looked somewhat expensive.

An anxious voice with every question.

Despite her deliberately unhelpful responses, his earnest attitude of trying to get answers somehow.

The answer was clear.

‘He looks older too, but somehow he’s fallen for Hallara.’

Actually, Michelle had seen this type of man quite often.

The men who loitered around Hallara’s house had the same appearance.

Normally she would have pretended not to know, but since she’d recently become much closer to Hallara, it didn’t feel like someone else’s problem.

‘I feel bad about always getting fed lately, so I should earn my keep!’

She had just made a big promise to Hallara, so it was time to show proper results.

“Hallara won’t be meeting men anymore.”

“What? Why? Did she get a boyfriend or something?”

“Mm, that’s not it.”

Michelle shook her head.

Lying about having a boyfriend would be found out quickly….

“Just keep this to yourself.”

“What? What is it?”

“Hallara is pregnant.”

Instead, she deployed a sure-fire repellent.

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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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