I’ve Become a S*ave Bride - Chapter 29

“There is no ‘but.’ In managing a kingdom, a single mistake can become a crossroads that determines fate.”

Dawes clenched his fists.

It was not that he didn’t understand the meaning of his father’s words.

Just looking at the problems caused by the recent cannon explosion incident makes that clear. In the end, the knights who had risen to suppress the ensuing chaos were unable to leave the capital.

For now, they may bow their heads, but they had planted the seeds of doubt about the military strength of the Ecaron Kingdom among the nobles who were eagerly waiting for an opportunity to rebuild their own city-states.

Moreover, the damages suffered by the citizens of the capital, along with the deaths and injuries of the artillerymen who were difficult to train… nothing was trivial.

Despite this, Dawes earnestly pleaded.

“Just one more time… please give me one more chance. Give me the opportunity to prove myself, Father.”

The word ‘Father,’ which he never uttered, had now slipped out.

The king raised an eyebrow at Dawes, who was invoking that word not permitted in public settings.

Then, as if something came to mind, he relaxed his previously furrowed brow.

“Very well. Since, unlike Lenette, Ophelia is a girl who hasn’t received long-term training, it’s understandable that she might be clumsy. Then I will give her another chance.”

At those hopeful words, Dawes’s face brightened.

In contrast, Ophelia, who was listening to the conversation curled up like a sinner, had a face that was painfully contorted.

‘Why do they keep comparing me to Lenette…?’

The only emotions swelling within Ophelia were injustice and sorrow.

* * *

The Tazetra Empire.

“Have you tried that?”

Kazen pointed with his chin to a place where smoke was rising, causing Lenette, who had been engrossed in the market, to turn her face.

“What do you mean?”

Her face was directed toward the roasted lamb he mentioned, but her gaze followed a beat too slowly.

Kazen leaned back slightly to see what Lenette was looking at.

‘Alcohol?’

What she was looking at was a man selling fermented drinks in a jar.

Since it was an item that didn’t quite match Lenette’s previous demeanor, Kazen raised an eyebrow slightly.

Do you want to drink? Just as he was about to ask that question, Lenette looked up at him.

“What do you mean?”

Kazen straightened up and looked at the roasted lamb he had pointed to earlier.

“Lamb roasted over an open flame.”

Then she sniffed and caught the aroma of roasted meat wafting through the white smoke.

“This was lamb?”

It seemed like a surprising discovery that made her eyes widen. Kazen chuckled at Lenette’s reaction.

“Do you want to try some?”

“Um… is that okay?”

“Take a bite, and if you don’t like it, you can throw it away.”

“How could I throw away such a precious food? And that’s not what I meant… I was saying that I don’t have any coins to buy it.”

“…..“

“Why are you suddenly acting surprised?”

Where would a slave get money?

He gave her head a light tap and walked ahead.

“You’re going to eat, right?”

“I said I don’t have coins… Ah. Did you mean you would buy it for me?”

She keeps asking the obvious.

Without answering, Kazen approached the vendor selling small pieces of lamb roasted on wooden skewers.

“Two, please.”

“Welcome… Huh!”

The woman who was greeting the customers stiffened as she recognized Kazen’s face.

Since it was a familiar reaction, he didn’t pay much attention and turned his body toward Lenette.

He beckoned her with his index finger, and she approached with a frown.

Is it a problem that he’s calling her without any enthusiasm?

“The market days are noisy, so even if I call you, you won’t hear me.”

“…Who said that?”

“They say your expression says it all.”

“……”

Perhaps he hit the nail on the head, as Lenette didn’t respond. Still, it seemed his added explanation brightened her mood, as her face lit up while receiving the lamb skewer.

“It seems different from the lamb we eat at the palace, though?”

“It’s because it’s roasted over an open flame. That way, the gamey smell is eliminated, and only the unique savory aroma remains.”

“I see.”

“Try it.”

Lenette nodded and took a big bite.

Seeing such a bold action, Kazen couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Just looking at you eat, I can’t imagine you were someone who said they wouldn’t eat lamb.”

“…This and that are different.”

“So, is it good?”

“It’s delicious. Maybe because it’s roasted directly over the fire, the outside is crispy, but the inside is juicy and tender.”

“And the aroma?”

“It’s nice!”

Kazen turned to the vendor, who was cautiously observing.

“What spices are used in this?”

The vendor’s face momentarily changed to a slightly displeased expression, but that didn’t mean she was going to reveal her secret.

“Well…”

Several unfamiliar names came up for Lenette, and Kazen made a note of them.

As Lenette quietly observed the process, she asked when she was about to step away from the vendor.

“Could it be… you asked because of me?”

When he looked down at her with a gaze that seemed to ask what else it could be for, her face slightly blanked.

It didn’t seem like she was touched… more like she looked confused.

“You said your wish is to eat well. The old lady mentioned that you still leave a lot of food behind.”

“Ah…”

“No matter how much I try to make it similar to what’s in the north, there are limits. It’s better to find something that suits you from the food here.”

“…Thank you. I didn’t expect you to care this much.”

“It’s your only wish, so I have to fulfill it.”

At that, Lenette awkwardly smiled. It seemed that his kindness was somewhat unfamiliar to her.

Indeed, until now, she had only asked him to heal patients; this was the first time he actively considered her wish.

Realizing that fact suddenly made her feel a little guilty.

‘I really didn’t pay enough attention.’

Kazen slowed his steps and looked down at Lenette, who was nibbling on the lamb.

‘It seems to really suit her taste.’

Maybe he should have brought her here to eat earlier.

Suddenly, his gaze shifted to her wrist, which looked as if it could snap with just a light touch.

‘She seems even thinner than before.’

Honestly, he wasn’t sure. He hadn’t been paying that much attention to her.

“Let’s stop by one more place before we go.”

In the end, he turned on his toes. Lenette looked up at him with wide eyes.

“I’m full.”

So does that mean he shouldn’t buy her anything more here?

Kazen chuckled as he lightly tossed the cloth he had in his pocket to her.

“It’s not like that, so just wipe your mouth.”

She pressed her lips together, looking embarrassed. Having just finished the lamb, she placed the stick on the ground and wiped her mouth with the cloth she received.

“…Does it hurt to speak nicely?”

Kazen paused at her murmured words, which flowed like a whisper in Ecaron.

“Let’s go together.”

As if questioning when she had spoken to herself, Lenette caught up with the forward-moving Kazen.

She had many questions, but perhaps feeling upset about the earlier situation, she was silent. Kazen was aware of this but chose not to point it out.

Before long, they arrived at the liquor vendor that Lenette had been staring at earlier.

Kazen stopped and turned his body toward her as she followed behind.

“Do you drink well?”

“Um… not really.”

“Not really?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Do you like it at all?”

“Not much.”

Then why did she stare at the liquor jar so intently earlier?

Kazen, puzzled, turned his head to look at other nearby stalls. There were various items like leather, knives, and wooden bowls, but nothing that would catch a woman’s interest.

“But it could be useful if you have it.”

“What? The liquor?”

“Yes.”

Kazen, who had been looking elsewhere, slowly turned his body back to look down at the woman in front of him again.

As she looked at him, as if demanding an explanation, a unique serious expression that only appeared when she acted as a physician emerged on her face.

“Refined liquor is an indispensable element in Ecaron’s divine medicine.”

“Liquor?”

“Yes.”

Kazeen stopped walking and requested a more detailed explanation.

Lenette then paused for a moment, as if contemplating, before beginning to talk about ‘Ecaronian medicine.’

“Ecaronian doctors use liquor that has been distilled several times to disinfect patients or instruments.”

“Disinfect?”

It was an unfamiliar term. Lenette nodded, as if to indicate that she understood his confusion.

“It’s similar to the act of washing or wiping, but the difference is that it’s not just about washing away dirt like dust; it’s more about removing something that could cause illness.”

“Is that possible with liquor?”

His questioning tone was filled with skepticism.

And rightly so, because if liquor had such properties, wouldn’t heavy drinkers live long and healthy lives?

But the reality was quite the opposite.

“I told you, it’s only possible with liquor that has been distilled several times. And it doesn’t have much efficacy when consumed. It’s effective only when used for wiping or washing.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes.”

She was someone who never had certainty in anything regarding medicine. Yet here she was, answering so decisively.

“You seem quite confident.”

“That’s because the results are clear.”

“In Ecaron?”

“Yes. That’s why the distillation technology has advanced significantly in Ecaron.”

“From what I know, that’s not the reason the culture of distillation developed.”

“That’s true. Originally, distillation developed from a culture of seeking strong liquor to endure the cold winters. But it was only at the level of frequently making liquor at home using clay pots. Recently, due to ‘divine medicine,’ the precision and scale have grown immensely.”

“I see.”

Again, he felt that this woman knew a lot.

‘She must have held quite a high position in Ecaron.’

Or at the very least, she was a prominent figure in that field known as divine medicine.