ESMLT 30

Chapter 30

I sliced the duck thinly and tossed it onto a frying pan heated over the stone of the brazier. Then I added mushrooms and onions, seasoned them with salt and pepper, and stir-fried everything together.

Luckily, the western shelter—like the others—was well stocked with food supplies in its kitchen.

It wasn’t a kitchen where gas came out just by turning a valve, but it did have a cooking brazier.

The overall structure was just a little different.

It was about seventeen pyeong in size, built as a two-story structure. Upstairs were two private bedrooms and a combined bathroom and shower.

The water pipes were designed using magitech and connected to the capital’s system, so even in the original story, the water supply never ran dry until the male leads escaped.

‘That’s why they survived on water and weeds even when they ran out of food.’

Oh, and as for the two upstairs bedrooms—one was mine, and the other was for Sien.

The bedrooms had wardrobes and spare clothes, so after showering, everyone changed into clean shirts and pants for the first time in a while.

I turned my gaze toward the door.

Next to it were a coat rack and fertilizer and farming supplies for the vegetable patch. Across from the door stood a six-seat dining table and a fireplace.

To the right of the fireplace was the back door. On the left, in an L-shaped nook, were a sofa and a set of bunk beds.

‘Thank goodness it’s spacious.’

Even I felt uncomfortable staying in a cramped place with men.

“Miss Ria?”

Sien finished showering last and came down the wooden stairs beside the kitchen.

With a towel draped over his head, he leaned his arms on the railing and looked down at me.

“Wow, Miss Ria, you really are good at cooking.”

“Well… I sort of picked it up along the way.”

“That’s impressive. A noble lady who cooks.”

I glanced at Sien.

It didn’t seem like suspicion—more like genuine curiosity.

Still, depending on how I answered, it could come off differently, so I simply shrugged it off.

Right after that, I checked the soup boiling next to the frying pan.

As I stirred the mushroom cream soup, I thought back to what had happened earlier.

When I explained the escape plan, Danha had looked a little stunned.

‘So you’re saying we can leave this place safely?’

‘I have a warp scroll. It holds five people—and there are exactly five of us.’

Danha blinked his green eyes once, then smiled calmly. A deep dimple formed on his right cheek.

‘Very well.’

‘Huh?’

‘I said that’s fine. Didn’t you say you’d save me?’

‘You’re not suspicious at all?’

‘…Should I be suspicious of you?’

‘It’s not that you have to be, but you know—why are you the only one with a weapon, I don’t trust you so hand over the scroll, this is annoying so forget it, who are you to decide—aren’t you going to say any of that?’

I could feel the piercing gazes of three men on the top of my head.

Ignoring them, I looked at Danha.

He gave an awkward but clear smile.

I already knew his laid-back and composed personality. Even in the original story, he was cooperative in group settings.

That was partly why I hadn’t prepared any special persuasion tactics, but still…

‘How can this be so easy!’

Humming to myself, I stirred the soup energetically.

‘We’ll eat dinner, sleep like babies, and head back to the capital with those male leads the next day!’

I’d never given birth or raised a child, but it felt like clocking out after a long day of childcare.

Once we returned to the Empire—where there were no zombie howls or battles—I planned to eat and sleep like a bear all day long.

As I smiled thinly to myself, I suddenly felt a sharp gaze beside me.

“Miss Ria, you really look pretty when you smile.”

At some point, Sien was standing right next to me, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall and looked at me quietly.

He gently tapped the corner of my eye.

“What are you doing?”

“Your eyes are beautiful, Miss Ria.”

His hand moved down to my lips.

“No—maybe this part is even prettier.”

His violet eyes curved into crescent moons.

“You’re beautiful all over, Miss Ria.”

Where is he pulling this fake charm from, I thought—yet my face still grew warm under his teasing.

If you watched closely, Sien often went beyond simple kindness, sending subtle remarks and lingering looks my way.

That was why I found myself growing suspicious again. Did he… fall for me?

But as soon as the original story came to mind, I quickly corrected myself.

<The Saintess’s Salvation> was primarily about the male leads’ survival.

The group-living romance with the mad dog male leads—born from the miraculous appearance of the saintess as a ray of light in despair—ended in just a few pages.

There was one bizarre flaw, though: the male leads didn’t fall in love when Roeni saved them.

Then suddenly, within just a few pages, they acted like different people—confessing their love, going on dates, attending balls, and even getting married.

Where, why, and how they fell in love was explained with breathtaking laziness.

Anyway, judging from that, it was clear that Sien and the others weren’t shallow paper cutouts who fell in love at first sight.

‘So there must be some other reason he’s acting like this.’

As I pondered that, an even more important issue came to mind.

‘What do I do…?’

I sneaked a glance at Sien.

Originally, before leaving, I’d planned to tell him I failed to retrieve the former tower master’s urn and bring him along anyway…

‘But doesn’t that feel wrong?’

Even if Sien decided to return to the Sacred Forest after hearing the truth, I wasn’t going to stop him.

Saving three male leads was more than enough credit. And the others would testify that Sien chose to remain in the zombie zone of his own will.

While stirring the soup and watching his reaction, I finally forced myself to speak.

“Tower Master… there’s something I need to tell you honestly.”

“What is it?”

He asked so brightly that it made it even harder to say. Avoiding his eyes, I continued.

“Actually… I found your grave in the Dawn Forest, but I couldn’t bring back the urn. I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise.”

“In the Dawn Forest?”

Sien’s eyes widened in surprise. Then, after a brief pause, they curved gently as he smiled.

“You’re someone who keeps promises, Miss Ria.”

“I just told you I didn’t.”

“No. You kept it more than enough. Thank you.”

“Then the urn…?”

For a moment, his smile faded—but soon he returned to his relaxed expression.

“It’s fine. That alone is enough.”

I studied him with a suspicious look.

‘Is he really okay with this? Is he planning to go back to the Empire with us like this?’

Lost in thought, I picked up the soup bowls from the island counter—then suddenly realized how quiet the cabin was.

On the dining table across the kitchen, a rabbit was sleeping soundly, making soft snoring noises.

Danha had been watching that rabbit just a moment ago.

“Tower Master, where’s Danha?”

“What did you call me?”

“Tower Master.”

When I said it in a warning tone, Sien lowered the corners of his eyes, looking hurt.

Calling him “Prince” felt awkward, so I hadn’t settled on it—but Danha, being considerate, had allowed me to use his name.

That led to Sien sulking about why I wouldn’t call him by name, and we’d had a small argument over it. And now he was acting like this again.

I shot him a glare and set the bowls back on the island counter.

The Crown Prince and Jaeger were out scouting.

Sien was here with me.

So where was Danha…?

Where was he?

“I’m sorry, my lady. I don’t think I can accompany you.”

Those were Danha’s words when he finally returned, looking disheveled, just as we were setting the table.

‘Of course. I knew it wouldn’t be that easy.’

Hah.

I blew my bangs aside and crossed my arms. Jaeger leaned against the window, watching Danha, while the Crown Prince sat at the head of the table, chin propped on his hand, observing us with interest.

Sien sat in the center of the table, sulking as he bullied the rabbit.

I gestured with my chin at Danha, who was watching everyone nervously, urging him to explain.

“Why can’t you come with us?”

Let’s hear it quickly—the perfectly arranged meal was getting cold.

“……”

Danha lowered his brows, looking troubled. I waved my hand to show it was fine—he should just say it.

Finally, in a darkened tone, he spoke.

“I lost my bracelet.”

“A bracelet?”

“One my youngest sister gave me.”

He smiled bitterly, his deeply sunken eyes lost in memory.

“To lose something she made with those tiny hands…”

He looked up at me with an apologetic gaze.

“I don’t want to leave until I find it. I’m sorry, my lady.”