KYDC Chapter 39

* * *

I thought I had my fair share of experience in physical labor, almost to the level of a day laborer, but even though I’ve stacked cabbages in boxes after harvesting them in the fields, I had never cleaned a livestock pen before.

‘No wonder the women looked like they were finally fulfilling a ten-year-old wish.’

They all had faces that bore the marks of life’s hardships, a stark contrast to the ladies I used to see at the Grand Palace or Everdeen Mansion.

If the people working at Everdeen Mansion took pride in their work and in having served there for many years, here, it seemed more about survival.

They were all so skinny that if Elize saw them, she would have scolded them for not eating properly.

‘But isn’t working at the castle supposed to at least keep you from starving?’

As I worked, sweating profusely, I began to see some progress.

For me, despite being a noble, having lived as a modern person for so long, I never saw any job as beneath me.

I’ve always thought, “What job is there that a noble can’t do?”

But this guy, despite having been mistreated as a child, had probably never done this kind of work, yet he didn’t complain even once.

‘Is he really okay?’

He worked with his usual serious expression, shoveling dirt mixed with fodder to spread it as manure in the fields, and cleaning out the inside by digging trenches.

Somehow, the order of tasks seemed strangely familiar to him.

“……?”

Did I stare too hard?

Hernan wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand and looked at me.

“Do you have something to say?”

Never mind. If I start talking, I’ll just get caught up in some strange conversation.

I quickly shook my head.

“No. Nothing at all.”

“But you’ve been looking at me quite intently for a while now….”

“I wasn’t.”

Hernan chuckled as if he knew I was lying. If I don’t make myself clear, he’ll find some excuse to tease me again.

With a sigh of resignation, I spoke up.

“I just thought it was surprising that you’ve been doing this kind of work without a single complaint. That’s all. Satisfied?”

When I snapped at him, Hernan responded with a peculiar smile.

“Well, do you think I’ve never done this kind of work before?”

“Huh?”

His ambiguous answer made me tilt my head. Has he really done this before?

When? Where?

I had a lot of questions, but his next words shut me up.

“But it seems like you’re getting more interested in me? Curious about my personal life?”

“Ha.”

What nonsense.

It’s not because it’s you; I would’ve been curious about anyone else in the same situation.

I scoffed and turned my attention back to the pile of dirt in front of me.

“If you have time to talk nonsense, why don’t you start by clearing that pile of straw over there?”

“Aren’t you avoiding the question?”

I ignored him and focused on shoveling again, determined not to engage any further.

I think he kept babbling a bit more, but I pretended not to hear any of it.

After what felt like hours, over three hours of hard work later, the place was clean enough for someone to lie down on the floor.

Exhausted, I sat down right there in the work clothes the maids had given me earlier.

“Ugh, I’m dead tired.”

The water outside had turned icy cold in no time, and as I drank it, it felt like the sweat I’d been pouring out dried up instantly.

Just as I was about to lay my head down, Hernan quietly took a seat beside me.

“Why are you sitting down so naturally?”

When I snapped at him again, Hernan let out a light laugh.

“Cut me some slack. I’ve worked hard too, haven’t I?”

Seriously, where did that aloof, cold prince I first met go?

He’s turned into someone completely different.

I remember thinking he might be a decent partner when we were having that intense discussion.

Unlike in modern times, where you could make friends easily through shared classes or clubs, it wasn’t easy to form close relationships in this noble society.

Because of all the pretenses, it’s hard to have honest conversations.

Maybe when you’re young, but once you’re old enough to inherit a title or actually receive one, interactions are more about your title than about you as an individual.

So, I thought it might be nice to have someone I could chat with lightly…. I felt a bit sorry but also a little happy.

‘Who could have imagined things would turn out like that?’

I thought we might become good friends, but it turned out he had his eyes on me as a marriage prospect.

I was a bit caught up in the moment then, but I have no intention of making the same mistake again.

What happened that day was just an accident, and it won’t happen again.

“Could you scoot over a bit?”

Just as I subtly pushed Hernan aside, one of the maids who came to check on our progress let out an exclamation.

“Oh my, you’ve already finished all this? By the way, have you had anything to eat? Or not yet?”

Before I could say anything, Hernan raised his hand enthusiastically.

“Not yet!”

Then he gave me a sly wink as if to say his plan had finally worked out.

A wink? Really?

I was dumbfounded, but things proceeded exactly as Hernan had planned.

“There are some leftovers from preparing the feast. You must be hungry; come with me.”

Finally, something decent to eat. I followed her to the kitchen, brimming with anticipation.

It was right after the banquet, so the kitchen, which had been quite chilly earlier, was now filled with warm steam.

‘Now that I think about it, this is the first time I’ve been in a kitchen with this kind of atmosphere.’

Maybe it’s because it’s up north, but the walls were much thicker compared to the kitchens at Everdeen Mansion or Ever Paradise.

The hanging preserved foods were also distinctly different. In the south, they mostly hang dried hams, but here, there were all sorts of unfamiliar vegetables.

I must have been looking around too much because one of the maids tapped me on the shoulder.

“First time in the kitchen? Why are you looking around with such wide eyes?”

“Are you afraid your, um, manhood will fall off if you step into the kitchen?”

What are they even talking about? I didn’t want to be misunderstood, especially with something so strange.

“No! It’s just that this kitchen is very different from the one I’m used to. I came from the south, you see.”

When I hastily explained, they all burst out laughing, clearly enjoying themselves.

“Take your time looking around. But first, eat, then look!”

Just like yesterday, the atmosphere quickly loosened up, making it clear that under the right circumstances, these people could be quite warm.

It made me think that maybe if the higher-ups were replaced, things could improve.

While I was lost in thought, I was given a bowl of stew, made from leftover ingredients from the banquet.

It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was a world apart from what I almost ate yesterday.

“Thank you for the meal.”

The ingredients were simple, but the potatoes… this time, they were edible, and the broth was rich, so I quickly devoured the whole thing.

“You eat so well! Would you like some more?”

As soon as the lady sitting closest to the pot offered, I eagerly held up my bowl.

“Yes, please!”

Just like how someone who always eats Michelin-starred meals might crave junk food occasionally, even though the ingredients were scraps, the person who made it did a great job.

I felt like I could eat up to four bowls.

“I’ll have another bowl too, please,” Hernan chimed in.

Hernan, perhaps still not fully satisfied, asked for one more bowl and finished it cleanly.

After that, the meal, which had been quite a struggle, finally came to an end.

‘…Ah, I think I could fall asleep as soon as I lay my head down.’

The reason my whole body felt so drained, as if it had been spun in a dryer, was due to a specific cause.

Since I had filled my stomach, the big issue was that I had insisted on helping out.

Looking around the kitchen, I saw a ridiculous pile of bad potatoes, and I ended up spending another hour peeling them.

‘Wow, you really use the knife well. Did you use to work in a kitchen?’

Of course… Even just peeling onions and potatoes at our place would amount to several tons.

Though quite a bit of time has passed since then, I hadn’t forgotten how to handle a knife.

The unexpected praise for my knife skills made me unconsciously puff up with pride, and I ended up helping out for quite a while, leaving me with no energy left.

‘Well, at least I got a sense of the atmosphere… and it seems I’ve earned a bit of trust from the servants, so it wasn’t all for nothing….’

One should see the positives.

As I was about to head back to my room while trying to stay positive, a group of servants in their early to mid-twenties emerged and blocked my path with Hernan.

“Can we talk for a moment?”

What are these guys up to now? What should I do? I exchanged glances with Hernan.

* * *

*Summary page is only available for login users. Non-users can view the chapters on the chapter list.*