<Episode 30>

Hissss.

I thinly sliced the duck and tossed it onto the pan, sizzling atop the stove. I added mushrooms and onions, seasoning them with salt and pepper, and stirred it all together.

Fortunately, the western shelter was well-stocked with ingredients, just like the other shelters.

While it wasn’t a kitchen with gas that you could turn on with a valve, there was a cooking stove.

The structure was a little different, though. It was about 17 pyeong (around 56 square meters), two stories tall, with two private bedrooms and a bathroom with a shower on the second floor.

The plumbing was designed with magical engineering, connected to the capital, so even in the original story, the water supply didn’t stop until the male leads escaped.

‘That’s why they survived on water and weeds, even without food.’

Oh, and Sien and I decided to take one bedroom each.

There were wardrobes and spare clothes in the bedrooms, so everyone had taken showers and changed into clean shirts and pants for the first time in a while.

I glanced toward the door.

Next to the door were some hooks, along with gardening supplies and fertilizers. Across from the door was a six-person dining table and a fireplace.

To the right of the fireplace was the back door, and to the left, in an L-shaped corner, there was a sofa and a bunk bed.

‘It’s spacious, thank goodness.’

Living in close quarters with a bunch of men would’ve been uncomfortable for me, too.

“Ria?”

Sien, who had finished showering last, came down the wooden stairs next to the kitchen.

He had a towel wrapped around his head, leaning on the railing as he looked down at me.

“Wow, as expected, Ria, you’re quite the cook.”

“Well, it just happened.”

“It’s amazing. A noble lady who can cook?”

I glanced at Sien.

It seemed more like a genuine question than him doubting my identity.

Still, how I answered could change things, so I simply shrugged to avoid giving too much away.

Then I checked the soup next to the frying pan.

I stirred the mushroom cream soup, thinking back to earlier events.

When I explained the escape plan, Danha had looked a bit puzzled.

“So, what you’re saying is that we can safely escape from here?”

“I have a warp scroll. It accommodates five people, and there are exactly five of us.”

Danha blinked his green eyes once, then gave a light smile. A deep dimple appeared on his right cheek.

“Very well.”

“Pardon?”

“I said very well. Didn’t you say you would save me?”

“You’re not suspicious?”

“…Should I be suspicious of you?”

“Well, not necessarily, but you know, usually people ask things like, ‘Why do you have the weapon? I don’t trust you, so give me the scroll,’ or, ‘Why do you care? Who do you think you are?’”

I could feel the heated stares from the three men around me.

I ignored them and focused on Danha.

Danha gave a slightly awkward but clear smile.

I already knew that his laid-back and calm nature was in line with his original character. He was cooperative in group settings in the story too.

So, I hadn’t really made any special strategies for dealing with him…

‘But this is so easy!’

Humming quietly to myself, I stirred the soup with a satisfied grin.

‘After dinner, I’ll get a good night’s sleep, and the next day, we’ll head back to the capital with the male leads!’

I’ve never had a baby or taken care of one, but it felt like I was clocking out from child-rearing duties.

Once I get back to the Empire—no more zombie howls, no more battles—I’ll just eat and sleep like a bear.

I smirked at the thought, but suddenly felt a sharp gaze from beside me.

“As expected, Ria, your smile is beautiful,” Sien said, standing right next to me with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall and gazing at me.

He lightly tapped the corner of my eye.

“What are you doing?”

“Your eyes are beautiful, Ria.”

His hand lowered toward my lips.

“Or maybe… this part is even prettier.”

Sien’s violet eyes curved into crescent moons as he smiled.

“Everything about you is beautiful, Ria.”

Even though I wanted to brush it off as meaningless flattery, I could feel my face heating up.

Come to think of it, Sien wasn’t just showing casual kindness—sometimes, there was an undercurrent in his words and the way he looked at me.

It made me question things from time to time. Could he be… falling for me?

But then I’d quickly remember the original story and dismiss the thought.

*The Saintess’s Salvation* was mostly about the male leads surviving.

It was a chaotic collaboration between the saintess, who descended like a ray of hope in their despair, and the male leads, who had gone mad, creating a whirlwind romance that wrapped up in just a few pages.

The strange thing was that none of the male leads fell in love with Roeni when she saved them.

Then, out of nowhere, within a few pages, they were suddenly confessing their love, going on dates, attending balls, and getting married.

There was no narrative explanation of where, why, or how they fell in love—it was severely lacking in development.

But one thing was clear from that: neither Sien nor the other male leads were the type to fall in love at first sight like shallow characters.

‘There’s no way he fell for me at first sight. He must have another reason for his behavior, right?’

I was only pondering this briefly before a more pressing matter came to mind.

‘What am I going to do?’

I glanced over at Sien.

Originally, I had planned to tell him about losing the former Tower Master’s remains before we left, and then take him with me to the capital…

‘But now that seems like a bad idea, doesn’t it?’

Of course, if Sien decided to return to the Holy Forest after hearing my story, I wouldn’t stop him.

Even if I didn’t manage to save all of the male leads, rescuing three of them was enough to claim some credit. The others could vouch that Sien stayed behind by his own will.

I stole another glance at him while stirring the soup, preparing myself to break the news.

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

“What is it?”

He asked so innocently that it made it harder to speak. I avoided his eyes and finally began.

“Well, actually… I found the former Tower Master’s grave in the pre-dawn forest, but I couldn’t bring the remains. I’m sorry I didn’t keep my promise.”

“In the pre-dawn forest?”

Sien’s eyes widened in surprise. But then, just as quickly, he smiled, his eyes curving into half-moons again.

“Ria, you’re someone who keeps promises.”

“I didn’t keep it, though.”

“No, you did. You did more than enough. Thank you.”

“But the remains—”

His smile faded for a moment, but he quickly returned to his usual languid expression.

“It’s fine. What you’ve done is more than enough.”

I gave him a skeptical look, trying to gauge if he truly meant it.

‘Is he really okay with this? Is he planning to return to the capital with us?’

I was mulling it over while setting the soup bowls on the island table when I suddenly realized how quiet the cabin had become.

The rabbit was sound asleep on the table opposite the kitchen.

A while ago, Danha had been watching the rabbit from there, hadn’t he?

“Tower Master, where’s Danha?”

“What about my name?”

“Tower Master.”

I called him in a warning tone, and Sien’s face drooped in mock disappointment.

Danha had kindly allowed me to use his name instead of his title since calling him a prince felt awkward, but Sien had been pouting ever since, claiming I should use his name too. And here he was, doing it again.

I shot Sien a look and set the plates back on the island table.

The Crown Prince and Jaeger were out scouting the area, and Sien was right here next to me.

But Danha…?

Where ‘is’ Danha…?

* * *

“Apologies, my lady. It seems I won’t be able to accompany you.”

Danha said this as he returned, looking rather disheveled, just as I was setting the table for our meal.

‘Of course. I knew this wouldn’t be solved so easily.’

*Sigh.*

I blew my bangs out of my face and crossed my arms. Jaeger was leaning by the window, watching Danha, while the Crown Prince sat at the head of the table, resting his chin on his hand, watching us with amusement.

Sien sat in the middle of the table, looking sulky as he absentmindedly tormented the rabbit.

I gestured toward Danha, indicating for him to explain himself.

“What’s the reason you can’t come with us?”

Let’s get it over with. The perfectly set meal was getting cold.

“…”

Danha frowned, looking troubled. I waved my hand, signaling that it was fine and he should just say it.

With a heavy, downcast expression, he finally spoke.

“I lost my bracelet.”

A bracelet?

“The one my youngest sister gave me.”

Danha smiled bitterly. His deep eyes seemed lost in reminiscence.

“To think I lost the bracelet she made with those tiny hands.”

He looked up at me with an apologetic gaze.

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