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Chapter 9
I woke up again before dawn had fully broken.
The reason was the same as always.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning, Hush.”
I had become fairly close with the head chef Hush—almost as much as I had with Anna.
It was inevitable. I came down to the kitchen early every morning.
“Shall we go?”
I followed Hush out through the back door of the kitchen.
Beyond it was a greenhouse where crops could grow year-round despite the North’s cold climate.
Apple trees lined the edges of the greenhouse.
Hush brought over a wooden ladder and secured it firmly against the tree so it wouldn’t shake. He gave me a signal.
Without hesitation, I climbed up and picked apples.
“Let’s go with this one today.”
“They look fresh.”
“I’m pretty good now at picking nice apples.”
I gathered only what I needed for the morning.
Then I moved to the fields where various crops were growing.
I didn’t care if my dress got dirty and wandered through the carrot field.
Grabbing the lush green carrot tops, I pulled hard—and a bright orange carrot popped out.
“Looks pretty. Must be fresh.”
“Good choice.”
Just like Hush said, the apples and carrots I picked today were perfect.
‘Kahinel has to drink my juice today. Seriously.’
There was a reason I was climbing ladders to pick apples and digging through soil for carrots myself.
At first, I simply brought him meals prepared by Hush. It was a calculated kindness.
But Kahinel never drank the juice I brought him.
How did I know?
…I honestly didn’t even want to know.
I wasn’t hurt.
There was no reason to be hurt.
I just assumed my sincerity wasn’t enough for him to accept my juice.
So next time, I made the juice myself.
“I made it myself.”
“I will not drink it.”
Rejected immediately.
Still, I wasn’t sad.
‘So my sincerity still isn’t enough.’
Next time, I carefully selected apples and carrots, washed them clean, and made juice again.
“I made this from apples and carrots I personally picked.”
“Dispose of it.”
…I’m not sad.
Maybe I still needed more sincerity.
So I went further.
I picked apples myself, pulled carrots myself, washed them in cold water, and made the juice.
“I climbed the ladder myself to pick the apples and pulled the carrots myself.”
“That’s enough.”
Ugh. This guy is insanely picky.
‘Do I need to plant a new apple tree and grow carrots from seed for you to be satisfied?!’
I wanted to grab Kahinel by the collar and yell at him, but I held it in.
I was in the weaker position—I had to endure it.
And so, today’s apple-carrot juice was complete.
‘I even woke up early and purified myself with a morning bath today.’
He had to drink it today.
If he refused again?
I didn’t even know what I might do.
At the same time
“Good morning, Kahinel!”
Does this woman not know how to get hurt?
No matter how harshly he pushed her away or how coldly he spoke, his wife never left his side.
Instead, she only kept coming closer.
As always, Kahinel met his wife—who had come with breakfast—in a cold, indifferent manner.
She approached holding the juice.
Why did she look so unusually excited today?
‘Did she put poison in it?’
Even he found the thought absurd.
But she was the daughter of the Deil family—so it wasn’t impossible.
His eyes sharpened.
Rishua, unaware of his thoughts, only smiled brightly.
“I made the juice myself again today.”
“I have no intention of drinking it.”
“Don’t say that. Just try one sip. Today’s a little different.”
I even woke up at dawn and purified myself!
She offered the juice with sparkling blue eyes.
Kahinel’s expression grew colder.
‘Did she really poison it?’
She was even more persistent than usual.
“Drink the juice before anything else.”
“No. Why would I drink something my wife prepared when I don’t know what’s inside it?”
“What do you mean? It’s just apples, carrots, and water.”
“Is that all that’s in it?”
At his sharp counter-question, Rishua froze.
A faint smirk appeared on Kahinel’s lips.
“You think I wouldn’t notice?”
“W-how did you know? Did you see it?”
“It’s obvious.”
“I only put a little…”
Hearing her mutter in disappointment, Kahinel felt strangely drained.
It was absurd enough that she was openly trying to poison him—but even more absurd that she admitted it so easily.
“And still, couldn’t you drink it for my effort?”
“…Ha.”
House Hyrent had many enemies, and Kahinel had been poisoned more than once.
But this was the first time someone had tried to poison him so openly while begging him to drink it with such a pitiful face.
Even if this marriage had a purpose, this was too much.
Before he could speak—
“I only added a teaspoon of honey.”
“…Honey?”
“It was too awful after tasting it.”
There was a reason people said beautiful apples could be poisonous apples.
‘How could apples be this un-sweet?’
Because the apples weren’t sweet, the juice had turned out terrible.
So she added honey to compensate.
“I just wanted it to taste good… I didn’t think you’d notice. Sorry.”
So picky.
As if only apples, carrots, and water were allowed.
Next time, I’ll just give it even if it tastes bad.
“But how did you know I added honey?”
Rishua examined the orange juice suspiciously.
“How can you tell that just by looking?”
Is he some kind of genius chef?
“Even a single spoon won’t make it sweet. Just try one sip.”
“No.”
Kahinel turned away coldly.
He had suspected poison—but instead it was honey.
And yet he still couldn’t fully trust her words.
Then why…?
“Just one sip. You might feel differently.”
Her expression—like a soaked puppy offering him juice—looked sincere.
And that made him irritated.
“Skip breakfast today and leave.”
“I can’t give up today either.”
“Leave.”
“I’ll go if you just drink one sip.”
“I said no.”
“But I put effort into it…”
The two stood in direct opposition—one insisting, one refusing.
Rishua held out the glass.
Kahinel pushed her hand away.
Crash.
The glass fell, juice spilling across the floor, shards scattering everywhere.
Kahinel instinctively stepped in front of her to shield her from the glass.
“Dangerous. Don’t move.”
“….”
Rishua froze, unable to respond.
Albert and Anna rushed in.
While the shards were being cleaned, Rishua stared blankly into space.
Kahinel found her expression unsettling.
He felt slightly guilty for misunderstanding her… and annoyed at himself for feeling guilty in the first place.
“Anna, was it?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
He guided the dazed Rishua toward Anna.
“I will consider the juice as having been drunk.”
Rishua still said nothing, just stared at him blankly.
“Take the lady back to her room.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Anna led her away.
Kahinel watched her disappearing figure for a moment, then roughly ran a hand over his face.
“Damn it.”
What the hell was this feeling?
It was irritating beyond reason.
Rishua’s POV
I am serious right now.
Because I think I’ve discovered something huge.
‘The key to breaking the curse is physical contact.’
I felt it clearly—just for a moment.
When Kahinel protected me from the broken glass and our hands briefly touched—
‘It felt like I drank ten bottles of ginseng tonic. My whole body filled with energy.’
I sat there seriously, deep in thought, when Anna asked worriedly.
“Are you okay? You seem shocked.”
“Anna, when you’re unsure about something, how do you confirm it?”
Even though my question was random, Anna answered calmly.
“Maybe… you should check one more time?”
“Yes. You’re right.”
So the next day, I brought juice to Kahinel again.
He would definitely reject it again, so I just had to create the same situation as yesterday.
Yes. That was the plan.
But…
“Why are you drinking it?”
“Isn’t this what you brought it for?”
“I mean yes, but still…”
Why is he refusing it normally when he’s supposed to refuse it… but now he’s not refusing it?!
I’m going insane, seriously.
