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Chapter 12
I’d tried making one out of sorghum stalks before.
If you lined up long stalks side by side, pinned them together, and stood them upright, they became walls. Make four of those, then build a roof the same way, and you had a house.
Wouldn’t the same idea work here?
Use tree trunks instead of stalks, and tie them together with straw instead of pins or craft glue.
Naomi, who had been watching with narrowed, skeptical eyes, looked increasingly shocked as the structure slowly took shape.
“You’ve actually done this before?”
She’d heard noble ladies spent their days fluttering fans and lounging around, but this woman climbed trees and built houses too?
“Looks pretty convincing, doesn’t it?”
“It looks more like a barn than a house. Perfect for raising pigs.”
Naomi grumbled despite herself.
“So you’re saying you’ll sleep outside?”
Ignoring her, Angelina focused on finishing the shelter. She layered thin branches together for the roof, then covered them with huge leaves the size of a person’s torso.
Done.
“It’s actually pretty impressive.”
“How did you build something like this?”
The men had returned after finishing repairs on the boat, and their eyes widened in amazement.
Angelina shrugged proudly.
“Let’s just say it’s thanks to education and experience.”
“Your tutor taught you this too?”
“They always said anything you learn might come in handy someday.”
Every time adults lectured her like that, she used to scoff.
“Looks like we’ll finally sleep comfortably tonight.”
“Sorry to disappoint the two of you, but we’re leaving today.”
Aleksei took Naomi’s telescope and climbed a tree. Every time a tiny ship appeared on the horizon through the lens, he shouted at the top of his lungs.
“A ship! It’s a ship! Fire! Start a fire!”
But no matter how much smoke they made or how wildly they waved from the treetop, the ships never came closer.
After the third ship disappeared, the sun sank beneath the sea.
Quietly, Angelina extinguished the fire. Naomi and Franz had already gone into the tree house. Aleksei climbed down from the tree. His eyes met Angelina’s as she stamped out the remaining embers with her foot.
“Don’t say anything.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
At least, not until now.
“What are you embarrassed for? It’s okay, Alek. These things happen.”
She shouted it toward his back as he entered the shelter.
He turned his head slowly.
The look in his eyes was cold enough to freeze her on the spot.
Gasp.
Angelina immediately looked away and furiously stomped on the already-dead ashes.
Inside the tree house.
Ten minutes passed with the four of them breathing in awkward silence.
“I want potato porridge.”
Naomi suddenly blurted out.
“I thought you hated potato porridge.”
“I did… but now I kind of want some.”
“Actually, me too.”
“What about you, Crown Princess? Turkey? Smoked salmon?”
“No. Kimchi stew.”
Everyone perked up at the unfamiliar name.
“Kimchi stew is this spicy, sour stew. You boil kimchi and pork together until it’s bubbling, and then you can finish an entire bowl of rice without realizing it.”
“Is it a traditional dish from Latria? I’ve traveled through many countries, but I’ve never heard of kimchi stew.”
At Franz’s question, Aleksei also looked puzzled.
“When did you ever go abroad?”
“A very long time ago.”
“Really? Where?”
“A place called Korea. You probably wouldn’t know it.”
“……”
“And then you finish the meal with a packet of instant coffee.”
Rain began to fall. Water leaked through the gaps in the wooden roof. They covered the holes with the leaves they had set aside, but rain still seeped through.
At least it washed away the heavy smell of smoke.
The scent of rain stirred up memories.
She had never missed the food from her previous life before. The palace chef’s cooking was excellent. It felt like she was finally being compensated for a youth spent surviving on cup noodles and convenience store rice balls.
But now…
Instant ramen would be perfect right about now.
Trying to stop the chain of cravings, Angelina deliberately changed the subject.
“What about you, Alek?”
“Well…”
Despite living on nothing but wild fruit for days, none of the luxurious meals from the imperial palace came to mind.
To Aleksei, food had never been something to enjoy. It was simply something necessary. He had never attached meaning to it or grown sentimental over it.
Ah… except once.
When Angelina had visited the detached palace.
“Chicken.”
“The chicken we had at the villa was really good.”
Angelina agreed immediately.
Me too.
Especially that time.
Aleksei muttered quietly.
“I want plain rice porridge.”
That was Franz.
“That tasteless stuff?”
Naomi made a face.
“Still, nothing fills your stomach quite like it.”
He had traveled through many countries and tasted countless dishes, but plain porridge existed everywhere in the world. Always the same color. Always the same form.
Simple, bland… but comforting.
“You need soy sauce with plain porridge.”
“What’s soy sauce?”
As Angelina continued explaining foods from a faraway country she could never return to, the rain finally stopped.
“I think my mouth tastes sweet from eating fruit all day.”
Naomi grumbled.
“Alright then. Since we’re in the mood… wait here a moment.”
Franz suddenly stood up.
When he returned much later, water dripped steadily from the shirt wrapped around him.
“What is that?”
Instead of answering, Franz grinned.
Then he let go of the shirt he was holding.
“Good lord!”
Angelina fell backward in shock.
Something dropped onto the floor and flopped violently.
Two fish gasped desperately, their gills fluttering.
“I thought we could grill them.”
“Hurry! Hurry and cook them, mister!”
Even though they were barely palm-sized, Naomi’s eyes sparkled wildly.
There’s definitely a starving goblin living inside that stomach.
Sighing, Angelina gathered branches and leaves and rekindled the fire. Starting fires had become second nature now.
Franz skewered the fish on sticks and stuck them into the flames. Thick smoke filled the shelter, so they shifted some of the leaves covering the roof.
Coughing through the smoke, the four of them stared hungrily at the fish roasting over the fire.
“I think they’re done.”
The moment Franz finished speaking, Naomi lunged forward.
The fish vanished into the starving girl’s hands and reappeared seconds later as nothing but bones.
Angelina glared at the childish brat acting like she lived alone in the world, then accepted the other fish. She took one bite before handing it to Aleksei.
“I’m fine.”
“Just take a bite.”
At Angelina’s insistence, Aleksei bit into it once before passing it to Franz.
The grilled fish returned to Angelina.
And then it made another round.
Naomi sat there holding a pile of fish bones as she watched them.
Something felt strange inside her chest.
Meals with pirate men were never like this.
Everyone fought to eat more. They yanked beards, snatched food from each other’s hands, and stomped it into the ground if things didn’t go their way.
Naomi irritably threw away the bones and flopped onto the floor.
“I’m sleepy. I’m going to sleep.”
“You’re sleeping by yourself? Move closer to the wall.”
Naomi ignored her and closed her eyes.
Angelina let out a rough sigh.
Maybe I should just crush that round little stomach after all.
But filming a noir movie with a minor was probably crossing a line.
“Let’s sleep too. Naomi, move over a bit.”
Aleksei settled the situation.
The second night of their accidental honeymoon.
Sleeping together in a hastily built wooden shack with strangers.
On her left was a man who was both her husband and not her husband.
On her right was a woman aiming for that husband.
Breathing sounds filled both sides of her.
They’re all asleep already.
Angelina chuckled softly.
“What’s funny?”
A low voice.
Aleksei was still awake.
“This situation’s just ridiculous. This wasn’t exactly the honeymoon I imagined.”
Angelina turned toward the sound of his voice.
He shifted toward her too.
Only a handspan apart.
His blue eyes gleamed like sapphires.
Maybe it was because of the darkness.
But suddenly, Angelina felt strangely aware of him.
“When we get back, I’ll ask them again. They’ll give permission.”
Aleksei whispered.
“No, that’s not what I mean. I’m saying this isn’t so bad.”
“……”
“It’s kind of fun, isn’t it?”
“You liked this kind of thing?”
The sharpness in Aleksei’s eyes softened.
“So you do like this kind of thing. What about you?”
“What kind of question is that? Of course I hate it.”
Their gazes met.
A laugh slipped out between them.
Come to think of it, it felt like forever since she’d laughed like this.
Laughing comfortably while looking at each other’s faces…
Even Aleksei smiling felt strangely fascinating to Angelina.
“Are you really Aleksei Werner?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You just seem like a completely different person.”
“What exactly do you remember me as?”
A cold, insufferable jerk?
But then another memory invaded her mind—
Aleksei’s face turning bright red as he snatched the book from her hands in a panic, shouting angrily and hurling sharp words at her.
