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Chapter 58
If this were a kingdom, or even the Langrid Empire, none of my words or actions here would be possible.
But the place we’re in now is a perilous, uninhabited island where even a single monster’s appearance could mean instant death.
I picked up an extra harpoon that had fallen to the ground and forced it into his hand. Then, holding his hand to properly adjust his grip, I said:
“You’re not helping the group at all right now. Stop being a useless lump of a burden and at least learn how to catch fish.”
Honestly, I mostly meant to tease him—but I wasn’t entirely without the intention of actually teaching him how to fish.
Saying I wanted to test his survival skills wasn’t even a lie.
Asdal wasn’t someone who could contribute much in a fight, so I figured I should at least give him one practical skill.
He rested his chin on his hand and stared at me without moving for a long time. His expression made it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
“That’s a bit difficult.”
A blunt refusal. Asdal raised his chin arrogantly and looked down at me, then suddenly grinned as if he found something amusing.
“If I become useful, you wouldn’t even think to call me aside for a private conversation like this.”
What? Where did that come from? Why did the conversation suddenly veer there?
“You said you’re good at catching fish. If you’re here, why would I need to learn?”
“Huh?”
He wasn’t the kind of person whose mind could be read with one or two attempts.
“Why are you so irresponsible? What would you do if our group weren’t here?”
I argued, dumbfounded, but Asdal didn’t even flinch. Instead, he looked at me as if I were saying something strange and asked in return:
“What’s there to worry about? You’ll be by my side from now on anyway.”
“…?”
What the heck? Is he saying he expects me to catch fish for him as a servant?
“Why me? Are you insane? I don’t want to be by your side!”
I almost muttered a string of curses at him. Asdal, unaware—or perhaps completely shameless—kept his brazen composure.
I was the fool for even thinking about teaching this man how to catch fish.
“Miss, a true noble knows how to use people according to their purpose. You don’t have to do it yourself.”
Asdal’s tone was firm, and he sounded annoyingly confident. It was clear he had no intention of learning how to catch fish. Damn it.
“Yes, yes. On this island, that’ll get you killed first. You’ll probably be the first to leave this world.”
“From what I’ve seen, I don’t think you’d ever let someone die in front of you.”
“…Anyone with normal sense would think the same.”
“So, it’s fine.”
Fine? What the hell is fine about that? Male protagonists in these novels all speak in the weirdest ways.
“So. You’re going to continue being a useless person, then?”
“Using people according to their purpose is… useful…”
“Hah. All talk. Stop talking.”
“Miss, what I’m saying—”
“If you’re not going to help me catch fish, shut your mouth.”
“…”
At last, Asdal shut up.
After that, he kept trying to talk to me, but I ignored him and quietly focused on catching fish.
I quickly abandoned any grand notion of teaching someone with his attitude.
What could I possibly achieve by teaching someone like that? It would be a complete waste of time.
Ignoring the annoying Asdal, I focused on catching fish. I readjusted my grip on the harpoon and continued fishing diligently, while Asdal sat on the rock, nagging endlessly with his voice alone.
“There’s a fish passing by there! Miss, there! Yes, right there! Now! Catch it!”
Damn it, am I a Pokémon?
I threw the harpoon and caught the fish he indicated, feeling a wave of existential despair hit me.
I swore I would never go hunting with Asdal again. I’d just stepped on my own foot.
“Oh, Miss! There’s one here too!”
“I told you, if you’re not going to help, don’t say anything. Unless you’re testing my patience, shut it.”
When I got frustrated while catching fish, Asdal shrugged innocently.
Ugh, seriously. Just hold on a little longer. We won’t be together for much longer anyway.
‘Just find the bunker. I’ll get rid of him as soon as we do.’
Better to avoid him like you avoid stepping in poop. Dirty, disgusting, avoid it.
I thought seriously for a moment, sighed, and tidied up the wooden basket full of fish before standing up.
Looking up at the sky, the time had passed enough that the sunset was beginning.
Trudging around this island, trying to gather food while surviving monsters, I realized I must be half-crazy.
Asdal climbed down from the rock with a proud look and said:
“That was a rewarding hunt. You possess far more hunting skill than I had expected. My previous assessment of you was too harsh. You’re truly a wild spirit.”
Rewarding hunt, my ass.
“I’ve told you before, I have no intention of becoming someone useful to you.”
He grabbed the basket I was holding and walked ahead.
“At first, I thought you were arrogant.”
Then, suddenly, he stopped and turned to look at me.
“Have I told you before? You’re the first person to speak to me like that. I like it.”
“…Huh?”
Asdal smiled as if he genuinely liked me, then turned and walked ahead.
I stood there, bewildered, before hurriedly following behind him.
“Am I supposed to be happy about that? Is this some kind of ‘you’re the first woman to hit me’ thing? I don’t need that kind of attention.”
Asdal, walking ahead, turned to me.
“You didn’t hit me. What do you take me for? I don’t act in such absurd ways. And I didn’t tell you to like me, so don’t worry. I just mean I like you.”
“Oh… okay, then.”
Asdal talked way too much. And he’s annoying. I just nodded and shut my mouth.
Asdal is a ‘minefield’ for me. From now on, I’ll call him ‘Minefielddal.’ I need to avoid him at all costs.
“The fish are too much of the same kind, but still, good work.”
By the time the hut came into view, Asdal gave me a backhanded compliment.
No need to get angry. I’m Margaret. A noble daughter of a duke, after all. I’ll take it gracefully.
Yes, a refined noble daughter…
A refined noble daughter catching fish…
“Miss Flone, could you come here?”
“This is your specialty, Miss. Please help.”
“Miss Flone.”
“Miss?”
That evening, after our hunting trip, I was relentlessly harassed by Minefielddal.
‘Like that idiot Manager Kim.’
The problem was, he kept calling me at all hours for help, and hearing “Miss Flone” constantly was enough to make me want to scream.
“Why does Prince Asdal only call for you, Miss?”
Yuanna asked me, clearly curious.
“I don’t know either, Saint. Could you tell him to stop looking for me? At this rate, my name will wear out. I mean it—my name will actually wear out.”
I can’t hit him since he’s the crown prince. Seriously, I can’t. Even if I wanted to, I can’t go around beating him in the rain. Asdal might babble while getting hit.
I held Yuanna’s hand, suppressing my words, and asked for her help seriously.
Of course, Kaiden had gone out to gather firewood, so I had no excuse to avoid Asdal.
“Miss Flone! What on earth are you doing?”
Minefielddal finally came down the stairs to the second floor to find me.
“What’s going on? Why would the crown prince look for Margaret?”
Then, miraculously, Enoch appeared. He must have been on a scouting mission far away, as he had just returned to the hut.
Like a daughter greeting her returning father after being scolded, I ran out to welcome him.
“Why are you so late?”
Enoch looked at me in surprise, then naturally patted my head.
‘…Huh? What’s this?’
I hadn’t asked for head pats.
I awkwardly smoothed my hair, then turned back to Asdal’s call.
“Miss.”
Asdal, who had somehow come right up to me, tilted his head while looking between me and Enoch.
Being close, I noticed his face more clearly.
Asdal was the second most influential male lead after the main protagonist, Enoch, and of course, he was handsome.
If I were to compare, his looks were refined like a bygone-era Leonardo DiCaprio—a fairy-tale prince.
But, as expected, good looks were utterly useless for survival.
Unable to hide my annoyance, I asked Asdal:
“Why did you call me?”
“There’s a suspicious insect in my room. You seem good at catching insects. Oh, please save the poor, fragile crown prince.”
Asdal claimed, without blinking, to be a fragile crown prince. I was dumbfounded.
‘And what’s a suspicious insect? How can an insect even be suspicious?’
