I Became a Tyrant’s Maid - Chapter 56

Just like in the novels, the inn was bustling with adventurers in all sorts of strange outfits.

Amidst it all, the sound of a bard’s song.

And the wafting aroma of delicious food.

I held my head in both hands and thought.

‘What kind of ridiculous hybrid is this-!’

This isn’t a fantasy story, it’s a romance fantasy.

But why is there a bald, one-eyed man overturning a drinking table, and a crazy long-haired archer shooting arrows from there?

“It’s a mess.”

As he said, it really was a mess.

Thanks to Calix’s solid physique and good looks, at least no one was picking a fight with us. Usually in 2000s fantasy novels, there’s always a group that comes to provoke the main characters, so this was fortunate.

Of course.

Who would dare to challenge someone who safely brought out even an unconscious person from a collapsing cave?

“Shall we go somewhere quieter next time?”

To my question, Calix sat crookedly and answered while looking at the food being served.

“There’s always a reason why a place is crowded.”

I opened my eyes wide and looked at the food that came out.

What Calix ordered was freshly baked bread from a stone oven and a dish of vegetables, lamb, and beef skewered on a large iron spit and grilled.

Unlike in Posnia, various seasonings were applied to the meat, making it smell fragrant.

“Oh. You’re right, really.”

Seeing the skewered meat dripping with juices, I couldn’t help but salivate.

It looked like something between kebab and shashlik.

I tried wrapping the meat in bread and dipping it in cream.

There was indeed a reason why it was crowded.

“Oh my. It’s so delici- hic.”

It was the most delicious food I’d had in months.

Tears welled up involuntarily. It felt like fireworks were going off in my taste buds.

“It doesn’t seem to be poisoned.”

Calix looked dumbfounded, but I nonchalantly held out my fork.

“Aren’t you going to eat? Should I feed you?”

Calix flinched at my provocation.

I flashed a triumphant smile and pushed the fork towards him.

“Say ah. Ah~.”

You think you’re the only one who can tease, but I’m good at this too, you know.

Was my acting a bit too much?

People’s gazes briefly turned towards us, and Calix finally opened his mouth with a flustered face and ate the meat.

“Oh my, my husband eats so well.”

At that, Calix leaned in close to me and said warningly.

“Do you really have to go that far?”

“Ah, I thought Your Highness ordered me to act faithfully…”

When I put on a dejected expression, Calix, with an annoyed look, stabbed a piece of meat from his plate with his fork and held it up to my mouth.

“Ah.”

And he smiled, but it was a murderous smile that would be hard to withstand unless you had quite a sturdy liver.

But my liver is very strong!

I haven’t touched alcohol since possessing this body!

“Kyaa, looks delicious.”

I ate the meat Calix offered while giggling, and he retreated with the expression of a strong defeated person.

“You seem to quite like Desart’s food.”

“It’s more delicious than I expected. Especially the stone oven-baked bread is so good.”

While Desart basically has a desert on its border, the capital area is on a Mediterranean-like coast, making it quite livable.

Perhaps because of that, the food supply seemed to be good as well.

“The olive oil is very fresh. I should buy a few bottles when we go back.”

I excitedly told him.

I thought it would be nice to buy about four bottles and give them as souvenirs to Aaron and Milla.

“Are you going to eat them all by yourself?”

Calix asked while elegantly cutting his meat.

“Ah, I was thinking of giving them as gifts.”

At that moment, his knife slipped and made a ‘tick’ sound as it hit the plate.

As this was a rare mistake for Calix, I looked at him with wide eyes.

“A gift? For whom? Don’t tell me you mean that good-for-nothing?”

I thought it wasn’t his business who I gave gifts to, but since we work together, I figured he might be curious.

By the way, what on earth did Aaron do for Calix to know him as a good-for-nothing?

How much must he have slacked off to be scolded by Teiron…

“Well, I’ll give some to that good-for-nothing, and some to colleagues I’m close with.”

At my words, Calix looked at me challengingly and asked.

“What about mine?”

“Pardon?”

Realizing how ridiculous his question was as soon as he said it, he awkwardly averted his gaze.

Is this an extension of the act…?

“You’re really trying to squeeze blood from a stone. We just bought clothes earlier. What more do you want to buy?”

Is, is this not right?

“Is there something else you want to buy?”

I asked, trying to gauge his reaction. Calix raised one eyebrow and said.

“Let’s buy a bottle of wine when we leave.”

Wine? Out of nowhere? I looked at him as if to say, “What are you talking about?” Then he smiled wickedly and said.

“To drink a bottle when we get home. Cozily. Just the two of us.”

And I made a resolution.

Never act up in front of him again.

***

“It’s on the house. Have a good night. Hehe.”

Strangely, unlike in Posnia, they seem to provide something akin to room service here.

Of course, we didn’t request it.

The innkeeper, whether he thought well of us or not, personally brought us a special wine and a basket of what seemed to be freshly harvested fruits. I could only scream silently at this.

Please, mind your own business, please!

Of course, I thanked him, but we’re not in that kind of relationship!

“Since it’s come to this, shall we have a drink?”

Meanwhile, this guy started pouring wine and explaining how this Desart wine is famous and whatnot.

“Haha, Your Highness, I tend not to drink while on duty. I appreciate the gesture, but I think it’s better not to accept.”

“On duty? Isn’t it your off-hours now?”

He smiled gently and handed me a glass, and I couldn’t refuse.

Damn it.

But wait a minute. Something felt off. As if I was forgetting something very important…

I scratched my head, feeling uneasy. And it didn’t take long to figure out the reason for this sense of déjà vu.

‘Rose is a minor!’

There was another problem. By local standards, Rose was already an adult, but by South Korean standards, she wasn’t yet. Whether to go by their standards or ours, it was quite a dilemma.

Calix, whether I was lost in thought or not, didn’t seem to care as he sat near the table, crossed his legs, and sipped his wine.

“What are you doing? Come and sit.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

In the end, I had no choice but to sit quietly in front of him.

The red wine suited Calix very well.

Honestly, with the slightly tired atmosphere from the long journey, he looked sexy to anyone who saw him.

Is this what they call the protagonist’s buff?

“Drink.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

I don’t know Rose’s alcohol tolerance. For fear of getting drunk too quickly, I only moistened my lips.

Perhaps because it was a local specialty, the wine’s flavor was indeed strong. A slight oak barrel scent rose and a bitter tannin taste spread in the mouth.

Though I wasn’t too fond of the side dishes that came with it.

“We plan to rent a carriage and head to the capital as soon as day breaks, so rest well tonight.”

Calix said, languidly leaning his head on the couch.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I suppose your body is fine now?”

At his question, I looked down at my body thoughtfully.

It seemed fine.

“I’m alright, but… I’m worried about whether Your Highness is okay.”

It had been two days since Calix fell into the water.

I heard that when someone falls into water, there’s a risk of dry drowning for about 48 hours. The water swallowed could slowly move to the lungs, causing suffocation.

“As you can see, I’m breathing well, not dizzy, and not tired.”

That was a relief. I was worried since there are no hospitals here, but he should be fine, right?

“Since we’re on the topic, let me ask you something.”

Calix put down his wine glass on the table with a thud and looked at me with sharp eyes.

I couldn’t help but gulp.

No matter how used to it I’ve become, when he looks at me like that, I get nervous.

“The ceiling of that lake was quite high. My heart had also completely stopped.”

I inhaled sharply, a bit surprised by Calix’s words.

How did he know his heart had stopped?

“Did you perhaps see a grim reaper in your dream, Your Highness?”

At my question, Calix’s face soured for a moment.

“What nonsense are you talking about? What reaper?”

Ah, there are no grim reapers here?

“It’s nothing, Your Highness. This humble one has read too many novels…”

Calix cleared his throat a few times, then regained his composure and asked.

“The dead cannot be revived. So how exactly did you save me?”