"Lucy, are you preparing your husband's lunch already?"
Lucy was startled by the words of the maid Lisa, who came out carrying a laundry basket.
"Don't say that, Auntie! Colin is the lord's son and I'm the daughter of a pharmacy! If the Lord hears it, he may not like it!"
"Small things are so worrying!"
Like the inspiration Tom, Aunt Lisa also said with a laugh.
"Is there anyone in this village who doesn't know that the lord chose you as a daughter-in-law?"
Oh my gosh!
Lucy left the place with her face red.
Everyone is crazy! How can you think I'm going to marry Colin?
Lucy always said, 'It's ridiculous.' ' he muttered and hurried his steps.
But when he remembered Baron Connor's particularly sweet smile at her recently, Lucy was terrified that he had really marked him as Colin's mate.
I never want to marry Colin!
Lucy shook her head.
Colin was the same age as her, but he was an inch shorter. Growing up together since childhood, he was nothing like a younger brother who had seen everything he could not see.
A scene unfolded spontaneously in her mind as she frowned.
… … In the distant future, Lucy became an adult. She is cooking for her husband in the kitchen of a small and cute newlywed house. Then someone sneaks up behind her and hugs her... … .
Is it Colin?
Whoa!
She trembled. I had goosebumps all over my body.
It was as bizarre as watching the grilled chicken I was holding suddenly jumped up and danced on the floor.
Colin never does!
She pounded the nail with a determined face.
Yeah, I'd rather have Hans' brother at the forge. He's a lot more mature than Colin, and he sometimes fixes the fence in our house, and he greets me well.
Lucy remembered Hans, the eldest son of the village blacksmith. Now at the age of fourteen, he was taller than his peers and had a fairly confident physique.
Anyway, I have to tell my mother in advance. Even if the baron says he wants to take me, say no!
when she thinks like that.
"Lucy!"
Just then, Colin's voice was heard.
After all, chickens smell like ghosts.
Colin, who saw her entering the mansion, ran out.
Before Colin, who had been running for a month, could say anything, Lucy held out a bowl and spoke first.
"Come on, Grandma told me to give it to you. bring it to the kitchen I'll just go."
Who would see him with Colin, Lucy quickly handed him the bowl and tried to leave. But for some reason, Colin grabbed Lucy's arm with a face that he didn't care about grilled chicken.
"Why, why!"
"Now that doesn't matter!"
Colin shuddered and pulled at her, almost dropping the bowl.
"Do you know who is here now?"
Colin asked excitedly. Then he shouted the answer without giving me a chance to answer.
"Great Aunt Triana is here! He told me to take a tour of Bethel!"
"What?"
Lucy's eyes widened at the word Bethel.
"The capital, the capital! Where His Majesty the Emperor lives!"
Colin was so excited that he jumped from his seat holding Lucy. Because of that, the grilled chicken also jumped out of the bowl.
Lucy didn't even notice the grilled chicken that was barely hanging on the bowl, and only her lips were wide open.
Bethel, capital of the Beros Empire.
For Lucy, who has never left her hometown in her entire life, a place that feels as far and far away as the fairy world.
I've only heard about it from my dad a few times. It was a far-off place that could only be reached in ten days west by horse-drawn carriage.
A place where majestic buildings are lined up, and people lively roam even at night.
"When we go to Bethel, we will start with the Imperial Palace! Visit Bethel Square! Visit the market too! There must be so many amazing things that cannot be compared to the market here!"
"Wow!"
Lucy's mouth widened in admiration at Colin's cascading words. Her eyes, which had been fresh until recently, were filled with envy.
"I envy you… … . I want to go too!"
"What are you talking about! Of course you should go too!"
Colin's eyes widened and shouted at her muffled mumble.
"really?"
Lucy's eyes grew bigger than Colin's.
"Can I follow you?"
"Of course! My father even asked my great aunt to take you with me!"
At that, Lucy paused.
Lucy's eyes narrowed that the lord had brought up the story first. The intentions were very questionable.
Wouldn't you have to follow along and then really marry Colin?
Lucy thought with a rather serious face.
But in her mind, the splendor and beauty of Bethel unfolded uncontrollably.
Besides, if it is not for this opportunity, I don't know when I will be able to visit the capital.
Travel was a rare opportunity for a country girl. So, when the opportunity came, I had to seize it and not miss it.
"Come on! Let's go say hello to your great aunt too!"
Colin grabbed Lucy's hand. She pretended to be dragged reluctantly and followed meekly.
My heart was pounding wildly. She was so surprised and excited by this sudden offer of travel that the grandmother's grilled chicken in her hand had already been pushed out of interest.
* * *
Colin's great-aunt, Mrs. Triana, was a cool and ferocious person. Sitting on the sofa with a relaxed posture, she smiled cheerfully as soon as she saw Lucy who had followed Colin into the drawing room, and asked for a handshake.
"Ohh! You are the doctor's daughter! When I visited 10 years ago, I had an upset stomach, and the gentleman fixed it in an instant!"
She pulled Lucy and sat her next to her. Lucy, suppressed by his wife's arrogant energy, shrugged her shoulders and looked only at the front with a tense face.
"Yes, have you ever been to the capital?"
Lucy quietly shook her head at the wife's question.
"Collin and Lucy have never left Brom yet, Auntie."
said Baron Connor, who was sitting across from Mrs. Triana.
"never? That!"
The woman clicked her tongue with a sad expression on her face.
"Of course Brom is a nice place. The air is clean and the people are good. Who would think that this place was a place of war?"
Brom was one of the areas where there was a territorial dispute with the neighboring country, the Lausanne Kingdom, until 50 years ago, when the former emperor Milios reorganized the eastern border.
But now, the traces of the war remained only beyond the distant memories of the old people.
Mrs. Triana continued her conversation while looking out the window at the peaceful and calm scenery.
"It is a great blessing to be born and raised in a village like this. But once in a while, you have to go out into the bigger world and experience life. Country girls are no exception."
She turned to Lucy. Despite her strong impression, her eyes that gleamed with kindness looked at Lucy.
"Travel is so important to life! Sometimes it can change a person's life completely."
A bigger world... … . travel… … .
Lucy's eyes twinkled and she repeated her wife's words. Just dreaming of a trip made my heart flutter.
Mrs. Triana was quick to make decisions just as much as her personality. A visit to Brom was the end of her eastern journey, and she said she would take Colin and Lucy with her on the day she returned to the capital.
Upon hearing the great news, Lucy tried to calm her excitement and politely greeted his wife, and then left the drawing room. And as soon as the door closed, I quickly ran home.
"Grandma! mom! Dad!"
Lucy swung the door open and found her family. I had to tell everyone this great news.
Upon hearing that Mrs. Triana had agreed to take Lucy to the capital, Grandma and Dad celebrated together with joy.
"That's great! I have never been to the capital."
Dad said with a face as excited as Lucy. But the mother quickly turned a worried face.
"well. Lucy is still ten years old. It's a little too far to send... … ."
However, even she, who had a hard time giving consent, seemed to have changed her mind as soon as she saw Mrs. Triana's travel wagon.
The four-horse chariot was the highest quality that could not be seen in this area, and the inside was quite spacious. Moreover, after seeing the knights escorting the wagons standing next to them, Lucy's mother gave her permission to travel with a more relieved expression.
A few days later, Lucy got into the gigantic wagon with a small luggage bag. Colin was with him. Outside the window Grandma, Mom, Dad, and Baron Connor stood and waved their hands into the carriage.
Unlike Colin, who waved with an excited face, Lucy sat stiffly with an awkward face and raised her hand.
It was my first trip and I was very nervous and excited.
* * *
Mrs. Triana's carriage was very large, and the chairs were soft. However, it was unavoidable that the body became tired on the long trip.
Nevertheless, Lucy was still excited and happy. This is because, even though the body is hard, the scenery that makes it impossible to take your eyes off the window is constantly unfolding.
What if you don't feel any excitement when you arrive in the capital after seeing these beautiful sights in advance?
I was worried about that.
But that was kind of worrying.
The tenth day after leaving Brom.
Lucy, who finally arrived at Bethel, couldn't keep her mouth shut at the magnificent and dazzling sight. It was such a remarkable appearance that, somehow, Colin wanted to be quiet, so when he turned around, he too had his mouth wide open and couldn't say anything.