Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: The Fiber Worm Fright
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Sipping on cool glasses of fruit juice we'd bought, we stepped into a street lined with rows of tightly packed tents.
Merchants had gathered there, running all sorts of betting games.
"Oh, that looks fun. Wanna give it a try?"
Lark pointed at one of them with an intrigued tone.
[For just 50 silver, a chance to win up to 10 gold in prizes!]
[Trust your sense of touch!]
Several boxes covered in black silk cloth sat on the stall, and behind the merchant, the prizes were on display.
From cheap stuffed dolls to pendants that genuinely looked worth around 10 gold...
"Let's play a game."
"Oh, come on in."
Lark plopped down on the stool in front of the stall and tossed down a gold coin.
Up close, there were five boxes, each labeled with its prize. I pointed to the one on the far left, marked [Pendant worth 10 gold].
"You stick your hand in the hole, feel what's inside, and guess what it is, right?"
"Yep, that's right. But the 10-gold one is a bit tricky, and, well, might be scary for a lady to try?"
"I can handle it even if I can't win!"
Lark snickered at my enthusiasm.
"Let's see..."
I thrust my hand into the hole in the box, and something squishy touched my fingers. It even had fuzzy bits.
'Hmm... The kind of texture that would make a girl scream and yank her hand out. No wonder he warned me it's scary.'
It felt just like a bug. The merchant met my eyes and grinned slyly.
"It's squishy. Round and bumpy, about fist-sized, several stuck together, with fuzz on them..."
"Yes, that's right?"
For some reason, the merchant tensed up at my calm expression.
"Hee hee hee... Feels just like an adult fiber worm?"
"Eek!"
The merchant jumped. Or at least pretended to.
'Heh, who are you trying to fool?'
I'd seen fiber worms a few times while seriously getting into the clothing business.
There was a type like silkworms used for spinning thread—exactly this. But way uglier than silkworms. I never wanted to see them again.
I hadn't touched one myself, but it sure felt just like I'd imagined.
'But they wouldn't actually put real bugs in there.'
No way they'd risk dainty customers freaking out with actual big bugs. The warning from the start, and it had to be a trick.
'This guy's got some serious poker face skills.'
Praising the merchant's acting in my mind, I casually pulled my hand out.
"It feels like a bug!"
"...Like a bug?"
"But actually, it's a fuzzy rubber ball!"
"Oh nooo!"
The merchant smacked his forehead and burst into a bright grin.
"Wrong!"
"Huh? Then what is it?"
Rubbing his hands with a sly chuckle, the merchant whipped off the black silk cloth.
And there it was...
Near the head, shiny black eyes rolling around clearly, and two jagged fangs that looked ferocious despite being harmless.
"Aaaaaah!"
...A real fiber worm.
"Aaaaaah! Ack! Aaaaaah!"
"Ow, my ears."
The merchant clutched his ears in panic at the deafening scream.
Wait, did I mention?
"Aaaaaah!"
I hate bugs more than anything in the world.
"You're insaneeee!"
My head spun, vision blurring. I'd just touched that thing.
I whipped around and reflexively tackled Lark, who was still sitting, throwing my arms around him.
"Ru, Ruby?"
Straddling his lap with my legs spread wide, clinging tight—it was mortifying, but I had no room to care right now.
"Ack! Aaaaaah! I touched it! I touched thaaat!"
"Okay, I get it! Calm down! Just calm down!"
Clinging to the flustered, flailing Lark, I thrashed wildly on his lap.
Sure, someone might say I'm overreacting to just touching a bug once, but anyone who'd seen a fiber worm's appearance wouldn't blame me.
I'd even fainted at the sight of a cockroach before—I despise bugs that much...
"Huaaaah..."
"Stop, stop. You're not gonna cry, are you? It's okay, it's fine."
Just imagining the bug staring at my back made goosebumps erupt all over me.
I trembled and burrowed deeper into Lark's embrace.
"Um, excuse me? I need to do business here, and you're doing this in broad daylight? The inns are that way..."
An annoying voice from the merchant cut in.
"Ruby, calm down a bit. And, uh, ahem. Wanna get down?"
"Sob, sniff..."
Lark tried to soothe me, stiff as a board, but my heart wouldn't settle.
I'd start to get off, but then flinch at the thought of twisting and locking eyes with the bug, clinging back to him for several minutes.
"Ahem. Let's cover the box again. My girl's too scared."
"Aw, sure thing."
The merchant snickered. Soon, the rustle of silk came as he covered the box again.
Lark, who had me practically pinned in his tight hold, stiffly stroked my back with a rigid hand.
"It's covered now. Can't see it."
"R-Really?"
"Yeah."
"N-No bug?"
"...There is one, but you can't see it, so it's fine."
"Sniff."
I forced myself not to look back as I slid off his lap. The moment I did, he shot to his feet.
"That was fun. Sell a lot—"
I plastered myself to his side as he greeted the merchant, and he froze mid-sentence.
"—and good luck. We're off."
"Heh heh, young love is sweet. One more game?"
"No thanks. Use the change to buy bug food."
"Aaaaaah!"
The merchant laughed as I reacted again to the bug's rustle, and Lark shook his head like he couldn't do anything with me.
* * *
"You can't just plop down on a guy's lap like that."
"Ugh, sorry. But I was really shocked. I could've died of a heart attack."
By now, the sun was dipping low in the heart of the capital after enjoying the festival for another half day.
Lark fussed over me at intervals like a worried big brother.
"You'll see bugs plenty in life, and if you freak out every time, you'll end up on some random guy's lap?"
"But bugs are really scary. I even fainted from a cockroach once."
"Whoa... This is bad. Lubon villa's in the mountains, tons of bugs there."
"...You're right."
Lark chattered nonstop, worried or not, about sending a bug extermination service to Lubon or whatever.
I'd never seen him so talkative—I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Don't laugh. I'm serious."
"Yeah, yeah. I'm laughing 'cause it's nice."
"You're getting a lecture—what's nice about it?"
Grumbling, Lark suddenly stopped walking.
"Oh no."
"Huh? What's up?"
I soon found out why. About 5 meters ahead, Joe's gang of thugs was heading our way.
'Ugh. Them again.'
Lark glanced around, grabbed my hand, and yanked me into a narrow alley between buildings.
Barely wide enough for one person. He shoved me to the end, then stood in front, back to the alley entrance.
"Those guys are persistent, huh?"
Snickering, Lark took off his mask, peeled mine off too, and whispered while holding his breath.
"Just stay like this a sec."
"..."
He braced a hand on the wall behind me and leaned in like he was about to kiss me.
"Ah..."
The unintended closeness and his handsome face fully revealed stole my breath.
"Where'd those bastards go~!"
"Ah, Joe! Give it up already!"
Noise from outside the alley grew closer, but I barely noticed.
"Shh."
All my attention was on Lark, who pressed his face close to mine, grinning like sneaky lovers hiding for a kiss...
"What the?"
Joe's voice came from the alley end. Luckily, Lark blocked me from view.
Thump thump.
Whether from tension of getting caught or something else, my heart suddenly raced.
Unlike my rigid tension, Lark's face stayed relaxed and smiling.
"Argh! Why are there so many couples sticking together in broad daylight?!"
"Whoo! Hey! Inns are that way! No matter how busy, not here!"
They hadn't spotted us and jeered as they peered in, then moved off.
"Th-They're gone."
"Yeah. Idiots."
Muttering, Lark didn't move to leave—instead, he kept his face close, chuckling.
"Let's go now?"
"Nah, can't let our guard down. Wait till they're really gone."
"Hm, um..."
No choice—we had to endure this awkward position and mood a bit longer.
And this mischievous guy seemed to notice my embarrassment. He persistently met my gaze even as I tried to look away.
"Thanks, for today."
"...For what?"
"For hanging out with me?"
"Uh, no biggie. I had fun too."
Our noses nearly brushed, breaths mingling.
The mood turned strange as conversation lapsed. And Lark's unwavering gaze fixed on me.
Like we'd made a promise, we held each other's entranced stares, unwilling to break away.
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