Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Short Hair and an Unexpected Visitor
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If she agreed, Enoch might get on edge, so Rachel shook her head.
“No, I saw it earlier while looking for the broom.”
“I see.”
The two picked up their clothes and headed to the bathhouse, parting ways at the entrance.
After washing up, Rachel returned to Henri’s room. Enoch was drying his damp silver hair, which was disheveled—unlike its usual calm, settled state.
It was rare to see him so unkempt. He always appeared neat and tidy, with the exception of after sparring with Evelyn.
She hadn’t been particularly moved by the sight of the refined, ascetic-looking pretty boy covered in dirt, but for some reason today, her gaze lingered on his face.
“Want me to help dry your hair?”
Noticing Rachel’s stare, Enoch lifted his head from wiping away the moisture and asked.
Meeting his eyes, Rachel shook her head vigorously.
“No, I can do it myself.”
“With no maids around, won’t it be tough?”
Enoch had a point. Having lived as Rachel for so long, she’d grown accustomed to the maids’ assistance.
Rachel touched her own hair, then looked for a mirror. Her fine golden locks seemed like they’d turn frizzy if not properly cared for.
In the original story, Rachel’s hair had lost its luster and was tangled—just like now.
‘Tangles would be a hassle. But I can’t keep asking Enoch to help every time while we’re in the capital, right?’
Once she made up her mind, it didn’t take long to act. Rachel turned and walked toward the desk.
Enoch watched her curiously as she suddenly headed to the desk from the mirror, then his eyes widened in shock.
She was holding scissors in her hand.
“Rachel!”
Before Enoch could stop her, a thick lock of golden hair was snipped off. Rachel casually brushed the clippings from her hands.
“Short hair will dry faster and be easier to manage, right?”
“Wasn’t that precious hair you’d been growing for so long?”
“Not anymore.”
Rachel replied matter-of-factly.
Hair grows back. She didn’t place much importance on it.
Long hair just meant more shampoo and water, longer drying times, and using a hairdryer or fan in a rush—which hiked up the electric bill. In her modest life, long hair was a luxury.
She’d only kept it long after becoming Rachel because maids handled it. The original Rachel might have cherished her long golden hair, but it didn’t matter to her now.
“Don’t you feel bad about it?”
“Nope, it feels lighter—great, actually.”
Rachel shook the severed golden strands in her hand as she answered. Cutting her waist-length hair to above her shoulders made it feel incredibly light.
Enoch let out a shallow sigh at Rachel’s innocent response and extended his hand.
“Let me trim it for you. Hand over the scissors.”
“Gladly!”
To avoid dirtying the freshly cleaned floor, Rachel spread out a thin waterproof cloth and sat on it.
Enoch knelt down and began trimming her hair. The snip of the scissors tickled her ears, along with the sound of hair being cut.
His hands brushed her ears and neck, and each time, Enoch flinched slightly.
“It’s fine—relax.”
Rachel remained perfectly calm, even letting a man who wasn’t a stylist handle her hair.
She trusted Enoch not to hurt her. Even if he accidentally nicked her, he’d heal it right away.
But his touch as he trimmed her hair was exceedingly careful.
“Don’t temple service activities include this kind of thing?”
Before possessing this body, at the orphanage, volunteers would cut the children’s hair. Recalling that, Rachel asked.
“Yes. We’d cut hair for elderly folks who couldn’t move well or for patients.”
“So you’re experienced. Don’t be nervous—just cut.”
“But I’m not that good at it. If Rachel got hurt by my hands...”
“Relax. If I get hurt, you’ll heal me, right?”
Rachel laughed merrily to calm Enoch. Sure enough, his movements grew more natural afterward.
When she checked the mirror again, Rachel was satisfied. The bobbed golden hair looked perfectly natural, as if it had always been that way.
“You’re skilled! With your talents, Enoch, you’d never starve anywhere.”
Enoch smiled at Rachel’s words, as if finding her comment amusing.
“Yeah, I won’t starve.”
“That smile just now felt oddly ominous.”
“Must be your imagination.”
Enoch tried to brush it off with a laugh. Rachel glared at him before raising both hands in surrender, as if giving up.
“Fine, since you trimmed my hair so nicely, I’ll let it slide this time.”
“Thank you.”
Rachel gathered the silver coins she’d received earlier. As she headed out, a sudden thought struck her.
‘Is Karl in the kitchen right now?’
She’d met him later in the previous loop. But cooking took time, so maybe he was there now.
“Shall we stop by the kitchen first?”
“As you wish, Rachel.”
They headed to the kitchen. But no one was there.
‘He’s not here.’
The date was the same, so it seemed Rachel had arrived earlier than him this time.
“There are ingredients—want to cook here?”
Enoch pointed to the piled-up vegetables and asked.
The food originally meant for Flora House residents had been left abandoned since they were summoned to the castle days ago and hadn’t returned. It wouldn’t spoil in a few days, but freshness would suffer.
“Sure. Cooking with fresh ingredients is probably what the farmers who grew these veggies hoped for!”
Rationalizing it that way, Rachel approached the vegetables. Just then, the closed window rattled open.
Enoch pushed Rachel behind him and reached for his sword hilt. Tension filled the air. As they braced for an intruder climbing through the window, a head of red hair popped up outside.
Soon, with only the window between them, Enoch and the man’s eyes met.
“Uh.”
One of them let out a dumbstruck sound. The face that had risen above the window sill dropped back down, and Enoch rushed to the window, extending his arm.
“Grab my arm and climb up!”
“Uh, uh!”
Rachel hurriedly grabbed Enoch’s waist. The person crawling through the window was none other than Karl.
For some reason, he’d been startled by Enoch’s face and nearly fallen, but Enoch had caught him.
Karl gripped Enoch’s arm and climbed up slowly. Once he hooked his foot on the window, Rachel let go of Enoch and grabbed Karl’s leg.
Finally, Karl’s body cleared the window and he collapsed onto the floor.
“Almost went to say hi to big brother.”
Karl muttered to himself, clearly shaken. Then he turned his head and looked at Enoch.
“Why are you here?”
“There’s someone else. Watch your words.”
Karl, who had been grilling Enoch, finally noticed Rachel at his words.
“She doesn’t look like temple folk.”
“Enoch, you know him?”
Rachel was surprised the two knew each other. She hadn’t seen any connection between them.
“Yes.”
Enoch replied with a stiff expression. Karl stood up, running a hand through his hair as he answered.
“We know each other very well. Anyway, who’s the lady? First time seeing you.”
“Rachel Emporus. My father works at the palace.”
Hearing her introduction, he tapped his temple with his right index finger.
“Emporus... Emporus... Ah, that pitch-black doctor guy?”
“That’s right.”
“Wow, small world. That gruff guy had such a cute daughter?”
The man knew not just Enoch, but Henri too.
He seemed a few years older than Enoch. Yet his speech toward the elder Henri treated him like a subordinate. Thus, Karl was nobility.
‘His tone’s flippant, but he can’t hide the ingrained etiquette.’
“So why climb through the window?”
Enoch asked. It was what Rachel wanted to know too. He’d jumped out a window last time, but she hadn’t expected him to climb in one too.
Karl rubbed the back of his neck, averting his gaze.
“It’s convenient?”
“Even if convenient, for someone of your station!”
“No, no. We can’t talk status here. Even sent to the temple, you’re...!”
“I’m just a lowly priest!”
As Karl started to say something, Enoch shouted. It was like a desperate attempt to shut him up, making Rachel blink in surprise. Enoch quickly checked her reaction.
“Rachel, you’re not startled, right?”
“No, I’m fine.”
She pretended it was nothing, but she was shocked. She’d never seen Enoch so agitated.
“I see. Just a lowly priest.”
Karl stroked his chin, muttering Enoch’s words.
“So why’s lowly priest here?”
“I have my reasons. What about you?”
“Hungry?”
Despite his refined air, Karl used crude speech that furrowed Enoch’s brow.
“You came here because you’re hungry? Does that make sense?”
Rachel stared, fascinated, at the usually composed Enoch getting worked up over every little thing Karl said.
Ignoring them, Karl glanced around, spotted the vegetables, and headed over.
“Lemme borrow some. Haven’t eaten properly in three days.”
“No, of all people—”
“Poisoned.”
As Enoch seemed about to lecture, Karl cut in with a single word.
That shut Enoch up.
“Can’t eat food or drink freely because of it. Figured whoever did it hasn’t touched this place yet, so I came. If you’re not helping, shut up. I’m starving.”
Perhaps due to hunger, Karl snapped at Enoch sarcastically.
Rachel beat him to the vegetables.
“I’ll help with cooking, so tell me more details. Sounds like you know what’s going on inside the castle.”
“Hey, lady—out of curiosity, you don’t know me?”
Rachel snorted at his baseless confidence that everyone should know him.
“Nope, no idea.”
“Your face says you’re that black doctor’s daughter, alright.”
“So who are you?”
Karl glanced between Rachel and Enoch. Enoch shook his head faintly.
Karl answered casually.
“Just a guy who reads books in the castle.”
“The librarian?”
“Nah, but I’m friends with the librarians.”
“A scholar then?”
“You could say that.”
“And awfully young for one.”
“I’m smart.”
Rachel realized where his confidence came from.
Becoming a scholar in the palace at a young age was enough to make anyone arrogant.
“But is it okay for you to be here? All castle staff were summoned.”
“That’s why I sneaked out. Gonna eat and go. So stop questioning and move?”
Karl thrust out his rumbling stomach. Rachel nodded and grabbed a few pumpkins.
“So what should I call you?”
In the previous loop, he’d told her to call him Karl, but since she hadn’t heard an introduction yet this time, she asked deliberately.
Karl answered while picking up potatoes and carrots.
“Karl.”
He gave the same name as before.
Enoch’s lips parted in surprise at the name. Karl teased him.
“Sticks nice to the tongue, doesn’t it?”
He tossed an onion at Enoch, who caught it with a shallow sigh.
“Do as you like.”