29. Bloom (9)
29. Blooming (9)
"Young Lady! The table at the end wants this!"
"Got it."
Taking the plate of food from Berry, I served it to the innermost table.
The first-floor tables of the inn were completely full.
They said they'd only eaten simple dried foods on their way here, so of course they'd want proper meals.
And naturally, while serving, following Berry-yang's instructions, I subtly exposed my chest.
"Whew~, hey miss, aren't you on the menu?"
"Hahaha! You must be pretty lonely, eh?"
Of course, actions have consequences.
Naturally, I couldn't avoid the sexual harassment from what appeared to be guards.
At first, I consistently ignored them.
There was no reason to engage with such low-class behavior.
But even after ignoring them several times, their sexual harassment only grew worse.
"Get me a glass of water here!"
"Can you clear these plates over here?"
I could readily handle minor requests like these.
Except that the reason they made these requests was entirely to sneak glances at my body.
Of course, as someone employed by the inn, even though I clearly knew their intentions, I had no choice but to endure.
However, one of the men who'd been harassing me finally crossed the line.
Just as I was about to return to the main hall with the requested plates,
-Squish!
"Whoa! This lady's ass is fantastically bouncy!"
If it had just been words, I wouldn't have gotten this angry.
I immediately grabbed his hand and twisted it.
Crrack!
"·····Huh? Ah, aah!"
"Hmph, consider yourself lucky it was just one hand."
That was sincere.
If Sir Evernoir had been watching, his head would have flown off right then and there.
But it didn't look good to others.
They didn't know my identity.
They seemed wary that a mere country girl had enough strength to break a guard's wrist.
"How dare this bitch!"
Finally, the warriors nearby kicked back their chairs and stood up, starting to surround me.
Clearly, they were in the wrong first, so I stood my ground.
No, perhaps it was due to the Imperial Family's teachings.
Those teachings that said even if you die by an enemy soldier's hand, never bow your head.
"What's going on here?"
The noisy establishment fell silent in an instant, and a man who appeared to be the Merchant Leader approached.
At the man's appearance, a nearby guy explained everything.
"Is that true?"
"·······."
Of course, leaving out everything that bastard had done first.
"That's absurd. You're painting her as a complete thug."
I confidently explained all the details that had been omitted from that explanation.
Then the man who'd first explained to the Merchant Leader started looking nervous.
The man who'd groped me was also fidgeting uneasily, so it seemed they were in cahoots.
"If that's true, I can't let this stand."
"W, wait a moment, Merchant Leader-nim!"
The sly-looking guy next to him began trying to persuade the Merchant Leader.
"You see, the truth is that slut seduced him first!"
"Ha?"
"That slut showed her chest to our hyung-nim, and she was subtly shaking her ass to seduce him!"
The moment I heard that, I was speechless.
That was no longer an excuse.
But even so, the Merchant Leader remained silent, just listening quietly.
Even the so-called witnesses were in on it, so no matter how much I defended myself, it would be hard to determine the truth.
"Tch."
Does this mean I'm at a disadvantage?
I couldn't reveal my identity as the Princess here either.
Even if I did, whether they'd believe me was the problem.
At this rate, wouldn't I just become some woman who seduced a man and then twisted his wrist?
If the Merchant Leader sides with them like this, what should I do?
Even if I pay the price, how would I pay it, and the reason would undoubtedly be hard to accept.
In the end, I'd have to either leave or shed blood.
Even if I called for Sir Evernoir, it was obvious it wouldn't be resolved peacefully.
"Merchant Leader-nim! We need to restrain that slut so she doesn't run away···!"
"Enough. I roughly understand the situation."
The Merchant Leader cut off the man's words.
So blood is thicker than water after all?
Just as I was preparing to defend myself since I couldn't be captured like this,
"If that woman seduced you first, then it's true that you laid hands on her buttocks, correct?"
"Huh? Ah, yes·····, that's true, but really···-"
"Shut up. I clearly stated when I contracted with you all that I would hold you responsible if the caravan's reputation was damaged."
The Merchant Leader spoke while brushing back his hair as if annoyed.
His voice was cold and emotionless, like he was looking at ants.
"You have tarnished my caravan's reputation. Therefore, I dismiss both of you from your guard positions here. Simultaneously, you will no longer be able to travel with our caravan from now on."
"Wh, what the·····?"
"Do you think the other guards aren't touching her because they don't want to? You should have read the contract carefully."
The bewildered man looked around at the unexpected outcome, and naturally, the adventurers and mercenaries who had been guarding with him until just moments ago gave him pitying looks.
They must have been looking at the woman's body and laughing and talking together.
Those bastards couldn't have been any different from him.
"Y, you guys did it too!"
"That is merely your personal character, but 'acting' on it becomes the action of my caravan. Take them away."
""Yes!""
"Y, you, motherfuckers···! Aah!"
Finally, the two men were escorted out of the establishment by the Merchant Leader's guards.
I definitely thought he would take their side.
His decision was very unexpected.
But that didn't mean this was over.
"Then the problem is you."
"····?"
"Why so flustered? Did you seduce those bastards?"
"Wh, what. How could that be···!"
"I don't particularly care whether you seduced those bastards or did anything else."
Then why?
Wasn't it over since the incident was resolved truthfully?
The moment I thought that, the Merchant Leader's words finally came to mind.
'I don't care if you seduced them or not.'
That meant his dismissal of those bastards from their guard positions wasn't because of me.
So ultimately, he wants something from me too.
"·······What do you want."
"Hoh, quite sharp."
I see, something he wants.
The Merchant Leader, who had been muttering briefly to himself, looked around and spoke.
"Because of those bastards, my caravan's reputation has fallen. Clearly, the fault lies with them····, but in my view, your attire isn't without reason either."
"·····Ugh."
I couldn't deny that.
From the beginning, Berry had given me these clothes to wear and taught me movements that subtly emphasized my chest and buttocks.
Of course, thanks to that, they ordered more food and drinks, which boosted the establishment's sales.
I just never expected something like this to happen.
"So I, as Merchant Leader, need to restore our fallen reputation. Reputation is passed from mouth to mouth among those present here, so I must satisfy those present."
"········Your preamble is long. Get to the point."
"Take off your top."
···
·····
"········Haa?"
What on earth is this man saying?
To boost the caravan's reputation, he suddenly tells me to take off my clothes.
"·····So you're no different from those bastards after all."
I looked at the Merchant Leader with a contemptuous gaze.
But even so, he didn't waver from his intention.
"That's because you're attractive. Look around. Aren't they all expecting it?"
"While they were clearly in the wrong, from my perspective, I've just lost two guards, so the financial loss is significant. I've already made my decision and administered punishment. So can you cover the financial loss?"
"··········."
"I'm making a proposal. The loss you need to repay, and this atmosphere that's grown cold because of it—I'm offering a chance to change it just by giving these people some eye candy."
The Merchant Leader, true to being a merchant, had incredible speaking skills.
There was nothing wrong with what he said.
As Merchant Leader, he simply made the most rational choice.
And that, under the assumption that he didn't know I was the Princess.
But as I said before, even if I revealed I was the Princess, I had no way to prove it.
Plus, I had no money to cover the financial loss.
"·······Sigh."
He was clearly a competent Merchant Leader.
He seemed to do business conscientiously without overcharging, and had sufficient qualities as a leader.
But why did it have to be me experiencing this?
If it weren't for who I am, that Merchant Leader would have seemed like remarkable talent.
The gazes of the surrounding guards (all male) simultaneously turned toward me.
If before they were sneakily stealing glances, now they were openly staring holes through me.
But I had no other choice.
If I refused even this, I might face retaliation from them.
Swish.
Slip.
"·····Keugh. Is this enough."
""Oh, oooh!""
In the end, I took off my top.
The pink fruits were completely exposed.
Naturally, I wasn't wearing underwear.
They didn't sell underwear that could handle my chest in this small village.
"Merchant Leader-nim, you're the best!"
"Noona, you're really lewd! You weren't even wearing underwear?"
"Wow, shit! I want to squeeze between those just once!"
Perhaps because they were drunk, the guards threw various lewd comments at me.
"No, well. I assumed you were wearing underwear of course····."
"Keugh···!"
Thanks to that, my face turned red beyond blushing to a searing crimson.
They enjoyed my appearance even more.
A woman being humiliated was the ultimate stimulation for men.
But no man came to grope me directly.
Probably because they'd seen a proper example earlier, and they couldn't afford to lose their pay after coming this far.
"Huff, huff. Princess···?"
And the man watching this scene from outside the window,
while his heart was cracking, was also making his lower body grow even larger.
It was none other than Baman.