The Obsessive Maniac Is Trying To Confine Me Chapter 211 - Side Story Chapter 1

…Please, please.

I clasped my hands together and prayed desperately.

“Ah, please….”

…Oh God.

Even though I don’t have a religion, these days I keep finding myself looking for God so earnestly.

Why am I like this?

I looked at the place where the clumps of soil were gathered.

A sprout…

“…came out?”

At that moment, it felt like tears might well up in my eyes.

At last, a sprout had appeared.

I had succeeded in growing potatoes.

Still squatting down, I let out a silent cheer.

Just then, in the distance, I saw a head of silver hair walking toward me while carrying a heavy water bucket.

“Richard! Richard!”

Excited, I called his name. At my call, the man turned to look at me.

“What is it?”

“A sprout came out!”

“…Really?”

“Yes!”

When I showed my joy, a smile formed at the corner of his lips as well.

“It looks healthy.”

Richard said as he looked at the potato that had sprouted.

“Right?”

We crouched side by side and looked at the sprouted potato.

I clasped my hands together and prayed.

…Please grow well just like this.

I stood up from my spot.

“Now… now what was I supposed to do?”

I tried to recall what I had read in the book and searched through my memory. Since it was my first time farming potatoes, I had studied the materials diligently.

“…They said to cover it with soil. Right, hilling!”

A mound was a pile of soil scraped together from around the plant to support its roots or base.

As the plant grows, you cover the roots or lower stem with soil so it doesn’t fall over.

“Rose, if you cover it now, it will die.”

“Huh? Why? The book said if you hill it, the potatoes grow bigger….”

“That’s when the stem has grown about a hand span. If you cover it now, it can’t see sunlight and will suffocate.”

“Ah, right. That’s true.”

That was close to being dangerous.

“Let’s go inside and rest for today, Rose. You’ve been playing in the dirt all day.”

“But….”

“Tonight’s menu is something you like.”

At those words, I became interested.

I once worked in the kitchen of the Evantes family… but I wasn’t very good at cooking.

Just food for survival, something like that.

On the other hand, the food Richard made—even though he used to only swing a sword—was delicious every time. It was the kind of taste you wouldn’t get tired of even if you ate it every day, and the menu was always varied.

‘It even has all five nutrients balanced in it….’

“…Something spicy?”

“Moderately. It’ll ruin your stomach.”

The nagging came as a bonus.

“So what is it?”

“You’ll know when you go and see.”

He never tells me right away…

Still, there was a kind of fun in anticipating it. Like a puppy expecting roasted sweet potatoes, I trotted along after Richard into the cabin.

‘Come to think of it….’

We weren’t originally this close.

Until a year ago, it definitely…

<Don’t misunderstand, Richard. The reason I stay beside you is to purify your rampage.>

There was a time like that.

Time really does have a talent for breaking down everything.

Living alone with him on this cursed land, the walls between us slowly melted away.

‘…It’s already been a year.’

Time had passed frighteningly fast.

Before I knew it, it had been a year and six months since I settled on this cursed land.

 

 

****

 

 

 

So, a year and six months ago.

I returned to this world again.

My body in Korea had died, so I couldn’t go back anymore. Now I had to live completely as Rose.

…But the moment I returned to this world, I heard that Richard was on the verge of going berserk.

‘Back then it was really maddening.’

I came to the cursed land to save him, but…

The cursed land where we lived had nothing at all. It was desolate, not even a single blade of grass growing.

Even worse, Richard was a “Transcendent,” so his body wasn’t compatible with the cursed land.

So we worked hard on many things just to survive here.

We had to purify the land, create healthy soil where not even grass could grow, and besides that we built a house, made furniture…

…Yes. There was too much that happened.

Why did we have to settle in a place like this…

‘Because Richard and I are so famous outside.’

…And not in a good way.

Both of us had been wanted before and lived turbulent lives. Even now, Richard’s wanted status was still ongoing.

‘And technically I’m wanted too, I just haven’t been caught….’

…We were basically fugitives.

…From ‘those guys.’

Even though I decided to live in this world, I didn’t want to get caught up in whirlwinds anymore. I just wanted to live peacefully and leisurely.

So I decided to live with Richard on the cursed land.

Of course, even while making that decision, I didn’t like it.

…Do you know what kind of man this guy is!

He even imprisoned me before.

‘…But he saved me too.’

Several times, in fact.

And he was quite devoted to me.

That’s why I came all the way to the cursed land to save Richard.

In the end, what I chose was…

<I still… don’t like you.>

To be as wary of Richard as possible.

<You make me uncomfortable.>

I had to keep my guard up against him as much as possible.

To protect myself.

But after one year, that resolve collapsed.

Most likely…

“Is it good, Rose?”

“…Yes.”

Right. This enchanting food must have played a part too. He said he didn’t even add seasonings, so how does it taste like this?

‘…It’s really good.’

The tteokbokki Richard made.

About a year ago, maybe. I happened to mutter something like that in front of Richard.

Ramen, chicken, ice cream…

I probably did that quite a lot.

Then Richard asked what those were and asked for the recipes…

<…Does it really need that many peppers?>

<That’s what makes it tteokbokki.>

<Can’t you just add flour and stir-fry it a little?>

<…Are you serious?>

<Eating something that spicy is bad for your health.>

<That’s the whole point of eating it…?>

<…?>

We argued for quite a long time.

I had to explain why tteokbokki should be eaten spicy.

‘Honestly, the taste of people in this world.’

No, maybe modern people are the problem.

They eat terribly sweet and salty food. They’re excessively addicted to those dopamine-exploding flavors.

“I’ll wash the dishes, Richard.”

Before I knew it, I had cleaned my plate completely.

…It was so delicious.

Is this why I couldn’t even go on a hunger strike when he imprisoned me?

“It’s alright. I’ll do it. You should rest.”

“No, it’s fine. Richard, since you cooked, at least I should—”

“That’s enough.”

Richard stood up and cleared the plates before I could finish speaking.

I felt a little sorry.

The share of housework I did was way too small. No, didn’t it practically not exist?

‘At first it was nice.’

I didn’t even care whether Richard worked or not.

Because I disliked him.

But after living with him for a year, guilt slowly started to raise its head.

“You should rest.”

“It’s really okay….”

“Didn’t you say your hands get cold from the cold water?”

Richard looked at my hands with concern. Shouldn’t he be more worried about his own hands?

Richard’s hands were as strikingly beautiful as his face.

Like someone who once held a sword, there were calluses here and there, but the bones were neatly shaped, making it strangely harmonious.

So much that I’d feel a bit regretful if they were damaged.

“I’m happy that you worry about me.”

“…It’s not exactly worry.”

Of course it is worry, but also guilt…

“And I like receiving your concern.”

“I like getting your attention.”

Richard smiled beautifully as always.

While I stared blankly at that annoyingly handsome face, Richard took one step closer to me.

His lips touched my forehead and then pulled away.

“What…!”

“I wanted to receive purification before going.”

“….”

I was left speechless.

With a faint smile, Richard opened the door and stepped outside.