The Strongest Man’s Fake Wife Wants to Live Chapter 35

At Owen’s sudden appearance, the soldier was startled and hurriedly straightened his posture.

“Good day, my lord. I was just asking Madam for her opinion regarding the tree-planting work.”

“But was there anything to laugh about?”

“I said something foolish. I apologize.”

“If you need reinforcements or any help, tell me.”

“It’s just…… We’re running short of the fertilizer used for planting the shrubs.”

Pesha, who had heard that, answered in the soldier’s place.

“There aren’t many households that raise livestock. I heard that even the sheep we have now were gathered as much as possible. And even if we were to buy manure from another territory, transporting it would be difficult, and it seems like a waste of the budget.”

It wouldn’t exactly be impossible to obtain some from another territory, but it was true that she hesitated at the thought of deliberately spending money on manure that would naturally pile up if they simply left it alone.

Owen gazed silently at Pesha, who looked troubled, before opening his mouth.

“Then let’s send someone to a nearby brewery.”

“A brewery?”

“Yes. I once heard from a fellow in my old mercenary group…… He was originally a farmer. He said that because livestock manure was disgusting, he had used the residue left over from brewing beer or weeds mixed with herbs to make fertilizer and farm the land.”

At that, Pesha’s eyes widened.

“Really? He said it actually worked?”

“It may take a little longer to make than livestock manure, but didn’t you say you were looking at about a year anyway?”

“That’s right. As long as the shrubs can protect the growth of the purification plants.”

“Then there shouldn’t be a problem.”

Having found a solution in an instant, Pesha couldn’t contain her rising joy and suddenly grabbed Owen’s hand.

“Thank you! I never would have thought of that…… Thanks to you, I think this will be much easier!”

Unlike Pesha, who excitedly began chattering away, Owen froze with his hand still caught in hers, unable to move a muscle.

Her small, white hand was so delicate that it seemed it might crumble if he squeezed it, but precisely because of that, Owen found himself unable to move at all, simply following wherever her hand led him.

Pesha had no intention of letting go. She pulled him away from where they had been standing and enthusiastically began talking about something.

“I think we should spread the beer compost widely around here. I think it’ll be good because the shrubs will cast a wide shade, and also…… Ah! Have you seen the newly planted trees near that valley? There’s flowing water there, so it should be good for the seedlings’ growth, too…….”

In her excitement, she crossed the boundary of the lawn while still holding Owen’s hand, only for the tip of her foot to catch on a raised stone.

“Ah!”

The instant she stumbled, Owen reflexively grabbed her arm and pulled.

In that brief moment, Pesha lost her balance and fell straight into Owen’s chest.

It looked as though she had slipped perfectly into his arms.

Close enough for their breaths to touch.

Both of them froze as they were, and an awkward silence passed for several seconds.

Owen could vividly feel Pesha’s body heat.

Her light body, her warm breath, and even her large eyes blinking in confusion, completely unaware of anything.

Pesha hurriedly pulled her lips away.

“I-I’m sorry……! I tripped over the stone……!”

When she hurriedly tried to straighten herself, Owen instinctively tightened his hold around her waist.

Pesha flinched and stopped, and their eyes met for a moment.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

Owen’s firm, heavy voice was lower and more hushed than usual.

“Ah…… I’m fine. Really, I’m not hurt anywhere.”

“That’s a relief.”

Only then did he slowly let Pesha go.

Yet the warmth of each other still lingered on their fingertips.

In the silence, Owen carefully looked down at her hand once again.

This time, he was the one who wanted to take her hand and lead her along.

Pesha cleared her throat to break the awkward air and took a step back.

“Uh, anyway…… Please make sure to check around the valley. The environment there is really well suited.”

Owen looked at her for a moment before nodding.

“Understood. I’ll check.”

She seemed about to say something more, but in the end, she merely nodded and turned away, walking ahead toward where the soldiers had gathered.

Leaving behind only the warmth that had just been nestled in his arms, vivid in his memory.

Owen stood still and watched her back for a long while.

Her silver hair sparkling in the sunlight, her light footsteps moving quickly in little steps, and even the indifference with which she left him behind as though nothing had happened.

“……Nothing has changed.”

He murmured it as though speaking to himself and lowered his gaze, only for the sensation still lingering in his hand to come back to him once more.

It was strange to say, but the warmth of the fingertips that had touched him still had not faded.

 

***

 

Pesha stood in front of the eastern branch building of the Pontroy Merchant Guild.

A few days ago, after gathering the jewelers, Pesha had requested an audience with Duke Pontroy.

She had sent him a letter saying that she was planning to return to the capital soon and asking whether they could meet and talk, and an unexpected reply had come back.

As it happened, the duke had business at the eastern branch and suggested that they meet there.

The last time she had visited the headquarters in the capital, she had been stopped from the entrance onward and made to suffer quite a bit, but this time was different.

“Countess Namoi has arrived.”

As soon as the maid announced her name, the employees hurriedly cleared a path, and a guild administrator bowed his head and escorted her upstairs.

The reception room she arrived at was a little more luxurious than the previous one.

Golden candleholders, wallpaper dyed with expensive pigments, and tasteful decorations that were not excessive remained in their places, as though attesting to the guild’s long history.

A moment later, the door opened, and Duke Pontroy appeared.

“Well, who do we have here! Countess Namoi, it’s good to see you again.”

As usual, despite his striking appearance, he offered her a gentle smile and extended his hand.

Pesha smiled brightly as well and took his hand.

“Your Grace, I’m pleased to see you again like this.”

“I was worried when I heard you sought me out not long after we parted, but I take it it’s not an urgent matter?”

He took his seat and sipped his tea.

“I came today because I wanted to ask for your advice regarding a business venture.”

Pesha spoke calmly.

“Business?”

The duke’s expression changed slightly.

The atmosphere, which he had thought was simply a meeting between acquaintances, instantly became serious.

“If it’s a business item brought by the countess, I can’t help but be intrigued. What is it about?”

Instead of answering, Pesha gestured toward the maid.

The maid carefully stepped forward and placed an elegant silver box on the table.

When Pesha opened the lid, gemstones arranged neatly inside shone brilliantly.

As sunlight streamed through the window and reflected off the surfaces of the gems, a refreshing blue, a soft golden glow, and a lovely pink hue drifted throughout the room.

“Oh…….”

An exclamation escaped Duke Pontroy’s lips.

“So they’re gemstones.”

But there was also a faint trace of disappointment in his admiration.

“To be honest, I expected you to bring another ingenious potion like Seedroka this time.”

He added with a hollow laugh.

“That medicine caused quite a stir even in the capital once sales began. Reaching a year’s worth of the guild’s sales in less than a month. I suppose it’s no wonder, considering the apothecaries practically went into a frenzy trying to secure supply contracts.”

“It’s all thanks to Your Grace’s business acumen.”

“At first, I thought this would be difficult because Lady Clark was so negative about the potion’s effectiveness. But after watching the potions fly off the shelves despite the refund policy, I realized it was nothing more than the young lady’s simple jealousy. Tsk, what a rash and prejudiced girl.”

Having said that much, Duke Pontroy paused for a moment before glancing at the gemstones Pesha had brought.

“So this time as well, I want to believe that the countess’s choice will be the right one. But gemstones? Isn’t that going to be rather difficult?”