I Thought It Was a Healing Farming Game Chapter 20

“I’ll take four garments.”

I accepted only as much work as I could reasonably finish within two days.

There was no need to get greedy. If, by some chance, I failed to meet the deadline, I’d receive a penalty.

“We’ll put the work clothes in a box for you. Here’s the order form. Once you’ve finished mending them, enclose the form and submit the box.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

With the box cradled in both arms, I bowed politely and headed for the grocery store.

‘These clothes take up more space than I expected.’

My inventory could hold practically an unlimited number of items, but whenever I carried something, its weight was added to my body.

It was as if I were walking around with an enormous, invisible backpack.

Of course, increasing my Strength would let me carry more things more easily.

“Good grief. No matter where I go, I have to exercise…”

Even as I patted my shoulders, I cheerfully greeted every villager I passed.

Many people walked by without saying anything, but occasionally, my affection level would increase slightly.

“Hello.”

“Yes, hello~.”

Tavern Worker’s Affection +1

By the time I’d finished greeting everyone along the way, I had reached my destination.

Node Market

Beneath the English sign, the store’s name appeared like a subtitle.

Jingle—.

The moment I opened the door, I was greeted by a spacious interior filled with all kinds of groceries. My eyes wandered from one item to another.

“Do they even have that sauce? It looks delicious.”

Come to think of it, the game had recreated real-life products in incredible detail, too.

‘It’s all just out of reach…’

Once I made lots of money from farming, I’d buy as much as I wanted.

Even if I got distracted and wandered around, finding Siad was incredibly easy.

He was a tall, beautiful man who stood out even from a distance.

I hurried over to him.

“Siad!”

“You’re here?”

“Yes! What ingredients are you looking for? I can find them for you, too.”

“In that case, could you find me a carrot?”

“Got it!”

After answering enthusiastically, I immediately set off on my carrot hunt.

“Carrot, carrot…”

I wandered past several aisles before discovering the refrigerated vegetable section.

Onions, cabbages, cucumbers…

“They should be somewhere around here.”

Searching for something orange, I soon spotted a carrot on the bottom shelf.

“A carrot!”

Delighted, I crouched down and grabbed the plumpest one I could find.

“Now you’re rummaging around on the floor, too. Are you a rabbit?”

At the low voice coming from above me, I tilted my head back while still clutching the carrot.

There stood Kais, looking down at me with his hands tucked into his dress pants pockets.

“Eeeek! Hello!”

Even as I let out a startled scream, I reflexively greeted him.

“Same reaction as always, Customer.”

Watching Kais lean his head against the wall with a soft thud, I got back to my feet.

“What brings you here? Are you shopping?”

“Me? Of course not.”

He was usually difficult to run into, but I’d been lucky these past few days.

“News keeps finding its way to me, you see.”

He looked at me and lightly tapped his ear with a finger.

“What news?”

“Priam.”

The name came out of nowhere, leaving me bewildered.

“He went past me looking as red as a tomato.”

“Oh…”

Only then did I remember the sight of Priam fleeing with his face burning red.

Kais folded his arms and stared at me askance before speaking again.

“What did you do?”

“Huh?”

“Did you sexually harass him or something?”

The shocking choice of words, delivered so casually, left me frozen like a stone.

“Ha-harass…? What are you talking about?! I only called him cute—”

“You called him cute?”

As I hurriedly defended myself, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

Maybe hugging Priam and startling him the other day could also count as sexual harassment.

“So that’s why he was blushing?”

I was at a loss for words. Meanwhile, Kais seemed to have reached his own conclusion and stopped interrogating me.

“Well, if that’s all it was, then it doesn’t matter.”

Watching Kais yawn with sleepy eyes, I broke out in a cold sweat.

“K-Kais…”

“I’m in charge of maintaining law and order in the village, so just let me handle things in moderation, Customer.”

“No, I’m not trying to argue with you…”

Kais nodded as if telling me to go on.

I hesitantly continued.

“If I ever happen to cause trouble for another villager…”

Kais raised an eyebrow. Bending one knee, he leaned down to meet my gaze at an angle.

“Customer.”

“Yes?”

“That’s not supposed to happen in the first place, is it?”

Kais gave me a polite smile, much like the one he wore when recommending loans.

“Th-that’s true…”

“You’d better not go around causing trouble in the village.”

Straightening up, Kais dusted off his hands.

“I’ve been rather ruthless when it comes to handling things lately.”

His tone was leisurely, but the meaning behind his words was ice-cold.

‘What should I do…?’

I shrank back, still holding the carrot.

“You’re getting smaller and smaller, Customer. At this rate, are you planning to turn into a mole?”

“It’s not that. Actually, yesterday, Priam gave me some fruit…”

“Fruit?”

“Yes.”

“He gave you fruit? Why?”

“Because Priam made me faint…”

“What on earth are you talking about now…?”

Just as Kais frowned, someone strode forward and stepped between us.

“I’ll explain, Kais.”

The person who approached like a savior was Siad. For a moment, I could almost see angel wings behind his back.

“Please wait here for a moment.”

Siad gave me a gentle, reassuring look before speaking kindly.

While the two of them moved aside to talk, I slumped against the refrigerated section like a drink melting into a puddle.

‘He’s going to scold me, isn’t he…? No, maybe it won’t end with just a scolding…’

If Kais decided that my behavior counted as sexual harassment, I might even get kicked out of the village.

“Wheee…”

My affection levels were still only at Level 1, I hadn’t met the twins yet, and I hadn’t even started farming.

What would I do if Kais gave me a good kick and abandoned me in the forest?

Feeling miserable, I hugged the carrot and watched the two men talking from a distance.

Siad always stood perfectly straight, while Kais leaned at an angle with his hands in his pockets.

Even from afar, their contrasting auras were unmistakable.

‘Even the colors of their clothes…’

Siad was dressed in white from head to toe, while Kais was dressed entirely in black.

‘They’re just like white and black stones.’

The thought suddenly struck me, and I clutched the carrot tightly to keep myself from laughing.

‘Hold it in. Hold it in.’

Now was not the time to laugh.

“Lady Miel.”

Just then, Siad called my name.

I hurried over, relieved to hear him, and he took the carrot from my hand.

“Our conversation went well. Let’s head home now.”

Watching Siad walk calmly toward the checkout counter, I turned to look at Kais.

Has everything been resolved?

Kais was stretching with his fingers interlaced above his head.

Like a languid cat, he seemed completely at ease. I cautiously approached him, taking small steps backward.

“Kais.”

“What kind of game are you playing this time, Customer?”

After looking at Kais’s face, I decided I wouldn’t be able to get the words out if I faced him directly. So I turned my back to him and confessed.

“I-I’m ready for you to scold me! If my actions hurt Priam, I’ll gladly accept my punishment.”

Whether it meant pulling weeds across a hundred pyeong of land or tilling a rocky field with a wooden hoe, I’d do it.

I squeezed my eyes shut and gathered all my courage to say those words, but no answer came.

The silence made me increasingly anxious.

I waited for a moment, then started to turn around to look at Kais.

Just then, he leaned toward my ear and whispered,

“What makes you think you know what kind of punishment I’ll give you?”

A chill ran down my spine.

The moment I heard Kais whisper those words, goosebumps rose along my arms.

‘Surely he’s not going to make me work without pay for a whole year?!’

Kais loved money more than anything, so I figured he’d demand gold as compensation.

Trembling with fear, I looked up at him—only to find an expression I hadn’t expected.

The curve of his smirking lips was smooth and effortless.

Anyone could tell he wasn’t angry or displeased.

If anything, he looked…

“If you act like that, anyone would want to take advantage of you.”

Looking at him again now, I realized that what gleamed in Kais’s eyes was unmistakably interesting.