Of course, the mere sight of blood on my finger did not excite me greatly. However, due to the two years of intense sensitivity caused by Kamian driving his fangs into my neck, the act of drawing blood itself had acquired a peculiar fascination. It felt like something out of Pavlov’s dogs.
As I stared at him in bewilderment, Kamian shrugged dismissively, brushing his face against mine. Even when I narrowed my eyes and glared at him, he remained unfazed and replied nonchalantly, “What?” He grasped my wrist and, without hesitation, directed his gaze to the back of the person walking ahead of us.
“You said my blood was a weakness. Was that a lie?”
“It is a weakness, indeed.”
“Then why are you so nonchalant about it?”
“Because you’re using it incorrectly.”
“Well, how should I use it then? Tell me.”
“Who should I tell you to use it for?”
“For me, tell me! For me!”
Kamian pumped the handle and drew water from the well, taking hold of my hand and bringing it towards the flowing liquid. A chilling sensation spread from my fingertips to my head. As I trembled slightly, Kamian quickly withdrew his hand and let out a mischievous chuckle. His warm breath gently caressed my skin, tickling it.
“Even if you ask, I won’t tell you. So, don’t waste your strength on futile matters.”
“How can my weakness be… futile?”
“Because.”
Having examined my fingers from all angles, Kamian seemed to have finished his inspection and turned his back to me. Then, he rudely pushed me away with his hand. I felt like a child being dismissed after causing an accident. “Hey, wait a minute,” I called, but Kamian had already distanced himself.
“Arrogant bastard. He really won’t tell me.”
Muttering to myself, I returned to Debra. I threw the crushed peanut, unusable to the point of despair, behind me, thinking of it as Kamian.
Harvesting, by its very nature, is not something that can be completed in a single day. By the time our eyes and backs had become unbearably sore, Debra declared that we should stop for the day. I followed suit, sweeping the sorted peanuts into the basket.
As expected, Kamian had been summoned to the neighbouring farm to be freed from the peanut field. Thanks to that, I had to exercise alone today.
I pondered whether I should go jogging when Drag the old man happened to come by, inviting people from the village to share the harvested tomatoes. Just carrying them back home would be enough exercise.
* * *
Can I do it? No, I can. Believe in myself. After lightly patting my trembling heart with my hand, I took a deep breath.
I stared fiercely at the basket containing ten tomatoes and then lifted it up with great determination.
“Ugh!”
My shaky arms trembled, and heat rose from my throat to my face. I felt my muscles tense, but I didn’t give up. I vigorously lifted the basket, and when I embraced it with both arms, I found a more stable posture than when I had lifted it with just my fingers.
“See? I told you I could do it.”
I, overcome with my own strength, was surrounded by chirping laughter that sounded like sparrows.
It was the young ones from the village, Sherry and Tom. They were happily running around like puppies, even while carrying baskets piled with tomatoes.
“…”
For a moment, I felt a slight… sense of humiliation, but I pretended not to care. Losing one’s self-esteem is a defeat.
“Liv!”
Sherry, who was running around, shaking her double-braided hair, approached and stood in front of me. She was breathing heavily, and her breath was a little faster.
“Did you come to do an errand?”
“Oh! But why are you alone, Liv? Where’s the prince?”
The owner of this sickeningly sweet title was none other than Kamian.
“He went to work during the harvest season.”
Sherry’s face noticeably darkened. Her disappointed lips pouted.
“…I came here expecting to see the prince.”
“Hey! Why would Kamian be your prince?”
Tom grabbed Sherry’s head and shook it, taunting her loudly.
“Don’t touch my head! And what’s it to you?!”
When Sherry retorted sharply, Tom flinched for a moment and let go of her head. But Tom, with a firm voice, dug deeper into Sherry’s feelings.
“Kamian said he’s going to marry Liv, you know? Our mother said the same thing! Even Mr. Dreg said so!”
“Why would the prince marry someone as weak as Liv?! I can carry more than ten tomatoes, even more than Liv! Right, Liv?!”
Sherry’s raised eyebrows were directed at me. I couldn’t decide whether to affirm or deny it. It’s true that I won’t marry Kamian, but…
“…I’m not that weak, you know…”
My pride was hurt for no reason. I’ve been exercising every day without fail, and while it’s still minimal, my strength has definitely improved.
Sherry and Tom continued their argument, ignoring my words and escalating their dispute. Tom raised both hands to his waist and spoke with a mocking tone.
“You’re just a crybaby. Kamian doesn’t like kids like that.”
“Liv is the same, though.”
“I’m not a crybaby…”
Sherry tugged at my clothes, causing my upper body to sway and my center of gravity to wobble.
I planted my toes firmly on the ground and resisted. Thankfully, I managed to avoid a catastrophic incident of dropping the basket onto the floor. After placing the basket on the ground, I bowed my head towards Sherry.
Of course, the mere sight of blood on my finger did not excite me greatly. However, due to the two years of intense sensitivity caused by Kamian driving his fangs into my neck, the act of drawing blood itself had acquired a peculiar fascination. It felt like something out of Pavlov’s dogs.
As I stared at him in bewilderment, Kamian shrugged dismissively, brushing his face against mine. Even when I narrowed my eyes and glared at him, he remained unfazed and replied nonchalantly, “What?” He grasped my wrist and, without hesitation, directed his gaze to the back of the person walking ahead of us.
“You said my blood was a weakness. Was that a lie?”
“It is a weakness, indeed.”
“Then why are you so nonchalant about it?”
“Because you’re using it incorrectly.”
“Well, how should I use it then? Tell me.”
“Who should I tell you to use it for?”
“For me, tell me! For me!”
Kamian pumped the handle and drew water from the well, taking hold of my hand and bringing it towards the flowing liquid. A chilling sensation spread from my fingertips to my head. As I trembled slightly, Kamian quickly withdrew his hand and let out a mischievous chuckle. His warm breath gently caressed my skin, tickling it.
“Even if you ask, I won’t tell you. So, don’t waste your strength on futile matters.”
“How can my weakness be… futile?”
“Because.”
Having examined my fingers from all angles, Kamian seemed to have finished his inspection and turned his back to me. Then, he rudely pushed me away with his hand. I felt like a child being dismissed after causing an accident. “Hey, wait a minute,” I called, but Kamian had already distanced himself.
“Arrogant bastard. He really won’t tell me.”
Muttering to myself, I returned to Debra. I threw the crushed peanut, unusable to the point of despair, behind me, thinking of it as Kamian.
Harvesting, by its very nature, is not something that can be completed in a single day. By the time our eyes and backs had become unbearably sore, Debra declared that we should stop for the day. I followed suit, sweeping the sorted peanuts into the basket.
As expected, Kamian had been summoned to the neighbouring farm to be freed from the peanut field. Thanks to that, I had to exercise alone today.
I pondered whether I should go jogging when Drag the old man happened to come by, inviting people from the village to share the harvested tomatoes. Just carrying them back home would be enough exercise.
* * *
Can I do it? No, I can. Believe in myself. After lightly patting my trembling heart with my hand, I took a deep breath.
I stared fiercely at the basket containing ten tomatoes and then lifted it up with great determination.
“Ugh!”
My shaky arms trembled, and heat rose from my throat to my face. I felt my muscles tense, but I didn’t give up. I vigorously lifted the basket, and when I embraced it with both arms, I found a more stable posture than when I had lifted it with just my fingers.
“See? I told you I could do it.”
I, overcome with my own strength, was surrounded by chirping laughter that sounded like sparrows.
It was the young ones from the village, Sherry and Tom. They were happily running around like puppies, even while carrying baskets piled with tomatoes.
“…”
For a moment, I felt a slight… sense of humiliation, but I pretended not to care. Losing one’s self-esteem is a defeat.
“Liv!”
Sherry, who was running around, shaking her double-braided hair, approached and stood in front of me. She was breathing heavily, and her breath was a little faster.
“Did you come to do an errand?”
“Oh! But why are you alone, Liv? Where’s the prince?”
The owner of this sickeningly sweet title was none other than Kamian.
“He went to work during the harvest season.”
Sherry’s face noticeably darkened. Her disappointed lips pouted.
“…I came here expecting to see the prince.”
“Hey! Why would Kamian be your prince?”
Tom grabbed Sherry’s head and shook it, taunting her loudly.
“Don’t touch my head! And what’s it to you?!”
When Sherry retorted sharply, Tom flinched for a moment and let go of her head. But Tom, with a firm voice, dug deeper into Sherry’s feelings.
“Kamian said he’s going to marry Liv, you know? Our mother said the same thing! Even Mr. Dreg said so!”
“Why would the prince marry someone as weak as Liv?! I can carry more than ten tomatoes, even more than Liv! Right, Liv?!”
Sherry’s raised eyebrows were directed at me. I couldn’t decide whether to affirm or deny it. It’s true that I won’t marry Kamian, but…
“…I’m not that weak, you know…”
My pride was hurt for no reason. I’ve been exercising every day without fail, and while it’s still minimal, my strength has definitely improved.
Sherry and Tom continued their argument, ignoring my words and escalating their dispute. Tom raised both hands to his waist and spoke with a mocking tone.
“You’re just a crybaby. Kamian doesn’t like kids like that.”
“Liv is the same, though.”
“I’m not a crybaby…”
Sherry tugged at my clothes, causing my upper body to sway and my center of gravity to wobble.
I planted my toes firmly on the ground and resisted. Thankfully, I managed to avoid a catastrophic incident of dropping the basket onto the floor. After placing the basket on the ground, I bowed my head towards Sherry.
