Irene Decided to Die - Chapter 159
In contrast, Burt learned briefly and easily wove the fabric. Watching him, Irene felt annoyed and suggested they do something else.
“Then let’s find something less strenuous.”
So they began learning chess.
They said it was a fun game where you could sit and enjoy strategy and tactics, but it was too difficult. Even while reading a book, it took a long time to move the pieces.
“Everything takes time to get used to,” Burt said.
Burt moved his pieces from the opposite side as he spoke. Even though he had given her several handicaps at the start, she couldn’t win even once.
Not being able to win made her more determined, and Irene devoted herself fiercely to chess.
‘I can’t believe I’m so obsessed with something.’
It was a feeling she experienced for the first time.
Burt was right. It took time to get used to it, but once her skills improved, it started to become fun.
Of course, she personally found it more fun to play with Noah, who had just learned as well. When she played chess with Burt, she would always lose, but with Noah, she would win and lose half the time.
“I can let you win if you’d like,” Burt offered.
“I don’t like it when people let me win on purpose.”
In the meantime, several days passed quickly.
To clear her head, which had been immersed in chess, Irene went for a walk. There, she witnessed the snowball fight Burt had mentioned.
They divided into teams, throwing packed snow at each other, and it looked quite fun. Though she didn’t have the confidence to join in, she thought it would be okay to just watch.
So she crouched in a corner, absent-mindedly observing, when a stray snowball came flying toward her.
“Ah!”
Startled, she ducked her head, and a shadow fell over her.
“Are you okay?”
Burt had appeared and taken the snowball in her stead.
“Ahhh, we’re sorry!”
“We didn’t see you there!”
The apprentice knights who had been throwing snowballs were frightened and bowed deeply.
“It’s okay. It didn’t even hit me.”
“Even so, this can’t be overlooked. It’s unacceptable that future knights aren’t aware of their surroundings. You deserve punishment,” Burt said.
The apprentices were given the punishment of building a large snow house in the middle of the garden.
At first, they thought of it as punishment and solemnly piled snow bricks, but soon they were excitedly running around.
Since even the oldest among them was in their late teens, they seemed to enjoy playing. The snow house was completed the next day.
Irene was the first to enter the completed snow house.
“It’s much bigger than I thought.”
There was plenty of snow, and the apprentice knights were full of enthusiasm. They built several snow houses large enough to hold five grown men each.
Thanks to that, all the snow in the garden had disappeared. The gardener was pleased that he didn’t have to rake.
She thought that being inside a house made of snow would be colder, but unexpectedly, it was warmer than outside.
“Because it blocks the wind.”
“That’s fascinating.”
“Then let’s try what I mentioned last time.”
“What was that?”
“Cooking and eating a warm meal inside the snow house.”
She wondered if that was possible, but it was.
Irene had lunch inside the snow house that day. Due to space constraints, once the cooking utensils were placed inside, only she and Burt could fit, but it was enjoyable.
Because Burt was quite good at cooking.
“Do kings also learn how to cook?”
“When spending time outside, there are moments when even kings have to cook,” he replied nonchalantly.
Burt, who answered calmly, lifted a ladle toward Irene and said:
“Would you like some more stew?”
“No, I’ve had enough.”
“You don’t gain weight because you eat too little.”
“It would be hard if I eat more!”
Irene protested, but Burt pretended not to hear.
One day, they went to play at a frozen lake. They broke the solid ice by tapping it with a sword and caught fish using fishing rods.
After waiting for a long time without catching any fish, she became annoyed, but Burt had already filled a basket.
“Is there anything you’re not good at?”.
“I don’t know about that.”
Burt answered with a smile.
In the end, Irene didn’t catch a single fish that day. So she had to eat Burt’s fish.
“I’ll pay you back later.”
“No need to repay me.”
“No, I insist.”
“Then please do. I’ll look forward to it.”
Only then did she realize her mistake, but it was already too late.
