Towards the Winter Cabin of Serenity and Madness, Cinderella Runs - Chapter 37
After Kyden left, Roel settled in front of the fireplace. She was alone for half a day, and since she cleaned the house diligently every day, there was nothing left to do.
Previously, she had mentioned being bored just staying indoors, so Kyden had bought her yarn and knitting needles from the village. He also brought home some small crafts and pretty dishes.
With Roel’s touches and the decorations added, the once stark and grim cabin now looked cozy and charming.
Roel placed the knitting on her lap. She planned to finish a scarf before Kyden returned. Just as she was about to knit a stitch, she heard a thumping noise outside.
Roel sighed softly and dismissed it nonchalantly, turning her attention back to her knitting. It was nothing serious. It was just the sound of Kyden blocking the door with something heavy.
As winter ended, hungry animals became more aggressive, so blocking the door was supposedly for protection. Both knew it was an absurd excuse.
However, Roel didn’t question it, and whenever Kyden had to be away from home for long, he diligently blocked the door with heavy objects.
Roel found a strange sense of security in his persistence. It eliminated any means of escape.
Whenever she felt anxious or scared, remembering that the door was blocked and that she couldn’t run away even if she wanted to, brought her peace. Then, resignation followed, calming her mind.
Today, too, she felt relieved and secure in her inability to leave the cabin, and continued with her knitting.
By the time the scarf was nearly finished, Kyden returned.
“Did you have a good trip?”
Roel greeted him with a bright face, hurried to the door, and helped carry his things.
As they looked over the items Kyden had bought, Roel playfully criticized.
“Why did you buy another dress?”
“There are no spring clothes.”
“Spring is still far away. And I told you not to buy snacks.”
“You still eat them well.”
“….Eating too much isn’t good for you, and it’s expensive too.”
She had noticed that he tended to be careless with money. He often bought things without considering their quality or cost, which shocked her when he brought home dried fruit.
It looked tasty, but fruit was very expensive in winter, typically a luxury for the well-to-do in the village. She couldn’t understand what possessed him, who was a simple hunter living in a mountain cabin, to buy such an extravagant item.
Roel concluded that Kyden’s disheveled appearance was due to his lack of financial sense. He seemed to spend whatever he earned on whims, often neglecting necessities.
“If you keep shopping like this, we’ll end up broke.”
“There’s no need to worry about money. I’ve saved up plenty.”
Naturally, Roel didn’t believe him. How could someone with money live so modestly and carelessly? How could he have wealth when he was only a hunter and a mercenary? She suspected that his claims of wealth were just bravado, typical of men boasting beyond their means.
“Having money doesn’t mean you should spend it recklessly. You should save and plan for the future.”
Not wanting to bruise his pride, she didn’t ask how much money he actually had. Instead, she focused on criticizing his spending habits while she organized their supplies.
The once-empty pantry was now so stocked that they needed to eat diligently to prevent food from spoiling.
“You won’t need to go down to the village for a week. Let’s eat what we have here first.”
“A caravan is coming next week with lots of good stuff,” Kyden mentioned.
“Are you planning to buy more unnecessary things? No, that’s not happening.”
Kyden slumped into a chair, his face sullen, but Roel remained firm.
In the first place, she had always disliked him going to the village too often. She feared that people might talk about her past. She was worried about the village women who might fancy the handsome Kyden, and she felt lonely and bored alone in the cabin.
“You used to go to the village only about once a week. Why are you trying to go more often now?”
“I’ve found I enjoy shopping.”
“….Haa.”
Roel sighed heavily. She organized the items, feeling drained from her nagging yet sneakily enjoying the sweet snacks Kyden had bought. Despite telling him not to bring such things home, she couldn’t deny the joy they brought her.
Having lived in a relative’s house where snacks like these were a rare luxury, each bite was delightfully satisfying. She nibbled on the cookies secretly, a small, content smile playing on her lips.
Kyden couldn’t miss Roel’s squirrel-like, secretive enjoyment of the snacks. It was simply too adorable. How could he resist not buying the treats when they clearly brought her so much happiness? He decided it was worth the occasional scolding just to see her happy.
Leaning on the table and watching Roel, Kyden suddenly stiffened and stood up.
“I need to step out for a bit.”
“We’re about to have dinner. Where are you going?”
“I’ll be back quickly. I’m going to set some more traps.”
“Why are you setting so many traps?”
