Chapter 59

Aristine got off the carriage and looked around the training ground with a sense of wonder.

'It's much bigger than I thought.'

The scale and dimension of Sylvanus's training ground were different.

The grounds were much wider, and there were several buildings, with the training areas appearing to be more specialized.

Sylvanus's training ground was a combined royal training ground, but she didn't expect the prince's training ground to be so different.

'Of course, this is Tarcan's palace, not another prince’s.'

A sturdy building that seemed to emit the smell of heated iron squatted at the center of the vast grounds.

As she was about to step inside, people came out of the building.

The face of the person at the front was familiar.

"Tarcan?"

Tarcan paused for a moment when he saw Aristine.

The noon sun, approaching summer, was becoming increasingly brilliant.

Aristine, standing in that light, looked particularly vivid and clear.

Her silver hair, like a lilac in bloom, was bathed in sunlight, and her exposed arms were dazzlingly white.

The gold belt, amulet, body chain, and the silk that flowed naturally along the curves of her body, all suited her perfectly.

The wind, carrying the fragrance of late spring and the freshness of early summer, scattered her long hair.

Tarcan noticed that all the warriors watching from a distance were captivated by his wife.

His brows twitched.

"What's going on?"

Tarcan approached Aristine and asked.

His gaze fell on the palace attendants standing behind her.

They were holding velvet boxes and baskets.

He wasn't sure what the velvet boxes contained, but the baskets were definitely for something.

They must have brought dessert after the meal. He thought they might want to eat it together.

The corners of Tarcan's mouth twitched.

"Ah, did I interrupt something? I came because I thought it was lunchtime."

Aristine asked, worried.

She was bothered by the fact that Tarcan's expression didn't look good as he approached.

"It's not really an interruption. There's still quite a bit of time left."

There was no time left.

Lunchtime was almost over.

The warriors looked at Tarcan in disbelief.

Seeing his usual indifferent face, they began to doubt their own eyes and ears.

"Is that so? I'm relieved."

Aristine smiled. The sunlight adorned her slightly raised cheeks.

"Then I'll borrow someone."

At her words, Tarcan raised his left eyebrow.

'...Borrow someone?'

This was something he hadn't anticipated at all.

"Sir Mucali."

Aristine smiled warmly at Mucali, who was standing behind Tarcan.

"Your Highness."

Mucali took a step forward and slightly bowed to Aristine.

Though he smiled reflexively, he was sweating profusely inside.

'Why, why me in this situation...'

Aristine wasn't unwelcome.

He was very happy to see her after a long time.

'But the current situation... '

Even the clueless Mucali couldn't help but notice. He felt like he would be burned by the intense gaze of his lord.

"It's been a while."

"Yes, it has. I just wanted to greet you. I don't really have any business with Sir Mucali."

He didn't have any business. He shouldn't have any.

That was the unspoken thought behind his words.

Mucali signaled to Aristine.

'Please believe I came to see you, my lord! Otherwise, I'll die!'

But Aristine shook her head easily.

"No? I came to see Sir Mucali."

Mucali felt his neck tighten under Tarcan's gaze.

It wasn't just a feeling; there was a physical force in that gaze that made it hard to breathe.

The warriors, watching this, also began to look at Tarcan cautiously.

Only Aristine approached Mucali with a bright smile.

"I also brought dessert. You can look forward to it. Let's eat while we talk."

"Your Highness."

"And there's something I want to show Sir Mucali."

Aristine tiptoed and whispered to Mucali in a low voice.

Tarcan's gaze burned even hotter.

Mucali turned to ashes and scattered.

* * *

"So, this is a scalpel?"

"Completely different in shape, right?"

The warriors, familiar with injuries, were also familiar with surgical scalpels.

They looked at the several scalpels in the velvet box and exchanged various comments.

Aristine, watching the large warriors huddled together to peek, leaned back against the chair and sighed.

'I originally planned to meet Sir Mucali alone, but why did it turn out like this... '

For some reason, Mucali turned pale, and the other warriors also turned pale, begging for the honor of accompanying the Highness.

It felt like a desperate struggle.

As if, in the moment of death, they were trying to save their comrades.

'Why go to such lengths...?'

The warriors were said to have deep camaraderie, but did they really need to do everything together?

Aristine pondered.

She was concerned about the design of the scalpel being leaked, but since those gathered here were Tarcan's closest confidants, it should be fine.

"I was going to show this to Mucali."

Tarcan murmured.

'Why not me?'

That thought made him clench his jaw.

Why did it matter if Aristine came to see Mucali instead of him?

He didn't particularly want her to come see him.

"......"

To emphasize, he absolutely did not wish for it and had no expectations.

'But.'

Even so, shouldn't he, as a business partner, be told first?

Ritren was treated so well as the first employee, but was it right to treat the first business partner like this?

Tarcan's eyes narrowed.

But Aristine nodded casually.

"Sure."

Her matter-of-fact attitude made Tarcan feel a surge of emotion.

"Why?"

"Because Sir Mucali has helped me a lot. He even went to Catalaman with me."

"That's what I did too!"

"Really?"

"......No."

Tarcan crossed his arms and turned his head away.

'Why is she like that?'

Aristine shrugged and ignored him.

Her main focus was on the scalpel she had just completed.

"Even in this state, it would be revolutionary compared to existing scalpels."

Aristine lifted the scalpel from the box.

It sparkled, reflecting the indoor light.

"Still, I want to test it before that."

"Test?"

Aristine nodded at Tarcan's question.

"I don't think there will be any problems. It's just a different shape from existing scalpels. The fact that I completely changed the shape is impressive."

"Sure, but I don't know much about scalpels."

Her knowledge of existing scalpels was limited to their shape.

They were shaped like a dagger with a thick blade, making precise work difficult.

Aristine had improved on this issue to create the scalpel.

"If there are any problems I don't know about, I want to fix them before release."

Additionally, testing and presenting the results would provide a solid defense against any future medical malpractice disputes.

It would serve as excellent evidence.

'And most importantly—'

Aristine smiled.

"Compared to existing scalpels, it's important to have clear data on how it's better and what advantages it has."

Anyone could see that this scalpel was far superior to existing ones.

The design alone was a significant improvement.

But adding objective data would further enhance its credibility.

Tarcan's eyes sparkled.

"Good strategy."

"Right?"

Aristine looked at Tarcan.

Her shining eyes seemed to say, 'How do you like it? I'm capable, right? I'm a great partner, right?'

Tarcan couldn't help but chuckle.

"But to test it, we need to gather people."

"Right."

Tarcan nodded.

'It's time for me to step in.'

Since Mucali was being treated specially for his help, if he helped, ...

Just then, Aristine sighed as if in deep thought.

Tarcan timed his offer to help at the dramatic moment.

"We need to gather people who won't leak the design, but that's what I'm worried about—"

Suddenly, one of the warriors watching pointed at himself.

"Huh?"

"I have a wart on my finger that needs to be removed!"

"What?!"

"You bastard, how low...!"

The other warriors around him shouted and pressed down on his head.

But he ignored them and extended his hand to Aristine.

Sure enough, a small wart was on his iron-like hand.

"Does this need to be removed? I can just leave it and—"

"No! It needs to be removed! Absolutely!"

He shouted, puffing out his chest.

'The Highness is showing interest in me!'

He lifted his chin and enjoyed the envious looks from the other warriors.

"Ah, I need to remove a boil here!"

Another warrior pointed to his cheek.

It didn't look like it needed to be removed.

"Me too!"

Another warrior extended his unblemished hand.

"I feel like my blood isn't clean, so I need to cut some skin and let some blood."

Aristine looked at the warriors with a puzzled expression.

These were all Tarcan's closest confidants, the ones who defeated the Sylvanus army and drove away the terrifying hands of the plain.

They were the strongest military force in Ailugo.

Yet, they were acting like this—

'Is this country really okay...?'

She suddenly felt very worried.

'No, how foolish must the Sylvanus people be to have been defeated by these people...?'

Though it was a country she had no affection for, she felt a bit sorry for them.

The warriors, who had been shouting to be stabbed with the scalpel, felt a chill that froze them to the bone.

'This aura...!'

Humans, even in fear, eventually seek confirmation.

The large warriors, trembling, turned their stiff necks to look at the source of the aura.

"Yeeek!"

There was a monster there.

A monster more terrifying than the hands!

The warriors, who had never backed down even in front of the massive hands, were now cowering.

"Really? What's wrong?"

Aristine, puzzled by the warriors' strange reactions, turned her head to follow their gaze.

"Tarcan?"

Tarcan asked with a casual, lazy face.

'Just like usual?'

There was nothing particularly special.

Aristine turned back to look at the warriors.

They looked even paler and as if they had seen something unbelievably terrifying.

Aristine was even more confused.

She glanced at Tarcan, but he had a face that said, 'Why aren't you talking?'

"Ah, here, have some."

At Aristine's gesture, the palace attendants took out the dessert from the basket.

Since Mucali had eaten a lot of scones last time, she had prepared a lot, so everyone present could have a piece.

It was a luxurious cream cake topped with spring strawberries.

The moist, fluffy chiffon cake and fresh cream made from milk from the morning farm, along with the sweet and sour spring strawberries.

"It's really delicious. Our patissier is the best. Everyone, try it."

Marketing is better when done to more people!

'The Highness brought the cake herself...!'

The warriors received the cake with reverence.

The large warriors made the dessert plates look like toy plates.

"I will eat it with gratitude."

"It's an honor, Your Highness."

The warriors, using forks, carefully took small bites of the cake, which looked like a single bite.

"This is...!"

The warriors' eyes widened.

Aristine watched them with satisfaction.

"How is it? Isn't it the best?"

But the warriors didn't hear her question.

'This must be the work of the patissier Tarcan ordered to be recruited...

No other patissier could elevate a basic dessert to the level of art.

'Wasn't he developing combat rations?'

'Why is he making desserts for the Highness?'

The warriors' gazes turned to Tarcan.

For the first time in his life, Tarcan avoided their gaze.

Forget being a husband, I just want to make money.