Chapter 178

Gretel stuttered in surprise at Fritz’s suggestion.

“I-I’m fine…….”

“It’s because you have to go a long way down the mountain path. I’d like to accompany you if you allow me.”

Gretel was always embarrassed whenever he showed this chivalrous courtesy. But she had no intention of rejecting him outright.

She felt bad if she rejected him bluntly when he was worried about her like this, and on the other hand, she was looking forward to going with him.

‘Well, I think it’ll be fine.’

Fritz had been stuck in the mountains for a long time, so he must be a bit frustrated.

It is true that mountain paths are treacherous.

She always moved around cautiously when alone, but it seemed she would be relieved when she was with the Duke.

“Great. It would be nice if you could go with me.”

Gretel agreed, but was taken aback when she saw Fritz walking out alone after a while.

“Are you going alone?”

Fritz, who was standing next to the horse, looked back at Gretel and said answered, “I’m just going under the mountain range, so I don’t need an escort or a servant.”

“But…….”

It’s weird to take many people just to go to the market, but wouldn’t it be weirder to go alone?

As Gretel hesitated, Fritz gave her a friendly smile and extended his hand to her politely.

“Miss Gretel.”

Under the reddish sky, his friendly-looking light green eyes could be seen clearly.

Standing against the backdrop of the night mountains, Fritz looked absolutely handsome and wonderful with his platinum blonde hair that glowed golden under the setting sun.

Gretel hesitated for a moment before finally taking his hand.

***

The night market stretches around the marina by the lake.

Ferryboats loaded with goods were endlessly coming and going near the marina.

There was a bright light and a loud noise.

As soon as Gretel arrived at the market, she went into the store she had known about.

It was a stall with goods from a faraway region across the lake.

The owner, who was sitting at the stall, recognized her and was delighted.

She said, “You’ve been here before.”

“Did you get the item I asked for?”

“Yes, here it is.”

What he took out was a wooden box big enough for a few books.

After checking the content of the box, Gretel held it in her arms and handed over the money.

Fritz behind her seemed curious about what she was holding.

“Would you like to see it?”

“Is this something you can show me?”

Gretel left the street lined with stalls with the bok still in her arms.

She followed a small path to the shore of a serene lake and stopped at the wooden promenade there.

Gretel chose a clean spot and took out the item in the box.

Fritz, who followed, looked a little taken aback when he saw what item she took out.

“Doll?”

“It’s a teddy bear.”

What came out of the box was a fluffy brown teddy bear with a ribbon around its neck.

Gretel quickly wound the small spring on the teddy bear’s back.

After winding up the mainspring and setting it down on the floor, the teddy bear began walking in a circle, waving its arms as if dancing.

A sweet melody flowed from the walking teddy bear.

It was like a doll dancing to the music.

A subtle smile appeared on Fritz’s face as if he had witnessed something cute.

“Is it a combination of a music box and a wind-up doll? That’s unusual.”

It was so unusual that it seemed odd.

Gretel pursed her lips and hugged the teddy bear.

The fluffy doll still waddled in Gretel’s arms.

“His Highness the Crown Prince will like it. He really likes bears.”

As this winter passes and spring arrives, it will be Theor’s birthday.

Gretel had been waiting for months to buy this doll in advance for that day.

“Did you come here to get this?”

“Of course. I have been waiting for it since I contacted the owner for several months.”

This is a handicraft from a faraway region.

“I’m sure His Highness the Crown Prince will like it.”

Fritz looked at the teddy bear Gretel was holding and added quietly, “I am also always grateful.”

“Yes?”

“Miss Gretel is a benefactor who took care of Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“I’m embarrassed to hear you say that. Actually, I had a lot of fun thanks to them.”

Gretel lived with her mother since she was a child, and after she became an adult, she lived alone.

As she happened to meet Astelle, she became friendly with Theor and was able to stay close to her like her own family.

“Rather, I received a lot of help from the Empress to develop a potion that can change the color of the eyes.”

The potion was an application of a dyeing method from a book inherited from her mother, and she was able to develop it quickly thanks to Astelle volunteering as a test subject herself.

Gretel continued happily, “Thanks to her, I was able to write down my own recipe in my book as well.”

The book containing family secrets that she owns is an heirloom passed down from generation to generation.

Her mother inherited it from her maternal grandmother and her maternal grandmother inherited it from her great-grandmother.

The person who received the book wrote down the medicine he developed himself in it.

Fritz, who was listening to the story, honestly expressed his admiration, “That’s incredible.”

“Is that something amazing?”

“I think it is a wonderful thing to have worked as a pharmacist while keeping the family tradition for generations.”

‘Is that so?’

If you put it that way, you are also similar.

Fritz’s father was once a chancellor of the empire, and I heard that his grandfather and great-grandfather were also chancellors.

‘Will this man get that position someday?’

Gretel was worried that this demure man in front of her could handle such a heavy responsibility.

“Does your family have any reason to pass down skills only to daughters?”

“It doesn’t have to be.”

They originally passed on their skills to the sons as well.

However, even if the sons learned herbal medicine, they would go out to the city and work as doctors.

If they become a full doctor, they will have a good income and a lot of benefits.

On the other hand, she had no choice but to work as an apothecary for the rest of her life because women were not allowed to become doctors in the empire.

The truth is that neither her mother nor her grandmother ever had a son, so she had no choice.

‘I have to pass the book on to my daughter someday.’

Her mother always said that she must pass the book to her child someday.

But Gretel didn’t really want to get married, and she didn’t even have the confidence to raise a child.

Well, it would be okay if you bring in a disciple and pass the book down to him.

In fact, Gretel wanted Astelle as her apprentice.

Because Astelle’s calm and meticulous personality came to her liking. She is also good at working with herbs.

If Theor shows interest in herbalism, she can pass on the book to Theor.

If Theor chooses another job, then Theor’s wife or children…….

Wouldn’t one of them be interested in herbal medicine?

Gretel imagined a peaceful scene where she as a grandmother was growing herbs with Theor’s young daughter.

Beside her is old Astelle nagging the two of them not to stain their clothes.

What a peaceful imagination.

It’s a pity that she can’t keep up with her family’s traditions, but she can’t force herself to give birth to a child to pass down the herbal book.

She suddenly looked at Fritz, who was drinking tea.

‘This man wouldn’t think so. Because he’s a nobleman.’

Now, even if I said that I would find a suitable partner, get married, and have children to fulfill my responsibilities as a mother…….

With such thoughts, she suddenly felt depressed.

‘It’s a useless idea.’

Gretel struggled to push away her gloomy feelings.

The two walked for a while on the promenade.

Of course, it wasn’t just walking quietly.

After walking for a few minutes, Gretel sat down on the promenade, pulling up the grass growing among the stones in the lake.

“What is this……?”

“This is Nekemeth. It is difficult to find because it originally grows in water.”

The water grass Gretel pointed out was among the large stones in the lake below the promenade.

From above, it looked very shallow, but when she dipped her hand, the water was deeper than she thought.

No matter how much she stretched out her hand, her fingertips barely reached the grass.

“Ugh…….”

Seeing Gretel put her hand in the water and struggle, Fritz sighed and smiled as he drew closer.

“Let me help you.”

“Yes?”

Fritz casually went down the promenade.

He put his hand in and pulled out the grass, not caring that his clothes were getting wet.

“Is it okay to pull it out like this?”

“Yes yes. You can just pull it out. Thank you.”

Fritz wrapped the grass in a handkerchief and handed it to her, and she received it in a bewildered mood.

Obviously, he was just being polite to a lady, but somehow she felt a part of her heart tickled.

‘Is it because I’ve never been close to a high-ranking nobleman?’

Maybe it’s because I’ve never been treated like a lady by such a wonderful man.

Far from being treated as a lady, from a young age she wandered here and there with her mother and experienced only dangerous things.

She must have felt strange to be treated like a lady all of a sudden after living such a life.

Of course, she knew deep down that it wasn’t just because of that.

Even if Frtiz’s father, who was also a duke, treated her the way Fritz did, she wouldn’t be this nervous at all.

Rather, it would be creepy.

‘Even if it was another young nobleman like Sir Seibel or Lyndon……. I’m sure I wouldn’t feel this way.’

The two walked along the promenade again along the lake shore.

The full moon shining in the dark sky illuminates the rippling lake, beautifying the shade of the quiet night.

Ferries laden with goods shuttle endlessly on the lake, cutting through the deep blue water.

The lanterns hanging over the ferries were dimly illuminating the deep darkness.

It was a romantic landscape that seemed to come out of a painting.

Gretel walked along the quiet promenade and watched the night view of the lake.

“Miss Gretel.”

A low voice called her.

His light green eyes, sunken as deep as the moonlit lake, were looking straight at her.

“After thinking about it for the past few days, I thought I should tell you my heart honestly. You can give me any answer.”

“What…….”

Gretel stuttered in embarrassment.

Even Fritz’s eyes were also filled with stiff tension.

“I really like you, Miss Gretel.”

For an instant, her mind went blank. She was also getting a little dizzy.

Suddenly, she felt like she tripped over her steps and fell into the water.

Gretel managed to regain her composure and asked, “Um…… since when?”

Fritz answered her awkward question with a slightly lonely smile.

“I don’t know exactly when. Before, I didn’t have time to care about my feelings. But while watching Miss Gretel up close, I can tell for sure how I feel.”

“…….”

There was no lie in his serious tone.

Gretel stared blankly at him and swallowed dry saliva.

It would be a lie to say she didn’t expect to hear this from him.

Clearly, there was more than simple favors in Fritz’s actions towards her. And that feeling was spreading more and more like ocean waves as they spend time together.