An Unexpected Proposal-Chapter 60

"Hah, looking at your condition, I'd be impressed if you could even swing it five times properly."

"Who says I can’t? I can do it!"

Mikael gripped the branch tightly and swung it demonstratively.

"You're putting too much force into it. Loosen your arms and straighten your back."

"It's just a stick."

"And yet, you can’t even swing it properly."

"Then show me how it's done. Let’s see how good you are, old man."

Mikael shot back defiantly. Instead of responding, Cabelenus picked up a branch and swung it.

"Whoa…."

Mikael instinctively gasped before quickly covering his mouth. But his cheeks were already flushed with excitement. It was incredible. It was just a stick, yet the difference was stark. Though Cabelenus swung lightly, each movement cut through the air with a sharp, slicing sound.

"How did you do that? How did you make that whooshing sound?"

"If you're curious, keep swinging."

"You have to teach me the method!"

"I'll correct your stance if needed, but don’t think about shortcuts. Keep swinging until it becomes yours."

Cabelenus answered indifferently before turning back to his axe. Mikael rolled his eyes in frustration but soon sidled up next to him.

***

Alicia frowned as she gathered the laundry, her bandages slipping loose. Since she had wrapped them hastily by herself, they always came undone with the slightest movement. With a short sigh, she let her head drop.

Thanks to the medicine Cabelenus had given her, the pain that had tormented her for days had vanished, but her heart felt heavier than ever. She knew she shouldn’t accept even the smallest kindness from him. Yet, she couldn’t ignore Mikael’s worried gaze, and more than that—she feared what the future held.

She was a mother. She could not afford to rest. To put even one more morsel of food into her son’s mouth, her pride always had to come second.

‘But no more. If I keep accepting help, I’ll start relying on him.’

Cabelenus made everything look so effortless. He had lived as a noble his whole life—this sort of thing should have been foreign to him, yet he never hesitated. The fence she had struggled to repair for days, he had fixed in an instant. He had filled the storage with enough firewood to last several winters.

‘Just like in Schwarhan.’

Life there had been easy. At least, physically. Expensive oils were used lavishly every day, priceless jewels adorned her, and she wore dresses made from fabrics so soft they felt like they would melt at a touch. Cabelenus always gave her the best of everything, and being surrounded by such luxury dulled her sense of reality.

It would be a lie to say she never thought about those times.

To be completely honest, whenever she was exhausted and worn down, she longed for Schwarhan. There were countless times she had wanted to run back, to hide in the walls of Cabelenus’s domain and live in comfort.

But… Alicia’s gaze fell upon Mikael’s small shirt, her expression crumpling.

‘Schwarhan is out of the question. Mikael is not a monster.’

He had no special power left in him. He had grown up an ordinary child, and he would continue to live as one.

"Alicia! Come talk to me right now!"

The sharp voice behind her made Alicia drop her laundry basket.

"Madam?"

The freshly washed clothes tumbled onto the ground, ruined. But Maren had no concern for that. Her face was twisted with rage.

"You’ve caused enough trouble! Just how far do you plan to go?"

"I don’t understand what you mean."

"Don’t play dumb. I know everything."

Maren shoved Alicia’s shoulder roughly. Alicia grabbed her arm where she had been pushed and frowned.

"What are you doing?"

"If you're going to whore yourself around, at least be discreet! Now you’re bringing outsiders into the village and causing a scene?"

Maren’s voice rose as she jabbed a finger at Alicia. She had disliked her from the start. A woman raising a bastard child, seducing the village men—there was nothing about her that wasn’t despicable. And now, she dared to repay kindness with betrayal.

"A scene? I think there’s some misunderstanding—"

"Misunderstanding my ass! Stop with the nonsense and leave this village immediately!"

"I bought this house fair and square. You have no right to order me around."

"Do you even know who my father is?"

"Even if he's the village head, that doesn't give him the right to seize someone else’s property."

"And where’s the proof that this house belongs to you?"

Maren sneered.

"What?"

"This village has been under my family’s leadership for generations. Every house here is connected to us in some way—except yours."

"……."

"Even if you claim this place is yours, who would believe you?"

Maren folded her arms, lifting her chin smugly. Alicia’s twisted expression pleased her.

"I’ve known from the start that you were nothing but a filthy tramp. Pretending to be all demure, but underneath, you’re just rotten to the core."

Maren wrinkled her nose in disgust, swatting Alicia’s hand away.

"Go ahead, run your mouth all you want. You always do."

"What?"

"Let’s be clear, Madam. You never ‘overlooked’ anything. In fact, you were always itching for an excuse to go after me, nitpicking every little thing, waiting for me to slip."

Are you jealous? Alicia smirked.

Maren’s lips trembled with fury.

"Jealous? Of you? You must be delusional! Your life is miserable—"

"My life isn’t miserable."

"……."

"There are difficult moments, but I’m proud of my life. Every moment I endured has shaped Mikael into who he is today. My child is proof of my life—what’s there to be ashamed of?"

Maren clenched her teeth and violently kicked the laundry basket on the ground. But Alicia’s expression didn’t change. She merely stood still and watched Maren, and that only made her more infuriated.

"Really, you’re insufferable. Walking around like you’re something special—so noble, so refined, as if you were still a noblewoman!"

"……."

"Don’t delude yourself. You’re no noble. You’re just a filthy woman raising a bastard child and throwing yourself at other people’s men!"

The wrinkles on Maren’s forehead deepened. She simply couldn't understand it. That woman was nothing special—except for her slightly pretty face. And even that wasn’t enough to make men worship her like some princess.

Yet they all fawned over her.

Her own husband, who never listened when she told him to fertilize the fields, had eagerly offered to do it for Alicia. The neighbor, Pender, who always put off organizing the storage, had willingly rummaged through his supplies to bring Alicia a blanket. Even her younger brother, Peter, had insisted on fixing Alicia’s fence before she even asked.

"Stop pretending. I know your little game—acting aloof, playing hard to get, making people restless just to keep them hooked!"

"Then what should I do?"

"What?"

"When I smile, people say I’m flirting, that I look cheap. But when I stay cold, they say I’m pretending to be high and mighty."

"……."

"Just be honest. You just don’t like me. No matter what I do, you’ll always criticize and blame me."

Alicia let out a dry chuckle as she continued, her tone calm.

"I know why you hate me. But you’re directing your anger at the wrong person."

"You seduced them!"

"I said no, hundreds—thousands of times. I refused. Over and over again. But your husband, your brother, none of them listened. So tell me, who’s really at fault?"

"……."

"Let me ask you one last thing. Did you confront the man who did that to Peter the way you’re confronting me now?"

Alicia tilted her head, staring directly at Maren.

"T-That’s something I’ll deal with later…!"

"You’ll put it off, and then you’ll let it go quietly. Who would dare raise their voice against a tall, broad-shouldered man who looks wealthy? Especially if he turns out to be a real noble."

"……."

"But have you considered this? If I had the power to manipulate a man into doing that to Peter, then I could just as easily do the same to someone else."

Maren’s pupils shook violently.

"…Are you threatening me?"

"Yes."

Alicia smiled faintly and picked up the laundry basket. Maren had no problem raising her voice at her, but when it came to Cabelenus, she was terrified.

"What? Did you just say yes?"

"I already told you—I only put up with this because of my house. But now that I’m being forced out, what reason do I have to hold back?"

"……."

"That man is far beyond what you imagine. If he wanted to, he could wipe this entire village off the map with ease."

Alicia calmly collected the scattered clothes, her expression composed.

"Stop lying. If he’s so powerful, why would he be here?"

"Maybe his wife died, and he came back for an old mistress."

"What?"

"Why are you so surprised? It’s one of the rumors you eagerly spread, after all."

"……."

"If you believe your own gossip, then there’s no problem, is there? According to your own words, I’m an evil woman capable of manipulating men to do whatever I want."

How should I handle this?

Alicia cradled the laundry basket and smiled. Maren trembled, unable to say a word.

"I don’t believe you."

"You don’t have to. But you, of all people, should. Otherwise, you’d be admitting you’re a liar."

"You—!"

"If you raise that hand, he’ll get very angry. Just like with Peter."

Maren’s hand froze mid-air.

Alicia scoffed. It was almost amusing how easily an arrogant hand could be stopped with just a few words.

"If you want to drive me out, go ahead and try. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect what’s mine."

"……."

"A cornered rat will bite a cat, after all."

Alicia gathered her laundry and walked away without a second glance.

***

"I’ll have to wash everything again."

Alicia sighed as she looked at the ruined clothes. All her hard work had gone to waste, but there was no helping it—the stains were too deep. It would be easier to start over and wash them thoroughly.

"Where did I put the soap…? Chris?"

Alicia frowned as she spotted Chris crouching in the storage shed.

"What are you doing here?"

"I saw my mom yelling…."

"Ah…."

"Did she yell at you again?"

Chris sniffled, his face crestfallen.

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"No, it was just a misunderstanding."

"But she always says weird things to you. Last time, I told Mikael what she said, and he got mad…."

"That’s… hmm…."

No matter how she tried to explain, it was impossible. The truth was too complicated for a child to understand. Alicia hesitated for a moment before smiling. She knew exactly how to shift his attention.

"Chris, would you like some cookies?"

"…Cookies?"

"I have some left from yesterday."

"Then I want to eat them with Mikael!"

Chris’s face brightened, and he threw his arms up excitedly.

"Good idea. While I prepare them, can you go find Mikael?"

"Mikael’s not home?"

"Of course not. He went out early this morning—to play with you."

"But I came here to see Mikael."

Chris tilted his head in confusion.

Alicia’s expression instantly hardened.