This BL Novel Is Ruined Now - Chapter 248
Chapter 248
Translator: Yonnee
—
The ride was bumpy and uncomfortable due to the uneven forest path and the poorly constructed cart, but oddly enough, the rhythmic bumps gradually lulled her into a drowsy state.
‘The clothes are really warm.’
As her thoughts trailed off, her consciousness began to drift deeper.
Awakened by a sound, she opened her eyes to find the stars densely scattered across the sky, and below them, a rustic but well-kept cabin in the forest looked like a scene from a painting.
“You must have been very tired. Still, you should eat something.”
“Ah… yes.”
Perhaps because she had slept too deeply after worrying about whether to seek help before meeting them, she felt somewhat more at ease.
As Reina clumsily got off the cart, the middle-aged man, who had apparently entered the house earlier, came out calling.
“There’s hot water ready if you want to wash, Miss!”
“……”
Why were they so kind? Was her condition so bad that they couldn’t bear not to help?
Though she momentarily questioned their motives, a comforting warmth bloomed in her chest.
So instead of declining, Reina nodded slightly.
“Then I’ll accept your kindness…”
The bathing area the wife showed her was small but had everything necessary.
Considerately, they had scattered a few fragrant petals in the warm bathwater.
“Ahh… this is nice.”
As she submerged herself up to her neck, Reina slowly began to ease the fatigue of her recent ordeals.
“There’s even a separate bathing area… This couple seems to live a self-sufficient lifestyle.”
The roughly made bathtub held the water well, and the heat of the water was retained for a long time.
“Boiling water in the mountains just for a warm bath isn’t easy… I’ll have to properly thank them later.”
In a place without magical plumbing like a noble’s residence, taking a bath was quite a cumbersome task.
As Reina relaxed in the warm water for a while, her tension eased slightly.
Then, the question she had hastily concluded earlier resurfaced.
“Why are they helping me so much?”
She hadn’t exactly asked for help.
But that question soon vanished like a bubble.
“After all…”
The people of the empire were more unsuspecting than she thought.
So, when she first realized that she had reincarnated and when her ego had been replaced with her past life’s mentality, Reina—who had been steeped in the harshness of modern society—was quite startled.
“Is it the same here?”
Even if it wasn’t, how could she know the true intentions of the middle-aged couple?
Thus, she decided to just be herself and think about what she could do.
“Since I’ve received their kindness, I might as well eat and then leave.”
She had thought about leaving at dawn, but she lacked mental peace. After all, she had Utta’s power to guide her.
“Ha… Now the question is, where to go next…”
Should she go to the grandfather of the recluse she had turned herself into… or to the elves who regarded her as less than roadside dung… That was the question.
“Thinking about it, isn’t my life just too much of a comedy…”
Honestly, though she claimed to have a spirit full of adventure and to enjoy extremes, Reina was somewhat tired by now.
“Ha… Of course, it’s my own doing.”
As she was mumbling to herself,
Knock, knock.
“I’ve brought some clothes and a towel, may I come in?”
The woman’s voice came from outside the door.
Even though it was the culture of the empire not to casually see each other naked, they had already seen everything, so there was no more embarrassment.
“Yes, you may come in.”
With a lightened voice, Reina answered, and the door carefully opened. The wife, avoiding looking directly at Reina, placed the clothes down.
Reina couldn’t help but express her gratitude again for such subtle consideration.
“Thank you very much. You really helped me out of a difficult situation.”
“I’m glad we could help.”
The thoughtful middle-aged woman just smiled warmly, asking neither the reason nor the circumstances of Reina’s disheveled state in the forest.
Perhaps that was why Reina, feeling like a thief with cold feet, started to make excuses on her own.
“I can’t explain in detail, but… I was captured by bandits. I managed to escape, but I had to discard my clothes and shoes in the process…”
Although it wasn’t the right place for a conversation, the explanation Reina gave made the woman take a seat in the corner of the bath.
“You’re strong to have escaped such a harsh ordeal.”
“Is that so?”
As Reina looked quietly at the bubbling bathwater, the wife, lost in memories, said,
“We had a daughter who would be about your age by now.”
From the wording choice of ‘had’ instead of ‘have’, it was clear.
‘She lost her daughter…’
That finally made the wife’s kindness understandable.
The wife, as if picturing her deceased daughter’s face somewhere far away, fixed her gaze out the small window made for ventilation above the wall.
“When we found you in the forest… I thought of her. My husband probably couldn’t say anything when he found you for the same reason.”
Reina could add nothing more. The woman, sensing she might have shared too much, changed her expression to lighten the mood and stood up.
“Dinner is ready, so please come out. I’ll go ahead and wait for you.”
Want to read more? Advanced chapters are available on Patreon! (for selected novels only)
≪ Discord ≫
≪ Novel Updates ≫
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
