I Didn't Really Want to Do Farming! (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 6

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As the harbor drew closer, Scutt, who had been fidgeting anxiously, finally burst into tears.

Despite his fierce appearance, he was tender-hearted and kept glaring at Stella’s guards as if ready to kill them, only to break down sobbing again and again.

“Your Highness, you must stay well.”

“You must stay well too, Scutt. I’ll never forget that you caught me.”

“Huhuhuh…”

Seeing a man taller than me by a full head shedding tears like a chick’s droppings made me feel like laughing—and yet like bursting into tears myself.

“This is my favorite candy… You can take it.”

Cookus abruptly thrust forward a worn leather pouch and turned his head away. His pink-tipped nose twitched each time he sniffled.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

“There’s also medicine inside that’ll give you diarrhea for three days straight. If anyone bullies you, feed it to them.”

Cookus whispered secretly. Stella, touched by his kindness, pressed her lips tightly together and nodded. She feared that if she said thank you once more, she’d start crying again.

Aside from that, the gifts the sailors gave her were varied.

At first, they’d looked at her with wary eyes when she boarded the ship, but by now they’d opened their hearts and treated her like a beloved younger sister or daughter.

Though Stella had worked hard to befriend them, they were naturally rough yet warm-hearted people.

Their gifts were so plentiful that the captain had to provide her with a new bag.

Stella waved vigorously toward the ship sailing away.

Although she’d been taken aboard as a hostage and treated like cargo, the month spent on that ship had been the warmest and happiest time in her twenty years of life.

“Goodbye.”

Stella offered her final farewell in a voice as soft as a sigh.

“It’s time to go now.”

As Stella couldn’t tear her eyes away from the ship, now reduced to a mere dot, an impatient voice from the guard standing behind her cut through the air.

Though called “escorts,” they were actually assigned to watch over her. Their unfriendly glances made it clear they’d been sent by the queen’s faction.

In that moment, Stella realized she was hearing the guard’s voice for the very first time.

That meant they’d treated her like an invisible person all along.

Yet she had no intention of confronting them or accusing them of disrespecting royalty. To them, she was merely a powerless hostage, not the legitimate princess.

Instead of replying, Stella simply nodded.

At the harbor, five carriages from the Credion Empire stood waiting to take the princess from Amalune.

Anticipating that a princess would have many belongings, they’d sent an ample number of carriages.

“Is this why they gave me so many gifts?”

Stella recalled the endless stream of gift boxes entering her room the day before departure. Even though her luggage had seemed substantial, it filled only two carriages.

“Do you have any other belongings, Your Highness?”

The knight from the Credion Empire glanced subtly at the three empty carriages. Many others had requested additional carriages even after receiving five.

“This is all my luggage.”

Fortunately, the knight didn’t press further and ordered the carriages to depart immediately. Stella’s carriage sped toward the imperial palace of the Credion Empire.

[This is the timeline separator]

“I thought I’d at least get to see the Emperor’s face.”

After sending five carriages to greet her, the knights had simply dropped Stella off at the most remote corner of the imperial palace and vanished without a trace.

During the journey from the palace’s grand entrance to this spot, Stella had kept the carriage window tightly shut.

Sitting alone in the pitch-black carriage, with not a single ray of light entering, all sorts of pessimistic thoughts crept into her mind.

Would she be locked away in a dark underground dungeon?

Would she be sold into slavery somewhere no one knew?

Ludina’s absence, who always radiated positivity, was immediately felt. Stella, sinking deeper into despair, closed her eyes and leaned against the carriage wall.

Each jolt of the carriage thudded against her head, but she accepted it. The steady rhythm suggested they were traveling on a stone-paved road.

How long had passed like this? Stella, who’d been dozing off, suddenly winced as sunlight flooded into the carriage.

“We’ve arrived.”

She must have finally reached the underground dungeon.

The first thing Stella saw upon stepping out of the carriage was a row of houses lining a wide road, spaced evenly apart.

The mansions, each accompanied by a spacious garden, looked less like houses and more like small castles.

Though differing in size and shape, they seemed crafted by the same architect, harmonizing so well that the entire area resembled one grand sculpture. Where Stella stood was before an old castle.

“Wow!”

Trending

Stella gaped at the ancient castle, its walls deeply cracked. Compared to the surrounding buildings, this one was exceptionally weathered, its exterior distinctly different.

Ivy climbed the walls of the five-story, dark-red building, covering the windows, with cracks appearing here and there.

The roof tiles had faded so much their original color was unrecognizable, now appearing a drained gray.

The only thing on the castle retaining its color was the green ivy stubbornly scaling the walls.

She’d been an outcast even in Amalune—it seemed nothing would be different here.

Would things have been better if Beatrice had come instead? Knowing such thoughts were pointless, Stella carefully examined the building’s exterior.

Since this would be her new home, the more she looked, the more acceptable it seemed. After all, compared to a dungeon, this wasn’t so bad.

“Where’s the entrance?”

Wondering if she should go inside, she glanced around—when suddenly a woman in a dark-red dress approached quickly from the left and stopped before her.

Her hair was pulled back in a neat bun without a single strand out of place, and her dress matched the building’s wall color exactly.

She looked as if part of the building itself had grown a face and stepped forward.

Behind her, one servant and two maids hurriedly caught up, panting from the rush.

The woman paused briefly to catch her breath, then bowed politely.

“I apologize. We were informed you’d arrive late in the evening and didn’t realize you’d already come. I am Mila Twelzen, and I’ll be serving you from now on, Your Highness.”

“Not at all.”

The woman’s hair was impeccably tidy, and her voice was as composed as her posture. She appeared to be Stella’s age or at most mid-twenties.

Yet her mature aura made Stella hesitant to speak casually.

“Your Highness, please speak freely. It’ll put me at ease as well.”

“…Alright.”

At Stella’s reply, Mila’s expression brightened slightly.

Relieved she wouldn’t be thrown into a dungeon, Stella was doubly grateful to learn she’d have a personal maid and servants. Overwhelmed moments before, she now felt as if she’d found her way again.

The woman who’d introduced herself as Mila Twelzen carried herself with exceptional grace and restraint. Her demeanor showed neither warmth nor hostility.

In a first meeting, any overt emotion would have been strange. Stella actually felt reassured by Mila’s appropriate distance.

“The place isn’t fully prepared yet. You must be tired from your long journey—please come this way. The servants have readied your bedroom.”

“Thank you.”

Stella sensed the servants behind Mila stealing quick glances at her while bowing their heads.

They were probably busy assessing what kind of master they’d gotten. Stella also wanted to scrutinize each of them carefully to understand their character, but she held back.

She’d naturally get to know them over time, and through that, she’d discover who might become her ally.

Though no one could ever replace Ludina, she hoped to find someone in this distant land with whom she could share a piece of her heart. Just then—

“Who are you?”

Someone whispered.

“What?”

Hearing Stella’s voice, Mila halted and turned around to ask again.

“Pardon? What did you say?”

“No… Did someone just speak to me?”

“Did anyone address the princess?”

Mila’s stern gaze shifted to the servants trailing behind at a short distance. They hastily shook their heads and bowed lower.

“No, we didn’t say a word.”

Indeed, with such a vast gap in status, servants would never dare speak to a princess first. Mila nodded in understanding and turned back to Stella.

“You must have misheard.”

“Really?”

Stella slowly scanned her surroundings once more. All she saw were four pairs of eyes staring at her curiously—and ivy leaves no bigger than a baby’s palm.

Shhhhhhh.

As the wind blew, green waves rippled across the ivy-covered wall.

Unlike Amalune buildings, which had central entrances, Verdura Castle’s entrance was at the eastern end.

With vague fear and curiosity about this unfamiliar place, Stella slowly climbed the steps and passed through the porch and front door in turn.

The first thing to greet her was a small hall with high ceilings. Though old paintings and antique decorations were displayed throughout, cobwebs remained in spots—evidently, cleaning wasn’t yet complete.

Mila, standing perfectly straight, calmly began guiding Stella through the interior.

“This is the eastern hall. It’s not large, but suitable for small tea parties.”

Mila then meticulously showed Stella every corner of Verdura Castle. Having always eaten and studied within her room, Stella was utterly bewildered by the vast space suddenly entrusted to her.

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