As I contemplated how to avoid nagging, I soon became crooked in my thoughts and pondered, ‘Ah, I spoke the truth as it is, so why should I get scolded?’

My lips puckering, I ended up burying my face in my palms, turning as red as the maids. Like the maids, my mind was filled with thoughts of Hadel’s waist.

‘Ugh, Hadel’s bare body keeps coming to mind. Think about something else. Something else.’

Exactly, why did I bring up the topic of waists for no reason?

I smacked my cheeks with my palms, attempting to divert my thoughts. Fortunately, since there were various serious issues at hand, my mind quickly became entangled in different thoughts.

‘If the Prince of Birds practically holds the reins of the kingdom, things might get complicated. In the worst case, he might genuinely threaten and control the budget.’

Money talks. I let out a deep sigh.

‘I need to find a way to make money quickly in the North.’

But considering the carriage I had examined earlier, making money seemed even more challenging. When I frowned, the tailor who was tidying up chuckled and said, “It’s heartwarming in the castle. Normally, I have to wear gloves when working, but here, it’s so nice not to.”

“Is the castle particularly warm?”

At that remark, my eyes widened.

‘I was shivering, saying it’s so cold even here.’

I really thought I was freezing. However, surprisingly, it was even colder outside the castle.

“Yes, because heating stones to warm the air are very expensive, and commoners find it difficult to use them.”

“How do commoners heat their homes? Are they still using charcoal?”

When I asked about the heating tool I had used in my past life, the tailor responded as if hearing the term for the first time.

“What is charcoal?”

“You don’t know what charcoal is?”

‘Didn’t it come in handy during the war? Why wouldn’t they know?’

I naturally thought that commoners would be using it. So, when I asked what they used instead, the tailor silently laughed and replied, “Just chopping wood like normal.”

I furrowed my brows at his words.

“But it takes a lot of time and labor to chop firewood. I’ve heard that almost every man in the household is practically doing that all the time.”

“There’s no other choice. Still, the wood in the North doesn’t burn out quickly, so at least the lifespan of firewood is long. Thankfully.”

“Hmm.”

In any case, it meant using untreated logs, right? Have they never heard of charcoal?

‘I’ll have to talk to Hadel about it later.’

It felt like I got a hint about the money-making methods in the North.

I wanted to hurry and consult with Hadel. While I was fidgeting, the tailor spoke at an opportune moment with a wide smile.

“Alright, it’s done. Although it might take a while for a formal dress like the one for the banquet, I’ll quickly finish your everyday clothes and bring them to you.”

“Thank you.”

Finally, liberation!

Excited to greet everyone, the tailor asked one last question with a big smile.
“Do you have any desired decorations for the coat? I can’t attach something as expensive as peacock feathers, but perhaps Eurasian Jay leather…”

“Eurasian Jay! Absolutely not!”

To think of decorating a coat with Eurasian Jay leather! I waved goodbye to the departing people, shaking hands without any courtesy, and quickly rushed into Hadel’s room.

‘If Hadel hadn’t discovered me, I might have become a handful of Eurasian Jay leather decorating the edge of a coat.’

After all, Hadel mentioned that he would raise me more to make a scarf out of me. Shivering, I opened Hadel’s door after shaking off my shoulders.

Hadel, who was sitting in the room, asked me, “Did the clothes fit well?”

“Yeah.”

“I removed the wheels from the carriage. Don’t worry; the letter has been replaced.”

It was about the postal carriage from earlier. I nodded.

“You’ve assigned people to those two, right?”

“Yeah. By observing, we’ll know how they approach and where. I doubt there’s an Observer among the letter exchange agents, but…”

Hadel made a serious expression. I shook my head.

“I might act without thinking you’re betraying me. Don’t read too much into it. The reports I’ve received were things like your health.”

“Yeah, that could be the case.”

Hadel made a serious expression.

“But being more obsessed with you than investigating me worries me more.”

“I just wanted to introduce a woman to you, but it seems like a strange woman appeared. Isn’t that why you find it strange?”

Although I said that, it didn’t sound very convincing to my ears.

‘If that were the reason, they wouldn’t have come empty-handed this time.’

Indeed, others mentioned that the birds came directly for Hadel’s marriage issue this time. However, the birds left without mentioning anything about marriage.

‘Let’s do what I can for now!’

Thinking about the charcoal while talking to the tailor earlier, let’s make it! Determined, I grinned at Hadel.

“Let’s go out today, Hadel.”

“Why?”

“You also need to get used to handling flames. I’ll teach you.”

“I can handle flames?”

“Last time, your ability helped defeat a monster.”