Apparently, I’m a Poisonous Woman Who Sells One-Night Dreams, but I Ended Up Awakening a Hero’s Devoted Love - Chapter 1.26

Thirty minutes had passed since boarding the carriage with Jerf, who carried a large backpack. The unpaved road twisted and turned endlessly.

Each time the carriage swayed, Jerf would steady me, but that only brought us closer, which was its own problem.

Just when the carriage stopped and I thought we’d finally arrived, he announced we’d have to continue on horseback from here because the mountain path ahead was steep.

(So that’s why he bought me riding clothes at the shop along the way.)

I’d assumed I was being made to change from my dress into more practical clothing because we were entering an abandoned mine, but that wasn’t the case.

After stopping the carriage under the eaves of a three-story lodging house built by the river—where miners supposedly once lived—Jerf began saddling the horses.

The driver went to fetch water from the river for the horses and would apparently wait here for our return.

Standing before the horses, Mariadoll pouted, her lips pursed in a “hmmph.”

There was one horse with a saddle in front of her. The carriage had been pulled by two horses, so there was another one, but she couldn’t ride alone.

“Well then, please, my lady. You’re coming with me to the ends of the earth, right?”

“O-of course… This won’t throw me off, will it?”

“Haha, I’ll hold you steady. You act too impulsively without thinking ahead, Mariadoll.”

She didn’t want to hear that from the man who’d suddenly proposed a temporary engagement, but he wasn’t wrong. She hadn’t thought things through.

It was her first time riding a horse, and though she managed to mount with Jerf’s help, the vantage point was higher than she’d imagined.

(If I lose my balance even slightly, I might fall off. How do knights manage to ride such unstable vehicles?)

Swinging a sword while holding the reins with one hand? Absolutely impossible.

The man who accomplished such feats with ease mounted lightly behind Mariadoll and took the reins with practiced hands.

“Let’s go!”

“Wait, please. I’m not mentally prepared yet… Eek!”

With a sharp crack of the reins, the horse started moving. Well, it was actually just a brisk walk, but the wind hitting her directly made it feel faster.

Jerf supported her swaying body from behind, moving in rhythm with the horse. True, with this, she didn’t have to worry about falling, but…

(We’re too close!)

Mariadoll, who was only called a “poisonous woman” in name, blushed crimson at the warmth she felt against her back. Though she tried to avoid contact, her body occasionally bumped against his firm chest, arms, and shoulders.

(Ugh, at least it’s a relief that Sir Jerf can’t see my face from behind.)

Though it was already clear she was no poisonous woman, having him see her bright red face would be embarrassing. Mariadoll sighed, wishing they’d arrive soon, unaware that even her ears had turned red.

“I always think this, but how did you manage to act the part of a poisonous woman like that?”

“I don’t know. People around me started saying it on their own.”

“Haha, that’s right. In that case, am I the only one who knows this side of Mariadoll?”

Suddenly, Jerf’s fingers reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. Mariadoll twitched, shaking her shoulders, and he chuckled amusedly in his throat.

“If you understand, then please don’t tease me.”

“It lets me see your ears better.”

“M-my ears? Ah, you mean I should listen for sounds, right? Since we’re in the mountains, there might be animals. Are there dangerous animals here!?”

“No, there aren’t… Really, what part of this is a poisonous woman?”

He seemed somewhat exasperated, but she wished he wouldn’t sigh right behind her. The breath against her nape gave her goosebumps. What a complete waste of his charms.

They dismounted partway and tied the horse in front of a small hut. After that, they proceeded along what barely passed for a path for another thirty minutes. Mariadoll, her feet catching on exposed rock surfaces and being pulled along by Jerf’s hand, finally arrived before a hole about two and a half meters wide. It was an old mining site.

“Sorrick managed to come all the way out here?”

“Children around here are taught to ride horses by age ten, and kids are nimble.”

There were several other holes too. Some higher up, and apparently even small entrances and vertical shafts.

Among them, the one drawn in detail on the map was the hole now before Mariadoll. Jerf entered the hole with the map in hand, touching the ceiling and walls to check their stability.

“This hole seems the easiest to enter. The color-changing rocks were supposedly found around here too.”

“Indeed, the entrance is large and the inside is spacious.”

Peering inside, she saw a gentle downward slope continuing for a while.

The ceiling was high enough that even tall Jerf didn’t need to bend over.

Jerf set down the backpack he’d been carrying, took out a lantern, and lit it.

“Sorry, but could you wait here a bit? I want to check inside the hole too.”

“Then I’m coming as well. This is the hole where we can get those rocks, right?”

Mariadoll was somewhat excited.

If children had gone in, it probably wasn’t too dangerous.

However, Jerf’s expression was grim.

“We don’t know how accurate this map is.”

“If it seems dangerous, we’ll turn back. Besides, I’ve never heard of rocks that can become paint—I really want to see what kind of place they’re found in.”

Jerf looked at the map again and pointed to an area he deemed safe enough.

“Alright, let’s go as far as this three-way fork. It should take about thirty minutes.”

“Thank you. By the way, what are these X marks written here and there?”

“Probably indicating that it’s dangerous beyond those points. We’ll avoid those areas.”

Setting their goal about two kilometers ahead, the two entered the hole relying on the lantern’s light.

For a while, the footing remained gentle with small stones, but gradually the rolling stones grew larger. The sheer darkness and narrowness of the place were frightening in themselves.

“This won’t collapse, will it?”

“Probably not. The bedrock around here is hard.”

Jerf knocked on the bedrock with his fist, and small fragments crumbled off, rolling away with a clatter. Mariadoll watched them go. Clatter, clatter.

“W-well, this much should be fine.”

“Are you sure!?”

He appeared his usual nonchalant self, but upon closer look, the corners of his mouth were twitching.

The path forked multiple times along the way, and Jerf checked the map each time before proceeding. Stopping at a point where they should probably turn back, he looked around at the surrounding rocks.

“It seems they mined the rocks in question around here.”

The map had this entire area circled with a large oval.

“Shall we try digging a bit?”

He took two-pointed mining tools from his backpack and handed one to Mariadoll.

Though he’d opposed Mariadoll entering the hole, he seemed to have anticipated this outcome.

While Mariadoll cautiously scraped at the wall, Jerf thrust his mining tool into the wall with force. A fist-sized rock came loose with a thud. Was this really okay?

“Apparently, even under lantern light, the area around the rocks glows white.”

True to his words, when they shone the lantern on the rocks, they saw a white outline, just like when they’d seen them in the workshop.

“If they’re this easy to mine, could we mass-produce them?”

“Probably. Speaking of which, you seemed particularly interested in the red one—did you like it?”

Mariadoll asked Jerf without stopping her awkward hands.

“Sir Jerf, are you aware that painters have died because of paint?”

“No… That’s the first I’ve heard of it. Is that true?”

It was a little-known story.

Partly because painters had low status in this country, but also because many painters themselves didn’t know about it.

“The red dye called ‘shinsha’ is used in eastern countries for traditional medicine and pigments. Because of that, many people don’t know its dangers, but it actually contains toxic substances. It’s such a beautiful red that patrons sometimes specify its use, and painters can’t refuse when that happens.”

“Was that shinsha the same red as those rocks?”

“Yes. They were very similar. If those can be used as paint, they could serve as substitutes.”

There was one more color Mariadoll was particular about—white.

Even now, as they spoke, Maverick was burning rocks for her.

“The same goes for white. It’s called ‘lead white,’ and because of its excellent color development, it’s favored for portraits. Especially when painting women’s skin white—using lead white apparently pleases patrons.”

Literally, that paint contained lead.

“I had no idea such dangerous things were used in paint. Do you use them too, Mariadoll?”

“I’m not a painter with patrons, so I don’t use them. My father forbade it too. But, Clemence…”

Clemence had also been told by Mariadoll’s father not to use them.

But somehow, he’d gotten hold of some and had started using lead white recently. Though Mariadoll scolded him each time, he always dodged it evasively.

“That child sometimes sells paintings on the street. He probably learned it from a painter he met then.”

Many painters used lead white.

A child might easily think, “Since everyone uses it, it must be fine.”

“So that’s why you pleaded so strongly with Maverick. I thought you were unusually pushy for Mariadoll.”

“Yesterday morning too, I saw Clemence using lead white, so I might have spoken more harshly than intended. I’m afraid I imposed on Mr. Maverick.”

A small stone rolled to Mariadoll’s feet with a clatter.

Shining the lantern on it, she picked it up and put it in her pocket.

“I’ve been selfish with you too, Sir Jerf. We’ve seen the mining site, so let’s head ba—”

“Danger!!”

The moment she tried to turn toward Jerf, he suddenly pulled her arm and held her against his chest.

Jerf drew a short sword from his waist and swung it with his right arm.

There was a sound like something being cut, and a few droplets splattered on her cheek.

“Sir Jerf?”

“Mariadoll! Are you bitten anywhere?”

(Bitten?)

Not understanding, she moved her gaze and spotted a long, thin object on the ground.

“I-is this a venomous snake? Sir Jerf, show me your arm.”

“It’s fine.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Just do it, quickly.”

Forcing open the buttons of his shirt, she saw two small fang marks.

Without hesitation, Mariadoll put her mouth to the wound and sucked out the venom.

“Stop! If you have any injuries in your mouth, you’ll be poisoned too.”

“It’s fine. Please be quiet for a moment.”

Taking a handkerchief from her pocket, she tied it tightly above the wound, then sucked out the venom again and spat it on the ground.

After repeating this several times, the red swelling on his arm subsided.

“That’s enough, really. When poisoned by this snake’s venom, the skin turns red, then purple. Seeing the redness fade means you’ve sucked out most of the poison.”

“I’m glad. Please lend me some water. I’ll clean the wound.”

“First, rinse your mouth. You look okay, but I’m worried.”

Doing as told, she rinsed her mouth, then tried to pour water on Jerf’s arm.

It was only then that she noticed his arm was covered in scars.

She’d been focused on sucking out the poison, but through his open shirt, his well-toned upper body was exposed.

And it bore countless scars.

(These aren’t sword wounds. They look like he was whipped and there are burn marks too. None of them are from a few years ago—they’re decades old…)

Thinking that far, Mariadoll looked up at Jerf.

His usually nonchalant red eyes were narrowed in pain.

“Who did this to you?”

“…My father.”

They were unmistakably marks of abuse.

Mariadoll had once seen Jerf’s stomach during sword training, but it was just a glimpse from a distance, so she hadn’t noticed the scars. Most of Jerf’s scars were from his shoulders to his back. The reason he wore long sleeves during sword training was to hide them.