Chapter 118

Episode 18: Secretly…button (5)

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“So this is a scalpel?”

“It looks completely different, though?”

The warriors were all familiar with getting injuries, so they were also quite familiar with the scalpel.

They talked among themselves as they studied the scalpels that were inside the velvet box.

Aristine leaned back in her seat in thought as she watched the huge-looking warriors huddle together and stare.

‘I just wanted to see Sir. Mukali, how did it turn out like this…’

She didn’t know why but Mukali turned ghastly and even the other warriors turned pale as well and they cried to share the honor of spending time with the Princess Consort.

It felt like a desperate struggle somehow. Like they were desperately trying to save their comrade from an imminent death.

‘Why are they so intense…?’

She had heard the warriors had a strong sense of camaraderie, but did they have to do everything together to feel at ease?

Aristine pondered about it.

It did bother her that the scalpel designs were leaked but she figured it would be fine since the warriors gathered here were Tarkan’s closest aides.

“So you were going to show this to Mukali.”

Tarkan mumbled softly.

‘Why not me?’

When that thought arose in his mind, he shut his mouth.

It didn’t matter whether Aristine came to show Mukali instead of him. He didn’t particularly want her to come see him.

“…”

To emphasize once again, he never wanted her to, nor did he ever expect her to.

‘But…’

Even if that’s the case, shouldn’t she tell him, her business partner, first, rather than Mukali?

She took care of Ritlen so much because he was her first employee so should she be treating her first business partner like this?

Tarkan’s gaze turned sharp.

But Aristine just nodded casually.

“Yeah.”

Seeing her overly natural attitude, Tarkan got angry.

“Why?”

“Because Sir Mukali helped me out a lot. We went to Catallaman together too.”

“That, even I…!”

“Huh?”

“…Never mind.”

Tarkan folded his arms and turned away.

‘Why is he acting like this again?’

Aristine shrugged and stopped bothering.

Her main focus was on the scalpel that was just finished today.

“It will be a revolution of the current scalpel even if it’s presented like this.”

Aristine picked up the scalpel in the box. The scalpel twinkled under the indoor lighting, reflecting the light cleanly.

“But I want to test it before that.”

“Test?”

Tarkan asked and Aristine nodded.

“Mhm.”

“I don’t think there will be any problem. After all, the only difference from the current scalpel is the shape. It’s a great idea to change that shape completely.”

“Yes, but I don’t know scalpels that well.”

The only thing she knew about the current scalpels was that there was a problem with its shape. It was shaped like a dagger and the blade was thick, making precise work difficult.

Aristine made a scalpel that supplemented that problem.

“There might be problem I’m not aware of, so I would like to fix that before it’s released.”

Furthermore, if she tested it and released the results, she would be able to free herself from any debate about medical negligence in the future. It would be great evidence.

‘And most of all…’

Aristine grinned.

“Wouldn’t it be better to get clear data about how much better it is than the current scalpel and what advantages it has?”

Anyone could tell intuitively that this scalpel was better than the current standard scalpel. The design already made it stand out as it drew people’s eyes first. But as with anything, the addition of objective data would increase its credibility.

A light flashed through Tarkan’s eyes.

“That’s a good strategy.”

“Right?”

Aristine looked at Tarkan. Her twinkling eyes seemed to be saying ‘What do you think? I’m quite competent. Aren’t I a pretty good partner?’.

Tarkan chuckled without even realizing it.

“But to do tests, you will have to recruit people.”

“Indeed.” (Aristine)

Tarkan nodded his head.

‘Is it time for me to step in?’

Mukali was getting special treatment for helping so if he helped…

Right when Aristine let out a sigh like she was thinking deeply about it…

Tarkan timed the moment to offer a hand at a decisive moment.

“You will need to recruit people who won’t leak the designs, so if that’s a concern for you—”

“Me!”

One of the warriors who was just watching suddenly pointed at himself and shouted.

“Huh?”

“I have a wart on my finger, and I need it removed!”

“What?!”

“This cheap bastard…!”

The other warriors around them clamored and pressed down the warrior’s head.

But regardless of what they did, he ignored it and held out his hand towards Aristine.

There was indeed a tiny wart on the iron-like hand.

“Do you have to cut this off? Just leave it and…”

“No! I have to cut it! I must!”

He shouted and proudly puffed out his chest.

‘The Princess Consort is paying attention to me!’

He raised his chin and enjoyed the envious gazes of the other warriors.

“Ah, I have to cut off an inflammation here!”

Another warrior pointed at his cheek. No matter how hard you looked at it, it didn’t look inflamed enough to be cut off.

“Oh! Then me too!”

A different warrior held out his perfectly fine hand.

“My blood looks a little dark, so I think I need to cut my hand open and let some blood out.”

“…”

Aristine looked at the warriors with dull eyes.

These were all Tarkan’s closest aides, who defeated the Silvanus Army and drove out the fearsome demonic beasts of the plains.

They were truly Irugo’s strongest force.

Yet, those people were acting so…

‘Is this country going to be okay…’

She started to get really worried all of a sudden.

‘No, imagine how stupid Silvanus is, getting beaten by these guys…’

She didn’t feel an ounce of affection for her home country but at this point, she tried to conjure a little pity.

The warriors who had been clamoring for her to quickly stab them with the scalpel suddenly felt a bone chilling wind down to their core and flinched.

‘This bloodthirst…!’

It was human-like to look for confirmation despite trembling in fear. The huge warriors turned their stiff necks while trembling to look for the source of the blood thirst.

“Hiiik!”

There was a monster there. A monster more terrifying that demonic beasts!

When the warriors saw Tarkan staring at them with those flashing gold eyes, their tails shriveled up.

These warriors who wouldn’t back down even in the face of a beast ten times their size, grew tearful in an instant.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

Aristine tilted her head at the strange reaction of the warriors.

She followed their gaze and stopped at Tarkan.

“Tarkan?”

“Yes?”

Tarkan replied calmly. His expression was relaxed.

‘He looks the same to me?’

There was nothing special.

Aristine turned back to look at the warriors. They looked even paler their before and their expressions were terrible.

‘…?’

Aristine grew more puzzled. She glanced at Tarkan, but he was giving her a look that seemed to ask why she called him and didn’t say anything.

“Ah, I wanted you to eat this.”

Aristine signaled with her eyes and the court ladies took out a dessert from the basket.

Because Mukali ate a lot of the scones last time, she purposefully prepared a lot this time so everyone here should be able to have one piece.

It was a gorgeous and fresh cream cake, topped with spring strawberries. The moist and fluffy chiffon sheet and cream were made with the fresh milk from the ranch this morning. Adding to that was the sweet and slightly sour spring strawberries.

“This is really delicious. Our pâtissier is the best. Everyone, have a bite.”

When it comes to marketing, the more people there were, the better!

‘Cake that the Princess Consort personally brought…!’

The warriors all gave their thanks and received the cake.

When the huge-looking guys took the dessert plates, it looked like they were holding doll plates for playing house.

“Thank you, I will enjoy it.”

“It’s an honor, Princess Consort.”

The warriors carefully used their fork to pick up the piece of cake that could only last for one bite.

“…!”

“This…!”

The eyes of the warriors opened wide.

Aristine looked at them with satisfaction.

“What do you think? It’s the best, isn’t it?”

But the warriors did not hear that question.

‘This is definitely the work of that pâtissier that His Highness Tarkan hired…’

There was no other pâtissier who could elevate such basic dessert to the level of art.

‘Wasn’t he developing battle rations?’

‘Why is he making desserts for Her Highness?’

The warriors’ eyes turned to Tarkan.

For the first time in his life, Tarkan avoided their gaze.