"Oh- Mino really didn't buy these. These were crops that he was supposed to sell but he's having a hard time selling them because he isn't used to it." Jisoo replied and put down the basket.
"Mino? Are you referring to the only real person here?"
Jisoo eagerly nodded and picked up a slice of bread on the table to take a bite. "Yes. He's the one in charge of dealing with humans. He's in the Kingdom where you came from, the Kingdom X, to sell the wine we are making."
Lisa looked back at her, amused at what she heard, "Really? You're making wine?"
Jisoo nodded and took a bite of the tough bread. She put down the bread on a plate and reached out for a knife to peel the turnip. She chewed down the bread first before she opened her mouth to speak again.
"Yes, we're doing it for the same old reason, for money." Jisoo lied, since the sole reason why they are cooperating with the Kingdom X and selling wines is to freely scout the Kingdom. So, they will be updated on the country's events and news.
"Remember my twin sister, Seulgi?" Jisoo continued and Lisa just nodded her head as a response.
"She used to help me here, but ever since you came, she has spent more time making wine as well as the three pixies. We have different jobs here. Wonho, the minotaur that you met, and Ryan, the phoenix, are the ones in charge of guarding the place. While Luca, the white-winged horse, and Leo, the werewolf, are the ones accompanying Your Highness if she goes somewhere. They are also guarding the whole place with Wonho and Ryan when they are around."
"Then what about that girl that was always wearing a white mask?" Lisa asked, recalling the culprit that stole her first kiss. Lisa gulped down, insensible to the reason why her heart was beating fast.
Lisa was worried that Jisoo would see how nervous she was, so she averted her eyes from Jisoo and just stared at the turnip in her hand.
Jisoo frowned, thinking about the person that Lisa mentioned. Her hands halted their movements as she tried to think it through. "A girl that was always wearing a white mask? I don't know who you are referring to. The only girls in here are me, my twin, and the three pixies. And neither of us is wearing a mask." Jisoo answered, staring at Lisa, then she added, "Are you sure it was a girl?"
Losa eagerly nodded her head, pursing her lips in confusion. "Yes. I'm sure it was a girl. I never saw her here but I'm sure that she's also a servant of that beast. She's even the one who brought me back here when I escaped."
Jisoo's frown only deepened at what she heard. No matter how she tried to think it through, she really couldn't figure out who Lisa was referring to. Then suddenly something clicked on her mind, and she finally realized who it could be.
"You must be referring to Your Highness!" Jisoo exclaimed in a louder and bubbly voice, sounding so happy and confident that she guessed right.
While Lisa felt like someone had just thrown a bucket of cold water on her face.
"Who did you say it might be?" Lisa asked in a serious tone, praying earnestly that her mind was just playing with her, or had she become deaf for a second. Her hands, which were holding a turnip and a knife, lost their strength as they fell on the table.
"I said it might be Your Highness." Jisoo casually replied, confused as to how Lisa was reacting.
Lisa felt like crying but at the same time, she wanted to laugh to get rid of her annoyance and disappointment. She failed to utter any word and just stared at Jisoo, waiting and begging for Jisoo to take back what she said.
Jisoo thought that Lisa was waiting for her to elaborate it, so she uttered in an innocent voice, "Your Highness has two masks: a beast mask and a white mask. She uses her beast mask if she wants to intimidate someone, while her white mask is used when she goes somewhere. In that way, she won't get too much attention."
Lisa's head throbbed in pain at the revelation. She took a deep breath before she finally said something while shaking her head, refusing to believe it, "No- That can't-"
Lisa cut her own statement as her brain cells finally started working. She remembered what happened on the wedding day. That she lost consciousness when the beast lifted her mask a little bit and blew some air on her face.
That's the exact thing that the mysterious girl did to her when she caught her escaping. She also recalled that during her first day in this place, Leo said that he would take her to the beast and the mysterious girl.
No wonder I didn't see the mysterious girl back then because she and that beast are one person.
Lisa's brain shut down at the news she heard. She put down the knife and the turnip that she was holding and then took a deep breath. Her right hand reached out for the bridge of her nose and pinched it while her left hand pressed against the table for support as her head hung low in disbelief.
She heard jisoo asking her what was wrong, but Lisa refused to speak and just closed her eyes to calm herself. How would she even answer Jisoo's question? What would she even say? That she's acting like this because her very first kiss was stolen by the person she hates the most? But why did that beast kiss her in the first place? What came to her mind to do that?
There's no way she likes me. I'm so sure that she doesn't like me, judging from how she treats me. Then why? Is she just messing with me? Is she too bored to do that?
Lisa only lifted her head when someone put down something heavy on the table in a careless way. She lifted her head and saw Minors , who looked so exhausted. Mino grabbed a chair and let his butt fall as he ran his fingers on his messy hair.
"Mino? Are you okay?" Jisoo inquired and handed Mino a glass of water.
"That was so tiring. I don't think I can still do this. I'm barely making any sales of these crops and carrying these back here is too much." Mino answered after downing the glass of water.
Lisa looked down at another basket of turnips placed before her. Seeing the turnip reminded her of her family. During winter, they sell these instead. She can't help but be sad at the thought. She wondered how her family was doing and when she would ever see them again. If only I succeeded in escaping.
"I didn't know that you were also growing crops here since Leo used to buy crops from me," Lisa commented and started taking out the turnips in the basket, just like what she had done earlier.
"Oh, we're not growing any crops here except for grapes. I only bought them from your father to sell on the market." Mino nonchalantly answered, forgetting for a moment that that was supposed to be a secret.
"What did you say? From whom did you buy these?" Lisa asked, straightened her posture, and stared at Mino seriously.
Mino's body started trembling when he realized what he had just said. He slowly looked back at Lisa and gulped down in nervousness.
It was at this moment that he knew he had fucked up.
Turnips
Start from the beginning
