That day, Megrie was assigned to follow several servants to the town marketplace to purchase supplies and transport goods.
There were six of them in total.
Five male servants—and one female servant.
That female servant was Megrie.
Natta stood by the window, watching the group leave the castle, her gaze cold and calculating.
She had long felt that allowing Megrie to stay inside the castle doing cleaning work was far too easy on her.
More importantly—
She had already noticed that her second son, Loa, had begun paying attention to that girl.
That was not a good sign.
In name, they were siblings.
Even without blood ties, such attention was enough to raise suspicion.
In Natta's mind, the conclusion had already taken shape.
She was convinced that Megrie, desperate to avoid starvation, had deliberately drawn close to Loa.
Using that pitifully thin body to gain sympathy.
Perhaps even—
Seduction.
The thought made anger surge uncontrollably in Natta's chest.
And so, she gave the order.
Have Megrie removed from the castle.
Assign her work that required more strength—
more exhaustion—
and far less chance of being noticed.
—Carrying cargo.
Megrie did not complain.
In fact, when she stepped out of the castle gates in daylight for the first time since arriving in this world, and entered the town marketplace, her mood unexpectedly lifted.
This was the first time she had truly seen what lay beyond the castle walls.
The streets were livelier than she had imagined.
Stalls lined the roads.
Voices overlapped in noisy waves.
The air was thick with the scents of spices, meat, bread, and sweat.
Her gaze wandered instinctively through the crowd.
And then, she noticed it.
On the streets—
There were many thin women.
Very few plump ones.
What stood out even more were the looks people gave them.
Slender women were met with gazes of disdain, pity, or indifference—
as if they were incomplete beings.
In contrast, women with full figures and rosy complexions
were stared at, admired, envied.
Those were the looks reserved for people who were seen as "living well."
Megrie lowered her gaze to her own wrist—
so thin it could almost be wrapped around with one hand.
As expected.
As she walked through the marketplace,
she too was examined with the same disdainful looks.
As if her thinness
was not proof of hardship,
but evidence of failure.
She didn't slow her steps.
She simply engraved the rule of this world quietly into her mind.
—In this place, looking well-fed itself was a kind of value.
The marketplace buzzed with life.
And here—
Megrie encountered the person she least wanted to see.
Kiki.
She walked side by side with a friend, both girls plump to an excessive degree.
Yet in this world, such bodies were symbols of beauty and prosperity.
Their laughter rang bright, their dresses vivid, drawing attention wherever they went.
Megrie's heart sank.
She instinctively lowered her head and retreated behind the five burly male servants, trying to blend into the shadows.
Don't be seen.
Don't be noticed.
Just endure this and it will pass.
But she forgot—
Some people never need a reason to target her.
"Hey? Isn't that Megrie?"
Kiki's voice rang out, brimming with undisguised malice.
She grabbed her friend and deliberately raised her voice, pointing openly.
"Why are you so skinny? Disgusting."
"You're still alive? I thought you'd have starved to death in some corner by now."
Their laughter cut sharply through the marketplace.
Megrie's steps halted.
She wanted to argue.
To snap back.
To swing her hand across Kiki's face.
But in the next second, her reason slammed down hard.
No.
Keep a low profile.
Don't respond.
If Kiki went back and reported this to Natta,
she didn't dare imagine what punishment would follow.
Megrie lowered her head, fists clenched tight, nails biting into her palms.
She forced herself to stand still, swallowing the urge that threatened to explode.
And this scene—
Was witnessed clearly by Kai, who happened to be inspecting his shops that day.
Standing across the street, he saw Megrie with her head lowered, shoulders trembling slightly.
To him, it looked like she was being bullied to tears.
Without hesitation, Kai walked over.
He stepped in front of Megrie, placing his body between her and the girls.
"Two beautiful young ladies,"
his voice was calm and low, yet carried undeniable authority.
"You look so lovely, but the words you speak are anything but. That's not acceptable."
That day, Kai was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit.
Clean lines.
Composed elegance.
The air of nobility and gentlemanly restraint he carried made Kiki and her friend flush instantly.
Caught in their girlish infatuation, they forgot to continue mocking Megrie.
"Who are you?"
Kiki asked, her tone noticeably softer.
"A passerby,"
Kai replied coldly.
Megrie lifted her head, staring at his back in shock.
Only one thought echoed in her mind—
Why is he here?
Kiki was about to say more, but her friend quickly pulled her away and whispered urgently:
"That's Kai. Several shops around here rent from him."
"We can't afford to offend him."
Kiki's eyes lit up instantly.
Wealthy.
Handsome.
And distinguished.
Exactly the kind of man she dreamed of marrying.
She grabbed her friend's hand and hurried away, her voice hushed but excited:
"You know him? Tell me everything about him!"
Once they were gone, the marketplace gradually returned to its noise.
Megrie stepped forward and quietly thanked Kai.
Then she bid him farewell.
"I still have work to do,"
she said calmly, gesturing toward the waiting cargo cart.
Kai didn't stop her.
He simply stood there, watching her walk away.
He watched—
As her frail body lifted heavy crates.
Step by step, climbing onto the cargo wagon.
The sight tightened his chest painfully.
A wordless ache welled up inside him.
He wanted to help her.
But he didn't know how.
A feeling called helplessness quietly began to erode his heart.