I Became a Barbarian’s Bride - Chapter 160

Outside the window, there even seemed to be something like a greenhouse.

“What has you looking so intently, Princess?”

She realized she’d stopped walking while gazing out the window, and Kagan came up behind her, leaning forward to speak over the top of her head.

“Ah, outside… it looked like there was a greenhouse, and I found it curious.”

With no sense of personal space, his body was pressed right up against her back, and she could hear the steady thump-thump of his heartbeat.

“Ah, Ulbach is a botanist, you know.”

“…What?”

“He’s one of the few botanists in Xieman. His family, both his father’s and grandfather’s generations, were the ones who developed plants that could actually grow in Xieman’s soil.”

At Kagan’s words, Nisha blinked a couple of times.

He looked like the type who’d just go outside and smash things to pieces, she’d thought he was entirely a warrior.

‘So he’s actually a scholar.’

She knew prejudice wasn’t good, but the gap between appearance and fact was just so stark.

He was even bigger than Kagan, after all.

The image of that massive man hunched over, planting tiny seeds and tending to them carefully, struck her as oddly cute.

Pfft.

A faint, amused sound escaped from between Nisha’s lips.

Kagan’s eyes widened slightly, and when he glanced at her, he let out a soft laugh.

“What’s funny? Surprised that a big guy like him is a botanist?”

“Ah, no. No, not at all? It’s just… planting and caring for plants means working with tiny seeds, as small as a cat’s claw. Imagining him handling those delicate little seeds just struck me as a bit cute…”

Kagan paused at Nisha’s words.

‘Cute?’

How in the world could that word be used to describe a man that massive and imposing?

Kagan scowled at Ulbach, clicking his tongue.

“Kagan?”

“I can plant things too.”

“Huh?”

“I’m saying, I can plant seeds and grow them too.”

Kagan spoke as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer and starting to walk again.

Nisha frowned at his words.

Well, anyone with hands and feet could plant and grow things. Raising plants wasn’t exactly difficult.

‘But why is he bringing this up now?’

Kings didn’t usually talk about growing plants, so was he just proud of it?

“Ah, congratulations. That’s impressive?”

“What’s with that question mark at the end.”

His voice was low and a little sulky, but there was a faint hint of a smile on his face as he leaned in close.

“Aren’t I cuter than that guy?”

“…Ah.”

Oh, that.

He just wanted to hear that he was cute.

‘How old is he again…’

She was pretty sure he wasn’t younger than her, but she didn’t know how to react to such a childish question.

Nisha scratched her cheek and shrugged her shoulders.

“Yeah, much cuter.”

Deciding to just give him the answer he wanted, Nisha spoke and then walked past him again.

Ulbach, standing a few steps away, gave Kagan a look of disbelief but when his eyes met Nisha’s, he gave her an awkward smile.

“It’s fortunate that the Kagan, who never seemed too interested in women, has found his Katun.”

“That’s right.”

“I’ve also heard rumors of the miracles the Katun brings. So it’s a great honor that you chose to come here of all places.”

“I heard this is where the most crops are produced in Xieman, so… I thought it might be necessary…”

Was that the right thing to say?

It felt odd to be so polite with a man that large.

‘Does Kagan even beat men like this easily?’

They said Xieman’s leader was the strongest in the land, so did that mean he’d fought every challenger who dared?

As she stared at Ulbach, lost in thought, Kagan suddenly leaned in close, his face right in front of her.

“Hyaa!”

“Hyaa?”

Nisha’s eyes flew wide open as she clutched her chest, startled.

“D-Don’t just suddenly shove your face in like that…”

“I didn’t realize my face was so frightening it’d make you scream…”

Kagan’s voice was oddly gruff as he shrugged his shoulders.

“No, no, it’s not that…”

If it were a matter of looks, she could have stayed silent.

It wasn’t like she hadn’t had plenty of people suddenly shove their faces in hers before. If that were enough to make her react, she’d have worn out long ago.