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Chapter 21
It was just enough to cover the palm of a hand.
“We have to get to Latria with this money. We don’t even know what method we’ll use to get there. So we don’t know how much we’ll need. And in a situation this uncertain, you want me to spend a considerable amount saving Naomi? I can’t do that.”
Everything Aleksei said was correct. There wasn’t even a crack to argue against.
If someone asked what was wrong with it, she wouldn’t have an answer.
Because he was always coldly logical, always arriving at the right conclusion.
And yet, that was exactly what made Angelina resist him. Maybe it was sheer stubbornness, but she simply didn’t want to do things his way.
So all that matters is keeping things simple?
My feelings aren’t simple at all.
“If anything, this works out well. If she goes to the guard station, she’ll be registered as a missing child. They’ll protect her too.”
“She said she doesn’t want that.”
Angelina replied icily.
“I’m not encouraging running away from home, but if she’s rejecting it this strongly, there must be a reason.”
“So?”
“So we just need to stop them from dragging her away without spending our money, right?”
Aleksei brushed back the hair that had fallen over his forehead. He had no idea what she was getting at.
“Right?”
“…Yes.”
The moment she got her answer, Angelina spun around and strode toward Naomi.
“Will you do exactly what I say?”
Naomi nodded eagerly. Angelina immediately pointed at the telescope slung over her shoulder.
“Let’s sell that.”
“I can’t sell this.”
“Then that’s okay?”
This time her finger pointed at the monkey on Naomi’s shoulder.
“He’s my friend.”
“Choose one. Actually, make that three choices: the telescope, the monkey, or you.”
“…Fine. Here.”
Naomi reluctantly slipped the strap from her shoulder. Angelina turned the telescope over in her hands.
“This thing’s really valuable?”
“Of course! It’s one of the treasures my dad cherishes the most.”
“You said fifty baht, right? No changing your story later.”
“Ah, of course. I’m a very precise person when it comes to calculations.”
The merchant’s eyes widened.
“Wait here then. I’ll go get the money right away.”
At least until then, Angelina had been completely triumphant.
* * *
“…Five baht.”
“Five baht?”
“Yes. Five baht.”
The antique shop owner set the telescope down and delivered the finishing blow.
She’d heard that in the Empire, prices were inflated by more than tenfold at minimum.
One chunk of meat × 10 = 50 baht (the amount the merchant demanded)
One chunk of meat = 5 baht.
Therefore…
One chunk of meat = telescope.
You’re telling me to sell this telescope for the price of a piece of meat?
“Do you even know how special this telescope is? It’s a family heirloom passed down for generations. A telescope that can see a thousand ri away!”
Angelina added embellishment in agitation.
“What, does it show you treasure islands too?”
“Well, not that…”
Treasure islands only existed in pirates’ fantasies, didn’t they?
“Telescopes that see far away are everywhere. People bring these in every day. This area’s a port—what else would you expect? The craftsmanship isn’t even fancy. This is basically just a lump of brass.”
“Calling a perfectly good telescope a lump of brass is a bit much, don’t you think?”
“Anyway, five baht is the best I can offer. Take it or leave it.”
After peering through the lens one last time at her urging, the shop owner pushed the telescope back with an indifferent expression.
— We buy high and sell low.
That slogan was literally written on the shop window.
“Angelina, let’s just go back.”
“Then what about these?”
Angelina removed her necklace and earrings and placed them on the table.
“We don’t deal in jewe—”
The bored-looking owner suddenly widened her eyes and adjusted her magnifying glasses.
“These are rare. Are they real?”
In a barren land poor in natural resources, gemstones were precious. Foreign jewels were traded, but they were so expensive that ordinary people could hardly even glimpse them unless they were royalty or high nobility.
“No. They’re fake.”
If she admitted they were genuine, she could sell them for a fortune—but that came with risks. A patriotic merchant might grow suspicious of travelers carrying expensive jewelry and report them to the guard station.
What a world, where genuine things couldn’t be called genuine.
Lamenting this tragedy on behalf of the now “fake” jewelry, Angelina spoke firmly.
“But they’re imitation gems of a completely different class. Top-grade glass with delicate craftsmanship. A premium-quality product. If you don’t offer a fair price, I’ll take them elsewhere.”
“How did you come into possession of items like these?”
That was the question she’d feared.
Since it’s come to this, should I push harder?
“If you pay double for the story behind them, I’ll tell you.”
The owner fell silent in thought for a moment before speaking.
“Sixty baht.”
“Add forty more. One hundred baht.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Well, so am I.”
Angelina turned sharply away, and the owner hurriedly waved her hands.
“Fine. One hundred baht. Not a single coin more.”
“Of course. I’m a very precise person when it comes to calculations.”
Angelina smiled brightly.
“You’ll take the telescope too, right?”
“No. Put a price on that as well.”
Selling the jewelry alone would have been enough, but Angelina insisted on adding the nearly worthless telescope too.
“Here you are.”
Afraid the owner might change her mind, Angelina snatched up the money and fled the antique shop.
Either way, she felt proud for having sold it, and reassured now that they had money.
Only then, drunk on that satisfaction, did she notice Aleksei staring at her ears and neck.
“Alek?”
The jewelry couldn’t even be seen under the hat anyway, so why was he staring—ah…
The jewelry she had just sold had been Aleksei’s gift.
The day she’d tried on her wedding dress.
A servant had brought in the gift box, smiling brightly as he explained that the Crown Prince had personally selected it. Lara clapped her hands, praising the prince’s impeccable taste.
Even Angelina herself hadn’t disliked it.
“How did he choose something that matches milady’s atmosphere so perfectly?”
As if someone who cared less than a speck of dust about other people could accurately choose something that suited her. It must have just been coincidence.
“It would only attract attention if I kept wearing it anyway.”
“…Right.”
What was with that strange expression?
“Thank you.”
“……”
“I liked it. Quite a lot.”
After quietly gazing at her, Aleksei turned away.
“I’ll get you another one.”
Was that a hallucination? No, it couldn’t be.
“What did you just say?”
Angelina grabbed his collar, doubting her own ears.
“Let’s go. They’ll be waiting.”
Could it be her imagination, or did Aleksei’s face look slightly red as he refused to turn around?
Angelina slowly released his collar and stared at his indifferent back as he walked ahead.
* * *
“Well, the money’s correct.”
The female merchant twitched her lips, barely containing her delight. She clearly hadn’t expected them to actually bring the amount she’d demanded.
“Now get out of here. And don’t go stealing again somewhere else.”
Naomi stuck her tongue out at the lecturing merchant.
Grabbing Naomi’s wrist, Angelina quickly pulled her away from the area. Only after leaving the noisy marketplace and entering a quiet alley did Angelina finally stop.
“You.”
“Th-thank you.”
Startled by the look in Angelina’s eyes, Naomi blurted out her gratitude first.
“There’s something you should say before that.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“And?”
“I won’t do it again.”
Angelina pressed thirty baht into her hand.
“We saved you once, but not twice. Take this money and go your own way.”
“…I don’t want to go back.”
Tears welled again in Naomi’s puppy-like eyes, but Angelina remained unmoved.
“You can wait here for your father or keep running away. That’s your choice. But freedom comes with responsibility, and remember this: the money you have isn’t enough.”
Naomi lowered her head at Angelina’s cold advice.
“…Okay.”
“Let’s go.”
There was nothing more they could do for her. And because of that, the farewell felt strangely light.
Angelina turned away with Aleksei.
Now they truly had to think about their own future.
She counted the remaining money in her palm.
Twenty-five baht.
Could they buy proper clothes and shoes with this? Was it really okay to spend their entire fortune on clothing?
But at this rate, she’d go insane before any future even arrived.
First of all, she wanted out of this sack-like outfit obscuring her vision. She wanted to escape the looks people gave them like they were beggars.
Not drawing attention was ultimately necessary for survival.
Right. Exactly.
“Let’s buy clothes first.”
“We should make a plan before deciding what to buy.”
Aleksei sat down on the curb and pulled out a notebook and fountain pen. He had salvaged them before they threw away the sack.
“How much is left?”
“…I forgot. Wait a second.”
As Angelina started searching her pockets, Aleksei continued without waiting.
“We received 105 baht from the antique shop, gave 50 to the merchant and 30 to Naomi, so that leaves 25 baht.”
It was simple arithmetic. The kind of problem anyone could solve given enough time. Though perhaps their definitions of “a moment” differed.
“If you already knew, why ask?”
“To see whether I can trust you with the money.”
“!”
Aleksei looked at her with his usual intelligent, composed gaze.
