PDHTFV 12

~Chapter 12~

“Where do you think you’re putting those filthy hands?”

With a harsh shout, I was thrown to the ground.

That was the signal — the curtain rising on the play I had planned.

“Please, pay me what you owe! I’m the only one in my family who can earn money. If I don’t send enough this time, they’ll starve to death!”

I exaggerated my gestures, acting like a pitiful and desperate girl. The tavern began to buzz with murmurs.

“Who cares! That’s your problem, not ours!”

“Yeah! You messed up the work — why should you get full pay?”

“That’s why you should never show kindness to lowborns with no manners.”

The three men acted out their assigned roles perfectly. Thankfully, they hadn’t forgotten their lines.

I glanced at the far left corner where Aydin Cranborne was sitting. He wasn’t looking this way — his eyes were fixed on a faded silver pocket watch in his hand.

At first glance, he seemed uninterested, maybe waiting for someone.

But my eyes couldn’t be fooled.

Aydin wasn’t here to meet anyone. He came to this place to reminisce about someone connected to that pocket watch.

I let out a quiet sigh and pressed my forehead to the man’s shoe as if begging.

“Please, just give me the medicine money! Please save my family!”

Right on cue, tears rolled down my cheeks, soaking my face in seconds.

The tavern fell silent. Everyone could guess what kind of situation this was — most of them had probably been in it before, as underpaid workers themselves.

“The floor’s too dirty. Please, stand up.”

A voice came from behind me — not as smooth as Yushen’s, but still gentle and steady. I’d expected a stiff tone from a so-called ‘model knight,’ but it wasn’t.

Still, I didn’t move.

Normally, I’d get up immediately, but I was playing the role of a pitiful girl begging her cruel employers — I couldn’t break character.

“Who are you?”

The men didn’t forget my instruction — if anyone tried to intervene, they were to sound wary and defensive. Their rough tone made it clear they were used to this kind of act. Of course, I’d chosen these kinds of men on purpose.

I hadn’t told them the person who might step in would be a knight of the Luche Order — they were in for a surprise.

Soon, the shadow behind me stepped forward. A hand gently gripped my arm and, without much effort, lifted me to my feet.

When I raised my head, the first thing I saw was a pair of deep green eyes.

As expected. He reacted.

Faster than I thought, even. I’d expected it to take longer.

Aydin Cranborne.

He looked exactly as described in the novel — tanned skin, slightly messy brown curls, and a sturdy build with a sharp jawline.
Very different from Yushen.

Despite feeling oddly relieved to see him, I kept up my act.

Looking at him with teary eyes, I murmured,
“…Please, let me go.”

If I accepted his help too quickly, the whole plan would fail — so I pushed him away.

But instead, Aydin only held my arm tighter. Luckily, it didn’t hurt.

His deep green gaze scanned my ragged appearance.

I’d deliberately worn tattered clothes and smudged soot across my face — so I wasn’t worried. With messy hair and tear-streaked cheeks, I must’ve looked truly pitiful.

Someone like me would remind him of his own past.

He couldn’t ignore someone suffering the same way he once did.

I was exploiting that.

As a child, Aydin had been an orphan. He’d done every kind of hard labor to care for his little sister.

So he’d seen plenty of fake sob stories like this before.

…I did feel guilty. A lot, actually.

But what choice did I have? I had to survive.

“…Are you all right?”

The sudden question startled me, and I nodded quickly.

I’d been staring too long, lost in thought. He must’ve thought I was too scared to speak, because he smiled reassuringly.

And there it was again — guilt stabbing me right in the chest.

“Who are you to interfere in our business?”

The three men finally found their voices, puffing up their chests.

Aydin didn’t answer. He just stared at them — coldly, silently.

That alone was enough to make my knees tremble.

“How much?”

“…What?”

“The amount you owe this lady.”

The men exchanged confused glances. I hadn’t told them this part.

Idiots. You should’ve just said you paid me properly!

“We—we paid her fair and square!”

Thankfully, one of them had enough sense to say the right thing.

I secretly smiled.

You just ruined your own chance, fools.

Aydin sighed deeply.

“Your names.”

“What?”

“Your names.”

His calm yet firm tone instantly crushed their arrogance. They looked around nervously, then glanced at me for guidance.

I only smiled — sweetly.

Taking that as permission, they began to list their names.

Good. I chose the right actors.

Now Aydin would investigate them — find every unfair deal they’d made, and have them punished. Their wealth confiscated, their pride destroyed.

Two birds with one stone.

I’d planned this partly out of guilt. Selfish, yes — but I felt better this way.

Either way, it worked perfectly.

After memorizing their names, Aydin put an arm around my shoulders and guided me away.

I gave the men a tiny nod to signal the act was over.

Relief washed over their faces. They’d probably spend the night drinking, clueless about the doom coming their way.

Serves you right.

I covered my mouth, pretending to stifle a sob — hiding my satisfied grin.

“Here, put this on.”

“…Thank you.”

Aydin placed his white uniform jacket over my shoulders and matched his pace with mine as we walked.

“I’ll sponsor your family’s medicine and living expenses.”

“…Pardon?”

Thud—

The chocolate I’d picked up to calm my nerves dropped onto the red carpet.

His first words after bringing me to his house were about sponsoring me.
Even the novel never mentioned this.

I had planned to use Aydin to enter the Luche Knights, but this was… unexpected.

“Please don’t feel pressured. You wouldn’t be the only one I sponsor, Miss Montrose.”

He thought I was surprised out of discomfort — not disbelief.

Hmm. Sponsorship, huh? Not bad. I’d run out of the money Yushen gave me soon anyway, so I needed income somehow.

“If you want, I can even be your reference when applying for work.”

I hadn’t replied right away — I was thinking — so he must’ve thought I was hesitating. He added that reassuringly.

What was this? Was he addicted to helping people?

“If I vouch for you, no one will turn you down.”

Of course not! A holy knight of the Luche Order recommending someone? No employer would ever refuse.

But wasn’t this too careless? What if he ended up homeless because of me?

I wanted to accept immediately, but I forced myself to act shy and uncertain.

“…Why are you doing so much for me…?”

I hunched my shoulders, lowering my head, and glanced at him shyly before whispering,

“…You’ve only just met me. Is it really okay to help me this much?”

“As a holy knight, it’s what I should do. And besides… I suppose I needed another place to spend my money.”

That single sentence explained a lot.

Despite his high position, his home was surprisingly small and messy — like he didn’t care about luxury.

He spends his entire salary on donations.

Every piece of furniture looked mismatched, like things picked off the street. It was chaos, but oddly warm.

I guessed he donated mostly to children who reminded him of his younger self.

Still… I didn’t know much. He’d never been explored deeply in the novel — more of a side character than anything.

Maybe I’m getting too interested in a non–main character.

Well, it wasn’t my place to judge where he spent his money.

And honestly — refusing a sponsor would be rude.

Plus, he was offering to be my guarantor.

Who was I to say no?

“I’ll definitely repay you!”

“No need. I don’t expect anything in return — your gratitude is enough.”

“No, please don’t say that!”

“…?”

“Please — I insist! If you help me, then you must let me repay you somehow! Even if it’s just a fair exchange!”

Half a lie, half the truth.

He didn’t know my real identity, but both my real and fake selves were poor enough to need help — so it wasn’t entirely false.

My determination must’ve shown, because he stopped arguing and simply smiled.

He probably wouldn’t accept repayment later — but at least he’d promised. That was what mattered.

Right. A proper romance needs a handsome and rich male lead…

Well… he’s rich enough, I guess.

Even if he wasn’t the novel’s original male lead, maybe that could change now.

Wait… Yushen’s handsome and rich too, but he fails the “good personality” test.

Maybe I should pair the heroine with Aydin instead?

…No, that wouldn’t work. The heroine’s obsessed with Yushen.

And me? I’ll be gone in a year anyway.

By then, I’d probably still be the only person in the entire empire who thought

“Yushen has a terrible personality.”