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Chapter 109
“Candy…?”
“Yes. Don’t you like it?”
That was impossible.
Evi tilted her head in curiosity.
Just as the other three paid attention to Evi, Evi also observed them carefully.
Thanks to that, she already knew what desserts each of them liked.
‘Irene likes fruit, Ruska eats all sweets, and Arcel rarely eats anything, but he sometimes enjoys candy!’
Among them, he seemed to like mint candy the most. Occasionally, if the candy jar at the Young Talent Academy had mint candies, she would take a few for herself.
“Since Arcel helped me, I’ll buy it for you.”
Evi shrugged her shoulders again and said proudly.
“Our headmaster always says to make sure you thank anyone who helps you.”
Showing gratitude was natural, and if you could give something in return, you should. Even the Duchess gave a whole gold coin.
Evi remembered the candy shop they had visited with Irene in the capital square.
There were hundreds of glass jars up to the ceiling, filled with colorful candies.
‘One gold is enough.’
Not only enough, but even after buying plenty for Arcel, there would still be money left over.
Evi thought Arcel would be happy to receive candy, but contrary to her expectations, Arcel looked somewhat flustered as he stared at her.
Just as Evi felt, Arcel was very embarrassed.
‘She wants to buy this for me?’
The only people who had ever offered to buy him something were his parents.
He was a duke’s son, trusted by the emperor.
With his wealthy territory and high status, Arcel had grown up with nothing lacking.
Even if his parents didn’t lavish him extravagantly to instill good habits, he always had the best of everything he needed—never in want.
Who would ever say to him, “I’ll buy this for you”?
But now, Evi, who had just received her first gold coin, was telling him she wanted to buy him candy.
Even with so little, she wanted to give it to him…
Evi’s transparent green eyes sparkled as she looked up at him, as if she couldn’t bear to wait.
Unintentionally, Arcel asked,
“Isn’t that a waste?”
When she first received the gold, Evi had been ecstatic.
Until just now, she hadn’t been able to take her eyes off the shiny coin.
And now she wanted to spend it…
When Arcel asked worriedly, Evi shook her head.
“No. Not at all! I don’t mind spending it on you, Arcel!”
Her firm answer made him smile without realizing it.
She had said that in the past, any money earned from cleaning was donated to the orphanage.
…So this was probably the first time Evi had offered to buy something for someone.
Then he would become the first person to receive something from Evi.
If Irene were here, she would have scolded, “No, how could you even think of receiving something from Evi? Have some conscience!” But Arcel didn’t want to miss the chance to be Evi’s first recipient.
“Then, I’ll gratefully accept.”
“Yes!”
Had he refused, it would have been a disaster—Evi smiled brightly.
The Duchess, seeing the two of them, also smiled approvingly.
“You must be bored just staying inside the mansion. How about taking a short trip to the nearby village? It’s not far, you can be back quickly.”
“Yes! Then we’ll go!”
Evi raised her hand eagerly, clearly happy to be able to buy something for someone else.
“I’ll even get something for the Duchess! Do you like strawberry flavor?”
“Oh, Evi. You can just call me ‘teacher.’ Or by my name is fine too.”
Part of her wanted to suggest calling her “Mom” more intimately, but that seemed too forward.
No rush. It was more important to build strong trust, even if it took time.
Evi hesitated between the two options but then smiled.
“Yes, Teacher Silvia.”
“Oh my!”
The Duchess noticed the desire to call her both ways and hugged Evi tightly.
When they said they were going out, the maids, as if waiting for this, dressed Evi in the cutest outfit from those Irene had sent.
They tidied her hair and tied it up neatly at the back, then dressed her in a sky-blue and white dress with a large ribbon at the back.
Even a tiny, charming yellow bag.
Arcel watched as Evi carefully placed her gold coin inside.
Despite treating it so carefully, she intended to spend it to buy candy for him.
Joy and guilt swirled in his chest.
Soon after boarding the carriage, they arrived at the village closest to the Duke’s mansion.
Sometimes, when the Duke returned early or had time, they would walk this short distance like a stroll.
Arcel stepped out first, then escorted Evi in place of the coachman, attracting curious villagers.
“Isn’t that Master Arcel?”
“Who’s that child?”
“Perhaps a friend of Master Arcel?”
“Our Master… he has friends other than Ruska?”
Since the Duke often visited this village, people recognized Arcel and wondered about Evi.
They entered the candy shop amid the curious gazes.
“Welcome… Master Arcel!”
The shopkeeper was surprised. Arcel had only come to buy candy for staff children in the mansion, never for himself.
And now the young master was in his store?
“Hello!”
From Arcel’s side came a cheerful voice, and the shopkeeper looked at Evi.
“I’m here to buy candy!”
It was her first time spending money to buy something, and her face was flushed with excitement.
Noticing that, the shopkeeper bent closer and asked politely,
“Hello, little princess. What would you like?”
Evi tugged Arcel’s sleeve.
“Pick whatever you want!”
Confidently, Arcel chuckled.
“Really? I can buy anything? Everything looks delicious here.”
Seeing him speak as if he might buy all the candy, Evi rolled her eyes and said, slightly smaller than before,
“…Up to ten pieces.”
“Pfft.”
Arcel laughed at the sudden modesty.
Of course, he didn’t intend to buy that many.
“What looks good? I don’t really know. Can you pick for me, Evi?”
“Is that okay? Then…”
Evi walked around the shop, inspecting the jars filled with candies, cookies, chocolates, and even jelly and nougat filled with southern-region nuts.
The shop had a surprisingly wide variety for a small village.
Evi’s eyes stopped at one jar:
[Curved stick candy, mint flavor, 1 silver each]
It was large and expensive compared to other candies in the shop.
‘I’ll get this for him.’
Just as Arcel always picked the best for her, Evi wanted to give Arcel the best.
“Arcel, this one!”
Evi pointed, and the shopkeeper quickly grabbed a stick candy from the jar and put it in a paper bag.
Then Evi murmured, puzzled,
“Why didn’t you give one more?”
“…!”
Arcel broke into a cold sweat. Rolling his eyes briefly, he said loudly for the shopkeeper to hear,
“Right, stores in the capital give one free if you buy one, don’t they?”
The shopkeeper looked at Arcel, puzzled.
Arcel, holding Evi, frantically gestured with his face and eyes toward the shopkeeper.
The usually calm young master of the Duke’s mansion showing such desperation was unusual.
The flustered shopkeeper quickly played along.
“Oh dear, I forgot to add another one. Yes! Our shop always gives one free candy if you pick one!”
Then he added,
“And it doesn’t have to be the same one. You can pick anything you want for the free one!”
He was a man who knew how to do business.
Although they had planned to buy only one, Evi insisted on choosing more, so Arcel had to pick three candies.
Naturally, the bag ended up with six pieces.
The shopkeeper gave Arcel a meaningful look:
‘Young master, you know, right? Please settle the bill properly later.’
Arcel nodded and watched Evi receive the paper bag and change.
Seeing her handle the shiny gold coin carefully, the shopkeeper gave her the cleanest coins he had.
“This is yours, Arcel!”
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
As the two happily left the shop,
“Oh?”
Evi noticed a group of children standing in front of the shop.
The unusually large group held hands like a family. Evi remembered seeing something similar in Elam City.
Back then, she had watched orphans from the orphanage the same way, holding hands like family.
When she realized these children were also from the orphanage, she spoke instinctively.
“…Are you hungry?”
Until a few months ago, she had been drooling in front of candy shops in the square.
She couldn’t buy for distant friends, but she wanted to get something for the orphanage children nearby.
The oldest girl shook her head.
“No, we’re not hungry. Before coming, we had snacks sent by His Majesty. We’re just looking.”
His Majesty?
Evi’s eyes widened at the child’s words.
