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Chapter 49:
Earlier at the salon, he had only watched me pick out clothes. He hadn’t smashed anything or rifled through anyone’s belongings.
“Ah, but Your Grace…! Uh, I mean, Your Highness!”
The lady who had just realized she hadn’t greeted him bowed hurriedly. Felix simply tilted his head slightly, expressionless.
Even so, the very presence of the young man seemed to shock her. Swallowing hard, she trembled as she tried to pick up the fallen bread. Just as I was about to help, Felix looked at us and suddenly said:
“Pay for all of that bread too.”
“Huh—!”
Startled, the lady dropped the bread again.
‘So the villain isn’t just scary; he has more influence than I thought…’
At guilds or upscale salons, people are used to such things and don’t react, but for ordinary folks, having the next head of the underworld suddenly enter their shop is shocking.
In Proud, his status even surpassed that of the emperor.
‘I should finish picking and leave quickly.’
I got up obediently, taking a new tray and tongs. I began picking out the items I usually liked, adding a few other things here and there, when a low voice suddenly spoke:
“Are you planning to eat all of that by yourself?”
“Eek?!”
I jumped! Looking up, I realized a boy had quietly appeared beside me.
He, however, looked at the bread I had taken with an expressionless face, simply gesturing toward it.
Reflexively, I looked at my tray and understood immediately why he had asked that.
‘Wait… when did I take this much?’
I had only intended to pick three or four pieces, but somehow ended up with twice that amount.
“I just picked things I thought Grandpa would like…”
“Grandpa?”
“Yes. He’s… living with me since a few days ago—”
No, no. That sounded like I was revealing too much, so I tried to keep quiet.
“He’s family. He came from the far south and is staying with us temporarily.”
“Gilbert didn’t mention that.”
His blunt words stung a little, but since it had come out anyway, I decided to just go along with it boldly.
“They usually don’t ask about family when hiring!”
Right. They mostly just check experience. Nobody asks, “What does your father do?”
Felix seemed to find my explanation reasonable because he eventually nodded without saying more.
I averted my gaze and continued picking out bread.
‘Phew… I need to watch what I say.’
“Are you sure this is really okay?”
“Really, completely okay. He may seem a bit harsh, but he has a very kind and gentle heart.”
“Uh… I don’t think so…”
Leaving the flustered lady at Kazliden, who had insisted she couldn’t accept payment, I quickly placed the money on the counter and rushed out of the shop.
Carrying bread bags in both hands, I hopped into the carriage, grinning.
Felix, seated opposite me, crossed his legs and said:
“You look happy.”
“I bought bread!”
I glanced at the comforting bags on either side of me.
“I really love bread, so I love the guild too. The chef is amazing.”
“…Bensang isn’t bad either.”
I nodded enthusiastically.
If we talk about the top talent in Raymond, he’s the master of desserts! All the other employees were easily won over by his cakes, making him the real power of the guild.
“You seem to like it more than the clothes.”
“Of course I like clothes too!”
But maybe because it was my first time receiving such expensive gifts, it still felt unreal.
Compared to that, the soft, fragrant bread by my side felt much more real.
“Just so you know… thank you for the clothes today.”
“….”
“It’s the first time I’ve received gifts like this.”
When I was possessed, my family was already completely ruined, and the remaining wealth was practically gone. Without secretly saved money, I would have had nowhere to stay and would have ended up on the streets.
‘I wonder what happened to the other relatives.’
After leaving my family, I had completely cut contact. I didn’t even know how the remaining relatives were living.
The last time I saw them, they were fighting over the inheritance… well, they can sort it out however they like.
They were people I had never really talked to, so I wasn’t particularly curious.
“Don’t you have any family?”
“No… my parents passed away.”
It was due to an accident, though I sometimes doubted whether it was truly accidental.
The relatives had always handed me off to acquaintances to fight over money. In a dysfunctional family like that, causing accidents over money seemed almost normal.
It’s the kind of thing that happens often in dramas, right? And the acquaintances taking care of me were in on it too.
Eventually, they even tried to sell me to a wealthy merchant.
“Honestly, my family is… complicated. There’s nothing to really tell.”
“….”
“Still, thank you for today. I was surprised at first, but thanks to you I got nice clothes and even visited a salon!”
Though the outing had been unexpected, I still wanted to sincerely thank those who had helped me.
Filling my words with gratitude, I looked out the window. Good carriages really were as comfortable as people said.
Even though I had noticed it before, the cushioning and the speed of the ride were impressive.
Having been on the go all day, I soon felt sleepy.
I tried pressing my eyelids to stay awake, but it was no use.
‘I can’t fall asleep.’
After all, the viscount was here. Even if things were more relaxed than before, an ordinary employee couldn’t afford to nap in front of the master.
But the body is honest even if the mind is aware.
After a few long yawns, I decided to compromise.
‘I’ll just close my eyes a little.’
If I stayed mentally alert, it should be fine.
-That was my naive thinking as I closed my eyes.
“Hey.”
Meanwhile, Felix called out to the girl who had completely dozed off. He had been uneasy ever since her head started nodding back and forth.
“Are you really asleep?”
“….”
Unable to resist the drowsiness, Amelia had fallen asleep while sitting up.
“…Huh.”
What on earth…?
Felix exhaled as he watched the girl fall into a deep sleep. He knew his own position well and understood that people usually found him intimidating. Even the bakery owner from earlier had reacted that way.
But being feared and avoided didn’t hurt him.
Felix had been Kazliden since birth. He was naturally sensitive and, due to an illness, cautious of being mocked, so he kept others at a distance.
Being feared rather than ignored was better in his eyes, and it had worked in reality.
But there was one person…
‘Who on earth is she?’
