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Chapter 13
“You absolutely, absolutely must not go anywhere, okay?”
“I got it already.”
Only after pinky-swearing five times did Sananet finally enter the bookstore.
Contrary to Sananet’s worry, Abel truly intended to stay exactly where she was.
“Hey kid, what are you doing there all alone?”
“I’m waiting for my sibling.”
“Not going in together?”
“I get motion sickness just from looking at books.”
As expected, I’m way too cute to go unnoticed.
Abel casually brushed off the attention from people admiring her and waited for her sibling.
Sananet was the type who would wake up even from deep sleep if she heard there was a new book, so it would take a while.
“Aaaah!”
Then, a sharp scream pierced her ears from afar.
Strands of hair that had been pressed against the wall out of boredom fluttered down.
‘What was that?’
She looked around, but no one else seemed concerned.
“Ah! Aaah!”
Apparently, only Abel heard the faint scream; others were too busy with their own business to notice.
That’s how weak the sound was. Like a child’s cry.
Right. A child…
“Sana?”
The bookstore was the biggest on the street.
It even had two entrances for customers and a separate back door for staff.
“Sana!”
Abel, who had been standing idly, immediately ran toward the direction of the sound.
The alley between the shops was narrow, but wide enough for a child to run through.
“Sananet! Are you there?”
Sweat was trickling down her small palms.
Loose strands of hair stuck to her cheeks and the back of her neck.
‘I should’ve been with her!’
Hadn’t Dad warned her repeatedly?
‘Bell. Don’t leave your sister’s side. You’re the older one. Got it?’
Her pale face twisted with panic.
As the scream got closer, the source became clearer.
There—
“What the—who’s this kid?”
“Hey, is she with you?”
Having returned from a short trip to hell, Abel muttered under her breath.
“Ah, not Sananet.”
The boy had a distinct look of someone from a wealthy family.
Under his oversized robe, golden hair peeked out.
Abel took a step back and bowed her head.
“Take care.”
From old times, it was said that kids shouldn’t meddle in dangerous adult affairs.
“Hey!”
Four adult men and one child.
They practically had ‘Kidnap in Progress!’ written on their foreheads.
“Hold that brat properly, damn it.”
A crushing grip landed on her shoulder.
“Do you even know who I am?”
Her fearless eyes scanned the men.
“If you let us go now, I’ll overlook your offense.”
The kidnappers’ faces flickered with hesitation.
“What, you think you’re some kind of princess—”
“Sigh… I didn’t want to trouble Father with this.”
Her offhand comment made the kidnappers visibly uneasy.
“Wait, is she really a princess?”
“You mess with royalty or nobility, and you’re asking for trouble!”
They murmured among themselves in a panic.
The blonde boy, his face still partially hidden, looked at Abel in utter confusion.
‘He doesn’t actually believe I’m a princess… does he?’
He looked about her age or maybe a year or two older.
“Should we let them go?”
“Or maybe just finish them off right now…”
“Wait, you idiots! Our country only has princes, no princesses!”
“Oh, right.”
The following sigh didn’t come from the kidnappers, but from the little girl.
‘Tch. Lies need detail to be convincing.’
Even after being exposed, Abel remained shamelessly calm.
“Can’t be helped.”
She’d hoped to resolve things quietly, but things didn’t go as planned.
‘Bell! Behave! Please, just behave in public!’
“I promised Dad I wouldn’t spill any more blood.”
But maybe that promise didn’t include other people’s blood?
“Hey kid, you shouldn’t mess with adults—ugh!”
Her tiny hand, not even big enough to grip a wrist, twisted the man’s arm.
“Aaah!”
Breaking free in an instant, Abel grabbed the blonde boy and dashed away.
“Stop right there!”
“Nope, can’t catch me~”
“Why you little—!”
“Speed? Lacking. Strength? Lacking. Brains? Lacking. Morals? Way lacking.”
Even while running, her mouth kept going.
The men’s faces grew redder with rage, while the boy being dragged behind her turned paler by the second.
But neither group held Abel’s attention.
What mattered was—
“Guards! Kidnappers over here!”
She waved both arms energetically.
Like a child greeting their father returning home.
“Kidnappers! Fresh kidnappers right here!”
The questioning didn’t take long.
They were caught red-handed, and the witnesses were too young to complicate things.
“Are you sure you don’t want us to escort you home?”
“It’s fine. My sister’s waiting. Thank you for your hard work.”
Once again, polite Abel turned and walked away lightly.
“W-Wait!”
…Or she tried to.
The boy, who had been speaking with one of the guards, ran up to her.
“Thanks to you, I was saved. I don’t even know how to begin to thank you.”
‘Why’s he speaking so casually to someone he just met?’
Despite her annoyance, Abel kept a gentle expression.
Even she wasn’t cold enough to scold someone who just escaped danger.
“Sure.”
“At first, I thought you were running away. But you were trying to distract them!”
“…Yeah.”
She had been planning to run, but oh well.
Better to look clever than cowardly.
“Sorry for misunderstanding your intention. I almost failed to recognize my savior.”
“No problem.”
“But seriously, how are you that strong?”
“Didn’t you know? I was a chubby baby.”
“You don’t look chubby now.”
“Still bigger than you.”
“You say ‘you’ so casually—ah, well, I am indebted to you, so I’ll let it slide.”
“Thanks.”
Just moments ago he was trembling, but now he acted all smug again.
It might’ve been cute, but Abel was too used to her own cuteness to be impressed.
Besides, she had a tiny peanut-like sister to worry about.
“If we’re done here, I’ll be going—”
“Wait! Take this!”
Something small and gold was placed in Abel’s hand.
Yes—gold!
“This is…”
“I’m afraid I can only offer this right now.”
Unlike other noble families, the Delafions had only her father’s wedding ring as their prized jewelry.
Wearing and changing gemstone accessories daily like other ladies was a fantasy.
Still, even if you weren’t familiar with jewels, this one’s brilliance was unmistakable.
‘Holy crap. Holy crap. HOLY CRAP!’
A brooch.
A ruby brooch that shimmered red.
Gold framed with rose and lion engravings—that kind of ruby brooch!
The overwhelming value made Abel slightly dizzy.
“Please don’t refuse it. It’s my sincere token of gratitude.”
“Refuse? Who would do that—there’s sincerity here!”
Her answer was almost overly enthusiastic.
The boy awkwardly smiled and nodded.
Under his robe, his golden hair gleamed like sunlight on honey.
“With this, I’ll recognize you no matter when we meet again. And when that day comes, I’ll repay you properly.”
“Sure.”
Having had a very profitable conversation, Abel cheerfully returned to the bookstore.
Fortunately, Sananet was just stepping out with an armful of books.
“Sister! Are you okay?”
Her tiny peanut—er, sibling—ran toward her.
Looking into those worried, loving gray eyes, Abel pulled her into a tight hug.
Hard book covers pressed against her chest, but she didn’t care.
“C-Can’t… breathe! Sis! Bell!”
“Who’s worrying about who here? Did you get everything?”
“Yeah. We can go home now.”
“Before that, one quick stop.”
“Where to?”
As she rolled the ruby brooch in her hand, Abel beamed.
“The jewelry store.”
‘When we meet again, I’ll repay you properly.’
With something small and expensive in hand, she couldn’t help but hum.
‘Meet again? Please. He didn’t even show his face properly—how’s he supposed to recognize me?’
Being a baron’s daughter with no inheritance, she wouldn’t be bumping into people like him again.
Simple math.
Abel sold the brooch that very day.
Thankfully, gold was easy to liquidate.
