IPBPBD 10

Chapter 10

In the end, when the mood grew heavy, Emilina tugged on Kir’s hand.

Then, forcing a bright voice, she changed the subject.

“Let’s go eat now!”

When you’re feeling down, nothing lifts your mood quite like food.

Besides, since breakfast had been late, she was starting to get hungry anyway.

So Emilina came down to the kitchen, holding hands with Kir.

But she couldn’t hide her disappointment.

“Bread and soup again today?”

It was what Katie had prepared for the two of them before going out.

Emilina puffed out her cheeks in discontent.

The dull breakfast menu only deepened her gloom.

Katie’s soup was delicious, but there was one fatal problem.

“I really hate hard bread…”

The bread was so tough it felt like her jaw might break.

“Instead of this bread, I want meat!”

Sometimes, she wanted to feel the joy of tearing, chewing, and savoring meat first thing in the morning.

Sniffling, Emilina muttered as she picked up a piece of bread.

It was a bit depressing that, for now, this rock-hard bread was all they had.

But what could she do? She was hungry, and to survive, she had to eat.

If she dulled her sense of taste, chewing this bread was… not enjoyable at all.

“Tch.” Clicking her tongue, Emilina mechanically tore into the bread.

It was purely to fill her stomach.

Kir, on the other hand, ate without a word of complaint, even though he could have whined too.

Emilina’s fuss almost seemed ridiculous.

Kir even dipped the bread into the soup as if it were nothing.

Since the bread was so dry and tough, dipping it made it slightly better.

That’s why whenever Katie got bread from Aunt Bizzy, she always made soup to go with it.

Though it happened so often that it was a problem.

“Sigh. How can poor people even survive with this misery?” Emilina grumbled, lips jutting out.

Kir, who had been quietly watching, asked,

“Are we poor?”

The innocent question made Emilina freeze.

She hadn’t meant it seriously.

It was just a tantrum because she hated eating hard bread.

‘Well… it’s not exactly wrong, though.’

Keeping her face casual, Emilina answered,

“Yeah. We’re on the poor side.”

Compared to other noble families, the Klein Barony was indeed poor.

One only had to look at their lifestyle to know.

Of course, Emilina hadn’t sat by idly—she had tried to improve their finances.

Like the reincarnated heroines in romance-fantasy novels, she used her past-life knowledge to plan businesses and even gave her father advice.

But whether it was her father, Mactron, or herself… neither of them seemed to have much talent. Things didn’t go well at all.

No, honestly, they failed miserably.

Apparently, business required talent too.

In novels, heroines always succeeded so easily, so Emilina had thought she would as well.

But the ideal and reality were worlds apart, and her dream of a happy ending crumbled.

So after that, she decided to be content with her current life.

Or rather—her painful failures had shown her the limits of her ability, so it was easier to turn away from it all.

While Emilina was thinking this with a bitter smile, Kir asked again, looking puzzled.

“Why?”

“Hm—”

“Why are we poor?” Was there even a reason? Emilina shrugged.

“We’re just living the life we were born into.”

“Huh?”

Kir looked more shocked than she expected, as if her answer was confusing.

“Anyway, why do you ask?”

“Well, you sometimes say it’s miserable being poor…”

“That’s right. It is miserable.”

Emilina gazed gloomily at the bread.

No matter what, ten years of hard bread was too much.

Even if she was content with her life otherwise, mealtime was unbearable.

“That’s why I made a decision. Once I’m an adult and earn money, I’m going to buy meat every single day!”

Emilina clenched both fists, her green eyes blazing as if flames flickered inside them.

Kir stared at her quietly, then carefully asked,

“Then… if I could make it so you ate meat every day, what would you do?”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Emilina tilted her head.

“I mean, if. Just if.”

“Well, if that happened—of course—”

Emilina suddenly grabbed Kir’s hand.

“I’d live with you forever!”

Her bright eyes were filled with expectation. It didn’t matter if it was just words—she meant it.

Kir looked at her with a strange expression.

Then, like a broken toy, he slowly repeated her words.

“Forever… together…”

His heart thumped loudly. The awkward phrase rolling inside his mouth felt strangely pleasant.

A clear smile spread across his lips.

“Then it’s a promise.”

You can’t go back on it later. Kir whispered softly.

But his voice was so low that Emilina didn’t hear. When she asked what he said, he only smiled wordlessly.

“This won’t do.”

After rolling around idly on the bed for a long while after the meal, Emilina suddenly sat up.

She looked at Kir, who was sitting on the sofa across from her, and said,

“Let’s go to the market, Kir. I’ll make sweet-and-sour pork for lunch.”

“Sweet-and-sour pork?”

Kir tilted his head curiously.

Emilina smiled meaningfully.

“Yup. Tangsu-yuk. You’ll like it.”

Kir didn’t understand, but he nodded anyway.

He was happy whenever Emilina cooked.

Above all, her cooking was delicious.

“Okay.”

“See? You weren’t satisfied either, were you?”

“With what?”

“Breakfast.”

Kir averted his gaze with an awkward smile.

Emilina understood completely.

He probably didn’t want to speak ill of Katie’s effort.

But still—Emilina’s opinion was different.

Bread and soup alone were far too meager.

At least for lunch, she wanted a satisfying meal.

“Alright, let’s hurry up and go!”

Emilina waved her hand and reached out to Kir.

The two of them held hands tightly and headed for the market.

The market was bustling with more people than expected.

Most held baskets in their hands, clearly there for grocery shopping.

Some were planning lunch, others dinner. Lively chatter drifted through the air.

Among them, Emilina looked around eagerly.

She was searching for a butcher’s shop—to buy the meat essential for sweet-and-sour pork.

‘I’m sure it was around here…’

But it was hard to spot, blocked by the much taller people around her.

As Emilina tiptoed and scanned the area, a familiar voice called out,

“Hey there, miss!”

She instinctively turned her head toward the sound.

Not far away, someone was waving at her.

“Roji?”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

It had been quite a while since their last encounter.

The last time was when he’d taken Kir’s snack… ah.

Just as joy spread across Emilina’s face, it instantly hardened.

Because she suddenly remembered the humiliating incident that still made her grit her teeth.

She hesitated only a moment.

Should she kill him now, or later?

“…Now.”

Letting go of Kir’s hand, Emilina dashed forward like a spring.

And aimed her knee straight at his vital spot.

No—she would have landed it, if Roji hadn’t sensed the danger and quickly retreated.

Instead, Emilina landed on the ground with a sharp thud, glaring up at him.

Roji looked like his soul had just escaped as he shouted,

“You—you just…!”

But he couldn’t finish the sentence.

How could he accuse her of trying to kick that embarrassing place?

Standing up, Emilina said coolly,

“Just what? If you’ve got something to say, say it.”

“Haa—forget it. I’m not even going to talk to you. What crime did I even commit…?”

“You? Your sins are huge. Put your hand on your chest and think carefully. Nothing comes to mind?”

“What did I even do?”

“Then let’s keep hitting you until you remember.”

“Argh!”

Out of spite, Emilina smacked Roji on the back.

Then she rolled up her sleeves, preparing to really beat him.

But just as Roji braced himself to run, Kir suddenly stepped in front of him.

Pulling lightly at Emilina’s sleeve, he asked,

“Sis… who is that guy?”

Ah—right. Kir was here.

Emilina’s fierce aura vanished in an instant, replaced with a harmless smile.

The whiplash in her expression made Roji click his tongue in disbelief.

Ignoring him, Emilina spoke sweetly,

“Kir, could you wait just a moment? I need to teach this mutt a lesson.”

“What? Who are you calling a mutt?!”

“Or would you rather be a chicken?”

“Maybe I should butcher a chicken today,” Emilina said with a refined smile, eyes curved gracefully.

But despite the smile, her tone was lethal.