TSBSFVW 32

Chapter 32
Seven Loaves. Things Escalate in an Instant (1)

It had been five months since she’d started her business.

“Sign here.”

Morris pushed a pen and paper toward Ellie.

Ellie carefully read through the fine print. Who knew if some strange clause was hidden inside? When Morris noticed her suspicion, he let out a helpless laugh, but she pretended not to notice.

Only after reading it three times did Ellie finally pick up the pen.

‘Ellie.’

Just her first name—without the family name—was Ellie’s true identity.

After signing quickly and setting the pen down, Morris said,

“Congratulations, Ellie. With this, all your debts are cleared.”

“It’s been a long run… being a debtor.”

“Well, I was gentlemanly enough, wasn’t I? Didn’t make things too hard for you.”

“That’s true. I’m grateful.”

“…Did you eat something bad? Why are you being so compliant?”

Morris looked at her suspiciously, eyes narrowed with wariness.

“Damn, even when I speak honestly you make a fuss.”

“That’s more like you.”

“Are you saying I’m foul-mouthed?”

“When you swear, for some reason it doesn’t feel offensive. It’s a weird skill of yours.”

Ellie felt like one of those cranky old grandmothers at the marketplace. She forced a smile and said,

“You’ve got the skill of insulting people while smiling, too.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

“And the skill of taking insults as compliments.”

“You’re flattering me now, I’m embarrassed.”

No matter how much she teased, Morris was never fazed. It annoyed Ellie. She pouted a little but then shook her head.

‘Don’t get dragged into this. Today’s a good day!’

Today was the day Ellie “McClure” inherited the legacy left by her maternal grandmother and finally cleared the debt she’d been shackled with for five months.

From now on, she could officially drop the surname “McClure.”

Morris had handled all the legal procedures in her place, hiring people for it, the cost of which had also been added to her debt. He’d said it was better to be cautious, in case the Duke of McClure grew suspicious.

No matter how dirty, humiliating, or dangerous, Ellie couldn’t give up the inheritance left by her mother and grandmother. Without guardians, she had nothing else.

Money was that important.

True, there were things in the world more valuable than money, but most forms of happiness could indeed be bought with it.

‘Alright. Now that I’ve really succeeded in paying everything off, I can live like a new person!’

After leaving the mansion, she had actually lost a little weight.

It was the result of working endlessly by the oven through the sweltering summer.

Still, her cheeks, belly, thighs, and hips were plump. Ellie felt like that flesh was destined never to leave her.

‘Should I just starve myself?’

No. She couldn’t. Of all things, starvation was what Ellie feared most. Going hungry was impossible.

Morris rummaged in his pocket and handed her a small box. Ellie didn’t take it right away, just eyed him suspiciously.

“What is this?”

“Just take it.”

“Why would I? If I accept something carelessly from a loan shark, I might end up in debt again.”

“…I appreciate how deeply you’ve engraved the lesson I taught you, but this is just a gift.”

Maybe charging 40% had been too much. Muttering bitterly, Morris shoved the little box into her hand. She reluctantly accepted it. Seeing her still suspicious, he raised a hand in mock-oath.

“No payments, no interest, no forced sales. Trust me on this one, okay?”

“…Fine.”

Truthfully, she wasn’t really that suspicious.

Inside the box was a pair of small sapphire earrings.

Ellie snapped the box shut as soon as she opened it and looked at Morris, who said,

“It’s your birthday today.”

“Oh, uh, yeah, I suppose….”

“They say sapphire is September’s birthstone. You don’t like it?”

Why are you celebrating my birthday?

Ellie, who had never received a birthday gift in her life, was flustered. She didn’t know what kind of face to make. In the end, she just fiddled with the box, neither smiling nor crying.

“…But my ears aren’t pierced….”

“Then pierce them. Want me to do it?”

“…And how much would that cost?”

“You think I’d charge for something like this? I may love money, but I’m not that petty.”

Ellie had only said it half-jokingly. She nodded awkwardly and handed him the box. Morris took out the earrings, which looked even smaller in his large hands.

“Alright, Ellie. Turn your head to the side.”

Ellie stretched her neck so her ear showed clearly.

“…Morris, your hands are shaking.”

“…I’ve never pierced anyone’s ears before.”

“What? You said you would do it even though you’ve never tried!? Where does that confidence come from!?”

“Ellie. Ninety percent of life is about attitude.”

“Wait, wait! You’re shaking too much! Stop, don’t—!”

“Don’t be scared. It’ll be over in a second. Just a second….”

“That sounds more like you’re convincing yourself than—ow!”

“Argh!”

There was a dull pop as the flesh gave way, followed by a sharp sting. Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt much—just a burning throb afterward.

Even though it wasn’t his flesh being pierced, Morris let out a scream and staggered back. Ellie grinned, grabbed his wrist, and said,

“Do the other one too.”

“Ellie, I can’t—ah!”

Riding the momentum, Ellie got her other ear pierced as well and checked the mirror, satisfied.

Morris, pale-faced, covered his mouth and trembled. He had been so weak that Ellie practically pierced the second ear herself.

“I heard a crunching sound. A crunch….”

“It didn’t hurt much.”

“There was the sound of flesh tearing! From my hand!”

“That flesh was mine, you know?”

“I know! But my hand—ugh, I’ve never harmed such a small person before….”

“Calling it ‘harm’ over a little piercing? Don’t exaggerate. You swing a sword around outside without a problem.”

“A weapon and my bare hands are not the same! Don’t you get it? The grossness is worse than the pain. Didn’t it hurt?”

“It just stung. Getting burned by the oven hurts more.”

“Maybe you were cut out to be a knight or mercenary. You’re fearless.”

“I hate pain. And I’m scared of a lot.”

“Not convincing….”

Morris pretended to sob like he’d lost something precious.

‘I’ve seen you carry daggers around, why act like this?’

She couldn’t understand why he was acting more hurt than she was.

Besides, he was the one who had given her the earrings. If she didn’t pierce her ears, the gift would just be pretty trash.

Ellie actually liked the blue gemstone earrings quite a lot.

It was her very first birthday present, after all.

“I’ve decided on a brand name for the dessert line. I’ll call it Cookie Walking.”

“Then write it down here and sign.”

“I’ll read it first.”

Morris shrugged, telling her to check as much as she wanted.

“I gave the samples you brought me to a few of my regulars. The cookie choux, the financiers, the fruit fresh cream cake. Everything got good reactions, of course, but the cake was on a whole different level.”

“Well, it does look pretty.”

“One of them even threatened to cut my throat if I didn’t bring more than just a single slice.”

“……”

Ellie glanced at Morris’s neck and head, which were still intact.

Morris rubbed his throat with a wounded look.

“Seems like you’re disappointed nothing happened to me?”

“A little?”

While listening with her ears, she used her eyes to carefully read the contract. All the terms they’d discussed were written exactly as agreed.

‘He’s trustworthy, at least when it comes to business.’

As a person, she wasn’t so sure.

Strangely enough, despite receiving nothing but help from him, she still trusted Morris less than Ban or Edmund.

Ellie signed the dessert distribution contract boldly.

“By the way, Ellie, I heard the Duke of McClure’s only daughter changed her name.”

“To Iraine?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s worth celebrating.”

It was a day of new beginnings in many ways.

After speaking calmly, Ellie fell silent.

Thankfully, since Iraine had returned to the mansion, the Duke of McClure hadn’t come looking for Ellie to cause trouble. Even that ugly hawk-nosed man was quiet.

‘But if she just stays locked up in that mansion, who’s going to stop the war?’

Because the novel was R-rated, the story began when the heroine became an adult.

She couldn’t forget—the novel was a 19+ tragedy. With rolling, imprisonment, kidnappings….

Since Iraine had been born a few months earlier than Ellie, by now the sparks of war must already be lit.

‘Ban and Edmund, too. When I asked if Iraine wasn’t beautiful, if she wasn’t still a kind sister, they refused to even say her name.’

You’re fated to love her, damn it. Even if later you beg to forget, it won’t matter.

Iraine was supposed to run away from the mansion for reasons beyond “Ellie.” So how exactly were things unfolding?

If only the war could be prevented, Ellie didn’t care whether Iraine became a noblewoman, a princess, or the crown princess.

While Ellie was lost in thought, Morris set a large bag down on the table.

“This is the thing you asked me to buy, right?”