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Chapter 39
I leaned out the window and saw Bastian swinging his fists threateningly into the empty air.
Why is he here? Isn’t he supposed to be working in Port Nanterre?
“Adel?”
Bastian paused when he recognized Adelaide, frowning. Taking advantage of the moment, the boy who had been pretending to be hurt rolled down the street and hurriedly escaped into the alley on the opposite side.
“If I catch you next time, I’ll pull your tongue out and use it as a shoelace!”
Bastian shouted a menacing warning at the fleeing boy’s back.
“That’s the kid from before,” Camille observed, scanning Bastian from head to toe and frowning at his scruffy appearance.
“What is it?”
As soon as Adelaide got out of the carriage, Bastian immediately snapped at her in a scolding tone.
“That’s my line! Aren’t you supposed to be working in Nanterre?”
“That’s the workplace, this is home.”
Bastian responded with a casual flick of his finger. Adelaide felt a sudden premonition.
“Home? You walk from Nanterre here every day?”
From Rue de Lierre, where Emily’s workshop was, to Nanterre, it would take an hour by carriage. On foot, it would take at least several hours even for an adult. And he supposedly did this every day on those thin little legs?
Bastian didn’t answer; he just tilted the corners of his mouth slightly, as if to say, what are you going to do about it?
“It doesn’t take long. About… two hours? If I’m lucky and manage to hitch a ride in a shared carriage without getting caught, it’s even shorter.”
If he got caught, it would mean a beating starting from morning. Bastian chuckled as he added that.
Not funny at all.
“…Should I buy you shoes?”
My eyes naturally fell to Bastian’s feet.
Noticing my gaze, he quickly pulled the toes that had peeked out from the holes in his shoes back inside.
“Or you’ll just have them stolen again?”
“Then I’ll give you money. Just enough to buy new ones that won’t get snatched.”
“Hah.”
Bastian let out a hollow laugh, as if all the air had been sucked out of him.
Still, when I shook the coins in front of him, he pretended to hesitate for a moment before snatching them instantly.
“Don’t ask for more.”
“I won’t.”
When we first met, he had been wary, as if I were offering poison instead of money. Now, he was like a stray cat accustomed to receiving food.
“Why were you hitting that kid earlier?”
“Mind your own business. He ran off with my money.”
“Then… want another coin?”
“Should I also pay the interest? By the way, one blow to the ribs for each day you’re late.”
Crack! Camille coughed loudly, as if to make sure he heard the threatening remark.
Bastian, seemingly annoyed by the length of the conversation, kept glancing at his pocket watch.
“…Just kidding.”
Bastian muttered quietly, seemingly intimidated by Camille’s presence. For a moment, he looked like he had shrunk a little.
“Are you still working in Nanterre?”
Bastian nodded lightly.
“Lately, I’ve started delivering lunchboxes too.”
“Lunchbox delivery?”
“Yeah. I gather the morning orders and bring them to the construction site at Passage by noon. Since I work in the restaurant district anyway, it’s convenient. Pretty decent pay too.”
Some people are born to succeed. I shivered with admiration.
“Bastian, you’re really smart. Amazing!”
“What’s so amazing about that…”
He only flicked the coin in the air and caught it, avoiding my gaze.
Still, his lips twitched slightly, as if suppressing a smile.
“No, really. You’ll definitely succeed.”
“Hmph. What kind of success can you have in alleys like these?”
“How much do you want to succeed?”
“…If I tell you, will you grant it?”
“Who knows? Maybe some rich young lady walking down the street might.”
“Are you seriously saying I’m pretty with your own mouth?”
Bastian recoiled as if a toad had proposed to him.
“Am I not?”
“Hmph.”
I stepped forward, bringing my face closer. Bastian turned his head, avoiding my gaze entirely.
Uh-oh. Sebastian Velour, why aren’t you answering?
“Not? Huh? Really?”
“Stop bothering me and scram!”
Bastian finally snapped, raising his voice in frustration.
To think that the predator of all predators had such a soft and vulnerable childhood—it was strange, almost astonishing.
Should I tease him a bit more? Every time I poke, he jumps, making it impossible not to tease.
Oh my… thinking this way, I really am the villain!
“…I want to open a shop.”
The serious voice stripped all amusement from my ears.
“A shop?”
“A shop in my name.”
“What will you sell?”
“I don’t know yet. Something that’s never existed before.”
His brusque tone belied the burning passion in his red eyes, glowing like freshly molten metal.
Perhaps Bastian dreamed of building a department store. For a moment, I even entertained the thought.
“Funny, isn’t it?”
“What is?”
Immediately, Bastian returned to his usual prickly self, laughing bitterly.
“Dreaming of success when you’re busy just trying to survive. Lucky guy, aren’t you?”
His self-deprecating tone made me feel a little upset on his behalf.
“No, not funny at all.”
“……”
“You can do it. That’s why it’s not funny.”
Bastian didn’t speak, only moving his lips, completely stunned. No cold water could have produced this reaction.
After blinking, he finally spoke.
“…You’re really weird. You know that? Usually, girls from rich families wouldn’t even look at someone like me.”
“You don’t bow and call me ‘Miss’ either. Maybe people like us just recognize each other.”
Bastian remained silent for a while, then studied me seriously from head to toe.
“Did I owe you something?”
“What?”
“Or… do you have so much time and money? You know me, right? Why do you care so much?”
His tone, initially reluctant, gradually grew warmer and even a little angry.
Why all of a sudden?
…Well, from Bastian’s perspective, it made sense.
From our first meeting, I protected him, and every time we met, I approached him without formality. Now, I was showing infinite kindness: You can do it!
I would have suspected and been wary too. That was a perfectly normal reaction.
And yet, his only thought was debt.
In a sense, he had instinctively grasped the truth.
Bastian.
You don’t know it, but I owe you a debt I could never repay.
After returning to the past, it’s a debt I could never repay to the “you” of that day.
Instead, I’ll repay it through the “you” of now.
“Yes. A huge debt. Time and money are plenty. As you know, I’m the eldest daughter of the Charmoise family. Caring about you is nothing to me.”
For all intents and purposes, it was a trivial matter—but essential for the peaceful life I desired in my later years.
