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The first thing that caught their eyes was a blonde, blue-eyed girl.

She was in the middle of a squabble with the shopkeeper.

“Money? Didn’t I just pay?”

“Yonseok! How many times do I have to tell you! You owe me 2,000 Kael, but you only paid 500 Kael.”

“That’s all I have.”

“What?”

The shopkeeper, with a bulging belly, asked in disbelief, but the blonde girl just shamelessly replied.

“Didn’t you hear? That’s all I have, so deal with it. It’s not like that small amount is hard to earn.”

“What? You rude little brat…!”

“Ouch! Did you just hit me?!”

The girl, who got a knuckle rap, puffed up and pointed her finger in front of the shopkeeper’s eyes.

“You. This is divine punishment.”

At the ominous declaration, the shopkeeper froze for a moment.

Was she about to use some kind of magic?

“…?”

But no matter how long they waited, nothing came out of the girl’s hand.

“Ah… right. I’m human now…?”

“Where do you think you’re pointing, you brat!”

“Ouch! That hurts!”

The angry shopkeeper grabbed the girl by the nape of her neck.

“Bring your parents here right now! What kind of upbringing did they give you…? Let me see their faces!”

“Our parents? How dare you think of meeting ‘them’? Don’t talk nonsense!”

“What kind of nonsense is this? I can’t let this slide. You’re coming with me to the security bureau.”

“Waaah… Are we going to jail, sis?”

The small girl next to the blonde whined.

She must be her younger sister, as she resembled her sister in appearance.

Amid the commotion, a woman appeared.

“Shopkeeper.”

“Huh?”

Standing in front of the shopkeeper was a tall beauty, Blanshe.

She took out her wallet and asked,

“How much do these children owe?”

“…Are you their guardian?”

“No. But I’ll pay for them, so could you let them go?”

Blanshe politely requested the shopkeeper.

Her courteous demeanor made the shopkeeper hesitate.

“Well… if you pay…”

“I would be very grateful if you could show them some leniency.”

“Ugh… I’ll let it go this time. Kids, thank this lady.”

Freed from the shopkeeper’s grip, the girl grumbled.

“Ugh. What a mess…”

“Waaah… I thought Michaela was going to jail…”

“Hey! Liri, you’re the one who wanted to come! If it weren’t for you, this wouldn’t have happened!”

“Michaela and Liri, was it?”

The two girls looked up at Blanshe.

Blanshe knelt down to their eye level and scolded the blonde girl.

“From now on, make sure to pay properly when you buy something. And use honorifics with adults.”

“Hmph. Why should I, the all-powerful one? Ouch!”

Suddenly, the blonde girl grabbed her head after getting another knuckle rap.

But it wasn’t Blanshe who hit her.

“Tsk tsk… Our little friends should use polite language.”

“You… you!”

Helga, wearing a military coat, looked down at the blonde girl.

“Now, use honorifics with adults.”

“Funny! You lowlife!”

Thwack!

“Gah! You hit me again?!”

“Use honorifics.”

Helga smiled softly.

It was a warm smile, like one you’d give to a child, but the fist she held was anything but warm.

“Hey! Do you know who I am-!”

“Use honorifics.”

Thwack!

“Ahhh! It hurts!! If I met you in paradise-!”

“Use honorifics.”

Thwack!

“Ouch! Stop! You’ll make a bump!”

“Use honorifics.”

Thwack!

“Ah, it hurts…! Stop!”

“Honorifics.”

Thwack!

“Gahhh! Stop! Stop! Please stop!”

After the barrage of knuckle raps, the blonde girl cried out in tears.

Only then did Helga look satisfied and spoke to the girl.

“Speak.”

“Huh?”

Thwack!

“Ahhh!! Again! Again! You hit me! I, I used honorifics…! Why did you hit me…!?”

“Speak.”

“…Huh? Speak? I did…?”

Helga placed her hand on the girl’s head.

Expecting another hit, the girl flinched, but Helga gently stroked her head instead.

“Now, say you’re sorry.”

The girl, with tears in her eyes, finally understood what Helga meant.

And it didn’t take long for the words to come out of her mouth.

“I’m sorry…?”

The girl bowed her head to the shopkeeper and Blanshe, who had shown her kindness.

Everyone nodded at the sight of the once-rude girl apologizing.

“Hehe. Well done. Huh?”

Helga, stroking the girl’s head, looked down.

At some point, the younger sister with lemon-colored hair had hugged her leg.

“Umm… I’m sorry. Mama. Our sister is really lacking…”

“What? Who’s lacking! If anyone’s lacking, it’s you-!”

Thwack!

“Gyahhh! I’m lacking! I’m the one who’s lacking! Little sister!”

“Good. You’re a good kid. Hehe. I like good kids.”

“Ugh… Is this pain? The human body hurts so much…”

“Oh? This isn’t even close to real pain.”

“Eek?!”

The blonde girl was shocked.

Meanwhile, the sleepy-looking younger sister handed the hotteok she was holding to Helga and Blanshe.

“Here… I’ll give this to the pretty mama.”

“Oh my? Are you giving this to me? I’m the only pretty mama here.”

“What did you say…?”

Ignoring Blanshe’s cold glare, Helga took the hotteok.

“Hoho. Can I share this with the sharp-eared mama here? Hmm?”

“Umm… It’s yummy. Hehe…”

The girl’s bright smile inevitably softened the two women’s expressions.

“Today, we won’t forget how you helped us. May God bless you…”

“Ah, enough. Let’s go back. We’ve been out too long.”

“Umm… Sis. We’re going now…”

The two girls bowed to Blanshe and Helga.

“Hmph… Thanks for helping us…?”

“Thank you… Goodbye…”

Blanshe waved until the girls were out of sight.

They were strange kids.

They seemed too naive for this world, yet there was something mysterious about them.

As if they came from somewhere other than this world.

Maybe it was just Blanshe’s sensitive perception.

Then, a hotteok suddenly appeared in front of her.

“Here, half for you.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“You’re really nosy, aren’t you?”

Helga chewed on the hotteok as she spoke.

“Besides, you have to teach rude kids a lesson. That’s why they act so disrespectful.”

“They’re still children. It’s natural for them to be rude.”

“It’s not natural. Here, take this too.”

“What’s this?”

Helga handed Blanshe a 2,000 Kael bill.

“You didn’t have much money in your wallet earlier, so I’ll pay for the hotteok.”

Blanshe frowned at that.

“…Don’t look through my wallet.”

“Then don’t make it so obvious. Ah, take it before my arm falls off.”

Helga waved the bill.

Blanshe clicked her tongue and took one.

“Then let’s split it. I was the one who stepped in.”

“Fine. But… the Duke’s salary is really stingy.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. I didn’t know you were working for such a low salary.”

“No, it’s not that low…”

Blanshe stopped herself.

There was no need to mention the debt she owed Tristan.

“Compared to that, our Count pays a fortune. Especially the Aslan members, who risk their lives, get high salaries and the best treatment.”

“…Hmm.”

Blanshe felt a bit offended.

Helga’s words sounded like she was mocking the poor Duke.

“Just now…”

“But I don’t think a high salary is always a good thing.”

“Huh?”

“Because you can’t tell if they’re loyal to the Count for the money or not.”

Helga’s gaze was serious.

“Ah, of course, their hard work and loyalty deserve proper compensation. It’s just… what I’m trying to say is that true loyalty can’t be determined by money.”

“…”

“The Count said it himself. A crisis is coming to this world. Who knows what will happen? Naturally, the money we receive might decrease. And who knows if they’ll remain loyal to the Count then…”

Blanshe’s hostility faded at Helga’s words.

She realized they were both loyal servants to their masters.

“Strange as it sounds, I’d like to work for a low salary like you. It would make my loyalty stand out more.”

“I agree…”

“Anyway, if you become the Count’s woman, salary won’t matter.”

“That’s true… Ah, no, wait? Did you say the Count’s woman?”

Ignoring Blanshe’s question, Helga stretched.

“Ahh… I want to be by the Count’s side soon. Is it still a long way before we go back?”

“Huh? Yes, but…?”

“Hmm… Is that so?”

It was just past noon.

There was still a lot of time before they had to pick up Tristan and Bella.

After pondering, Helga asked Blanshe,

“Do you drink?”

“Drink…? I’ve never tried it before, but…?”

“Eh? Really?”

Helga looked at her in surprise.

“Don’t lie. You look like a drinker.”

“Dr-drinker? No, I really haven’t tried it.”

“Huh……”

Helga, looking at Blanshe in disbelief, made up her mind.

“Alright. Follow me now.”

“Where are we going?”

“Hehe. Where else?”

Helga smirked and took the lead.

“Let’s drink like we’ve lost our country today.”

 

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