Episode 53
She had thought she might actually have to go to a real restaurant in case he said he couldn’t eat street food, but—
“Me? I eat everything. I’m not picky at all. Isn’t street food the real charm of a festival?”
“Haha! You’re a guest who knows how to truly enjoy a festival!”
The merchant, who was diligently grilling chicken skewers, laughed heartily. As luck would have it, the skewers seemed almost done, and the man’s pace slowed as he flipped them over.
Louisa’s violet eyes sparkled as she gazed at the glistening brown, sauce-covered chicken skewers.
“You’re eating with me, right? Sir, we’ll take two skewers, please!”
Louisa quickly jumped in. As she reached into the pouch Mary had given her to pull out some coins, a hand extended from beside her before she could do so.
“Oh? I was going to pay.”
“Of course I should be the one to pay.”
His tone was firm. Come to think of it, every time they’d met, Raphael had always paid—it really wasn’t anything new.
“…Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
“Be careful. It’s hot.”
Wow, she almost burned her mouth. How could she nearly put it straight in without thinking? Was she that hungry?
Louisa shot a glance at Raphael, then gently blew on the chicken skewer. Once it had cooled slightly, she touched the meat to her lips to check the temperature, then began nibbling away.
The sauce was salty but well-balanced, giving it a savory depth.
Even though restaurant food was undeniably delicious, this reminded her that street food had its own hidden gems. Louisa chewed contentedly, fully savoring each bite.
“I want to try that next.”
Holding the half-eaten skewer, Louisa headed toward another vendor—a sherbet stand perfect for the summer. They topped the sherbet with freshly sliced fruit, making it look extra tempting.
“Two, please.”
Raphael naturally stepped forward to order. Even choosing his own flavor, he showed no hesitation, which Louisa found a bit unexpected—she raised a brow slightly in surprise.
‘Honestly, I thought he’d pretend to eat and just throw it away. But he actually ate it.’
And then he casually took her empty skewer and tossed it away along with his own. That gesture, combined with how cooperative he’d been since they left and how he kept paying, softened the discomfort she’d initially felt about him joining her.
“Here you go! Enjoy!”
“Thank you. Eek, sour!”
Louisa took a big bite the moment it was handed to her and immediately winced, one eye twitching like she was winking.
“Do you not handle sour things well?”
“No, I sometimes crave tart stuff, but I’m kind of sensitive to sour flavors.”
She gulped down the remaining sherbet before answering.
“You’re handling it well, Raphael.”
“I’m not picky.”
“I’m not either. Just a bit sensitive, that’s all.”
“…To the point your eye twitches?”
“Yes, for some reason it always does that when I eat sour food.”
Raphael’s gaze lingered on her, as if she were something curious—or perhaps even enchanting. He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her for a while.
“May I touch it?”
“…Touch what?”
“Your eye.”
“…My eye? Why?”
“It just… trembles like a flower petal. It’s fascinating.”
Louisa was briefly at a loss for words. What kind of comment was that? And what would he even gain by touching it?
But before she could respond, Raphael slowly reached out his hand—perhaps taking her silence as permission.
His bony fingers neared her face, and his calloused fingertips gently brushed the skin just beneath her eye, which was still twitching slightly from the sourness.
“…Strange.”
…He is. Louisa raised an eyebrow and swatted his hand away. Touching her like that out of nowhere and then calling it “strange”—seriously?
She turned around abruptly and began aggressively spooning her sherbet again.
Raphael, instead of following her right away, looked down at his hand with a strange expression. His blue eyes darkened as he murmured to himself.
“…Is that what people call cute?”
His thick brows furrowed with faint confusion. Lifting his gaze slowly, he stared at Louisa’s retreating figure for a long moment before finally clenching his fist and stepping forward.
The wind tousled his platinum hair, revealing a distinct flush creeping up to his ears.
But Louisa, unaware of any of that, had already shaken off the awkwardness and was casually glancing around again.
‘Eating is nice, but maybe I should look around a bit now.’
She had made such a fuss about not wanting to come to the festival, and now here she was, quietly enjoying herself. Louisa looked around curiously for something interesting.
‘Let’s check that out.’
A particular stall caught her eye. Without much thought, she walked over. Since it was a low display, she had to bend down, casting a shadow over the goods.
As she slowly squatted, she adjusted her hat, squinting slightly at the light reflecting off what appeared to be gemstones.
‘Ugh, this is annoying. Maybe I should just go somewhere else.’
But just as she was thinking it was too hard to see, Raphael silently stepped from her right side to her left, blocking the sun.
Her eyes turned to him. She studied his usual expressionless face and briefly wondered if he’d done it on purpose—but dismissed it as coincidence.
Now shaded, Louisa relaxed and looked over the items. Despite being a street vendor, the accessories looked rather refined. One piece stood out—a brooch with a reddish-orange gemstone set in a gold border.
‘A brooch? The gem’s probably fake.’
She picked it up carefully, and the vendor grinned.
“You have a good eye, miss! Haha, that’s a protective stone—it’s said to bring good energy when worn. It’s a rare mineral dug up in a distant country and considered as valuable as a jewel. Very popular!”
So, more of a charm? Louisa didn’t believe in superstitions, but since it had a symbolic meaning, she found it a little interesting.
“This makes a perfect gift for family or close friends. Of course, it’s great to keep for yourself too!”
Louisa slowly closed and opened her eyes. A gift for family? That felt like a foreign concept.
She’d spent her life being deprived, never in a position to give anything to anyone. The very idea hadn’t even crossed her mind, and it now hit her as an oversight.
‘Guess I’ve been a bit too indifferent.’
Still, ever since waking up in this world, she’d lived comfortably without lacking anything. After receiving so much kindness, it only felt right to offer at least a small token of thanks.
Besides, even if they were her “family,” she wasn’t the real Louisa, and their attention wasn’t truly on her. Still, it couldn’t hurt to leave a good impression—just in case.
Sure, she could go to a jewelry store and buy something expensive, but for some reason, she was drawn to this one. It felt meaningful, and the warm, sunset-like color looked comforting in the light.
‘They probably have more money than me anyway, so no matter what I give, it’s all the same. If they don’t like it, oh well.’
Whether they threw it away or shoved it in a drawer, that was their choice. Louisa nodded once and held out the protective stone to the vendor.
“This one and… hmm, please wrap four in total.”
“Ah, thank you! Would you like them individually wrapped?”
“Yes, please.”
“How much is it?”
Raphael, who had been silently standing beside her, suddenly asked. Louisa turned her head slightly and gestured with one hand.
“I’ll pay for this. It’s a gift.”
Though he hesitated for a moment, Raphael nodded. Louisa asked the vendor for the price. He looked flustered, but his hands were steady and precise as he packed the brooches.
After finishing the payment, he quickly wrapped the four gifts and handed them over to Louisa.
“Thank you for waiting! Oh, would you like a bag—?”
“Please put them in that paper bag.”
“Understood. Thank you for your purchase. Have a great day!”
“Thanks, you too.”
Louisa cradled the paper bag in one arm and stood up.
‘Ugh, sat too long.’
As she tapped her sore thighs, a large hand reached out to her.
“I’ll hold onto that until we return. Also, how about we take a break? There’s still time before the fireworks, and we might get tired if we keep walking around.”
“That sounds good. Where should we go?”
“There’s a nice shop nearby.”
“Okay, let’s go—oh?”
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew. Her hair fluttered like in slow motion, and her hat flew up into the air.
Eyes wide, Louisa looked up, stunned as her hat soared away before she could catch it.
“Here—”
Right then, a hand swiftly snatched the hat out of the air. Their eyes met in the sunlight. In Raphael’s eyes—made even clearer in the golden light—there was nothing but Louisa.
“Got it.”
He slowly held out the hat to her. Louisa stared at it for a moment.
She hadn’t noticed it when wearing it, but in his hand, it looked so small. And the way he held it so delicately—afraid to crush it with those large hands—somehow caught her attention.
