Chapter 38

“Hana! Look at this!”

“H-huh?”

I’d been the one who first called him “Eddie” so casually, and even told him my real name…
But when Edmund actually said it aloud, for some reason I felt strangely embarrassed.

My cheeks prickled; I even tapped them with my fingertips to calm the itch.

To cover my fluster, I deliberately acted cheerful.

“Why? Do you want that? Should I buy it for you?”

The thing he was pointing at was… unexpected.

“This is a girl’s hair ribbon.”

Well, I mean—Edmund was so pretty that he could pull it off, sure.
But when he saw my expression, he frowned, as if he knew what I was thinking.

“Of course I’m not going to wear it.”

“Yeah, I figured, but still…”

So why was he looking at hair ribbons?

Then Edmund picked up one, held it against my hair, and smiled brightly.

“It suits you. It’s the same color as your eyes.”

“Uh…”

My heart nearly skipped in the wrong way.

I quickly laughed and tapped his shoulder.

“Hey—it’s your birthday. Why are you picking things for me?”

The stall owner, eager to make a sale, butted in.

“Oh-ho! Buying a present for your girlfriend? You picked well! The color matches her perfectly!”

And the shocking part?
Even though a commoner had spoken so casually to him, Edmund just grinned.
He actually looked pleased.

Guess he really is that excited to be out in the world again.

Still, I had to redirect things.

I quickly waved off the merchant.

“No, no—she’s not my girlfriend.”

“Mm, sure. Judging from your face, young man, I’d say she is.”

The merchant winked at Edmund, still trying to sell.

I stepped in firmly, like a proper guardian.

“Edmund—you should pick something you want, for yourself. That way, your big sister will feel happy buying it.”

The merchant blinked, awkward now.

“Oh, a big sister?”

Edmund snapped immediately.

“She’s not my sister!”

“Eddie!”

He puffed his cheeks in a pout and turned on me.

“I didn’t ask you to buy it!”

“…Then who?”

It wasn’t like Edmund had money of his own.

Then, shockingly, he called over Willace.

“You pay.”

“M-me?!”

Willace’s face crumpled like paper.

Edmund ordered in a low voice:

“You’ve got wages from working as a servant, right? I’ll pay you back—several times over—later. For now, you pay.”

“….”

Willace sighed, face twisted like a flea about to be eaten alive, and reluctantly pulled out his purse.

When he muttered, “You’d better repay me tenfold,” Edmund jabbed him in the ribs.

In the end, the merchant happily handed Edmund a green ribbon.

I sighed—failed to stop this impulse buy—and couldn’t help but wonder.

But really… why does Edmund want a girl’s ribbon all of a sudden? Who’s he planning to give it to?

It’s not like he’d give it to me—or so I thought.

Then Edmund dropped it right onto my hand.

“…Huh?”

I almost dropped it, fumbling to catch it before it hit the ground.

“What’s this?”

Edmund muttered quickly, his excuse flimsy.

“You dropped it. So… take it.”

Excuse me?! I just watched you wring money out of Willace to buy it!

Before either Willace or I could say anything, Edmund’s face went red, and he bolted off.

“Eddie! Get back here!”

With no choice but to chase him, I shoved the ribbon into my pocket.

We ended up having a surprisingly good time.

We wandered the little town market, bought some trinkets, even shared some snacks.

“See? I told you this cinnamon taffy was good.”

“I told you—I’m not a kid, I don’t even like sweets.”

Yet despite the grumbling, Edmund kept picking only the cinnamon pieces out of the bag, the same ones I liked.

When Willace tried one—“Is it really that tasty?”—Edmund snatched it back instantly.

If you like it, just admit you like it…

It wasn’t even a popular flavor—lemon and mint were the normal favorites.
But Edmund hogged all the cinnamon ones anyway.

Finding his own taste, his own preferences… he really does feel like a 13-year-old kid right now.

I watched him fondly.

“Really though—don’t you want anything? It’s your birthday. I’ll buy whatever you want.”

“…Forget it.”

Technically, the “outing itself” was the present he’d asked for.
But I wanted to give him something tangible too.

Something he could keep, so that even if we part ways one day, he’d remember me when he saw it.

There was the fountain pen I’d already given him… but for a birthday, shouldn’t there be something more?

If Edmund wouldn’t say, then I’d just have to choose myself.

That’s how birthday presents work anyway—the giver picks.

So I gave up on asking him and started looking for something suitable.

The market wasn’t large; nothing here was fancy.
The pen I’d gotten before was a special commission as the Cohen young lord’s wife—this time, I only had what was here.

Just “Hana,” the ordinary girl, picking a gift.

That’s when I noticed them.

Two grimy little children begging in the corner.
A brother and sister, maybe six years old. Their clothes were rags.

The younger girl was drooling as she stared at the candy bag in my hand.

Poor things.

They reminded me too much of my own bad days in the orphanage.
I couldn’t just walk past.

I crouched down to meet their eyes.

“Are you hungry?”

“Mhm!”

The girl’s big, innocent eyes shone as she stretched out a dirty little hand.

“Pweety unnie, gib me one candy.”

Her baby teeth were missing, making her words slur.

Beside her, the older brother begged,

“Please show us mercy!”

I handed the entire bag of taffy to the girl.
Her cheeks flushed pink with joy.

“Here. Eat as much as you want.”

“Wow!”

The two of them stuffed candy in their mouths until their cheeks bulged.
The girl smiled through her runny nose, looking so happy.

“Aigoo, you like it that much?”

I pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her face.

“There—see? Much prettier when you’re clean.”

The nanny tried to stop me.

“My lady, you’ll soil your clothes.”

“It’s fine.”

I thought it over.

I’d like to give them money too, but that won’t change their situation.

If I gave them coins here, they’d probably just get robbed by older kids or adults.

Unless I’m going to take responsibility for them completely, I can’t interfere too deeply.

I would be leaving this place soon. I couldn’t take these children with me.

The girl didn’t know my conflicted thoughts. She just laughed sweetly, overjoyed with her first candy.

Then she suddenly threw herself into my arms.

“Unnie! I wuv you!”

She was grubby, but her small body was so warm.
I almost hugged her back—

But then someone cut in.

“Hands off! Vermin like you!”

Edmund had grabbed the little girl by the wrist and yanked her away.

So roughly—for such a tiny child!

“Eddie!!!”

I shouted, ready to scold him.

But then something slipped from the girl’s hand and hit the ground.

Clatter!

A coin pouch.

The very one I’d had Willace and the nanny exchange for silver at the pawnshop.

“…!”

Why on earth… was that in her hands?!