Chapter 71
“Oh my, this is too cute! Was it hard to get?”
From the table next to the café, two men’s whispers could be heard.
Late in the afternoon, Elshnain, sitting in the café wearing a mask, perked up his ears.
“Ahem. You didn’t know, huh? Recently, the sales restrictions at the Gourmet Nation’s accessory shop have been lifted.”
“What! Why are you only telling me now? I gave up because I didn’t have the chance to get one until now!”
Although the men were whispering very quietly, seemingly aware of the surrounding gaze, their conversation was perfectly audible to Elshnain, who was not an ordinary human.
“Hey, your voice is too loud. Our hobby is a secret that even our families don’t know about, right? Lower your voice a little!”
“Uh… yeah. Sorry. Ahem!”
They cautiously glanced around, checking the reactions of nearby people. They flinched momentarily at the sight of Elshnain at the next table but, thinking the distance was sufficient, they huddled together again and continued whispering.
‘Hmm. Seems like a secret conversation.’
Bound by the Korean Confucian moral upbringing that forbade listening to others’ private conversations, Elshnain…
‘Oh ho.’
With a face full of interest, he sipped his iced latte and focused on their conversation.
‘Real-time customer feedback. I have to hear this.’
He perked up his ears and leaned in, fully attentive.
“Before, it was impossible to get the merchandise, and it was so frustrating. But now, the items are being supplied steadily, which is great.”
“Hoho. I have to go buy some too! With so many people flocking, I wonder if eventually every citizen in the empire will carry one?”
The first man clicked his tongue and replied.
“Of course! They’re opening Gourmet Nation’s accessory shops not only in the capital but in other regions too.”
“Really? Is that true?”
“Absolutely! Soon, every citizen will have a piece of Gourmet Nation merchandise. You should join the line too!”
“Heh. For my first piece, I’m definitely buying the ‘Mini White Mask.’”
The other man stared at him in dismay.
“The most popular item… You’ll probably end up being the last citizen to get one. The White Mask merchandise sells out instantly.”
“Darn it!”
Elshnain, listening under his mask, gave a slight smile.
‘Hmm. Their reactions are pretty good.’
He continued listening but didn’t hear any complaints about Gourmet Nation, which was reassuring.
‘That’s good.’
Just as Elshnain took another sip of his iced latte with a slightly relieved expression, a cheerful voice called out.
“Oh, sorry to keep you waiting! I’m late!”
Click-clack, click-clack—the sound of hurried footsteps approached.
“No, you just arrived.”
Elshnain waved his hand as if to say it was okay while watching the woman approach.
“Oh my. Half the latte is already gone?”
Sitting beside her with a cute little whine was Lyla, the same girl he had once sent to the jeweler.
Though it was the same café as before, something was different this time.
“By the way, Lyla, is this the person you’re talking about?”
Elshnain glanced at the awkwardly sitting girl next to Lyla and asked.
“Wasn’t that temple piece made five years ago?”
‘She looks like she’s in her late teens.’
Unlike last time, Lyla was not alone. A teenage girl, looking to be in her late teens, was with her.
Lyla glanced at the girl and said,
“Hoho. Yes, that temple piece was completed five years ago.”
“But no matter how I look at her, she seems too young…”
Could she be someone with special circumstances, like Chirahan?
‘Or maybe just extremely youthful?’
Elshnain tilted his head thoughtfully.
“Oh, this girl isn’t the jeweler from back then…”
As Lyla awkwardly tried to continue, a desperate voice interrupted.
“Please give me a chance!”
The girl, who had been nervously watching Elshnain, suddenly stood up and shouted.
“I’m begging White Mask!”
“Ah…”
Her voice echoed through the café.
“What? White Mask?”
“Where! Where!”
The commotion drew the attention of everyone in the café.
“I… I want to see White Mask in person!”
“Move! I’m closer!”
Watching the scene turn chaotic, Elshnain jumped to his feet, grabbing Lyla and the girl’s wrists.
“Run.”
“P-please… Uh, uh!”
“Kyah, White Mask, you’re so rough!”
Ignoring Lyla’s playful protests, Elshnain dashed out of the café.
“Huff… huff…”
“Phew…”
The three of them ran nonstop down a narrow alley next to the café until they caught their breath.
“Huff… huff… I-I’m sorry… because of me…”
The young girl said, shrinking back, her voice trembling.
“Yes, seriously. Are you sane? White Mask is a famous figure in the empire. How can you call out so loudly like that?”
“Enough, Lyla.”
Elshnain stopped Lyla from scolding further.
“It’s fine. It’s already happened. Quiet and nice here.”
Leaning against the alley wall, she waved her hands.
“First, we need to find out who she really is.”
“Ah…”
Lyla smacked her lips in embarrassment.
“She’s the granddaughter of that jeweler. I checked, and it seems the jeweler passed away because of that incident back then.”
Elshnain tilted his head at the phrase.
“That incident?”
Lyla paused briefly, then explained a story that was quite infuriating.
“So that’s how it happened.”
‘The cult intentionally put the jeweler into debt to take ownership of the piece, huh?’
“My grandmother had dementia back then. They suddenly insisted on unnecessary leg treatment… and then charged us an amount we could never pay. They did it just to fully take the piece!”
Her voice trembled with anger.
‘That must have been the cult’s doing. The pope himself.’
“So what is it you’re asking for?”
Despite the sad story, Elshnain asked coldly.
There were countless people with difficult stories in the world, including in her past lives.
The girl hesitated at Elshnain’s businesslike tone, then clenched her fists and shouted,
“Let me make that jewelry! I’m my grandfather’s top disciple! I can do it!”
“How do we know your skill is as good as your grandfather’s?”
Elshnain asked, folding her arms. The girl, instead of flinching, sparkled with determination.
“Just give me a chance! I’ll show you what I can make!”
Her voice was full of confidence.
Elshnain grinned.
‘Pretty clever.’
“Really? Can you show me right now?”
The girl didn’t hesitate and pointed somewhere with her index finger.
“My house isn’t far from here!”
“Good. Then let’s go straight there.”
Lyla looked stunned at the sudden turn of events and asked,
“R-right now? White Mask?”
“Yes. Strike while the iron is hot. Let’s get it done immediately.”
Elshnain had been very busy thinking about the hunting competition, so she wanted to handle multiple matters at once while out.
‘Think of it as a little outing.’
The girl’s house, however, was too small and shabby to be considered an outing.
“This is my studio and… home!”
The small, falling-apart shack was so tiny that they had to stoop to enter.
“Do you live here alone?”
“Yes, yes. My grandmother passed away last year, joining my grandfather.”
The girl scratched the back of her head.
Sniff.
Elshnain glanced back to see Lyla holding back tears, looking skyward. She seemed moved by the girl’s plight.
‘Such a pitiful situation at a young age.’
Had I started working at that age too?
‘No, I was even younger.’
Elshnain shook her head, briefly recalling her past life.
“You live and work here alone?”
“Yes!”
The girl, remembering her grandmother and grandfather, quickly changed the subject.
“Look here. This is my workbench, and everything here is something I made myself.”
