Noapp, Parker, Rick, and Noemi had all gone into the forest.
Half a day after seeing them off, Dolce Athenak, feeling hungry, left the mansion alone and headed into town.
In case you are wondering, Noapp employed a few servants, so even if Dolce spent her days lounging about, her basic needs were taken care of. Meals were provided, baths were drawn, and her bed sheets were changed.
However, Noemi had insisted:
「You should go out into the town occasionally. Try eating out. I’ll give you some spending money, so use it within your means.」
To be honest, Dolce was scared.
She had only recently begun to understand the concept of ‘money’. She had gone shopping with Parker and Noemi before, but she had never done it alone.
Dolce placed about a quarter of her allowance into a small leather pouch and started walking through the bustling market on the main street. The lively crowd felt dizzying just to watch.
「Oh, isn’t that the lady from the Prince’s place?」
In the midst of the crowd, an old man selling fried bread called out to her.
「What, you’re on your own today?」
「Oh, um, yeah… Hi…」
She didn’t know his name, but she recognized his stall; she had eaten there a few times with Noapp and the others. He is someone who had drifted into town from the royal capital, selling bread filled with sweet and savory meat and fried in sesame oil—she remembered it being incredibly delicious.
「The Prince is off in the forest, huh? Things sure have been hectic around here lately. Is it ‘cause the year’s end is near?」
Noapp was often referred to as ‘Prince’ by the townspeople. While it was partly because he was indeed the third prince, it was mainly out of familiarity. Despite the grand title, people treated him casually, drawn to his friendly nature and approachable demeanor.
Dolce, who was often seen at his side, was remembered just as well.
「Um, Noapp-san’s… on an important mission, so he’ll be away for a while.」
「I see, so this young lady is watching over the house? If you’re looking for lunch, how about some of my bread? I’ll give you a discount.」
「Oh… okay, I’ll buy some.」
Dolce agreed, not having anything specific in mind and feeling swayed by his offer.
「How many do you want? You had about two last time, didn’t you?」
「…The same.」
「Thanks! Normally it’s thirty, but I’ll make it twenty for you.」
The man said, packing the freshly fried bread into a paper bag with practiced ease. Dolce reached for her leather pouch, clutching it tightly in front of her chest, but just as she was about to open it—
Thud!
Dolce felt a sudden impact.
「Kyaa…..」
Dolce fell on her butt.
She couldn’t quite grasp what had happened. Her vision blurred, and she found herself sitting on the ground without understanding why. Then she noticed—her leather pouch, the one she had been holding tightly—
「Hey, thief!」
The vendor shouted, and Dolce’s eyes widened.
A thief—a pickpocket. Someone who stealthily steals wallets as they pass by. Noemi had warned her about such people, telling her to be careful when out in the city. Dolce had been careful, holding the pouch tightly in front of her chest, gripping it with both hands and never letting go.
But she never imagined someone would brazenly snatch it away like this.
「Ah…」
People on the street stopped to see what was happening, but the thief had already vanished into the crowd. Dolce just sat there in shock, unable to move.
「You’re not getting away!」
「Let go of me! Damn it!」
Came the thief’s angry shout from somewhere within the crowd.
Dolce remained seated on the ground, her mouth hanging open in stunned silence.
※※※
「Here, check if anything’s missing.」
A few minutes later—
A leather pouch was lightly placed into Dolce’s hands by a smiling man. He was an adventurer who had happened to be passing by and had caught the pickpocket.
He was a young man with slicked-back hair, a sharp gaze, and a scar running across his cheek, giving him a rather intimidating appearance. However, his demeanor and tone were gentle.
「Nice job, Zeke! That was impressive.」
「Ah, it’s nothing special….Still, what was that? Even for a pickpocket, it was way too sloppy. Must be some drifter who just wandered into town. No way that kind of thing would fly here.」
The thief—a young woman—was being taken away by the town guards. Zeke watched them go, still smiling.
「A-ano, everything’s still here. Thank you so much…」
「No worries. You’re the girl being looked after by the ‘Prince’ and his crew, right? Bad luck running into trouble while you’re walking around alone.」
Zeke replied kindly, his gaze soft as he looked at Dolce. Despite his rough appearance, his eyes were gentle.
「So, the Prince and the others are all away, huh?」
「Yeah, it’s a big job. An assignment from Sui-san. I’m heading out tomorrow with Berde-san and the others.」
「Well, you’ve got your work cut out for you at the end of the year.」
Dolce barely registered their conversation.
Familiar names floated by, but her mind was preoccupied with another feeling entirely.
Zeke, the young man who had helped her, had a rough, imposing look. To put it plainly, he was intimidating.
In Athenak’s settlement, there was no one with such a fierce appearance. Everyone there had a mild and harmless demeanor.
But still—
Even though he looked so frightening, and his manners were coarse, this man was kinder than anyone she had known back in the settlement.
No, it wasn’t just him.
The fried bread vendor, the lady who helped her up, the strangers who offered words of comfort, even the onlookers who glanced over with concern—all of them showed kindness towards Dolce.
Each one of them cared for her, the Fuginoko, and looked at her directly, without prejudice.
「Hey, old man, throw in some bread for me too. Three.」
「Alright, thanks for your business. How about five for sixty, including the young lady’s share?」
「What’s with that deal? Good business, huh! Whatever… Hey, kid, consider this a little bit of good fortune—me and the old man are treating you.」
Zeke said, handing her a bag of fried bread.
Dolce reached for her pouch to pay, but Zeke stopped her saying ‘No need’.
「Here’s the payment, old man.」
「……Hey, I said sixty, but there’s only fifty here.」
「I told you, this is on us. The girl’s new to Sidera, right? It’s on us to make up for her lousy encounter with that two-bit thief. We’ve got to show her how generous this town can be.」
「Hah! Can’t argue with that.」
Dolce lowered her gaze, feeling a mix of emotions.
The woman who had helped her earlier patted her on the shoulder and said cheerfully,
「Looks like you made some money, young lady.」
「Money is hard… I don’t really get it.」
Dolce murmured, clutching both her leather pouch and the paper bag close to her chest.
The coins were cold and hard, but the bread was soft.
Both, however, were warm.
Dolce decided that once Noemi and the others returned, she would tell them all about today.
-0-
AN: Do you all remember Zeke?
He’s the same young man who Mint ran into the first time she visited the town.
Zeke’s pretty approachable and is known for helping the elderly with their bags frequently.
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