Chapter 65

Adam followed along without resistance, as if he had expected this outcome all along, a smirk playing at his lips.

Before she even realized it, she was already holding onto the bundle of clothes he had chosen for her.

“Well… of course! But does that mean you’re going to buy me this many clothes every time? At this rate, we’ll both end up broke and homeless in the Demon King’s castle!”

It was supposed to be a rhetorical question to dissuade him, yet Adam hesitated, as if genuinely considering it.

…Wait. Was he seriously planning to do this every time?!

‘No! You’re the warrior! A penniless commoner warrior…’

Afraid he might actually say yes, she hurriedly cut him off.

“Anyway! This is the last time! No more after this!”

She crossed her arms in an X, making her stance clear.

But Adam still seemed reluctant, sneaking glances at the clothes he hadn’t bought.

“But what if, next time, you look good in—”

“That’s obvious, but buying more is not happening! Playing noble is fun for a day, but this is way too much for me!”

If he had been buying for himself, she would have happily encouraged it.

But all these clothes were for her.

She had never been treated like this before, and it felt strangely overwhelming.

“Too much? The clothes simply found their rightful owner. Instead of feeling bad, why not just wear them happily?”

“Ugh…”

She had kept refusing, but then he had to go and use that smile.

In the end, she caved and accepted all of them.

That damn satisfied smile of his was too hard to resist.

“…Thank you, really. But I will pay you back, okay?”

“There’s no need. Think of it as a request from me. I just want to see you happy wearing them.”

His gaze lingered on her dress.

It was one of the outfits he had chosen—a violet gown that had made them both give an enthusiastic thumbs-up the moment she had seen it in the mirror.

As his eyes remained fixed on her, a translucent status window popped up above his head.

Stress – 79%

‘Huh? Why is his stress going down?’

Wasn’t this essentially daylight robbery?

He hadn’t even bought anything for himself, yet he looked completely satisfied.

‘Does he just need to help others to function…?’

Some people simply thrived when they were being generous.

…And those kinds of people always got taken advantage of.

Her resolve hardened. She would definitely keep Adam by her side.

If someone as naïve as him roamed around unsupervised, his wallet would be emptied in half a day!

Having seen glimpses of his childhood in the game, she already felt the need to protect him.

Now, it was even worse.

She linked arms with him and pulled him forward.

They had already wasted enough time picking outfits—now, they had to make the most of the festival!

“Hurry up, warrior!”

Adam let himself be dragged along without complaint.

Together, they watched a fire-breathing performance, followed by a juggler expertly tossing five balls in the air.

Time passed quickly as they wandered the festival grounds, but after all the walking, the new shoes she had gotten earlier were starting to hurt.

She subtly limped, trying not to let it show, and searched for a place to sit.

She instinctively stayed close to Adam, keeping her face composed so he wouldn’t notice.

Eventually, she spotted a small shop with a worn-out sign.

The half-underground store looked like the kind of place that would pique Adam’s interest.

“Adam, there’s a shop selling interesting trinkets over there. Want to check it out?”

“Hmm… sure.”

Though he seemed distracted by something else, when she tugged at his arm, he followed without resistance.

As they descended the narrow stairs, the musty scent of old books filled the air.

The shelves were cluttered with cheap trinkets, but aside from that, the store was mostly filled with ancient-looking books.

Adam, who she expected to be interested, merely glanced over them without much enthusiasm.

‘Didn’t he go to the temple because he liked books?’

She picked up a few and flipped through them, then sat down in one of the small chairs meant for customers.

The moment she eased off her feet, a wave of relief spread through her aching legs.

Then—

“You’re the warrior.”

“…!”

A voice.

It came from a pile of books beside them.

She jolted in shock and turned around, but there was no one there.

“Over here.”

Adam was the first to spot the man buried beneath the books.

A single arm waved lazily from within the pile, beckoning them closer.

Still holding the book she had picked up like a shield, Eveline cautiously asked, “How did you know he’s the warrior?”

Adam, looking mildly annoyed, reached down and pulled out a book from the bottom of the pile.

The precariously stacked books immediately collapsed, revealing the man hidden beneath them.

The elderly bookstore owner, stroking his thick, cloud-like beard, let out a hearty chuckle despite his toppled state.

“Warriors have a certain presence about them.”

“A presence?”

“Yes. It’s difficult to put into words… but I feel that same presence from the item around your neck, young lady.”

Eveline struggled to keep her expression neutral as she thought about the ring hidden inside her clothing.

Was this old man real, unlike Ahern the fraud?

“How do you know such things, Grandpa? I didn’t sense anything at all.”

“That’s because ordinary people may only meet a warrior once in their entire lifetime!”

As Eveline awkwardly struggled to help the old man to his feet, Adam effortlessly lifted him with one arm.

Freed of the burden, she hesitated for a moment before pulling her hands back.

“Have you met a warrior before, then?”

“Of course I have!”

“Where?”

“I used to serve one. Now, look at this—I lived long enough to know the previous warrior and meet the current one too. Click, click.”

Though his faded, cloudy eyes lacked sharpness, he was clearly tracking their movements.

His gaze, once focused on Eveline, slowly drifted into the distance.

His lips curled into a faint, nostalgic smile—before vanishing just as quickly.

Then, his focus returned.

And it landed squarely on Adam.

“You’re lucky you didn’t die.”

“…….”

Eveline’s eyes widened in outrage.

What kind of thing was that to say?!

But she couldn’t exactly get mad at an old man possibly suffering from senility.

“Of course! Our warrior is amazing—he defeated the Demon King and survived!”

“Click, click. That’s as it should be. If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t be standing here.”

Everyone knew it—the world belonged to the Demon King unless the warrior defeated him. Even a three-year-old child understood that.

She frowned, unimpressed with the obvious statement.

“Live your life with purpose, young ones. You never know when death might come…”

“I’m doing my best.”

“When?!” Eveline scoffed. “You spend your days in the Demon King’s castle like you’re waiting to die!”

“…Well, I was. But didn’t I change after meeting you?”

“Hmm. I wonder about that.”

She shot him a suspicious glare.

Had he really changed?

He kept pushing her away one moment, then pulling her close the next, all on his own terms.

Even Adam seemed to realize this, letting out an awkward laugh.

“Still, everything is thanks to you, Eve.”

His lips curled into a gentle smile.

The sight of it completely wiped away her irritation.

“O-Of course! As long as you know it!”

She hadn’t expected such words from him, and they caught her completely off guard.

Feeling oddly warm, she took a step back and fanned her face with her hands.

Watching the exchange, the old man’s frown deepened.

“…Warrior.”

His wrinkled lips moved slowly.

“Do you know why Sir Lawrence died?”

“…….”

“Do not stay with people… Do not stay with people…”

As if those were the only words he could say, he repeated them like a broken record.