Daphne looked at me and asked.
It’s not a bad thing to hear, but hearing it from the original female protagonist made me feel a little weird.
“Here, give me all the carrots, I’ll buy them all.”
“A-Alright. Unnie, you were really cool. Is this baby your bodyguard?”
“… baby?”
I’d always thought of Daphne’s mind as a garden of flowers when I read the book, but this was beyond my imagination.
Which part of this proud and muscular black panther resembled a “baby”?
It was quite a stretch to call Cat that.
“Yes, the baby is really cute. I had a friend like him in the forest too. Of course, mine was smaller than your baby…”
The chattering voice was pure and innocent.
She seemed completely unaffected, as if nothing happened.
I sighed inwardly and took out a money pouch from the bag the cat had brought with him.
It was a pouch of gold coins containing about 50 gautes.
“The carrots look fresh. This is for the carrots.”
“Pardon? I can’t accept this much money, it’s a lot of money!”
“Just take it. It’s not much.”
“I can’t!”
“In the capital, carrots cost about this much.”
Tired of the constant rejection, I made up random words.
I was confident that she would believe it.
Daphne hesitated for a moment, but as I was very firm, she finally accepted the money.
“The capital is truly a nice place. They pay a high price for carrots!”
Just a moment ago, she was surrounded by thugs, threatened, and now she’s saying that the capital was a “nice place.”
I suppressed the frustration welling up inside me.
I was reminded of how much frustrations I had in every scene she was in while reading the original story.
Yes, she was supposed to be this sweet and strong-willed character.
If I took her now and put her on a shrimp boat, she’d probably just ride it.
And problaly also laugh while riding.
‘Ah, cider. I need cider*.’
*(In South Korea, 사이다 (sa-i-da) typically refers to a clear, fizzy, non-alcoholic drink that comes in various flavors such as lemon, apple, grape, and peach. It is a popular and refreshing beverage enjoyed by people of all ages.)
It’s so unfortunate that there’s no carbonation in this world.
I sighed and grabbed Daphne’s shoulder.
“Listen, you can’t walk around dressed like this in the capital. Use the money I gave you to buy new clothes right away.”
“N-New clothes?”
“Yeah, and tie your hair up with a ribbon. Buy new shoes too. Get sturdy ones that won’t easily get holes!”
“Wow, you must be a genius, unnie. How did you know my shoes have holes?!”
“… … .”
Dear El-Raum.
I cried out to the god of this world.
It was clear that Daphne didn’t even know how she looked right now.
She came here and tried to sell carrots without even knowing that this street is where the nobles frequent.
There’s nothing more to say.
I pressed my forehead with frustration as I looked at her as if I was looking at a small Yorkshire Terrier wandering around.
“Anyway, stop selling carrots.”
“Yes, actually unnie, you already bought them all, so I don’t have any more. I brought all of this year’s harvest with me from my hometown!”
Ah, she’s shining. She’s sparkling. Daphne looked at me with a hopeful expression, as if she had gained hope to live in this world.
Knowing that this child would have to suffer a little more before appearing at Her Highness’s birthday banquet, I felt a pang of conscience.
‘How did things unfold in the original?’
After the death of her grandfather who raised her, Daphne came up to the capital. She got swindled and loses all her money, and wandered around not knowing where to go. Then, she saw a shoeless child in an alley and gave her own shoes…
‘Ahh, that’s so frustrating!’
Anyway, it was said that after going through such hardships and hardships, she finally arrived at her father’s house.
What happens after that, it’s obvious.
A daughter from the countryside came up, but Daphne’s father had already remarried.
So, her stepmother and her children took over the house. How easy it must have been for them to take advantage of the innocent Daphne.
The problem was that this child wouldn’t understand even if I told her this now.
‘She’s not going to lose all this money and get scammed, won’t she?’
Right now, there’s a clothing store over there and over here.
It was just a matter of walking in to any of them and buying the cheapest thing.
“Thank you. Thanks to unnie, I think I can get a place to stay somewhere!”
Daphne bowed deeply to me as she prepared to leave.
Part of me wanted to grab her hand and take her to my store.
Strip her of those ugly old clothes and give her a new outfit!
No, first I’d give her a bath!
No, before that, put some common sense into her head…
‘There is no end.’
I watched Daphne’s figure as she hurriedly went somewhere, wearing a bewildered expression.
Should I stop her or say something?
I contemplated, but in the end, I gave up.
It was destined that she would meet Lacius anyway.
The things that happened before that were something I couldn’t do anything about.
Because it was written in the original.
‘She’ll be fine, right?’
I felt anxious.
Worry overlaid by a part of me that wished for her meeting with Laciuse to be delayed, or for them to not meet at all.
“Shay, we’re done. You must have waited a long time.”
“uh? uh no? I didn’t wait?”
“… … ?”
“Ah, nothing. Let’s go.”
The sack of carrots was loaded into the carriage by the coachman who was watching.
I pushed Lacius on the back and quickly climbed into the carriage.
I want to get out of here now.
Honestly, that was all I wanted to do.
* * *
“t seems like you’re not feeling well.”
My reminiscence was interrupted by the words of Lucius.
I don’t know how long he’s been watching me.
Before I knew it, Siwoo already ate all the carrots, and his hair was now shiny and glossy.
Realizing that I didn’t need to brush anymore, I quickly put the brush down.
“Can I ride Siwoo now?”
“Sure. I will lift you up.”
“Thank you.”
Lacius grabbed me by the waist and lifted me up at once to sit me down.
I put my feet in the stirrups and straightened my back.
Thanks to Lacius teaching me the posture the other day, I knew a little about how to ride now.
“Ride slowly like last time, but this time I’ll be riding alongside you.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. Simon, you take the reins of the lady.”
At Lacius’ command, the stable keeper we saw earlier swiftly appeared.
Lacius went into the stable and came out shortly after, riding a jet-black horse.
It was much taller and larger than my horse.
Besides, unlike Siwoo, his expression was very arrogant.
“Wow, what’s his name?”
“Call him Jess.”
“Hello, Jess?”
I tried to reach out to say hello, but Jess turned his head away.
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