13 - Another Grueling Day for the Aristocratic Kindergarten Teacher
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Her eyes were sunken. To put it mildly, she didn't look human. The suddenly revised spring field trip had turned her into this state.
Ephna. She was out of the house on this golden holiday. To visit the Imperial Palace.
Ephna reached out with a haggard face.
"Why is it so far? The Imperial Palace..."
Why aren't there taxis in this world?
She dragged her shoes like slippers and left the residential area.
Suddenly, she saw a carriage stopped at an intersection with a flower shop sign. More precisely, a man standing in front of the carriage.
His bluish-silver hair was even more sacred under the sunlight. It was a familiar face. The man was smiling brightly.
"How much is it?"
"57 phir to the Hilphens Temple."
"Then, please take me to the Hilphens Temple."
To be exact, he was being ripped off with a bright smile.
'57 phir to the Hilphens Temple. Why is he getting ripped off there?'
She peeked her head between the man and the coachman.
"How about 47 phir?"
The eyes of the man and the coachman turned to Ephna at the same time.
"Oh my!"
She must have appeared silently, as the coachman clutched his heart.
The man's calm eyes widened slightly. His long eyelashes blinked innocently.
"Teacher?"
"Hello, parent. It's nice to see you here."
The man was Yohan. Yohan Deisat. Maylin's older brother and the captain of the royal guard of the Grand Temple.
"It's been a while, Teacher. Where are you going?"
"Yes. I have some business at the Imperial Palace. But are you going to the Hilphens Temple?"
"Yes. I have some business there too."
"Hmm."
He was really going to pay 57 phir to go to the Hilphens Temple.
Ephna swept back her falling hair and turned around.
The coachman was already excited at the thought of ripping off the innocent man. She quietly approached the coachman.
"Mister, how can you charge people who don't know any better such high prices?"
"What? Miss, what are you talking about? That's a cheap price to the Hilphens Temple from here!"
"I'm a local here. Who are you trying to fool? Lower it by 10 phir and charge 47 phir."
"What? 47 phir? That's ridiculous! I'm not going, I'm not going!"
Goodness. How can someone be like this? Adam Smith's invisible hand isn't a hand that rips people off.
Just because it's a free market doesn't mean you can rip off such an innocent person.
Ephna was about to rattle off the directions to the temple when Yohan called her in a soft voice from behind.
"Teacher, is there a big difference between 47 phir and 57 phir? I don't really know."
The bourgeois are different.
After a brief thought, Ephna nodded.
"Yes. With 10 phir, you can buy about three of Maylin's favorite strawberry candies. It's quite a rip-off."
"I see."
Three strawberry candies. Maylin's brother murmured.
I'll take care of this invisible rip-off hand right away. She opened her mouth firmly towards the coachman.
"Please charge 47 phir."
At Ephna's words, the coachman replied with a serious face as if he were making the negotiation of the century.
"55 phir."
"47 phir."
"53 phir."
"47 phir."
"50 phir."
"47 phir."
"Miss! Aren't you being too much? If I'm trying to compromise, you should at least meet me halfway. Don't you know what 'tiki-taka' is?"
How does this guy know about 'tiki-taka'? That's a word I only used in my previous life.
Is he a transmigrator? Did he transmigrate into an extra coachman?
She barely managed to open her eyes, which were narrowing. The coachman glared at Ephna with an absurd and resentful look.
"Mister. 47 phir is already a lot. I told you I'm a local here. I'm a human GPS. It definitely doesn't cost 57 phir to get to the Hilphens Temple from here."
"G, GPS what? Are you looking down on me for being ignorant?"
"If you keep insisting, I'll get another carriage for 45 phir."
Bubbling. The coachman's face turned red. He was trying to rip off an innocent young man, but he's so confident.
"Let's not cheat in this harsh world. You'll charge 47 phir, right?"
"What are you saying! You're the one who seems to have a talent for scamming!"
That's too bad. She put her unfortunate and sad feelings aside and smiled brightly at Yohan, who was staring at her.
"He said he'll charge 47 phir."
"It would be nice if you could join us, Teacher."
"Well, I..."
Ephna's face stiffened slightly as if she was in trouble.
He, who had become the captain of the royal guard of the Grand Temple at the youngest age, couldn't have missed that subtle change.
Yohan, who had been looking at the carriage over Ephna's shoulder for a moment, smiled brightly.
"Come to think of it, I think I'm lacking exercise. Would you like to walk together?"
"The coachman is looking at us with a face that says he won't let us go halfway."
"Ah, I see."
If they did this wrestling match on the street and then left, he wouldn't let them go.
The coachman's eyes were shining fiercely.
Ephna hesitated for a moment. Actually, she was a little tired. She would have just walked normally, but she had been overworking lately.
'But the carriage...'
The moment she was trampled by the horse's hooves flashed through her mind. Ephna squeezed her eyes shut.
Yohan didn't miss it. A hand with smooth curves, typical of a man, reached out to her but stopped. It was more interference than necessary.
Instead, he looked at Ephna's complexion and asked.
"Teacher, are you alright?"
"Yes, yes. I'm fine."
It's not quite a trauma. She just wants to avoid riding in carriages if possible. But the Imperial Palace was far, and she was very tired now.
She took a breath and smiled awkwardly at Yohan.
"I'm sorry. I felt a little dizzy for a moment... Then, would it be alright if I joined you in the carriage, even if it's rude?"
"Of course."
"Ah, but didn't you say you were lacking exercise?"
"You can forget such trivial jokes."
Indeed. He has a very excellent uniform fit to say he lacks exercise.
Ephna nodded in agreement and got into the carriage. The coachman had already spread out three fingers.
"30 phir to the Imperial Palace."
"Let's go."
It was 5 phir cheaper than the market price. There was no reason not to take it. Her legs were trembling a little from the imprinted fear, but it was bearable.
She whispered to Yohan, who was sitting across from her.
"He's giving us a 5 phir discount. I'm a bit materialistic, right?"
"You're very wise to calculate the practical benefits accurately, Teacher."
"It's basic. Thank you."
She bowed her head slightly. Suddenly, Yohan's uniform caught her eye.
A dark gray cloak with a silver insignia. The top that snugly wrapped around his upper body was a good mix of white and black.
'Come to think of it, the person who knows the most about the Saintess is right here?'
She was just about to find out. About the 'past side story'.
Why she appeared in it, whether she would really become a villain, and why she was trying to kill the Saintess.
She straightened her skirt and asked carefully.
"Ah, by the way. I heard the news. A new Saintess has been appointed this time?"
"If you're talking about the new Saintess who entered the Grand Temple four months ago, then you're right."
"Ah, yes. It wasn't new news."
It was news from four months ago. She didn't know because she wasn't interested in religion. She was a thorough atheist who didn't even go to the New Year's blessing ceremony.
She couldn't believe in God after such a terrible possession and an absurd regression.
But she put on a gracious face as if she were a devout believer.
"What kind of person is the Saintess?"
With this kind of tone and this kind of comment, she wouldn't look like someone who would harm the Saintess and end up beheaded.
"Well. She's kind and smiles a lot to everyone."
He leaned his arm on the carriage window frame and sat with his legs crossed. Long eyelashes blinked slowly above his blue eyes.
"I think she's dating someone."
He muttered, resting his chin on his hand. He didn't even seem to realize he had said it, as if the words had come out without him knowing.
'I feel like I just heard something extremely private.'
Ephna rolled her eyes, pretending not to hear.
In an instant, he returned to his original self and smiled softly.
"These days, she often goes to the prison to interview serious criminals."
"It wouldn't be easy, but amazing... Ack!"
Thump. The carriage shook violently. Her body floated up and landed back in place. A shrill scream erupted from her mouth.
Thump, clatter. The sound was rough. So rough that she couldn't believe she was driving on a paved street.
Ephna's face turned pale in an instant.
"Ugh..."
"Teacher, are you not feeling well?"
The feeling of fear rose again. A cold sweat ran down her back. It was a chillingly fearful sensation.
"Teacher, Teacher?"
The sound of the horse's hooves running on the street was dizzyingly loud. Her vision flashed white. She thought she was getting better, but she wasn't.
The carriage shook back and forth. Blurry vision. Her head was dizzy as if all the blood had drained from her.
Unable to endure it any longer, Ephna's body tilted.
"Teacher!"
Thud. Yohan's hand, unlike before, firmly grabbed her this time. It was an instinctive movement that didn't think about being more than necessary.
She fell into Yohan's arms.
"Ah..."
The sound of hurried breathing echoed in her ear. The cool touch of a hand holding her side without hurting her.
Feeling all of that, Ephna barely swallowed her rough breath and opened her lips haltingly.
