Ch#109
"Candy...?"
"Yes. Do you not like it by any chance?"
As if that could be possible.
Evi tilted her head.
Just as the other three watched Evi with interest, Evi also observed the three of them closely.
Thanks to that, Evi knew what desserts each of them liked.
'Irene likes fruit, Ruska eats all sweets well, and Arsel hardly eats them but sometimes has candy!'
Among them, he seemed to like mint candy the most; if there were mint candies in the candy jar at the Genius Academy's dessert corner, he would occasionally take a few separately.
"Since Arsel helped, I'll buy it for you."
Evi shrugged her shoulders once more and said proudly.
"Our Orphanage Director always said to thank those who help."
Of course, saying thank you was natural, but if you could repay them, you definitely should—and Duchess Kailun had given her a whole 1 gold.
Evi recalled the candy store she had stopped by at the capital square with Irene.
Hundreds of glass jars lined up to the ceiling, filled with colorful candies.
'1 gold is more than enough to buy some.'
It wasn't just enough; she'd have money left over even after buying plenty for Arsel.
She thought Arsel would be happy if she said she'd buy him candy, but contrary to Evi's expectations, Arsel was looking at her with a somewhat flustered face.
As Evi sensed, Arsel was extremely flustered.
'Buy for me?'
In his life, the only ones who had ever said they would buy him something were his parents.
It was the household of a duke who had the emperor's trust.
With a wealthy territory and lofty authority, naturally Arsel had grown up without lacking anything.
The ducal couple didn't raise him extravagantly for the sake of their son's proper habits, but everything he needed was always prepared as the best, without shortage.
Who could have said 'I'll buy it for you' to someone like him?
Yet now, Evi, who had just received her first 1 gold, was saying she would buy him candy.
When she had so little, yet she wanted to buy for him...
Evi was looking up at him with her clear green eyes sparkling.
As if she couldn't bear not to do it.
Arsel unwittingly asked,
"Won't it be a waste?"
When she was told she could receive 1 gold, how happy Evi had been.
Just moments ago, she couldn't take her eyes off the shiny gold coin.
Yet now she was going to spend it.
At Arsel's worried question, Evi shook her head.
"No. Not a bit wasteful for Arsel!"
At her firm answer, he unwittingly burst into laughter.
She had given all the money from past cleaning jobs to the Poorhouse too.
...So this must be the first time Evi had ever said she would buy something for someone.
In that case, he would be the first person Evi bought something for.
If Irene were here, she would have scolded, 'No, how can you even think of accepting something from Evi? Have some conscience!' but Arsel didn't want to miss the chance to be Evi's first.
"Then, I'll gratefully accept."
"Yes!"
Evi smiled so brightly it felt like disaster averted if he had refused.
Seeing the two like that, Duchess Kailun said it was good as expected.
"It must be boring just wandering inside the mansion, so how about going to the nearby village for a bit? It's not far, so you can come right back."
"Yes! Then we'll be off!"
Perhaps thrilled at the idea of buying a gift for someone else, Evi raised her hand high in response.
"I'll buy some for Duchess Kailun too! Do you like strawberry flavor?"
"Oh dear, Evi. You can just call me teacher. Or even by my name is fine."
Deep down, she wanted to hear her call her 'Mom' more intimately, but that seemed too much.
No need to rush. Even if slow, building firmer trust was more important.
Evi pondered between the two options, then smiled and answered.
"Yes, Teacher Sylvia."
"Oh my!"
Realizing she wanted to use both, Duchess Kailun hugged Evi tightly.
* * *
When she said they were going out, the maids, as if waiting, changed Evi into the cutest outfit among those Irene had sent.
They undid her slightly mussed hair, tied it back neatly into one ponytail, then dressed her in a sky blue and white dress, tying a large ribbon at the back of her waist.
And even a cute little yellow bag.
Arsel watched as Evi carefully put the gold coin into it.
Treating it so preciously, yet she was going to spend it to buy him candy.
Joy and guilt mixed chaotically in his chest.
After riding the carriage for a short while, they arrived at the village closest to the Duke's Mansion.
It was a distance the duke sometimes walked leisurely when returning home early or had time.
Arsel got out of the carriage first and escorted Evi instead of the coachman, causing people in the square to gather, wondering who they were.
"Isn't that Young Master Arsel?"
"Who's that child?"
"Must be the young master's friend."
"Our young master... has another friend besides Master Ruska!"
Since it was a village the duke and Arsel visited often, people were familiar with Arsel but buzzed curiously at Evi.
The two entered the village candy store amid the stares.
"Welcome... Young Master Arsel!"
The candy store owner recognized the boy who occasionally came with the duke and looked surprised.
Even when he came, the duke only bought for the children of mansion staff; Arsel had never bought candy himself.
For the young master to come to his store?
"Hello!"
At that moment, a cheerful voice came from beside Arsel, and the owner looked at Evi.
"I-I'm here to buy candy!"
It being her first time paying for something herself, Evi's face was flushed with excitement.
Noticing that, the owner immediately bowed to her level and asked,
"Hello, little princess. What would you like?"
At the question, Evi tugged Arsel's sleeve.
"Pick whatever you want!"
At her confident words, Arsel chuckled and asked back,
"Really? Even if I buy them all? Everything here looks delicious."
As he spoke as if he might buy out the whole store, Evi rolled her eyes and said in a slightly smaller voice than before,
"...Up to ten."
"Pfft."
At the suddenly timid number, Arsel finally couldn't hold back his laughter.
Of course, he had no intention of buying that many.
"I wonder what's good. I don't really know. Will you pick for me, Evi?"
"Is that okay? Then..."
Evi circled the store once, looking at the glass jars piled high.
It wasn't just candy. There were cookies, chocolate, and even southern specialties like nut-filled jelly and nougat farther in.
For a small village store, it had quite a variety of sweets.
Evi carefully examined the jars labeled with names, flavors, and prices per piece, and her eyes stopped at one.
[Bent Lollipop. Mint Flavor. 1 Silver Each]
Among the candies in the store, it was one of the larger and more expensive ones.
'I should buy this one.'
Just as Arsel always gave her the best, Evi wanted to give Arsel the very best too.
"Arsel, this one!"
As Evi pointed, the owner quickly took out one lollipop from the jar with tongs and put it in a paper bag.
At that moment, Evi muttered oddly,
"Why not give one more?"
"...!"
For a moment, Arsel broke into a cold sweat. After rolling his eyes briefly, he said loud enough for the owner to hear,
"Right, the capital stores give one extra if you buy one, don't they?"
Hearing that, the candy store owner looked at Arsel puzzled.
Arsel, holding Evi, frantically signaled the owner with expressions and glances.
The always calm and composed young master of the Duke's Mansion making such a desperate face.
The flustered owner soon replied smoothly,
"Oh dear, I forgot to add the extra one. Yes! In our store, if you pick one candy, you get one more free!"
Then he added,
"And it doesn't have to be the same; you can pick a different one too! Choose whatever you want for the extra."
He was a man who knew how to do business.
* * *
He had intended to buy just one, but because Evi insisted on picking more, Arsel ended up selecting three candies.
Naturally, the bag contained six.
The owner signaled Arsel with his eyes.
'Young master, you know, right? Please take care of the bill later.'
Arsel nodded and watched Evi receive the paper bag and change.
Perhaps conscious of the shiny gold coin, the owner gave her the cleanest coins he had.
"This one's for Arsel!"
"Thanks. I'll enjoy it."
The moment the two happily left the candy store.
"Huh?"
Evi made eye contact with children huddled in front of the store.
Seeing so many children holding hands, standing like siblings from one house, reminded Evi of her time in Elam City.
There, she too had held hands with Poorhouse children like family, gazing longingly at the square's candy store.
The moment she was certain these were Poorhouse children too, Evi unwittingly spoke,
"...Are you guys hungry?"
Just a few months ago, she too had drooled looking at the candy store like this.
She couldn't buy for her faraway friends right away, but she wanted to buy something for these other Poorhouse friends here.
Then the oldest girl in the group looked at Evi and shook her head.
"No, we're not hungry. We ate the snacks His Majesty sent before coming. We're just looking around."
His Majesty?
Evi's eyes widened at the words from the child's mouth.
