Chapter 19
Episode 19
Oh, to spend my twilight years being doted on by a young and handsome man? Everyone would envy me, calling me a grandmother with a fatal charm who captivated a man in his twenties.
But that thought was fleeting, and I immediately shook my head. No. Marrying a devil because of taxes is a bit much.
However, if this mansion goes to auction, who knows what kind of divine punishment Mathias might inflict on me for breach of contract.
Since there are people targeting me, it would be dangerous to get a job and work.
"Okay. I think I need to earn more money to avoid being a beggar. It's hard to get earned income due to my circumstances, so can you tell me about a bailout plan?"
"Yes."
He spat out a short but definite answer.
I cleared my throat and asked Elluaerd seriously.
"How do I do it?"
He rolled up his shirt sleeves, looked at his wristwatch, and then looked back at me.
"I'm off to work now. I have to help our poor master earn money."
Black smoke rose from Elluaerd's body, and in an instant, he disappeared from sight.
"At least give me the answer before you go!"
My desperate cry echoed in the empty hallway.
* * *
I stomped back to my room, changed into an outdoor dress, and came out. Ezekiel was already waiting near the front door.
"What took you so long?"
"Sorry. I was talking for a bit. Toto went hunting with Dante, so let's go by bicycle."
I went outside, got on the bicycle, and gestured to Ezekiel. He was dressed like a young nobleman, wearing a thin striped shirt, suspenders, and knee-length shorts.
"You put a lot of thought into your clothes. Cute."
At my compliment, he tugged at his neatly tied string tie and raised his chin.
"You should throw away that country bumpkin outfit."
"My deceased grandfather made this for me by hand. I received it when I was sixteen, and I haven't grown an inch in four years, so I can wear it for the rest of my life."
Ezekiel's fingers twitched slightly.
"I meant it's a sophisticated vintage style that has shed its rusticity. Fashion goes around and comes around, so cherish it, shorty."
He's as quick-witted as I am. But who's calling who shorty?
"Why am I short?"
"You're the smallest person in the mansion."
"Why are you excluding yourself?"
"I'm much taller than you too."
Where exactly? He might get taller than me in a few years, but you never know until you grow. I thought I would be over 180 cm too.
In the meantime, Ezekiel got on the back of the bicycle, and I started pedaling.
"Hold on tight, kid. I'll show you the limits of speed."
"Yeah, shorty."
He was only lightly holding onto my clothes instead of my waist, so I looked back and advised Ezekiel.
"You should hold my waist. You'll get hurt otherwise."
"No."
"Tsk, stubborn."
When I grabbed Ezekiel's arms and wrapped them around my waist, his golden eyes widened, and he flinched away.
"Are you crazy?"
"I'm not crazy. It's for the safety of the passenger, okay? I don't have driver's insurance either."
Ezekiel's ears were red as he turned his head.
Well, it's an age to be shy.
"Then, do you want to hold my shoulders?"
At my suggestion, Ezekiel awkwardly placed his hands on my shoulders.
* * *
Perhaps because Dante's Magical Power was imbued in the bicycle, we were able to reach the downtown area faster than usual.
"Ezekiel, look over there. A trade ship and an airship."
I pointed to the ship floating in the canal and the airship circling in the sky with a surprised expression. Ezekiel, however, wore an indifferent expression.
"Is this your first time seeing them?"
"I lived in the countryside before coming here."
Luckily, it was the day when trade ships and airships arrived carrying goods from across the sea. On days like this, many stalls selling goods and food are set up in the capital square due to the crowds.
I got excited and started a pilgrimage to street food restaurants with Ezekiel.
While busily looking around, Ezekiel scolded me as I held waffles in both hands.
"Weren't you here to buy baking ingredients? Why do you seem to be just eating?"
When else would I get to eat this? It's too expensive to eat on a regular day. I hid my true feelings and answered shamelessly.
"Market research."
"Shouldn't market research be done at famous stores?"
"Don't talk back to your heavenly employer."
Then, I discovered a store selling Eastern ingredients from across the sea, and I shoved the waffle in one hand into my mouth. And with my free hand, I grabbed Ezekiel's hand.
"Let's go there!"
Ezekiel sighed as if looking at an immature adult.
There was Eastern culture from across the sea in this world as well, and there were even foods similar to Korean food. However, trade had not been possible due to the sea routes being cut off by the war.
The days when my quality of life had deteriorated because I couldn't get soy sauce. The thought of finally being able to make soy sauce egg rice made my frozen heart beat again. It was also an opportunity to buy rice cheaply.
I was so excited at that moment.
"Mia Fortuna."
I heard a familiar and unpleasant voice calling my name from behind.
Feeling like my heart had stopped, I unknowingly dropped the last waffle. Cold sweat broke out, and chills ran through my body, making it impossible to turn around.
Ezekiel, feeling the strength in my clasped hand, asked.
"Why are you trembling so much? You look pale."
"No, let's go quickly."
I must have misheard.
I pretended to be nonchalant and moved my feet.
But the owner of that terrible voice grabbed my arm.
"Hey, don't pretend you didn't hear me."
My second cousin, the son of my aunt, Georg Murray, with his characteristic sneer.
That guy, along with my aunt and uncle, was like a demon representing the unhappiness of my childhood.
* * *
In the past, my childhood, when I was left at my aunt's house, was so long and arduous that it was difficult to endure even with the mind of an adult.
Even though my father sent a large sum of money every month that far exceeded the average worker's salary, almost none of it was used for me.
My aunt indulged in luxury, and my Viscount uncle was addicted to gambling and alcohol, squandering the money my father sent.
"Hey! Do you know how many years your good-for-nothing father hasn't sent money?! You don't even know how much it costs to feed and clothe you! What a mess to have to take care of a kid like you!"
When the money stopped coming in, my aunt and uncle began to verbally abuse me severely. Along with that, my situation became even more impoverished. Half a piece of moldy, dried-up bread was the entirety of my daily meal, and I had to live in the shed, covered in straw.
If I had been a real child, I might have died early. To that extent, I barely survived by finding food in the forest or secretly stealing food.
They tried to make me do housework from the age of six, but they were frustrated by my lack of talent and began sending me to a nearby textile factory.
Children's small bodies were perfect for getting into the machinery and oiling it.
In fact, what was more painful than labor was my cousins in the same house. The bullying of the red-haired siblings was enough to make me believe in the theory of inherent evil.
The cruelty of children raised without a sense of morality was endless, and I realized for the first time that children could traumatize adults.
"Hey, are you not going to listen to me? You beggar orphan."
Georg, who was a year older than me, made it his daily routine to torment me. Trying to feed me dead mice, pushing me down the stairs, or kicking my back to knock me over were basic.
On the other hand, Georg's younger sister, Ermingard, who was the same age as me, tormented me in cunning ways.
She framed me for theft, causing me to be beaten, and incited the neighborhood children to throw dirt or garbage at me.
Even though my mind was that of an adult, I was helpless with the body of a weak child. There were no adults to ask for help, and I had nowhere to go.
My aunt and uncle never even mentioned my biological mother's name and simply said she was dead. So I couldn't even know who my mother was.
That's how I went to the factory instead of school in the autumn when I was eight years old.
While returning home, shivering in the chilly weather, a child who looked about ten years old approached me and handed me a letter.
"This was abandoned on the street. Isn't this a letter for your house?"
As soon as I saw the letter that had been thrown away without being opened, I sensed something and made a request to the child with black hair.
"I haven't learned to read properly, so can you read it for me instead?"
The letter that the child read was about how my grandfather was desperately looking for me.
I received the child's help to send a reply to the address written on the envelope, and that's how I was able to ask my grandfather for help.
When my grandfather, after seeing my letter, hurriedly came to my aunt's house.
My aunt and uncle dressed Ermingard in my clothes and pretended to treat her well in order to avoid being caught for not taking care of me properly.
"The child's father didn't send money, but we've done our best to take care of her. Even though we're struggling, we've given this child good clothes and good food."
She shamelessly lied with the intention of demanding money.
