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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: A Visit to Petra Bank
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“Haa...”
A sigh heavy with irritation, as if it might collapse the floor, poured out thickly.
“Daddy?”
Nibelria gripped Kaleo’s hand tightly. Arep also took Kaleo’s free hand and watched his expression.
Kaleo quickly schooled his features and flashed a bright smile.
“Sorry. It’s nothing, so let’s head out quick...”
“Dayamor Marquess! Marquess!”
“Whew...”
Kaleo’s smiling lips twitched like they were spasming.
The voice that had been calling Kaleo’s name since earlier was drawing steadily closer.
“Kids, mind waiting just a moment?”
“Yeah.”
“Yes.”
Nibelria and Arep, clutching each other’s hands tight, slipped a step behind Kaleo.
Kaleo stroked each of their heads once and asked for their patience again.
Then, his face hardening coldly, he fixed his gaze on the man approaching him.
“Petra Yeong-sik.”
The man called Petra Yeong-sik cut a very portly figure.
His thick mustache gleamed as if it had been slicked with oil. A monocle on a gold chain dangled from his right eye.
“Dayamor Marquess! If you were coming here, shouldn’t you have sent word ahead? I could have come out to greet you!”
Petra Yeong-sik let his eyebrows droop in disappointment.
His affable face should have inspired goodwill, yet the way he bowed and rubbed his hands like a pesky fly made him seem utterly obsequious.
“Why bother when you’re busy.”
Kaleo spoke in a voice heavier than his usual tone.
“I planned to handle my business quietly and be on my way.”
“Since you’re already here, at least have some tea...”
“No need. I came with the kids, so I have to get going soon.”
“The kids?”
Petra Yeong-sik’s eyes drifted a little lower.
Only then did he spot Nibelria and Arep behind Kaleo.
“Ah.”
Petra Yeong-sik couldn’t hide his regret.
But he soon smiled and offered a greeting.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Sillek Petra.”
“......”
But Nibelria didn’t even offer her name—instead burying her face deeper behind Kaleo’s leg.
Kaleo didn’t press her.
“She’s shy around strangers, so please forgive her.”
“No trouble at all. Kids are all like that. Still, she’s such a refined little beauty. She really takes after the Saintess.”
“......”
“And who’s this one?”
Petra Yeong-sik’s gaze sharpened as he sized up Arep.
‘Fine clothes, though...’
The tense Arep swallowed hard.
“Ah, this child is...”
“I’m...!”
As Kaleo started to speak, Arep stepped forward.
“I’m Arep. I live with the Dayamor family.”
“Ah, so a servant.”
Petra Yeong-sik grinned broadly, as if everything made sense.
“The Young Lady’s playmate servant? Goodness, Marquess, you’re a rare one. How do you even bring someone like that along...”
“Arep is a precious benefactor to the Dayamor family.”
Kaleo cut him off sharply.
“A fine lad I think of almost like a son.”
“Pardon...?”
“We’ll be off then. Promised the kids a look around the square. If chance arises later, we’ll talk proper.”
Kaleo scooped Nibelria into his arms and clasped Arep’s hand firmly as they left the bank.
“......”
Nibelria peered over Kaleo’s shoulder.
Petra Yeong-sik remained rooted in place.
But she couldn’t make out his expression.
Having left Petra Bank, Kaleo kept his promise and showed the kids around the square.
They snacked on tantalizing street food from vendors and watched a puppet show meant for children.
“Sorry about the bank.”
Once inside the restaurant, Kaleo finally apologized to the children.
“Daddy’s friend?”
Nibelria mumbled around a mouthful of pre-meal bread.
“No.”
Kaleo’s face was etched with exhaustion.
“Someone I know from business.”
“Bad person?”
Arep asked.
Kaleo fell silent for a moment, clearly pondering his answer.
Watching her father, Nibelria piped up.
“Human garbage then?”
“Nibelria!”
Kaleo cried out in shock.
“Where on earth did you learn a nasty word like that!”
“Long ago, from Monatos.”
“The lawyer grandpa taught you that?”
“Yeah.”
Now Lubeo’s in-house counsel, the elderly lawyer had been a dual-blade berserker slicing through monsters forty years prior.
With no way of knowing, Kaleo squeezed his eyes shut in despair.
“That’s an awful word—never use it. Understood?”
“Like the finger?”
“Finger?”
“This.”
Nibelria shot up her middle finger.
Kaleo, reeling, promptly folded it back down.
“Neither one.”
“Hing.”
“Anyway, Petra Yeong-sik’s no friend of mine, and I couldn’t say if he’s bad or good.”
Thankfully, their food arrived, letting the talk fizzle out naturally.
“Now, hungry? Eat up so we can head home.”
Kaleo fussed over the children’s meals.
After eating, the trio boarded their carriage.
The moment it lurched into motion, Nibelria declared:
“Daddy, wanna go next door.”
“Next door?”
“With Al and Rubens.”
“Degladis mansion?”
“Gonna brag passbook!”
Those two always praised her money-making from work—so today, she itched to boast her earnings.
“Let’s send a letter first and ask.”
“Can’t we just go? They came without warning.”
“They always check by letter first. And don’t call your big brothers ‘those guys.’ They’re older than Solles.”
“They’re Nini’s minions!”
But Nibelria was ever the refined lady.
Good enough for fifteen praise stickers at kindergarten, she followed Kaleo’s advice and got permission by letter.
“No manners.”
Making the young lady write stuff like this.
“...I wrote the letter, you know?”
Dether gave a wry smile—she’d penned it to Nibelria’s dictation.
The reply came swiftly.
Astoundingly, penned by Duke Kalarop Degladis himself.
“Duke says come anytime.”
“Oh, sharp as ever!”
“Never say that in front of the Duke.”
Once ready, Nibelria and Arep headed straight to the neighboring Degladis mansion.
Three minutes by carriage, fifteen on foot.
Their neighbors welcomed them warmly.
The Duke Degladis and his sons even came out.
“Nini! Arep!”
Rubens gave the pair alighting from the carriage special welcome.
“Come on in! I was just dying to hang out!”
“Rubens.”
Kalarop gently chided his excited second son.
“Greet our guests properly.”
“Ah.”
Ahem—Rubens cleared his throat.
“Young Lady Dayamor, and Arep. Welcome to the Degladis mansion.”
“Sure.”
Nibelria nodded like it was only natural.
“Pfft!”
Al whipped his head away to stifle laughter.
Giggles erupted here and there. Even the great Kalarop couldn’t suppress a smirk at Nibelria’s cheeky reply.
Rubens paid it no mind.
“Nini’s still a riot! Arep, you brought your salary passbook, right? I’ve been grinding hard too!”
“Brought it. And we opened accounts today.”
“Nini got a passbook? Lucky!”
Though Kaleo’s warning against carrying it recklessly kept it home, Nibelria and Arep were bursting to share the news.
“Say you’re jealous!”
Especially Nibelria, dying to brag.
“Nini, wanna head inside?”
Al spoke up, prying Nibelria’s hand from Rubens, who’d latched on like he might tear his clothes.
“Since Nini’s coming, the chef’s baking chocolate cookies. We’ll have ’em as snacks later.”
Nibelria nodded vigorously.
“You’re quick on the uptake! I like you!”
“Ahaha! Thanks!”
Kalarop trailed the children into the mansion at a leisurely pace.
“Nini, need help with the stairs? Want a piggyback?”
“I can do it myself!”
“Miss, hold my hand.”
“Holding it goes faster! See?”
“Wow, for real? At four years old? Is Nini a genius?”
The children cheered Nibelria on, step by step up the stairs.
‘Even that’s turned into a game.’
Kids sure know how to make fun out of anything.
As Kalarop watched fondly, someone approached.
“Duke.”
Dether, trailing Nibelria and Arep, offered a letter sealed with wax.
“The Marquess ordered this delivered.”
“Not sending the kids for nothing, I see. They made an account? Petra Bank?”
“Yes.”
“Met Petra Yeong-sik, then. I’ll send the reply back with them.”
As he tucked the letter away, Kalarop let out a short “Ah.”
“Are Muniel and Ardores at the mansion?”
“They’ve been at the construction site for days now. No word on return yet.”
“When they arrive, tell the Marquess to contact me at once.”
“Understood.”
While the chocolate cookies baked, the children gathered in Rubens’s room to stack wooden blocks.
“Wow, so you turned all your work into cash and made accounts?”
Rubens praised them lavishly.
“Bro, let’s go to the bank later and get accounts too? We’ll save every coin we earn there!”
“Great idea. We’ll ask Dad later.”
“Working folks are all so cool.”
Nibelria said as she delicately placed a doll atop the blocks.
With that, the teddy bear doll conquered the block castle.
“But there was a weird uncle.”
Nibelria sought confirmation from Arep with a glance.
Arep nodded.
“Petra Yeong-sik guy.”
“Uncle with the freaky nose hairs!”
As they recounted meeting Petra Yeong-sik at the bank, Al nodded with a knowing smile.
“Petra Yeong-sik must’ve been in a hurry.”
