Give Me Back My Glass Shoe - Chapter 17

Hello everyone! there are changes in the chapter numbering, I had edited it to the correct arrangement as there was confusion in the chapter count. Apologies and enjoy the translation!

The lady, who had always been kind, stopped even trying to greet them after that incident. There was no way she would extend an invitation like one for dinner under such circumstances.

However, young Philip’s steps seemed too excited to explain all the complicated adult reasons to him.

“Okay. I get it.”

Aniella lied, even though she thought she wouldn’t be able to go to the meal.

Marius’s house and workshop were on the second floor of a cafe in the center of the shopping district. As they entered the staircase leading up, a wooden door blocked their path. It was a door with a piece of paper attached to the center.

[Help Wanted.]

Aniella read the paper and turned the doorknob. But something seemed to be stuck inside, and the door wouldn’t open.

“Depending on your purpose for visiting, you have to turn this.”

Young Philip pointed with his finger to a dial next to the doorknob. It was currently set to ‘Pedlar’. When she turned it up one by one, there were three dials in total: ‘Invited Guest’, and ‘Assistant’.

Aniella set the dial to ‘Invited Guest’ and turned the doorknob. This time, with a click, the door opened. After climbing the stairs a bit, another door appeared. This one had neither a knob nor a dial.

“How are we supposed to open it?”

“If we wait, they’ll open it. But, you know, Aniella. There’s one thing I didn’t tell you. Marius, you see. His personality is….”

Just as young Philip was about to say something, a click sound came from the center of the door and an eyeball appeared. The eyeball rolled around, examining the visitors from head to toe.

The bloodshot eyeball was creepy, and Aniella’s face contorted in disgust. A moment later, the sound of thumping footsteps came from behind the door. Just as the sound seemed to be getting closer, the door suddenly swung open. A tall, slender man with blond hair appeared.

“‘Invited Guest’ means a guest I invited!”

Marius shouted irritably at the visitors. Startled by the unexpected anger, Aniella froze completely.
“Were you invited by me? No. You couldn’t have been. I don’t know the likes of you!”
The man, who had been pointing his finger alternately at the two of them, suddenly narrowed his eyes upon seeing little Philip. He had insisted he didn’t know them, but now that he looked again, the face seemed familiar.
“Is that the kid I turned into a pig with magic?”
Marius muttered, stroking his chin. Aniella glanced sideways at little Philip. He had turned pale, was trembling, and slowly backing away.
“Um, this child is……”
Just as Aniella was about to say his name is Philip, Marius waved his hand dismissively as if he didn’t want to hear her speak.
“If it’s not stored in my exceptional mind, it must not have been worth remembering. More importantly, how dare you have the nerve to disturb the research of the great wizard Marius? Outrageous.”
Marius tried to grab little Philip’s head with his long fingers.
“This time, I’ll turn you into a real pig!”
The terrified child let out a piercing scream and scrambled frantically down the stairs. The magician, having frightened the child, snorted contemptuously and pointed his index finger at Aniella, who was still standing there.
“Shall I turn you into a pig too?”
Aniella’s eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head.
“You’re so skinny, it would be better to turn you into a stray cat than a pig.”
Marius, who had been observing Aniella with narrowed eyes, gasped sharply.
“Huh? A stray cat? Don’t tell me you were sent by that bastard Paiki to steal this great wizard’s research! How despicable!”
To be treated as a spy just for being thin. The situation was utterly absurd. Aniella thought she should just take the money and get out of there.
“I just came to sell some dragonflies.”
“Dragonflies? Even more suspicious. He had no interest in flight magic whatsoever, but as soon as I started researching it, that guy suddenly started copying me!”
“R-really?”