The Beast That Licks Me - Chapter 2.7

Rosette asked again in surprise. The man, thinking she hadn’t heard, calmly repeated:

“9 gold 99 silver. Since you’re our first customers today, I’ll specially discount the 9 silver.”

Is this the average price? Rosette tilted her head. One of Rosette’s hairpins cost about 20 gold, so was this a reasonable price for clothes? She couldn’t quite tell. She could afford it, but she also had to think about living expenses after disembarking.

“Then, what about this?”

Rosette asked, pointing to the clothes right next to it.

“Those clothes are 20 silver for the set.”

This time the price was much cheaper. Curious, Rosette asked.

“Why is there such a big difference?”

“Well, this outfit is like a symbol of our clothing store. It’s like a dream outfit for customers who wear clothes like these now, but someday hope to wear ones like those.”

Rosette smiled awkwardly. Her taste was perhaps too good. Having grown up seeing only expensive and fine things in the wealthy Count’s family, this was perhaps natural. Rosette was quietly giving up on that outfit and looking at other clothes when she overheard Levit and the owner talking.

“Hey, Levit. Looks like you scored again today.”

“I guess so.”

“You never change. Why can’t you just listen to your brother for once?”

“Maybe I should have.”

“That’s why you keep getting hit like this.”

“Ow, it hurts.”

“You deserve more. That’s the only way you’ll learn.”

The shop owner tapped Levit’s injured cheek while snickering. Ah, it hurts. Levit’s complaint made the shop owner laugh. Rosette, who had been selecting clothes, put her hand down. She no longer wanted to buy clothes from this place. Seeing Rosette’s displeased expression, Levit seemed to realize his mistake and offered an explanation.

“It’s okay, customer. He’s just joking around because we’re close.”

The shop owner, who had been exchanging pointless jokes with Levit, stopped talking and looked at Rosette with interest.

“Are you really close with Levit?”

To Rosette’s question, the shop owner rested his chin on his hand and said with a smile.

“You could say that. I’ve known him for almost 3 years.”

“Then you know he gets beaten by his brother?”

The shop owner gave a hollow laugh at Rosette’s sarcastic tone.

“Yes, yes. I know.”

“Then why do you not only fail to help Levit but even mock him for being abused?”

“Customer, I’m really fine.”

A startled Levit tried to stop Rosette. Her insides had been boiling for a while now. Though she knew she was being overly intrusive, she simply couldn’t hold back.

“I grew up getting hit, too. All commoners grow up taking this much beating.”

“Just because you did doesn’t mean Levit has to as well. Children should be raised with love, not beatings.”

The man sighed at Rosette’s textbook response.

“Look, miss. You seem well-bred, but I’m a busy person. I don’t want to argue from the morning, so either buy something or leave.”

“But… you don’t look busy at all.”

“Ahem…”

The man cleared his throat, hit right on target by Rosette’s words. True to her observation, there was nobody in his clothing shop except for them. Compared to other clothing stores where customers were coming and going, it was eerily empty.

“Hmm, I’ll tell you just this once. Levit is a smart kid. He’s the type who can abandon even his brother if necessary. But the reason he endures like that is because it’s his way of surviving.”

“Way of surviving?”

“That’s right. His brother may beat him on a whim, but he’s also the only one teaching him how to survive.”

The shop owner’s words had some merit. Rosette nodded in acknowledgment.

“…I see. I understand.”

“I’m glad you understand.”

“But I still wouldn’t speak or act that way toward a child I care about.”

The man smirked at Rosette’s words.

“Oh, really. You seem to have grown quite fond of that boy, so why don’t you teach him your way of living? By the way, that outfit costs 20 silver.”

At the mention of clothes, Rosette turned around to find Evan standing behind her, holding several outfits. I wasn’t going to buy anything… Rosette sighed and reached into her pocket for her wallet.

“…Huh?”

Rosette looked down at her pocket with a bewildered expression. The pocket where her wallet should have been was completely empty.

“My wallet… where did my wallet go?”

Rosette frantically searched her entire body, but couldn’t find her wallet or even a single coin.

“Evanium, do you have it by any chance?”

“No, I don’t have it either.”

Evan showed her his pockets to prove it.

“I definitely had it earlier…”

She certainly had it when they met Levit and Theo. She even jingled the wallet. If it wasn’t there now, it meant she either lost it or someone stole it. Rosette knew the value of money, so she had kept her wallet deep in her pocket. It wouldn’t have fallen out unless someone deliberately pulled it out. Suddenly, a scene flashed through her mind.

“That boy, I bumped into that boy.”

The boy must have pretended to bump into her and stolen it while she was distracted looking at the shops. The wallet contained all the escape funds for Evan and Rosette. As Rosette’s legs gave way, Evan supported her before she could collapse.

“Was your wallet expensive, customer?”

Levit asked a rather odd question given the situation. Rosette weakly shook her head. The wallet was also something Xana had prepared for her. She remembered being impressed by how shabby it was, wondering where a noble lady had found such a wallet.

“No, it wasn’t expensive…”

A troubled look crossed Levit’s eyes.

“Then you’re in trouble. It looks like you were pickpocketed, and usually, unless the wallet itself is valuable, they throw the wallet into the sea and just take the money.”

“Oh my…”

How could someone do something so terrible? Rosette held her forehead and sighed. Looking at the shop owner, she saw him smiling broadly as he spoke.

“No credit allowed.”

Of course not. Rosette’s shoulders slumped.

“Let’s go, Evanium.”

“Can’t we buy clothes?”

“No… we can’t right now. We don’t have money.”

Evan looked dejected. Seeing his expression made her feel sorry. Making him go through all kinds of hardships and not even being able to buy him clothes. While scratching her head awkwardly, Rosette’s hand caught on something. The sensation of small embedded jewels. It was like a light went on in her head.

“Would this work perhaps?”

Rosette held out her hairpin. After changing to a bob cut, her hair was messy and wouldn’t stay in place, so she had kept the pin separate.

The hairpin was a birthday gift from Becky. She said her entire two-week’ salary went into this small hairpin. Even so, it wasn’t even half the price of the pins Rosette usually wore, but it was comfortable, and she appreciated the sentiment, so Rosette wore it quite often. The thought of selling something precious that held such meaning made her heart ache, but meeting basic needs was more important right now. The shop owner took the hairpin and carefully examined it, stroking his chin.

“Hmm… this isn’t a good deal for me…”

“It’s a precious item. I heard it cost over 1 gold.”

“It’s not particularly precious to me. Fine. Let’s exchange the hairpin for the clothes.”

“The hairpin… for clothes? But you said the clothes were 20 silver…”

Rosette trailed off in surprise at the shop owner’s words.

“Those clothes are new, and this hairpin is used. I can’t believe it cost 1 gold, and even if it did, I can’t give you full price for it.”

“It really did cost 1 gold.”