“Wow, that looks really delicious.”
Yellian pointed at the skewers. The two of them lined up in front of a skewer stall showcasing a dazzling fire show.
While waiting for their turn, Leonard pulled out a pouch of money and handed a handful to Yellian.
“Wha, what is this?”
“Buy whatever you want or eat whatever you like. Don’t hold back just to spare my feelings.”
“Thank you…….”
Truthfully, Yellian wasn’t really holding back. Even just today, whenever there was something he wanted to eat, he’d slow down his pace and tell Leonard without hesitation. And Leonard would immediately open his wallet.
After all, Leonard was a wealthy duke, while Yellian was a penniless freeloader. Since Leonard was well aware of Yellian’s situation, it made it easier for Yellian to ask for things without feeling too shy. Even if it seemed shameless, there was no helping it.
But Leonard clearly didn’t understand Yellian’s heart. That must be why he handed over the money. Since Yellian didn’t see any reason to refuse or avoid the money being offered, he neatly tucked it away.
The weight of the now-heavier pouch felt quite satisfying. Yellian smiled with contentment. Meanwhile, the long line in front of the skewer stall disappeared, and it was finally their turn.
“What kind of skewers are these?”
“This one’s lamb, this is chicken, and this is pork.”
As Yellian was deep in thought, unable to decide what to choose, the skewer stall owner quickly started his sales pitch.
“We also have a set menu. It includes one each of lamb, chicken, and pork skewers. The portions are a bit smaller, but it’s better to buy the set if you want to try a variety.”
“Then I’ll take that one.”
“Should I drizzle barbecue sauce on them, or would you prefer just the basic seasoning?”
“Uh…… well…….”
“Then I’ll put the sauce on the side. You can dip them as you like.”
“Thank you!”
Completely swayed by the owner’s eloquent speech and sales skills, Yellian ended up buying three skewers without even realizing it.
Fortunately, the skewers in the set menu were about half the size of regular ones. Yellian comforted himself, thinking that this amount wouldn’t be too hard for the two of them to finish.
“Wow, this is delicious!”
Yellian took a bite of the pork skewer and made a happy expression.
He had been curious about what a pork skewer would taste like since it was unfamiliar, and though he didn’t know which part of the pig it was made from, it was incredibly chewy and just greasy enough to stick pleasantly to his mouth.
The chicken and lamb skewers went without saying. Both were famous as skewer dishes, so they were well above average.
Satisfied with their start at the night market, the two went on to try various other foods.
Cookies and bread were a given, and there was also something that looked like stir-fried noodles. They drank freshly squeezed fruit juice as well as a sweet drink made from milk mixed with condensed milk.
“Let’s rest over there for a bit before we go.”
In the distance, there was something like a bench. Yellian had already walked a lot before coming to the night market, and after wandering around here for a while, his legs were aching.
Thinking that resting even a little would help, he felt relieved the moment he saw the bench and headed straight for it. Even then, he didn’t forget to hunch his shoulders to avoid bumping into other people.
“Ugh!”
It was at that moment. Yellian let out a groan without realizing it after colliding hard with someone’s shoulder. He couldn’t believe how much it hurt just from bumping shoulders. Clutching his shoulder, he unintentionally stopped in his tracks.
“Where are you looking when you walk? Are you out of your mind?!”
A burly man with a rough appearance shouted so loudly it felt like Yellian’s eardrums would burst. Yellian felt wronged, but the man’s intimidating look made him unable to protest.
“I’m sorry…….”
Clearly, Yellian had been watching his surroundings carefully while walking, and it was this man who had suddenly appeared, but instead of arguing, Yellian offered a short apology. The best thing to do was to get away from a guy like this as quickly as possible.
“Where do you think you’re going! If you bump into someone, you should compensate them!”
The man blocked Yellian’s path and shouted in a gruff voice. Yellian thought it was utterly petty for the man to demand compensation when Yellian hadn’t bumped into him on purpose, it was the man who had collided with him, and Yellian had even apologized. The unfairness was beyond words.
“Hurry up and hand over the money! Do you really want to get roughed up?!”
Yellian’s shoulders shrank at the man’s aggressive shouting. Then, from somewhere, murmurs could be heard.
“Ugh, that guy’s at it again……. He was doing this earlier too. How many victims has he racked up already?”
Only after vaguely hearing the comments from those around him did Yellian realize that this man was a habitual offender.
He was a self-harming extortionist, deliberately bumping into innocent people to extort money from them. Yellian felt frustrated for having apologized to such a person.
“Can’t you hear me? Do you want to die? Huh?”
“Put your hand down.”
As the man raised his arm threateningly, looking as if he was about to strike Yellian, Leonard spoke in a chilling voice.
Leonard’s voice carried immense power. It didn’t just stop the man’s actions; it made everyone nearby freeze in place.
“Wha, who are you?”
The man stammered, clearly flustered. Fear was evident in his voice. Though the man was burly, Leonard’s build was just as imposing. Leonard glared at the man with fierce eyes.
“So, you threaten people like this every time to take their money, huh?”
“What? Why do you care, huh?”
“Do you want money?”
Leonard dropped a pouch of money at the man’s feet. Seeing this, Yellian’s eyes widened in shock. He couldn’t understand why Leonard would give money to a guy like this.
The man, forgetting his earlier fear, quickly bent down to pick up the pouch. But Leonard was faster. He pressed a knife against the man’s outstretched wrist.
“K-Knife! Wha, what are you doing……!”
“The money I just gave you is the price for your wrist.”
“Wha, what do you mean……! A-Ahh!”
The palm-sized blade dug into the man’s wrist. Red blood beaded up and trickled down the blade. The man tried to pull his hand back in a hurry, but Leonard pressed the blade deeper into his wrist.
“If you move wrong, your artery will be cut. Then you’ll die from excessive bleeding.”
“Wha, what are you saying……. D-Damn it, where did this crazy guy come from……! H-Hurry up and put the knife away! Put it away!”
“Apologize.”
Despite the man’s panicked curses, Leonard showed no reaction. He simply spoke calmly, saying only what he needed to.
At first, the man struggled, seemingly looking for a way to escape, but as Leonard’s blade dug deeper, he finally acknowledged his defeat.
“I-I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Please spare me!”
“You shouldn’t be apologizing to me. You should apologize to the person you deliberately bumped into and threatened.”
“Ah, uh, I mean…… I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
Following Leonard’s words, the man immediately looked at Yellian and repeatedly bowed his head. Meanwhile, the blade continued to dig into the man’s skin. Bright red blood dripped onto the ground.
Yellian felt torn between not wanting to accept the man’s apology and not wanting the man’s wrist to be severed.
After a brief moment of thought, Yellian made his decision. Though the man was truly petty and vile, Yellian wasn’t sure if he had committed a crime severe enough to warrant having his artery cut. So, Yellian nodded.
“Alright. Don’t do this again.”
“Yes! Yes! Of course, I’ll never do this again! I’m really sorry, a-ahh!”
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