9. Dinaria
To cut to the chase, thankfully, Cheong-ah's anger didn't explode, nor did she burst into tears of sorrow. The reason was simple. The moment she spotted the small girl sitting beside me while speaking in a voice laced with icy sharpness, her expression changed in an instant.
The girl's grubby appearance—her long, unkempt hair and her overall ragged look, like some ownerless mongrel mutt you'd see in a rural village—twisted Cheong-ah's gaze in a strange way.
"Darling, who's this child...?"
Cheong-ah tilted her head curiously. Bella and I quickly explained how we'd encountered the little girl and why we were feeding her here now.
After hearing it all, Cheong-ah let out a deep sigh and asked us, "So you're just letting her eat looking like that?"
"Uh, yeah. Why?"
"Is there a problem?"
"...No, you did well."
With that, Cheong-ah pulled up a chair between the girl and me, sitting down. She lowered herself to match the girl's eye level as much as possible, flashing the gentlest smile she could muster.
"Hello, little one."
"...Hmph. Grumpy missy, don't talk to me."
"G-Grumpy?"
The girl snorted at Cheong-ah's greeting and turned her head away. Cheong-ah blinked in confusion, then shot me a look that screamed What's wrong with this kid? while pointing at her.
"Beats me."
"Heehee... She's a grump, alright. Kinda like you, always sulking like that."
"What?! Bella, you little—!"
"Whoa~ The grump's grumping again! Scary!"
I didn't think the kid talked to Bella like that. But I had a hunch why.
"Cheong-ah, come here."
"Huh?"
I beckoned to Cheong-ah, who was in the middle of a one-sided verbal thrashing from Bella—or rather, getting verbally smacked around. She leaned in, offering her ear.
...Damn, even her ears are cute.
I blew a gentle puff of air. "Fwoo—."
"Eek?!"
Cheong-ah yelped in shock, clutching her ear where I'd blown, her face flushing crimson as she glared at me. Her eyes brimmed with betrayal—first Bella, now me teasing her.
"Y-You jerk...! Darling!!"
"Sorry, sorry. Couldn't help it. Let's switch seats for now. Your ears are just too pretty."
"...Really. Do that again and I'll get mad, you know."
Softened by my flattery, Cheong-ah stood with a huff. I crossed to her chair, and she took mine. As she brushed past, her scent teased my nose, sparking a fleeting urge to pull her onto my lap. But with a kid right there, that'd be a bit much. Not good for the little one's emotional development, showing them stuff like that.
"Hello."
"Ah, Yeonja!"
The girl greeted me warmly as I sat, a total contrast to her reaction to Cheong-ah. I ignored the odd stare Cheong-ah shot from behind me.
"We still haven't gotten your name properly, have we?"
"Indeed, Yeonja. I was about to say it myself when that grumpy missy interrupted me! Tch, tsk. Kids these days, really..."
Kids these days... Who was calling who a kid?
I couldn't help but chuckle. "Pfft..."
A tiny girl like her saying that? It was too funny. I turned to Cheong-ah, shoulders shaking as I stifled my laughter. Her face was blank, clearly thrown by being lumped in with "kids these days."
As I fought back the laughs, the girl tilted her head at me. "Yeonja? Something wrong?"
"Ah, no, sorry. Nothing. So you got mad because of that?"
"Yes! How dare she interrupt an adult speaking...! That girl...!"
She slammed the table—thwack—and pointed accusingly at Cheong-ah. I smiled faintly and told her, "But couldn't you forgive her? All this food? Truth is, that pretty big sis paid for it."
"Oh, really? Then I forgive her."
Just like that, the girl switched gears, nodding as she settled back into her seat. She crossed her arms, trying for the sternest look she could manage—though her hair shrouded her eyes.
"Of course. Anyone who buys me food can interrupt me all they want! I'm generous to my benefactors!"
With that, she turned to Cheong-ah with a beaming smile. "So I forgive you, grumpy missy! What do you think, Yeonja?!"
"G-Grump..."
"Oh, how noble!"
Her eyes sparkled at me, expectant. I grinned and patted her head. My hand came away sticky with grime from her frizzy hair, but I didn't mind.
"Heehee... Feels good, Yeonja. Praise me more!"
"Yeah, yeah. Good girl, good girl."
I kept stroking her hair. Cheong-ah watched us with a dumbfounded look. Meanwhile, Bella slurped the last of her drink through the straw—sluuuurp—and asked, "So... what's her name, anyway?"
Ah...
I sighed inwardly. The girl, beaming under my pets, suddenly realized. "Oh, right! I haven't introduced myself yet!"
She grabbed my hand atop her head with both of hers, pulling it down to her eye level, grinning triumphantly.
"Yeonja, my name is Dinaria! You can call me Dina, specially!"
§ Sluuuurp.
"Mmm, sweet and delicious! This world is amazing! First all that tasty food, now this!"
After the meal, I'd ordered hot chocolate for dessert and given it to Dinaria. I'd stuck in a straw so she wouldn't burn herself, letting it cool slowly. But one sip, and her eyes lit up—she was guzzling it nonstop.
...Not hot for her? She downs scalding stuff like a champ.
Anyway, not the point. "So, what now? Cheong-ah, any ideas?"
"Well... Judging by her looks, she seems to have no parents either..."
"What're you gonna do, adopt her? We're not running a daycare. We're adventurers, Ian. Get real. Stuffing her with food is already above and beyond. Right?"
"True."
"So send her to an orphanage. Visit if we feel like it. That's the most we can do."
We sat in the restaurant, pondering Dinaria's future. Cheong-ah kept glancing at her hesitantly, clearly conflicted. Bella was pragmatic, if cold.
"I get why you're agonizing, Ian. Reminds you of your sister or whatever. But think: we can't take responsibility for her life."
"Bella, why say it so harshly?"
"Harsh? It's reality. You get it too, Cheong-ah. Right? You said you were in a similar spot once."
"...Yeah. If Master hadn't picked me up, I'd have been the same."
"Anyway, I get where you're both coming from, but I'm against keeping her. We make good money compared to other adventurers, sure, but it's not guaranteed. We're adventurers—death could come anytime, anywhere."
"...You're like a stone. No blood if I stabbed you, Bella."
Cheong-ah crossed her arms, leaning back with a pout. She didn't argue further—Bella's words hit home, given our lives as adventurers. Silent agreement.
Even Cheong-ah sided with Bella in the end.
"So what do you want, Ian? You're the one who said feed her first."
"Yeah. I did."
Truth was, like Cheong-ah, I wasn't thrilled, but I knew better. Bella was right.
"Keep it simple: orphanage. Sponsor her if it bugs you. Ask them to raise her well. Visit sometimes."
"Guess so?"
"Yeah, that's it."
Still, something snagged in my chest at sending off the girl who kept calling me Yeonja. Letting that hot-chocolate-guzzling, beaming kid back to the streets felt wrong.
I glanced at Dinaria, still slurping happily, half the mug left.
"Hehe! Look, Yeonja! Still half left!"
"Yeah. Take it slow."
If only I knew what "Yeonja" meant. Asking just got me "Yeonja" back. Tricky.
I patted her head with a wry smile.
...Yeah. No helping it.