Chapter 75
Chapter 75
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 75
“The Miss lost. It’s a shame.”
Eleanor said, jumping up and down in frustration.
“This is invalid. I collided, you know.”
“You threw it and it’s over. Come on, get your prize.”
To welcome the new guest, the owner quickly placed a teddy bear in Eleanor’s hand. She grumbled, yet she held the teddy bear tightly in her arms.
“I can’t admit it.”
“The world of competition is cruel, Eleanor.”
Izmel answered in a voice full of laughter.
“If the kid hadn’t hit and run, it would definitely have been a 10.”
“You don’t know that. I have no intention of losing my right to wish.”
Eleanor pouted her lips. The right to wish wasn’t the issue. The problem is that she lost unfairly.
Izmel gently comforted Eleanor.
“Let’s do it again next time. Challenge me anytime. I will accept it.”
Eleanor nodded at him. The day was too nice for her to sulk the whole time. The sounds of music and loud laughter and chatter coming from all over made her heart excited.
“So, what is your wish this time?”
“Hmm, not sure. I think I’ll save it this time. I don’t want to blow it in vain like last time.”
Izmel smiled bitterly. Eleanor, who noticed that he was becoming sullen, grabbed his wrist and strode away.
“Where are we going?”
“I don’t know either.”
Eleanor and Izmel entered an alley lined with street stalls. There were all kinds of handicrafts lined up on the stalls.
“I feel like I always get things from you, so I’m going to buy something for you today.”
“I gave things to you because I wanted to. I’m holding back from wanting to give more.”
Of course she knew that Izmel needed nothing. Because he will always have only the best. Still, Eleanor wanted to give him something to remember.
After examining it carefully for a while, Eleanor caught the eye of a beautifully embroidered handkerchief. Although the cotton was a little rough, the embroidery was quite delicate.
“How about something like this?”
“A handkerchief?”
Izmel nodded as if he liked it. Eleanor bought a handkerchief with a red butterfly embroidered on it and handed it to him.
It was too insignificant to be a gift, but Izmel was overjoyed. He said with a wide smile.
“Thank you. I’ll use it well.”
Izmel folded the handkerchief neatly and stuffed it into his inner pocket. It was a delicate and careful touch, as if it were a treasure.
The two walked down the crowded street, exchanging silly jokes. At some point, the two people completely blended into the crowd.
When Izmel realized that fact, he felt strange. At this moment, he wasn’t crown prince, but an ordinary person named Izmel.
No one paid attention to him, and no one had a hard time with him. He was just an ordinary guy excited to go on a date with the girl he liked. He felt free and comfortable.
Then Eleanor pointed somewhere.
“Isn’t that the girl from earlier?”
Where Eleanor pointed, a child wearing old mustard-colored clothes was standing. It looked similar to the kid who hit Eleanor earlier.
“I think so.”
Eleanor began to stride towards the child. Izmel panicked and ran after him.
“It was definitely a mistake. There’s no need to scold her…”
“Shh. Isn’t there a bit of a strange atmosphere over there?”
She pulled his collar and whispered in his ear. Izmel then looked properly in the direction where the child was standing.
Eleanor was right. The child was standing in front of a man whose face was red, and the man was scolding her. They couldn’t see the child’s face, but just looking at her back, he could tell she was very scared.
“Eleanor!”
When Izmel came to his senses, Eleanor was already striding in front of him. There wasn’t the slightest hesitation in her steps.
“If you damage my clothes, you need to ask. Where are you going, running away like a rat?”
The man raised his hand towards the child as if trying to scare her. Eleanor quickly approached and spoke.
“What’s going on?”
“I bumped into this child and spilled alcohol on my clothes.”
Eleanor glanced at the man’s chest, where he was pointing. Did he spill three or four drops? A stain the size of a fingernail was visible. Because the shirt was dirty to begin with, the stain wasn’t even noticeable.
Eleanor said, wrapping her arms around the child’s shoulders.
“You must be offended. Kid, apologize quickly.”
“S-Sorry…”
The child, standing close to Eleanor, looked frightened and lowered her head.
“Is it only an apology? If you don’t want to look bad, just pay for the clothes.”
The man walked towards the child and held out his hand. She said, blocking the way.
“Pay for the clothes, you say. By now it’s all dried up and you can’t even see it!”
“This has nothing to do with you, so just go on your way quietly. Or you can give it to me instead.”
“How much is it?”
Eleanor will simply give the man the money he demanded and walk away with the child. Because she thought it was the most peaceful way.
“One silver.”
But what the man asked for was an absurd amount of money. Eleanor opened her jaw and looked at the man. Izmel’s brows also wrinkled as he came next to Eleanor.
At that time, an old woman who was running a street vendor next to them gave Eleanor a hint.
“That man is a habitual criminal. He’s evil. I heard he intentionally sticks out, bumps into someone, and then stretches out like that until you give him money. The poor kid has to take all the money out of her pocket and give it to him.”
Izmel, who had been watching the situation with his arms crossed, stepped forward.
“That’s nonsense. I will call the security forces.”
“Where can you find those timid…”
Then the angry man raised his fist towards Izmel. It was then.
“Raise your hand to someone, you swindler!”
Eleanor kicked the man’s shin with all her might.
A, bugh, cheerful sound echoed through the street. The man who was unexpectedly attacked clutched his shins and collapsed.
“Aaaghhh! That crazy…!”
Izmel’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe Eleanor, who was so gentle, kiicked someone. It was a shocking sight.
“Just know that I’ve just saved your life! People should live good lives.”
I mean, you really almost died just now.
Eleanor, holding the child’s hand with one of her hands and Izmel’s wrist with the other, began to run without looking back. When you’ve done something unanswerable, it’s best to stand out.
After running for a long time, even out of the alley, Eleanor stopped. The child thanked she as she took a deep breath.
“T-Thank you for your help.”
“Nothing. Go home quickly. Your parents must be worried.”
Damn stamina. Eleanor, barely able to resist the urge to sit down on the floor, answered. Her heart was still pounding.
“From now on, be sure to pay attention to your surroundings to avoid collisions. Even if you don’t get involved with a bad person, something very unfair can happen…”
Just like what happened to me.
She said, glaring at Izmel. The child, who was bending her back, walked away quickly, and Eleanor wiped her forehead.
Izmel quickly took the handkerchief from his arms and handed it to her. Eleanor wiped her lightly heated cheek and glanced at his face. He had a half-fazed expression on his face.
“Why are you looking like that? Are you very surprised?”
Was he scared because he almost got hit…?
Eleanor tilted her head.
“He won’t be able to chase us. He won’t be able to get up for a while. It was a good kick, you know.”
Izmel’s face turned red. He didn’t know she had this much power.
“Shall I wash the handkerchief and give it to you?”
“No, just give it to me.”
Izmel took the handkerchief and carefully placed it in his arms. Eleanor felt uncomfortable and suggested several times that she would wash it and return it, yet he strongly shook her head.
She asked as she looked up at him.
“How was my role as escort?”
“It was awesome.”
“That’s what I think too. I think I have talent.”
A proud smile appeared on Eleanor’s face. Before he knew it, she had returned to her usual innocent and cute face.
Izmel glanced at Eleanor and walked at her pace.
As Eleanor walked towards the carriage, she looked up at Izmel and asked, as if she was secretly worried.
“Anyway, I kicked him really hard… Would he be okay?”
After her powerful kick, she seemed to feel a little sorry for it now. That was so cute that Izmel let out a low laugh.
“I’m sure there will be some bruises. Still, it’s a cheap price compared to his life. Don’t feel guilty.”
It was a big deal. She was supposed to fall in love with Eleanor, but she just kept falling for her.
***
Peaceful summer days continued. Clouds like whipped cream floated in the sky, and everything around was dark green.
Eleanor was sitting on the front steps waiting for the Duke of Valentine’s carriage to arrive. The sounds of Sienna and Lucas running and playing could be heard through the open door.
Eleanor shouted loudly to get their attention.
“Guys, don’t run! If you fall, you’ll get hurt.”
“Yes!”
As always, the children were very good at giving answers. Eleanor chuckled and shook her head.
How long did she wait? The sound of a carriage clattering could be heard from afar. Eleanor slowly stood up.
The carriage stopped and Kaidel and Demian got out one by one. The two people who glanced at Eleanor walked over holding hands. Eleanor watched the two with a happy expression on her face.
“Hello, Eleanor.”
“Hello, Kaidel. “Goodbye to you too Demi.”
Demian waved his hand shyly. Eleanor held Demian’s hand tightly, but then she let go.
“Are you keeping your promise?”
Eleanor asked and the two people nodded.
“What did you two talk about last night?”
Kaidel and Demian exchanged meaningful looks.
The conversations the Valentine brothers had always began and ended with stories about Eleanor. This is because Eleanor was the biggest thing the two had in common.
Last night they shared the story of the day Eleanor confronted their maternal uncle. It was the first time in his life that Kaidel had seen Demian chattering so excitedly.
Kaidel listened to Demian with a serious expression. However, when Eleanor proudly said that she was his ‘close’ friend, he couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.
“Just… stories about this and that.”
As Kaidel smiled slightly and looked around, Eleanor’s eyes narrowed. When she looked at Demian as if asking if it was true, he quickly nodded.
It felt a little uncomfortable, but Eleanor decided to just move on. This is because the atmosphere between the two was incomparably softer than before.
‘Hmm, let’s try something a little more bold today.’
Eleanor, who thought for a moment, turned her eyes and smiled.
Kaidel looked at Eleanor half-fazed. When she laughed like that, he melted helplessly like chocolate under the summer sun.
“Give a kiss.”
Eleanor playfully gave them today’s mission. And a second later.
‘!’
Something touched her cheek.