Chapter 112: Not That They Don't Want To, But They Can't (Patreon)

"Here you are."

"Thank you."

(Strange…)

She took the bag, paid, and sighed that she was about to get a taste of life as a poor woman. Then Pandora looked around, but the person who had given her that odd feeling a moment ago was nowhere to be seen. Had she really imagined it?

"My lord?"

Louliana, who was holding a bag of her own, looked a little puzzled.

"It's nothing. Let's head back…"

She had barely finished speaking when a burst of commotion rose nearby, full of cries of pain and curses.

Following the sound, she saw a man in a chef's uniform kicking a skeletally thin boy on the ground, over and over, shouting as he did.

"Set your sights on my shop, did you?! Stealing?!"

The boy on the ground curled up tighter, shielding the white food in his hands.

Clearly, this was a petty-theft "case." The onlookers stood a short distance away, gossiping and enjoying the show, with no intention of stopping anything.

After all, when it came to thieves, everyone felt the same cold indifference.

Pandora watched and furrowed her brow. She was no saint, but out of simple kindness she handed some Las to Louliana.

Seeing what she did, Odegulas, who had been about to say something, kept quiet. She just looked into Pandora's eyes with a complicated expression, as if lost in thought.

Louliana took the coins, understood Pandora's meaning, and bowed to her before jogging over to "the scene."

The chef saw someone coming, a maid at that, and stopped his kicking. They exchanged a few words, and then he glanced over at Pandora. After a moment of blank surprise, he accepted the coins Louliana held out with an obsequious smile, said something sharp to the boy on the ground, turned, and went back into his shop.

Louliana looked at the little boy and sighed. The instant she reached out a hand, he got up by himself. His face was twisted with pain, there was blood at the corner of his mouth, and his steps were unsteady. Anyone could see he was forcing himself to stand.

Seeing this, Louliana could only tell him to watch himself and not do such things again.

Of course, it was only a few words, and given his situation, he probably couldn't help it anyway…

"Let's go."

Settling this one scuffle for the boy only treated the symptom, not the cause. Pandora just turned and walked away.

Louliana hurried back to catch up, looking quite sad.

The boy watched the three of them leave. He wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, gave a slight bow, and then, hugging the food he had guarded so tightly, dragged his body off in one direction.

"Steamed buns… just two steamed buns…" On the road back to the Holy Capital, Louliana tightened her grip on the bag, her voice thick.

But Pandora shook her head. "Stealing two buns is still stealing. You can't let it go just because it's cheap…"

She paused.

"Of course, he shouldn't be punished like that, either."

With a body like that, if she hadn't stepped in just now, the boy would probably have gone back to his "home" and then…

Hearing this, Louliana's eyes softened with feeling. But she also understood that some things were beyond her. She was only an ordinary maid, after all.

Pandora let out a long breath and stopped dwelling on it. Instead she subtly swept her gaze around once more. Still nothing out of the ordinary.

"You're a good person." She was still lost in thought when Odegulas suddenly spoke beside her. "Not like other people. Different."

Pandora blinked at her.

"It's nothing. I just couldn't stand to watch."

Then she smiled and swung the bag in her hand.

"A truly good person would send the Buddha all the way to the West, you know."

That only puzzled Odegulas.

"Send Buddha? What is Buddha?"

"It's nothing…"

"Why send, to the west?"

"…"

Pandora chose to deal with this by going on mute.

Before long, the group was back in the lounge from earlier.

"This is…"

The other two stared at the big bags and little bags, baffled.

Pandora simply set everything down on the table.

"You can't go visiting without bringing a little gift."

Saidela scratched his head. "But the people we're visiting aren't short of money. These fruits and little trinkets…"

In short, the gifts were too tacky, and those officials would probably look down on them.

"Of course, I'd be thrilled if Miss Pandora didn't bring any gifts at all."

After all, he still remembered the grudge from how he had ended up a "prisoner" earlier.

Hearing him, Pandora sighed, fetched her "wallet," and tipped it upside down.

"…"

As a few Holy Las coins clattered onto the table, Saidela understood why Pandora hadn't bought anything fancier…

Seeing the awkward mood in the room, she gave a light cough.

"I just didn't expect there'd be so many places that needed money."

Then she spread her hands.

"Besides, they may be ordinary things, but a modest gift carries sincere feeling."

Yes. It really was that simple.

While no one could think of what to say, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

At Pandora's words, the door swung open.

"My lord, your guest room has been prepared." As he spoke, the attendant took a white napkin from the pocket of his uniform. "Here is the key."

He unfolded the napkin and presented the key to them with both hands.

"Thank you."

After taking the key, Pandora couldn't help marveling at how particular it all was.

"But why is there only one key?"

She stared at the lone key in her hand, puzzled, and glanced at the attendant.

Luluo waved a hand. "We won't need one. The two of us are going back to where we usually work."

Saidela nodded in agreement.

With that, the attendant gave a slight bow, backed out of the room, and closed the door behind him.

Watching the two of them move in such odd sync, Pandora nodded, then looked up and searched for the magic-carved crystal that served as a clock.

"Then, Mr. Luluo, tomorrow at two in the afternoon, I'll wait for you at the statue in the plaza."

It was already late, nearly the dead of night. It was still dark outside, but two in the afternoon would at least be bright.

"All right. I'll definitely be on time."

Luluo had no objections. He waved to everyone and left the lounge.

"Those two seem to be getting along better and better…"

Remembering how the two of them had slung arms over each other's shoulders a moment ago, Pandora shuddered and wiped the image from her mind.