“Oh? Miss, didn’t you say you would rest at home today?”
“Ahahaha. I thought it would be better to do something to help the trading company rather than rest! I know how to fight in my own way, so I came out to lend a hand with the patrol!!”
How can she have such a devoted heart?
I clapped for Sowol, who was speaking proudly, and stuck a praise sticker on her forehead.
“Ah?!”
“That spirit of wanting to help with family affairs. Good job.”
“Thank you!”
I patted Sowol’s shoulder as she quickly peeled off the praise sticker and put it in her notebook, then turned my gaze to Laila.
She seemed a bit flustered by Sowol’s appearance, but her smiling face was still intact.
“Shall we continue our patrol then? Sowol, are you patrolling alone?”
“Yes. They say there’s no partner because it was decided in a hurry.”
“I see. Good luck.”
“What?!”
“Why?”
“No. How can you think of sending your disciple to patrol alone?”
“Well, that’s true…”
“Ah! Master Lee!!”
That’s when it happened.
When I heard that cheerful voice.
Looking over, there stood a red-haired An, without freckles and not skinny.
Seeing her in armor, it didn’t seem like she was enjoying the festival, but rather doing her own patrol.
“I heard that the Eastern Trading Company was participating in the patrol. Were you participating in the patrol too, Master Lee?”
“Yes. What about you?”
“Ah. Today was originally a day off, but since the Eastern Trading Company is also providing support, it didn’t feel right for a knight of the territory to rest, so I joined the patrol separately.”
Wow. That’s admirable.
She’s truly a role model for knights. By the way, patrolling alone. This works out well.
I patted her shoulder and pushed her in front of Sowol.
“Eh?”
“Sowol here also has to patrol alone, so you two can go together.”
“Oh…”
“That wouldn’t be bad!”
An’s hostility towards Sowol completely disappeared when Sowol defeated Lace.
As such, there shouldn’t be any major problems if the two go together.
“Then we’ll see you later. Laila, let’s go.”
“Yes! Miss! See you later!”
With her characteristic bright smile, Laila greeted Sowol. Now, where should we go?
“Ah! There! How about we go over there?”
The place Laila pointed to was a dark alley. Is there some kind of festival going on there too?
“In places like that, there are people who sell fake goods or attract people with low prices and then force them to buy expensive things or even rob them!”
“Oh. That’s certainly true.”
She seems to have a lot of experience with this kind of thing. Her insight is better than mine. Anyway, if there are such places, we can’t not patrol them.
“Let’s eat lunch after we patrol that area.”
“Hehe! Yes!”
Deciding to patrol the alley area was a good choice.
As soon as we entered, we saw a con artist from another region selling strange items at high prices.
We caught them trying to intimidate travelers and force them to buy things twice, along with their cronies.
“Not bad?”
“It’s nothing. When you do business, you travel often and see this kind of thing everywhere.”
“Really?”
“Yes. A merchant should know how to sell proper goods at proper prices. Those guys are neither merchants nor anything else.”
The outsider, being dragged with his wrists tied, smiled awkwardly.
Laila frowned at him and sighed softly.
“Merchants are often looked down upon by others. Especially large trading companies like the Eastern Trading Company.”
“Is that so?”
“The reason merchants are disliked is because of people like that. They think merchants will do anything for profit.”
“That’s not entirely wrong.”
“It’s different in the East. No matter how profit-seeking a merchant is, they should know righteousness and principles. Our Eastern Trading Company had its base in the East. Our righteousness and principles are our pride, and we don’t take it lightly.”
It was quite a prideful statement.
Laila seemed pleased with what she had said and was smiling contentedly.
“Are those them?”
“Yes. They were doing fraudulent business in the back alley.”
“I see. Hey! Take them all away!!”
Exiting the alley, we handed over the guys we had caught earlier to the nearby soldiers.
That’s the end of the morning patrol.
Looking at the time, it’s almost lunchtime.
“Let’s go eat…”
“Oh my!! What a coincidence!!”
What?! This voice?!
I turned around and found Sowol and An standing there.
Seeing them panting with flushed faces, it seems they patrolled very diligently.
“Have you finished your morning patrol?!”
“Yeah. Are you done too?”
“Yes! We’ve also finished our patrol! There’s so much to do! It seems like a lot of riffraff is coming from everywhere because of the festival!!”
An nodded at Sowol’s spirited words. It seems they had a hard time too.
“Good job. We’re going to eat. Do you want to come with us?”
“You mean lunch? I don’t particularly mind either way, but if you insist so much, I can’t refuse!”
I didn’t really insist that much.
But whatever.
Looking at Laila, she didn’t seem to mind much either.
After all, food tastes better when eaten with others.
“Let’s go. I’ll pay for the meal at least.”
I got paid by So Jung-yang yesterday.
Is it because it’s an early lunch?
There were quite a few seats in the restaurant.
There was enough space for the four of us to sit comfortably.
“What do you want to eat? I’m having the set meal. The set meal here is delicious. Have the set meal.”
“What comes with the set meal?”
“Steak, bread, and an omelet. They also give you a drink.”
“Ah. Then I’ll have that too.”
Sowol, who likes meat like me, smiled and ordered the set meal. An did the same.
As Laila was about to nod with a smile, Sowol asked curiously.
“Laila. You don’t like meat, right?”
“Huh? There are people who don’t like meat?”
“Yes. Laila prefers things like bread or vegetables over meat.”
Then why was she going to eat the set meal?
When I looked at her, Laila scratched her cheek.
“Haha… You’re treating us, so I felt a bit awkward to say anything…”
“That doesn’t mean you have to eat something you don’t like. Master, it’s okay if Laila eats something else, right?”
“Of course.”
Only after hearing that did Laila order what she wanted: a salad, soup, bread, and jam.
“Hmm…”
After ordering, Sowol, Laila, and An started chatting enthusiastically.
Observing them intently, I rested my chin on my hand on the table and said,
“Laila. Aren’t you holding back too much?”
“Pardon?”
“Of course, this is a place with your master, the knight of the territory, and the important person from the trading company, me, but this isn’t a formal occasion. But I’ve noticed that you seem to be holding back even when you have something you want to say…”
“…Ahaha.”
“Laila is always like that.”
Sowol agrees, so it seems I was right.
“From what I can see, you seem to be holding back too much. Maintaining righteousness and principles doesn’t mean suppressing your own desires. Of course, that’s not to say it’s bad, but I believe people move according to their desires. As such, it’s good to express your desires occasionally.”
“Um… Is that okay?”
“Of course. Moderation is important. Moderation.”
Nothing special happened after lunch.
We patrolled just like in the morning.
We often encountered Sowol by chance during the patrol, but it wasn’t significant, so there was no need to worry.
As we finished our patrol duties and work was coming to an end…
“Master Lee.”
“What?”
“Are you… really my partner for this festival period?”
“That’s right.”
“Then. Um. Can you be my dance partner at the campfire event after the patrol ends tonight?”
Campfire?
Do they do that too?
Checking the schedule, there was indeed such an event.
They really do everything.
“You could go with Sowol.”
“The young miss is going to the castle with the head of the trading company this evening.”
Ah. That’s right.
I remember Sowol telling me with a gloomy face when we ran into each other for the sixth time by chance.
“That’s not difficult, but wouldn’t choosing someone else as your partner be better?”
“Ahaha. There’s no one who would be a partner to a tomboy like me.”
“Tomboy? You’re plenty pretty too. Hmm… More than that, wouldn’t you be made fun of if an old man like me becomes your partner?”
Of course, I’m in my mid-twenties, but Laila is about the same age as Sowol.
Just like Sowol first called me an old man, Laila might also think of me as so.
I thought having a partner of the same age for this kind of dance would be better.
“It would be an honor if you became my partner, Master Lee.”
“Really? Then I can’t refuse anymore. A promise is a promise.”
“Hehe. Thank you. Ah, and there’s one more thing I need to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t know how to dance.”
Oh my.
You asked me to be your partner even though you don’t know how to dance?
I was amazed at Laila’s audacity.
Such spirit.
You’re going to go far.
“Then why did you ask to dance?”
“I wanted to try it at least once. You told me not to hold back, right?”
As she said this, Laila’s face was full of a smile fitting her age.