Chapter 86

1.

I stood there dumbfounded after someone else took my spot.

And I blinked endlessly.

It was because I couldn’t believe that someone had taken over my sleeping bag, which no homeless person around here would dare to approach, and was now sound asleep.

Of course, I didn’t just blink. I also pondered how to deal with this unknown opponent who had taken over my sleeping bag.

Should I kick them out right away? No, that seemed too harsh even to me, so I dismissed that idea.

Perhaps I should wake them up by shouting and then threaten them to leave?

That would be the most conventional method for those who don’t have much to protect what little they do have.

Although my mind kept giving me such orders,

“…….”

Unlike when I rushed at Duff, I stayed silent, keeping my mouth shut.

The unfamiliar appearance of the person even under the cover of the sleeping bag stopped me from acting.

Even though it might seem unreasonable, I couldn’t impose the rules of this place on a newcomer, especially since people come and go through this place every day, where countless lives are lost.

Isn’t it too harsh to lecture someone about the laws of this place when everything is new to them?

Moreover,

* * *

The steady breathing coming from here indicated that the person occupying my sleeping spot was already in deep sleep, which made me think…

I wouldn’t want to disturb someone’s peaceful rest on my spot, even if I felt like my mood was terrible.

Once I realized the reason behind my reluctance, even the thought of waking them up vanished.

“…”

I suppressed my rising frustration with a quiet sigh and sat down, scratching the back of my head roughly, effectively giving up on dealing with the intruder who had taken my spot without permission.

Well, today has been okay overall.

Even though I was begging for food, I managed to buy a loaf of bread with the kindness of others and a proper meal.

I even showed that bad kid, who relied only on himself and tormented others, his due and returned the money he had unjustly taken to others.

I did something bright in this dark alley.

…It’s truly regrettable that someone illegally occupied my space where I could comfortably rest after working hard.

But you know, if one day goes exceptionally well, the next day might not be as good.

So, I decided to end today with gratitude for the smooth flow of events.

“…Let’s eat.”

After organizing my thoughts, I ate the bread greedily, satisfying my hunger.

Even without a comfortable bed, I could still fall asleep once my stomach was full.

By the way, this bread is really tough. It feels like it’s made of something other than flour, which makes it very chewy and hard. It doesn’t evoke any other feelings besides filling my stomach.

But, so what? There are plenty of people who can’t even eat this much. As long as I’m full, I’m grateful.

Thanks to the owner who generously gave extra when I bought bread with money, I was able to fill my stomach even though the bread wasn’t tasty.

That’s enough.

After eating the tough and chewy bread, I laid down near my sleeping bag, using a pillow and blanket to prepare for sleep.

Since it was a spot with less cold wind, I didn’t have to worry about the cold.

It was a bit disappointing that I couldn’t see the night sky, but…

If I thought too much about it, I might freeze to death, so I shook off unnecessary thoughts and closed my eyes, ending the day.

I’ll scold the person who slept on my sleeping bag after they wake up…

I’m sleepy…

Time to go to bed…

2.

“…Me.”

…Huh?

“Wake up.”

…What?

Why is this voice waking me up while I’m deeply asleep?

Didn’t anyone tell them not to bother me when I’m eating or sleeping?

Given that I’m already sleeping on someone else’s sleeping spot, hearing this voice makes me feel like my luck isn’t great today.

Before I could gather my scattered senses, I directed a frustrated gaze towards the source of the low voice that called me.

The boy around my age, wearing a uniform with some neat parts but dirty spots, was staring at me intently.

I knew who it was. It must be the kid who took my sleeping bag without permission and fell asleep.

Though his appearance was disheveled, his sharp and energetic eyes and a shiny brooch among his worn-out clothes suggested he didn’t fit in here.

The brooch, which shimmered faintly, looked like an expensive magical item.

Seeing this, I couldn’t help but regret leaving him alone last night.

It was natural. Even though I don’t know the situation, someone who can walk around Blood Haven freely without any harm despite having valuable clothing must have been foolish to worry about him.

Moreover, even though his appearance was quite disheveled, his clean-cut face exuded a sense of freshness that made me feel inexplicably annoyed.

While some beggars have to make themselves look pitiful to get a few crumbs, this guy, with his handsome face, might get meat instead of bread.

Ugh! What am I thinking?

Forcing away the impure thoughts in my head,

“What?”

I replied with a rough voice, showing my displeasure at being woken up, and turned back to try and sleep again.

As I tried to sleep again,

“Wake up…”

Before I could turn around, the person who woke me up spoke and even reached out to shake me.

Unexpectedly rough hands touched my shoulder.

Not only did they wake me up, but now they were trying to shake me awake, making me so angry that I wanted to punch this handsome face to get rid of the frustration.

“Hey… If you keep lying there, your face will be all crooked. I’ve already slept enough, so go lie down inside.”

The unauthorized occupier of my sleeping bag, who was holding it and telling me to sleep, calmed me down.

His handsome face, which could easily irritate anyone, and his gentle voice made me instantly calm down.

“Wait… This was originally your spot? I was so tired that I just wanted to sleep anywhere. I guess I took your spot. Sorry…”

In this place, where it’s rare to hear an apology even when someone clearly did something wrong, it felt strange to receive such a proper apology.

Damn. Whoever you are, you have manners.

I’ll let it slide.

Listening to such a polite word made me feel like today might turn out to be a decent day.

3.

My discomfort towards the intruder who had carelessly slept in my spot had disappeared.

No need to say it, but the courtesy shown during their apology had made me feel better.

“I didn’t have to go this far…”

“But, even if I didn’t know, I always learned at home that if someone lets you sleep comfortably, you should pay back the favor.”

The fact that they paid more than necessary for such a short stay in my sleeping bag was the biggest reason.

It wasn’t given reluctantly, but with a serious expression like treating a savior, they bought fresh bread, far better than what I had eaten yesterday, which made me feel uncomfortable.

They must be wealthy. Buying freshly baked bread with butter on top.

If they had that kind of money, they could stay in a proper inn for a night. Why choose to sleep here?

Even though he looks disheveled, he seems to be in much better shape than me, which is hard to understand.

“The freshly baked bread tastes best when eaten right away.”

For now, I listened to this boy who was silently offering me the bread.

“If you say so… I’ll accept it gratefully.”

Shaking off the sudden confusion, I took the bread from him.

The bread, which smelled of the rich aroma of freshly baked bread mixed with the buttery scent, stimulated my appetite just as I was waking up.

My hand moved to bring the bread to my mouth, and soon it was filled with the freshly baked bread.

This bread is delicious.

When I regained my senses, the bread in my hand was gone.

“Thank you… I enjoyed it. Thank you.”

Surprised by the unexpected kindness, I managed to express my gratitude honestly.

How long has it been since I had a proper meal like this?

The warmth and satisfaction of the bread filled me with a sense of pride.

However,

“I wanted to take you to a proper restaurant and feed you, but I couldn’t because of circumstances, and I could only buy you bread. I’m sorry… You probably didn’t get enough sleep because of me.”

Even though he was showing such generosity, he still felt apologetic, which made me even more confused.

“You’ve already paid more than enough for this place. There’s no need to apologize.”

I quickly stopped him from apologizing.

Although my words came out a bit abruptly, I added,

“Thanks for saying that. But even so, I feel my reputation is damaged. I’ll repay you properly when things settle down.”

Despite my somewhat abrupt tone, his attitude remained unchanged.

It was surprising to see someone from a noble family treat me, a homeless person, with respect without looking down on me.