Chapter 56

Ariel began by choosing some desserts.

Beside her, a boy in a wheelchair muttered, “Beware of elves,” though it didn’t seem to hold any particular meaning.

It seemed like the words were just automatically spilling out, regardless of his will.

“Beware of elves.”

Ariel ignored the boy’s words and continued selecting desserts.

What Ariel picked was a fluffy-looking strawberry cake and a bread generously topped with chocolate syrup, both of which happened to be the last ones left.

“Hoh, those two are the most popular desserts in our shop. You have quite the eye.”

At the old woman’s words, Ariel straightened her back slightly and wore a proud expression.

Of course, after wandering around Goldcastle’s pastry shops, it would be absurd not to have an eye for desserts.

“I’ll give those to you for free. You helped carry the sugar box earlier, and the rabbit mask suits you very well.”

The old woman handed Ariel the desserts in a paper bag.

“Enjoy them, and if you like them, come back again.”

“…”

Ariel hesitated for a moment.

She had received a rabbit mask she really liked, and now she was getting desserts for free.

Was it okay to accept?

“Here, it’s fine. Take it.”

Eventually, the old woman placed the paper bag directly into Ariel’s arms.

“…Thank you.”

Ariel bowed her head in gratitude, then removed the rabbit mask and stored it in her inventory.

No matter how soft and comfortable the fur was, she couldn’t return to the lodging wearing the rabbit mask.

It would attract too much attention.

“…Huh? Young master? What’s wrong?”

At that moment, a voice came from beside her.

Turning her gaze, she saw the boy in the wheelchair, his eyes wide with shock, staring at Ariel’s face.

“Ugh, ugh, ugh…!”

The boy let out a strange scream and began trembling violently.

“Oh my, young master! Are you okay?”

The maid pushing the wheelchair was startled and quickly checked the boy’s condition.

“Ugh, ugh! Ugh!!”

The boy’s condition worsened.

He convulsed and fell from the wheelchair, foaming at the mouth and flailing his limbs.

Even in that state, the boy’s gaze remained fixed on Ariel’s face, and Ariel quietly met his eyes.

The boy’s face twisted in terror.

“Ughhh!!”

“Young master! Young master Cobin! Snap out of it!”

The maid shook the boy, but he lost consciousness.

Ding-dong!

“What’s going on?”

Hearing the commotion, two armored soldiers entered the pastry shop.

The maid urgently shouted.

“The young master has collapsed! We need to take him back to the mansion immediately!”

“Understood!”

The soldiers lifted the boy and quickly left the pastry shop.

The maid also grabbed the wheelchair and left, leaving only the old woman and Ariel in the shop.

“My, my, he must be unwell…”

The old woman muttered softly, looking at the door where the boy had disappeared.

“He’s still so young, what a pity, tsk tsk…”

*

Returning to the lodging, Ariel gave the rabbit mask to Rakia as a gift.

Rakia was very happy at first, but soon her expression stiffened when she realized it was something to wear over her head.

It wasn’t like using magic to change her appearance, but wearing another animal’s mask was hard for a dragon to accept.

‘But, it’s a gift from Lady Ariel…’

Rakia endured and put on the rabbit mask.

The mask was slightly big for Rakia, but it didn’t hinder her movement.

As Rakia waddled over to Ariel wearing the rabbit mask, Ariel smiled slightly.

It was perfect.

Now, she could just hug them and sleep.

On one side, Ghost, and on the other, Rakia wearing the rabbit mask.

Hugging both would make her very happy.

“By the way, sister, have you heard the news?”

Roo flew over and perched on Ariel’s shoulder.

“Recently, adventurers have been flocking to the northern region. It seems a new dungeon has been discovered. What do you think about going there? You might not know, but dungeons are filled with treasures. Rakia wants to go too.”

Ariel glanced at Rakia.

Rakia’s eyes sparkled, but Ariel couldn’t see it because of the rabbit mask.

Rakia jumped up and shouted.

“I really want to go! The dungeon!”

Dragons love treasure. Hoarding various treasures in their lairs is one of their hobbies.

“Originally, dungeons are places you risk your life to enter, but with you and Rakia, it shouldn’t be a problem… How about just going for a breeze?”

At Roo’s words, Ariel nodded.

“Alright.”

There was no reason to refuse. In fact, it was only natural to go.

Ariel’s goal was adventure.

An adventure without a dungeon was unthinkable.

*

The departure for the dungeon was set for the next evening.

There was no need to rush since they decided to ride Rakia this time, and Ariel also had places to visit.

Early in the morning, Ariel left the lodging and headed to the ‘White Rabbit’ pastry shop she visited yesterday.

The strawberry cake and chocolate syrup bread she bought yesterday were so delicious that she decided to buy them again today.

Moreover, she wanted to repay the old woman.

Thanks to the rabbit mask the old woman gave her yesterday, she slept soundly and woke up in a good mood.

Ding-dong.

Entering the White Rabbit, the old woman greeted her with a smile.

“Kekeke, you’re back. Did you enjoy the desserts yesterday?”

“Yes.”

Ariel walked briskly to the shop’s display.

Yesterday, there was only one strawberry cake and one chocolate syrup bread left, but today there were quite a few.

She decided to buy two of each and took out a handful of gold coins from her inventory to give to the old woman.

“Oh my, what am I supposed to do with such a large amount?”

The old woman was startled and handed the gold coins back to Ariel.

“One gold coin is more than enough to buy all of these.”

The old woman even gave her change in silver coins, and Ariel silently put the money back into her inventory.

“Wait a moment.”

While the old woman packed the desserts into a paper bag like yesterday, Ariel pondered seriously.

How could she repay the old woman?

Giving her a handful of gold coins was easy. Ariel had plenty of gold coins.

But that felt lacking in sincerity, and the old woman didn’t seem to care much about money.

If she did, she wouldn’t have deliberately given work to street children or given Ariel desserts for free yesterday.

Ariel asked the old woman if there was anything to move today.

The old woman smiled softly.

“Thank you for your kindness, but there’s nothing to move today. Moving the sugar box yesterday was enough.”

“…”

As Ariel stood quietly, the old woman approached and gently stroked her cheek.

“You’re such a good child. Well, there is one thing you could help me with…”

At the old woman’s words, Ariel’s eyes widened.

She didn’t know what the old woman’s request was, but she wanted to help as much as possible.

*

Leaving the pastry shop, Ariel headed to the place the old woman told her about.

It was a mansion near Goldcastle’s plaza.

Originally, it was the old woman’s home, but now her son lived there with a woman he married not long ago.

The old woman’s request was to check if her son was living well.

“My son would be horrified if I visited… It must be uncomfortable for him.”

Originally, her son was very filial, but after meeting and marrying a certain woman, his personality changed.

He avoided his mother’s visits and would get angry if asked about his wife, becoming overly sensitive.

Because of this, the old woman didn’t even know who her son had married, and it worried her.

“Could you just take a quick look from the outside and come back?”

Ariel decided to fulfill the old woman’s request.

It wasn’t a difficult request.

If she could ease the old woman’s worries with just this, she was more than willing to help.

Arriving at the mansion, Ariel surveyed the surroundings.

After confirming no one was around, she kicked off the ground and leaped onto the mansion’s roof.

Thud.

The old woman had asked her to just take a quick look from the outside, but Ariel had no intention of doing so.

If possible, she wanted to see exactly how the old woman’s son was living.

That way, the old woman could be completely at ease.

Walking silently on the mansion’s roof, Ariel found an open window.

She was about to peek inside when a voice came from her pocket.

“Sister… where are we?”

Ariel was startled and looked down.

Roo poked her head out of Ariel’s pocket and looked up at her.

“…”

It seemed Roo had been sleeping in Ariel’s pocket and had been brought along.

“Hmm, by the way, there’s something suspicious about this place. I feel a strange energy, like my body is tingling.”

As Roo muttered, footsteps were heard from inside the window.

Thud. Thud.

Ariel quickly pushed Roo back into her pocket and quietly watched inside the window.

Inside, a man was staggering around.