Chapter 2.1

Anna Wirth’s heart was unnecessarily large.

Over and over again after the war ended, she picked up straggling, wounded soldiers, gave them work at the public farm, and fed them. Once their bodies recovered, she went the extra mile to figure out their ways back home. Among them, some settled into their village.

But that was something she’d done just after the war, when they had been lacking workers.

If she picked up another person, then some people were bound to narrow their eyes at her.

Just like how Dieter, Anna’s childhood friend, was doing now.

“Anna! I heard you picked up a guy! Do you have no fear? You’re driving me crazy—if you keep doing this then, you know, the guy who’ll become your husband will dislike it!”

As may be expected, the restaurant entrance did not respond to him.

A passerby saw Dieter babbling at the door by himself, sighing as he went on his way.

Regardless, Dieter practiced yet again.

“…..would I be going too far if I mention the husband part already? Okay, I’m gonna change it to just ‘somebody.’”

Dieter took a deep breath.

As soon as he went in, he’d shout this to Anna confidently. In anticipation of when he would propose to her one day!

Only after he practiced three more times or so, Dieter pushed open the door with hands wet with cold sweat. At that moment, he happened to see Anna serving. Dieter stiffened his neck and shouted.

“Anna! I heard you brought another beggar back? How many times have you picked them up just because their pitiful and……”

He spoke up until exactly that point before he became speechless.

Since they’d said ‘Anna picked up a beggar again,’ he’d thought it would be some super skinny person.

Instead, this thing that looked like an alpha male wolf was licking a soup bowl in the corner of the restaurant.

Dieter stammered.

“A-Anna…. Is it, safe here?”

At that question, the male wolf….. no, the dangerous-looking man lifted his head.

It seemed he’d mistaken him for a wolf thanks to his dark blue fur cloak, but the deep blue eyes behind strands of his black hair was just as threatening.

When Dieter stammered, Anna turned her head.

“What, Dieter. You come to pick a fight?”

“I, I came because I had some time.”

“Then now that you’re here, say hi to our restaurant’s worker. Mr. Bertram, please introduce yourself as well.”

Anna ran to the huge man, then took hold of that chin on his head and turned it towards Dieter. Was she handling a dog?!

Eyes like ice swiveled towards Dieter.

Dieter opened his mouth, shaking like a leaf.

“Hello. I’m Dieter. Son of the tailor. Anna’s childhood friend.”

“Hello. My name is Bertram. I am repaying my debt that I have to Mr. Hans. I am cutting onions. I am not close to Miss Anna.”

His voice was super nice.

Enough, in fact, that he only belatedly realized the overall randomness of the sentences he’d just said.

“…..Bertram? I’ve heard that name before.”

“I have also heard of the name Dieter many times before. It seems I have met seven people up until now.”

“That’s because Dieter is a common name! And a debt you have to old man Hans? He had a fortune he could lend out to others?”

Anna struck Dieter’s head with a smack

“Hey, he definitely could! We even have a promissory note, you know! Right, Mr. Bertram?”

Bertram nodded his head.

“Yes. As it is a debt that cannot be repaid materially, I am paying her back with my body as Miss Anna has wished.”

Hearing the words ‘paying back with his body,’ Dieter’s eyes shook. Anna pulled at Dieter’s cheek.

“Don’t take it weirdly. I’m just giving him chores for the restaurant here and there. Like trimming the onions.”

“Onions? Why onions?”

“I tried giving him other tasks, but he was best at that. Speaking of which, Dieter, want to eat some onion soup before you go?”

Thinking perhaps that his time for self-introduction was over, Bertram drank up his second bowl. The onions heaved.

His hunger dropping rapidly, Dieter replied.

“Do you have anything else?”

“I have pickled onion sandwich, onion omelet, and onion steak without meat.”

Much too late, Dieter realized that the smell of onions was radiating in the restaurant.

“Are there only onion dishes?”

“Yeah! You know, I entrusted Mr. Bertram with chopping onions, and he didn’t spill a single tear while he was cutting a whole sack of onions. And he even rubbed his eyes! I was so amazed by that, I ended up asking him to chop up all two sacks of onions, and…. It just kind of became like this.”

“You sure got amazed at something weird!”