CH 51

The four silver coins were collected one by one from Cheshire’s pocket money once a week.

It must have been the fourth day since she came to this house.

Cheshire remembered the day he first got his pocket money.

* * *

“Dad, pocket money! Cheshire lives in our house now, so you have to give it to Cheshire too!”

Unlike other aristocratic ladies, Lilith received pocket money from her father. 

Cheshire couldn’t understand it at first, but—.

“Oh, pocket money. Of course, I have to give you pocket money. But Princess, in the past, Dad was poor, so I couldn’t buy you a birthday present and gave you only one fairy tale a week.”

Enoch, of course, was reluctant. 

“Now Dad’s house has a lot of money, so you don’t have to ask for pocket money. If you need anything, tell me, and if you need to spend money urgently, you can tell the butler. Cheshire, you too.”  

“No. Just give me pocket money. I will continue to get pocket money from Dad.” 

“Why?”

“Phew, Dad. Think about it. I’m still young, if I’m already get everything I want and spend money on it, and I’ll get spoiled, right? Don’t you think so?” 

“What are you talking about?  Didn’t you want to come to the Capital because you wanted to live like a princess so badly? You’re going to take everything you want and spend money on it, right?” 

“No no. I will get spoiled.” 

“No, princess? Dad will take care of my princess’s habits….” 

“Haah, Mr. James, I just want to get a pocket money. Give me pocket money! Pocket money!” 

Enoch couldn’t understand Lilith but eventually agreed to give them a silver a week as pocket money.

After taking Lilith and a silver coin from Enoch’s room, Cheshire realized.

‘It’s because of me.’

Lilith’s sneaky smile was always transparent.

It was Cheshire who had just ended up living in this house. How can he ask about money? 

Enoch said to tell him whenever he needed to, but—-.

Of course, it’s something to look out for. But he couldn’t really ask for money.

“Well, one silver a week would be enough, right?” 

From then on, whenever Lilith received pocket money, she always dragged Cheshire to Enoch’s room. 

The four silver coins he collected. 

It was 40,000 Terr. 

* * * 

Cheshire put the four silver coins back in the bag and thought about it. 

40,000 Terr.  

With this much money, he could buy things at the general store, like dolls that Lilith would like.

But.

‘There are a lot of dolls.’

Cheshire shook his head when he thought of dolls filled with Lilith’s room bed, table, and dressing table.

Birthday. It’s a gift to celebrate a special day, so he wants to give her something she really wants. 

‘Princess Lara…’

The Princess Lara collection is very popular all over the Empire, so it’s a bit pricey.

The twins had prepared the dresses and tiaras, and the shoes had already been given to Lilith by Enoch’s hands at a festival. 

What’s left is. 

‘…Magic wand? Well, wasn’t she holding something like that?’ 

Cheshire, who frowned and recalled the image of Princess Lara in the children’s book, let out a sigh. 

Soon after, he got up.

“Let’s go out first.”

* * *

Of course, he couldn’t even think of going to the commercial district shop the nobles were looking for.

The road to the common people’s residence.

In Cheshire’s hand, who went around 20 grocery stores.

“Haa.” 

There was a pink coin purse with a rabbit head.

This was 10,000 Terr too.

“What is so expensive? Even the jewels on it are fake.”

Even at the cheapest general store, Princess Lara’s magic wand cost seven silver coins.

In the end, the rabbit coin purse he compromised and obtained looked shabby.

“I made a special order for the dressing room to be studded with jewels.”

“I put 200 diamonds and 5 rubies on it.”

He felt mixed up when he thought of the money and the right gifts prepared by the twins.

It was embarrassing to give out a coin purse with one silver coin as a birthday present for the daughter of a wealthy aristocrat.

‘Should I get some money? I’m sure there’s a place that pays me.’ 

A small signboard was seen in Cheshire’s eyes as he looked around.

It was a stall operated separately outside the store at the general store.

The magic wand of Princess Lara and the warrior Louie (the male protagonist in the fairy tale <The Adventures of Princess Lara>) were hung on the stands.

Below that, there were a lot of egg-shaped drawers, and it was in the business world looking for a picture of children with their noses on it.

There was a slim chance that Princess Lara’s magic wand would come out of so many eggs.

Of course, half of it would be a joke, and the other half would be useless cheap toys.

‘You never know.’

The remaining money is three silver coins.

30,000 Terr.

It was money that he could use to draw at least 60 times.

“Are you going to draw?”

The general store owner came out and asked.

“Oh, yes.”

Cheshire put a silver coin on the street with a solemn expression.

* * *

After Enoch’s return. 

Axion Livre, who returned to the position of vice-captain of the knights, patrolled the commoner’s residence.

The festival was over, and the people who had been trafficking children and causing trouble in the Capital had been caught, but he wasn’t really relieved. 

The place where Axion found Cheshire was in front of a general store. 

‘Isn’t that the child Enoch brought with him?’

The first time he saw Cheshire was at a festival.

From what he heard later from Enoch, there was a story that he decided to be the guardian—.

Raising a daughter alone would be too much, so he thought it was useless.

But Enoch’s behavior doesn’t make sense. It’s been a day or two.

Axion stood at a distance and watched Cheshire. 

“Ah, it’s nothing again?” 

“….” 

“Kid, there is only one left.”

The general store owner smiled sadly.

Cheshire nodded and twisted the egg-shaped drawing machine.

After reading a small piece of paper that came out of the egg that he had split in half, he put his chin down on the board.

“It’s nothing again. What should I do, kid?” 

Cheshire walked away without regret.

Then stop.

He noticed Axion standing behind him, and his eyes widened.

“…Hello.” 

“Huh, Paladin! What brings you here in such a shabby place?! May the glory and grace of the Primera be with you!”

The general store owner was flustered.

Axion asked.

“What were you doing here? It’s still dangerous here for a child to wander alone.”

“I am okay. Thank you for your concern.”

“Wait.” 

Axion grabbed Cheshire’s arm as he was about to leave.

The two looked at each other quietly.

‘Why did I catch him?’

It was something he himself didn’t know. Axion was puzzled. 

No—.

He thought he knew.

Axion chinned the toy on the stall.

“Do you want to have that? Enoch won’t buy it for you?”

“No. It’s not like that.”

“No. Well, even if you want it, you may be afraid to talk to.”

Axion nodded his head. 

He doesn’t have sense like Enoch. If he buys his daughter’s toys and takes care of it together, what’s going to happen? 

“Come here.” 

“Yes?”

Axion dragged Cheshire and went back to the front of the stall.

He could see a toy sword that boys would like.

“You want this. Warrior Louie… what is it?”

“It is the <Magic Sword of Warrior Louie>, Paladin!”

“Yes. Is this right?”

When asked, Cheshire shook his head.

“Then what is it? What do you want to have—have you done this much?”

Axion pointed to the discarded eggshells on the floor.

Cheshire, who was hesitant to answer as if he was a bit embarrassed, spoke.

“…It’s Princess Lara’s magic wand.”

“…?” 

Axion was startled and looked at what <Princess Lara’s Magic Wand> was.

A colorful toy with fake jewels on a pink stick.

‘This child’s taste…?’

For some reason, it wasn’t like normal boys. 

“W, was it a magic wand, not a magic sword? He has already spent 30,000 Terr here, as if he really wanted it.”

The embarrassed owner smiled apologetically.

“I’m sorry that it keeps coming out with nothing, my dear.”

“It’s all right. I’ll be on my way.”

“Wait.”

Axion grabbed Cheshire by the back.

Then, he took a gold coin out of his arms and placed it on the stand.

“H, huh?” 

The owner’s eyes widened.

Cheshire was also taken aback.

“Until it comes out.”

Axion threw the egg to Cheshire.

“You will open it.”