Chapter 07
Chloe stepped out of the cake shop, gently rubbing her slightly rounded belly.
That place was no ordinary bakery. As expected, there was a reason why it was always so crowded.
Once out on the street, Chloe unfolded the map she had received from the shop. Since it was the capital, there were plenty of sights to see and things to do. If she could, she wanted to try everything one by one—but time was the problem.
“I should secure a carriage first.”
If she got too caught up having fun, she might fail to find one later. To avoid that, Chloe decided to reserve a carriage in advance.
As she followed the path indicated on the map, a faint fishy smell crept into the air. The damp, briny odor suggested she had reached her destination.
Entering the stable, Chloe approached a man sitting in front of a fence.
The man, chewing on a piece of straw, spat it out and asked,
“What do you need?”
“I’d like to hire a carriage.”
“Where to?”
“The North.”
“We don’t go that far. We mostly do tours.”
The man waved his hand dismissively.
A trip to the North would take days. Rather than enduring such hardship, it was more efficient to cater to tourists here.
Chloe glanced behind him. There were a few fairly large carriages and some healthy-looking young horses.
“I can pay as much as needed.”
“How much are you offering?”
The man looked her up and down with a bored expression.
Her face and demeanor were elegant, but her clothing wasn’t impressive. At most, he expected a few extra coins beyond the standard fare.
“Would ten gold coins be enough?”
“Ten… ten gold coins?”
The man’s eyes widened in shock.
Chloe nodded, and a broad smile spread across his face.
“Of course! Which carriage would you like? No—I’ll prepare the very best carriage and horse for you.”
“Thank you.”
“Ah, but you’ll have to pay in advance. These days, too many people run off without paying. Not that I think you would, miss! Just in case.”
The man bowed repeatedly with a sly grin.
Chloe nodded and immediately reached into her dress pocket.
‘Huh?’
Her wallet was gone.
She checked her other pocket and her bag, but it was nowhere to be found.
‘Where did it go?’
She retraced her steps in her mind. She had paid the coachman, then paid at the cake shop—that was it.
‘Wait…!’
Suddenly, she remembered the small boy who had bumped into her on the terrace—the one who ran off without even apologizing.
Pickpocketing was common in the capital, and it seemed she had fallen victim to it.
“Well?”
The man’s tone turned harsh when she failed to pay.
“The, the thing is…”
“What, you checked your wallet and found nothing?”
To be precise, she didn’t have a wallet at all.
His glare was intimidating, as if he thought she was trying to cheat him.
“I’ll definitely pay you when we arrive. Two gold coins.”
“And how am I supposed to believe you?”
The man snorted.
Realizing persuasion was futile, Chloe gave up. If things escalated, she might even be reported to the guards.
‘This is a mess.’
A deep sigh escaped her lips. Without money, she couldn’t ride a carriage—or even continue sightseeing.
“Ahem.”
The man cleared his throat, as if asking for attention. Chloe looked at him.
“Are you in a hurry for a carriage?”
Was he reconsidering? Chloe nodded cautiously.
“I can’t just leave a lady in trouble… I’ll lend you a carriage this once. But…”
The man narrowed his eyes and stared at her.
Even in plain clothes, her beauty stood out. A face that could make many men fall—tempting and rare.
Money could always be earned again, but a woman like her?
“…you’ll keep me company on the way.”
“…Company?”
“Or you could entertain me in other ways.”
He pulled her closer, trapping her in his arms and whispering into her ear.
“Other ways.”
The meaning was unmistakable.
“W-what!”
Startled, Chloe tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong.
“Let go of me!”
“Come on, you’re desperate. Sometimes you’ve got to handle things like this.”
His hot breath brushing her ear made her skin crawl. His lustful touch felt utterly disgusting.
“Ah, Chloe.”
At that moment, someone called her name.
Before she could even recognize him, a man stood in front of her and pulled her into his arms.
The coachman’s grip, which had seemed unbreakable, loosened instantly.
‘Who is he?’
She had never heard his voice or seen his face before, yet he acted as if he knew her well.
At least, unlike the other man, he didn’t seem dangerous. He held her firmly but gently.
“There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you, Chloe.”
His lips hovered near her ear, his voice low and intimate.
“I’ll pay for the carriage.”
His tone toward the coachman was laced with disdain. He threw a gold coin at him.
“Y-yes, sir! What time should I come?”
“After sunset, in front of the clock tower. And not you—send someone else.”
He clearly wanted nothing more to do with the man.
Without another word, he led Chloe away.
‘Who… is this man?’
She couldn’t even begin to guess.
“Yes, this is my wallet.”
The man held out her lost wallet.
Taking it, Chloe stared at him, silently asking for an explanation. He smiled faintly.
“I found it on the street. It looked important, especially with a picture inside, so I tried to find its owner—and ended up here.”
According to him, the wallet had been lying by the roadside. It hadn’t been there long, judging by its condition.
Using the name and worn photograph inside, he managed to track her down.
“I don’t know how to repay you…”
Chloe was deeply moved. He had spent his own time and effort helping a stranger.
“Repay me? It’s nothing. I just did what I should.”
“But still…”
She opened her wallet to return the carriage fare he had paid.
‘Ah.’
It was empty.
Of course—the pickpocket had taken all the money before discarding it.
The man chuckled softly, understanding the situation.
“It’s really fine. By the way, you seem to be traveling.”
“Yes. I came to the capital to refresh myself.”
“If you don’t mind, may I guide you? After what happened, you probably couldn’t enjoy your sightseeing properly.”
“What?”
“I’d feel better that way.”
Ironically, though he was offering help, he sounded like the one making a request.
“Well…”
Chloe hesitated. Accepting so easily felt suspicious. What if he had ulterior motives like the coachman?
“…Alright. But first, I’d like to know the name of the person I owe.”
Despite her doubts, she found herself agreeing.
At her question, the man smiled again.
“Kuhn.”
“….”
“Kuhn, my lady Chloe.”
