CJRD CH 17

Chapter 17

“Oh no, what should I do?”

It was afternoon free time.
This was the time when the children either napped, read books, or played various games.

And for me, it was usually the time I used to prepare snacks for them.

Today’s snack was candied sweet potatoes.
All I had to do was cut the sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces, cook them, and coat them in sugar syrup—done.
That’s how simple and easy this snack was. And it wasn’t just sweet; it was healthy too.

As soon as free time began, I started working on the snack. I quickly finished all the prep. The sweet potatoes were cooked nicely, and to make them crunchy, I even gave them a light fry.

But then…

“Why is there so little sugar left?”

For candied sweet potatoes, the sugar syrup was the most important part.
And yet I didn’t have enough sugar to make it.

“Should I run out and buy some now?”

I glanced at the clock on the wall.
Thankfully, there was still some time. But just barely.
If I were even a little late, the syrup wouldn’t be ready before free time ended.

And there was one more problem.

I was the only adult here watching the children.
If there were another adult, it would be fine. But I couldn’t just leave the kids alone.

“They may be fine playing together without me during free time, but…”

Having a guardian in the same space and not having one at all were worlds apart.
If they got hurt while playing, at least I could run over and take care of it.
But if something happened while I wasn’t here…

“Just imagining it is awful!”

I wouldn’t be able to do anything.

“What should I do…?”

Should I just not make the syrup? But then it would just be plain sweet potatoes…
Of course they’d still taste good, but I had already told the children that today’s snack would be candied sweet potatoes.

They’d be disappointed for sure.

“But I can’t just run out for sugar and leave the kids…”

Even while I fretted, time was ticking away.
I watched the clock hands move and stomped my feet anxiously.

That was when—
Estelle appeared like a savior, just back from her farm work.

“I’m home.”

“Estelle!”

“Why are you calling me like that—did something happen?”

I rushed over, clutching the empty sugar bag. Estelle looked at me, startled.

“I was going to make candied sweet potatoes, but I don’t have enough sugar. I was thinking of running to buy some, but I can’t just leave the kids…”

I curved my brows into a pitiful frown and asked carefully,

“Estelle… could you buy some sugar for me?”

“Got it.”

“Really?”

At her answer, a huge smile spread across my face.
I barely restrained the urge to hug her on the spot.

“Of course. It’s not that big of a deal.”

At that, Estelle rolled up her sleeves like some rough old man and rubbed her nose with the back of her hand, nodding firmly.

It was completely at odds with her usually expressionless face.

Status Window

• Stamina: 70 (+12)

• Intelligence: 84 (+5)

• Grace: 4 (−6)

• Stress: 28 (+8)

• Farming Skill: 30 (+6)

‘…So it’s all because of Grace.’

Since we still hadn’t solved her “grace” problem, Estelle’s attitude toward me was the same, but her behavior had grown strangely rough.

But this was still better. At least it wasn’t as bad as before.

‘And I’ll find a way soon enough.’

I deliberately ignored the status window and handed her my wallet.

“Thank you so much, Estelle. I’ll count on you.”

“I’ll be right back.”

She nodded, opened the door, and left.
I waved her off with a relieved smile, so grateful she was here.

Free time was almost over.
Soon it would be time to hand out the snacks.

But the candied sweet potatoes weren’t finished yet.
Because Estelle still hadn’t returned with the sugar.

“When will Estelle be back…?”

Quite a bit of time had passed since she left.
If she just stopped by the market for sugar and came straight back, she should be arriving soon.

“If she gets here within five minutes, I can just barely finish in time…”

But the thought of her being late made my heart uneasy.

To shake off the nerves, I decided to busy myself.
Using the excuse that the sweet potatoes would go soggy, I refried them.

That was when—

Knock, knock.

Amid the crackle of oil came the sound of knocking at the door.

I quickly turned off the stove and shouted toward the entrance.

“Estelle, you’re back?”

Thank goodness.
She must have returned in time.

Relieved, I hurried to the door, smiling, and flung it open.

“The door was unlocked—why’d you knock? Is the sugar heavy—wait, huh?”

But the person standing there wasn’t Estelle.

A book tucked under one arm. A hood pulled so deep it hid his eyes and nose.
And beneath the hood, the curve of red lips is smiling.

“It’s me. Are you disappointed it’s not Estelle?”

It was Basago.

“…”

No wonder. I’d wondered why anyone would knock.

During school hours, I never locked the door. Parents came and went at different times, and some dropped by early. Everyone in the village knew that.

Estelle knew it too. Since she lived with me, she knew the door would be open at this time—and she had her own key. Even if it were locked, she’d have just walked in.

‘So of course I assumed it was Estelle.’

Even the knocking—I thought she’d have her hands full with groceries.

But it was Basago.

The disappointment aside, I suddenly felt very uneasy.

No surprise—this was the first time I’d seen him since rejecting his offer that night.

“…”

“You really do look disappointed. That hurts.”

As I instinctively stepped back, he pretended to wipe away tears, then walked right inside without waiting for permission.

I was dumbfounded by his shamelessness. But what could someone like me do?
All I could manage was to clamp my lips shut and watch him warily.

‘At least he doesn’t seem as dangerous as last time. Should I be relieved about that?’

Watching him carefully, I remembered the night under the moonlight.

Back then, he had radiated real menace. Just facing him had made my body tremble, as primal fear swallowed me whole.

But now, he seemed calmer—closer to how he’d been the very first time we met.

Still frightening, but not like he’d kill me on the spot.
Even being in the same room with him didn’t make me shiver.

Not that it was comfortable either.

“Oh! It’s big brother!”

“When did you get here? Just now?”

The children, however, seemed delighted.

Den and Marco, who hadn’t gone down for a nap, spotted him and ran over, bouncing with excitement.

They clung to the fabric of his pants and hopped up and down.

Basago smiled and patted their heads.

“I promised, didn’t I? That I’d come see you again. Did you think I forgot?”

“Of course not!”

“Heh. Is that so?”

It was a picturesque, heartwarming scene—him and the two children smiling together.

But I couldn’t look at it with an easy heart.

Because I knew Basago was a demon who didn’t actually like children.

‘To even act like this… What is he really after?’

The last time, I had rejected his proposal and run away. Surely he’d been angry.

After all, I had refused him and even gone against his wishes.

So why had he come here?

And why go so far as to smile at children he didn’t even like?