TVBDS 08

Chapter: 08

“Wow. There are really so many people…!”

Come to think of it, this was Antoine’s first time coming to the market.

Antoine pressed himself completely against the carriage window, repeatedly letting out sounds of amazement like “Wow” and “Whoa.”

“Fresh fish! Fresh fish! We also have fresh clams!”

“Buy some flowers! Monsieur, please buy just one flower!”

“Is this old man crazy? You expect me to pay this much for these pathetic-looking carrots?”

“If you’re not buying, then get lost!”

Oh no.

The rough tone and curses of the people haggling with each other didn’t seem like they would have a good influence on Antoine.

I quickly pulled Antoine away from the window.

Compared to this place, Rierre had proper stores and a clearly defined customer base, making it a much cleaner and more comfortable place.

‘When I realized that my family had fallen and I could no longer buy things in Rierre, I felt like the world was collapsing…’

Thinking about it now, that had just been the complaints of a spoiled flower growing inside a greenhouse.

There weren’t even discounts or clearance sales in Rierre!

After passing through the market on Reforme Street, the carriage stopped at the entrance of Rierre Street, and the door opened.

The first thing that greeted Antoine and me, who stepped down with Uncle Guillaume’s escort, was an enchanting smell.

“Bread!”

“Bread is also made by guilds.”

“Why?”

“If someone without permission made it and people got sick or they cheated customers with the price, it would become a serious problem, wouldn’t it?”

“Heeeh… I want to eat bread.”

Antoine pretended to listen to the explanation but clearly didn’t care, pulling on my hand.

Then, before he had even taken three steps, he stopped and let out an exclamation that came from the deepest part of his stomach.

“Wooooow…!”

We had finally arrived.

The place we came to was a shop that sold toys made by craftsmen belonging to the guild.

Not a wooden sword crudely carved as a side job by a rural farmer, but a smooth wooden sword that looked like it could actually be used for training.

Dolls with porcelain bodies and arms and legs stuffed with soft cotton instead of straw.

And for those dolls, there were tiny silk dresses, shoes, gloves, bags, and even cosmetics.

A toy soldier set made of tin immediately captured Antoine’s attention.

As Antoine hurriedly ran toward it, the wooden horse on his back swayed.

“Go ahead and choose whatever you like.”

Uncle Guillaume rubbed his hands together with an expression full of anticipation.

Then he immediately disappeared into the store after Antoine.

Somehow, it looked like the adult was more excited than the child…?

But what I was looking for wasn’t in this store.

I would pretend to look around casually, then sneak away.

That was when it happened.

“That damn brat! Hey! Are you not going to stop right there? Thief! Thief! Catch that thief!”

A loud crash came from the bakery, followed by an enraged shout.

“Get out of my way! Move!”

Someone came running while pushing aside the neatly dressed pedestrians.

Old and shabby clothes.

Shoes with the soles completely torn apart, revealing his toes.

A face covered in grime and soot, and hair whose original color was impossible to tell.

And crimson eyes shining like fresh blood.

The moment I saw those eyes, I realized the boy’s identity.

“Bastian…?”

“Hey! Move!”

Why are you here right now?

I was so shocked that I stood there blankly.

A moment later, I realized what he had shouted and screamed.

“Ah!”

But it was already too late.

Crash!

Stars sparkled before my eyes.

My back and the back of my head hurt from hitting the ground, and tears welled up from the pain.

Amidst the fuss of people worrying about me, a clear voice that had not yet gone through puberty spat out a stream of harsh curses.

“I told you to move!”

Bastian, who had also fallen after crashing into me, seemed to be unable to get up easily because of the force he had been running with.

“Got you! You bastard, get up right now!”

“Ugh!”

The baker who had chased after him swung a rolling pin around like a club before grabbing Bastian by the collar and pulling him up.

Then, with a merciless hand, he slapped the boy across the cheek.

Smack!

For a moment, I wondered if I had really seen what I thought I saw.

What was he doing to a child?!

But Bastian never let go of the bread he was holding.

Th-this needs to be stopped, doesn’t it?

Why was everyone just watching?

“Filthy little vagrant!”

“Tsk, this is why people of low birth can’t be helped.”

But not a single person felt pity or sympathy for Sebastian.

If anything, they looked at him with disgust, as if he were some piece of dirty trash.

At that moment, something hot surged up from my stomach.

“Stop!”

My body moved on its own.

While the baker froze in surprise, I stepped in front of Bastian and hid him behind me.

The baker, who had almost struck the daughter of a viscount with a rolling pin, snorted angrily as he glared at me.

More precisely, he glared at Bastian hidden behind me.

“Are you okay?”

I only turned my head to check on Bastian.

The handprint on his cheek and the blood at the corner of his mouth had ruined his handsome face.

But those eyes, shining fiercely enough to look desperate, were still alive and burning.

His blood-red eyes glared at me, and finally, he opened his mouth.

“What are you getting involved for? Something like white mold.”

“……”

Should I have just let him get hit one more time?

I was supposed to introduce this guy to Father or Uncle Guillaume?

Convince them that this was the perfect time to invest while he was at his lowest point?

Wouldn’t it be more effective to take him to the royal palace right now and say, “Look at these red eyes! These eyes are proof that he carries the royal bloodline!”?

The original Sebastian Bellure from the story was what people commonly called the bad-boy type.

Cruel and cold-hearted in proportion to his brilliant talent, he refused to acknowledge his own feelings and treated Colette carelessly, eventually losing to Antoine.

Separate from whether it was deserved punishment or not, I believed the reason behind his terrible personality was his miserable childhood.

After all, there was a reason people said kindness came from a full granary.

But looking at him now, Bastian’s roots had already begun withering from the very beginning.

“Young lady, please move aside! Someone like him deserves to have his hands cut off immediately!”

Wasn’t that a bit too much punishment for stealing a piece of bread?

…Although, if I wanted to argue against it, the bread Bastian stole was a massive campagne loaf almost as big as Antoine’s upper body.

He really managed to steal something that huge.

No, this wasn’t the time to admire that!

“Wait. No matter what, isn’t this too much for a child? I’ll buy the bread instead. So please let this boy go.”

“Huh?”

The baker’s eyes widened.

I didn’t miss the opportunity and pulled out my handkerchief.

“Stay still.”

When I tried to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, Bastian flinched and stepped backward.

The sight reminded me of a stray cat raising all its fur and becoming cautious, making me let out a helpless sigh.

“You’re bleeding. I’ll wipe it for you.”

I slowly reached out my arm.

Although he flinched, he didn’t refuse.

I gathered my courage and stepped one step closer.

Bastian remained frozen in place, only blinking his eyes.

But his gaze was still full of caution, as if he would immediately shake me off and run away the moment he got the chance.

His condition was even worse up close.

His pale face had no trace of color, dark circles surrounded his eyes, and his cheeks were sunken.

Speaking from experience, someone didn’t become this bad after only starving for a day or two.

His ragged clothes, with stretched-out collars and sleeves, looked like something he had simply picked up and worn.

And his already nearly destroyed shoes had flown off somewhere during the commotion, leaving him barefoot.

The Bastian I knew was someone who never lost his arrogance or confidence even before the king.

Someone who shone brilliantly all on his own.

But the child standing before me now was nothing more than a desperate little beast driven to the edge of a cliff, with only his hostility left.

Seeing that sight, the hot lump in my throat grew even heavier.