Episode 32. Last Words (1)

Time flows, and the day of the Sealing Festival arrives.

The school was bustling with excitement from early morning.

‘Merchants, huh.’

Peeking out the dormitory window, I saw merchants carrying loads of goods entering the school gates.

After all, no festival is complete without stalls and food.

The merchants, who seemed to have been waiting for this day, had eyes as determined as warriors heading to battle.

‘Well, getting a permit to enter the school isn’t easy.’

Even though it was a day when outsiders were allowed in, that didn’t mean just anyone could enter without verification.

From thorough identity checks to inspections of goods, only after passing all these could one receive a permit to set up a stall inside the school.

‘But once they get that permit, they can make thousands of gold.’

It made sense, as prices skyrocketed abnormally during the festival, as if the economy had collapsed in a poor country.

‘Crazy people selling chicken skewers for 10 gold each.’

In old Republic currency, that would be about 10,000 won.

No sane person would buy a chicken skewer for that price, but the Candidates on festival day were far from being ‘sane.’

“Bourgeois brats.”

Well, maybe not exactly bourgeois.

Except for unique cases like me, most Candidates came from wealthy families.

‘Because Holy Marks are most commonly inherited.’

Meaning.

A significant number of Candidates here likely had parents who were Heroes.

Not all Heroes live luxuriously, but they are generally better off than ordinary people without Holy Marks.

On a festival day, few Candidates would hesitate to splurge.

“Still, 10 gold for a chicken skewer is too much…”

Of course, that’s just other Candidates.

For me, who attended school on the Republic’s scholarship, such food was out of reach.

‘But today is different.’

In my past life, I wouldn’t have dared to think about buying festival food.

Fortunately, in this life, I had a very good ‘friend’ who helped me worry less about gold.

‘It’s a waste to spend my own money, but it’s different when it’s someone else’s.’

I smiled contentedly, looking at the gold I ‘borrowed’ from my friend last night.

“If I’m buying for the kids too, I better bring plenty.”

I put the thick wallet in my pocket and headed to the meeting spot.

* * *

“Ah, Dale. You’re here?”

Arriving at the meeting spot, I saw Iris and Camila waiting.

“Sorry. Did you wait long?”

I thought I was early, arriving 15 minutes before the agreed time, but they were already there.

“No. I just got here too.”

Iris smiled sweetly and shook her head.

Her graceful movements and elegant demeanor exuded a nobility that rivaled any noble lady.

‘Who would believe Iris is from an orphanage?’

As I smiled warmly at the thought.

“Haa.”

Camila let out a deep sigh.

“Just got here? You waited over 20 minutes, didn’t you?”


“W-Wait! Why are you saying that?!”


“Because it’s outrageous, outrageous. The Saintess woke up at dawn, spending over an hour on makeup and choosing clothes, and you arrive later than her… Isn’t that outrageous?”


“You’re the outrageous one, Camila!”

Iris stomped her feet, her earlier grace and elegance completely gone.

“And while waiting here, you kept worrying about how to look elegant, what greeting to use… Ugh, ugh!”


“Kyaaa! Shut up! Shut up, you brat!”

Iris, her face red with anger, covered Camila’s mouth.

Watching Iris, on the verge of tears from embarrassment, I chuckled.

‘She’s always been conscious of it.’

It must be the result of her efforts to maintain her image as the ‘Saintess’ of the Holy Kingdom.

‘Not that I mind her current appearance.’

In fact, seeing her true self, which I couldn’t in my past life, filled me with a strange sense of emotion.

“…Why are you laughing?”


“Ahem. It’s nothing.”


“Ugh… Anyway! Since Dale’s here, let’s get going.”


“Are we meeting the kids right away?”


“No. We’re buying gifts first.”

Gifts, huh.

“Got anything in mind?”


“Not sure. We’ll look around the stalls.”


“Sounds good.”

Iris, Camila, and I wandered the stalls, looking for gifts for the orphanage kids.

“It’s crowded, as expected.”

Even though it was early morning, the streets lined with stalls were packed.

“Be careful not to get separated, Saintess.”

Camila, standing close to Iris, gently held her hand.

Iris looked down at the held hand and chuckled.

“Am I a child?”


“There’s no such thing as being too careful.”

Camila glanced at me, as if seeking agreement (or more like threatening to kill me if I disagreed).

“Well, with so many outsiders today, it’s better to be cautious.”

Especially when it’s the ‘Saintess.’

“Ugh… You too, Dale?”


“Can’t be helped.”

Shrugging at Camila’s stern look, Iris sighed deeply.

“Fine, let’s hurry and buy the gifts.”


“Something the kids would like… Food is always safe, right?”

Thinking back to the kids’ wild reaction when I cooked ramen at the orphanage, food seemed like the best gift.

“Hmm. Food is good, but wouldn’t it be better to buy and eat while exploring the festival?”


“Ah, that’s true.”

Part of the festival fun is impulsively buying snacks while wandering the stalls.

“Then let’s save the food for later… What else could we get as gifts?”


“How about these? Dale?”

Iris pointed at headbands with various animal ears.

A common sight at festivals.

“Hehe. Wouldn’t the kids look adorable wearing these?”


“Not bad.”

Imagining the kids happily running around with dog or cat ears brought a smile to my face.

“Ah, this would suit Camila too. Want to try it on?”

Iris picked up a cat ear headband and asked.

“Y-You want me to wear that?”

Camila, visibly flustered, stepped back.

Iris, with a sly smile, approached her, holding the headband.

“If it’s for the kids, we should test how sturdy it is, right?”


“B-But…”


“What… Are you defying me?”


“Grr.”

Camila, grinding her teeth, looked at me for help.

I smirked and nodded.

“I think it would suit you.”


“Y-You brat! How can you say that so casually…!”


“Now, now, stay still, Camila.”

Iris, smiling sweetly, placed the cat ear headband on Camila’s head.

“Ugh. Why do I have to…”

Camila, her navy blue ponytail swishing like a tail, touched the cat ears on her head.

“Wow! Doesn’t she look adorable, Dale?!”

Camila, bowing her head in shame, and Iris, ignoring her, eyes sparkling and stomping her feet.

“She does look good.”

As Iris said, Camila with cat ears was unexpectedly charming.

“Grr… How about you try one too, Saintess?”


“M-Me?”


“You didn’t think you’d get away with just me wearing it, did you?”

Perhaps her shame had reached its limit, turning into anger.

Camila, breathing heavily, picked up a bunny ear headband.

“B-Bunnies are a bit…”


“You’re not saying you’re embarrassed now, are you?”

Camila, her eyes bloodshot, approached Iris.

“Kyaa! W-Wait!”


“Now, it’s your turn to taste the humiliation and shame I endured!”

Iris was forced to wear the bunny ear headband.

“Ugh. Why do I have to…”


“Hmph. Serves you right.”

Iris, wearing bunny ears, glanced at me.

“W-What do you think, Dale?”


“What do I think?”

I immediately activated my Hero Watch and took a picture of Iris with bunny ears.

“W-Wait! Why are you taking pictures?!”


“How could I not?”

Iris with bunny ears was destructively adorable.

“D-Delete that right now!”


“Ah-ah. Tampering with someone’s Hero Watch is a privacy violation.”


“Delete it, you brat!”

* * *

After a bit of chaos, we decided on animal ear headbands as gifts for the kids.

“Sigh. I’m already tired, and we haven’t done much.”


“By the way, isn’t it about time the kids arrive?”


“Ah, hold on. Let me check with Priest Antonio.”

After contacting Priest Antonio via Hero Watch, Iris turned to Camila.

“Camila. The Priest and the kids are on their way. Can you go meet them?”


“But then the Saintess…”


“Dale’s here with me, so it’s fine.”


“Hmm. Alright.”

Camila nodded and headed towards the school gate.

Iris, confirming Camila was gone, turned to me with a sly smile.

“The Priest will arrive in about an hour.”

“Huh? Isn’t that too early to go meet them?”


“They’re our guests. We can’t keep them waiting.”

Even so, going an hour early seemed excessive, I thought.

“Then… We’ve already bought the gifts. Want to explore the festival together for the next hour?”

Iris, with a sly smile, asked.

‘So that’s why she sent Camila ahead.’

I chuckled and nodded.

“Sure.”

Exploring the festival with just Iris.

An offer I couldn’t refuse.

“Now, give me your hand.”


“Why?”


“Oh, didn’t Camila say it earlier?”

Iris gently took my hand and smiled brightly.

“There’s no such thing as being too careful.”