Neonbil General Store continued making modest sales. By now, it was fair to say the business had stabilized.
While I was minding the stall, a beautiful girl with flowing golden hair approached from down the street. I could never have forgotten her. It was Eve, the woman I could call my lifesaver.
My heart began pounding at our sudden reunion.
When Eve noticed me, she smiled, waved, and came over.
“Eve, it’s been a while. Are you on patrol?”
“I am. Sibyl, it’s good to see you! I was worried about whether you’d manage after that day, but you found work at a shop. I’m glad!”
Eve celebrated my employment with a radiant smile.
“Actually, this is a shop I started.”
“What?! How? You opened a shop so suddenly. Were you a noble after all? Or are you from a wealthy merchant family?”
It was rather satisfying to surprise her this much.
“Not at all. I risked my life and forced myself to earn enough money, and finally managed to open this little stall.”
Eve bowed her head when she heard that.
“I’m sorry. You worked hard to build this stall, yet I assumed someone had financed you.”
“Don’t worry about it. That’s the natural assumption!”
If some young man who had been beaten senseless by thugs suddenly started a business, anyone would suspect he had a patron.
“But…”
She was worried she had hurt me. This woman truly was kind.
“It makes me uncomfortable when the person who saved my life worries about something so trivial. We’ll be running the stall here for a while, so come visit again.”
“All right! You seem to have all sorts of cute things, so I’ll come back on my next day off!”
She waved and departed. I had looked at her hands and noticed they were covered in scars. She must train nearly every day.
Seeing Eve again had soothed my heart. Then someone spoke behind me.
“You said you’d only just arrived here, but you’re already chatting up women? You certainly work fast.”
Neon’s voice sounded somehow lower than usual.
“No, she’s the person who saved me when some thugs attacked me shortly after I arrived. She’s my lifesaver.”
I found myself explaining a little too quickly.
But my excuse apparently failed to clear the clouds from her heart.
“Hmm. Well, it’s none of my business.”
In the end, I had to add dessert to our dinner and take similar measures to get back into Neon’s good graces.