“I’m exhausted…”
Eve Nightburn weakly pushed open the shop door, feeling as though her legs no longer belonged to her.
Why is this body so useless?!
She complained inwardly, too drained to even voice her frustration.
Staggering to the sofa, she slumped down.
A nearby waiter, who had been cleaning, hurried over and asked, “What would you like to eat?”
Honestly, the waiter was baffled. Who comes to eat at this hour? It’s 2 PM!
But out of professionalism, he decided to try his luck, hoping to squeeze some cash out of this little girl.
“Bring me the menu…”
Eve weakly extended her left hand, gesturing for the menu.
“Sure,” the waiter said, handing it to her.
After flipping through the menu a few times, she finally settled on Boiled Fish and a bowl of Rice.
“That’s all.”
She returned the menu and immediately collapsed onto the table, fast asleep.
About ten minutes later…
Lucian Blue stared at the sign reading “Fish Water Joy,” confirming he was in the right place before stepping inside.
“Hello—”
The waiter barely got a word out before Lucian raised his left hand to stop him.
“I’m just here to find someone.”
He opened his phone’s gallery and showed a photo.
“Have you seen this person?”
The waiter immediately recognized the light-haired girl in the photo—the same little loli who had just ordered food.
“Oh! She’s asleep on the sofa. Follow me.”
The waiter led Lucian to where Eve was sleeping, then returned to wiping tables.
Snore~ Snore~
Lucian stared at the yellow-haired creature with a drooping ahoge, momentarily speechless.
If you wanted to sleep, why not use a bed?
He couldn’t fathom why she’d come here just to nap. Could this get any more absurd?
As he pondered her motives, he noticed a suspicious wet spot near Eve’s face…
Carefully lifting her, he realized she weighed almost nothing—lighter than a feather, perhaps.
This light?!
Adjusting her posture, he discovered the source of the moisture: a massive pool of drool.
“Damn…”
Lucian was at a loss for words.
He quickly grabbed tissues and wiped her face clean.
Mmm~ Mph!
“Stop, stop! Don’t rub so hard! I can’t breathe!”
Hearing her protests, Lucian immediately halted.
Gasping for air, Eve took a moment to regain her consciousness before glaring at him and snapping, “What the hell are you doing?! You almost suffocated me!”
She snatched a napkin and vigorously wiped the itchy drool off her face.
After tossing the napkin aside, she turned to glare at her would-be killer—only to freeze, her ahoge standing stiff in shock.
“Mr. Trash?!”
“It’s Lucian Blue! LUCIAN BLUE! Can’t you pronounce it right?!”
“Whatever!” Eve refused to call him by his name. “What you just did was no different from hazardous waste!”
She declared that she’d nearly died of suffocation thanks to him.
If he wasn’t hazardous trash, then what was?
Lucian was momentarily speechless. Why did this little loli’s logic sound so convincing?
“Alright, alright,” he quickly changed the subject. “So why’d you come here? Just to sleep?”
As he spoke, he wiped away the drool puddle she’d left on the table.
Once done, Eve met his gaze and retorted, “To eat, obviously! What else would I come here for?”
She found his question utterly ridiculous. Wasn’t it self-explanatory?
Lucian: “Then where’s your food?”
Just as he finished speaking…
The waiter arrived with a tray. “Your Boiled Fish and Rice are served.”
“Thanks!” Eve took the dishes, and the waiter left.
Once he was gone, she pointed triumphantly at her meal. “See this? Is this not food?!”
“Look me in the eyes! Answer me!”
An awkward silence fell.
Realizing she wouldn’t back down, Lucian had no choice but to concede.
Lucian: “Fine, fine, you win, my little ancestor. Happy?”
Eve: “Who’s your ancestor?! Don’t interrupt my meal! I’m starving!”
Lucian gave up and simply sat beside her, watching her eat.
He placed the Strawberry Cake he’d brought on the table, sighing inwardly. I even got you cake, but you chose fish instead.
Hearing “Strawberry Cake,” Eve immediately paused mid-bite and sat upright. “Put it in the fridge! I’ll have it tonight!”
“Sure, whatever you say.”
With that, Eve ignored him and resumed eating.
Lucian stared at the cake, feeling an inexplicable sting—even though it was the Country’s money, not his.
Lucian: “My bad. I should’ve been back by 10 AM, but I dragged it out till almost 1 PM. You probably wouldn’t have come out to eat otherwise.”
“Still, I’m impressed you walked all this way!”
Gulp~
Eve swallowed her food and glared. “If I had a car, I wouldn’t have walked.”
“Could you even drive one?” Lucian shattered her delusion.
Even if she could, was she old enough for a license? Her height alone disqualified her.
“I meant a bicycle! Bikes are vehicles too!”
Eve refused to let him mock her height—even if he hadn’t actually said it aloud.
“Alright, alright, a bicycle. Just eat already.”
“Hmph!”
After her little tantrum, Eve picked up her chopsticks and silently resumed her very late lunch.
