“This person is named Charlotte, and while she resembles the Charlotte we know a bit, she is a completely different person.”
“……Sylvia.”
“Although the only differences are her clothes instead of the usual uniform and her wide-brimmed hat—”
“Sylvia, stop.”
If I kept teasing, I felt like Charlotte would really glare at me, so I decided to hold back.
“Um…”
As I pulled Charlotte’s arm to lead her out, Leo looked at both of us with a slightly dazed expression. It was as if he was wondering, ‘Why are you two suddenly coming out from there?’
“Did you not notice that we were following you two?”
“Oh, really? How far back did you follow?”
“Since Sophia was in between, it wasn’t that close. Besides, there were a lot of people before we came in here, so it wouldn’t be strange if you didn’t notice.”
I often failed to notice Alice following behind me too.
…But that’s because I completely didn’t catch her presence.
She wouldn’t have followed us here, would she?
I turned around for no good reason. I could see a few people, but those who heard that ‘Saint of the Back Alley’ had arrived were just peering curiously out the window. I didn’t see any brilliant golden hair shining brightly in the sunlight.
Since I said I’d study with Claire, it was only natural she wouldn’t come out. Once those two started studying, they would be glued to their books for a long time.
Claire had asked me to join her, but honestly, I wasn’t fond of studying, so I quickly escaped. Alice was already well aware of my personality, so she didn’t try to hold me back.
I thought just reviewing a few classes during normal times was enough. I didn’t want to spend my after-school time studying more than that, so there was no way I could agree if they insisted on doing more.
If Alice had been alone, she might have stayed back.
…Thanks to that, Leo ended up alone.
I turned my head back forward. Since Leo seemed to be pondering why I abruptly turned around, Leo, Charlotte, and Sophia were all looking my way.
I decided not to explain the reason.
“So.”
I looked back at Leo and said, “When did you start doing these activities?”
Since it had been quite a while since I gave up on following Leo and Claire, I had no idea Leo was doing these things.
That said, it didn’t seem likely that he was with Claire. If he had been, Claire wouldn’t have followed him with her personality.
“Oh, that’s…”
Leo gave a wry smile at the corner of his mouth.
It seemed like a self-deprecating smile. I couldn’t quite figure out the reason, but well, other students generally played outside happily at this time. That said, wandering around alone without friends would just attract attention.
Even though there was a carriage service operated by the academy, Leo was not the only one using it. If I tried to go out solo like when I was in the capital, I’m sure I’d run into several other students on the same carriage.
And if that happened, they would gossip more.
The most important thing in noble society is ultimately social skills. Without ‘friends,’ your influence diminishes accordingly. While he might have a female friend, after they all get married in the distant future, they wouldn’t even be able to meet freely, and exchanging letters could lead to a scandal.
His only male acquaintance, Jake, was probably with Roti now.
“……”
When I thought about that, I felt a bit sorry for him.
Is this why?
“Just, well. I came out to kill some time. And now that I have spare change, there’s not much to spend it on. I had already prepared my supplies at the beginning of the school year, and I’ve gathered what I needed. So I figured, why not use it in this nice place after wandering into this alley?”
“Impressive.”
Sophia, who had been listening to the story, nodded vigorously.
Her eyes gleamed like well-polished crystals.
Leo looked like he was genuinely pleased.
The sound of Charlotte shifting her body uncomfortably next to me caught my attention, and I looked over to see her alternating glances between Sophia and me.
…No, seriously. It’s not like that.
I think I should still be cautious about Sophia, but if those two end up liking each other, I won’t stop them. For now, the Sophia in front of me wasn’t exactly the Sophia I despised back then.
“Sounds good.”
I nodded at Leo and said, “Can I join you for that volunteering activity?”
“Uh?”
Leo looked up at me with his eyes wide open.
Why?
Did I really look like someone who would refuse?
…Thinking about it again, I wouldn’t refuse. I had been forced to do volunteer work at school in my previous life due to the time set by the school.
“Anyway, since there’s still a lot of time left today. It would be strange to come this far and just check out what you are doing and go back.”
As I glanced briefly at Charlotte while I spoke, Charlotte looked somewhat guilty.
“Consider this my apology for following you today.”
“Uh, um… really?”
Leo was unable to keep up with my words until the end.
No wonder.
If two classmates suddenly followed me to help with work and said, ‘This is an apology for following you today,’ I would have no idea what they were talking about.
But in situations like this, how else would I break through without being shameless?
“……”
“……”
Feeling Sophia and Charlotte looking at me with slightly blank expressions, I once again sensed that I had grown.
Mainly in the thickness of my facial skin.
*
Almost nobody hates free stuff. Of course, those who are incredibly knowledgeable, ethical, and have a different will towards their life might refuse to accept anything for free, insisting on paying their dues. But generally, those people can find a way to survive without accepting such things in the first place.
Those who can eat and live on their own capabilities are the ones who can confidently say such things.
Typically, those humans are artisans who have inherited family businesses or nobles who have inherited their fathers’ fortunes.
“It’s quieter than I expected.”
“The people living here are all working.”
“Even on a Sunday?”
As Charlotte showed a slightly surprised expression, Leo gave a bitter smile.
“Is Charlotte a follower of the Goddess Church?”
“Oh, not really…”
Charlotte glanced at Sophia while she spoke.
The Goddess Church itself is an original religion of this world that doesn’t exist in reality, but it has taken a lot from Christianity. The Goddess created the world in six days and rested on the last day, so her followers call that day the day of rest.
And that has become an implicit rule here that Sunday is recognized as a day of rest even for non-followers.
Leo surely knew that.
“There’s no official religion in the Empire, which is why there are no legal holidays. Depending on the factory, the days off can vary, sometimes once a month or twice a month. It might be a Sunday or it might not.”
“…Is that so?”
While Velbur has a relatively strong religious color, it still hasn’t centered its economy on industries like the Empire.
Of course, that doesn’t mean the people aren’t poor. But the types of poverty are different.
The atmosphere of a big city where various individuals come for various reasons is completely different from that of villages where family units of farmers live together. At least those family units might have some time to rest on weekends.
“After all, most of them have families. Plus, there’s a regional system as well. It’s an area the nation can’t meddle in, so they would have their own rules made among themselves.”
Of course, even Leo didn’t seem to have a comfortable expression while saying that.
A system made only through verbal agreements among people isn’t very sturdy. It can decay more easily.
“……”
No matter how quiet it was, there were still children and the elderly. We shared bread and worn clothes with the children that approached us. It seemed Leo had already come here several times before—considering he had even gotten a nickname, he must have been here quite often—and he seemed to have a rough understanding of the family situations of the kids.
The things Leo brought moved quickly in less than an hour.
“Big brother! Show me that, that!”
While preparing to go back, a child ran up and yelled at Leo.
Both Charlotte and I were a bit surprised. After all, thinking about it again, Leo probably hadn’t revealed that he was a baron’s son.
“Should I? Alright, I’ll show you.”
“Wow!”
Hearing that, more and more children started to gather around Leo one by one.
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