Chapter 23

Facing the cheerful boy, Rabi realized she was trembling terribly. It was a different kind of tension from when she was in front of Nella. Even though the situation was exactly the same as in the game, there was no save or load, and not even any choices to make.

"So? This is my first time, what can I buy from you?"

"No, it's the other way around. I want you to buy from me."

León scratched his chin with his fingertips. Seeing this gesture, Rabi furrowed her brow deeply. But immediately, she noticed her own expression and, closing her eyes, quietly took out her target. On the wooden counter, she gently placed one, then two, ornate decorations. "Hmm?" León raised an eyebrow. It was natural; Rabi's actions were incredibly naive.

She had come in without any groundwork or trust, and without hesitation, took out expensive gems to propose a deal. The overwhelming suspiciousness was enough to get her turned away at the door. But this was the only method Rabi had.

Even if she had memories from before becoming Rabi, she had no knowledge of being a merchant and was originally just a Japanese person, and in this world, a literal lady. To escape from Nella, muscles were essential, but money was even more necessary. Escaping with a muscular body would be meaningless if it didn't lead to the next step.

The necklaces and hairpins on the counter were all personal possessions of Rabi. They were gifts from her parents when she was young and still cute, and now, not fitting her at all, they were quietly sleeping at the bottom of her jewelry box. She occasionally took them out to look at them, but it didn't make her feel nostalgic. To get the funds for her escape, they were the perfect starting point, but the problem was the seller.

She had seen "buyback" signs all over the city, but she didn't know who "they" were. They might try to deceive her, or they might not be able to appraise the gems and give a random price. In that case, she had to use her game knowledge. This León Hamilion, despite his young age, had knowledge of stones that even his father marveled at. Though he had some personality issues, he was also a top-notch merchant in terms of skill and credibility.

Incidentally, in the main story of Harinezumi, there were not only the weekday parts where the academy was explored but also weekend parts where the protagonist went on dates with the characters they happened to meet in the city. León's route opened when the protagonist, after passing by the empty square twice, happened to see the shop sign and entered as a customer. Through conversation, the protagonist would earn the title of "interesting person" and León would become interested, eventually transferring to the magic academy.

Incidentally, Rabi had no intention of setting a flag with León and did not have the skill to give the impression of being an interesting woman. She was confident that she would be seen as a dangerous woman.

León's family, unusually for nobles, was famous as merchants. Most nobles would enter the magic academy, but it wasn't mandatory. He chose to help his family's business.

León was the only person she could think of as the ideal person to sell her gems to. Moreover, there was a chance she might run into Nella, who was enjoying the weekend parts. Today was the Flower Festival, a common event across all routes. At this point, the stills of the protagonist dancing in the square with the character they had the highest affection for, exchanging white and red flowers, should be happening.

She had no interest in who had the highest affection, but as long as Nella was absorbed in the dance, she wouldn't be disturbed. Even Sai's surveillance was limited to the academy. She had been thinking about what to do if the shop was closed or if the staff were not León. The moment she heard his voice upon entering, she thanked her luck.

"Can I touch them a little, at least?"

Tilting his head, León asked, and Rabi, of course, extended her slender palm. León licked his lips and then extended his index finger, gently tapping the gems. It looked like rough handling, but he was infusing magic into the stones, checking their state through the sensations in his fingertips. He seemed to understand they were genuine.

"Miss, I'm sorry, but we don't do high-value buybacks for first-time customers. If they were stolen, it would cause unnecessary trouble, you see?"

"I don't mind if you buy them at your asking price."

"That's even more suspicious."

You're right. Rabi had no intention of lying to León. She pulled down her hood and blinked her red eyes.

"I am the eldest daughter of the Heathfen family. These are not stolen; they are my personal possessions. If you need proof, would you accompany me on my way back to the mansion? I would prefer to keep it a secret from my father, the Duke, so if you could be discreet, I would be grateful."

She stared at him intently. León blinked and said, "Ah, Heathfen, I know. They are our regular customers. I've heard about the young lady with white hair and red eyes, but I didn't know about the short hair." Probably referring to her parents. Rabi, who didn't know that the Hamilion family had dealings with them, laughed and tapped her neck. "I recently cut it short."

She looked at him. Outside the shop, joyful laughter could be heard. León tried to touch his chin. In that instant, Rabi felt despair. This was his habit in the game, a sign of suspicion and caution. "I swear!" She hadn't intended to shout, but the words came out loud. She wanted someone to believe her. The thought that came to mind was pitiful. She realized now that experiencing loneliness was a bit painful.

"I will be your customer. Not just once, but I will definitely come back. There are still many things I want you to buy!"

It was difficult to bring everything at once, but if she could visit León on event days in the future, she could make progress.

The man known as "the chameleon" stared at Rabi intensely. His cheerful demeanor from earlier seemed to have vanished. "Still," he said, his breath cold. As a merchant, his ending with Nella ended with him choosing the path of a merchant. "You should become the queen. I'll make money behind you." In a much more casual tone, he chose to support Nella using his power and money while standing on his own feet.

"Why do you want so much money?"

—It's obvious.

"Because I want a lot of money that I can use freely!"

There was no lie. She wanted to be free. She wanted to escape from Nella and laugh from the bottom of her heart with her arms wide open.

León blinked several times and then suppressed a bitter smile, not scratching his chin. Cold sweat poured down as she wondered if this was the right choice. It was easy to say beautiful words, but he was "the chameleon."

"Sorry, I know."

His laughter echoed. "I heard about a certain young lady with a terrible hairstyle. I heard it was the Heathfen family." She felt as if the air was being sucked out of her. "I did a little digging." She was relieved, but she was also afraid of his next words. She didn't want to be disappointed after having hope.

"I'll buy them. Of course, at the right price. I won't let a good regular customer slip away. It's a merchant's nature."

She thought she might collapse this time.

He, the character representing a chameleon, could become any color to match the situation. Evil if it was evil, good if it was good, and lies for lies. Of course, as a merchant, he had to walk a tightrope to some extent, but that was who he was. Rabi chose this shop because she knew his habits.

"Thank you. Thank you very much."

Holding several coins, she sighed in relief. "Ha, spend it as you like and come back to us." It seemed he had misunderstood something, but as long as she got the money, it was fine. Bowing again, she thanked him and carefully hid the money in her pocket to avoid theft. "Miss Heathfen," León suddenly called out.

"I heard various things about you, and recently, they said your hair was cut terribly."

Apparently, Rabi's appearance was more shocking than she imagined. To the stereotypical young ladies, it was a mix of confusion and strangeness, leading to fear. León continued.

"Actually, it's not that bad."

He meant her hairstyle. Tapping the length of her hair as she had done, he relaxed his expression. "Still, you're dangerous." Indeed, she received the title of a dangerous woman, not an interesting one. So, Rabi laughed. It was the first time in a long while that she felt refreshed. Her face crumpled, and she laughed joyfully.