episode_0010

An invitation from Renia, and I am the first.

That fact somehow brought a smile to my face. A smile that I didn’t even intend. I felt better.

“You must go… Ugh!”

At that moment, I remembered something essential for a birthday party.

birthday.

The Fletcher family doesn’t celebrate birthdays, so I couldn’t remember them right away. I knew that gifts were definitely given on birthdays.

“Uh, what should I do?”

A gift for Renia.

I wanted to give something a little special as a gift to my first friend.

“I have to ask my father for pocket money.”

I immediately came out of the study.

OK-.

Was he leaning against the study door and eavesdropping? Not only Rachel, but also my father had already arrived.

My father greets me with an awkward smile. Beside me, Rachel was naturally distracted.

“Huh, you were here.”

I realized I was overheard.

But there was something I wanted to say first.

“Father, can you give me some pocket money?”

Unlike usual, I asked my father politely, even using polite language.

“… Um, why?”

“That… It’s Renia’s birthday soon, so I’m planning to prepare a gift.”

“That’s right… .”

The father was drooling with a faint smile on his face. I was starting to get a little annoyed that he didn’t answer right away and seemed to be taking his time.

but-.

In the current situation, I had to thoroughly please my father, so I held back.

“Is it not possible…? ?”

Although his pride was hurt, he showed some charm. I opened my eyes wide and looked up at my father.

OK-.

“There’s nothing that can’t be done. But think carefully.”

“What?”

“Does Renia like the gifts she buys with the money I gave her?”

What does that mean?

“You like receiving gifts.”

“No, absolutely not. Personally, I think this way. It has been said that a gift is only meaningful if you give it yourself, without the help of your parents.”

Rachel clapped and defended her father’s words.

“Yes! It’s exactly what it says!”

2 to 1 situation.

No, if you think about it carefully, it’s a 3-0 situation. After listening to my father, I also thought that it would be a good idea.

So what can I ask my father?

“I… , Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Of course!”

.

.

.

I whined and moved the small box.

I don’t know what was inside this small box, but it was extremely heavy. At least for a 10 year old child to lift it.

“No matter what… ”

What my father gave me.

It was about moving things before going up. There were top employees around me, but they did nothing to help me.

They say it’s an order from my father or something.

Well, honestly, it wasn’t a bad feeling. To be honest, I’ve been bored these days.

Waiting for Renia’s letter was difficult, but if you do things like this, time goes by faster than you think.

I whined for a while and worked hard.

And the moment the work is finished.

I cheered as I stretched.

“Okay, it’s over!!!”

The words I shouted out without even realizing it.

The employees applauded me for my shout-out. In a situation where I was suddenly in the spotlight, I quickly moved to my seat.

Heading straight to my father’s office…

“Give me weekly wages!!!”

He spoke confidently.

A reward for all your hard work over the past week. It was the day I received my weekly pay.

My father, who was sitting working in his office, took out a bag that seemed to have been prepared in advance.

“Now, take it here.”

I didn’t want it to get taken away, so I quickly grabbed it. And then he bowed his head once.

“Thank you! I’ll write well!”

My father laughed when he saw me.

“… As soon as I finish work, I immediately start talking.”

“Yes, because my father was my employer. So, I used honorifics. Not anymore.”

Now I have returned to being my father’s son, not just my father’s employee. I looked forward and checked the money in my pocket.

Let’s see… .

“Uh… ? It’s less than I thought… ?”

I worked hard for a week to earn it, but I couldn’t see anything sparkling golden.

“Is this correct?”

“What?”

“There are no gold coins… !”

There are three currency units on the continent. They were gold coins, silver coins, and copper coins. But isn’t there only silver coins and copper coins in this bag?

My father smiled.

“Okay, why aren’t there any gold coins? . It’s an easier answer than you think.”

“What does it mean to be easy?”

“That’s… ! Because I calculated it as originally given.”

Well, then.

“Is this how much the employees get?”

“Of course, you are my son, so I tried to take extra care of you.”

“Is this something you took extra care of?”

No matter how much I think about it, it’s a bit small… .

“You must listen to the end. I said I did it.”

“Yes… ?”

“You… I dropped the box a few times.”

omg-!

I didn’t know it would be caught.

“The item in the small box is more expensive than the item in the original large box. I got it all out of your weekly salary.”

“Well, it was something like that.”

I had nothing to say. Because I actually made a few mistakes.

Still, I was glad.

I think this amount of money would be enough to buy a gift for Renia.

and-.

‘You’re working to give a girl a gift? That’s great. Well, let me give you some advice… ‘

Emily, who took interest in me while I was working hard. My sister gave me advice. What gifts do girls like?

I left the office and went to see Rachel.

“Rachel, let’s go to the doll store!”

Advice from Emily. That is, girls like dolls.

“Do you mean the doll store?”

“Yes!”

Rachel looked troubled at my words.

“That… There is no doll store in Fletcher Territory.”

“What… ?”

I didn’t know because I wasn’t particularly interested in dolls. There was no doll store in Fletcher Territory.

“Of course, if you go to a general store, you might be able to find it… To be honest, I don’t really want to recommend such a place.”

I agreed with Rachel, so I nodded. A general store with all sorts of things. There, the prices of goods tended to be higher than the market price.

If dolls were sold here, where there is no doll store, how expensive would they be? .

My imagination took off.

“Then what should I do?”

I decided what to give, but I can’t buy it.

“Hmm… ! I had a great idea!”

“What a good idea?”

“Why not buy it on the way to the birthday party?”

“Aha! Now that I think about it, that’s right!”

If you don’t have it here, you can buy it somewhere else. It was a really simple method.

“Then… I guess I should talk to my father about leaving a little early.”

There are two weeks left until Renia’s birthday. It would take a week to get there, but considering that I would have to visit the surrounding estates to buy gifts, it seemed right to leave now.

***

“Ehehehe, it’s finally here!”

The smile on Renia’s face never ceased. It was because the long-awaited letter from Chris had arrived.

I was especially looking forward to this letter.

I sent an invitation to the birthday party along with the letter.

“What did you reply?”

Renia checked the reply Chris sent.

and-.

“As expected, Chris feels the same way as me!”

After Chris left, Renia was always bored. Even if I sneak out of the mansion like before and play with my peers at the park.

Perhaps it was because she missed playing with Chris, Renia thought.

however-.

Likewise, Chris also wrote a letter saying that he was bored because he did not play with Renia. That made Renia so happy.

Still, my chest felt sore.

It doesn’t hurt, it feels like a tickling sensation. Renia knew what this feeling was.

A feeling I often felt when thinking of my mother. It was a longing.

“I want to meet you again soon!”

Renia hoped her birthday would come quickly. Then I can play with Chris again.

***

Inside the carriage.

Where my father should have been sitting, there was a pocket the size of my torso. I know very well what this is.

Inside this pocket was the gift I had prepared for Renia. And now it was the day before Renia’s birthday.

I was really able to arrive on time. Even though my father wasn’t here.

“Rachel, then your father won’t come at all, right?”

Rachel, sitting in the coachman’s seat and driving the horse. Rachel turned her head to my question and nodded.

“He said he wouldn’t be able to attend the party because he had work to do.”

“Really? It’s a shame.”

Although it was unfortunate, it wasn’t sad.

Honestly, I actually found this a little more comfortable. When my father was around, he kept asking me about Lenia, which made me tired.

On the way to Ruberyeong by carriage.

“I can see it now.”

The flower garden is still here.

however-.

“Uh huh… , Looks like quite a few people were invited.”

I looked out the window at Rachel’s words. The city of Ruberyeong visible from afar. There was a long line of carriages there.

A long procession.

I could immediately guess what this procession was. Because I am also an invited member.

“Oh… , it looks like all the famous families in the south have been invited.”

I was a little surprised by Rachel’s words.

I had no idea that the Luber family’s reputation was that high. Still, I felt strangely proud. Because unlike them, I am the first.

The first person invited to Renia. Because that was me.

And to think that it is my friend who is inviting so many guests… .

“I’m proud.”

Strangely enough, I felt better.

But at that moment-.

‘There are many families in the South… ?’

What Rachel said lingered in my mind.

Many families exist in the South. For some reason, I was starting to feel bad. Because it brought back memories of that time.

“No, there won’t be.”

I tried to push the ominous thoughts away from my mind and consoled myself. He said there was nothing for me to worry about.