"Hello, hello. Welcome!"
The young shopkeeper raised her eyes slightly from the book she was reading to greet Charlotte. However, she soon returned to reading her book.
The store was simple, made of cloth and pieces of wood. Under the roof full of holes, necklaces and other items were spread out. All of them were priced at one silver coin. It was a typical cheap general store.
Charlotte regarded Allen with the store, her head bent with curiosity.
"Allen, do you want some accessories?"
"Nah. I just had something on my mind."
Saying so, Allen gently took one of the products in his hand.
It was just a plain hair ornament. A sapphire, cut into the shape of a flower. Every petal of the flower was carefully carved, and it was a masterpiece filled with the creator's thoughts.
When he saw this store from the coffee shop, his eyes were immediately drawn to it.
He put the hair ornament on Charlotte's head.
Staring intently at her, Allen nodded in satisfaction.
"I knew it. It's the same color as your eyes."
"Oh."
Charlotte gaped and gently touched her hair ornament.
Her round, wide-opened eyes and the little flower on her head were almost the same color. It suited her well. She had black hair now, but if she returned to her blonde hair, she would shine even more.
Allen nodded and spoke to the shopkeeper.
"Hey, shopkeeper, can I get this?"
"Sure, one silver coin please."
"Here, keep the change."
"Alright, thank-- Hey, sir! Isn't this a gold coin?! You're paying too much for what you bought!"
"Keep it. It's my principal to pay people what they deserve for doing a good job."
He winked at the flustered shopkeeper and turned to Charlotte, who remained pouting.
"Give me this too. Well, it's a trifling thing, given the large number of clothes."
"Huh?"
Charlotte stroked her hair ornament, her cheeks slightly tinted.
"This is the best... I'm glad."
"Well, is that so ...?"
It was a bit of an unexpected reaction.
He would be very happy if Charlotte was pleased. However, the embarrassment outweighed the pleasure. Allen's heart began to beat a strange rhythm, even though he had not cast a death curse on it.
Allen was at a loss for words, and the two of them stood in front of the street vendor for a while.
The shopkeeper laughed and whistled at what he thought he saw.
"Haha! Oh, that's it--"
"Ah!"
"Charlotte!"
Suddenly, Charlotte was pushed by someone.
Allen rushed to hold her up.
She was slightly heavier than when he picked her up by the mansion the other day. Still, there was still not enough flesh, he thought as he calmly measured with his eye.
Well, this matter would be on hold for the time being.
After all, a more troublesome problem stood in front of them.
"Oh. What the heck..."
"Oh, what's wrong?"
Two young men stood before Allen and Charlotte.
They both looked like adventurers returning from the dungeon, wearing simple armor on their chests and limbs. At their waists were large swords.
They were decent-looking, but their not-so-classy mannerisms and behavior gave a crude impression. They were, in a word, rogue.
Together, they scowled at Charlotte.
"Uh..."
Charlotte gulped.
Instantly, the blood drained from her face. So Allen covered her with his back and smiled at the men.
"I am sorry about my companion. Let me apologize instead."
For carelessly bumping into Charlotte in the front, for glaring at Charlotte, for frightening Charlotte.
When all of these charges were added together, it was a crime that could only be appeased, only after killing them three and a half times.
But... I mentioned fighting was bad...
In the unlikely event that the men were knocked down and frightened by Charlotte, one thing was for sure -- they would be beaten to a pulp
Therefore, it was best to settle this peacefully.
Allen uncharacteristically set out to clean up the situation in a non-violent manner.