HKWM | Chapter 12

“Oh, this one looks really good on you too!”

Neither Noah nor I knew much about clothes nor had much interest, so we mostly went with what the store owner recommended. It turned out the clothes were mainly functional since they were designed for commoners, and there wasn’t much in terms of style.

Yet, the owner kept insisting we try everything on, probably having noticed that once we tried something, we tended to buy it.

It wasn’t even a high-end shop for nobles, but it was funny trying things on, and since we weren’t particularly strapped for cash, we just went along with it, nearly clearing out the store’s inventory.

“Oh, this one too, really suits you!”

“…It’s fine. We’ll take this one too.”

Now that Noah had gained some weight, anything he wore looked good on him, so it couldn’t be helped. It was Noah who stopped me from impulsively buying more.

“Are you really going to buy all these?”

“Yeah.”

“They won’t fit soon. The clothes we bought just a little while ago are already too small.”

The clothes we had purchased while staying at the inn had become tight even though they were the right size at the time. Noah had been skinny back then, but now that he was growing, it was clear that he wouldn’t be able to wear them for long, whether they became too short or too tight.

“Then we’ll just buy more later.”

Noah didn’t try to convince me further. He realized it was futile. Thanks to our unexpected shopping spree, the store owner, sensing a jackpot, approached us very friendly.

“Ah, it might be heavy; can you manage to carry it all?”

Since we were likely to see this domain’s residents often, I responded with equal friendliness.

“Yes, it’s fine.”

“But your child is so well-behaved. However, why does he hide his lovely face behind his hair?”

Noah paused briefly and touched his face as if checking whether his hair was covering it properly. I stepped in front of him and smiled gently.

“He’s just very shy. Thank you for your time.”

Sensing the store owner was a bit of a chatterbox, I quickly bid farewell and left the shop. Apparently, our significant purchases had greatly endeared us to him.

Unfortunately, the clothes were not to my liking. Good hangers, but the clothes didn’t live up to them. I made a mental note to tell Phoras to book the best designer in the area once we got home.

“Noah, let’s just buy a few essentials for now and later have a designer come to our place to tailor clothes properly.”

“Jin, I’m fine with these.”

“Nah, the ready-made clothes fit awkwardly—waist too loose, sleeves too short. Besides, that’s just how nobles do.”

“I’m not a noble.”

“To me, you are quite precious, so it’s similar.”

Moreover, buying a noble title is straightforward. Given our concept as a wealthy merchant family, it wouldn’t be too out of place. To the Archdemon protecting Noah, a noble title was merely a superficial layer.

“What does it mean when you say I am precious to you, Jin?”

“Exactly that—you are so valuable to me that you take priority over all else.”

It wasn’t a lie. Throughout my human life of scarcity and now a life richer than most, nothing had been truly valuable to me except for Noah.

Satisfied with my forthright answer, Noah fiddled with his hair thoughtfully and then asked cautiously.

“…Am I a precious person to you?”

“You’ve got it a bit wrong. It’s not that you’re precious to me, but you are precious in yourself.”

“So I am precious to you, right?”

“Yes.”

Pleased, Noah’s grip on my hand tightened slightly, and he quickened his pace, his head bouncing lightly against my chest, which was rather endearing.

Our next destination was a flower shop. We wanted to buy seedlings and tools for the garden. Noah kept a close watch on me as we walked, as if he thought I might disappear at any moment. Unable to bear it any longer, I nodded towards the people around us.

“Take a look at other humans too.”

Finally, Noah reluctantly shifted his gaze towards them.

Some were laughing non-stop as they talked, clearly enjoying themselves, while others seemed to carry the weight of the world, looking gloomy. Some looked unwell, and others were caught up in petty arguments, raising their voices.

Noah seemed a bit confused by the diversity. With no standard behavior to model on, he was unsure what to observe and learn. Knowing his feelings, I slowed my pace, which naturally slowed his steps as well.

“Living an ordinary life is harder than you think.”

“…It seems so.”

“It’s tricky because you can’t be too much or too little.”

Some laugh off unfairness while others show visible annoyance, and yet others react with outright anger or sadness. Even I couldn’t tell how the people here defined ‘normal.’

“We’ll figure it out as we go along.”

It wasn’t something we could learn overnight, so I dismissed it lightly. However, Noah seemed like he wanted to say something. I waited without rushing him, but he remained silent, perhaps preferring to keep his thoughts to himself.

As soon as we reached the flower shop, Noah was instantly captivated by the colorful blooms. He had shown little interest in people, but his fascination with flowers seemed fitting for his age.

“Pretty, isn’t it?”

“…It’s amazing. I’ve never seen flowers with these colors before.”

“Pick whatever you like. We’ll plant them in the garden.”

As Noah browsed, I pointed out to the owner the blue flowers that had caught his attention the longest.

“Please make a bouquet with these, without our little one knowing.”

“Sure, just a moment.”

The kindly-looking owner busied herself with arranging the flowers while discreetly observing Noah and me, perhaps wondering if we were villains who had suddenly settled in this small town.

“You two seem close. Is he your brother?”

“No, he’s my nephew. I’m looking after him for a bit at my brother’s request.”

“Oh, I see. You must have a good relationship with your siblings to take care of your nephew like this.”

She continued the conversation smoothly, not making it too burdensome while she worked on the flowers.

“These days, there are too many disturbing rumors everywhere. What if devil worshippers were hiding in our small town?”

“…Indeed.”

“Such cursed people should be captured by the knights and tortured…”

Feeling a twinge at being ‘cursed,’ I slightly adjusted the story we had prepared.

“More than that… my nephew and I aren’t set to inherit anything significant in our family, just helping out a little.”

I looked at Noah with a semblance of pity, muttering as if to myself.

“What could that trading company be thinking to go this far…”

“Ah… I shouldn’t have asked about such matters.”

It was all an act. This should be enough for her to spread the story in the direction we wanted.

“You’re very skilled.”

As I commented on the nearly finished bouquet, she smiled knowingly and expertly tied the last ribbon.