“I knew you’d come back!”

  The shop owner burst into laughter.

  “The meat from my stall is good, isn’t it?”

  Harlyn nodded vigorously.

  The shop owner lifted his chin high and deliberately shouted,

  “So not only is my meat delicious—

  it’s fresh too, right?”

  Harlyn looked up at his proud expression, then glanced behind her.

  Everyone was staring at her—

  waiting for her answer.

  She turned back to him with a firm look,

  as if the two of them were business partners.

  “Mmm! Your stall sells very fresh and very delicious meat, sir!”

  A few customers who had been passing by slowed, then stepped into the line.

  The shop owner immediately threw his head back and laughed.

  Then he turned and dramatically pointed all five fingers at the butcher.

  “See? I told you! You’ve got to invest in customers like this little girl!”

  The butcher rolled his eyes.

  “Yes, yes. You’re always right.”

  And went back to chopping meat.

  The shop owner turned back to Harlyn.

  “So? What would you like today?”

  Harlyn glanced around.

  There were so many creatures she had never seen before.

  I want to choose carefully, but…

  She looked at the tightly packed crowd behind her.

  They’re waiting too.

  The vendor noticed her hesitation.

  “Take your time, kid!”

  “Customers who buy from this stall are free to choose whatever they like!”

  He deliberately shouted that part again.

  Hearing that, Harlyn pointed at a creature hanging nearby—

  golden hide, shaped somewhat like a deer.

  The shop owner turned.

  “Oh—

  You mean the GoGo?”

  “GoGo…” Harlyn echoed softly.

  “Good eye, kid.”

  He grabbed a slab of meat from beneath the hanging animal.

  Thump.

  “This is the flank,” He said, tapping it.

  “Perfect for soup.”

  Harlyn’s eyes widened.

  Why does this piece look so glossy…?

  “Last time you were fussy about the size, right? So let me ask you this.”

  His question snapped her attention away from the meat.

  She tilted her head.

  The man lowered himself and leaned close to her ear.

  “How much money did you bring?”

  A chill ran down her spine.

  “Tw—twenty bronze…”

  He straightened.

  “How many people in your family?”

  “Two—”

  He gave a crooked smile and pointed.

  “And you’ll definitely want some money left over to have fun too, right?”

  Harlyn nodded shyly.

  “Y-yes…”

  “I knew it! Kids...” A chuckle slipped out from him.

  He then turned.

  “Knife.” He flicked his hand as a signal.

  The butcher sighed and handed it over with a glare.

  “Who are you glaring at?”

  “I’ll fire you right now!” the shop owner lifted the knife dramatically in mock threat.

  Harlyn coughed lightly.

  The shop owner turned—

  A crowd was staring at him.

  “Ah—uh…”

  “Just joking.” He scratched his head with an awkward laugh.

  Clunk.

  He cut off a third of the slab and tied it neatly.

  “Ten bronze.”

  “Really?!” Harlyn blurted.

  “Oh? You want it expensive instead? Twenty bronze!”

  She immediately shook her head, waving both hands frantically as she fumbled for her coin pouch and poured the coins into her sleeve-covered palm.

  Two, four, six…

  “You’re counting much faster this time,” the shop owner laughed.

  Harlyn handed him ten coins with a bright smile.

  “Thank you, sir!”

  ***

  “Huga got a fever today.”

  A blonde boy—about Harlyn’s age—spoke gloomily.

  “Ugh, why didn’t you tell us earlier?!”

  The brown-haired girl snapped.

  “Now I carried the puppet all the way here…”

  Behind them stood a black-haired boy, holding a stone puppet nearly as tall as they were.

  “Then I’ll go easy on you guys—”

  This one kid was taller and broader than the others, with a tail and animal ears perched atop his head.

  “Then what’s the fun in that?!”

  “Better to find another player!” the brown-haired girl said.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “Sorry.” The taller child bowed slightly. Even their ears drooped.

  “Hey—look over there.” The blonde pointed.

  The other three turned.

  ***

  Harlyn wandered through the market, clutching the wrapped meat to her chest.

  “Candy! Sweet candy brought all the way from the northern lands!”

  Her head snapped up.

  Candy?

  Even from afar, that stall stood out—bright and bursting with color.

  As if enchanted, her feet began moving on their own.

  ***

  Awe filled Harlyn’s face.

  Before her—

  rows and rows of candy in every shape and color imaginable.

  “Woahhhh—”

  “One bite and you’ll remember it for the rest of your life,” the candy stall woman smiled.

  Harlyn looked up.

  Green skin.

  Tall—taller than most adults.

  Two sharp fangs rising from her lower jaw.

  Even so, her warm smile made Harlyn feel no fear at all.

  “Y-yes—” Harlyn’s gaze drifted back to the candy.

  I still have ten bronze.

  Should I give it back to Uncle instead…?

  “These sell out fast. I might be done by the end of the day.”

  “Will you come back tomorrow?” Harlyn snapped.

  “Nope. I’ve got to head back north.”

  “You’re only selling for one day?” she tilted her head.

  “Well…” The woman rubbed her chin, glancing at the sky.

  “I’m actually here to visit a friend. Selling candy is just a bonus…”

  Harlyn stared at the colorful piles, her eyes turning thoughtful.

  I can try candy some other time…

  Other stalls probably sell some too.

  But this one is from the north—

  What even is the north…?

  “What was your name again?”

  “Ah—Harlyn.” She blinked.

  “Listen, Harlyn. If you ever get the chance—try it.”

  “You’ll regret it if you miss it.”

  The woman puffed out her chest, arms crossed boldly.

  “Selling candy and still putting on a show.”

  A passing man scoffed.

  “Huh?! Come back here and say that to my face!” the stall owner shouted.

  The man didn’t turn back—he only walked faster.

  The woman looked down at Harlyn.

  Harlyn didn’t seem to care.

  In her mind, Jukig’s voice echoed—

  You didn’t buy anything for yourself?!

  …

  If I don’t buy something I like—

  I don’t want to see uncle’s lifeless body again…

  Her eyes swept across the candy once more.

  “Do you have any candy for ten bronze?”

  The stall owner immediately burst into loud laughter.

  “Candy for ten bronze?!”

  She clutched her stomach, wiping tears from her eyes—wouldn’t stop laughing.

  “You’re buying gold candy, kid?”

  …

  Harlyn’s lips trembled.

  Her eyes shimmered, on the verge of tears.

  Seeing that, the woman flailed her hands nervously, panic flashing across her face.

  “Oi, oi—”

  “Mom, I want candy!” a little girl nearby tugged her mother’s hand.

  “No, sweetheart. Look—that lady is a bully.”

  The mother whispered and quickly led her daughter away.

  The stall owner’s whole body melted. She crouched behind the counter, only her eyes and hands visible.

  “I’m sorry, Harlyn, don’t cry—”

  “You’re scaring all my customers away…”

  Harlyn sniffled and hurriedly wiped her tears with her long sleeve.

  “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t know the price.”

  “It’s okay, Harlyn. Usually two or three bronze gets you a bag big enough to rot your teeth.”

  “Unless it’s those noble candies…” she muttered, scratching her head.

  Seeing Harlyn calm down, she quickly added—

  “This side is two bronze.” She gestured to the right row.

  “Three bronze.” She waved to the left.

  Harlyn stood there for a while.

  Two…

  Ten…

  …

  “Can I have five bags of the two-bronze ones?”

  “Of course!”

  “Buying this for the whole family huh?”

  The stall owner was about to crouch down—

  “But…”

  She looked up.

  “Can you put a little of every kind into one bag…?”

  “No wonder you took so long to choose…”

  The woman laughed helplessly.

  “So you just couldn’t decide…”

  ***

  Harlyn walked along the market road, eyes never leaving the bundle in her arms.

  Suddenly—

  A shadow fell across the ground.

  She looked up.

  “You!”

  A brown-haired girl pointed straight at Harlyn’s forehead.

  There were three others stood behind her.

  What is that boy holding?

  A stone person?

  Her gaze shifted.

  Why is he so tall and furry…?

  Animal ears? Are they playing dress-up?

  “Hey!” the brown-haired girl snapped her fingers in front of Harlyn’s face.

  “Hmmp?”

  Harlyn blinked.

  “Oh—here!”

  She awkwardly held out a bag of candy.

  “Huh? Candy? You think we’re little kids or something?!”

  “B-but…”

  “We don’t need candy!”

  “We’re short one player. I want you to join us.”

  …

  “I-I’m sorry, I have to go home and put my things away.”

  As soon as she finished speaking, Harlyn ran in a blink.

  Leaving the children staring after her.

  ***

  Click.

  Harlyn leaned against the door, her back pressed to it.

  With a sigh—

  Lucky they didn’t chase me…

  She walked to the kitchen, set the candy bags on the counter, then moved to hang the meat on the wall.

  Play… I want to…

  But I would bother them…

  Knock! Knock! Knock!

  The sudden pounding made her jump—the meat slipped and fell.

  She quickly picked it up.

  Knock!

  Knock!

  Wait a second!

  …

  Click.

  Harlyn peeked through the crack—

  Her eyes widened.

  All four children stood outside.

  “Hey—!” the brown-haired girl exclaimed.

  …

  Thump.

  Harlyn quickly shut the door.

  Knock! Knock!

  She leaned against it again, barely daring to breathe.

  …

  “This is annoying. Guess we’ll have to find someone else.”

  “Aw man… we’re just missing one mage…”

  Mage?

  Their game contains magic?

  Wait…

  I want to play too!

  …

  Harlyn slowly opened the door again.

  “Can I…”

  Her small voice made all four children turn around.

  “Can you guys teach me how to play?”