"Eeeekkk!! Liana, don't be so mad!!" Javier yelled, running as fast as he could. From behind, Liana was chased after him, her usual calm expression replaced by fierce determination.
"Why are you running, young master?" Liana called in a sweet calm voice. She held a rattan stick firmly in her hand. "Aren't we friends?"
"Liana! I'm sorry!!!" Javier shouted, his face pale as he dashed down the cobblestone road.
"You shouldn't go outside without telling me or your parents!" Liana's voice was gentle, but her smile was anything but friendly. She swung the rattan menacingly in the air. "Now, come back here, young master!"
"I just went to sell some monster parts to get extra gold! That's all!" Javier shouted, dodging around a merchant's cart and leaping over a small fence.
"Oh? Then why didn't you tell me before?" Liana asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Uhhh... I forgot?"
"Wrong answer," Liana said, her smile getting wider as she raised the rattan.
"Eeeekkk! Liana, have mercy!!"
Villagers paused to watch, chuckling and shaking their heads at his situation.
"Perhaps this will teach you a lesson about sneaking off!" Liana called, picking up speed.
"I was just trying to earn some money ! You know my family doesn't even give me an allowance!" Javier whined, narrowly avoiding a stack of crates.
"And who takes care of all your expenses? Hmm? I've told you, young master, I'll handle everything!"
"Liana! You're too scary when you're mad!!" Javier cried, ducking into an alleyway, only to find it blocked by a stack of barrels.
He spun around to see Liana standing at the entrance, the morning light casting a shadow behind her. "Nowhere left to run, young master," she said sweetly, tapping the rattan against her palm.
"Can't we talk this out?" Javier tried, giving her a sheepish grin.
"Oh, we'll talk... after I teach you some manners," Liana replied, stepping closer.
"Eeeekkk!! I promise I won't do it again!"
"Good to know," Liana said, finally raising the rattan.
The nearby villagers turned away, smiling knowingly as Javier's exaggerated yelps filled the air. Despite the chaos, anyone who knew them understood—it wasn't anger driving Liana, but real care for her mischievous young master.
"Eeeekkk!! Liana!! Leave my face out of this!!" Javier wailed, dodging clumsily as Liana swung her rattan with perfect aim.
"Why? Are you afraid your 'handsome young noble' look will be ruined, young master?" Liana asked sweetly, landing a soft but effective kick to his shin.
"Eeeekkk!! My future wife won't like me if my face is bruised!!" Javier cried, stumbling and nearly tripping over his own feet.
Liana paused mid-swing and raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And who is this mysterious future wife of yours, young master?"
"Errr...you?" Javier blurted out, flashing his most charming grin.
Liana sighed, her cheeks turning a faint pink. "Flattery won't save you this time."
"Eeeekkk!! Mercy! At least aim for somewhere less visible!!" Javier pleaded, ducking as the rattan narrowly missed his head.
By the time Liana finished her "lesson," Javier sat on the ground, looking utterly defeated. His hair was a mess, his face was covered in bruises, one eye was black, and there was a faint shoe print on his tunic.
"You look fine, young master," Liana said, brushing her hands off and adjusting her skirt.
"Fine!? Liana, I look like I went through a monster stampede!" Javier cried, staring at his reflection in a nearby puddle.
"Consider it a lesson learned," Liana replied with a faint smile, grabbing his arm and pulling him to his feet.
"This is abuse… I'm filing a complaint."
Liana's ear twitched. "Did you say something, young master?"
"N-No! Nothing at all!" Javier stammered, shielding his already bruised face.
Behind them, a few villagers whispered to one another, laughing at the sight of the beaten young master. One old man chuckled, "That boy got guts."
Javier held the large gold pouch high above his head, his laughter echoing through the air. "Ehehehe!! At least I earned a lot!" he declared proudly, despite his bruised face.
Liana, trailing behind him, sighed. "You're still laughing after what just happened? Unbelievable."
Ignoring her, Javier clutched the pouch tightly to his chest "The old dwarf bought all 72 monster corpses, freshly from my magic storage! Not only will the villagers get cheap meat, but their income will rise too! A genius plan by me truly!!!"
Suddenly, he stopped, his grin growing wide. Hugging the pouch like it was his first child, Javier tilted his head slightly as a low, eerie laugh escaped his lips. "Kekekekeke… Now… I've got my Pekko…"
Liana froze, watching in horror as Javier's laugh became creepier with each passing second. "Y-Young master… you're scaring me… Stop that laugh…"
But Javier didn't stop. He leaned his head back and laughed even louder, his eyes shining with the wild ambition of an 11-year-old boy with way too much gold.
"My Pekko! It's finally happening! Kekekekeke!!"
Villagers passing by paused, giving Javier confused looks. One whispered, "Isn't that Viscount Armand's youngest son? Is he… okay?"
Another nodded knowingly while stroking his beard. "Ah, the madness of young nobles and their money. Best not to interfere."
Liana grabbed Javier's ear and yanked him out of his delusions. "Enough with the creepy laugh, young master! People are starting to think you've lost it!"
Javier rubbed his ear, pouting. "Liana! That's my 'evil genius' laugh! You're ruining the mood!"
She sighed and crossed her arms. "Forget the mood. Let's just get back before you start scaring the livestock."
Javier hugged his gold pouch tighter, muttering under his breath, "They'll see… they'll all see when I ride into town on my majestic Pekko… Kekekekeke…"
Liana groaned. "Why am I the maid to this lunatic…?"
Javier suddenly turned to Liana, his bruised face lighting up with wild excitement. "Now's not the time to walk back! We should buy that Pekko right now! Kekekekeke!"
Before Liana could respond, Javier bolted down the road
"Young master! Wait!" Liana shouted, facepalming as she watched him dash toward the Pekko farm like a madman. She let out a long sigh, muttering under her breath, "Why do I always have to deal with this?"
Oblivious to her frustration, Javier ran faster, his creepy laugh getting louder. "EKEKEKEKEKE!"
Villagers stopped in their tracks, staring as the noble boy rushed past them as if he were being chased by wild beasts.
One farmer whispered, "Is that Viscount Armand's kid? What's he up to now?"
Another shrugged. "Probably something crazy again."
Liana sighed again, pinching the bridge of her nose. "This is going to be a long day..."
( End of Chapter )
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"This boy..." she muttered and started walking to catch up. When she arrived at the farm, she found Javier already talking to the farmer.
"Thirty gold for two!" Javier declared confidently.
The farmer, a large man with a kind smile, laughed. "Forty is the best I can give you, young master."
"Thirty-five!"
The farmer scratched his chin, acting like he was thinking. "How about thirty-nine gold coins and fifty silver? Does that work for you, young master?"
Javier squinted at him, clearly thinking about it. The farmer could see he was enjoying the bargaining. "Such enthusiasm," the farmer thought, amused. He had heard about the youngest son of Viscount Armand—a lively boy who bargained like a skilled trader but was kind to the villagers.
"Thirty-eight gold coins for two! Ehehehe!" Javier countered with a big grin.
The farmer laughed heartily. "Thirty-nine, and that's the best deal I can give you, young master."
"Deal! Ehehehe!" Javier said, shaking the farmer's hand eagerly. He quickly counted the coins and gave them to the farmer, his smile getting wider.
"You're a sharp one, young master," the farmer said warmly as he handed Javier the reins of two nice pekkos.
"Sharp, handsome, and now a proud pekko owner! What a day!" Javier boasted, patting the birds kindly.
Liana finally caught up, watching with a mix of annoyance and amusement. "He really is impossible," she thought, but she couldn't help smiling a little.
"Young master, why do you need two pekkos?" Liana asked, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at him.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Javier replied, his eyes shining with excitement.
"One for me and one for you!"
Liana let out a long, familiar sigh. "As if anyone could stop him once he's made up his mind," she thought.
"You know, young master," Liana said with a calm smile, "Pekko are usually used to pull carriages or do heavy work on the farm. And for another thing too."
Javier blinked and tilted his head. "Huh? What other thing? Riding, right?"
Liana's smile softened, but she had a mischievous look in her eyes. "No... for food, young master."
"Ehhh!!!?? No!!!" Javier exclaimed, holding the reins of the pekko tightly. "This pekko is NOT for food! They're my companions, my noble steeds, my friends!"
The farmer, overhearing their talk, laughed heartily. "Don't worry, young master. No one's going to eat those fine birds."
"They better not!" Javier huffed, puffing out his chest.
Liana chuckled softly and shook her head. "He's so easy to tease," she thought, watching him pet the pekkos like a proud parent.
Javier turned to the farmer, his eyes bright with curiosity. "Old Man, do you sell bridles or something for their beaks?"
The farmer chuckled. "I have a couple of basic ones, young master. They're not fancy, but they'll do the job. I'll give you two."
Javier's grin got bigger. "Thanks, old man!"
The farmer nodded and handed over the bridles. "If you need something stronger or special, I recommend visiting the blacksmith. He can make better ones for your needs."
Javier looked at the simple bridles and shrugged. "These'll do for now. Gotta work with what you've got, right?"
Carefully, he went up to the pekkos and began fastening the bridles to their beaks. Even though the birds were big, they seemed calm under his hands, sometimes making low, happy sounds.
Liana watched him work, a small smile on her lips. "For someone who acts lazy, he sure gets excited when it's something he likes," she thought, shaking her head as Javier proudly adjusted the straps.
When he finished, Javier stepped back with his hands on his hips. "Perfect! These guys are ready for adventure."
The farmer laughed again. "Take care of them, young master. Pekkos are loyal creatures, but they like good treatment."
"Don't worry!" Javier declared, giving his new friends a playful pat.
Javier shouted with joy, "So, Liana! Hop on your Pekko! Let's go!" His big grin stretched from ear to ear, and his excitement was clear.
Liana let out a long sigh, adjusting her maid skirt as she walked to her Pekko. "Young master, you're like a child with a new toy," she muttered before gracefully climbing onto her bird.
Before she could even sit properly, Javier yelled, "Off we go! See ya, old man! Yeeehaaaa!"
He kicked his Pekko into a quick trot, then into a gallop, the strong bird running easily down the dirt path.
Liana gasped. "Young master! Wait!" She quickly nudged her Pekko to follow, trying to keep up.
Javier threw his head back and laughed, the wind blowing through his black hair. "Ehehehehe! This is fun!"
Now riding next to him, Liana gave him a scolding look but couldn't hide the small smile forming on her lips. "Young master, please slow down. What if you fall off?"
"I won't! Look at this! I'm a natural!" Javier waved one hand proudly, making his Pekko squawk as if it agreed with him.
"You're impossible," Liana sighed again, gripping the reins tightly as her Pekko matched Javier's speed, and the two rode along the road like adventurers ready to conquer the world.
Liana watched as her young master, Javier, rode ahead on his new Pekko, his big grin and loud laughter filling the air, and for a moment, Liana couldn't help but smile. She had seen Javier happy before, but this was different—he was shining with pride and joy, as if the world had finally rewarded him for his hard work.
She gently urged her Pekko forward, keeping up with him while quietly watching his happiness. This was the first time she'd seen him so thrilled about something he had worked so hard to get. Javier's determination to buy the Pekkos with his own money, earned through his own efforts, showed how independent and resourceful he was.
Liana smiled fondly as she gazed at him from behind. Young master… you really try so hard for the things you want, she thought. Even for something as simple as this, you put in so much effort. I hope that one day, you'll have that same passion for everything in your life.
Her hand brushed the reins of her Pekko as a soft sigh escaped her lips. And maybe, just maybe… she thought, her heart fluttering a little, I hope that someday, I'll be one of those things you truly want.
Shaking off her moment of vulnerability, she straightened up and called out to him teasingly, "Young master, if you're this excited now, what will you do when you get married? Laugh like this all the way to the altar?"
Javier turned back, his carefree grin lighting up his face. "If it's with you, Liana, I might just do that! Yeehaaaa!"
Her cheeks flushed slightly, but she quickly hid it with a sigh and a shake of her head. "Such a troublesome young master," she muttered, though her smile stayed as they rode on.
( End of Chapter )
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