[AFYC] Chapter 62

Fortunately, Barbara didn’t seem to have any objections.

“You wish to explore the city, then?”

Noting the uncertainty in Barbara’s voice, Seo Ah quickly added more detail.

“Yes. I’d like to see a place where many people go... like a market, if possible.”

“A market, you say...”

Barbara hesitated for a moment, as if thinking, then raised an eyebrow and continued.

“It’s not a difficult request. Visit the Central Market. It’s the largest market in Vieux.”

“The Central Market...”

Barbara watched the foreigner as she repeated the words, her face still bathed in the soft light of dawn. Seo Ah’s complexion suggested she had never experienced physical hardship.

Barbara briefly wondered what circumstances had brought her here, alone and far from home, but she didn’t dwell on it.

“You might want to take some money with you when you go. I’ll be right back.”

With that, Barbara left the room.

It wasn’t until she heard Barbara cross the study and the door click shut that Seo Ah finally sat down in front of the steaming food.

About an hour later, Barbara returned. Seo Ah quietly observed her clearing the dishes before asking,

“Can I go to the market now?”

An hour of waiting had felt like an eternity to her. Barbara glanced at the clock, lost in thought, before replying.

“They should be open by now.”

There was no reason for Seo Ah to stay at the mansion any longer.

She quickly followed Barbara out. After handing the dishes to a man in a suit who was passing by, Barbara led Seo Ah to her office. The office was located on the ground floor, just off the grand staircase.

“How much would you like to take?”

“Before that, I have a question. On the way here, I noticed many outdoor tables. Can I just sit at one of those?”

“They’re usually part of a café.”

“A café?”

“A place where they serve tea or coffee.”

Barbara studied the foreigner, who seemed utterly clueless, before giving her 200,000 Kertes.

“That should be enough for the market.”

Seo Ah clasped the two shiny 100,000 Kertes gold coins tightly in her small hands.

Barbara watched her for a moment, resisting the urge to click her tongue.

Such an innocent face, with soft, uncalloused hands holding two gold coins—she was the perfect target for a scam.

Barbara couldn’t help but wonder about Abel’s abilities.

She pulled a small pouch with a safety pin from a drawer and handed it to Seo Ah.

“Pin this inside your coat and put the coins in it.”

Barbara doubted the girl would understand the instructions, but to her surprise, Seo Ah deftly attached the pouch inside her coat. She even smiled faintly for the first time.

“Thank you, Madam Barbara.”

Barbara finally gave in and clicked her tongue, thinking she would have to double the number of backup personnel she sent with Seo Ah.

“Wait here for a moment. I’ll call Abel.”

♔♔♔

Abel Sting, who had been drinking all night, finally fell asleep at dawn. It wasn’t unusual for him—his previous targets were always noblewomen, and they tended to keep such hours.

His most recent target, a countess, typically fell asleep under the moonlight and awoke when the sun was high in the sky. She would then head out to a department store or boutique to shop, and as evening approached, she would attend a party, staying out until the moon rose again the next morning.

Abel had spent exactly six months in bed with her, and it suited him just fine.

But now...

“I can’t believe this.”

I’m not a merchant, so why am I at the market before nine in the morning?

“Out of the way!”

A rough voice shouted from behind him, followed by the splashing of a cart passing through a puddle. Abel instinctively stepped back, avoiding the worst of it, but a few drops still splashed onto the hem of his coat.

Judging by the smell, it was probably water from rotting fish.

“....”

His patience was already wearing thin. He pulled out a handkerchief, then hesitated—how much did this cost? —and instead opted to shake the water droplets off his coat with a scowl.

The first thing he noticed was the odd red ribbon.

That ribbon would probably be visible from 100 metress away. It was a deep, rich red, almost too vivid to be real. The ribbon’s colour was a striking, high-saturation red, but its material gave it a heavy, almost oppressive appearance.