163 – Good Boys Get Candy

She opened her mouth when she relaxed to some extent.

“Oh, I was going to say something. I told you there’s a charity event on 7th Avenue.”

“Yes.”

“I went to get my stuff and met a girl named Shirley.”

At her words, Viktor looked at Scarlett as if to keep talking. And as Scarlett shut up, he said, trying to continue further.

“Why did you stop talking?”

“I’m not trying to make excuses, so don’t be angry and listen.” Scarlett worried ahead of time and carefully talked to him. “That’s where I met Shirley. But he’s in a similar state to me.” 

“What if it’s similar?”

When Viktor asked calmly, Scarlett said.

“First, Shirley went to the police station, and she doesn’t remember.” 

“…”

Viktor was listening to Scarlett without opening his mouth. Scarlett continued.

“And I also……my memory has improved since the Royal Police interrogation. But he’s a lot worse than me. He just said he was going crazy because he remembered everything.”

“…”

“Viktor?”

Viktor was momentarily silent; Scarlett was worried about how he would react. And Viktor opened his mouth while thinking about how to prove it if he thought he was lying.

“I’ll figure it out.” 

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Scarlett looked surprised at Viktor’s answer. She asked. “Do you believe me?”

“There’s no reason to doubt Shirley until you confirm her.” Scarlett’s face lit up at Viktor’s words. She said, “I’m relieved you’re confirming it.”

As he was relieved, Scarlett gradually lowered his guard against Viktor.

Viktor sat down for some time and got ready to go back. Scarlett didn’t refuse to come out to see him off.

When she went outside, a small snow-covered house was on the street, perhaps by a local kid. It was a house to call the Snow Fairy.

Scarlett was looking at it, and Viktor put his hand in his pocket, then pulled it out and put it on her hand. So Scarlett looked at my hand, and it was candy.

“Put it in.”

As Viktor pointed to the fairy’s house and said, Scarlett asked with surprise. “You take this stuff? You only like stories with lessons.”

“You know the lesson; a good boy gets candy.”

Scarlett burst into laughter at Viktor’s nonchalant remarks.

After Viktor left, Scarlett squatted down and put candy in the snow house. And not long after returning to the second floor, she heard a girl’s voice.

“Oh, Mum! Endery left the candy behind! Look at this!” 

Scarlett grinned at the excited voice.

Whenever her ex-husband appeared, she could not close herself. She thought it was inevitable. She didn’t hate the fact that much.

♔♔♔

The date with Scarlett ended pretty well. He laughed a couple of times, and the story continued. After spending time with her, Viktor left the watch shop and headed straight to the slums.

Upon arriving at the entrance to the slum, Evan, who travelled with Viktor, got off the carriage and opened his mouth.

“There’s someone here who has the same symptoms as her?” 

“Yeah.”

Viktor replied.

When the splendid noble family carriage appeared in the slums, people looked out one by one.

“Is there a girl named Shirley here?” —asked Evan.

“Yes, yes. At home.”

People pointed to Shirley, fearing the two men in conquest, who would never appear on this street. The two navies headed to the tent surrounded by animal skins that people told them about. The rough leather smelled terrible even though it was winter. The two entered with a frown, and Shirley, shaking and drinking in the corner of the tent, looked up.

She jumped up as if she had something wrong with them. Then he picked up the knife, tore up the tent, and tried to run away.

Evan first showed his empty hand and put his hands behind his head to show that he had no intention of attacking.

“I’m just here to ask you a question.” 

“W, w, what question?”

“I heard you have the same symptoms as Miss Scarlett. I’d like to check the symptoms.”

Evan’s words stopped Shirley from shaking a little; she gulped down her favourite drink and asked.

“D, do you happen to have any more alcohol?” 

“Oh, yeah. Of course, we carry some with us every day.”

Evan replied and looked back at Viktor. Viktor took out a hip flask he always carried and poured it into Shirley’s empty glass.

Shirley sipped the finest whisky, often hard to drink, and drank until the glass was empty. Only then did she begin to speak with a more normal person-like expression and tone.

“Miss Scarlett?”

Viktor gestured with a frown as if the tent smelled unpleasant. “Let’s go. I’ll let you drink as much as you want.” 

“…Really?”

Shirley quickly followed. Evan followed suit and said.

“Can’t you just follow someone you don’t know?” 

“If you live like me, how can I be in the right mind to argue with that?”

Shirley said, and Evan slightly smiled as if he had understood. As they exited the tent and headed for the carriage, her neighbour, Jens, came running in surprise.