Little Cookie and the Market Trip

Tang Wenxu fled the room as if escaping. Kuroki Nao’s actions earlier had truly startled him.

For any normal man, receiving an embrace from a beautiful girl should have been a joyous occasion. Yet, the perceptive Tang Wenxu sensed that if he were to succumb to that embrace, he would plunge into a bottomless abyss, forever lost.

He watched the children in the courtyard, dazed as usual, playing what appeared to be a game of tag. However, though his gaze was on them, his thoughts were far from their games. Instead, he pondered Nao’s peculiar behavior.

“Hey, freeloader, what are you staring into space for?”

The children, upon spotting Tang Wenxu, immediately gathered around him.

“Oh, nothing.”

The children’s voices jolted him from his contemplation.

“Hey, isn’t this pretty good?”

Seeing Tang Wenxu’s new haircut and clothes, the children’s eyes lit up.

Myles also chimed in, “Hmm, while you’re still a bit behind me, it’s quite decent. Many nobles don’t reach your current standard.” After speaking, he glanced at the little loli, seemingly with purpose.

“Hey, what do you think?”

The little loli, her face flushed crimson, stared at Tang Wenxu. Her consciousness seemed to have been drawn away by him, leaving her utterly speechless.

“Hey, I’m talking to you.” Myles patted her.

“Huh?” The little loli was visibly startled.

“Do you think the freeloader is handsome now?” Myles asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Hmph, he’s hideous! He gives me goosebumps all over!”

The little loli turned and walked away after saying this, looking as if she were fleeing.

Tang Wenxu let out an awkward laugh. He had, in fact, expected the little loli wouldn’t praise him. If she were capable of frankly complimenting others, she wouldn’t be the little loli.

Watching her retreating back, Tang Wenxu raised his voice.

“We’ll have guests tonight, so I’m going to the market to buy some food now. Does anyone want to come along? You can pick out some things you’d like to eat!”

“I do!”

“+1”

The children eagerly raised their hands in approval. By this point, the little loli had already walked several steps with her back to them. Her pace showed no sign of stopping, yet it grew progressively slower.

In her heart, she was shouting, ‘Call me, you idiot! I want to go too!’

Tang Wenxu, understanding this adorable yet unforthcoming girl perfectly, asked with a smile, “Is Little Cookie coming?”

“Who’s Little Cookie?” The little loli suddenly turned, asking with a puzzled expression.

“You are.”

“Didn’t I say? Until I meet my true parents, I don’t need these fake names!” the little loli declared loudly.

“It’s just a nickname. Isn’t ‘Little Cookie’ cute?” Tang Wenxu looked at her with a beaming smile.

“C-c-c-c-cute!?” The little loli stammered, her face turning red. This was clearly a critical hit for her.

“Little Cookie, will you come with me?” Tang Wenxu extended his hand to her like a gentleman.

Instead of taking the hand offered to her, the little loli slapped Tang Wenxu’s hand away, crossing her arms with an arrogant expression. “Since you’re begging me so much, I suppose I’ll go.”

Subsequently, surrounded by the children, they left the church together and headed towards the town market.

Kuroki Nao watched Tang Wenxu and the children’s retreating figures from the shadows, a complex expression on her face. She sighed softly. Her Master was gentle with everyone, and while this was something Kuroki Nao loved about him, it was also the one thing that displeased her.

If only, she wished, her Master would be gentle with her alone. Surely, that wasn’t an excessive demand, was it? Especially after all she had done for him.

But could she truly confess? Could she tell him everything—that she was an assassin, that she had killed so many people for him, that she was Karamanda, and so on…

Kuroki Nao shook her head. These were things her Master absolutely must never know.

She understood her Master better than anyone. Though he was gentle, he had his boundaries. He had always abhorred evil deeds, so if he ever learned of her many concealments, his disdain for her would be utterly unavoidable. If it ever came to that, what would she do? And what would he do?

If it were her Master, he would probably order her to leave. But could she truly leave him? He was so vulnerable. If she left him, could he survive in this world? Clearly not; he was a child who couldn’t even hold a sword.

Moreover, he was so adorable. How could she possibly leave him?

Kuroki Nao gently caressed the handcuffs in her pocket, as tenderly as she might caress Tang Wenxu’s body. Her expression was somewhat dazed, as if she were envisioning the day Tang Wenxu learned the truth.

If that day ever came, she would simply have to force him to accept her gentleness…

Although she hoped that day would never arrive, deep down, a faint trace of anticipation lingered.