Chapter 1-16 : The Girl Learns About The World, And The Cat Watched Over Her (part 2)
At the stall, there was a middle-aged man who seemed to be in his forties sitting listlessly while gazing at the sea.
「Um, excuse me?」(Elle)
「Hm? Can I help you, little lady?」(man)
「I want to board the ship to the royal capital. I have to buy a boarding pass here, right?」(Elle)
「Yeah. Are you with your parents or…」(man)
「No. I’m by myself.」(Elle)
When Elle said that, the man raised the edge of his mouth.
Yoyo, who followed Elle from behind, squinted his eyes. He felt a malicious intent coming from that man.
「I see. A boarding pass costs 25 copper coins.」(man)
「Eh…? Twenty five!?」(Elle)
Elle was shocked.
Not only did he double the price, but he also made it five copper coins more expensive.
He blatantly raised the price of the boarding pass, thinking that Elle was an ignorant child who didn’t know anything.
If the villager didn’t tell Elle about the price, Elle might have given the money to that man already, but since she knew, she tried to negotiate.
「I’m sorry, Sir, but isn’t it a bit too expensive? I mean, I’m a child, and a boarding pass for a child is supposed to be cheap, isn’t it?」(Elle)
「Huuh!? Kid, you must came from a small village in the forest somewhere on this island, didn’t you? Let me tell you. A boarding pass for a child normally costs 30 copper coins. I’m giving you 5 copper coins discount, you know?」(man)
「Thirty!? Seriously? But…」(Elle)
「No buts. You can’t get on the ship if you don’t pay.」(man)
「Uhh…」(Elle)
「Ojou-chan, don’t be fooled. A boarding pass for a child costs 10 copper coins.」(villager)
Seeing Elle in trouble, the villager pretended to be a passerby and called out from behind.
「What the hell, man? Go away! You’re ruining my business!」(man)
「You know that the knights won’t stay quiet if you break the rules, don’t you?」(villager)
「That’s…!」(man)
「The knights…?」(Elle)
Elle wondered why it had anything to do with the knights.
「Ojou-chan, listen. The ship boarding fare in this country has been decided by the government. The sailors have received a substantial subsidy from the government to keep the price of the boarding passes low. The reason is to facilitate the people to travel from one place to another and improve this country’s economy.」(villager)
「I see.」(Elle)
「But unfortunately, there are still cunning people who try to illegally mark up prices like this man.」(villager)
「Tsk!」(man)
The man selling boarding passes clicked his tongue and looked away. He looked irritated.
After telling precious information to Elle, the villager took out ten copper coins from his wallet and put them on the table right in front of the man.
「Here’s your money. Now give her a boarding pass.」(villager)
「Aa-ahh… There goes my chance to make more cash. Alright, alright. Fine…」(man)
The man then unwillingly handed Elle a boarding pass which was a small wooden plate with a number engraved on it.
ーBoooop! Booooop!
Soon after, the ship’s steam whistle was heard, indicating that the ship would leave soon.
「Ojou-chan, you should get on the ship now.」(villager)
「Un, but before that…」(Elle)
Elle opened her wallet. She wanted to return the ten copper coins the villager spent to buy her the boarding pass just now.
However, the villager shook his head.
「It’s alright. You don’t need to return my money. It’s not much, really.」(villager)
「If you say so… Thank you.」(Elle)
「No need to thank me. More importantly, you should hurry.」(villager)
「Un! Thank you for bringing me here!」(Elle)
「I should be the one to thank you. Take care, Ojou-chan!」(villager)
Elle replied to him with a deep bow and walked toward the dock while waving her hand at him.
At the end of the dock, there was a man who seemed to be a sailor standing by the wooden platform connecting the ship with the dock for the passengers to get on the ship.
「Hello, there. Can I see your boarding pass?」(sailor)
「Here it is.」(Elle)
「…Alright, you may get on the ship. Please, watch your step.」(sailor)
「Thank you.」(Elle)
Elle walked across the wooden platform and raised her hands as soon as she got onto the ship.
「We’re on a ship! Yoyo, we’re on a ship!」(Elle)
「You look so excited.」(Yoyo)
「Fufu. I AM excited!」(Elle)
ーBoooop! Booooop!
Not long after, the ship’s steam whistle blew again.
Not only did Elle hear the whistle, but she also heard sailors’ loud voices all over the ship this time.
Right after, the ship started to move away from the harbor little by little.
「Whoa, it’s moving!」(Elle)
「Yup. We’re finally sailing. Elle, look over there.」(Yoyo)
Yoyo, who hopped onto Elle’s shoulder, pointed his paw at the harbor.
When Elle turned in the direction, she saw the villager waving at her.
「Ah, it’s him. I thought he left to sell crops already.」(Elle)
Elle then leaned her body against the gunwale and waved back at him.
She could also see the man who sold her the boarding pass. He was leaning against the table and resting his head on his arms. He didn’t look happy at all.
While there were the bad adults who deceive other people, there were also kindhearted adults who were kind to others without expecting anything in return.
Recalling the warmth of the kindness she felt from the elderly couple and the other villagers she met in the village, reminded her of her dad and her master.
She kept looking at the harbor until she could no longer see the villager. She then whispered to Yoyo.
「Yoyo…」(Elle)
「Hm?」(Yoyo)
「I miss Dad and Master…」(Elle)
「…Yeah, I know. You’re still such a little child after all.」(Yoyo)
「Uuu… You’re right. Maybe I need a guardian…」(Elle)
「Am I not good enough for you?」(Yoyo)
「I’m not saying that. I’m really grateful that you’re here by my side, but…」(Elle)
「Haha. Don’t worry, I know what you’re trying to say. I’m just a cat after all.」(Yoyo)
「Yoyo…」(Elle)
「I understand, and I do think you need an adult human guardian too.」(Yoyo)
「Hmm… I wonder if there’s someone who wants to protect me out there.」(Elle)
「They won’t be easy to find for sure. Hahh… If only that old man could live a bit longer, he could watch you grow into an adult. He knew that he was the only family you had after your dad left.」(Yoyo)
「It can’t be helped… Master and I weren’t related by blood, but we were indeed family. Of course, Yoyo, you’re my family too.」(Elle)
「I, I know… Thanks. That makes me happy.」(Yoyo)
Yoyo blushed and looked away. He couldn’t hide his shyness.
「Elle, I promise I will be a good big brother for you.」(Yoyo)
「Big brother? No, no. Yoyo, you’re my precious little brother.」(Elle)
「Litteー But I’m much much muuuuuuch older than you! I’ve lived for a veeeery long time!」(Yoyo)
「Well, that’s true, but somehow I don’t feel like you’re a big brother to me. You’re more like a worrywart little brother than a reliable big brother.」(Elle)
「Huuuuh!? I don’t get it!」(Yoyo)
「Pffftt! Ahahaha!」(Elle)
「Why are you laughing!? …Oh, well…」(Yoyo)
After learning about people’s malice, Elle realized that the world was not kind.
However, when she looked around carefully, she could see that it was also full of kindness.
While gazing at the vast sea, she was hoping for someone she could rely on.
Little did she know, she would find someone who really cared about her in the near future.
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I love this cozy little story. I can’t wait to see where the plot goes.
Thanks for the chapter! ❤️❤️❤️