## Chapter 14 – No. 25. Going Out # 4
Charlotte supported No. 25, whose legs and waist had lost all strength, and helped him up. Charlotte’s expression was more satisfied than ever as she saw No. 25’s face redden every time he looked at her.
“To think you’d make such a mess in my underwear. You’ll need a punishment when we get back to the castle.”
No. 25 trembled at the word “punishment,” his voice trailing off.
“But… your hands, Charlotte, they were so cold, and it felt so good that I couldn’t help it…”
There was nothing more enjoyable than watching an innocent man slowly become tainted with her tastes. Pleased, she tapped No. 25’s head twice and reached for the doorknob.
“If we stay here any longer, the Demon Lord will get suspicious. Let’s go.”
Just before Charlotte turned the doorknob, No. 25 asked, looking at her back.
“Ah, um… what about the clothes…?”
“Oh, I almost forgot.”
She had been so focused on her actions with No. 25 that she almost forgot the most important reason for being there. If she went out without dressing No. 25, she wouldn’t be able to avoid Acer’s suspicion about what they had been doing inside for so long.
Charlotte grabbed the clothes that had been hanging on the wall and held them up in front of No. 25. Thinking this would create a decent look, Charlotte quickly took the clothes off the hanger and began to dress No. 25.
“Okay ~ From now on, you’ll have to do this yourself, so watch carefully. No. 25 is smart, so I’m sure you’ll understand even if you only see it once. I hope you don’t disappoint me?”
She continued to talk as she dressed him with delicate touches. Even though it was spring, the nights in District 7 were colder than in other districts. Charlotte dressed No. 25 in a white shirt and slightly wrinkled pants, and then put on a black coat with a fur lining, worried that he might catch a cold.
“It’s not much different from what you usually wear.”
A shirt, dress pants, and a black coat. It was a simple but neat combination. No. 25 seemed to like it, too, as he looked at himself in the mirror and touched the clothes.
It was on a different level from the clothes he usually wore. Soft fabric, warm lining. He had always thought it was something that would be far from him.
Charlotte nodded in satisfaction as she looked at No. 25, who was now dressed.
It felt different from the women’s uniforms she always saw. A man in a suit had considerable power. She barely resisted the urge to tear off his clothes and ravage the fair skin underneath.
Charlotte hummed and stroked No. 25’s chest playfully.
“It’s much better than when you wear those ugly women’s clothes. Or is it just that you’re so cute that everything looks good on you?”
No. 25’s face quickly turned red at Charlotte’s compliment. At the same time, he thought, “Just the simple act of wearing clothes can bring someone joy.”
“Okay, now let’s go show the Demon Lord.”
She had promised Acer that they would try on various outfits, but Charlotte knew Acer better than anyone. Acer probably didn’t want to spend any more time in this store. He was likely blaming himself and eager to return to the castle.
Charlotte took No. 25’s hand and walked out of the dressing room, carrying all the clothes No. 25 had brought in her empty hand. Acer smiled briefly when he saw No. 25, but his expression soon returned to a stern one as he spoke to the shop owner.
“It looks good on him. I’ll take them all.”
The shop owner calculated the price, tapping on the abacus at the counter.
“It’s 15 silver coins in total.”
Acer took out a gold coin from his suit and dropped it on the counter. The shop owner looked visibly flustered at the sight of the gold coin. For an old man living alone, one gold coin was enough to live comfortably for a month.
“Will silver coins be enough? I’ve added a little extra, so don’t spend it all on having fun. Take good care of the store in the future. No. 25 might visit from time to time.”
After finishing his words, Acer immediately walked out of the store.
No. 25 bowed to the shop owner and followed Acer out of the store. Outside, dusk was falling, and a thick fog was spreading. Acer pointed to the store they had just left with his thumb and said to No. 25.
“He’s the only male merchant in this territory. There will definitely be times when you can’t consult with us women, so it’s good to build a relationship with him.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Acer put his hands on his waist, leaned back, and stretched his body. His cramped bones let out a pleasant groan. She closed her eyes, looking tired, and sighed towards the ground.
“Let’s really go back now. I don’t know how many times I’ve said this all day.”
Charlotte rejected him and suggested a different path.
“Let’s grab a quick bite before we go back. Shouldn’t we give the maids some time to eat comfortably without the Demon Lord or me for once?”
“That’s true, I suppose. I’m not very hungry, but should we just buy something simple from a street vendor and eat it on the way back?”
“That’s not a bad idea either.”
Acer left the tailor shop and headed towards the center of the shopping district, where the stores were lined up. As they entered the street filled with street vendors selling snacks, appetite-stimulating smells began to spread everywhere. No. 25’s stomach reacted to the smell and growled.
Acer chuckled when he heard the sound.
“No. 25, we came here for you today, so if there’s anything you want to eat, pick it out yourself.”
No. 25 looked at Acer with wide eyes. His mouth was slightly open, and saliva was already gathering. He swallowed hard and asked Acer again.
“Really? Is that okay?”
“Of course. Do I look like someone who wouldn’t allow that much?”
No. 25 shook his head and began to look around the street vendors as Acer had said. Every single one of them had delicious-looking food that he had never seen before. He had never had such a wide range of choices, so he couldn’t easily choose.
But there was one food that caught No. 25’s eye. No. 25 pointed to the stall and asked Acer.
“Can I eat that?”
Acer followed No. 25’s finger. The food he was pointing at was a sandwich. A simple sandwich with only an egg inside, without any other ingredients. Normally, she would have suggested eating something better, but she had already said it, and more than anything, she couldn’t refuse after seeing No. 25’s eyes.
“Of course.”
No. 25 cautiously approached the street vendor. A woman with slightly disheveled brown hair tied back looked at No. 25 and widened her eyes in surprise.
“A boy…?”
For a moment, the woman’s eyes sparkled. It was like a starving animal seeing food. The woman swallowed hard and carefully asked No. 25.
“Um… did you come alone?”
“Excuse me?”
“Give me four of those.”
But the woman’s happy plans were shattered by Acer’s voice, which followed. The woman looked at Acer and forced a smile.
“Oh my, are you an acquaintance of the Demon Lord?”
“Yes, he’s a new servant who just came. Don’t even think about laying a hand on him.”
“Oh my… I wouldn’t dare lay a hand on the Demon Lord’s servant.”
The woman waved her hands and replied nonchalantly, but she couldn’t completely hide her disappointment. How could a mere commoner covet the king’s property? The woman gave up cleanly and packed the four sandwiches Acer had ordered with practiced movements before calling out the price.
“It’s 4 copper coins.”
Acer, who didn’t carry small change like copper coins, flicked a silver coin at her.
“Buy some snacks for the kids with the change. And don’t set your sights on other people’s kids.”
The woman put the silver coin in her pocket and waved goodbye to Acer’s back as he left.
“Come again next time.”
Acer, remembering that look from earlier, resolved not to send No. 25 alone if possible and returned to where Charlotte was. Charlotte looked at the sandwiches in Acer’s hand and asked.
“But why did you buy four? Didn’t you say you weren’t very hungry?”
Acer handed one to each of No. 25’s hands and grinned.
“This guy has to eat two.”
Feeding him well and raising him well were the basics. No. 25, unaware of Acer’s intentions, happily held the sandwiches in both hands. Only after confirming that Acer was eating did No. 25 take a bite of the sandwich with peace of mind.
The savory flavor of the egg and mayonnaise, combined with the tangy spiciness of the mustard that came up just when it was about to get too greasy, was harmonious. Even Acer, who didn’t usually eat these kinds of foods, praised it.
“It’s pretty good.”
Acer swallowed the sandwich in his mouth and looked around the street.
The shopping district, which seemed like it would stay lively all night, was slowly closing down one by one.
“Let’s really go now. I don’t know how many times I’ve said this today.”
Acer started walking towards the castle. They could arrive in the blink of an eye if they used teleportation, but she didn’t feel like it today. She wanted to feel the cool night air and talk with No. 25.
On the way back to the castle, Acer casually asked No. 25.
“No. 25, is there anything you’re curious about regarding me?”
No. 25 put down the food he was eating at Acer’s sudden question and pondered for a moment.
There were many things he was curious about.
Why are you being so nice to me? What are you planning to do with me? Are you perhaps going to abandon me later? Are you going to make me do difficult things? Are you going to kill me if I don’t listen? Is it okay for me to be this happy?
But the question he had been most curious about since yesterday, when they first met, until this very moment, was still only one.
“Why did you give me light?”
He had tried to package the dark iron cage as the only world he would spend his life with, giving up on everything. At that moment, when she broke the iron cage he called his small world and showed him the real world, No. 25 felt like he had been saved. No matter what Acer did to him, he could endure it if he remembered that light.
Acer roughly wiped the bread crumbs from his mouth and stared into No. 25’s eyes. No. 25’s gray eyes were trembling with anxiety and anticipation.
“Because I wanted to save you. That’s all.”
There wasn’t a shred of falsehood in those words, but there was something missing. It was true that she went to the slave market to track the dragon’s scent, but Acer only had eyes for No. 25. It was such an obvious gaze that even an ogre who had no contact with Acer on a regular basis could notice it.
Even if it wasn’t for the dragon’s blood, Acer would have definitely chosen him and brought him along. The reason? There was no grand reason. It was a really simple reason, one that couldn’t be understood with logic.
Because No. 25, who was the first one she saw when the ogre opened the small room filled with iron cages, was cute. Because the Demon Lord had fallen in love with a slave at first sight.
That was the truth.
