MPBAGS Chapter 30

The guard tried to help Daisy up, looking flustered.

"Please tell me where she went. I must see her."

"How would I know that? The carriage left ages ago."

Daisy felt all the strength drain from her body. She'd believed something would be resolved if she came to the Rohanson estate. Why had she thought that?

"Don't stand there looking so uncomfortable. Come back after the young lady returns."

The guard demanded Daisy leave, as if she were inconveniencing him.

"Should I call you a carriage?"

"No, I'm... I'm fine."

She didn't have money for a carriage anyway. Daisy hauled herself up on unsteady legs. You thought going to the temple would be better than here from the start, remember? First, find those knights you met before.

Go back to the inn, get some money, change into the nun's habit. That would make entering the temple much easier.

Daisy turned away from the Rohanson estate and headed toward the inn. Her legs ached from running all the way to the estate. Somehow, even her sense of urgency had faded.

Meanwhile, drops began hitting the ground. Daisy looked up at the sky. When had those dark clouds gathered? Rain was falling. A drop that landed near her eye mingled with tears and rolled down her cheek.

"It's raining, let's hurry!"

"Oof...!"

"Sorry...!"

Children running to escape the rain collided with Daisy. She'd only bumped into a child, but perhaps because her legs were weak, she fell straight down. The child apologized, worried Daisy might get angry, then kept running.

Daisy had neither the energy to get angry nor the strength to stand back up, so she just kept sitting there. This reminded her of almost getting hit by that carriage earlier. If only she'd been hit then...

While Daisy sat with her head bowed low, a shadow appeared right in front of her and covered her.

Come to think of it, this was a commercial district, so she must be blocking foot traffic.

"I'm sorry, I'll move."

"Daisy."

Daisy's head snapped up at the familiar voice. The owner of the shadow was a person as white as snow—the complete opposite of the darkness she herself had created. And the very person Daisy had been so desperately seeking just moments ago.

"Lady... Evangeline."

Perhaps because she'd said it once already, calling the being before her 'Evangeline' no longer felt difficult. Even though she was still afraid and resentful, she found it absurd how reassured she felt.

The world went silent as if all the rain had been swallowed. She'd thought the rain had stopped, but it was just an umbrella. The umbrella tilted toward Daisy, causing Evangeline's back to get soaked.

"How... how did you..."

"I searched for you."

You really searched and found me? Like magic?

The thing that had turned Lady Evangeline's skin inside out smiled benevolently. That smile resembled so closely the laughter of Lady Evangeline whom Daisy had once cared for.

"I have a request. You said you'd grant wishes."

Daisy grabbed Evangeline's dress tightly. As if it were the only lifeline given to her, she was desperate.

"Yes. But there will be a price."

You know what I want, don't you? Evangeline asked.

A price... Daisy understood very well what that meant. When Daisy had summoned the demon, it had definitely called Father Berga an offering. It had also said it would charge properly next time.

"I'll... I'll give you myself."

Even if Daisy had already killed someone and wasn't as pure as the demon might want, all she had to give was herself.

"So please, please help me."

"Alright, fine. I'll grant it."

Evangeline extended her hand to Daisy. Even though Daisy knew she shouldn't take that hand, she grasped it. A cold, snake-like sensation coiled up her arm, climbed higher, and constricted around her throat. Daisy had thrust her face into the snake's maw. Yet how strange that the inside of the snake felt so warm.

We were riding in the carriage when it suddenly hit me.

Wait. We're going to an orphanage right now, aren't we? Sure, the goal is finding Daisy, but we'll still be at an orphanage, right? Is it okay to show up empty-handed?

People who volunteer at orphanages always bring loads of food and gifts. Shouldn't I do the same?

From a basic human decency standpoint, and also for image management purposes in my villainess escape plan, I really should buy something.

"Let's stop at a nearby shop."

"Yes."

I hadn't even told the coachman, but somehow he heard me and stopped the carriage in front of a bakery.

"I'll go."

"Then buy plenty of bread for the children."

I handed Kanna a gold coin.

"You want to buy the entire shop's inventory?"

Oops. The prices here were pretty low, weren't they? But gold coins were all I had.

"Buy a reasonable amount. Keep the change as an errand fee."

"Thank you!"

Kanna beamed and hopped out of the carriage. The words "errand fee" must've thrilled her—I could hear her humming all the way from here. Should I start giving her little tasks and pocket money from now on?

"Jelly, you go help carry stuff too."

"Yesss, yessss."

Jelly wore an expression full of complaints as he dumped Pudding on me and got out. Was he upset because I wasn't paying him? Wait—Kanna's actually working, while he's freeloading with zero labor and expecting an allowance. Even Pudding seemed to think he had no shame, meowing in agreement.

Soon Kanna and Jelly returned with armfuls of bread. Looked like they'd swept the entire shop clean. The savory smell filled the carriage.

My mouth started watering, so I snatched one of the loaves Jelly was holding. Mm, tastes like bread. The smell was incredible since it was freshly baked though. Well, it's not bad, so whatever. Guess the Rohanson estate cooks were so skilled they'd made me picky.

"Next, to a ready-made clothing store."

"You're buying more? Do we really need to?"

Jelly doesn't get it. If you want to win someone over, you start with their family. Of course, I wasn't going to win Daisy over—I was going to kneel and apologize while desperately asking what the hell she'd told Henna and Gabriel.

When we went to the clothing store, I got out too. After possessing this body, I'd never even bought clothes for myself, Kanna, or Henna, yet here I was buying for strangers first. Wasn't that a little sad?

I snuck a glance at Kanna, but she seemed completely enchanted by the tiny clothes half her size. As expected, the protagonist has a generous heart.

"Is shopping fun?"

"Yes... I haven't really done much proper shopping before."

Kanna spoke as if embarrassed. Isn't the tragic heroine's backstory just too cruel? If there were a male lead here, he'd immediately grab her hand and take her clothes shopping. Everything from here to there, he'd say.

But I was a villainess scrap, so I couldn't exactly drop everything to go buy Kanna clothes first.

"Let's come together next time. You, Henna, and me."

"My lady, I'd love that!"

It was a consolation prize, but Kanna didn't realize that—she was thrilled as if she'd won the world. Yeah, should I buy out an entire store? Dressing Kanna and Pudding in matching outfits would be satisfying just to look at. I was smiling contentedly when I locked eyes with Jelly.

"What?"

Jelly's mouth flapped open and shut before he waved it off and kept piling up clothes. Exactly how many was he picking out?

The mountain of clothes Jelly accumulated barely fit in the luggage compartment. The shop owner looked deeply suspicious—buying this many children's clothes.

Saw my chance and earnestly explained that Evangeline Rohanson was purchasing all these clothes for orphanage volunteer work. This wasn't exactly a shop frequented by nobility, so it wouldn't have much impact, but maybe some rumors would spread?

"M-my lady, please take this umbrella too. The sky doesn't look clear..."

Thanks to that, the shop owner kindly gave me an umbrella. Though their hands trembled, they bit their tongue, and kept their head bowed—anyone watching would think I'd threatened them into handing it over.

The umbrella had a lived-in quality, like the owner had been using it themselves. If it's going to rain and they're giving me their umbrella, how were they planning to get home? I tried refusing, saying it was fine, but ended up just accepting it.

If I refused, people would probably say Evangeline Rohanson was too proud to accept gifts from commoners, adding to my infamy.

"Use it well."

"Yes. Thank you!"

Why are you thanking me when you're the one who gave it?

The moment I accepted the umbrella, the shop owner's expression brightened. It returned to dejected within five seconds, though.

When we stepped outside, raindrops were actually falling from the sky, just like they'd said. Kanna grinned and opened the umbrella. It wasn't very large—only enough for Kanna and me.

I worried Jelly might sulk again, but this time he didn't seem to care and just got in the carriage while getting rained on. Do romance novel male leads not use umbrellas? Even in the rain?

The mystery solved once I got in the carriage. Jelly was bone dry. Right—Jelly was a werewolf sorcerer. He'd have some spell to keep rain off. I'd worried for nothing.

"We're not buying anything else, right?"

"Right. Now let's go to Daisy."

Food and various sized clothing should be enough. I had no idea what kind of toys existed in this romance fantasy world anyway.

The raindrops grew heavier and started hammering the glass. Stroking Pudding while leaning back made drowsiness wash over me. Before I knew it, my eyes had closed and I was dozing when Jelly woke me.

Already here? I looked outside, but we hadn't gone very far—narrow, densely packed buildings still crowded the area. There didn't seem to be any large structures... Shouldn't an orphanage be bigger? Was there discrimination even here in this status-obsessed romance fantasy world?

"Is this Ainoa Orphanage?"

"No, it's not..."

Kanna shook her head. Then why'd we stop here? That's when Jelly pointed at someone collapsed outside the window.

"...Daisy?"