The Villainess Does It With Class

Chapter 31 - Nadia Goes Adopting

We walked out of the shop and noticed that it was getting dark like it could rain any moment now.

"Maybe we should go back before it pours," I told him as I gazed at the slightly darkened skies.

We didn't exactly bring a parasol with us so heading home is likely the correct thing to do. Seems like Nathaniel agrees too and has no qualms about it.

We passed by some stalls that sell fruits. Winter was already approaching, and I can already feel it from the slight chill in the air. It's probably from the upcoming downpour, but yeah, Estelle's birthday was in winter too.

"You brat!" A loud voice of a man boomed, it caught my attention.

Apparently, there was a commotion nearby. We were passing by it so I got curious as to what happened for him to yell like that.

I saw the stall owner yanking a figure of a little boy with his tiny arms.

"How brave of you to steal from me again! You really think I won't catch you, huh?"

"It's only a piece, please spare me with just this," the child pleads.

"Shut up! I will bring you to the knights! Thieves these days sure are fearless!"

The man was about to drag the kid away, and he was doing it with brute force. It brought a frown to my face.

'That's a child, why is he being aggressive? And those people are just watching!'

Without thinking, I walked right at them. Nathaniel couldn't even stop me.

"Excuse me," I butt in. "I will pay for whatever thing the kid stole. Please let go of him now."

The man harrumphed, "If I let this brat go, he will only go back for next time! I will bring him to the knights so they can take care of him!"

"But you can't just--" my words got cut off, of course.

"Young lady, I know you mean well, but you're not the one who's losing profits!" He exclaimed.

"Give him to me," Nathan suddenly slid beside me.

The man's face scrunched up, "And who are y--"

"I'm a knight. A captain. Now give him to me," he was staring the merchant down with those glacier eyes of his. The latter flinched as if hit, his face shaking in whatever emotion he was feeling. Probably fear.

"Hmph!" He then released the hold of the child who was shivering in fright.

I looked at the kid and patted his head. The child looked up at me with its big doe eyes, the color of amber. And that's where I noticed that it was a she and not a he. It's due to her haircut that I mistook her for a boy.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

The child only bit her quivering lips and nodded in response.

"The payment for the apple he stole?" The man croaked again.

Grabbing the pouch of coins from my side, I dropped it in the merchant's hands who greedily accepted it. His eyes sparked in delight as he clutched it, which made me smirk.

He was about to leave when I spoke.

"Where are you going?"

Both Nathan and the man looked at me, but my eyes were trained at the latter while smiling.

"Back to my stall, where else?" The man snobbily answers.

My brow raised at him, "You're not thinking of getting all that money for free, aren't you?"