Pocket money from Kong

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She glanced around and spotted the cluster of flowers on the balcony.

Her eyes lingered on the lush, vividly colored blossoms. With a gentle, ingratiating smile, she asked, “May I pick some of these flowers?”

Hailey: “...?”

She had a sudden, ominous feeling.

Following Pina’s gaze, Hailey looked toward the balcony. It was a riot of brilliant colors, bright and dazzling.

But... who stays at an inn and then tears up the decorations?

Pina clasped her hands together and gazed at Hailey pitifully, blinking her eyes softly. Her sweet voice grew even softer, every word seeming to roll over the tip of her tender tongue.

“Is that not allowed?”

A devastating assault of beauty!

Who could possibly withstand that?

Hailey’s mind went blank. Her reply came out muddled and halting. “I—I suppose it’s all right...”

“Love you!”

Pina dashed onto the balcony, afraid Hailey might come to her senses and change her mind.

There was a small decorative wicker basket on the balcony, and Pina quickly cleared it out.

Hailey’s reason returned, and she regretted her decision immensely. But she had already agreed, and it would be awkward to take it back. Besides, seeing how happily Pina was choosing the flowers, Hailey simply steeled herself and decided to go through with it.

After all, she was the lord’s honored guest. What harm could picking a few flowers do?! Besides, they were for the lord! He would surely be delighted when he received them!

Thus she encouraged herself. Not only did she refrain from stopping Pina, she even followed her onto the balcony and helped her choose.

Pina selected a great many beautiful blossoms from the balcony garden—red, pink, blue, and more. She trimmed and arranged them in the basket, even winding a green vine dotted with flower buds around the handle.

Then she carried the flower-filled basket over to Hailey and presented it with elegant composure.

“I hope the master will like it. Please, lead the way.”

Hailey was still inwardly anxious, but she smiled reassuringly. “Our master is a very good man—gentlemanly and considerate. I’m sure he’ll like it.”

The master was broad-minded and certainly would not hold it against her. But would he truly be happy?

...

When Pina awoke, it was already late morning. By the time she had eaten and chosen a gift, it was past eleven. Ordinarily, Diluc would have been resting at that hour, but today he was idly going through the accounts in his office.

The reason could not be said to have nothing to do with Pina.

He was not at all surprised that she had come to thank him.

And when he accepted the basket of flowers, he was exactly as Hailey had predicted: not the slightest bit displeased. In fact, he courteously expressed his appreciation and said that he liked them.

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He invited Pina to sit on the sofa and handed her a cup of warm red tea.

“Are you still feeling unwell anywhere?”

Pina tested the temperature. It was not hot enough to burn her hand in the least. She smiled shyly and gently, maintaining the reserved, dignified distance of a well-bred young lady.

“I’m completely fine now. I’ve caused you quite a bit of trouble these past two days. I’m truly sorry.”

She lowered her lashes slightly, avoiding Diluc’s gaze.

“I wasn’t feeling well before and never had the chance to ask properly. Did Aether leave any message for me before he departed? When do you think he’ll return?”

Diluc said, “No.”

Pina: “...”

“However, there is no need to worry. He booked a room here for seven days, so he should be back within that time.

“If something delays him beyond the agreed period, you need not be concerned either. The Traveler is my friend. Until he returns, I will look after you on his behalf.

“Please make yourself at home here. In Mondstadt, the Dawn Winery carries a certain amount of influence. If you encounter any trouble, simply give them my name—or send someone to inform me directly. Either will do.”

Pina: “...Thank you?”

Diluc said calmly, “The Traveler is a very important friend of mine. I do not like betraying the trust my friends place in me. Please make yourself comfortable and do not stand on ceremony.

“I do not know who you are or what your relationship with the Traveler may be, but since he entrusted you to me, I will do my best to return you to him safe and sound.

“If you remain constantly guarded and cautious, that would mean I have failed to care for you properly.”

He opened a drawer, took out a money pouch, and placed it on the table. Then he gently pushed it toward Pina.

“There are one hundred thousand Mora here. You may use it for the time being. Buy whatever you like. Consider it spending money left for you by the Traveler.”

Pina’s eyes widened slightly. As his words sank in, tears of emotion instantly filled them.

At that moment, Aether’s favorability in her heart reached an unprecedented height!

It would not be an exaggeration to say that if Aether proposed to her right then, there was a very good chance she would accept without hesitation.

How could the officially endorsed kind-hearted protagonist be so wonderful? He had taken in a burdensome stray, fed her, housed her, and was even willing to give her spending money! How incredibly generous!

She took hold of the pouch’s drawstring. It was heavy—so heavy that she had to tug with some effort to drag it toward herself. Once she had it in her hands, Pina’s eyes had reddened completely.

She sniffed involuntarily and bit her lip, struggling to hold back her tears. When she spoke again, her gentle voice was already husky with emotion.

“Thank you.”

After a moment’s thought, she pushed the pouch back toward Diluc and said softly, “I don’t know how Aether makes his money, but it must not be easy. I probably spent quite a lot while I was ill, didn’t I? Please use this to cover it.”

Diluc’s composed expression grew even gentler, and his voice took on the soothing warmth of an elder reassuring a younger person.

“You need not worry, Miss. I have already included the medical expenses with the cost of your stay. We can settle everything together when the bill is paid.”

“If you still feel uncomfortable about it...” His gaze swept over the basket of flowers Pina had brought. His tone remained gentle. “The flowers you brought are very beautiful. Would you mind arranging several more baskets for the tavern each day? I like them very much. As for payment, would you be willing to let that offset your medical expenses?”

“But...” Pina hesitated.

Arranging a few flowers each day was hardly anything. How could it possibly make up for the expenses incurred by a famous hero and an excellent physician?

“Preparing flowers is only a small favor,” Pina said. “I have nothing much to do lately, anyway. But it is such a trivial task, and I am not a professional. I really cannot accept payment for it...”

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Diluc said, “Arranging medical care for you was just as trivial a matter for me. Even summoning the physician only required a servant to run the errand. I merely gave the order.”

He paused, then persuaded her gently.

“You need not take it so seriously, Miss Pina. You only had a fever, after all—a common minor illness. The medical expenses were not substantial.

“If you insist on refusing... I will find it difficult to explain myself when the Traveler returns.”

Pina bit her lip. Seeing that Diluc had made up his mind, she could hardly continue refusing.

“Then thank you, Master.”

When all was said and done, if he was Aether’s friend, refusing too much would only hurt their feelings. And if he was a bad person, was she really going to reject his polite offer and wait for harsher treatment?

Diluc nodded. “Then I look forward to seeing your flowers tomorrow.”

He glanced at the clock and invited her, “It is nearly lunchtime. Would you care to join me for some of Mondstadt’s specialties? The Good Hunter restaurant in the central plaza is famous throughout the city for its food.”

The moment Pina heard that they would be going outside, a troubled expression appeared on her face. She looked down at her legs and said, “I’m afraid I cannot. My legs still hurt a little.”

Diluc: “?”

Diluc looked toward her legs as well, bafflement rising in his dim eyes until it nearly took the shape of a question mark.

“Did Miss Barbara not examine you just now? Are you still feeling unwell somewhere?”

Pina’s heart leapt into her throat.

She had intended to claim that she had not fully recovered, but she knew nothing about the supernatural powers of this world. If its healing magic could eliminate even all aftereffects, then saying she was not completely better would make the lie far too obvious.

As she began to perspire inwardly, she suddenly remembered something from a magic-analysis program she had once watched. In many magic performances, magicians used other movements to distract the audience’s attention.

She asked for nothing more than to divert his focus, so that the flaws in her words would not appear too conspicuous.

As someone whose greatest strength was charm, the first solution that came to mind was, naturally, charm itself.

Under the young man’s dim eyes, which concealed a hint of scrutiny, Pina had no time to think it through. She used it instinctively.

And so the delicate, beautiful girl, as light and soft as a wisp of cloud, bent down and gently pinched her calf, as though she had been sitting too long and had to ease a numb leg.

But she had only just sat down.

She was an exceptionally beautiful girl, with not a single part of her body out of proportion. Even in her modest, sensible knee-length dress, her snow-white stockings revealed slender calves that were long and straight. If one held them in one’s palm and gave them a squeeze, they might have felt surprisingly supple and resilient.

The red-haired, baby-faced young man remained as calm and steady as a deep pool, his expression undisturbed. Yet his gaze was naturally drawn along by her movement.

The instinct to follow moving objects with one’s eyes was a basic biological impulse.