Episode 10

A snap!

 

The sharp nib went straight through Reynold and into the wall.

 

Zing.

 

The pen was stuck so hard that the tip rattled with the vibration.

 

Reynold stared at the pen, wide-eyed and shocked, and let out an exclamation.

 

“Wow, how dare you throw such a dangerous object at me, your sweet little grandson! It almost went through my forehead! That’s attempted murder!”

 

He shouted at Hestia, but there was no way it would reach her.

 

“I know. It’s a shame you couldn’t have gotten through his forehead.”

 

Hestia snorted in disbelief and set down the basket she was carrying.

 

“I‘m busy today, so give it to me.”

 

Reynolds’ eyes lit up at Hestia’s words and he hurried over to check the basket.

 

“Hooo……. I think I’m going to have to turn my art into an herbalist… my shop is the only one that carries these rare herbs, and they’re expensive.”

 

He stroked his chin, his dark blue eyes twinkling, and the corners of his mouth pulled up in a smirk.

 

He was having fun thinking about how he could sell it for more.

 

Hestia’s expression softened as she realized he was looking at someone else.

 

“You must be Ilina’s son, the unfortunate one.”

 

Hestia said in a nostalgic voice.

 

“Thank you for the compliment.”

 

Reynold smiled, his eyes narrowing as if he were genuinely flattered. It was a mesmerizing smile that would have mesmerized a stranger.

 

At the sight of it, Hestia raised her magpie claws in adoration and stroked Reynold’s wavy purple hair.

 

“Say hello to Ilina for me.”

 

Her touch was wistful, like she was remembering something.

 

“She’s been waiting to hear from you, Hestia, and I know she’ll be thrilled.”

 

Hestia’s hand dropped, and Reynold winced in disappointment.

 

“Stay a moment, I’ll go get your things.”

 

Then she turned and disappeared into the distance.

 

Hestia stared after Reynold’s back, gave a small smile, and then slowly looked around the inside of the top.

 

When she’d first made the top, she’d simply accepted the old man’s one-sided request out of pity.

 

“I‘m afraid of such a weak connection …….”

 

Sometimes a strong relationship that promised eternity is turned away forever because of a misunderstanding, and sometimes a relationship that could have remained a tiny dot ends up sprouting into a giant tree.

 

“I heard that life is something you don’t know even if you live for hundreds of years.”

 

“You can’t live a few hundred years and not know life. You have to live thousands of years!”

 

Boom!

 

Reynolds, who had just returned, struggled to set down the large basket and gave a playful toss.

 

“Thousands of years?

 

It was only a light pun, but it sent goosebumps up Hestia’s arms, and sweat trickled down her spine. A horror she didn’t even want to imagine crawled through her body.

 

Ha. Calm down. Calm down, Hestia.

 

She forced herself to calm her shaking hands,

 

“If you …… that shit one more time, I’m going to spill the top and everything.”

 

Hestia could have shot him a hard glare of anger and contempt.

 

But.

 

“Ha…… Hestia, you know what?”

 

Reynold looked ecstatic, even as he took Hestia’s murderous glare.

 

“You know that look is my kind of look?”

 

Then her dark blue eyes sparkled with excitement, and she held Hestia in her gaze. It was a gaze so intent on taking it all in that she forgot to blink.

 

“.…...”

 

Hestia pressed her hands to her temples, feeling like she had a headache that wasn’t there.

 

“Okay. Get rid of all that crap in the basket.”

 

She jabbed her finger at the basket, drawing Reynold’s attention away.

 

She didn’t need to look inside the large basket to know what was inside.

 

“But you’ll need your clothes, you’ll need your makeup, you’ll need some scented candles to help you feel better, and I couldn’t resist including these new candlesticks I got for you because they look so much like you.”

 

As usual.

 

“No.”

 

Hestia’s response, unsurprisingly, was terse and decisive.

 

And Reynold’s, too,

 

“Yes.”

 

Quick and terse.

 

It was the usual invitation, the usual refusal.

 

And yet, of course, Reynold persisted.

 

He’s not a normal guy by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Hestia stared at Reynold as he diligently removed the items, then shook her head.

 

A sigh escaped her lips.

 

She looked in the basket to see if Reynold had gotten rid of all the unnecessary items,

 

“Oh, please deliver this letter, and some of the boy’s clothes.”

 

Hestia quickly pulled Theo’s letter from her bosom and handed it to Reynold.

 

“Ancient hieroglyphics.”

 

Reynold confirmed as soon as he recognized the symbols on the envelope.

 

“You don’t know who it’s addressed to, do you?”

 

“No, but the little star symbol is the mark of your client in the capital, so I’m sure I can find out if Hestia would like me to.”

 

Not missing a beat, Reynolds flashed Hestia a seductive smile.

 

But it was the other one that caught Hestia’s attention.

 

“.…..Do you memorize all of your clients’ signs?”

 

Hestia’s jaw dropped but in a different way.

 

A dark gleam of astonishment, bordering on disbelief, settled firmly in her brown eyes.

 

“Only the capital, at the most.”

 

Reynold, on the other hand, merely shook his head in disbelief at Hestia’s astonishment.

 

At the top of the Artis, “delivering” meant registering your mark with each branch, and when a package or letter arrived, you presented your mark to find a matching delivery.

 

While this service had the disadvantage of taking longer than using a dedicated delivery person, it was inexpensive and well-maintained, with very little risk of leakage or loss, so many people used it.

 

There are hundreds of Artis stores in the capital alone, and the number of registered marks must be in the thousands.

 

It was no wonder Hestia was surprised that Reynold had memorized all of them.

 

“.…..The power of heredity is scary.”

 

Mother Ilina and son Reynold.

 

Hestia stuck her tongue out at the resemblance.

 

“That’s a lot of compliments you’re giving me today, and you’re not even telling me I’m pretty!”

 

Reynol flashed her a bright smile, the corners of her eyes twinkling.

 

It was a charming smile, one that could deceive either man or woman, but Hestia frowned in annoyance and returned to her task.

 

“Just let me know in a puff of blue smoke when your letter is answered.”

 

I had a lot of work to do in town, and I didn’t want to waste time with a headache over Reynold.

 

Truth be told, he could throw all the time he wanted in the trash, but he had someone waiting for him at home…….

 

Strangely, that fact alone made him impatient.

 

“I hope the letter is answered soon, so I can see Hestia again.”

 

Reynolds finished organizing the basket and brushed her hands off with a rueful smile.

 

“How old do you think we should get the boy’s clothes for him?”

 

“Um……. Twelve?”

 

Hestia hesitated for a moment, for even to her own eyes, he only looked about twelve, but then she corrected herself.

 

“No, fourteen.”

 

Theo had said he was 14, so……. Well, that’s probably right, because it’s better to be big than small in clothes.

 

“Is there a particular style you’re looking for?”

 

“Just plain. Oh, it’s for a kid, so it should be cute.”

 

14 years old? A child? Cute…… clothes?

 

I didn’t understand how anyone could refer to a 14-year-old as a child or want cute clothes for her, but…….

 

Reynold didn’t ask any questions, just nodded in silence.

 

“What’s your budget?”

 

She pulled out a checkbook with a sharp glint in her eye.

 

Hestia rolled her eyes at the sight.

 

“Haha. I tried a joke, and you didn’t find it funny, so I’ll be off!”

 

Sensing the unspoken danger, Reynold let out an awkward laugh and scurried away.

 

It wasn’t long before Reynolds reappeared, panting with clothes.

 

“I picked out some cute…… clothes that aren’t too over the top, but just right. Should these do?”

 

He spread out the clothes on the table. Hestia looked them over and said.

 

“Yes. Very good!”

 

Whether she realized it or not, Hestia flashed Reynold a satisfied smile as he continued to scratch his head.

 

As she began to organize the pile of clothes and place them into an empty basket, Hestia paused.

 

“Huh?”

 

Hestia’s irises widened as she spotted an old book among the clothes.

 

“You have no idea how hard I had to work to get that.”

 

An ancient tome, so tattered with age and grime that the title was barely legible.

 

It was an original copy of a forbidden book that could only be circulated in a translation that passed the censors.

 

A moment of surprise.

 

Hestia swallowed dryly and gingerly lifted the book.

 

Her eyes flashed with the excitement of hope, mixed with the fear of countless setbacks.

 

“But it’s written in ancient script, and it’s going to take you quite a while to decipher it.”

 

“It can’t be helped. Many taboo sentences have been misinterpreted or lost in the translations, so the only way is to look at the original texts, even if it takes time… Well, I guess we’ll just have to make do with what we have.”

 

Nevertheless, I won’t give up. I will find a way, and one day I will break this curse.

 

Even if it means falling down the rabbit hole again.

 

Hestia’s brown eyes held a steadfast determination that would not be easily broken.

 

“Shall I get you an interpreter?”

 

Hestia threw her hands up in the air at Reynold’s words.

 

“I don’t want to be taken away again. You know how scary it is to be in prison.”

 

Hestia carefully placed the books in the basket and glanced through them to make sure nothing was missing.

 

“If you get one with a big mouth…….”

 

Again, Reynolds opened her mouth to speak but shut it under Hestia’s irritated gaze.

“Uhm. I’m sorry.”

 

Reynolds raised his arms in surrender.

 

He was quick to ask for input, partly because he remembered an anecdote he’d heard from his mother, Ilina.

 

“Bye.”

 

Hestia smiled sheepishly at Reynold’s behavior and left the store without hesitation.