Borrowing Money

Parr's ominous premonition was confirmed.

"This is my money!"

In a general store in Azure Stone City South District, Parr watched Ithil gather a pile of miscellaneous items and clutched his money pouch as he emphasized this fact once more.

"I know."

Ithil nodded, acknowledging the fact, but her little hand gripping Parr's money pouch did not loosen in the slightest. She stared at Parr with her watery pink eyes, pleading written within them.

"Lend me a little, okay? Just a little. Consider it the wager you made with me before. I won, and my little request is to borrow some money."

"...Fine!"

Parr considered himself an honest person. Although there had been some issues with that bet, it was true that he had not personally killed Ma Xi, so he let go of the money pouch.

"Thank you!"

Having obtained Parr's money pouch, Ithil cheerfully used his money to pay the bill. After instructing the shopkeeper to deliver the goods to the courtyard she and Parr had visited before, she pulled him out of the general store and headed for a clothing shop, where she went on another shopping spree.

When Ithil finally returned Parr's money pouch, he opened it and nearly fainted. Of the twenty Wind Wolf Gold Coins he had only gotten at noon, just two remained. Ithil had spent a full eighteen Wind Wolf Gold Coins.

"A little? You really left me with only a little!"

Parr took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. He regretted it. He regretted not immediately returning to the Kunna Merchant Guild, and he regretted that casual bet he had made.

"Hehehe."

Seeing Parr's expression, Ithil covered her mouth and giggled. "All right, all right. I borrowed the money I spent today, and I'll definitely pay you back later."

"You can't go back on your word!" Parr instantly perked up.

"Hehehe."

Ithil covered her mouth and laughed again, then pulled Parr toward that courtyard.

"I'll definitely pay you back. Don't worry!"

"Boss!"

"Boss is here!"

"Boss, did you buy all these things?"

"..."

The courtyard, where many children played, was already piled with all kinds of goods. The children surrounded them curiously, but they were sensible enough not to touch anything. Only when Ithil entered did they swarm around her, chattering questions all at once.

"I bought them, but he paid for them. Hurry up and thank him." Ithil smiled and nodded, then pointed at Parr.

"Thank you!"

"Thank you, big brother!"

"..."

The children sensibly ran over to Parr and thanked him with heartfelt voices.

"Mm."

Parr nodded calmly, then turned to Ithil, his eyes full of confusion. What was she trying to do?

He soon understood why.

"Big Green!"

Ithil shouted, and in less than ten seconds, the Grimm Brothers came running over.

"Boss."

It was hard to imagine that Big Green, already a young man, would call twelve-year-old Ithil Boss, but that was the truth.

Ithil's prestige here had all been earned with her little fists. After beating people up, she could heal them too, leaving everyone thoroughly convinced.

"Big Green, divide up those things later. And take this. Use it to improve everyone's meals."

As she spoke, Ithil placed the twenty Wind Wolf Gold Coins she had received at noon into Big Green's hands.

"..."

Big Green stared blankly at the coins in his hand, then seemed to realize something. His voice trembled as he asked:

"Boss, are you leaving us?"

It was no wonder Big Green asked that. Her actions today had been far too unusual. She had bought so many things and even given all her money to him.

"Yes."

"Boss, my brother and I were wrong to work for Ma Xi. Please don't leave us! We were wrong, we deserve to die..."

A look of remorse appeared on Big Green's face. As he spoke, he raised a hand to slap himself, but Ithil grabbed his arm.

"Big Green!"

Ithil looked at Big Green seriously and said, word by word, "I'm not blaming you. I'm leaving Azure Stone City."

"Why?" Big Green lowered his arm, unable to understand why Ithil wanted to leave Azure Stone City.

Ithil raised her hand and pointed northeast, saying brightly, "I'm not going to be a healer anymore. I'm going to become a Church Knight. My teacher said I have great Talent, and staying in Azure Stone City would hold me back. So tomorrow, I'll set off for the Main Cathedral in the Wind Wolf Capital."

"..."

Big Green fell silent for a moment, then nodded and forced a smile.

"If that's the case, Boss, then I wish you a safe journey. I hope that after you become a Knight, you won't forget people like us."

"Of course I won't forget."

Ithil turned to look at the children playing nearby, as if she saw her younger self among them. A nostalgic smile appeared on her face.

"I grew up here!"

After explaining everything, Ithil and Parr left the courtyard. Once they had walked some distance, she stopped and turned to face Parr, speaking with a trace of apology in her voice.

"I'm sorry. I didn't tell you the reason before."

"Why?"

Parr asked instead. Without waiting for Ithil to answer, he continued, "If you'd told me from the beginning that you were leaving, and that you were borrowing money for those children, I definitely would have lent it to you without hesitation."

"..."

Ithil was silent for a while. Then she lowered her eyes and said in a subdued voice, "I was afraid. Afraid that you would look down on those orphans and refuse to lend me the money after learning why, so..."

"What kind of person do you take me for?"

Parr loudly interrupted Ithil. Crossing his arms, he said with some displeasure, "Do I look like someone who would look down on orphans? I'm an orphan too, after all!"

"Is that so?"

Ithil froze. She widened her eyes at the sincerity on Parr's face, then nodded rather seriously.

"Mm, I understand! You don't care about that money, so it wasn't borrowed from you, and I don't need to pay it back." Ithil stuck out her tongue mischievously, then skipped away. A moment later, Parr's roar came from behind her.

"Who said I don't care about that money..."

At dawn the next day, Parr arrived at Azure Stone City's East Gate. Before long, he saw a group of children running down the somewhat deserted street, followed by the Grimm Brothers. They had come to see Ithil off as well.

After waiting a while longer, Ithil and a stern-faced middle-aged man walked over from the direction of the Church.

The middle-aged man was the Knight Captain of the Green Stone City Church. The cultists in the Azure Stone Viscount Territory had been cleared out, and Bolen Knight's whereabouts had been found. With time on his hands, he could escort Ithil to the Wind Wolf Capital.

"Boss."

"Boss."

"Boss."

"..."

From far away, the children called out greetings. Not one of them asked Ithil to stay, because before coming, Big Green had reminded them not to hold back Ithil's future.

"I'm leaving. Take care of yourselves! Big Green, you have to look after them too. Don't steal anymore. Little Green, you should learn a trade..."

Ithil rambled on with instructions for a long time before reluctantly walking over to Parr, who stood at the very back. She pressed her lips together, but did not know what to say.

"Ithil."

Parr spoke. With his arms crossed, he looked up into Ithil's eyes and said solemnly:

"There's plenty of time ahead. We'll meet again someday, and when that time comes... pay me back!"

"Hehehe..."

Ithil narrowed her eyes in a smile, shook her head, then nodded. She did not say whether she would pay him back then.

"..."

Silence fell between them. In the end, Parr sighed and looked up into Ithil's pink eyes as he reminded her:

"Be careful on the road. Don't die before we meet again."

Ithil stopped smiling as well. She nodded seriously and said, "You too. Also, when we meet next time, I'll pay you back."

With that, Ithil took a slip of paper from her pocket and stuffed it into Parr's hand, then turned and quickly walked away.

Parr withdrew his gaze from Ithil's receding figure and looked down at the paper. He immediately bared his teeth in a grimace. It was an IOU.

Parr returned to the Kunna Merchant Guild's compound. The feeling of parting left him somewhat gloomy, and he squatted outside his room, drawing circles with a twig.

Just then, John emerged bare-chested from Kunna's room. Seeing Parr's appearance, he walked over, patted Parr's little head, and teased him with a smirk.

"What? Your little sweetheart left, and now you're unhappy?"

Parr shook his head, looked up at John's body covered in lipstick marks, and rolled his eyes before lowering his head to keep drawing circles. He was a pure child and did not want to talk to dirty scum like John.

"You little brat!"

Feeling looked down upon, John viciously ruffled Parr's little head, then grabbed him and carried him to an open space beside the house, deciding to teach him a proper lesson.

Bang! John threw Parr down, then beckoned at him as Parr got to his feet and dusted himself off. "Come on, attack me. Let me see how strong you are now."

"..."

Parr narrowed his eyes and touched the Black Short Sword at his waist. Seeing that John had not drawn a weapon, he lowered his hand, flexed his fingers, clenched his small fist, and charged at John.

"Take this!"

Bang! John casually blocked Parr's little fist, then flicked him away.

"Keep going!"

"Take another punch!"

Bang! "Keep going!"

John finally remembered his duty as Parr's Knight guide. On the day Ithil left Azure Stone City, he began teaching Parr some knowledge about fighting and combat. His teaching method was a little rough, though. He simply had Parr fight him. At first, John only defended. After correcting Parr's stance, he began suppressing his strength and sparring with him.

Bang! Even with Danger Prediction, Parr was beaten black and blue by the experienced John. Yet throughout the process, his fighting skills advanced by leaps and bounds.

These fighting skills were not Skills, but they could teach Parr how to fight. Formalized fighting techniques that became Skills were another matter.

"Little brat, today I'll teach you an unarmed combat Skill: Charge Punch!"

On the third day, John dragged Parr out to the open space again...