Plant Seeds of Kindness, Reap a Maid

This was still the most expensive and best bread sold at that bakery; he didn't even dare to think about what the others were like.

As he walked, Mahiro wandered into a small path.

Shoes splashed through muddy puddles, sending up dark brown water droplets. His clean and tidy clothes stood in stark contrast to the stench of the surrounding environment.

Occasionally, you might step on some dried blood.

In places like this, it's not surprising that murders, robberies, and other crimes would occur.

Similarly, even he will encounter it.

"Stop... stop!"

"Give me the bread! Give me the bread!"

A trembling voice came from ahead, stammering and shaking, as if the person who spoke was terrified.

Yotsuba Mahiro stopped in her tracks and looked at the small figure ahead.

Although the weather here isn't particularly hot, it's rather cool.

But that dirty figure was only wearing a simple garment made of a tattered cloth sheet, and his bare feet were on the muddy ground.

However, what stands out most is her long, straight, messy pink hair that reaches her waist. Even though it is covered in dirt and mud, it cannot hide its unforgettable color.

The color of her pupils was the same as her hair color, a light pink.

It looks quite novel at first glance.

But similarly, no other emotions could be seen in those pink eyes.

There was no joy, no sorrow, only an empty void and fear of the unknown.

He gripped a crudely made tetanus knife tightly and pointed it at him.

Despite her body trembling with fear and her hands shaking uncontrollably, she still gripped her only weapon tightly.

But the problem is--

Want to rob a magician with a small knife?

Am I overthinking this?

Mahiro grinned, looking at the girl with a teasing expression.

Then he took a few steps forward.

The stains on the girl's face, the bruises on her arms, her trembling, fearful legs—her entire body came into clearer view.

For some reason, this girl gave him a sense of déjà vu, just like when he first met Mibu Asaka, but this girl was a little "fierce" than Asaka.

This touched a chord deep within him.

"No, don't come any closer!"

The girl appeared even more frightened as Yotsuba Mahiro approached.

Her hands gripped the knife tightly, her only source of security, and her slender legs, visible beneath the tattered cloth, trembled uncontrollably.

He was clearly a robber.

But that unease, that fear, was more like that of a tormented victim, seemingly utterly intimidating.

"Stop... give me the bread!"

The girl became aware of her shortcomings.

He tried to put on a fierce look, pointed the sharp tip of his knife at Yotsuba Mahiro, and bared his two fangs, attempting to intimidate her in this way.

But her gaze was filled with longing, fixed on the half-eaten black bread in Mahiro's hand, covered in teeth marks.

It was uncontrollable.

My throat was already dry and parched.

He swallowed hard.

To be honest, the atmosphere at the scene was very strange, even dramatically bizarre and ridiculous.

However, the next second, to the girl's astonishment, Yotsuba Mahiro's figure suddenly disappeared.

"Huh?"

The girl didn't react immediately; she only felt her hand go empty, then her vision flipped, and then—

Thump!

Her posture changed to looking up at the sky.

The towering walls on both sides that came into view were like the barriers of a dark and deep Abyss, and she felt as if she were sinking into the Abyss, looking up at the sky.

At the same time, that familiar face reappeared in my field of vision; it was the very person who had just vanished from my sight.

And then, belatedly, she felt a sharp pain in her back.

Only then did she realize that she had been knocked down by this man.

What will happen to me next?

Will I get beaten up?

Will I still be killed?

The girl didn't know, but fear was gradually creeping into her eyes.

Seeing the other person squat down, his fair and handsome face, like that of an aristocrat, approaching, she instinctively closed her eyes tightly, as if only in this way could she make the beating that was about to happen less painful.

Until a calm question reached my ears.

Are you hungry?

Upon hearing the question, the girl's body trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes to gaze at him.

"Are you hungry?" Mahiro asked again.

This time, the girl finally responded and nodded gently.

"Give."

Mahiro tore off the top, which he had already bitten off, and handed the remaining bread to the girl. The girl didn't take it immediately, but quickly got up and watched Mahiro warily from a distance.

A look of bewilderment and confusion flashed in his eyes.

She seemed never to have imagined that she would get the food so easily.

Besides, what does it matter if you just tripped and fell down?

But hunger prevented the girl from thinking any further...

Step.

Two steps.

He moved his feet carefully, slowly reaching out to grab the bread as if testing the waters, approaching Yotsuba Mahiro little by little with extreme caution.

After grabbing the bread, it quickly fled back into the depths of the alley.

I sat huddled in a secluded corner of the alley, my feet sinking into puddles of yellow mud.

Like a wary Pochi... no, perhaps describing a girl as a cat would be more accurate?

Under Mahiro gaze, he first tasted it in small sips, and after confirming that there was no problem, he immediately began to swallow it in large gulps.

Seeing the girl wolfing down her food, Mahiro didn't say anything, just watched quietly.

It's one thing that he would help the girl.

However, this does not mean he would condone the girl's robbery; at the very least, he would impose some punishment.

After a while, the girl finished eating the bread in her hand.

She looked at Mahiro again, or more precisely, stared with her pink pupils at the piece of bread crumbs with bite marks that Mahiro had just torn off.

Only at this time.

When she sees food, a hint of longing only appears in her eyes, besides fear.

"Could... you... give it to me...?"

Perhaps it was Mahiro's act of giving her food that made the girl feel a little favorably towards him.

Even unconsciously, there's a hint of ingratiation and pleading.

The emaciated body rose from the corner, its bare feet treading through mud and sand, and staggered toward Mahiro.

He wanted to grab the breadcrumb from Mahiro's hand.

However, before she could even grab it, the torn piece of bread vanished before her eyes.

Mahiro held up the bread and looked at the girl, saying:

"Giving you the bread is fine, but first answer me a question: what's your name?"

"... name...?"

The girl's expression showed a hint of confusion.

The word "name" was both strange and familiar to her.

It's been so long since anyone mentioned her or called her name.

Perhaps it was all over after my mother passed away?

But since she was promised food in return, she naturally began to try her best to recall and go through her memories, working so hard that her delicate brows furrowed slightly.

Finally, she remembered her name.

"I remember my name is... Mine."

Chapter 114 Sowing a Seed of Kindness, Reaping a Maid (5K)

"???"

No, did I hear that right?

What did she say her name was?

Mine? The Mine from the Night Raid?!

Now that you mention it, she does resemble the pink-haired girl with pigtails in my memory somewhat, but the difference is just too great, isn't it?

"Are you mixed race?"

He was preparing to make a final confirmation.

But the girl let out a small gasp and took two steps back, her eyes once again filled with fear.

But seeing that he didn't seem hostile, and looking at the small piece of breadcrumbs in his hand, he nodded slightly.

"Um... can I have that piece of bread?"

The girl asked another question timidly.

To be honest, the girl in front of me who calls herself Mine is really hard to connect with the pink-haired tsundere from the original work.

Thinking this, he ignored the girl's pitiful, pleading gaze and, under her adoring stare, threw the torn piece of bread into his mouth.

Then, without looking back, he left the alley, leaving the girl with only his receding figure.

"... Why?"

The girl was stunned.

The eyes that had just begun to light up returned to their lifeless and dim state.

The outstretched hand fell limply to its side.

She didn't cry because of this; rather, she had gotten used to it and considered the other person's behavior to be relatively mild.

It's clearly not my fault, but just because I have Western blood, just because I'm mixed-race, I have to suffer endless bullying...

Why?

"Mom... what did Mine do wrong...?"