The Big Boss's Wife

"Annan, you want to become a magic apprentice, don't you?"

After Little Winchester left, Mr. Fast picked up the empty glass and set it back on the bar. He came over to Annan and straightened his collar with a smile. "I don't think it suits a noble, wise future mage to draw too much attention."

"But I need to earn money."

Faster laughed heartily and began taking off Annan's clothes—an act that inexplicably made the women shriek.

"You have Lady Fine Wine. The Winchester family's wealth could easily help you become a mage."

Annan suddenly realized that Faster had gotten the wrong idea... He couldn't explain it yet, because he didn't know what was going on himself.

"So I can't keep working?"

"Working? Of course you can. You just don't need to... 'drum up business' anymore." Faster tossed the costume he had taken off to a rosy-cheeked Evelyn. "Bring Annan his clothes."

The tavern was warm and lively, so Annan felt no chill in his thin shirt. Testing Mr. Fast's sudden change in attitude, he asked, "Does that mean I don't have to pay back the money I owe Soluman Copperbeard?"

"If that's what you want."

"I was only asking."

Annan didn't want to leave a debt unpaid. At most, he would put it off for a while... After all, he still hadn't bought anything for Aunt Susan.

"Thank you."

Annan took the clothes Evelyn handed him and pulled on his coat. Then, emboldened by his supposed connections, he asked, "Is Lady Fine Wine... Is Margery's family rich?"

"You didn't know?"

"Margery never told me about that."

Annan wasn't lying to Faster. Lady Fine Wine really hadn't told him.

"Hmm... Lady Fine Wine must have her reasons for not telling you. All I can say is that the Winchester family has a great deal of influence in Breeze City..."

That much was clear. If an elite warrior humbly called her his big boss, Lady Fine Wine's status was no small matter.

As Annan put on his linen coat, the women's fervor cooled somewhat, and their attention returned to Faster. The regulars began urging Evelyn to take Annan's place—

Evelyn was a little shy, but she was curious.

"Would you like to try?"

Thanks to Mr. Fast's care, Evelyn had always been well protected.

Evelyn nodded lightly. Faster looked at Annan. "You've got more tricks up your sleeve... I mean, more ingenuity. Any good ideas?"

Annan still wasn't used to Mr. Fast being so polite. He studied Evelyn's youthful, freckled face beneath her rabbit ears, and as her cheeks grew redder, an idea came to him. "I'll ask Aunt Susan to make it when I get home."

A simple white dress would bring out Evelyn's youthful charm.

Near midnight, the tavern's clamor gradually faded as the customers left. The bard finally stopped talking after an entire evening and began playing a gentle tune.

As usual, Annan brought a cup of rye beer over to the bard.

"So your story about being close to Cici, the head of Roland Academy, came from personal experience?" The bard gave him a knowing grin and raised his cup. "To Cici."

"To the big boss's wife." Faster raised his cup too.

"To Annan." Soluman Copperbeard gulped down her entire beer.

Evelyn pursed her lips. Martin was staring at Annan's backside.

Whatever the case, Annan could feel that he had grown closer to Faster, the dwarf woman, and even the bard.

But it had nothing to do with Lady Fine Wine. It had begun when he saved Tasia.

At midnight, Annan and Martin walked home through silent streets lit only by moonlight.

As always, the light in Aunt Susan and Uncle Holin's room went out only after they got home. Annan and Martin lay down in their respective beds and drifted off to sleep.

Early the next morning, Annan ran into the kitchen, took a piece of charcoal from the stove, and sketched a long dress with exposed forearms on a sheet of paper. He asked Aunt Susan to find a suitable white dress, then hurried to the Library with an extra soft bread roll.

Knowing Mr. Victor's habits, Annan set a roll on the table in his sunny corner before starting to clean.

By the time Annan finished cleaning the spacious Library, Victor was leafing through a book, and the roll had vanished from the table.

"Eat too fast and you'll get thirsty," Annan said, setting a water jug on the table before returning to the desk.

Before Annan could eat breakfast, Little Winchester arrived at the Library. She had come for him.

"I don't know how you tricked Aunt Margery... but I'll make her see the truth." With that, Little Winchester left as hastily as she had arrived. Annan's ears had barely risen halfway above the back of his chair.

That wasn't the end of it. Just as Annan picked up his bread, Mr. Victor came over, leaning on his cane.

"What happened?"

"A misunderstanding..."

Annan reluctantly put the bread down and told him about working various jobs and happening to meet Lady Fine Wine.

"Little Winchester may have misunderstood something, or Lady Fine Wine may have told her something..." Annan didn't know whether to worry or make his peace with it. "Anyway, she probably thinks I'm, uh... a kept man."

"I believe you, child." Mr. Victor looked kinder than ever. "I see a hunger for knowledge in your eyes, a longing for the extraordinary, but no lust for beauty..."

That last part isn't true... Annan thought honestly, uncomfortable with Mr. Victor's praise.

But the next moment, the old man's face turned stern and caustic. "Did you think I'd say that? Handle your own affairs. Don't bring your problems into the Library!"

That made Annan feel much more at ease.

Mr. Victor returned to his seat. Annan reached for the bread, then suddenly stopped. He glanced toward the sunny corner, where only the sound of turning pages could be heard, and at the Library's closed door. Only then did he relax and eat his breakfast.

But as closing time approached that day, Mr. Victor came to the desk and asked, "How many characters do you know now?"

"Six or seven hundred, I think..."

That was barely enough to read children's books without consulting a dictionary. Annan had slowed his study of new characters lately, looking them up only when he encountered unfamiliar ones in his reading.

"You learn quickly."

That was something Annan had always prided himself on.

"But you've put that ability to the wrong use."

Victor's next words struck hard. "A first-circle Common Tongue proficiency spell costs only two gold coins."

Annan fell silent. He had still been thinking according to the logic of his old world... All he could do was console himself that he'd saved two gold coins, which was practically the same as earning them.

Mr. Victor didn't leave after saying that. Annan hesitated, then offered him the rest of his soft bread roll.

The old man said nothing and kept staring at Annan.

Annan remembered that he had just asked how many characters Annan knew, and understanding dawned.

"Are you asking when I'll start organizing the books by category?" Annan watched Mr. Victor's expression, thought for a moment, and said, "I can start tomorrow."

Then the old man walked out of the Library, his cane tapping against the floor.