Chapter 19.1

Chapter 19.1

The market square in the town, where the five-day market was being held, was bustling with life.

Stall vendors had spread out their wares, and shoppers carrying baskets wove through the crowd, their voices mingling in a pleasant cacophony of haggling and chatter.

Seok-kyung strolled leisurely through the throng, taking in the sights. Ara stuck close behind him, but every time he stopped abruptly without a word, she would end up bumping her forehead against his shoulder.

“At least give me a heads-up when you’re going to stop.”

Ara grumbled, rubbing her sore forehead.

“Wouldn’t it be easier if you just kept some distance?”

“There are too many people. If I get separated, I might get lost.”

“You’re not a toddler. So what if you get lost for a bit? You know where I live now, don’t you?”

“Sure, I know. The problem is whether I can make it back there in one piece.”

Ara clutched her bag tightly with both hands, glancing around nervously. She was prepared to use Seok-kyung as a human shield and make a run for it if any loan sharks were lurking nearby.

It might have seemed a bit extreme, but it was the best defense she could muster. After all, there was no way a goblin king would fall victim to something as trivial as a loan shark.

Even a beggar’s life in this world is better than being dead, so I’ll survive first and worry about the rest later.

Resolute in her sneaky determination, Ara quickly scurried after Seok-kyung, who had already moved ahead.

The man in the navy suit came to a halt a few steps ahead, then slipped into a vegetable shop on the right.

Ara’s white sneakers quickly followed.

But just as she was about to step through the open door, her forehead smacked into Seok-kyung’s back again, bouncing her back slightly.

“Oh my, who do we have here? Our handsome young man!”

The shop owner, an elderly woman, called out from in front of Seok-kyung, who was standing like a wall.

Rubbing her sore forehead, Ara glared at Seok-kyung’s back. He knew I was right behind him. This sneaky goblin. He totally did it on purpose. A hundred percent.

“It’s been a while. Have you been busy?” the old woman asked.

“Yes, I’ve had a lot on my plate,” Seok-kyung replied.

Ara blinked in surprise, her brows knitting together unconsciously.

Did he just say yes? Kim Seok-kyung?

“Is that so? I’ve been waiting for you, hoping to see you every day. What brings you here today?”

“Eggplants, angelica tree shoots, tomatoes, and some wild sesame leaves. Oh, and if you have any sweet potatoes, I’d like to see those too.”

“Of course, we have everything here. Come on in and pick them out yourself.”

Seok-kyung nodded slightly in acknowledgment and headed further into the shop.

Ara stood there, staring blankly after him. Even the great Kim Seok-kyung uses formal speech with an elderly human. Who knew he had such social skills?

“Come on in, pretty lady. What would you like to buy?”

The shop owner finally noticed Ara after Seok-kyung had moved on.

“Oh, I’m just… here with him,” Ara stammered, pointing towards Seok-kyung.

Ara pointed toward Seok-kyung, who was busy filling a basket with tomatoes on the other side of the shop.

“That handsome young man?”

“Uh, yes… haha, that’s right…”

As she suspected, the standards of beauty were the same, whether young or old, goblin or human.

Ara, as usual, couldn’t find the right words to respond and ended up smiling awkwardly.

“You’re not the girl who usually comes with him.”

The shop owner scrutinized Ara’s face, tilting her head in confusion. She must have found it odd that someone other than Seol-do was accompanying Seok-kyung.

“Oh, right. I’m just here instead of her today.”

“Is that so? Then what’s your relationship with him?”

“What?”

“The girl who usually comes said she’s his sister. So, are you his girlfriend?”

“What? No, no, it’s not like that,” Ara trailed off, at a loss for how to explain.

A debtor under contract with a goblin? She won’t believe it.

But what should she say? They weren’t friends, siblings, or family.

‘I’m a housekeeper temporarily hired for three months? We’re in a relationship where we exchange wishes on an installment plan?

“Uh, we’re just… living together for a bit due to some circumstances.”

In the end, she settled on a vague explanation. Technically, it wasn’t a lie.

“Well, well. So you two haven’t had your wedding yet?”

The problem was that the shop owner’s imagination had taken a wild turn.

“…What?”

“Good for you. When you live together, it’s only a matter of time before you become husband and wife. Well done. You’ve got a good eye for people.”

“No, it’s not like that…”