* * *
When he handed out the packaged hats to each person in the group, they all looked a bit bewildered.
The temporary porter, Marvin, even had tears in his eyes.
“You’re giving one to trash like me…?”
He had been grumbling silently earlier when the two smug-looking priests had said they’d take a kid and go for a leisurely stroll around the market.
He’d even wished they’d meet with some misfortune on their way back.
Especially the one tagging along beside the snooty, cat-like priest—he’d wished he’d come back with at least one broken bone.
“Hey, porter. Why do you call yourself trash?”
Marvin looked up.
Standing before him was the priest ‘El,’ the same one who never missed a chance to torment him.
“Why do I call myself trash? Well, because…”
His life had always been about taking things that weren’t his.
Born as the youngest son of a poor family in a barren estate, Marvin had despised poverty enough to run away from home.
After that, he had spent years roaming the streets, learning only petty theft and lies, surviving without a coin to his name.
Marvin would steal from the wealthy, sell the goods to fences, and buy himself clothes and a good meal with the money.
Whatever was left, he’d distribute among the slum dwellers.
He did this so often that he became a wanted man, although to the slums, he was seen as a noble thief.
Despite that, he knew well enough that calling himself a “noble” thief didn’t change the fact that he was still a thief.
He didn’t see himself as honorable.
If he had to label himself, he thought “trash” was fitting.
Unlike those who earned an honest living, he stole from the rich.
What else could he be if not trash?
“I asked, why do you call yourself trash?”
Marvin wondered if it was because of the man’s earlier words, promising he could redeem himself through unpaid labor instead of facing certain death back on the estate.
But to Marvin, the question carried a different weight.
‘Was he trying to say I’m not trash after all?’
Marvin hugged the straw hat close, murmuring.
“Because I’ve spent my life thieving, even at my age.”
It was a simple answer, summing up his life, but he didn’t regret his past.
Even if he could go back to his younger days, he would still leave that rat-infested house and try to pick the pocket of anyone who seemed wealthy enough.
But somewhere deep down, he wanted someone to tell him he wasn’t that worthless after all.
Ideally, someone like this annoyingly handsome priest.
“You’re not trash.”
Sure enough, El said exactly what Marvin had longed to hear.
Marvin looked up at him with eyes full of gratitude.
“You’re worse than trash. Don’t put yourself on the same level as trash when you show no sign of repentance. That would be an insult to trash.”
“….”
Hearing himself called worse than trash, Marvin’s cheek twitched.
He almost wanted to rip the straw hat to shreds.
‘What else did I expect from this insufferable priest? Why did I even hope…?’
Grinding his teeth, Marvin hung his head low.
The red-eyed knight standing beside El was watching him closely, ready to draw his sword at any moment.
“Yes, you’re right. I’m worse than trash. Yet you still give me a hat; the generosity of the Eridian priests truly moves me…”
“Spare me the empty words. I despise flattery.”
Well, what else could he say?
Marvin frowned as he raised his head but quickly lowered it when he saw the knight’s hand still close to the hilt.
While El was busy tormenting Marvin, Giselle carefully placed the straw hat he received in the treasure chest.
Though it wasn’t exactly a precious item, it was well-made.
And since it had been blessed by the hands of the holy, it would be worthy of being designated as a sacred relic once they returned to the main temple.
‘Since it was personally given by Eridian and the Saint, we’ll need to go through the process of consecration once we return.’
As Giselle thought of the ritual with a smile, Habios put on his hat and loitered around the inn’s dining area where Seo Woohyun was seated.
“Thank you, Siel. It fits perfectly, as if it were custom-made.”
“…I’m just glad everyone seems to like it.”
Even as he said this, Seo Woohyun’s discomfort grew with each word of gratitude.
Though he had paid for the hats, the money had come from the allowance Eridian had given him.
It was also Eridian who had lugged the eight packaged hats on his shoulders all the way there.
All Seo Woohyun had done was reluctantly nod along when Eridian convinced him, despite his protests that priests shouldn’t wear such things.
‘Everyone seems so happy; I’d feel guilty if I hadn’t bought them. Next time, I’ll pick out a gift myself at the next town.’
While he was lost in these thoughts, a familiar handsome face suddenly popped up.
“Talking about something fun without me?”
It was Eridian, wearing his usual mischievous grin.
He had crept in beside Seo Woohyun as he spoke with Habios.
He wasn’t interrupting their conversation, just listening in, making it clear he wanted to be included.
Although Seo Woohyun believed Eridian’s promise to be less possessive, he still felt uneasy.
It wasn’t just any ordinary jealousy; it was the jealousy of a god who could change the weather at will.
His unease was understandable.
“They were just thanking us for the hats,” Seo Woohyun said.
“Ah, I hope they make good use of them. After all, this is a gift from both me and Siel.”
Eridian casually put his arm around Seo Woohyun’s shoulder with a radiant smile.
It was an unmistakable display of affection.
Habios could never imagine such an interaction.
If he were to wrap his arm around the Saint’s shoulder, the captain of the temple knights standing nearby would likely decapitate him on the spot.
‘The priest probably acts that way because he doesn’t know Siel’s true identity. No need for me to feel offended.’
Habios gave his thanks to El, however begrudgingly.
While he found El insufferably arrogant, he knew he had to maintain a cordial relationship until the impending assassination attempt came to fruition.
With the announcement that the meal was ready, the group gathered around the table.
Eridian took the seat to Seo Woohyun’s right, with Malrang on his left.
The child’s eyes lit up as the inn staff placed a steaming fish dish on the table.
“Fish!”
“Do you like fish, Flang?”
“Yeah! I love it! I could eat a hundred!”
Everyone smiled at the child, who looked eager with his utensils in hand.
Watching him, they felt their worries fade for a moment.
“If you eat a hundred, your belly will get this big.”
“Yeah, it’ll be huge… But I can eat a hundred.”
“That’s impressive.”
“Isn’t it?”
The casual chatter with the child was a peaceful moment.
After dinner, Seo Woohyun returned to the shared room with Eridian, with Malrang following as usual.
The little one, freshly washed, transformed back to his original form just before bed.
“Time to sleep now.”
“Yeah. Hurry and lie down.”
Seo Woohyun patted the bed beside him, and Malrang confidently climbed up, gripping his straw hat in his mouth.
He then flipped it over and nestled his body snugly inside the brim.
“Look, hyung! It fits perfectly!”
“You’re going to sleep there?”
“Yeah! Cover me with the blanket, hyung. Hurry.”
“Isn’t the inside of the hat rough? Will you be okay?”
“My shell is tough!”
Malrang rubbed his back against the straw hat, trying to show he was fine.
The hat seemed on the verge of tearing from his squirming, but he decided to worry about that later.
After draping a soft blanket over him and patting him a few times, Malrang yawned contentedly.
Seo Woohyun, watching Malrang drift off, quietly opened his notebook.
When his mind was tangled, he had a habit of organizing his thoughts by writing them down.
“Should I properly set some rules for how I should act? The prince seems reassured by my behavior, so maybe I need a clear standard for things like ‘Don’t do this.'”
As he was lost in thought, doodling in the corner of the notebook with his pencil, Eridian spoke up from the bed across from him.
“Was there something worth noting in that notebook today? I thought you only bought a hat.”
“It’s just… I’m still bothered by getting caught by Habios, so I thought I’d establish some guidelines for how I should act from now on. If I keep this up, I feel like I’ll get caught sooner or later. Honestly, greeting people is so awkward. I don’t know how I’m supposed to act, or where I should even look…”
“Eventually, you’ll get used to the greetings.”
Eridian answered kindly, though he seemed to show little real interest in Seo Woohyun’s notebook—well, he pretended not to, anyway.
It wasn’t the first time Seo Woohyun scribbled something in it.
Ever since they set off on this journey, he’d written things in it whenever he found a moment.
Sometimes, Eridian’s curiosity got the better of him, and he’d peek at what Seo Woohyun was writing, only to see him bristle and guard the notebook—an adorable reaction.
Hearing Seo Woohyun grumble, eyes wide and asking why he was peeking, was amusing.
But right now, stirring up Seo Woohyun’s suspicions wouldn’t gain him anything.
At the end of the day, Eridian was waiting for Seo Woohyun’s decision.
‘I wonder what kind of rules Woo Hyun’s come up with. Would he mind if I asked him about them later?’
Eridian, lying on his side, slowly closed his eyes.
Before long, the soft sound of pencil scratching against paper filled the room, oddly calming him.
It was a rare comfort he hadn’t felt in a long time.
* * *
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malrang is so cute o((>ω< ))o