CHAPTER 22
***
They say the culprit always returns to the scene of the crime.
It had been two days since I started staking out near the dress shop to catch the little thief who stole my money.
While Greta stepped out to buy snacks, a boy wrapped tightly in a black robe appeared.
Finally!
I crept up behind the boy peeking through the window and grabbed both his shoulders.
Startled, he twisted violently.
“What the—?! Let me go!”
“Kid, we’ve met before, right? How about you return my five gold? I know you took it.”
“Ha, what are you talking about?”
“Don’t bother pretending. If you give it back now, I won’t report you.”
I’d probably give him a little lecture about not doing such naughty things again, though.
But our little thief didn’t admit his crime so easily.
“Why would I steal your measly money!”
“Measly? What did you just say?”
I lowered my voice and frowned at the boy who was snapping back at me.
“You should speak politely to adults.”
“What are you talking about, you don’t even know who I… uh…”
The boy suddenly faltered mid-sentence.
Was he hiding his identity? In romance novels, this usually meant he was a young noble out on a secret outing.
“Whoever you are, manners still matter. And if you keep lying, I’ll have no choice but to take you to the guards.”
Looking troubled, the boy lowered his head and rummaged through his robe.
Then, from inside his cloak, came out my missing coin pouch.
“Is this what you’re talking about?”
“So it was you after all?”
“No, it wasn’t! It just ended up in my pocket somehow!”
The boy stomped his foot and crossed his arms defiantly.
“Anyway, I returned it. Happy now?”
Oh, really.
Who said the case was closed?
“No, not really.”
“Why not!”
“Because I think I should meet your family and explain what happened.”
Since he showed no sign of remorse, I doubted a simple scolding would stop him from stealing again.
The boy clenched his fists and stayed silent for a moment, then suddenly looked up.
“I don’t have a mom or dad.”
His young voice carried the weight of a dramatic blow.
Too bad for him.
“Really? Me neither.”
I wasn’t about to back down just because he mentioned being an orphan.
“Uh… huh?”
Caught off guard, he froze as I placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Do you have any other family, then?”
“……”
“Not answering means you do, huh?”
“……sis.”
The boy’s shoulders trembled as he shifted his foot outward.
I knew exactly what he was about to do.
Thud—dash!
As he tried to shove me and run, I quickly grabbed the back of his collar.
“Ah!”
His hood slipped off, revealing his face.
Golden hair and bright red eyes—unmistakably refined features.
He was no commoner.
“You’re not a commoner, are you?”
“……!”
His eyes shook at my words.
He tried to think fast and lied again.
“Yes, I am! Totally a commoner!”
“No, you’re definitely a noble.”
“No, I’m not! I’m just an ordinary kid!”
“Then tell me, how much does an ice candy cost?”
“……”
A long silence followed.
Any real commoner would’ve known the answer.
I stifled a laugh as his expression grew darker.
Leaning down, I met his frozen gaze.
“I’m Jena Kreutz. What’s your name?”
“……Matthias.”
After a long pause, the boy finally answered, avoiding giving his last name.
“Alright, Matthias. What kind of noble family’s boy goes around picking pockets?”
“I told you, I didn’t steal anything!”
“Then what are you doing here?”
It was strange for a child his age to wander around alone without attendants.
Did his family even know he was here?
Sensing my thoughts, Matthias grabbed my sleeve, his voice trembling.
“If I tell you…”
“Hm?”
“If I tell you, will you promise not to go to the guards or my house?”
“That depends on the reason.”
“Tch…”
He glared at me but eventually began explaining.
As I listened, I couldn’t help but scold him.
“Still, you shouldn’t sneak out like that. It’s dangerous for a child to be alone.”
“……”
“And this isn’t something you can solve by yourself.”
Even the way he loitered outside the dress shop showed that much.
Unable to argue, Matthias looked frustrated—then suddenly shoved me and ran again.
“Ah, Matthias!”
His small figure disappeared down the alley before I could grab him.
Left dumbfounded, I turned as Greta returned with a bag of snacks.
“Sorry for the delay, my lady. The line was unusually long.”
“Oh, it’s fine, Greta. I got my money back. Let’s head to the shop.”
“So you caught the culprit?”
“Yes.”
Though I did let him get away.
When we arrived, the dress shop owner welcomed us warmly, just like before.
“Oh my, madam! I was just wondering when you’d stop by!”
“Hello. I came to pay the deposit I missed last time.”
I took one gold from my pouch and handed it over.
The owner smiled brightly.
“Thank you! I’ll start on your dress right away. Have a seat and enjoy some tea before you go.”
“Oh, that’s alright—actually, sure.”
I changed my mind, thinking of Matthias.
I couldn’t shake off my curiosity.
If the missing girl had worked here, maybe the owner knew something.
As I sat down, the owner’s face suddenly hardened.
She was staring at a timid-looking girl nearby.
“Hey! What are you doing just standing there? Go prepare the tea!”
“Y-yes, I’m sorry.”
“So slow, honestly.”
After scolding her, the owner turned back to me with a bright smile.
A moment later, the girl brought tea and snacks, setting them down with trembling hands before quietly leaving.
“Is that girl one of your workers?”
“Yes, she works and lives here while learning the trade. I even pay her and provide room and board.”
“She looks new. You don’t have other employees?”
“No, our shop’s small. The last girl ran off after stealing from me, so I hired Sera.”
So the previous girl must be Anna, the one Matthias is looking for.
I feigned surprise.
“Oh my, really? Why would she do that?”
“I treated her so well she must’ve gotten greedy.”
“Could there have been some misunderstanding or other reason?”
“None at all. It’s not the first time I’ve been betrayed, you know.”
The owner laughed pleasantly, but something about her smile felt off.
“Did you report it?”
“Eh, it wasn’t much money. I decided to let it go.”
“You’re very kind.”
“Oh, stop, you flatter me.”
She giggled behind her hand.
I stood up.
“Thank you for the tea. I’ll get going.”
“Already? You’re leaving so soon?”
“I’ve got errands to run. Please take good care of the dress.”
Leaving the disappointed owner behind, I walked out and looked around.
Greta looked puzzled when I turned toward a grocery store a block away.
“My lady, why are we going there?”
“I just want to check something.”
That “not the first time” comment kept bothering me.
I picked up an apple and walked to the counter where an elderly man stood.
“How much for this?”
“Three coppers.”
“Here you go. By the way, you know Julia’s Dress Shop nearby? Looks like the staff changed again. Do they often quit?”
“Oh, that place? Happens all the time. The owner always hires orphans, and somehow they keep running off with money or goods. Poor woman.”
“How exactly do they ‘run off’?”
“They steal things and disappear. Guess she’s not good at handling people.”
The old man sighed. I thanked him and stepped outside.
Julia’s Dress Shop always hired orphans, and every one of them supposedly ran away after stealing—yet she never reported it.
“I need to find Matthias again.”
I grabbed Greta’s wrist when she asked if we were going home.
“Let’s go find that missing girl.”
My hunch was right. Matthias hadn’t gone home and was still wandering nearby.
After splitting up to search, I found him sitting glumly on a bench.
“There you are.”
“…What do you want now?”
He flinched when I sat beside him.
“I’m sorry. I think you were right.”
“About what?”
“That you didn’t steal anything—and that Anna was wrongly accused and went missing.”
“……!”
Matthias’s eyes widened as he looked up at me.
“You… believe me?”
“Yes, I do. I’ll help you find Anna.”
“Really? But why…?”
“When a child goes missing, it’s adults who should be searching, not another child. And your brother said he’s waiting for his sister to come back.”
How could I ignore that?
I’d seen many children waiting for their families at the orphanage.
Not all of them were orphans—some just had nowhere else to go.
I remembered their eyes, full of hope and loneliness.
Even though I had no one to wait for, I knew that longing too well.
The pain of losing the only family you have.
“I’ll find Anna, I promise. So stop trying to do this alone.”
“No, I can’t. I promised Tommy.”
“Then I’ll keep that promise for you. It’s too dangerous for a little kid to wander alone.”
“I’m not little, I’m nine.”
Matthias puffed his cheeks in protest.
All kids think they’re not kids.
I smiled and ruffled his hair—right as Greta appeared in the distance.
“My lady, you found the boy—wait…”
“Yes, luckily.”
Her face froze the moment she saw Matthias.
