After that, I arrived at a new city. The first thing I did was buy a new long coat before heading into a lively restaurant for dinner.
Dressed in my new blue coat, I had barely taken a seat when a waitress brought me the menu.
I frowned at the seat across from me.
The orange-haired person had followed me all the way here... and had even sat at the same table.
As I flipped through the menu, I asked,
"Why are you following me?"
The first thing I'd done after entering the city was buy a new winter coat. The tiger-hide jacket attracted far too much attention, and the orange-haired person had simply stood outside the clothing store, watching everything I did like a stalker.
Orange-haired woman answered calmly,
"We're both heading to the capital. Wouldn't it be nice to have company on the road?"
"I don't think so. I'll have a pork cutlet rice bowl and a lemon tea."
"I'll have a grilled saury rice bowl and a beer. You must be a loner if you don't understand how nice it is to have friends."
"Anything else?"
"That's all."
After confirming our orders, the waitress walked away.
The orange-haired woman immediately slapped the table and rudely said,
"Hey, your elder is talking to you."
I simply turned my head and looked around the restaurant, completely ignoring him.
Orange-haired woman were the one asking to travel with me. He were the one asking for a favor. The choice was mine.
Yet all he kept talking about was being older than me.
Did being born earlier really make someone superior?
When I continued to ignore orange-haired woman, he got up and sat beside me.
I hated sitting next to people I disliked, so I stood up and moved back to the seat across from them.
Orange-haired woman stubbornly moved beside me again.
I switched back across.
We repeated this ridiculous game over and over until the waitress returned with our food.
The speechless waitress looked at us, clearly gave up trying to provide proper service, casually placed the dishes on the table, and left.
Based on where the food had been placed, we finally sat down, bringing the farce to an end.
The orange-haired woman pushed their beer toward me and sincerely pleaded,
"Come on, please. What will it take for you to let me travel with you to the capital? I'll do anything."
I stared at the beer.
Did they really think offering me alcohol—something I'd never touch in my life—would win me over?
If so, orange-haired woman'd picked the worst possible gift.
Still...
My intuition suddenly told me that bringing orange-haired woman along might lead to something unexpected.
I pushed the beer back toward orange-haired woman and asked,
"Can you drive a horse carriage?"
Orange-haired woman were rude, loved throwing their age around, and constantly acted superior.
But I decided to trust my instincts and give orange-haired woman one chance.
If two people were traveling together, we'd need a carriage.
I'd never driven one before.
Besides, the two-seater electric motorcycle wasn't something I could reveal to the public yet, so that wasn't an option.
The orange-haired woman instantly lit up with excitement.
"I can!"
Good.
If orange-haired woman couldn't, I'd simply pretend I'd never agreed.
"This grilled saury is amazing! I think I can even hear the sound of the ocean... Could this be the last thing the fish heard before it died...? I'll eat it with sincere gratitude!"
Orange-haired woman praised their meal dramatically.
At that exact moment, my phone rang again.
Since orange-haired woman were sitting less than a meter away, he heard it.
Unfortunately, I still couldn't take it out.
I was completely speechless by what orange-haired woman'd just said.
What kind of brain did orange-haired woman have to turn an ordinary grilled saury rice bowl into something straight out of a gourmet manga?
Was the food supposed to make people's clothes explode next?
After dinner, it was time to pay.
The same expressionless waitress returned.
"Together or separately?"
"Together. He's paying."
The orange-haired woman shamelessly pointed at me, telling the waitress to charge me instead.
Orange-haired woman's rudeness annoyed me enough that I decided to use his favorite argument against him.
"Hey, aren't you the elder? Then you pay."
"Money has nothing to do with age. Hurry up and pay."
"You're practically a bandit."
In the end, I paid.
Arguing with orange-haired woman here would only make things awkward for the waitress—and for me.
The moment we stepped outside, I immediately held out my hand.
"Pay me back."
"I don't have any money."
"Come on."
"I really don't. The toll I paid earlier was the last of my money."
"Then why are you going to the capital? Stay here and get a job."
"Please don't say that. Once we reach the capital, I'll pay you back double."
I glared at orange-haired woman.
I wasn't about to believe such an empty promise.
"Then go by yourself."
After saying that, I turned around and walked away.
I didn't want to deal with orange-haired woman anymore.
Humans evolved intelligence so we wouldn't live like beasts.
People should act rationally.
Suddenly, something tugged at the back of my winter coat.
I turned around.
The orange-haired woman had lowered their head while gripping my coat tightly.
With an urgent, earnest expression, they said,
"I'm sorry. I really need to get to the capital as soon as possible! But I don't have any money, so I can't hitch a ride with a passing carriage. If I walk through the forest alone, men who are after my looks will attack me! And I promise I won't keep acting like your elder anymore!"
Just hearing that irritated me.
If you don't have money, then work for it.
No matter how urgent your situation is, don't go around borrowing from strangers.
Besides, the five men who attacked them on the mountain earlier had probably just been starving enough to lose all standards.
When I still didn't respond, panic slowly spread across orange-haired woman face.
Orange-haired woman's body gradually lowered.
Not because he were shrinking—
Orange-haired woman were bending their knees, preparing to kneel.
Just before orange-haired woman head dropped below my waist, I grabbed the hand that was clutching my coat and pulled him back to his feet.
Seriously...
They had no pride at all.
This wasn't a life-or-death situation.
No family member was dying.
Still, if they knelt once, they'd kneel again.
And I couldn't handle all the strange looks that would attract.
I sighed.
"I'll trust you this once."
The outcome hadn't changed after all.
I let go of orange-haired woman hand, ignored the delighted smile on he face, and turned to look for an inn.
After finding one, I held up two fingers to the innkeeper.
"Two single rooms."
The orange-haired woman suddenly slapped the front desk and exclaimed,
"Hey! Why not get a twin room? Do you really distrust me that much? Making a move on a younger guy would be beneath the dignity of someone older!"
I had no idea what he were talking about.
All I knew was that he were bringing up the age thing again.
Ignoring orange-haired woman completely, I took out my wallet and asked the innkeeper,
"How much for two single rooms?"
"One silver coin."
I paid, took the room keys, and headed toward the bathhouse.
The orange-haired woman hurried after me, asking nervously,
"Why did you book separate rooms? Are you planning to leave me behind? Please don't. I'm begging you."
"Are you crazy? You act tough in front of other people, then beg the moment no one's watching. What exactly do you want?"
The difference between orange-haired woman attitude earlier and now was unbelievable.
It was the very definition of someone who cared more about saving face than making life easier.
It really irritated me.
He answered hesitantly,
"I... I have... my pride..."
"If you don't have money, you don't get to talk about pride. Don't forget what you agreed to. I'm the one in charge."
"I was wrong! Please don't leave me behind!"
"We leave tomorrow at seven."
"Okay!"
I answered almost immediately.
This time, I truly had no intention of abandoning he.
I'd already made my decision.
A man should take responsibility for the choices he makes.
He shouldn't go back on his word.