I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit – Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Leaving the child with the haggard eyes behind, we entered an alleyway.

It was quite run-down, and there was no one coming or going.

“That hurts!”

Startled by my words, Oppa quickly let go of my hand.

“So, sorry.”

“Look. My wrist is red.”

Now, Oppa knows that he is very different from other people. Nevertheless, he still makes mistakes like this sometimes.

Oppa scratched his head apologetically and then stood facing the wall, asking me,

“Should I stand facing the wall and reflect?”

“……”

Although his dignity as a prince was nowhere to be found, his apologetic feelings were conveyed.

I sighed lightly and gave him the same nagging I had given countless times before.

“I’m fine because I have a Bilotian body, but it would be a big problem if you grabbed the wrists of ordinary people like that.”

“I don’t grab other kids’ wrists.”

Seeing that my mood seemed to have improved, Oppa grinned again.

He was still an 11-year-old kid.

Ah, he shouldn’t be this cute. If I let him off like this, he’ll make the same mistake again.

Ah……

In the end, I couldn’t help but smile back at Oppa’s smile.

As if he had remembered something, Oppa exclaimed, “Ah!” and said to me,

“You shouldn’t feel sorry for that kid from earlier.”

“Huh?”

“Her name is Ali. She’s very shy, so it’s hard to get close to her, but we at least exchange glances.”

Oppa told me about Ali.

He said her mother and father had passed away, and she lived with her maternal uncle.

In the morning, she shines the shoes of people going to work on the main road, and in the evening, she earns money by working at a sewing factory.

“She’s a kid who does her best at her job. Right now, it’s her break time, and she’s just spacing out.”

“……”

“So don’t pity her. Don’t look at her with pity. That’s insulting to Ali.”

It was something I hadn’t expected.

I just thought she was pitiful based on her appearance, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.

“Why do you come here every day, Orabeoni?”

“I’m a prince.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Because I’m a prince, I have to get along with the commoners.”

“……”

“We ride the rocket swing together. Shoe shining is fun too.”

“You…… shined shoes too?”

“Yeah. I filled in for Ali last time when she wasn’t feeling well.”

I stared at Oppa for a while.

Behind those innocent eyes, I thought I could see his love for his people.

Even if his methods were a little unusual, his heart was genuine.

When I continued to stare, Oppa became a little flustered.

“Why, why? Did I do something wrong again? Should I face the wall?”

“No.”

“Then why are you looking at me like that?”

“Just, because you’re cute.”

At those words, Oppa chuckled, “Hehe.”

“You have good taste.”

Michael, excited, started walking ahead.

I followed Oppa’s lead and arrived at a shabby house.

“The, the door is broken.”

“Yeah. That’s why the cold wind blows in during the winter.”

“The, the, there’s a spider.”

“Hello, spider friend?”

It wasn’t just spiders.

‘Gasp! Is that a beehive?’

Bees were buzzing around the ceiling.

There was also a very large beehive on the wall.

‘Why are the bees so big?’

To exaggerate a little, they were as big as sparrows.

At least, that’s how they looked to me.

‘I’m sure of it. There will be cockroaches here too.’

I couldn’t say their real name because I felt like they would appear if I did.

Thinking about the dreaded cockroaches, I gulped.

Goosebumps rose on my skin, and my hair stood on end.

I stuck close behind Oppa.

“Oppa. Don’t leave me behind.”

“Don’t worry. Oppa won’t abandon his Dongsaeng.”

He was usually reckless, but today, he was incredibly reliable.

I carefully took each step, holding onto Oppa’s clothes tightly.

“Nar-hyung. This is my Dongsaeng. Say hello.”

Narmore was lying sprawled on the floor.

He was heavier than I thought.

As if moving was a great bother, Narmore only turned his head slightly.

It seemed like his body creaked as he moved.

“Yeah. Hi? I’m Nar.”

After casually greeting me, Narmore closed his eyes again.

“Hello, my name is Isabel.”

“Yeah.”

Narmore was also very slow in his speech.

It took him about three seconds to say, “Yeah.”

Suddenly, as if he had remembered something, he said,

“Michael and Isabel? Your parents must be ardent fans of the Imperial Family.”

“I told you I’m Prince Michael!”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You’re the prince. She’s the princess.”

I said,

“Narmore-oppa. You were recently ostracized and driven out by Rossild, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m very interested in your business idea.”

“Well, thanks. I need to take a nap, so could you leave?”

“I think it’s a next-generation technology that can completely change the existing monetary system.”

“I think so too.”

Narmore’s attitude was indifferent. He seemed to find everything in the world bothersome.

“I’ll help you.”

“That’s a very nice offer.”

“First, I’ll pay you 50 million Luden as a down payment. Start your research right away. I can support you with up to 100 million Luden annually.”

“Wow. You’re a very generous kid. Now, now, I understand, so let’s talk later. It’s nap time now.”

Narmore turned over and lay down.

Feeling a bit of defiance, I crouched in front of Narmore’s face.

“Oppa. Look at me.”

“Why?”

“Hurry up.”

Narmore didn’t even open his eyes.

I used my fingers to pry open his eyes.

“Doesn’t my face look familiar? My face has been in the news quite a lot recently.”

“……You do resemble someone I know.”

“Isn’t that person’s name Isabel?”

“That’s right. Isabel.”

Narmore’s eyes widened a little.

For a while, a period of denial set in.

“No way……?”

“You knew that our Orabeoni isn’t ordinary, right? He’s incredibly strong.”

“He was…… right?”

Narmore abruptly sat up.

“No, no way! So, you’re saying you’re the princess? No, Your Highness the Princess? And, and you’re really the prince?”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Narmore was greatly flustered, but he eventually acknowledged that Michael and Isabel were members of the Imperial Family.

‘Crazy!’

The fact that the princess herself came to offer him support was also quite surprising.

However, Narmore no longer had the desire to work hard.

He had already burned out.

‘What does it matter if they’re the prince and princess?’

He decided to pretend he didn’t recognize them. He felt like he would get caught up in troublesome matters if he acknowledged their royal status.

“I’ve seen all sorts of strange people. It’s annoying. Go away.”

“Here’s 50 million Luden.”

Isabel abruptly handed him a leather pouch filled with gold coins.

“I said it’s annoying.”

“Just check it first.”

“No, it’s annoying.”

Isabel stood up. Then, she took off her hairpin and handed it to Narmore.

“If you show this to Captain Kiruen of the Outer Wall Guard, she’ll guide you to the Imperial Palace immediately. I’ll be waiting at the Arena Palace in the Imperial Palace.”

“I said it’s annoying.”

“There’s a very talented patissier in the Imperial Palace named Yuri-eonni.”

“Of course there would be.”

“This is just a taste.”

Isabel took out a Dalgona wrapped in plastic from her pocket.

“Try it. This is how you eat it.”

Chomp!

She put a piece of Dalgona in her mouth and munched on it.

Mmm, so delicious! It makes me happy every time I eat it!

That feeling of happiness was also conveyed to Narmore.

“It’s made by melting sugar. It’s so delicious that I’m so, so happy.”

Her blissful appearance was so marvelous that Narmore suddenly became curious.

It was an irresistible temptation.

Isabel smiled inwardly.

『Name: Narmore（Nar）』

『Characteristic: After money, he loves sugar and flour the most. Sugar and bread are his driving force.』

It was a strategy based on the character settings.

“You, you’re saying this was made by melting sugar?”

“Do you want to try it?”

As if possessed by something, he put a piece of Dalgona in his mouth.

The bittersweet sweetness that spread through his mouth in an instant tickled his entire body.

It was a taste he had never experienced before.

Is this heaven, or is heaven here?

“It’s a menu developed by Yuri-eonni, but actually, there are many things in the Imperial Palace that are much more delicious than this.”

“There’s something more delicious than this?”

“Of course. There’s also a bread called Croffle, which is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and it’s incredibly delicious. When you drizzle it with sweet honey and sprinkle it with powdered sugar and eat it with the patissier’s special milk whipped cream, it’s so delicious.”

Gulp.

Narmore swallowed his saliva.

He was finally defeated.

“I, I’ll make an exception and go this once.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Three days later, Narmore visited the Imperial Palace.

As three days had passed, Narmore had regained some of his composure.

“Your Highness. Why do you think so highly of me? What made you entrust me with 50 million Luden just like that? Why did you go to such lengths to summon me to the Arena Palace?”

Even getting here was a shock.

It was because Captain Kiruen, who was known to be strict, treated him like a VIP.

The Captain of the Outer Wall Guard escorted him all the way to the Arena Palace, and thanks to that, Narmore was still dazed.

He couldn’t understand why the princess was being so considerate to him.

“There’s no one who’s truly passionate about desserts who’s a bad person.”

“That’s true…… No, I’m being serious right now.”

“You can speak comfortably like before.”

“But, you’re still the princess……”

“We’re not in a formal setting.”

“Okay. I understand.”

Isabel smiled brightly.

With a smile as warm as the sun, she whispered an irresistible temptation.

“First, try this Croffle and then let’s talk.”

“……”

“Delicious, right?”

Narmore couldn’t even answer.

Following the Dalgona, a Croffle tsunami swept over him.

Yuri’s special Croffle once again shook and shattered Narmore’s reason.

Looking at Narmore, whose body and mind had become soft after tasting the Croffle, Isabel brought up the main topic.

“I’m very interested in ‘Nar Coin.'”

A different world’s version of Bitcoin.

Narmore was the creator of Nar Coin.