Are rich people… really this eccentric?
“Oho!”
As the two were chatting, a resounding clap entered their ears, “What is this!?”, Harvey said as he suddenly sat on Van’s desk.
“Can Beatrice and I also come!?”, he then said as he looked at Victoria, his eyes filled with excitement. Hearing her name suddenly being mentioned, Beatrice could not help but wave her hand in panic.
Victoria could not help but squint her eyes, she then looked at Van, as if asking him for his opinion, but Van only shrugged his shoulders in response.
“…Okay”, Victoria then nodded her head.
“Have you heard that!?”, Harvey then jumped from Van’s desk and rushed towards Beatrice, shaking her chair in his excitement. Beatrice had an annoyed expression on her face, but the truth is, she was probably more excited than Harvey.
To get a chance to see Charlotte Gates, the strongest Enhancer-type System Holder in the world? Who would pass up on something like that? This was a chance for her to see what the people on the top looked like. To see how far she was from her ultimate goal.
“…When are we going?”, Van said.
“I will ask permission from my parents first”, Victoria meekly said, “Maybe after our class with Ms. Elton on Friday?”
“Hm…”, Van nodded and smiled, “Alright then”
***
“Phew!”
Andrea wiped the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand. She then stretched her back while releasing a satisfied moan.
“This… feeling is the best”, she whispered as her eyebrows rose up. She then let out a final moan as she removed her apron.
“Oooh. We out of bread already?”, a small old lady whose back was slightly hunched approached Andrea, “Well, ain’t you doing your best. Respect girl!”, she nodded in satisfaction as she looked at the empty display counter.
“No no”, Andrea shook her head, “It’s because you make the best bread in the block, Aunt May”
“Uh oh, no girl”, May slightly chuckled as her old bones chittered, “I know what you was tryin’ to do! You ain’t no more getting any bonus this week!”
Andrea also chuckled as she cheerily stepped out of the counter, “Want me to help you close up this time?”, she said before grabbing the handle of the door.
“No!”, May quickly waved her hand, “Why you getting all up in my biz? This lil momma needs to stretch some bones after a long day of kneading those damn bread”, she said as she slightly tilted her head.
“Now go! Shoo! Don’t go wasting your youth!”, she continued as she shook her head left and right, “You know, when Aunt May was at your age, I had a lot of suitors. Some of them was even System Holders. Ooh, and girl did they ask for marriage, and girl did I say no! This momma ain’t going to–“
“See you tomorrow, Aunt May!”
Before Aunt May’s story could go on, Andrea quickly opened the door and left, leaving Aunt May with only the sound of the door’s dangling bell. Andrea has learned now. The last time she stayed listening to one of Aunt May’s stories, Van was already asleep.
With the sun still shining clearly, Andrea could not help but slightly cover her eyes. She then patted her clothes of any flour that was still sticking on them.
“Aunt May is closing up early again today!?”
Before Andrea could even take 5 steps from the store, a loud shout pierced her ears, making her flinch in shock.
“Y… yes”, Andrea could not help but stutter as she looked at the man who shouted, “We’re all out of bread, Roy!”
“Again!?”, the man’s loud voice garnered the attention of all the people in the area, vendors, and customers alike, “This is the 3rd day of your shop closing early! Maybe you should come help us in our shop whenever you’re done. We can pay you extra!”
“M… maybe some other time!”, Andrea waved her hand as she hurried her steps. But once again, not even reaching that far from her spot a few seconds ago, someone called for her.
“Andrea, you’re already going home?”, a female vendor beckoned for her.
“Y… yes”, she nodded as she continued on walking, “Good day then, Chloe”. However, before she could even take another step, the female vendor was already right in front of her, her luscious silver hair almost blinding Andrea, it did not help that she was almost two heads taller than her.
“!!!”, Andrea could not help but slightly back away.
“Where is that woman you were with yesterday?”, Chloe squinted her eyes as she looked Andrea straight in the eyes.
“Woman?”, Andrea blinked her eyes a couple of times. Does she mean… “Oh, she’s busy”, Andrea said as she tried to walk to the side, but Chloe once again blocked her path.
“Does she need a job?”, Chloe smiled and clapped her hands, “Maybe she can also boost our sales if she was the one selling our product, she’s a very beautiful woman”
“N… no”, Andrea shook her head, “See you tomorrow, Chloe”, she once again bid her farewell, this time running away.
Andrea could not help but wipe the sweat that formed on her face as she could finally sigh in relief. Some days were peaceful, but if there were not a lot of customers in the market, the other vendors seemed to always try to strike up a conversation with her.
It was alright for Andrea, but some of them are just too… invasive.
But nonetheless, the smile on her face could not be hidden. It has been 3 days since their bread had been sold out before closing time, and so, she was expecting a large bonus from Aunt May this week.
She could not help but hum a tune all the way to her house. And as usual, she prepared their dinner as soon as she got home, still happily singing her tune.
She only stopped singing as she heard the door open. “Van?”, she said as she wiped her hands, “You’re back already? I still haven’t finished cooking ye–“
“W… who are you?”
“Oi, someone is here!”
“What!? He said no one would be here at this time!”
“I… I think you have the wrong house! Please leave!”
“Tch, no choice. Tie her up!”
“N… no!”
“Oi!”
“Help! Someone, please hel–“
“W… Why did you do that!?”
“She was calling for help!”
“F… f*ck!”
