The girl, Adelina, was a noble as it turned out. And like all nobles, she could only be pleased if someone played the clown for them. In the brief hour, Adelina had Hildebrand running around the market like a dog, spending precious copper coins like it was the last day of her life.
It’s not all that bad, Hildebrand reasoned. It wasn’t the first time she enjoyed such festivities.
One warm summer’s evening in Apollyon came to mind. The capital city of the Apollyan Empire held a festival to honor Emperor Apolly and there were games aplenty. Hildebrand had scrounged enough copper coins to play them, but even the biggest and plushest dolls won through her own efforts seemed utterly insignificant to the mediocre prizes won by the labor of loving parents.
Just like then, Hildebrand threw the dagger perfectly, hitting the center target to the applause of onlookers. Just like then, she received a large stuffed animal as the prize. And just like then, she surrendered the meaningless prize to some more fortunate soul. She gave the stuffed bovine doll to Adelina, who quietly accepted it.
“Do you like it?” asked Hildebrand.
The girl shyly nodded.
Then say thanks, you brat, Hildebrand thought, gently patting the girl’s head.
Hildebrand returned to the store with the blue banner right on time, where Hugo and the Legato brothers were already waiting.
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“Were you able to find her parents?” asked Hildebrand, remembering to put on the mask of the smiling Saintess.
“I’m about to right now,” Hugo said.
He cupped his mouth with both hands, and Hildebrand knowingly covered her ears. Then she groaned and covered Adelina’s instead. Hugo stopped and for a moment their eyes locked, even through Hugo’s messy bangs. Hildebrand couldn’t tell if he was taking a moment to enjoy her impending despair or showing concern, but the Saintess Smile faltered, nonetheless. He walked behind Hildebrand, facing away from her, and shouted. Even facing away from her, he was so loud it was so disorienting she didn’t make out a single thing he said.
But whatever he had yelled worked. A lady came pushing her away through the crowd like a sailor fighting the ocean waves. The level of her apparel and grooming matched Adelina’s, as did the color of her hair.
“I’m her mother!” she shouted, like she was deaf to her own voice. "That's my Adelina!"
“I’m so glad we could find you!” said Hildebrand, gently pushing Adelina towards her mother. She thought, Now hurry and take this ungrateful brat!
The woman whisked her daughter up with trembling arms into a safe and loving embrace. It was a familiar sight, one that Hildebrand had seen from afar countless times. First came the endearing pet names and cooing. Then the careful inspection and the immediate relief that followed shortly thereafter. Then the brief anger and reprimand born out of a loving concern. Last was Hildebrand’s favorite part, the nuzzling. It made her heart melt and her fists clench, and it made her brows furrow in frustration.
If there was any consolation, it was that Adelina waved a little goodbye and uttered words of gratitude before leaving. It really was a perfect world after all. Nobles minded their manners.
“A happy ending isn’t it?” Alexandros asked.
“Yes, brother,” Greg answered.
Hildebrand smiled her Saintess Smile and turned to Hugo. “Isn’t it?” she asked.
He nodded.
She had just one more question for him. “What were you going to do if that didn’t work?” she asked.
He shrugged.