"Yes, compensation. How much do you want? As an apology for making you go hungry for three days, I'll pay you whatever you ask. Please, you have to forgive me."
Cid never thought of himself as a good person. You could tell that from how most of his "Shadow" funds came from robbing bandits. His actions were basically the same as a bandit's. The only difference was that bandits robbed commoners, and he robbed bandits. It was just crooks robbing other crooks.
He might occasionally help commoners get their stolen treasures back if he happened to run into them, but he wouldn't do it all the time. After all, he wasn't some hero of justice.
He wouldn't go around killing innocent people or robbing commoners, but he would kill bandits and take their wealth. Thinking about it, that was pretty hypocritical, wasn't it?
He thought so himself. But some things you just can't do. If he had to give a reason, it was that a "Power in the Shadows" falling to the level of a low-class villain because of money... what kind of "Power in the Shadows" would that be?
Cid and Shadow were one person, but also two. He wasn't schizophrenic; he just had a severe case of chuunibyou. Both "Cid the mob character" and "Cid the Shadow" were just disguises for Cid, who always wanted to be the Power in the Shadows.
Someone finds a wallet full of money on the street but doesn't try to find the owner because of greed. That's pretty normal, right? It's human nature.
Now, a question: would you think that person was secretly some mysterious Power in the Shadows?
Of course not.
Yes, he wanted people to think "Cid the mob character" was ordinary. But not that ordinary.
He wanted people to think, "This guy is so ordinary, there's no way he could be the legendary Shadow." That kind of contrast was what he wanted.
Not people thinking, "How could someone who does such despicable things be the legendary Shadow? But he might be some low-class villain."
He didn't care about rumors people made up about him, because fakes were fakes. But today's incident was real. If his identity was ever exposed, what happened today would be a devastating blow to his image as the Power in the Shadows.
And also...
Cid glanced at Himeragi Yukina, and her pale face from not eating for days.
Just consider it his faintly aching, possibly non-existent conscience. As long as she doesn't ask for too ridiculous a price, he'll just treat it as paying for a lesson learned.
It seemed like Himeragi Yukina was overloaded with too much information at once. Her brain couldn't quite process it. After a while, she finally understood what had happened and couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.
"Senpai, you're a good person."
Huh???
Seriously, are you guys blind? Everyone keeps saying I'm a good person. It's making me wonder if I actually am one.
"So, does this mean you forgive me?" Cid thought one thing, but his words came out differently.
"Mhm, I forgive you, Senpai." Himeragi Yukina, unaware that the man in front of her was secretly wondering if she was blind, nodded lightly.
"Then... the compensation?"
"It's not necessary. Didn't you already return the money to me, Senpai? So, I didn't really lose anything... No, actually, I suddenly feel like I do need something as compensation."
Cid, who had just breathed a sigh of relief when Himeragi Yukina said she didn't need compensation, tensed up again at her last words.
Even though he thought Himeragi Yukina's way of messing with his emotions was pretty bad, it was still his fault. So, Cid steeled himself.
"What do you want?"
"Compensate me with another sandwich. I didn't eat enough just now." Himeragi Yukina playfully waved the sandwich wrapper, smiling in a way that was quite cute.
"Just that?" Cid looked at Himeragi Yukina in disbelief, completely missing her cuteness at that moment.
"Yes, just that. Is there a problem, Senpai?" Himeragi Yukina nodded and asked him back.
"No problem with that. It's actually too simple. I just can't believe you forgave me so easily."
"It's okay, it's okay. I've already forgiven you, Senpai. But you can't do it again in the future, okay?"
For the first time, Cid looked directly at Himeragi Yukina. Their eyes met.
"S-Senpai, what... what are you doing?" Himeragi Yukina blushed under Cid's gaze and instinctively looked away.
After a long moment, Cid was sure. Himeragi Yukina truly didn't care that he'd made her go hungry for three days. He couldn't see a trace of resentment in her eyes.
"Okay, I'll reserve judgment on you calling me a good person earlier, but you really are a good kid."
"Huh!!!???"
After saying that, Cid ignored the completely bewildered Himeragi Yukina and walked straight to the counter.
"Hello. If I remember correctly, VIP members here get a complimentary couple's set when they buy something, right?"
Coincidentally, the server at the counter was the same one he'd met when he came with Kanon last time. Right now, his gaze was darting back and forth between Cid and Himeragi Yukina.
"Um, um, um... Yes, sir. Th-this is the complimentary couple's set. Please take it."
Ignoring the server, who clearly misunderstood something and was looking at him like he was a scumbag, Cid carried the two free sandwiches back to their original seats.
After the strange atmosphere cleared up, the two of them one a transfer student trained in a special institution since childhood, the other a second-year high school student from a world that had just gone through its first industrial revolution quickly started chatting.
"Oh, oh, oh! So, Senpai, you came here to break away from your family and become independent through your own efforts?"
Himeragi Yukina's eyes were wide, her small mouth slightly open, clearly full of curiosity.
"Something like that. But my family isn't actually bad to me. This was more of a forced situation."
Walking down the street, Cid put on a helpless expression and explained to Himeragi Yukina.
"Forced situation?"
Facing Himeragi Yukina's confusion, Cid thought for a moment and started talking about his specific circumstances.
"Yeah, forced. My family isn't some big noble house. There's only one spot for the family head. The rest of the kids will most likely be married off. And the head position is basically already reserved for my sister. But I don't want to be married off, so I have to work hard to improve my strength and try to become independent."
"Senpai, why don't you want to be married off? What if the person you marry is a great beauty? Aren't all noble daughters supposed to be beautiful?"
Cid looked at Himeragi Yukina, walking beside him, with a speechless expression.
"How could something that good happen to me? You see, the family head is chosen regardless of gender. This means the head is usually the most outstanding person in that family. Because of this, everyone automatically considers the family head to be half a rank higher than those who aren't."
….
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