"Take this with you!"
He shoved a hand into his pocket.
"What?"
"Jingle!"
"The key! Thank you!"
I headed toward the bathroom with one hand pressed against my backside and the other holding the key.
Then I remembered something. . .
I inserted the key into the lock.
"Click, click!"
I turned it.
Strange.
Seraphine had told me that Dorian had used the bathroom, but he didn't have the key.
Ah, who cares?
I need to take a dump.
"Creeeeak!"
I quickly opened the door and. . .
"I'm sorry!"
"Creeeeak!"
"Click!"
I closed it.
"This isn't what you think, Kaela!"
"Bang!"
How did that man get inside the shop?
How am I going to explain this to the Baron when supervising everything was my responsibility?
"What's happening? I heard shouting."
"Bang!"
"Open the door, Kaela! I can explain."
"That voice. He did it again."
"Open. . ."
"Thud!"
"Ow!"
Prince Edward fell and slammed his face against the floor.
"Edward, did you sneak into my bathroom again? What have you been up to?"
"Ow! Don't step on me, Baron."
Step on him!
Keep stepping on him!
"Kaela! Help me."
"Edward, do you think I'm an idiot? You escaped my custody, entered my shop, and used my bathroom without permission. I hope you rot."
I'd better get inside because it was already starting to come out.
"If you. . ."
The prince's voice faltered.
"Argh. . . I'll ask my father to have you beheaded."
Bastard!
"Baron, please. Edward is someone I know."
I will never admit that this piece of shit is my friend.
I still haven't forgotten what he did to me.
"Use the bathroom, Kaela. This isn't the first time Edward has entered my shop and used it without permission."
"Bye!"
"Ow, Kaela! You stepped on me too."
"What was that? I didn't hear you."
"Creeeeak!"
"Click!"
". . ."
Hmm, this bathroom is enormous.
It suits the beauty of the shop.
It was a stall at the back of an herb and vegetable shop, perfumed by the strong scent of soil, mint, and dried rosemary hanging from the ceiling to disguise the local odor.
Very clever.
The seat was a rustic wooden crate with a hole in it, positioned over an earthen pit mixed with pruning scraps and dried leaves.
Yeah, I don't think I'll be bathing in here.
But how am I supposed to wipe myself?
Cabbage leaves?
A bundle of damp moss from the garden?
There is nothing luxurious about this place.
And how am I supposed to wash my hands?
There is a clay basin filled with well water and sage leaves.
Better than nothing.
Why are there crates inside the bathroom?
"Bang!"
Someone pounded on the door.
"Kaela, I need to use the bathroom."
"Creeeeak!"
"Some demon put fertilizer in the coffee."
She was green and pale.
"Lyra, you drank your own coffee? Hahaha!"
"Get out of my way."
"Don't push me."
I want to see her face when she discovers what this bathroom is like.
Hahaha!
I'll see what everyone else is doing.
As I returned to the main part of the shop, I began hearing whispers.
"I'm back!"
"Ah, Kaela. I heard you're looking after Edward under the orders of King Asterium Pegasus."
The Baron was paying the muleteer for the merchandise.
"Thank you, boss. If you need more merchandise, you can count on me."
The muleteer took the money and departed.
"Yes. Unfortunately, I have to look after him."
Why did Edward have to appear now, just when I'm about to get paid?
"Where is Edward?"
I put on the rabbit ears.
"I sent Edward to help your friends because that Donkey claimed he was allergic to heavy lifting."
The Baron opened a notebook.
"What is that?"
"Ah, I'm looking for some medicine for your friend."
"I understand. I'll leave you to search in peace while I go over there and cry."
". . ."
Several hours passed, and night was approaching.
Dorian and Edward were finishing putting away the merchandise.
I counted around two hundred crates. They weren't particularly large, but they were heavy.
"Thank you! Come again!"
I served the customers while the Baron collected their payments at the register.
"I would like one kilogram of cassava."
"Here you go!"
Business increased considerably around five in the afternoon.
I thought Donkey had been driving the customers away.
For the most part, he had been. I admit it.
However, the Baron's presence attracted customers as soon as he arrived.
It was impressive.
"Hello, ladies. I'll visit you tonight."
"Run!"
That shameless Donkey didn't do any work, and now he was frightening the ladies.
"Kaela, I filled in all the graves!"
"Keep your voice down! The Baron cannot hear about that."
I forced Lyra to clean up the mess she had made in the garden.
As for Seraphine, well. . .
"Zzz!"
She fell asleep beside Mortar.
"Lyra, how did things go in the bathroom? Did you manage?"
Silence.
"I'm already used to it."
Used to it?
"Lyra, what did you do in the bathroom?"
"Hahaha!"
"Come back here. . ."