CHAPTER 10: Shopping, Shopping Never Changes

𝙈𝙐𝙍𝙈𝙐𝙍… 𝙈𝙐𝙍𝙈𝙐𝙍… 𝙈𝙐𝙍𝙈𝙐𝙍...

Walking through the paths of the shopping district, countless women whispered in hushed tones or had their eyes glide horizontally to track the young man who had captured all of their attention.

Wearing a white shirt with some designs across its fabric, a bomber jacket on top of it, and a pair of black jeans, with some athletic sneakers to top it off gave him an aura of unbridled youthfulness.

Coupled with his good looks, it would be more of a concern if this sea of single women didn't find their eyes longing to observe the handsome specimen that had entered their vision.

But while they were free to talk and gawk at him freely, they were only able to do so as the recipient of these actions did his best to contain the wariness of his two companions who walked on either side of him.

"Stop glaring at every person that passes by us, Mom. And stop preparing your fist as if you're gonna punch them, Anastasia."

"But Leon-"

"Young Master-"

"People are gonna talk and stare no matter what we do. As long as they don't cause us trouble, I can live with people doing such things around me."

"You're way too accepting, my son…"

"I understand you wish to be kind, young master. But to this extent…"

Seeing just how much the both of them cared for him, Leon simply smiled as he ushered them forward. Gazing among the passing stores. Waiting for one that might pique his interest.

After his mom went on a spending spree for him in the clothing store, he eventually accepted her wishes to not be so conscious of money, and to simply buy whatever he wants.

And so, Leon did, though he mostly focused on his necessities first. Buying shoes and other miscellaneous items of fashion that couldn't be bought from the clothing store. Purchasing some new furniture to decorate his rather bare-bone room. And purchasing stuff here and there that he believed would be essential for him to return to the standard of living that he was used to.

With a parade of trucks and vans hauling the stuff Ada bought for him to their house, the young man was now contemplating if there was anything else that he needed to buy.

'With essentials out of the way, what could I buy here that might help me live a better life?'

Thinking deeply about it, Leon eventually found the answer he was looking for. A hobby. An activity or craft that one found enjoyment in. Cultivating proficiency and finesse in the chosen activity for the sake of happiness.

In his past life, Leon didn't possess any such memories of dubbing as a hobby. It was always a cycle of working as a criminal before letting loose like an animal in the metropolitan nightlife.

Determined that he might get closer to his goal by attaining a hobby of his own, he began to shift course toward a certain section of the shopping district. One that surprised Leon's companions and the observing crowd as he neared the location.

"Alright, let's do some shopping here!"

"Leon, perhaps you've gotten your directions mixed up"

"Hm? No, I'm right where I want to be, Mom"

"Young Master, this place might not be…"

"Not what? I realized I didn't really have a hobby, so what better place to find one than here?"

Looking forward, Leon saw a sprawling plaza of stores dedicated to all things related to pop culture.

PC Shops. Video Game Stores. Figurine Merchants. Manga and Light Novel Vendors. Hobbyist Centers. Instruments. TCG. TTRPG.

It was the place where all people of countless hobbies gathered to procure supplies to further their pastime and communicate with fellow enjoyers of their interests.

"Let's head into that store first"

"Wait, Leon-"

"Young Master-"

Wearing panicked expressions, Ada and Anastasia were at a loss for what to do as Leon headed into the first shop that caught his eye. The manga and light novel vendor.

As he stepped into the laid-back store that sold books and comics of varying genres, the patrons of the store stopped in their tracks as they saw the handsome young man begin to browse and peruse the selection available for sale.

For a moment, the women who were immersed in the 2D world doubted their eyes, thinking what they were seeing was an illusion, but that notion was broken as Leon neared a meek glasses-wearing young girl who was casually reading a rather popular manga.

"Hey there, what are you reading?"

"Eh?"

"Oh, I'm sorry for talking to you all of a sudden. You just seemed like a regular here with how easily you walked around without looking… I'm new to this place, so I wanted to know if what you're reading was good"

"... Eh?"

Appearing more and more confused at what was happening, the bespectacled girl felt like she was about to bug out, but before she could, Leon recognized what was about to happen and shifted gears. Changing the conversation to be easier for her to follow.

"That guy in the manga you're reading seems pretty cool. Is his power turning into a giant? The illustrations look so detailed"

Hearing him begin to talk about the manga in her hands, the young girl began to realize she was in reality. Not wanting to turn the situation any more weirder, she simply let go of all her fears as she began to explain to Leon about the story.

"Yeah. They live in a world where these monsters eat them like food, so they hide behind the walls. The protagonists and the other characters have to unravel the mystery of their situation using their wit, their strength, and the mysterious abilities of a few to turn into the very monsters they fear and detest."

Seeing the young girl slowly begin to build confidence as she discussed the story she was intimately familiar with, Leon began to smile as he was now able to converse with the person he was talking with.

They made small talk about the plot, the characters, the artwork, the inspirations of the author, and many other things.

Soon, the both of them began to chat in earnest, drawing in the attention of all the other patrons who watched in awe of the sight that presented itself before them. One they believed to be impossible.

But soon, a hiccup was encountered along the path of their conversation. One that was the quintessential reason why the patrons found it hard to believe that a man would be in a shop like this.

"How interesting. Can you show me the next panel? I wanna see how the transformation of the man plays out"

"Sure, sure! Here you go-"

As the young girl turned the page, a widespread illustration of the male character turning into a giant whose bare chest was completely shown showed itself, causing her to immediately close the book shut with frightening speed.

"Um, what's wrong?"

"N-Nothing"

Realizing she had just shown a man the perverse illustration of a female author presenting a man's chest with little shame, the young girl began to tremble at the horrible mistake she had just committed.

Sensing her growing apprehension, and catching sight of the illustration, it took a while for Leon to process why she had become so upset until he was finished switching the roles in his mind.

Coming to the realization as to why their flowing conversation had stopped, the young man adapted on the fly and began to articulate words that would undoubtedly resume their lost pace of conversation.

"Don't be so shaken up, it's just a drawing, right? I won't be offended just because a manga depicts such a thing."

"Eh, r-really?"

"Of course! Besides, the scene was so badass that I could hardly care about such a thing. With the guy screaming rage at the betrayal of his friends before turning into a giant, it was necessary for a widespread shot to be made to convey the impact of the scene"

"Y-Yeah! Though the manga gets a lot of flak for being very illustrative of uncomfortable imagery, it's actually done for a deeper purpose!"

"I can tell! With how much detail the author placed into the panels, and how deeply you were reading each line of dialogue, I can recognize just how much love and care is placed into the manga"

"!!!"

Realizing Leon had gone out of his way to understand her perspective rather than simply lashing out, the young girl and the patrons were left shocked at such an improbable scenario turning into reality.

"Hey, would you mind showing me where I can get the first volume of this manga? Also, is there another series I should look out for? I really want to get into stuff like this, hehe~"

Facing his bright smile that looked at her with no judgment and no ill will, the young girl remembered her most dreaded memory, the look of disdain on her male classmate's face as he saw what she had been reading.

Countless horrible names and insults were shouted at her. Chastising and insulting the hobby she grew to love ever since she was a kid.

For a while, she wondered if she should just give it up. Perhaps it was a sign that what she loved doing wasn't the best for her.

But as if to reject all those hateful things she could clearly still recall, Leon's voice of reassurance and gentleness began to wipe it all away.

"𝘏𝘪𝘤… 𝘏𝘪𝘤… 𝘏𝘪𝘤…"

"Eh?!"

An outpour of tears began to stream down the young girl's face as she was filled with relief that she didn't have to give up something she loved so much just to appear 'normal'.

But to Leon, it appeared to him like his insistence to talk with her had caused the young girl to break out in tears.

Just as he was about to apologize profusely, the young girl who appeared to be three years younger than him began to tug on the cuffs of his bomber jacket. Flashing him a smile that shined brightly through the tears she continued to shed.

"If Mister wants to get started with manga, the Big Three is a good place to start for action. But if you want romance or slice-of-life, I can give you some more recommendations in the other section over there"

Seeing her put on such a glowing smile, Leon simply returned her wide grin with one of his own. Doubling his enthusiasm he allowed her to lead the way.

"I'm already excited! Lead the way, little miss!'

"Got it!"

As the two of them walked off, the observing patrons, Ada, and Anastasia struggled to hold back their own tears as well.

Manga and light novels were a beloved hobby shared by most women. Allowing them to transport their minds into a world far greater than their own.

However it was not widely accepted as "normal", so it was normal for many to simply hide their liking for their medium extensively.

Seeing that there were men who were capable of accepting who they were, their hearts that suffered under the fact that they couldn't truly show off their passions, began to heal from watching the events of the two play out.

And so it was that Leon began to cultivate popularity among the people of the hobbyist section of the shopping district.

…

..

.

"Woah, for real? You're telling me I can make that complicated robot with the parts in this small box? But which model kit should I go with first though?"

"Agh, I lost. The mechanics of this card game are so complicated, but it's simply too interesting to just give up after only one game! Give me one structure deck please!"

"Eh, the fourth game is actually the second in the timeline? I guess I should play this series in chronological order if I want to understand the story."

"Wait, so what's the difference between this blue CPU and that red CPU? Also, why are those green boxes over there so expensive?"

"This figure is so detailed, and the accessories add to it so much! Hm? Do I mind if the guy's chest is out? Is that a problem? It adds to his whole vibe, right?"

"Is it really that important that I choose between Zony and Y-Box? Huh? Is the PC better?"

…

..

.

After a wild shopping spree, Leon left the hobbyist section of the shopping district with a satisfied smile on his face.

Getting to know the various hobbies and pastimes people indulged in this world greatly fascinated him, and he was quite excited to try them all out. Hopefully, he will find something he might like in the process.

Along with that, seeing the genuine happiness in the women's faces to be able to chat with him about their interests also greatly relieved his heart.

'As expected, it feels a lot better to leave a place with people smiling rather than shivering in terror at you'

Turning his face back a bit, he could see the various shop owners continue to wave farewell at him. Wishing him a safe trip back to his home.

Though he didn't know if they would consider it, Leon would like to think he was able to do something he couldn't in his past life. Make some friendships that weren't based on some material exchange or coercion.

"Are you happy, Leon?"

Looking at her son's expression of satisfaction, Ada wanted to ask if he was able to enjoy his first trip outside. Something to which the young man eagerly replied.

"Yeah. It's so much, Mom!"

Perhaps as a result of his heart healing, Leon's remaining fragments of the cold hardened criminal he once was began to fade away.

It would take some time for him to fully rid himself of the vestiges of the life he wasn't proud to have led, but in a journey of a lifetime, every step matters.

"I am happy to know that Young Master Leon is overjoyed. Allow me to set up all the products you have purchased for yourself when we return home"

"Thanks, Anastasia! I'm not really that great with tech stuff. I'm glad I can rely on you"

Exchanging pleasant words with one another, the Greenfield household attracted attention once more from the surrounding crowds in the shopping district for their dream-like relationship with one another.

The perfect family, as some might call it. But to the three who received the countless stares of longing, they simply didn't mind and focused on one another. Smiling as the sun began to paint the sky an orange hue. The day slowly turned into dusk as they spent so long bonding with one another.

…

..

.

"Hey, is that even real?"

"Has the government begun testing on a mas-hallucinogen without us noticing?"

"Whatever it is, TSKR"

In the shopping district's food court, Leon, Ada, and Anastasia could be seen eating with one another happily. But what caught the eyes of many towards their group once again was the young man's behavior which seemed way too radical for this world.

"Mom, this soup is good! Here, try it!"

"Wha-"

All of a sudden, as they immersed themselves in their food, Ada was caught off guard as her son directed a spoon toward her, initiating the start of a fantasy scenario for women all over the world. "Being fed by a man with a spoon he used".

"L-Leon-"

"You should really taste it! It's got the right blend of heaviness without being too chunky!"

Sitting at the end of what seemed to be paradise as Leon smiled innocently towards her, Ada eventually strengthened her spirit as she opened her mouth wide.

Her son's spoon eventually reached inside her mouth and the soup began to pour all over her tongue. The taste of it ran through her mind like a firework,.

Ada began to wonder how could something possibly taste this good. Was it the ingredients? Was it the skill of the chef? No. It undoubtedly had to be her son's work. A son's love for their mom is the best flavor-inducing spice in the world Ada thought.

"Good, right?"

"So good. Ehehe♪"

Seeing his mother happy, Leon grew content, but as he shifted his eyes, he eventually landed on Anastasia who had a curious expression on her face.

Not wanting to leave her out, he simply repeated what he did to Ada, but this time for his personal maid whom he connected with so well just earlier.

"Open wide, Anastasia. Aaa-"

"H-Huh?!"

As if what he did earlier wasn't enough, the young man broke the expectations of the observing women by one-upping the already masterful display of desire. By calling for her partner to open her mouth with a gentle hum.

"Huh, why does my head feel so hot? And my stomach too…"

"Should we be paying for this? I only have a couple hundred dollars in my wallet, but I can withdraw some more at an ATM!-"

"Auntie! Get a grip on yourself! We haven't died and entered heaven, this is reality! Keep strong! Don't go into the light! Auntie!-"

Ignoring the ravings of the peanut gallery, Anastasia focused single-mindedly on the spoon in front of her. Maximizing her senses she eventually accepted the divine-like blessing from her young master who appeared like an ethereal being in the flesh.

"Ahm"

"It's really good. Do you think you'll be able to make something like this, Ana?"

"UGH?!"

As the young maid was taking her time to savor the taste of the soup handfed to her by Leon, she suddenly began to choke as she was assaulted by a powerful blow out of nowhere.

But with her professional training, she simply did her best to re-correct the course of the soup going into her stomach before asking what her young master had done.

"Young Master Leon, what did you say?"

"You don't like it? I thought I could call you Ana. Since we've gotten closer, and it's a bit of a hassle to fully pronounce Anastasia every time I call out to you…Is it not good?"

"No! In fact, it's very good! I am deeply honored, Young Master Leon! Allow me to serve you more fervently from now on!"

"But you're already serving me plenty enough-"

"Ah! Leon! You can't just do that to Ana! Mom should always be the first to receive those types of things!"

"Huh? But I can't really shorten Mom though…so maybe…Mama? It doesn't roll off the tongue as well as Mom"

"GUH-"

"Mom?!"

"Young Master Leon, it is alright! The madame has simply entered cardiac arrest! I am trained in first-aid, I am confident in bringing back the madame from the underworld itself!"

"How can I be fine when it's cardiac arrest?! And the underworld?! Stop saying ominous things like that!"

As Anastasia masterfully resuscitated Ada from the brink of reaching Nirvana and detaching herself from the material world due to enlightenment, Leon's eyes began to peruse the food court as he grew relieved upon seeing his mom fine.

Eventually, his eyes landed on a discreet ice cream stall near one end of the food court. The grown woman tending the stall was happily giving a young girl a cone of vanilla ice cream.

The scene was a happy and wholesome one that elicited a smile on Leon's face, that was until a certain someone ruined the entire thing.

𝘽𝙐𝙈𝙋

"Ah!"

Crashing into the child was a man who seemed to be discontent with being around so many people. With his face in a scowl, he didn't care about the obstacles in his path, the women around him simply giving him way in order to not give him trouble.

Soon, that arrogant way of walking caused the scene that unfolded before Leon's eyes. The man bumped into the small child, causing her to drop her ice cream cone. Causing her to feel tears well up in the corner of her eyes.

"Tch, brat. Mind your surroundings"

Looking at the small girl with disdain, the man didn't even so much as emit an air of regret or apology. Simply continuing to walk. Leaving the child to deal with the aftermath of his ignorance by herself.

"How horrible"

"That poor child"

"It seems it's just unlucky that she ran into a man like that. They're not common, but they still exist"

The observing women in the crowd could only feel pity for the young girl. Many began to help her up, doing their best to console the child who had just received pure unbridled disdain from a man, a figure of importance in their society.

"..."

"Young Master Leon?"

"Leon?"

"I'll be heading to the toilet for a bit. I'll be back soon"

Under the concerned gazes of his mother and maid, Ada and Anastasia were quiet as they observed the young man, who had been so kind earlier, beginning to emit an aura that greatly differed from his usual.

It was as if the energy in him had shifted. Giving way to another side of him that had been quietly co-existing with his kind and gentle self.

'I take back my statement. It would seem that my previous life still has some worth that I can utilize in this new one'

Following the stern man discreetly through the shopping district, Leon's verdant green eyes carefully watched him as he entered the toilets for men. A discreet location so as to ensure that no unwanted eyes would watch the people who go inside it.

'Just because I have decided to live kindly, doesn't mean everyone else around me will. Though I have met good people thus far, I have to remember that crime and evil are a constant in any world. No matter how utopian it appeared to be'

The criminals his mother punished through the court of law. The vile men who abused their position in society to trample over others who simply wished to live their lives in peace.

𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙋...𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙋...𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙋...

It wasn't enough for one to be kind, one must also teach others to follow the same path. In the religions of his old world, such a thing was a common trope between each of their belief systems.

Usually, they would descend from some higher realm of spirit or enlightenment to walk among the common people. Traveling the world and spreading their beliefs for the desire that others can share in the happiness they have discovered.

𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙋...𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙋...𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙋...

And thus, under the veil of the private walls of the male toilet room. With the aroma of detergents in the air that keep the room clean. Amidst the accompaniment of his cold footstep against the sterile floor. Leon began a new path in this new life.

"Hey"

"Huh? What the hell do you want?"

The path of a teacher. Guiding the wicked away from a life that would end in sadness, and into one of upright behavior.

"Hah, trying to appear tough? That's not how you do it"

Coming face to face with the man who had just exited a toilet stall, Leon did his best to stifle his laughter at the guy's poor attempt to appear intimidating.

"If you want to be intimidating, a scowl isn't enough. You have to back it up with action"

"?!"

𝘾𝙍𝘼𝙎𝙃…𝙎𝙇𝘼𝙈…𝘾𝙇𝙄𝘾𝙆…

Pushing the scowling man back into the toilet stall, which made him fall into the toilet seat behind him; and slamming the door shut, hiding what was about to happen even further. Leon began to reawaken the instincts of 『Wild Hunt』.

"Hey tough guy, eyes up here"

"You-"

Intimidation was a battle of image and confidence. The man in front of Leon was undoubtedly superior in image.

He was a bit taller than he currently was, undoubtedly older with his scowling complexion, and his physique would naturally be stronger than his which had just begun to recover from being sedentary for so long.

But no matter their image, confidence was the true deciding factor. A regular human can scare a predator like a wild bear by appearing to be larger than he really is.

"Not another word"

So, for Leon who possessed memories of a criminal who ruled the underworld with an iron first.

"We wouldn't want things to get bloody, now would we?"

"?!"

His verdant green eyes lost all their shimmer as they began to darken. Turning what once was like a field of gentle blades of grass shimmering in the sunlight, into a dark forest that led lost travelers deeper and deeper into their demise.

Leon stood towered over the collapsed man. Casting a shadow over him as he returned his gaze with one of his own. A gaze that wasn't afraid of taking things to a point of no return.

"Haa-"

As expected, even with Leon's experience in intimidation, if his target was too stupid for logic to work, it would inevitably fail.

But though he was frail, it wasn't like he was incapable of defending himself. As the scowling man attempted to raise his legs to kick him, Leon simply decided to beat down any desire to fight back in a single blow.

𝙋𝙐𝙉𝘾𝙃

A precise strike to the stomach, causing the once resistant scowling man into a mess as he felt something begin to travel up his throat.

"Ugh, don't dirty my clothes"

𝙎𝙇𝘼𝙋

Not wanting to have the clothes his mother and maid personally picked out for him ruined with some stranger's puke, Leon quickly redirected the man's head with a violent slap. Causing the outpour of digested food to hit the walls of the toilet stall instead.

The man curled up in pain as his throat burned from the acid from his stomach, and his mind did its best to numb the pain he had received from the punch.

Seeing the pathetic sight the once confident man had turned into, the blonde young man simply narrowed his eyes as he reflected on his course of action.

"It's not like I'm trying to get something out of him, so maybe a punch was too far. I just need to instill some fear into this guy"

Seeing Leon be so casual about what he did, further anger began to well up in the scowling man's heart as he shouted at him in confusion and rage.

"WHAT DID I DO TO YOU?!"

"Hm? It's not what you did to me, but to that little girl earlier. You bumped into her and made her drop her ice cream cone"

"HUH?! SO WHAT?! SHE WAS IN MY WAY! WOMEN SHOULD ACCOMMODATE FOR MEN!"

"Yeah, I heard that's a thing here. But not every man in this place bumps into people, right? Stop using that as an excuse to hide that you're just an asshole"

If every man in this world was as cruel as the one in front of Leon's eyes, there would no doubt be a great deal of unrest to be had. From his few observations, men just tended to be reserved and hesitant around women.

"Yeah, you can bump into other women, and they would most probably apologize to you for getting in your way. But just because you can do it, does it mean you should?"

"IF I CAN DO IT, THEN WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?!"

Seeing how he responded to his question, Leon realized something, this man was acting just how he used to in his previous life. If he could do it, he would. Not thinking about consequences or impact. Simply doing things that he felt like doing.

And seeing how pathetic he looked under his eyes, his heart felt more at peace. Knowing that the old path he took truly was pathetic.

"I see, then, if I can kill you right now, you wouldn't have any problem with that would you?"

"?!"

"The human body really isn't meant for combat you know? So many points of failure. Not that I think you would know about them all, so let me teach you"

Grabbing the scowling man's hair in his hand, Leon began to shake him around like a ragdoll.

"For the quickest method, I can simply bash your skull against the metal handle of the toilet until your skull fractures"

Shifting his grip away from his hair. The man dropped further into the toilet before he felt his neck begin to constrict.

"The next, I can suffocate you until you asphyxiate. Your body thrashing around as your mind tries its best to gather oxygen before you eventually go limp"

In the same manner, Leon continued to lecture the man in the numerous ways he could die in that stall. A small on the blonde young man's face as he did so.

"I can make you suffer for a long time by smashing your liver until it fails, but you have a good chance of getting a donor, so maybe internal bleeding would be better?"

"But I do like how people look like when they're drowning. Waterboarding? That would be rather fun"

"I could also just take the tried and true method of breaking every bone in your body until you enter shock from the pain of it all"

…

..

.

"I can do all those things…but I won't"

Staring at the scowling man who now looked more like a pale ghost, Leon simply smiled with a gentle arch as he came to the conclusion of his lesson.

"One of the things that separate humans from animals is our reasoning. If we just do whatever we want, what's the difference between us and some mutt in the street humping a lamppost because it felt like rutting?"

As he said those words that he was quite proud of composing, his pride quickly turned into disappointment as he heard the man in front of him whisper some words of desperation.

"Insane…you're insane…"

"Insane? Now that's just sad. Even after giving you a whole sermon, you still don't see the error of your ways…I suppose you're just too far gone that you're no different than a horny street dog. A shame"

Stretching the joints and hinges of his right arm, Leon prepared to resort to his last measure to properly guide this poor fellow into the righteous path.

"In order to complete your rehabilitation from a bastard mutt into a regular human, I must beat you into submission"

"After all, the only thing a wild animal learns from is pain! But don't worry, I'm not like you. So I won't damage anything. I'll simply inflict pain that you'll never forget"

Hovering over the terrified man like a boogeyman who has come to punish bad children, Leon prepared to slap the ever-living hell out of the person in front of him.

𝙎𝙇𝘼𝙋...𝙎𝙇𝘼𝙋...𝙎𝙇𝘼𝙋...𝙎𝙇𝘼𝙋...𝙎𝙇𝘼𝙋...𝙎𝙇𝘼𝙋…

…

..

.

"What's taking Leon so long?"

"Don't worry Madame. It's normal for boys to take long when they go out to do their business"

"Is that so? I really need to reread those parenting books I bought so long ago"

Waiting by the food court, Ada and Anastasia passed the time along as they waited for Leon to come back from the toilet. But it would seem that their wait was over as they both caught sight of the blonde young man.

"Leon-"

But just as Ada was about to call out to her son, Leon changed directions, not heading to their table, but to the bench where the young girl from earlier was sitting.

"Yo! You mind if I sit here?"

"Eh?"

With a white plastic bag in his hand with the logo of a famous convenience store plastered all over it, Leon smiled brightly as he asked if he could sit with the little girl.

"I-I don't mind"

Recalling the man who had bumped into her, the girl shivered in fear. Not wanting to inconvenience another man, but rather than the cocky attitude of the person previously, she only saw a gentle smile on Leon's face.

"Great! Hm? Did you get a new cone? Strawberry this time?"

"Y-Yes. The kind sister at the stall gave it to me for free…"

It would seem that during the time he was gone, the women around her comforted the little girl. Encouraging her to take heart and stopping her tears with the gift of a replacement ice cream cone,

"Ah, I actually wanted to be the one to replace your cone. As an apology on behalf of all men, you know? We aren't all like that guy"

With her eyes going wide, the little girl started at the plastic bag Leon handed over to her. After overcoming some hesitation, her expression shifted from fear into surprise as she saw countless cups of vanilla ice cream bundled together.

"Mister, it's alright! I already have an ice cream cone so-"

"I insist. Besides, you're too young to be worrying about stuff like debts. It's the job of children to be happy, and the job of those older to look after you"

With his kind-hearted words filling her ears, the little girl felt tears resume to well in the corner of her eyes. Not out of fear and disappointment, but out of happiness and joy.

"Let this big brother spoil you, alright? Oh, and that scary guy from earlier wanted me to tell you that he was sorry for bumping into you a while ago. He was just a bit too shy to admit it"

"Eh? Really?"

"Of course! I can record him saying sorry if you want, but it would be hard to understand. Because he was crying so much because of how sorry he was"

"It's alright! I…I just want to eat ice cream with big brother…"

"Is that so? Then let's eat! To be honest, I wanted to get a piece of that vanilla ice cream I bought for you, so thanks!"

"Hehe, why are you thanking me, big brother?"

Under the precious atmosphere emitted by the two, Ada, Anastasia and the surrounding women would be silent as they felt their hearts begin to race. The fastest it had ever beaten.

From that day forth, a local legend would begin to emerge among the residents of the town where the Central Shopping District was located.

The legend of the kind blonde prince.