I, Reincarnate as the Leader of the Villainous Knight Order - Chapter 170: At the Food Stall

Chapter 170: At the Food Stall 

“I’m telling you, if I eat it, it’ll be great publicity! So just hand it over—I’ll eat it for you!” 

“Even if you’re from the Magic Tower, if you want to eat, you have to pay!” 

It seemed like someone was trying to get free food from a meat skewer stall. 

“Aria! What are you doing?” 

“Oh, Karl! Tell him, will you? I said I’d eat it for him, but he won’t give it to me!” 

The stall owner looked relieved at Karl’s arrival. But they were also exhausted by Aria’s persistence. No surprise there. 

“You do have money, don’t you? Aren’t you out running an errand?” 

“Yeah, but… I spent it all when I picked up what I was asked to get. But still, I—of all people—am offering to eat this! Come on, hurry up!” 

“Aria, stop it. I keep telling you—if you want to buy snacks, carry your own money.” 

She reached out again to demand the skewer. Karl tried to stop her, but she wasn’t listening. 

Judging by their exchange, this wasn’t her first time pulling something like this. Her colleagues at the Magic Tower must have their hands full dealing with her. Probably because the previous tower master only taught her about magic and magical tools, ignoring everything else. 

“Aria, was it? If you eat that skewer, how many people do you think will come to buy one? If the owner gives it to you for free, how many skewers does he need to sell to make up for the loss? Are you really that popular—popular enough to bring in more profit than the loss?” 

I spoke from behind her. It made her spin around in surprise. 

“I… I’m not, but…” 

“Then the owner would only be losing out, right? That’s not how business works, is it?” 

I might’ve sounded a bit preachy, but she clearly didn’t get why this was wrong. 

“Who the hell are you?! This has nothing to do with you!” 

“Aria! This man is the knight commander from the Kingdom of Rafios!” 

“Why the hell are you with Karl?!” 

“The Tower Master asked Karl to guide me. If Karl, who’s accompanying me, is troubled by his colleague, then I wouldn’t say it’s ‘nothing to do with me,’ would you?” 

I smirked, and Aria ground her teeth in frustration. 

“Stall owner, I’ll take one skewer.” 

“Thank you! That’ll be three copper coins!” 

The owner sighed in relief as he handed me the skewer. 

Even though our countries had different coin designs, their material and weight were standardized. So foreign currency could be used. Convenient. 

“Here, you wanted one, right?” 

I held the skewer out to Aria. Her eyes widened, and she cautiously reached for it. 

But since I didn’t let go, she kept tugging at it. 

“Hey! Aren’t you giving it to me?!” 

“What do you say when someone gives you something?” 

I asked with a smile. She furrowed her brows for a moment before mumbling softly. 

“Th… thank you…” 

“You’re welcome.” 

I let go of the skewer. Aria, still pouting, bit into it—but her expression immediately turned into a delighted smile. 

Looks like the skewers here are good. I should come back with my subordinates later. 

“Karl, if you’re heading back to the Magic Tower, why not take Aria in the carriage?” 

“That sounds good. If Lord Vandière has no objections… Aria, want to ride with us?” 

Aria, her mouth full, nodded eagerly. 

With her demeanor and appearance, she didn’t look the same age as Clarisse. Her childish attitude probably played a part in that. 

With that, the three of us boarded the carriage and headed toward the royal castle grounds. It was where both the Magic Tower and the guesthouse were located. 

It wasn’t until we were inside the carriage that I noticed Aria’s outfit under her robe—she wore a blazer, a mini skirt, and thigh-high stockings. It was like a uniform straight out of a school-setting game. 

Could this world be from a game rather than a novel? 

Apparently, my role here was to save a villain on the verge of falling into darkness due to their circumstances. 

But how was I supposed to find them? 

“Lord Vandière, is something wrong?” 

Karl’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. He was watching me with concern. 

“Ah, my apologies. I was just lost in thought. I don’t know if word has reached here. But apparently, I’ve received a divine revelation to save someone… but I have no idea who or where they are.” 

“That’s… difficult. I’ve heard divine revelations tend to be vague. But without any clues, it’s impossible to act on it.” 

“Exactly. If only they’d just tell me a name and location, it’d make things much easier.” 

I shrugged, and Karl let out a wry chuckle. 

Then, I noticed Aria—her empty skewer still in her mouth—staring intently at me.

“What’s wrong? Keeping the skewer in your mouth inside the carriage is dangerous.” 

I took the skewer from her and tossed it into my Magic Bag. 

Aria seemed to ponder something for a few seconds before finally speaking. 

“Hey… if I were ever in trouble, would you help me?” 

“What are you saying, Aria?! Don’t trouble Lord Vandière!” 

Karl hastily scolded her. But Aria kept staring straight at me. 

“Well, if you were in trouble right in front of me, I wouldn’t ignore you. But if you’re just being selfish, I’d leave you be.” 

“Heh… got it. When that time comes, I’ll be counting on you.” 

Her tone was lighthearted. But for some reason, she looked somewhat relieved by my answer. Was it just my imagination?