The Girl Who Looted Tomorrow

Freya was dragged into a clothing store first.

Under Euphemia’s relentless encouragement, she tried on outfit after outfit like a dress-up doll.

“This one’s adorable!”

“Oh, this one looks good too!”

“Hmm… This one is gorgeous!”

After going back and forth between countless choices, Euphemia bought every outfit Freya had tried on.

Freya could not help asking, “Isn’t this a little too expensive?”

Euphemia did not seem bothered in the slightest.

“I get plenty of spending money, and I hardly ever have anything to spend it on. Don’t worry about it.”

“If you really feel bad, just wear these pretty outfits for me more often.”

The moment they left the clothing store, Euphemia pulled Freya into a jewelry shop.

Freya looked curiously at the dazzling array of accessories on display.

Euphemia walked straight to a counter and picked up a pair of earrings. When she returned to Freya’s side, however, she looked closer and realized Freya’s ears were not pierced.

“Faye, would you mind getting your ears pierced? It might hurt a little.”

Freya thought about it but did not refuse.

A tiny bit of pain certainly did not frighten her.

When she had first been attacked, her palm had been pierced straight through, yet she had still managed to grab the pervert’s tail with that same hand.

Compared to that, how painful could an ear piercing possibly be?

The jewelry shop had all the necessary equipment.

After disinfecting her ears, a clerk quickly pierced them both.

Normally, someone getting their ears pierced for the first time could not wear decorative earrings immediately. They had to wait four or five weeks for the wounds to heal completely, or they risked an infection.

Freya did not have that problem.

The moment the clerk lowered the piercing tool, the wounds on Freya’s ears healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

As long as Freya stood barefoot on the ground, Source Trace continuously restored her body.

That regeneration was only a passive ability.

Of course, the wounds healed without closing the new holes. Otherwise, the ability would have been more trouble than it was worth.

The clerk stared at her in stunned disbelief.

Euphemia, on the other hand, did not look surprised at all.

She took the earrings and stepped closer to Freya.

“Hold still, Faye. I’ll put them on for you.”

Freya stood quietly while Euphemia fitted the earrings into place.

Euphemia examined her carefully from both sides, then nodded in satisfaction.

“Just as expected from something I chose. They look wonderful on you.”

The earrings were shaped like teardrops.

Their main bodies were silver, with a small emerald set into the bottom of each one. The green stones perfectly matched Freya’s eyes.

“Not that I’ve seen you open your eyes lately,” Euphemia added.

Freya had spent most of the past week patrolling the city at full intensity, so she maintained Mind Sense for most of the day.

Today was no exception.

Euphemia also gave her a pale blue hair clip.

Freya chose a small silver ring decorated with gold patterns, but she had no intention of wearing it on her hand.

She planned to wear it on her toe.

Freya crouched down and gently held the second toe of her right foot. She slipped the newly purchased ring onto it and found that it fit perfectly.

Her toes curled instinctively, then slowly relaxed again under her conscious control.

Freya looked down at her small foot.

Yes. Alluring and beautiful.

The two girls continued browsing through the jewelry shop until noon was approaching.

Euphemia checked the sun’s position.

“Faye, I’m taking you somewhere that serves an amazing local specialty. Follow me.”

With Euphemia leading the way, they left the busy shopping district and ventured into quieter streets.

The area became less prosperous, but the number of pedestrians only increased. Vendors called out from both sides of the street, filling the air with noise and energy.

Euphemia’s attention settled on a small roadside stall.

“They sell minced-meat and onion flatbreads here,” she explained. “They might not look like much, but they’re delicious.”

“This stall makes some of the best I’ve ever tasted.”

“Minced-meat and onion flatbread?”

Freya remembered the food, or more accurately, its previous owner did.

It was a well-known street food in the Kingdom of Tarapaca. The original Freya had eaten it several times.

It tasted good, and it was affordable.

Euphemia eagerly approached the stall.

“I’ll take two.”

Then she turned toward Freya.

“What about you, Faye?”

“One will be enough for me,” Freya replied with a gentle smile.

Each flatbread was about the size of a small sandwich. It was not particularly large, but one was more than enough for Freya’s appetite.

“Coming right up. Just give me a moment.”

The vendor immediately began preparing their food.

While he worked, he noticed that Freya never opened her eyes.

He could not help sighing.

“Such a pretty young girl, and at her age too…”

“Ah…”

Euphemia hurriedly interrupted him.

“It isn’t what you think. She keeps her eyes closed for another reason.”

The vendor looked puzzled.

“Another reason?”

Euphemia did not explain. Instead, she quickly changed the subject.

“By the way, I once bought one of these flatbreads somewhere else, and the vendor added sugar to the filling.”

“Honestly, it tasted a little strange.”

The topic proved so outrageous that it immediately claimed the vendor’s full attention.

“What? Sugar?”

“That’s an insult to a proper meat-and-onion flatbread. I’ve been making these for twenty years, and I’ve never heard of anything so ridiculous.”

“Of course it tasted awful.”

While Euphemia and the vendor debated the unforgivable crime of adding sugar, another customer approached the stall.

Before the man could speak, the vendor greeted him.

“Back again? Three flatbreads, with the meat cut into larger pieces, right?”

“Yes.”

The man’s response was deep and steady.

Another customer buying food was perfectly ordinary.

Freya gave him a brief glance through Mind Sense and paid no further attention. She stood quietly to one side, as still and delicate as a doll.

Then, within her perception, she noticed Euphemia’s entire body suddenly stiffen.

Two or three seconds later, Euphemia turned toward Freya.

“Oh no. I think I forgot to bring money.”

“Faye, could you cover this for me?”

Freya tilted her head slightly.

A lock of snow-white hair slipped past her ear, making the new earring sway gently beneath it.

She had forgotten her money?

How was that possible?

Euphemia had already bought Freya an entire collection of clothes and jewelry. Yet now that they were buying an inexpensive street snack, she suddenly had no money?

Freya had no idea what was happening, but she still played along and nodded.

“Then I’ll pay.”

She took out some money and paid the vendor.

Euphemia accepted the three flatbreads, took Freya by the hand, and immediately started walking away.

“Sorry about that. I’ll go home, get the money, and pay you back.”

Euphemia’s strange behavior only made Freya more confused.

Even so, she continued playing along.

“It’s fine. It barely cost anything. You don’t have to pay me back.”

They kept walking until the stall was completely out of sight.

Only then did Euphemia release a long breath.

Her playful tone vanished, replaced by a serious expression.

“Faye, what did that new customer look like through your [eyes]?”

“Don’t look back at him. Just remember what you already saw.”

“Hmm…”

Freya had only seen him moments ago, so she still remembered.

“There didn’t seem to be anything unusual about him. He was an ordinary man wearing a cap.”

“What color was his hair?” Euphemia asked.

“Black, obviously.”

In the Kingdom of Tarapaca, most people had either black hair or dark brown hair that appeared almost black.

There was nothing unusual about that.

But Euphemia shook her head.

“That man used his cap to hide most of his hair. Only a few strands were visible.”

“But I’m certain of it.”

“His hair was red.”

Freya froze.

No one paid close attention to a complete stranger passing by on the street.

If the man had not worn a cap and openly displayed a full head of rare red hair, he might have attracted some attention.

But with nearly all of it hidden and only a few strands showing, most people would never have noticed.