Chapter 125: LIKE TO WATCH GREAT GRANDMOTHER PAINT

Chapter 125: LIKE TO WATCH GREAT GRANDMOTHER PAINT"Nothing that dramatic, I’m afraid," Randall confessed with his hands on his hips, immediately drawing not only Aristia’s, but the interest of those with her. "Just some folks who don’t want to see my little store succeed. Jealous types, you know?"

As he spoke, his eyes subconsciously stared at the direction of the door, as if he could see the outside.

He paused for a few seconds, then continued, his voice barely more than a murmur as if he was fearful of speaking the words aloud. "Rival merchants, envious of my success, who would stop at nothing to see my business falter and fail. This place wasn’t always like this, but they’ve left me like this..."

He stood no chance against them.

He sighed wearily and confessed. "You see, I’ve been having a tough time keeping the place afloat lately. Business has been slow, and I hate to admit it, but I’m starting to worry I won’t be able to keep the doors open much longer."

This was the first time someone had asked about his business and he couldn’t help but vent his feelings. Besides, it was true that his store would soon close down. He had nothing to lose if they were sent by spies or if anyone from the rival merchant group heard.

Aristia turned away and looked around the store.

"Where do you get your art supplies from?"

"Huh?" Randall replied, a little confused and surprised at how she had said something a bit unrelated to his venting words. "From merchants from another kingdom."

"You said you wanted to sell your store, right?" Aristia asked another question.

Randall was quiet for a little while, then sighed and rubbed his face wearily, "Yes. It belonged to my father. I never planned to sell it but I have no choice. But who would want to purchase this old rundown store anyway?"



"I will buy your store." Aristia said after a moment of contemplation.

"There is no need to try to comfort me. I have already convinced myself that— W-What did you say?" Randall blinked multiple times, thinking that he must be hearing things.

"What?!"

Two other childish voices were heard too. Liam and Lauren were equally shocked. What was Tia doing?

Randall shook his head and sighed, "I must be so desperate. I actually thought you said you would buy my store, a little girl such as yourself." He sighed and looked at the other two children who had yelled out, then shook his head again. "You might have also been affected by my predicament. Sigh, we’re all hearing things now..."

He trailed off when he noticed the still shocked faces of Liam and Lauren. His gaze shifted to Adeline who only looked surprised before the expression faded and returned to normal.

His eyes stopped at Aristia only to realize,

’She isn’t joking’. He realized that from the serious expression on her face.

"D-did you just say you would buy my store." He asked for worded confirmation again, now looking down at her incredulously.


His hand on his hips slipped down.

Aristia rolled her eyes and nodded. "I did."

Randall shook his head again. With the number of times he shook his head, he was worried it would fall off his shoulders. "This is very serious, little girl. I do not jest and—"

"Neither do I." Aristia cut him off. "Do you want to sell your store or not?"

Randall paused and gazed at her from top to bottom thoughtfully. His eyes also ran over her companions, trying to find anything unique about them apart from the way they spoke.

Their hair, dressing, everything about them was normal. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t be from wealthy families or the aristocracy.

But why would they come to his store if they were? Why not the store across the street?

But the little girl who had spoken didn’t look like she was playing...

Thinking of this, Randall made a decision. If it turned out to be real, then fine. But if it turned out to be false hope, it was also fine. He would continue to wallow miserably in his dilapidating store as he had always been doing.

"... I will sell it." He agreed.

"Good. We can talk about the price then." Aristia said.

"Tia." Liam whispered urgently with confusion. Why was his little cousin about to buy a store? And one that wasn’t in great shape or doing well.

"Mm?" Aristia hummed and turned to him. She could guess what he was thinking.

"You really want to purchase this store?" Liam continued.

"Yes." Aristia nodded. She remembered that her maternal family, apart from Vasily, was oblivious to the fact that she had another identity— AE.



"I will explain when we get home." She replied simply.

She turned back to Randall. "Prepare the documents for the transfer of ownership and send them to the Hemsworth Estate. Make sure no one hears of this." She warned him.

"Hemsworth Estate?" Randall was stunned and his expression was a little silly as he uttered those words.

He quickly understood. These were not just aristocrat children, but noble children from the Hemsworth Viscounty!

But the current Viscount had no children... He finally remembered! It was the old Viscount and Viscountess’s anniversary. That meant their grand children had returned... with their great grandchildren!

Yes! They were noble children. That was why they could so brazenly purchase a store! His store was doomed! He was sure of that.

Was that also why they still went ahead to express interest in purchasing his store even after he told them about other forces at play affecting his business?

Aristia silently took out a pouch filled with copper coins from Adeline and paid for the art supplies they had chosen.

"I give you two days to make a decision. Do not fail to appear at the Estate, unless you do not wish to sell your store. Goodbye, Mister Randall." Aristia said.

She didn’t want him to make a decision abruptly.

"But wait! Miss! I mean, Lady. I don’t know your name." Randall stopped them as they were about to leave.

He was obviously referring to Aristia as she was the one who had been holding the conversation since their arrival at his store, the other three were mostly silent. She was also the one who wanted to purchase his store.

’It won’t be my store anymore soon. Sigh’.

"Once you arrive at the Estate, tell the guards you want to meet the third Princess. You will be granted entrance." Aristia told him.

"Third Princess..." Randall muttered dumbly with his head lowered, his head not processing the words. They tasted like sand on his tongue and didn’t make sense to him.

However, the next second, his eyes snapped up in shock but they had already left the store.

***

"What are we to buy next, Princess?" Adeline asked after they had put the art supplies in the carriage compartment.

"Laura suggested that we get gifts." Aristia said, then she turned to her cousins. "What do great grandmother and great grandfather like?"

Her cousins didn’t wonder about why she didn’t know because now that they taught about it, they also weren’t sure.

Lauren turned to Liam and waited for an answer.

Seeing his sisters’ gazes on him, Liam tried to think of anything.

"Hmm..." However, he could not think of anything specific Zender liked.

Suddenly, he recalled what his great grandfather had replied him when he was little and had wondered that same exact question.

He was about four years old then and was in the garden with Zender one afternoon taking a stroll. As they walked hand in hand and talked, a thought popped in his mind. As he thought more about it, his face became more and more perplexed.



"Hehe."

Liam was distracted from his thoughts when he heard a chuckle. He looked up to see his great grandfather looking down at him with a small smile.

"What are you thinking about, little one?" Zender asked, stopping for a moment.

Liam scrunched up his face for a moment, then opened his mouth to answer.

"What does great grandfather like?" He voiced out the thought in his mind.

Yes, his great grandfather liked to hunt but it didn’t seem to make him especially happy. It just seemed like a hobby.

His great grandfather chuckled heartily. "My boy, is that what has been on your mind?" Then, he looked ahead of him at the distance in front of them and led him to continue walking. "I like... watching great grandmother paint."

"Huh?" Liam’s face morphed into confusion, then he said, "Is that really what great grandfather likes?"

Zender nodded. "I like watching Roxanne do what she likes, and that is painting. The look in her eyes when she paints... it’s none like I’ve ever seen before."

"Oh... But that’s not very interesting great grandfather." Little Liam replied back.

Zender only laughed and picked him up in his arms, "It doesn’t matter whether or not it is interesting. It is about who you’re doing it with. Sometimes, that’s all that matters."

When Liam looked to still not understand, Zender just smiled and patted his head gently. "You will not understanding now, my boy, but maybe someday you will."