Erald Sparrow didn't imdiately respond to Mo He's sudden declaration.
She simply grabbed her napkin from the side and helped Mo He wipe off the water stains on her clothes and hair. Only after finishing did she say:
"Why?"
Mo He buried her face in the napkin for a while, wiping off the jelly and cream stuck to her skin, then looked up:
"Because, Captain, you're a hero who has saved so many people. You shouldn't be treated like this."
"I don't feel like there's anything wrong with how things are now," Erald Sparrow replied calmly.
"But…" Mo He obviously couldn't accept Erald Sparrow's answer. She was about to continue speaking when the waiter who had rushed over interrupted her.
Although they hadn't caused too much of a commotion, the restaurant staff noticed sothing seed wrong with Mo He and arrived with a set of cleaning tools.
Surrounded by waiters, she hesitated and looked unwillingly at Erald Sparrow, who maintained steady eye contact with her. It wasn't until the stains on her clothes were entirely cleaned, and another glass of Baffy was brought over, that she was finally freed from the crowd.
Mo He didn't touch the new Baffy in front of her.
Her hands rested on either side of the cup, her gaze unwavering as she stared straight at Erald Sparrow.
"Let's talk about it on the way back."
However, this ti, Erald Sparrow refused her.
Using her spoon, she tapped the edge of the cup, then gestured with her chin toward Mo He's untouched Baffy as if to indicate sothing: "Although I'm not entirely sure what you want to say, I think this isn't sothing that should be discussed in a restaurant."
Mo He's empty hands tensed slightly, but quickly relaxed again. Her expression remained unchanged, yet the eyes that had widened earlier reverted to a listless look.
"I understand."
She said softly.
In the remaining monts, while both appeared focused on their desserts, their minds were clearly elsewhere. Erald Sparrow only ate the non-ice portions before gently putting down her spoon; Mo He, with a blank expression, downed all the liquid in the cup in one gulp and then shoveled the remaining jelly, fruit, and ice cream into her mouth in a manner akin to eating rice.
When the bill was presented, and the waiter announced the cost was "1,740 Fa," Mo He's complexion turned pale instantly, even entertaining thoughts of vomiting and re-eating the wasted food.
"Why is it so expensive?" Erald Sparrow, equally baffled by the steep charge, voiced her question.
"Well… actually, the original cost of the al was 1,170 Fa. The rest is for the Refrigeration Ball and Fla Leaf Knife you damaged. We've lowered these to below market prices."
The waiter cautiously explained, "We're not blaming anyone; it's just restaurant policy. If the equipnt wasn't faulty but intentionally damaged during dining, we must include their cost... Of course, as her clothes were inadvertently dirtied due to our neglect, I'll speak with the manager about compensation."
Mo He's complexion didn't brighten after hearing this explanation. Instead, she rummaged through her handbag for a while. Finally, she pulled out a few crumpled, grimy paper scraps from a pile of creamy bread she had tucked in earlier—so covered in cream due to squished bread.
"...What is this?"
Not only was the waiter at a loss for words at the sight, but even Erald Sparrow didn't understand what Mo He had produced.
"Discount… coupons."
Mo He's voice wavered: "A friend gave them to . Said I could use them here for dining."
"Huh? But our restaurant hasn't issued coupons recently, to my knowledge."
The waiter frowned slightly but managed to hold his smile as he took the slips from Mo He, carefully studying them. After so scrutiny, he respectfully said: "Apologies, these indeed are our restaurant's coupons. However, they were distributed seven years ago and have expired for three years now…"
Mo He's face grew visibly paler. Her already bloodless complexion took on a greenish tint.
Seeing this, Erald Sparrow asked: "You don't have enough money?"
"I bought too many things earlier… I didn't think eating here would cost this much," Mo He murmured, lowering her head, "I-I'm sorry, Captain."
"...Will covering 1,000 Fa help?" Erald Sparrow closed her eyes briefly, clearly a bit exasperated.
"I don't need that much; I still have 1,000 Fa left," Mo He quickly shook her head.
"Consider the rest transport costs for the next two days." Still composed, Erald Sparrow stood up and paid the waiter.
Those words made Mo He's shoulders tremble. She parted her lips but couldn't find her voice.
Eventually, the al's cost was reduced to 1,590 Fa after the restaurant provided "compensation." Erald Sparrow and Mo He left amidst the manager's repeated apologies.
Walking outside, Mo He kept her head low, while Erald Sparrow, noticing her silence, pulled out her phone to check for ssages.
As they neared the parking lot, and Mo He still hadn't spoken, Erald Sparrow broke the silence:
"What you wanted to talk about back in the restaurant—say it now."
Mo He didn't react.
Erald Sparrow shifted her gaze from her phone's screen to Mo He, puzzled: "What's wrong? Forgotten already?"
"...No, I didn't forget."
Mo He denied: "It's just that, all of a sudden, I don't know how to express it."
"Suddenly?" Erald Sparrow locked her phone screen.
"Because what I wanted to say is that the Kingdom shouldn't treat you like this, Captain."
Standing at the parking lot entrance, Mo He's lowered bangs obscured her eyes: "Just because you refused the Gemstone Scepter's appointnt, tarnished the image of the Royal Court, and were exiled forever to the Material Realm—barred from entering the Magic Kingdom… this kind of treatnt is too unfair to you."
"...So you know, huh." Erald Sparrow slightly parted her lips, showing a hint of surprise—not entirely, though: "This news is supposed to be confidential."
"It is… Though it's being passed around by the higher-ups and the Seeders, I asked soone to investigate."
Clutching her bag's shoulder strap tightly, Mo He confessed: "I even contacted your team mbers in the Material Realm to confirm this."
"Who?" Erald Sparrow, genuinely curious now, asked.
"Ying. Miss Ying," Mo He admitted, "She told it's true. However, she also said you didn't want to see anyone connected to the Magic Kingdom anymore, so she stopped from approaching you."
"When was this?"
"Fifteen years… maybe sixteen years ago?" Mo He appeared uncertain.
"Hmm… I see."
Erald Sparrow's tone was neutral, betraying little emotion. "So why do you seem totally unphased by my appearance here?"
"...Because you were never in the wrong, Captain. It's the Kingdom that's at fault." Mo He reaffird.
"Maybe I did sothing wrong, and you don't know about it," Erald Sparrow reminded her.
"Impossible."
On this point, Mo He responded with unwavering conviction: "Captain, you would never do sothing like that."
During their conversation, they unwittingly arrived at Mo He's car.
Erald Sparrow hesitated internally for a few seconds upon seeing the child-sized vehicle. Her emotions urged her not to get in, but the thought—"This is a chance to draw out what she knows"—ultimately swayed her rational side.
"So? Why did you say earlier that you suddenly don't know how to express yourself?" Erald Sparrow asked, opening the car door and sitting in the seat, turning sideways to look at Mo He.
Mo He pressed her lips together, her gaze fixed on the simple dashboard. She placed a finger on the fingerprint scanner beside it and started the car.
"Captain."
Instead of answering imdiately, she posed her own question:
"In your heart, do you still see us… as comrades?"
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