WHIT

34 - A MYSTERY SOLVED

Edgar and Fabby waited without worry. They had nothing better to do after all. Moreover, if they could get a free pair of clothes, why would they leave? Never. Not even in their dreams would they do such a thing.

However, what troubled Edgar was that Bravo had been eating sweets and hot items while he and his sister were waiting. Edgar couldn’t help but shamelessly drool.

“Control yourself,” Fabby nudged him, “and stop looking at him like that.”

“I am controlling myself,” Edgar replied and then whispered to her. “Why don’t you try asking him for a sweet or two? He’ll give it to you if you ask.”

“And why would he give only me? Why can’t you ask him?”

“I teased him, remember?” Edgar nudged her with his shoulder.

“No. I’m not doing it. His parents are right next to him. What will they think of us if we take their kid’s food?”

“They are super rich, so they probably won’t mind. Please ask him for your little brother’s sake. Can’t you even do this little thing?”

“Ugh, don’t be stupid,” she wanted to twist his ear and teach him a lesson, but she couldn’t do it with so many eyes around. “Don’t mess things up, or we may not only get kicked from here, but our chances of getting any recommendation will go down the drain.”

The worker who had left for the plates came empty-handed. He whispered the details in the baronet’s ears.

Jorga frowned.

“What happened, Dear?” Julia asked.

“The Zha clan has ordered all the plates in all the shops of the town,” he said, looking clearly displeased.

Jorga only thought of giving clothes and money as donation; however, it was Julia’s idea to neatly give those money and clothes in a plate. Though they had ordered a thousand plates, some of those plates were used during the birthday party the previous night. Still, he never expected that a thousand people would show up. After all, most the poor and the homeless would come to receive such offerings as the rich would be given better gifts.

Nevertheless, they were short of just two plates now.

And Jorga’s jaw made a hard line. After all, the Zha Clan always kept making things harder for him and his family. Even on the birthday cake, Bravo’s name and age were written incorrectly. They were written as Cowardo and 18. Still, he couldn’t scold the shop owner because he knew whose work it was. Just remembering the Zha clan’s actions brought anger into Jorga’s face, but he shoved it all deep down his throat and was about to speak to Edgar.

But then, Fabby was the first one to speak. “It’s alright if the plates are finished. My brother has a plate with him. You can just put the items on that plate.” However, afterward, her eyes were checking their feet. Jorga’s shoe size was quite big. When she shifted her gaze toward Julia’s feet, she was wearing relatively smaller sandals with silver lacing. By this point, she understood things and came to a conclusion. So that’s how it is!

Edgar quickly took the plate out, startling almost everyone.

“W-Why is there a plate in his pants?” Julia's eyes popped out of her sockets.

“I told you, mom!” Bravo was almost jumping. “You didn’t believe me!”

Jorga then leaned toward his wife and said in a low voice, “For beggars, their plates are quite valuable.”

“O-Oh…” Julia then looked at Edgar and Fabby once. (But their clothes look unlike the typical beggar’s attire.) But then she came to her own conclusion quickly. (These two probably only recently ended up on the streets. Maybe it’s still too awkward for them to come to terms with their new life. That’s why he’s still carrying blades to appear unlike those who live on the street.)

“If you have no problem with that,” said Jorga, “then let us continue.”

Edgar put the plate forward, and Bravo took it.

The parents had to snatch it back from their kid before placing two pairs of cloth on the plate and four hundred bronze coins on top of the clothes. Bravo then reluctantly handed the heavy plate back to Edgar who was showing most of his teeth through a grin.

Generally, only a hundred bronze coins were given to each person, but because the plates were missing, an additional two silver was given. The cost of the ceramic plates was much less, so some onlooker’s eyes envied the siblings’ luck.

Edgar then put the plate on the ground, puzzling everyone. Both the siblings kowtowed for a long three seconds and then walked away with the offerings while holding each other’s hands.

And in doing so, they surely left an impression in many people’s minds.

The rising anger in Jorga’s chest also seemed to have cooled down, and a lasting smile forged on his lips as he watched their backs. He didn’t have a brother or a sister, and the same was the case for his son, so his eyes couldn’t hide the little bit of jealousy he felt from their bond.

Meanwhile, Fabby was excitedly talking with Edgar about the revelation she got.

“Eddie, I think I know why your feet are bigger than mine,” she said.

“Eh? How?” he couldn’t help but ask, looking intrigued. “Is it because I’m strong?”

“No, you idiot! It’s because you’re a man.”

Edgar blinked. “What? That’s it?” he looked at both their feet.

“Yes. I’ve been checking out people’s feet,” said Fabby, “and there’s a clear difference between a man’s feet and a woman’s feet, be it in size or sharpness. You, too, check for yourself, and you will know it. Because we haven't worn footwear for many years, we never realized this simple thing. Even if someone’s masking themselves, you can look at their shoes and tell if they’re male or female.”

“But what will you gain by knowing whether they’re male or female?” Edgar asked as if he didn’t really think it was of much use.

“C’mon, I’m sure it’ll have its uses. Besides, isn’t it better to know than be unaware of reality? Otherwise, it may get tricky to come to terms with it.”

“Mm, maybe.”

“Humph!” she still looked salty that he wasn’t appreciating what she discovered. “What a dumb little brother I have.”

“I’m not dumb. I just don’t care as much about random things like you do.”

“Random what?” she grabbed his ear and twisted it.

“Aw, my ear!”

“Why were you playing with the wig, huh? What if it had fallen off while we were standing in the line? Do you have any idea how embarrassing it would have been?”

“I’m sorry, but it’s your fault for wearing a wig,” he didn't back down even though she still got his ear twisted.

“My fault?” she twisted his ear some more.

“No, no, it’s my fault. My fault.” While he was saying, he swiftly grabbed her ear and twisted it.

“Kya,” she cried out and let go of his ear.

“Hehe,” Fabby ran away.

“Agh, you brute!” she chased him. “Wait, stop right there!”