“It’s because I really need it. I still haven’t resolved everything I’m curious about.”

“I’ll come early tomorrow morning!”

“Yes, that! Early morning! Don’t misunderstand me. I actually oversleep a lot and can hardly wake up. If no one wakes me up, I’ll sleep all day. Tomorrow is a really important day for me, but I might waste it sleeping. Wouldn’t that be a big problem?”

“R-right?”

“So I need you for that. Employment! Yes! Part-time job! You know what a part-time job is, right?”

I was so anxious that I blurted out whatever came to mind. But then the innkeeper, who had been listening to us, suddenly approached to mediate. What if she thinks I’m suspicious and reports me?

“You want to hire this child as a part-timer? She’s just a stray kid from the village. Wouldn’t it be better to use professional staff? I could recommend a labor agency.”

“I don’t need anything that grand. I just need someone who can help me with small things right by my side.”

“Ah! I think I get it! You said you were raised delicately, Master Druid, so you always had attendants by your side, right? I saw that in fairy tale books! You need an attendant, right? Huff!”

The child quickly covered her mouth with both hands. She remembered me telling her it was a secret. But honestly, since it was just a made-up setting, it wouldn’t matter if it got out. How cute. The innkeeper stared at the flustered Daisy for a while, then spoke to me.

“I didn’t mean to overhear since there are few guests, but you seem like a noble person. Why would you be in such a humble place…?”

“I have my reasons! Yes, reasons! Everyone has their own circumstances, right?”

What is this? My face flushes in embarrassment. Am I really someone who received higher education? Is this all my language skills can muster…?

The innkeeper still couldn’t hide her reluctant expression. Even I think it looks a bit strange. But I have no more excuses to give. Couldn’t she just understand me? Sob sob.

“Above all, this child is very kind and friendly, so I feel comfortable having her around.”

At my sudden compliment, Daisy’s face turned red. The innkeeper nodded as if agreeing with me.

“Daisy is indeed kind. But, by any chance… have you looked into it?”

“Huh? Into what?”

I don’t think I missed anything in our conversation, but the innkeeper asked a strange question. What would I have looked into?

“Uh, never mind. So, are you going to have Daisy stay at the inn as well? There will be an extra charge.”

“I’m fine! Then I’ll sleep outside the inn! I’ll come up in the morning and wake you!”

Oh, you’re quick with numbers! I hurriedly pulled out five rough diamonds from my pocket. Both the innkeeper and the child’s eyes widened at the sight of the diamonds. I had to handle this quickly before they changed their minds.

“This will cover the child’s room, tomorrow’s breakfast, and three bottles of water.”

“I can’t accept that! It’s too much for me…”

Daisy started shaking her head and waving her hands frantically.

“It would be best to follow this person’s words.”

The innkeeper hastily took the diamonds. Then, worried that Daisy’s repeated refusals might force him to return the diamonds, he began to take my side. Clever!

“The hall is cold and cramped, isn’t it hard to lie down and sleep properly? The floor is hard too. Given your situation, you have to worry about your next meal as soon as you wake up. So accept this kind druid’s goodwill. He says he needs your help, so I don’t think it’s an excessive gesture.”

Then he said he’d send the three bottles of water up to the room and quickly disappeared. Yes! That did it! I felt a bit sorry for the restless Daisy, but hearing that, staying here seemed better for the kid, so it should be fine.

“You spent too many diamonds…”

“It’s fine. I have plenty of diamonds.”

More than I can use. As I woke my phone from sleep mode, the <Infinite Diamond> game screen appeared immediately. The dwarves were rolling around, then saw me and started waving both hands. Diamond count: 999,999,999,999,988.

The number had decreased by exactly the amount I had taken out. Even then, when I touched the cart, the 8 changed to a 9. See, it feels like I could splurge here for a lifetime and never use it all.

How should I describe this feeling? Even if I won the lottery a hundred times, could I reach this amount? Becoming an overnight millionaire, no, a billionaire? Yeah! Isn’t this being a trillionaire?

I used to tremble at spending over 50,000 won on game items, but now, like in <Infinite Diamond>, I’ve reached a point where I don’t feel the slightest regret even if I tap the purchase button endlessly.

Thrilling! I want to spend money quickly! I want to splurge!

Even the fear of having so much money completely disappeared with the thought, ‘After all, this is a game.’

In front of Daisy, I tapped my phone against my palm a few times. Diamonds came tumbling out. Oh my, what if too many come out at once! I stopped them from overflowing. Looking at the screen, the dwarves were deliberately shoveling diamonds and throwing them towards me.

“I’ll only use what I need! Just what I need!”

[Master! Take more! Our cart is full, so we can’t work!]

I carefully tossed the diamond into my pocket so it wouldn’t fall, then looked at Daisy as if to show off. Daisy… was so surprised that her face had turned completely pale.

I barely managed to send Daisy up to the second-floor room. We didn’t get two separate rooms, but were assigned a twin room with two beds in one room.

Daisy said it was her first time sleeping on a fluffy bed, and she was overjoyed like a child. After that, I never asked her any questions. As soon as I lay down on the bed, fatigue rushed over me in an instant, and my eyes grew blurry.

“The druid is the first person who’s given me proper payment… Actually, you gave me more than that. Everyone else just took advantage of me because I’m young and left. Even though it was unfair, I was too scared to say anything.”

Daisy’s calm, gentle voice sounded like a lullaby. I buried my face in the slightly damp-smelling pillow and gave in to my drooping eyes.

“If it weren’t for you, Druid, I would really be worrying about tomorrow morning right now. I’d be grateful just to wake up without any pain, and wander around the dew-covered glass panes to get water. Right now, it all feels like a dream to me. I hope I never wake up. If I went too late, even the water to quench the thirst of the children ahead would all be taken away.”

Daisy held the blanket tightly and chattered while staring at the ceiling. Well, if she’s happy, then I’m happy too.

I felt anew that Daisy was truly a child worth caring for. It was just that I had used her purely for my own benefit. Even after spending just a short time together, I must have grown attached, and my conscience pricked me sharply.

“Goodnight, Druid! I’ll definitely wake you up early tomorrow morning!”

I wanted to say “okay,” but I quickly fell into a deep sleep.

***

“…Druid!”

Just ten more minutes… Siri, set the alarm for ten minutes later. Really, just ten minutes. I think I went to bed a bit late yesterday. Since I’m planning not to wash my hair, I can sleep a bit more.

“Druid! It’s morning!”

“Siiirii…”

No, I’ll just skip class entirely today. I don’t really remember what lectures I had, but I’ve been attending well lately, so it should be fine. If anything, I can go to the department office and write a class cancellation request…

“Druid! They said breakfast is already ready! The orchard is far from here, so you need to get up early to prepare!”

Orchard… Orchard… Druid… <Terrarium Adventure>! Ah! I sat bolt upright. It’s the day to start the game adventure!

“You really have trouble waking up. I think I’ve woken you more than ten times.”

“That’s admirable. As a reward, I’ll cover the breakfast and dessert too.”

“No!”

Saying it was a towel damp with morning dew, the child handed it to me and hurriedly ran downstairs. He sure has a lot of energy this early. I feel like I’m about to die. I scrubbed my face hard with the towel, which was cold enough to make my hands ache. I’d love to wash up refreshingly, but since they said water’s scarce, it’s probably impossible, right?

Yesterday, I had no appetite and wasn’t hungry, but as I came down the stairs, the smell of food clinging to every step made me salivate involuntarily. The smell is amazing! I could already see Daisy sitting at the table, stretching her neck like a meerkat, staring at me.

Instead of going straight to Daisy, I headed to the kitchen. The innkeeper was chatting with the cook. I took a diamond out of my pocket and placed it on the counter.

“I noticed yesterday that Daisy eats a lot. Please prepare some more food.”

“The price you paid yesterday should be enough.”

After thinking it over, I took out two more diamonds. Their jaws dropped wide open.

“Then, please take good care of Daisy’s meals even after I leave. The kid is so kind, I want to do a little more for her. Do you need more diamonds?”

“Oh, no, that’s fine. Providing Daisy’s lunch occasionally was purely out of our goodwill! But I’ll gratefully accept this.”

The two diamonds slipped right into the innkeeper’s apron pocket, and the cook put a pot back on the stove.

“What were you talking about?”

“Nothing much. It’s getting cold. Let’s eat quickly.”

I picked up a fork and took a bite of the crumbly salad, and only then did Daisy hurriedly start moving her hands to eat. Her way of eating always looks so wholesome. Usually, when someone that greedy eats voraciously, it’s off-putting, but Daisy was utterly adorable.

“Eat slowly. Have some water too.”

Yesterday, Daisy hadn’t touched the water bottles; all three were still full. I had fallen asleep right away too.

She could just drink if she was thirsty. I poured water into a cup and handed it to her, and she accepted it and drank it well, despite looking cautious. Oh my… How can she be so cute? If I had a younger sibling, would it feel like this? Being an only child, I always envied friends with siblings, and now I felt a kind of vicarious satisfaction.

I nibbled on pieces of meat while watching Daisy’s eating pace. At this rate, the food would be gone before the new dishes came out, so I gently pushed the bowls and plates meant for me over to her.

“Druid, aren’t you eating?”

“I don’t usually eat much in the morning.”

That was a complete lie. I’m the kind of person who grills pork belly for breakfast. But just watching Daisy eat somehow made me feel full.

After that, as dishes came out one after another on time, Daisy didn’t notice anything strange and ate well. The timing of when she put down her utensils matched perfectly with when no more dishes came out.

“How far is the orchard from here?”

Having not been there yesterday, I wiped my mouth with the napkin the owner had casually handed me and asked. Daisy, smacking her lips after wiping the sauce from her mouth, spoke.

“You’ll have to walk quite a bit. It’s farther from where we met yesterday.”