I Became a Cute Little Dragon Princess and Now She’s Obsessed with Me Chapter 79
Looking at the large pouch of gold coins laid out before him, Duren’s face was filled with disbelief, his pupils brimming with shock.
That bag wasn’t small, and it was stuffed full of gold coins. Just by estimate, there had to be at least 300 coins—enough to buy a luxury estate in the Imperial Capital.
A little girl—where did she get so much money!?
After taking a closer look, Duren’s expression suddenly changed drastically.
Because he noticed that this money pouch wasn’t an ordinary one—it was marked with the Four-leaf Clover insignia!
This little girl was a noble!
“Respected young lady, please be rational. These potions aren’t worth that much money. Quickly take it back. Spending money recklessly like this, your elders will scold you,” Duren quickly advised with forced kindness.
“Get lost!”
To his surprise, Erika didn’t spare him a kind glance. She had just overheard his conversation with Gladys and understood right away—this guy was nothing more than a greedy crooked merchant.
She pointed her small hand at Gladys and tilted her head. “She’s my elder.”
“Sh-she’s your elder!?”
Duren was terrified. He had thought Gladys was just a pretty, ordinary potion seller—who would have thought she was actually this noble girl’s guardian?
After all, who would believe a noble girl’s elder would be selling potions on the street?
In Kaslania, you could offend anyone—but never someone connected to the royal family or nobility. Otherwise, they could make it impossible for you to live in this city.
“I-I…”
For a moment, Duren was tongue-tied. He knew all too well the consequences of offending a noble in the Imperial Capital. He reacted quickly, bowing in apology.
“It was all a misunderstanding… Miss… Respected Miss… I—I’m just an ignorant merchant, a foolish idiot… Please don’t take offense… please…”
“I told you to get lost. Didn’t you hear me?”
Erika still tilted her head, baring her little tiger teeth in a fierce expression.
Seeing this, Duren quickly nodded and bowed, “I heard, I heard… I’ll leave right away… apologies…”
After Duren scurried off, the female fruit vendor who had given Gladys advice earlier also glanced curiously at Erika, her thoughts mirroring Duren’s.
That little girl… must be her child, right? But if she’s a noble… Why is she selling potions?
Erika, however, didn’t care about others’ stares. Her crimson eyes stared straight at Gladys, and her soft voice called out again.
“Gladys…”
Her delicate tone was like a child being affectionate, her big red eyes locked onto Gladys’s face.
Then, Erika walked around the stall and went to Gladys’s side, slipping herself into her arms. Her cheek rested gently against Gladys’s chest as always, and her small hands hugged her waist.
The gentle embrace was quickly returned. Gladys also began to softly stroke Erika’s silvery-white hair.
“Where did the money come from?”
“I earned it myself…”
“How did you earn it?”
Her tone was calm, but Gladys didn’t believe Erika could make that much money on her own. She was genuinely curious about the source.
But the truth was, Erika had earned it herself.
Previously, Otilia had invited her to pretend to be Viviana at a banquet and promised her compensation.
So this time, Erika had gone to Otilia, agreed to attend the banquet, and claimed her reward in advance, saying she had something urgent.
Because… She didn’t want Gladys to keep using her own blood to make potions for the sake of money.
“You don’t want to say?”
Gladys smiled a little helplessly at Erika.
After a brief pause, Erika looked up, her big eyes meeting Gladys’s gaze.
“I just want to tell you… I can support myself. I can even support you. I’m not that weak. I can live just fine… really well…”
“Erika, what are you even saying…”
“Gladys…”
At this point, Erika’s nose turned a little sour. Her voice carried a trace of choking emotion, and her big eyes were slightly misty.
“Thank you…”
“……”
Facing this sudden expression of gratitude, Gladys’s pupils dilated slightly. Her sapphire-blue eyes stared blankly at the little girl in her arms. The hand that had been gently stroking Erika’s hair gradually stopped.
This was the first time Erika had seriously… thanked her.
Not that she’d been longing to hear a “thank you,” but the way those soft words struck her heart—it felt like she was melting.
It was that kind of…Surprising joy…That comes after giving.
As if life wasn’t somewhere else—but right here, in wanting something. Not caring how much had been given, but cherishing the unexpected joy that comes from giving.
……
Erika’s misty red eyes looked at Gladys. Her small hands clutched tightly at her clothes. She gently bit her lower lip and continued.
“Thank you… for doing all this for me, even things you don’t like…Thank you for giving me pocket money every day…Thank you for buying me dresses…Thank you for buying me delicious food…Thank you for waking me up and taking care of me every day…Thank you…For becoming my family…”
As she spoke, Erika buried her face into Gladys’s chest again. At this moment, she was like a small, overly clingy kitten, snuggling into Gladys’s arms.
It was that familiar scent—the scent of family…
Her little hands clenched tighter, and Erika’s soft voice came again.
“Gladys… it must hurt, right…”
“What?”
“These potions…These potions you made with blood…Please stop… I’m begging you…”
“Erika…”
Hearing Erika’s heartfelt words, Gladys gently held her tighter, bringing her face close to Erika’s ear.
This was a public street, so she didn’t nibble Erika’s ear as usual, but instead whispered with an incredibly gentle voice:
“Thank you for worrying about me, my darling.”
That sentence slipped like a thread through Erika’s ear, sending a tingling warmth through her small body.
It felt just like… the warmth of family.
Because with family, the heart learns to care… and because of that, life never withers—it shines brightly.
……
……
The two of them stayed in each other’s embrace for a while.
Gladys lifted Erika’s small butt, carrying her in her arms, while continuing to gently stroke her hair.
“If you don’t like it, then I won’t make these potions anymore.”
“Okay.”
Nuzzled in her arms, Erika sniffled and nodded, a smile breaking through.
“Let’s go home. I earned this money myself. I can treat you to lots of delicious food, Gladys. I can buy you lots of pretty dresses. Whatever you want, I can buy it for you.”
“I don’t want anything.”
Gladys smiled too and replied, “I did all this just so you could be happy like any ordinary little girl—to give you a warm home like the others. That’s enough. But just now, I failed. Because my darling, Erika—you almost cried.”
“I… I didn’t cry…”
Hearing that, Erika turned her head, her cheeks tinged with embarrassment.
“I didn’t say you cried. I said you almost cried.”
“Ugh… Gladys, you’re so mean!”
“You don’t look like you hate me when you’re being all clingy like this.”
With that, Erika’s cheeks turned even redder. She gave up trying to argue, closed her mouth, and turned her head away, not daring to look at her.
“Let’s go. Time to head home.”
Holding Erika, Gladys began tidying up her things. “Tonight, we’ll buy extra food. Just for today, I won’t make you eat vegetables you don’t like.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
Still smiling, Gladys was in a very good mood now. She added, “Because today, my darling made me very, very happy.”
“Hehe.”
Amidst soft giggles, Gladys carried her things and Erika, walking home.
Their figures were as eye-catching as ever. With Gladys carrying the little girl like that, the pair drew the gaze of everyone they passed—a guaranteed 100% head-turn rate.
Some whispered that they must be mother and daughter…
Others noted that their hair colors were different—maybe they were just close sisters…
But in everyone’s heart, seeing them snuggled up like that, one thing was certain:
They were family.