[Completed] Legend of the Five Knights I: Rise of a Guardian Angel

Episode 10: Lack of Rest

The sound of birds chirping drew Ximena's attention away from the blackboard. Several students sat on the grass right beside the building her class was in.

I wish I could take a break. Being outside would be a lot more fun than trying to figure out calculus equations.

She sighed. Unfortunately, she had to go to work in the afternoon. Working night shift while in school wasn't easy. Worse, the week was barely beginning. If she could, she would quit her job to focus entirely on school. However, she needed the money to pay for her apartment. Thankfully, in a few weeks, she could finally quit as graduation came around.

The green-eyed young woman raised her eyes back to the blackboard. I need to continue! I can't let senior fatigue get to me!

***

After class, Ximena headed for the same restaurant she and Tetsu had taken Rosalba a few days prior.

Her eyes widened as she saw a red-haired kid standing just outside the restaurant, sniffing the air.

"Nori? What are you doing here?" she asked.

The kid jumped forward as his hair spiked up as if he were a cat. "Miss X-Ximena!"

"Miss Ximena?" She snickered. "If you're going to use 'Miss' then please use my surname, Kasai no Ki. That said, I much rather you call me by my given name or 'Xime'. My surname tends to scare some people."

Nori glanced at some people nearby as they gave me strange looks. Some were fearful, while others were bordering on hateful. Though, she had gotten used to them by now. They had been exposed to such stares for well over a decade now.

Ximena smiled. "So, why are you here?"

"N-Nori was hungry," he said, rubbing his stomach.

"Then how about you buy something? The food here is delicious. Or do you not have money? If you don't, then I can give you some." She removed one strap of her backpack and opened it up.

Nori stared at the humble-looking purse that Ximena had taken out. His face turned bright pink. "N-Nori has money. No need to pay for Nori's food." He rubbed his grumbling stomach.

"Then what's the problem?" she asked.

The boy's face gradually warmed up so much that his face nearly became as red as his hair. "Nori... doesn't know how to use it."

Ximena raised an eyebrow and snickered.

The boy lowered his head. "Nori knows Nori's dumb."

"You're not dumb, just inexperienced. I didn't know how to use money until I was your age either."

He raised his head. "Miss didn't know until she was sixteen?"

Ximena blinked. "Wait, are you really sixteen?"

Nori averted his gaze. "Nori knows he's short and has a babyface, but Nori really is sixteen."

She laughed and hugged the kid. "Aww, you're the cutest teenager I've ever met!"

The boy squirmed as his face grew even redder. "Nori isn't the cutest..."

Ximena laughed. She thought of correcting the kid on that last part, but she figured she wouldn't. The kid was already embarrassed enough as it was.

"Come, I'll show you how to purchase something!"

"Hmm, Ximena?" a voice called out.

This time, it was her face that was warming up. She slowly looking over her shoulder and saw Serrano standing behind her.