CHAPTER 327: CHAPTER-327.

By now, a small crowd had gathered, listening to Cutie’s "masterclass."

Kaya was already planning her escape—just turn around, pretend she didn’t know them, and vanish into the crowd—when—

"Sweetheart! Sweetheart!"

Veer waved enthusiastically.

And just like that—every single head turned toward Kaya.

Kaya froze, face in her hand.

Oh, she could feel every stare burning into her.

She slowly turned around, forcing a gentle, perfectly sweet smile that could make flowers bloom... or murderers sweat.

"Yes?"

Her voice was honeyed calm—so painfully calm that both Veer and Cutie instantly went pale. Even the sparrow stopped chirping mid-sound.

The entire market went silent.

Someone coughed. A fish flopped.

And Kaya smiled wider.

That was when everyone—including the two idiots—knew.

They were so dead.

Kaya walked slowly toward Veer, every step echoing with quiet doom. She stopped right in front of him, lifted her face slightly, and said in a voice so soft it could melt butter—

"Yes, Veer?"

Veer’s entire body stiffened. His hands trembled visibly as he met her gaze—those eyes cold as ice, yet her tone dripping with the kind of honey that made your throat burn afterward.

He gulped. Once. Twice. Then, with the desperation of a man trying to save his own life, he pointed at the sparrow and said,

"Sweetheart! See? I told this idiot again and again to let go! But no—now he wants to buy a hair clip! A hair clip! He doesn’t even have hair!"

Veer grabbed the sparrow by the collar and shook him. "I was just about to stop him, that’s why I called you!"

"Oh?" Kaya’s voice was still sweet. Her smile hadn’t faded an inch. "Is that so

?"

Even the vendor, who had been admiring her beauty a second ago, suddenly felt a cold shiver crawl down his spine. That smile—so bright, so delicate—had something deeply wrong behind it.

The sparrow, on the other hand, looked utterly betrayed. His eyes screamed, You traitor! Sure, he was terrified of Kaya too—everyone with sense was—but using him as a shield? Unforgivable.

He opened his mouth to protest, but before a word left his beak, Veer’s hand came down and smacked the back of his head. The sparrow bit his tongue, hard, tears welling in his eyes as he clutched his mouth and glared at Veer in silent agony.

Kaya turned her gaze to Cutie, who froze mid-breath.

"Um... Mr. Cutie," she said softly, "do you also have something you’d like to explain? You were... giving them tips, weren’t you?"

Cutie shook his head so fast his ears almost blurred. "N-no, no! I—I was just thinking of buying some roasted meat for you! Yes! You looked tired, so I thought—uh—the roasted bird looked nice!"

"Oh?" Kaya smiled wider. "How thoughtful. And here I was, thinking you were giving cooking advice."

"N-no, how could I, ma’am?!" Cutie stammered, sweating bullets. "I—I don’t even know how to cook! I swear! I burn water!" He scrambled to stand beside Kaya, posture stiff, hands clasped behind his back like a student caught cheating in class.

The vendors watched in stunned silence. A few even leaned closer, whispering, What kind of woman is she? Because this—this tiny, graceful woman—had two full-grown beastmen trembling like leaves in front of her.

Finally, Kaya tilted her head slightly and asked, still smiling,

"So... shall we go? Or would you two like to show them more of your... skills?"

Veer and Cutie shook their heads in perfect unison. "No, no! Let’s go! Right now!"

"As you wish," Kaya said, her tone smooth as silk.

And just like that, the three of them walked away through the crowd.

Behind them, the vendor exhaled in relief—he hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath the entire time.

They slowly got away from the crowd, though calling it "away" was generous — it was the capital after all. You could never just find a quiet place where no one existed. People came and went like waves in the market, but Kaya walked calmly through it all, a serene smile resting on her face as if she were taking a casual evening stroll.

Behind her, however, Veer, Cutie, and the Sparrow looked like they were marching toward their execution — three convicts waiting for the chopping block to drop.

At last, Kaya turned into a narrow alleyway. It wasn’t deserted, but it was dark enough that you could hit someone twice and no one would know. Veer and Cutie both trembled slightly but still followed — not because they wanted to, but because being dragged there by Kaya would be worse.

As soon as Kaya stopped, she turned to face them, that same bright smile still fixed on her lips.

"So," she said sweetly, "how was the ribbon?"

Veer, whose entire soul was currently reconsidering its life choices, shook his head so fast it almost flew off.

"Sweetheart, I don’t even want the ribbon. What would I do with it? Look at me—I don’t even have hair! It was this Sparrow!" He pointed dramatically at the poor creature beside him, who stared at him like he’d just been betrayed by his own shadow. "I told him to leave it! But nooo, he just had to go to the stall! I was only trying to stop him, and somehow the ribbon fell into my hand. I didn’t even pick it up!"

Kaya looked at him like, Oh sure. I completely believe you. Her eyes said everything her lips didn’t.

Then she turned to Cutie. "And you, Chef. Master Chef, huh?"

Cutie blinked, unsure if "Master Chef" was a compliment or a death sentence.

"I—uh—I was just walking, and those people grabbed me. I don’t even know what happened," he stammered.

Kaya tilted her head, still smiling, voice honeyed but sharp as glass. "Oh? So you weren’t giving them advice on how to improve their roasting skills, right?"

Cutie’s head shook so violently that sweat flew. "No, no, not at all! I just thought I’d buy a nice roasted duck for you! That’s all!"