Chapter 19

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: The Super Shy Kid is Looking for Dad 117

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Basto watched Tiye's back and fell deep into thought.

'Is this a good thing?'

Because she'd thrown on her uniform at the last minute, Tiye now had only her face peeking out from under the black cloak.

Of course, none of the pretty outfits she'd dressed up in for once were visible.

Naturally, with an informant tailing them wherever they went, it was better to be a little less conspicuous...

"Whoa. The clock tower!"

Tiye, who was sitting up front on the cart, let out a small cry.

The child had been curiously scanning the streets this way and that for a while now.

And at this moment, there was a reason the kid had obediently climbed onto the cart.

The previous evening.

Basto had prepared a spot up front on the cart for Tiye to sit while transporting the core.

That morning, when she saw it, Tiye immediately asked with a worried face.

'But if Your Commandership rides the cart, won't it look like a baby?'

But Basto quickly shook his head.

'No, it won't look like a baby. It'll look like a king.'

'A king...?'

'Yeah. Back at the old place, they said kings used to ride things like this. It's fine.'

At those words, Tiye immediately dropped her guard and lit up with excitement.

'Tiye on a palanquin... then Your Commandership?'

He didn't know what a palanquin was, but anyway, it was a relief that the kid had changed her mind.

If Tiye had stubbornly insisted on walking again, it would've been a hassle in all sorts of ways.

And on another note.

In Basto's opinion, Tiye no longer needed to try so hard to act like a grown-up.

Because,

'The rumors about Tiye have already spread far and wide, catching fire.'

These days, the rumors swirling around Tiye were spawning entirely new rumors on their own.

Even if a relaxed Tiye showed her childlike side out in public, most people would think something like this.

'That Commander King, isn't he seriously creepy?'

'Of course he is! Would any normal person act like that?! What kind of grown man pretends to be a kid!'

'But hey, what if he really is a kid?'

'Hahaha, a kid sieging a giant magic stone? A kid handling the monster that gave even Valentis Lumen trouble for five days? Don't talk nonsense.'

'Yeah, right?'

'Exactly. And tons of people have seen the Commander King's true form, you know? He's like five times the height of a normal person or something.'

Basto pushed the cart along with a complicated expression.

'Is this going well, or not?'

People firmly believed in the fabricated image of Tiye as the Commander King.

Testimonies about seeing Tiye's "true form" kept popping up, for some reason.

'As if.'

Blue skin, freakishly tall, three arms, constantly changing appearance so no one knows the real deal.

'Tiye's true form is just Tiye... Maybe the Wavebrill Marquess's house has been steadily working behind the scenes.'

Whatever else, one thing was clear: things were heading in a weird direction.

It was then.

"Uncle Basto! Look, there's the Compensation Bureau!"

Tiye called out from up front.

Basto couldn't help but chuckle at the child's face, beaming with a bright smile.

She looked happier and brighter than anything he'd seen lately.

She might not say it, but she seemed secretly thrilled to arrive in the capital and have a place to stay.

"Yeah."

Maybe because they'd set out early in the morning, there weren't many people on the streets.

The crowds who'd partied through the night before had all gone home.

It was just as Tiye and Basto pulled the cart up in front of the central branch of the Compensation Bureau.

"What's that?"

The child tilted her head.

In the distance, off to the right of the bureau, a group of Holy Knights was coming around the corner.

"Your Excellency!"

Just then, someone came running out of the bureau and dashed toward the man at the front of the Holy Knights.

When the man turned his head, the emblem of the Order pinned to his chest came into view.

With all the decorations on it, he was clearly a high-ranking knight.

"Is the core processed?"

Cold green eyes appeared beneath swept-back blond hair.

"Yes! They say the tallying's a bit backed up because of the festival, but no issues!"

"Good."

The blond man let out a short sigh, as if releasing tension.

He stared blankly at the Compensation Bureau for a moment, then brushed the dirt off his uniform.

"Then we'll stop by Order headquarters and disband."

He gazed at the dozens of Holy Knights gathered before him.

"You must've been startled by the sudden mobilization during the festival. Everyone, good work. As of now, the assembly is disbanded..."

But it was then.

Splat-

A small but distinct sound rang out, and something pale and sticky landed on the man's right cheek.

The Holy Knights who confirmed what it was fell silent for a moment.

"Uncle Basto! That uncle got hit by bird poop!"

Tiye's voice rang out softly in the quiet front yard of the bureau.

Tiye was pointing at the Holy Knight splattered with bird droppings, looking sympathetic.

"Tiye saw it—a magpie pooped on that uncle's head. Bad magpie."

Of course, Tiye was doing her best to lower her voice, in her own way.

But a child's voice was naturally high-pitched, and the surrounding silence made it carry even further.

"Y-Your Excellency."

Meanwhile, the Holy Knights who'd witnessed their superior get pooped on went pale.

And their superior was now having a child point it out to him, of all things.

"...Do we have anything to wipe it off with?"

The Holy Knight captain spoke in a stiff, rigid voice.

His subordinates fumbled frantically through their pockets.

"Commander! Maybe this...!"

Soon, one knight pulled a handkerchief from inside his tunic and offered it.

But,

"Gasp. Blood..."

As Tiye said, the handkerchief was thoroughly stained with blood.

Dark red with blackened, glistening edges—it was unmistakably monster blood.

"Tiye, shh."

Finally losing patience, Basto warned Tiye.

Then he averted his gaze from the frozen Holy Knight captain.

"Let's head in... Tiye?"

But Tiye was already gone from the spot.

When he turned, he saw the back of the child's head, already some distance away.

Her fancy braided pigtails swung back and forth in front of the unidentified Holy Knight captain.

"Uncle, use Tiye's!"

The Holy Knight captain paused and turned.

A hint of bewilderment colored his gaze as he looked down at the child not even half his size.

"Who are you..."

"Here, use Tiye's handkerchief!"

But Tiye boldly held out her own handkerchief to the Holy Knight captain.

'The one I even lent to the Grand Commander!'

That handkerchief with the deer on it was a precious item Tiye had brought from South Korea.

"It's clean! Tiye blew her nose with it and washed it yesterday!"

The knight's eyes twitched slightly.

If you're gonna say it's clean, why mention blowing your nose?

Makes it gross.

But then the child widened her eyes and said,

"Oh? The bird poop's dripping!"

In the end, he hurriedly took the handkerchief.

And slowly wiped his cheek, where something really was trickling down.

"Uuung..."

Watching him, the child scrunched up her face.

Her little mouth pursed tightly as it stuck out.

She seemed a bit grossed out herself that her lent handkerchief had gotten bird poop on it.

The Holy Knight captain, Leonardo, finally let out a sigh.

He folded the handkerchief in half, wiped his cheek once more, and opened his mouth.

"...Thanks. As for compensation..."

He was about to tuck it into the pouch on his belt when,

"Gasp! That's Tiye's!"

The child rushed up and grabbed Leonardo's wrist.

Tiye looked back and forth between Leonardo and the handkerchief, her eyebrows drooping.

"Uncle, give it back. Tiye didn't give it—you just borrowed it."

Leonardo froze.

He narrowed his eyes and asked slowly,

"It's got stuff on it now? You're taking it back?"

The child nodded vigorously.

"Yessir."

She snatched the handkerchief from Leonardo's hand.

"It's okay. Wash it at home and it'll be clean!"

Utterly dumbfounded, Leonardo stared blankly at the child.

The kid stuffed the handkerchief into her bag, bowed as if her business was done, and said,

"Well, bye-bye!"

Leonardo stared fixedly at the retreating back without a hint of hesitation.

"Your Excellency, are you all right?"

His adjutant asked in a flustered voice.

Leonardo closed his mouth, opened it again, then nodded belatedly.

"...Yeah. I'm fine."

He watched the child enter the bureau, then turned away.

"Have the carriage readied. I'm going to the mansion."

A small dog tag dangled from his waist.

Engraved clearly on it was the name of the Lumen second young master.

'Leonardo Lumen.'