Chapter 28

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: The Super Shy Kid Searches for Dad: Chapter 125

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“Since you said his hair is black, this one's not it.”

The conference hall was filled only with the sound of turning pages.

Veil muttered as he leaned over the desk.

“Not it, not this one either... Jeez, humans sure come in all varieties.”

The mercenaries were systematically dividing up the stacks and combing through the organization charts.

“What do we do with the ones where it's ambiguous whether it's brown or black?”

“Mark 'em with a thread.”

Veil handed Raoul a thin thread.

He was slipping threads into the pages every time he spotted a potential match for Tiye's dad.

Once he finished reviewing a volume, Veil slid it over to Tiye.

“Kiddo. Take a look.”

Tiye pushed aside the materials she'd been examining.

Then she carefully checked each marked section in the volume Veil had passed her.

“Nope...”

Her eyebrows drooped pitifully.

Veil answered in a fluster.

“Th-these are West Continent records! Your dad's in the Empire, remember?”

Tiye nodded.

“Just double-checking, so you keep going through the Empire ones quick.”

“Yeah...”

Tiye pulled her materials back in front of her.

According to the butler, every Holy Knight from the Talochium Empire was in the first volume, plus the second and third.

The child flipped idly through the pages and muttered weakly.

“Tiye... can really find Daddy...?”

The mercenaries searching the documents paused and turned hesitant gazes toward Tiye.

Tiye had already pored over about half the first volume, her eyes nearly falling out.

But not a single scrap of info on her dad had turned up.

“What if... we go through all three volumes and there's still no Daddy...?”

“No such thing. We'll find him for sure.”

“That's right, Captain! The portraits are so lifelike. You'll spot your father in no time.”

Enzo pointed at the illustrations in the documents.

He was right—the portraits were incredibly realistic.

If her dad was in there, there was no way Tiye wouldn't recognize him.

“...Yeah! Go team!”

Tiye rallied herself and shouted.

Only then did the mercenaries' expressions brighten, even if just a little.

By the time they finished the first volume, it was late into the night.

“Excuse me.”

Someone gave a short knock and opened the conference hall door.

Tiye staggered to her feet.

“Carriage Uncle?”

“Commander—no, Miss Tiye.”

Alexander gazed warmly at Tiye and asked,

“How's it going? Have you found your father yet?”

As Tiye's eyebrows drooped on both sides, Basto carefully answered in her stead.

“Not yet.”

Alexander let out an “Ah...” and looked at Tiye.

Right in front of her sat the first volume of the Total Organization Chart, just closed moments ago.

Alexander comforted the child.

“Don't let it get you down too much. He'll definitely turn up in the rest.”

Tiye nodded limply.

At that moment, Alexander turned to the other mercenaries.

“More importantly, isn't it getting awfully late?”

He gazed at Tiye, who was visibly exhausted, with clear concern.

“Father has prepared a room for you to stay in. Since it's so late, why not rest tonight and pick up tomorrow?”

Veil exchanged a glance with Basto.

He suddenly recalled what the Grand Commander had said at dinner.

'Take as many days as it requires.'

The charts were massive in volume, so it was fine to check them over several days without worry.

But he hadn't realized that meant putting them up for the night in the mansion.

“Of course, I know your own place would be the most comfortable. But as I mentioned, this whole endeavor carries considerable risk for us as well.”

In other words, if the Agaveert Mercenary Corps came and went from the Lumen mansion every morning and evening, someone might spot them.

The problem was if word got out that outsiders were perusing the Holy Knight Order's classified documents...

“Wouldn't we both be in a bind as partners in crime?”

Nordics nodded.

“You're right. We'll stay here tonight.”

He nodded toward Tiye, who was slumped in her chair like a jelly blob.

“Astie looks pretty wiped out too.”

Alexander smiled politely.

“Very well. Allow me to show you to the bedrooms.”

As he shot the mercenaries a look to follow and turned to leave,

“Carriage Uncle...”

A faint, trailing voice came from behind.

He turned to find Tiye staring at him with a sullen face.

“Uncle... hug Tiye, please.”

Alexander froze in shock right there.

The mercenaries, too, gawked wide-eyed, glancing back and forth between Tiye and Alexander.

Tiye wasn't one to be shy around people.

She'd approach adults she'd just met without hesitation and chatter away given half a chance.

But this was the first time she'd ever asked for a hug from someone she hadn't known long.

Alexander snapped out of it and nodded hesitantly.

Then he approached Tiye cautiously.

“The sheer volume of documents is overwhelming, after all. Going through each one isn't easy.”

He awkwardly scooped her up, and Tiye immediately rested her cheek on his shoulder.

Alexander turned to the mercenaries.

“Now then, how should we...”

“Ah, uh, could you guide us to the bedrooms?”

Alexander nodded at Basto's words.

As he exited the conference hall, Veil whispered to Nordics.

“What's with that, old timer? Why's the kid acting up like that?”

Nordics watched Alexander's retreating back with a curious expression.

“I've had this thought for a while now.”

“What?”

“Tiye's got a knack for judging people by their looks.”

Veil scowled in disbelief.

But Nordics just added it offhandedly.

“That's probably why she took to calling me 'Grandpa' right from the start.”

Veil's jaw dropped in sheer absurdity.

A long moment later, he finally shook his head.

A short while after.

“This is it.”

Alexander stopped at the far end of a wide, long corridor on the mansion's second floor.

The mercenaries looked up in amazement at the ornate arched ceiling.

Marble-tiled floors, walls carved with elaborate woodwork.

“One room each. We've prepared a separate one for that eternal summon too, since it has a human form.”

Alexander's gaze shifted to Lukarion standing at the rear of the group.

Veil stared at Alexander.

“...How'd you know the dark guy's an eternal summon?”

Alexander smiled.

“Father discerned it with Saintly Vision Awakening. Said its mana signature matches Miss Tiye's.”

Basto nodded as if it made perfect sense.

Then he said,

“Appreciate it. Now then...”

He held out both arms toward Alexander.

Meaning: we're at the door, hand her over.

But.

“Eeeing...”

For some reason, Tiye clung tightly to Alexander and let out a pitiful whine.

“Carriage Uncle's here! Until Tiye falls asleep...!”

A massive wave of shock washed over Basto's face.

Alexander was just as flustered.

“You mean... me?”

Tiye tightened her grip around his neck instead of replying.

In the end, Nordics stepped forward.

“Then, could we trouble you just for tonight? Seems the child has really taken a shine to you, Commander.”

After a beat of silence, Alexander nodded.

“Very well. I shall.”

“Old timer! You nuts?!”

Veil's eyes bulged instantly.

Basto protested too.

“Y-yeah, old timer. Even so...”

But Nordics remained calm.

“Tiye wants him, doesn't she?”

Veil finally clamped his mouth shut.

He glared at Alexander with deep displeasure.

“...Keep the door open. Wide open—the whole way!”

Alexander chuckled as if it were no big deal and nodded.

“Understood. Then, if you'll excuse me.”

Without the slightest hesitation, he carried Tiye into the room.

The mercenaries watched with expressions like they'd just lost their kingdom.

Meanwhile, Tiye squeezed her arms around Alexander and thought to herself.

'Feels just like Daddy...'

Ever since the moment she'd closed the first volume with nothing to show for it.

Dark storm clouds had rolled into Tiye's heart, unleashing a downpour.

Tears trickled unknowingly onto Alexander's shoulder.

'...How great would it be if Carriage Uncle were Daddy.'

Alexander resembled her dad so much in face and voice—he truly felt like her father to Tiye.