Chapter 40

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Super Stealthy Kid Searches for Dad 136

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, Tiye swallowed hard.

Something was visible only to her eyes at that moment.

Right before her eyes, waves of mana emanating from her body had turned into threads, binding the souls of the two servants.

'Whoa, what’s this?'

It had all happened just moments ago.

The instant the servants brought plates of food to Tiye and Selina.

That was when Tiye finally realized.

'Selina’s being mistreated!'

Of course, it had started as just a small suspicion.

She’d seen some woman hurling sharp words at Selina when they first entered the mansion.

But she’d quickly dismissed it.

'Mistreatment is something only the rich and powerful bad guys do, right...?'

In tales like Heungbu and Nolbu, it was Nolbu who tormented the protagonist.

In Kongjwi and Patjwi, it was the stepmother and Patjwi.

But unlike those villains, the servants in this mansion were just hired help.

People paid a monthly wage by Selina’s parents to do housework.

Selina, on the other hand?

'Selina’s super rich, pretty, has both mom and dad, and she’s a noble kid.'

So Tiye couldn’t help but think that way.

'Yeah, no way Selina’s getting mistreated.'

But when the servants brought food that reeked of staleness, her mind changed.

That was when Tiye realized she’d overlooked one crucial thing.

'Selina... she’s still just a little kid like me, isn’t she?'

She might be smart, pretty, and wealthy, but Selina was still young.

And some adults treat kids poorly.

They think kids don’t know any better and mess with them.

Tiye had experienced it herself, of course.

Back in room 205, where she was sometimes left when no one else could watch her.

'Eating again? You just stuffed yourself, and now more? You sure pack it away. Geez...'

The lady in 205 didn’t like Tiye.

She’d smile and promise to take good care of her when Dad asked, but her face would harden the moment the door closed.

That lady never gave Tiye the milk Dad sent for her to drink.

Instead, she handed over stale bread that smelled just like the stuff in front of her now.

'Selina...'

Putting it together, Tiye felt an overwhelming pang of sorrow.

Did Selina’s parents know that the people in this house were feeding her tasteless food and saying nasty things?

Probably not.

Tiye had never told her own dad about getting sick from that bread in 205.

She hadn’t had the heart to, afraid he’d be heartbroken.

Tiye stared at the plate, her brows drooping.

'If only I could tell Selina’s mom and dad for her...'

It was right then.

Thud-

Suddenly, waves of mana poured from Tiye’s body.

The waves quickly turned into dozens of thin threads that slapped right onto the two servants’ bodies.

And then Tiye began examining the two servants’ souls, now vividly visible before her eyes.

Tiny cracks were forming on the surfaces of their souls where the threads touched.

As the cracks deepened, something cloudy began oozing out from the gaps.

“Helga! Are you nuts? What’s wrong with you?”

“I didn’t mean to say it! My mouth just moved on its own...!”

“Even if the young lady’s an easy mark and a dimwit, you know spouting this right in her face will get you fired, right?! Ugh, a cushy job where you slack off and get paid well... Why, wh-what’s going on?!”

Lukarion, who’d been watching, grabbed Tiye’s arm with an amused grin.

“You’re the one who cracked their souls.”

Tiye stared at him in bewilderment.

“Crack... what?”

“Yeah. Cracked souls can’t properly hold in the truths or emotions bottled up inside. That’s why it’s spilling out like that.”

Tiye swallowed hard and looked back at the servants.

Lukarion must have been able to see exactly what she was seeing.

That was when it happened.

“Leah, why don’t you shut it for once?! Always acting so superior, but you can’t tell when to speak and when to stay quiet? Ugh!”

“What did you say? How dare you talk to me like...! I let it slide last time when you swiped the baroness’s earrings!”

“What are you blabbing about in front of the tin can?! Keep this up, and I’ll tell the baron and his wife everything! Like how you deliberately tie her tin can hair painfully every morning! Ugh!”

As their confessions poured out, Tiye anxiously turned to Selina.

Selina was staring blankly at the two servants. But...

'She doesn’t look shocked...?'

Selina showed no sign of being stunned or hurt by their words.

As if she’d been putting up with this kind of treatment for a long time.

“I never tormented the tin can directly like you! You’d go to jail if it came out, but I wouldn’t!”

“Oh, really? Even if I told them every rotten thing you’ve done?! And when have you not tormented the tin can directly? Every bath time...”

“O-okay. How about you both just shut up now?”

But at that moment, a dry voice spoke from behind them.

Tiye turned, and the threads connecting to the servants’ souls snapped, silencing the dining room.

Veil was standing there.

“Money really is the best, huh? Who’d have thought communication orbs could record now? I wonder if they transmit too?”

A communication orb from upstairs rested in his palm.

One servant’s face went deathly pale.

The other gaped in shock.

“Kiddo, I did good, right?”

Veil sauntered over and stood in front of Tiye.

“Saw you stirring things up, so I grabbed it quick. How about it? We’re perfectly in sync. Better than Basto, yeah?”

Veil fiddled with a button on the orb, and a clear voice emanated from it.

-My mouth just moved on its own...!

-Even if the young lady’s an easy mark and a dimwit, you know spouting this right in her face will get you fired, right?! Ugh, a cushy job where you slack off and get paid well...

Tiye gazed at Veil with starry-eyed admiration as she listened to the recording.

He’d been right beside her just moments ago.

Yet Veil had gone to the second floor and back in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, Raoul’s constant praise for Veil’s speed made perfect sense.

The recording continued.

-I never tormented the tin can directly like you!

-Oh, really? Even if I told them every rotten thing you’ve done?!

“Give that here!”

One of the servants lunged at Veil.

But Veil sidestepped effortlessly, a amused smirk on his lips.

“Oh? Playing rough? I won’t stop you if you wanna make a ugly scene in front of the kids... You sure? It won’t end lightly.”

The startled Tiye rushed to Veil.

“Don’t, big bro Veil! You promised to wash your hands with me!”

“...”

Silence fell.

Veil smacked his lips and stared at the orb.

“Fine, whatever. No point meddling in someone else’s family drama.”

He fiddled with the orb again.

“Sometimes it’s best to let them sort it out themselves.”

And with that, he transmitted the recording to the coordinates Selina had preset.

“Wh-what did you just do?!”

Selina snapped out of it and hopped down from her chair.

She strained to snatch the orb from Veil’s hand.

“Where did you send that?!”

Veil held it high and replied calmly.

“Only one saved coordinate. Your parents, right?”

Tears welled up in Selina’s eyes.

“Y-yes, but I never said you could send something like that! Give it here!”

It was then that Veil furrowed his brow.

“Selina, don’t...”

Tiye sniffled and hugged Selina tightly.

Her voice choked with emotion as she spoke.

“I get it... You don’t wanna hurt Mom and Dad’s feelings. But if you don’t speak up now, they’ll be a hundred, a thousand times sadder later!”

Back in Korea.

Dad hadn’t found out about the 205 lady mistreating her until much later.

Not until the neighbors caught on to the weird vibes and had a huge blowout with her.

Dad had looked sadder than Tiye had ever seen.

“Selina didn’t do anything wrong!”

Selina’s lips parted slightly.

She looked ready to burst into tears, about to respond—

“Kyaaaaah-!”

A sharp scream rang out from the entrance hall.

Veil tossed the orb in the air and caught it, muttering as if he’d been waiting.

“Right on cue. They’re reacting over there too.”

He grinned at Tiye.

“Kiddo. Wanna see your poison needle’s effect in action?”