Chapter 51

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Super Strong Kid Searches for Dad - Chapter 146

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Basto didn't even have a chance to stop her.

Tiye slipped naturally into the crowd of elderly folks and claimed a spot smack in the middle of the market stalls.

People immediately swarmed around the kid who'd come from outside.

"You're a tiny thing, aren't you? Four years old, you said? You look more like three from that build."

A woman who looked about sixty spoke up, and Tiye puffed out her cheeks right away.

"No I'm not! Tiye's four, and I'll be five soon!"

"Oh ho ho, such a little rabbit turd with a big mouth. How'd a kid from outside end up here, huh?"

Tiye politely raised one hand first.

"Well, you see..."

"Tiye. Get up. Now."

But just then, Basto approached from where he'd been standing a ways off.

Basto scanned his surroundings with a wary expression.

He extended a hand to Tiye.

"Let's go. We don't have time to linger here."

But Tiye didn't stand up right away.

Instead, she fidgeted and glanced around.

"But the grown-ups asked why Tiye came here..."

Going to the tutorial school was important.

Of course, it was something Tiye had been looking forward to ever since arriving in this world.

But...

'Whether it's a tutorial school or regular school, family education is a hundred times more important, right?'

Looking at the adults here, Tiye couldn't help but think of the grandpas who played go in the alley every time she waited for the kindergarten bus.

'You see it too, don't you, Tiye? Because you got such proper family education at home, you greet these old geezers politely every morning. Alright, play a game with them until the bus comes.'

She'd just greeted them politely, just as the adults had taught her.

And the grandpas adored Tiye for it.

Sometimes they'd give her devil candy (the kind that tasted like red ginseng), or hand over go stones for her to play their moves.

Tiye mostly placed the stones wherever she wanted.

Like lining them up in a long row at the end, or sticking one in the corner, or completing a face shape.

'Hahaha! Brilliant move! A real brilliant one!'

'You're right! Mr. Choi's gonna find his way out thanks to Tiye. Ha ha!'

Of course, the grandpas loved wherever Tiye placed the stones.

'Yes. Greet adults properly and answer politely!'

Tiye looked up at Basto and spoke maturely.

"Mister, it's rude to just leave when adults are talking to you. Family education that's more polite than kindergarten is way more important!"

A few people around burst into laughter.

While Basto looked flustered, Tiye finished her answer to the crowd.

"Tiye came here to go to the tutorial school!"

"Tutorial school? Here in Flint Cove?"

"Yes!"

The crowd buzzed.

Two elderly men who looked wise stepped forward, asking with keen interest.

"Where's your home, then?"

Basto pushed back through the crowd again.

"Tiye. No more answers..."

"I live in Roseobel Alley!"

"Roseobel... Rosewarbel?"

A man leaning against the corner wall shot to his feet.

He turned to the people around him.

"Isn't that where all the great nobles live? Stinking rich, every one of 'em..."

People's eyes swept over Tiye again.

But no one would mistake her for nobility.

For one, her plain speech had none of the flowery talk, and the dark cloak draped over her was too rough for noble garb.

'Above all...'

People muttered in confusion.

"No noble kid would come to a place like this and chat with us."

"Right, right. Outsiders aren't even allowed in the underpass, are they?"

"Kid, you telling the truth? You really live in Rosewarbel?"

"If she's here, the sector chief must've approved it."

Tiye raised her hand firmly again amid the barrage of questions.

"That's because Tiye has super complicated circumstances, so that's how it is."

"Complicated circumstances? How complicated can a four-year-old's life be?"

Tiye let out an exaggerated sigh, as if to say they wouldn't understand.

"Grandma and Grandpa don't get it. Tiye can't go to the tutorial schools outside. Too many eyes watching."

This time, eyes turned to Basto.

Basto clutched his forehead instead of answering.

'Ugh, this is trouble.'

Getting permission from the sector chief to enter had been fine.

But whether he could reveal Tiye's identity to the Flint Cove locals hadn't been cleared yet.

No matter how cut off this place was from the outside, there was no guarantee her secret would stay safe...

Then.

Tiye added with an even more downcast face.

"If Tiye goes to tutorial school in Flint Cove and gets caught, I'll get kicked out of the capital..."

At the words "kicked out," an old man couldn't hold back his curiosity and spoke up.

"What's that supposed to mean? Why no tutorial schools outside? If you live in Rosewarbel, you could've gone to the imperial one."

"Tiye can't. Gotta hide my identity."

"Hide your identity?"

"Could it be...?"

As the crowd murmured excitedly.

The young man who'd perked up at "Rosewarbel" earlier slapped his knee.

"Illegitimate child! She's an illegitimate kid raised by Rosewarbel nobles!"

"Illegitimate...?"

Tiye tilted her head.

But the people were already fired up, chiming in with each other.

"No wonder she has to hide her identity!"

"Rotten bastards! If you're gonna hide and raise it, don't have it in the first place! Why dump their shame on the kid?!"

The sighing crowd looked at Tiye with pity.

They clicked their tongues and continued.

"Even if they hate her, she's their child. Sending her to a remote place like this to hide her... how heartbroken must that poor little thing be..."

An old grandma stroked Tiye's head.

Tiye blinked in bewilderment, eyes wide.

She didn't know what an illegitimate child was, but now everyone in the underpass was looking at her with sympathy.

"They won't let her go to school outside? Kick her out if her identity leaks?"

Tiye nodded hesitantly.

"Um, yeah."

Valentis had told her.

Tiye couldn't go to schools outside carelessly.

The reason was that if her identity got exposed while attending one, it would be a big problem.

And if that happened, it wouldn't just be getting kicked out of the capital.

"They'll drag Tiye far away and hurt me really bad!"

She meant being hauled to the church for interrogation, but somehow everyone's faces went pale.

"G-G-Good heavens! This little child!"

Tiye watched their reactions in confusion, then cautiously raised a hand.

"But Grandma, what's an illegitimate child? Tiye's not an illegitimate..."

"That's right. An illegitimate child."

But then.

Basto cut in.

Basto sighed with a sorrowful face and looked at the crowd.

"The child wants to learn, but there's no way to find a tutorial school outside. That's why we came here."

A few clicked their tongues.

The elderly men muttered "Poor thing..." as if they'd expected it.

Basto continued.

"It's a hard-won opportunity arranged with the sector chief. We'll be coming through this path every morning for school from now on. We'd appreciate your cooperation."

"Sure, sure!"

People approached freely, patting Basto's shoulders and back.

"Don't worry. You've got a real sense of responsibility, young man. At least those awful parents stuck one decent guy with the kid, huh? With that build, you chop firewood too?"

"Chop firewood, clean, childcare. Whatever needs doing."

"Aigoo... Watching over a neglected kid like this must break your heart."

The people lowered their voices so Tiye wouldn't hear.

Then they nodded among themselves.

Tiye blinked, looking back and forth between them and Basto.

She was curious what they were talking about, but kids weren't supposed to butt into adult conversations.

So Tiye sat quietly and waited.

A few days later.

Strange rumors began circulating in the capital.

"Heard about the Division Commander's issues?"

"Oh, the rumor he's addicted to liquor? Goes to the tavern every day without fail?"

"Yeah! Stays drunk till evening, they say. And his creepy necromancy gets even worse when he's tipsy."

Agaveert's ranking rose again.

Of course, the rumors spread like wildfire the higher it climbed.

Meanwhile, Tiye,

"So, what Tiye did at tutorial school today was...!"

had no clue and was thoroughly enjoying her exciting school life.