Chapter 27

Calypse carried Aisha out of the infirmary. Then he asked with a cold expression,

“Was what Knox and Mai said true?”

At his question, the large blue eyes blinked once. Aisha seemed to search for words for a moment before nodding.

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me?”

“You weren’t at the estate, mister.”

The child answered clearly.

“No. Even if I hadn’t gone on monster subjugation, you still wouldn’t have told me.”

“...Hut.”

But at the second pressing question, she seemed to lose her words, and her mouth turned into a triangle.

Roll. Roll.

Those large eyes rolled around again, and it practically sounded like the gears in her head were turning too.

And eventually, the words that came out of the child’s mouth were—

“Mister, you’re really smart.”

Thumbs up.

“......”

Is she pretending to be cheerful, or is she just genuinely cheerful?

Either way, it was enough to break down Calypse’s resolve.

Truthfully, when Knox had knelt and apologized, Calypse had a great deal he wanted to say, but he endured it.

Knox had genuinely been wary of Aisha whether Calypse was present or not. And since Aisha truly had been a spy, he could understand that caution.

But the moment Mai revealed something he had never known—

“......”

It felt as though something inside him collapsed all at once.

“His Grace may have adopted you out of pity, but he likely does not trust you. Because you were the one who lied first.”

I adopted you out of pity? Me?

But because the young lady had not been found, I did not trust you?

...Me?

“You believed what Auntie Mai said?”

A rough voice escaped before he could stop it.

And again, the child’s small lips shut tightly as if she were struggling to decide how to answer.

So she really had believed that.

“Ha, honestly.”

Where was he even supposed to begin explaining this?

Feeling utterly lost, Calypse let out a low, hollow laugh.

Thinking back, on the day he left for monster subjugation—

he remembered the little one, who was normally so lively, awkwardly forcing herself to smile as she hugged him.

Don’t tell me it started back then.

“Little one. No, Aisha.”

Calypse carefully set the child down on the floor.

When the tiny child, who did not even reach his waist, widened her eyes, he continued speaking, hoping his voice would reach her clearly.

“Aisha. I trust you.”

“Huh?”

No. If he said it like this, it would not sound sincere enough.

As Calypse searched desperately for words, he frowned.

“Aisha. If it weren’t for you, I...”

“Yes?”

“...I...”

How was he supposed to say this? That he had intended to die?

That on the very day he met her, he had planned to end his own life?

Was that something you said to a child?

Countless thoughts poured down like rain.

Standing before one five-year-old child, Calypse felt a vast helplessness, as though he were standing at the edge of a cliff.

How should I explain it so you can understand?

How should I say it so you won’t be hurt?

At that moment—

“Mister.”

Calypse opened his eyes at the playful call.

A tiny thumb, small as a toy’s, poked his cheek.

“Mister, I can hear your gears turning all the way over here too.”

“......?”

Only then did Calypse finally notice the child smiling mischievously through his hazy vision, her lips curled upward.

“Do you understand how I feel now?”

“...What?”

And then—

“When I start scheming, it’s because I’m worried. And you’re worrying because you’re worried about me too, right?”

This little one was always one step ahead of him.

In honesty, and perhaps even in maturity.

“...Right.”

After hesitating briefly, Calypse quietly admitted it.

For a moment, he almost felt as though Aisha had suddenly grown ten centimeters taller.

That was how unfamiliar the feeling blooming inside him was.

“Right. I’m worried because of that. And I care about you very much.”

Hehe. The child laughed at the honest answer.

That smile, small as a flower petal, made his heart itch pleasantly.

Wanting to answer that smile properly, Calypse emphasized it even more.

“I care about you very much.”

“Hehe.”

“So come here, little one.”

“Waaah!”

The moment he opened his arms, the child leaped up with her usual frog combat technique and snuggled neatly into his embrace.

Only then did Calypse finally laugh as well.

“Mister. Then can I go back to Knox and Auntie Mai now?”

“What are you planning to do? What punishment are you going to give them?”

“There’s no punishment.”

Squirm.

A mischievous little face popped out from Calypse’s arms, wearing a solemn expression.

“To be honest, I felt reaally happy.”

***

“To be honest, I felt reaally happy.”

The mister looked startled at my words, but I truly meant them.

It was not a joke, nor empty words.

When Knox and Mai sincerely apologized, I honestly felt so happy my chest almost overflowed.

“...What are you talking about?”

The mister quickly returned to his usual crooked attitude.

As he sighed and opened the door, Knox and Mai, who were still kneeling, turned their heads toward us.

“...I will gladly accept any punishment.”

Knox had even removed his monocle, looking fully prepared to get hit if necessary.

Why do these people keep talking about punishment?

“Hehe.”

Grinning brightly, I stood before Knox and Mai.

The two of them were clearly kneeling respectfully, yet because our eye levels were almost the same, I was suddenly struck once more by how small I really was.

“Knox. Mai.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

“...Then does that mean you acknowledge me now?”

At my question, both their expressions turned uncertain.

To be honest, I had been really hurt by Knox and Mai.

That was why I had resolved to earn their acknowledgment somehow, and I thought that one day, when this moment finally came, it would feel satisfying to hit them back emotionally.

But rather than satisfying...

I was happy.

“You acknowledge me now, right?!”

To be acknowledged as a member of the Kreutz family.

To truly feel as though I had taken my first step away from being a spy.

That made me unbelievably happy, and at the same time, I was grateful to them for accepting me.

“...Hehe. Hurry up and say it!”

My body twisted restlessly despite my reason, and the duke mister, who had been quietly standing nearby, straightened me upright.

Even after seeing my reaction, Knox answered seriously.

“It is only natural that the young lady be acknowledged as the young lady. In truth, once His Grace decided upon the adoption, I should not have recklessly doubted the young lady...”

“But I liked that you doubted me.”

“...Excuse me?”

Knox’s eyes slowly widened. Calypse’s and mine did too.

“The duke must be really good at judging people, keeping someone like you as his closest aide. Same with Mai too.”

I tried adding an explanation, but Knox still looked completely unable to understand.

Hmm.

I tapped my round chin twice and continued.

“It couldn’t have been easy to oppose your master, but you acted that way because you were worried.”

“......”

“I’m only five years old, but I’ve seen a lot of people throw away their own people just to protect their position.”

In the Pose family, during spy training—

even in the fading memories of my previous life.

I always had to compete, and I always had to climb to the top.

I understood it.

In that kind of environment, how many people would sacrifice themselves for someone else?

“...But Knox and Mai didn’t do that.”

And because there were not many people like that—

“I think that’s why being acknowledged by the two of you makes me especially happy.”

Hehe.

So now you have to be nice to me, okay?

Ah well, I’m in a good mood.

Even the spy instructors used to grin foolishly when I made this expression.

“Hehe. Heh.”

Trying to lighten the atmosphere, I spammed winks with eyes sparkling as though glitter might pour out of them.

But—

“......”

Knox and Mai still stared at me stiffly, as though they had turned into stone.

Tch. What boring people.

“Then I’ll... be going now...”

Feeling embarrassed for no reason, I awkwardly crab-walked past the two of them—

“...I-I have to go eat cake with Lucas, my older brother!”

—and immediately scampered out into the corridor.

***

At the same time Aisha, twisting her body in embarrassment, fled the room—

“Smile.”

“...Excuse me?”

“I said smile. That brat just gave you a wink she’s never even given me.”

“......”

Knox and Mai, who had already been struggling to speak, became utterly speechless, as though someone had smacked them in the back of the head.

A brief silence passed.

“Your Grace.”

“What is it, you bastard.”

“What does the young lady like?”

Having reached some kind of resolution, Knox demanded the answer with blazing eyes.

“What?”

Calypse asked back in confusion.

That was when—

“Ah, the scarf. The scarf! The young lady’s scarf!”

Mai suddenly shouted as though she had remembered something.

Then, groaning “oh dear, oh dear,” she pushed herself up from her knees and ran off somewhere.