“So, what’s going on here?”
Crash-!
A sudden flash of lightning lit up the window in white.
At the same time, the fake plant headband on his head shook, creating an eerie atmosphere.
“What’s with the headband?” Calypse asked.
“It’s a disguise. I was curious about the kid’s identity, so I hid in the office plant last night.”
Wow, impressive!
I couldn’t help but give a thumbs up in genuine admiration.
“You’re amazing! Knox, you should be a spy!”
“Flattery won’t get you anywhere, but,” Knox’s expressionless face blushed as he adjusted the headband.
“For the record, I made this myself. Anyway-“
Clunk.
“…It’s surprising enough that you adopted a con artist kid, but to find out she’s a spy from Pose Duchy.”
Knox placed the headband on the table and stared at me.
Without the bizarre disguise, Knox was the unmistakable aide of the Kreutz Duchy.
“……”
His blue eyes, devoid of emotion, seemed to dig into my mind.
I realized then that I hadn’t seen him for a few days.
‘That was Knox!’
It hit me that the long-haired person I saw at the window was Knox.
‘Now that I think about it, the maids always wear their hair in buns. Knox is the only one with a ponytail in the mansion!’
But Knox continued speaking indifferently.
“Anyway, if people find out about this, there will be chaos.”
“Keep it a secret then.”
“Can you keep this hidden?”
“Only if you keep your mouth shut.”
“You’re telling me to keep my mouth shut.”
I bit my lip as I watched the two men exchange words.
Not everyone in the mansion needed to know my true identity.
But Knox was Calypse’s right-hand man.
Smart and highly capable, it was no surprise he suspected me from the beginning.
‘We need to talk.’
I gently tugged on Calypse’s chest.
He bent down, his fierce eyes softening as he looked at me.
“What?”
I whispered in his ear.
“Uncle, does only you know that I’m a spy?”
“I didn’t think we’d get caught.”
“…What?”
Didn’t think we’d get caught?
Hearing this from the man who conquered the north was unbelievable.
“…Didn’t you plan everything before adopting me?”
“I told you before, I didn’t initially plan to adopt you,” Calypse stopped mid-sentence and covered his mouth, as if he almost revealed something unintended.
“…Uncle?”
Curious, I tilted my head.
“Don’t worry. Knox may seem like that, but he’s my subordinate. He listens to me.”
Calypse’s large hand ruffled my hair roughly, making me squint and open my eyes. He was back to the adult I knew.
“Acting like a real dad now, huh.”
At that moment.
Clap, clap, clap.
Knox rose from his seat, clapping dryly as if he had heard enough.
“Our fake princess has cast a spell on His Grace, playing the perfect spy. All this while I’m worried.”
He shot a slightly resentful look at Calypse before suddenly yelling-
“Guards!”
He opened the door and screamed.
“There’s a spy from Pose Duchy here!”
But Knox’s shout was cut short.
“Squeak?”
The mouse that had been sitting peacefully suddenly flew through the air.
I had leaped with my arm in an arc, carrying the mouse with me.
It’s called the Frog Squirrel Technique.
Jump like a frog and fly like a flying squirrel.
“Wait!”
I landed perfectly on Knox’s shoulder.
“What are you doing! Get off me!”
Knox reached to grab my collar in panic.
If it was that easy to catch me, I wouldn’t have jumped.
Skitter-
Sitting on his shoulder, I scurried down his back like a lizard climbing a tree.
“Don’t touch my butt!”
“Sorry, it’s the only place to grab…”
“This brat…!”
Knox bent forward in surprise,
‘Hop!’
And I jumped onto his shoulder like a monkey.
“…Huff, huff.”
Knox’s blue eyes widened in shock.
Judging by his expression, it was clear. This match was my victory.
‘Is it over already?’
Seeing the aide’s dazed face, I felt a bit embarrassed.
Knox must have really focused on studying to become an aide, with no athletic skills at all.
“Are you okay?”
I scratched the back of my neck in embarrassment.
“See? It’s obvious she’s a trained spy! No ordinary five-year-old moves like that!”
Knox shouted sharply, his hair standing on end. I struggled to calm my pounding heart.
‘Calm down, Aisha.’
It was already out in the open, so I couldn’t let it go.
To earn Knox’s approval, I had to prove my worth.
“…I can be a double agent. Messages from Pose Duchy will keep coming, and those messages will surely include confidential information…”
At that moment.
“Who tells a five-year-old…”
“…to prove their worth?”
Both men spoke at the same time.
When I came to my senses, I was hanging from their hands.
Blue eyes and red eyes.
Looking like twins for a moment, they both stared at me with disapproving expressions.
“Five years old…”
And then-
“…Who says things like that?”
“…shouldn’t be saying things like that.”
Their voices overlapped again.
“…Huh?”
I blinked slowly, trying to understand the situation.
“You agree for once.”
“Like master, like aide.”
“Fine. Let’s just stuff strawberries in this kid’s mouth.”
“Now that’s the Calypse Duke I know.”
The two suddenly coordinated like old friends, handing me over to the head maid, Mai.
My punishment was to eat strawberry cake.
“…Uncle?”
It was a shocking punishment to sit quietly and eat cake.
* * *
A little later.
‘Fine. Let’s just stuff strawberries in this kid’s mouth.’
‘Stuff strawberries in this kid’s mouth…’
‘Strawberries in the mouth…’
Grit-
I left teeth marks on the fork I was holding.
Mai’s eyes widened at my fierce expression, but I didn’t care about anyone watching.
The humiliating words from Uncle still echoed in my head.
‘Does he think so little of me? I can do anything!’
Meanwhile, the princess’s whereabouts and the heir test were unresolved, making my head feel like it would burst.
I chewed on the cake with narrowed eyes, feeling Mai’s gaze from across the table.
Zap-
Our eyes met in the air.
“……”
Mai, who seemed to wish time would pass faster, now looked scared.
She glanced at me and then lowered her head, stepping back.
“I delivered the cake, so I’ll take my leave…”
“Head Maid Mai.”
Calling out to her desperately made her footsteps heavy.
“Yes, Aisha.”
With my eyes still narrowed, I shouted.
“Does His Grace really think so little of me?!”
“……”
Oops, slip of the tongue.
My small hand quickly covered my mouth, but the words were already out.
Frustration had gotten the better of me.
Knox knew I was a spy, but it was a secret to everyone else. I couldn’t live recklessly!
“Mai, I’m sorry! What I said just now…”
“You broke the contract.”
At that moment.
“He adopted you out of pity, but he doesn’t trust you. You lied first, after all.”
Mai’s cold expression didn’t waver.
