There is only one spy within the castle, Dorothy, so this person must certainly be one of Kreutz’s men.
‘Sigh.’
Once inside the robe, it felt cozy, like being in a tent.
‘He’s taller than I thought.’
Squirming between the man’s legs, I held onto the robe like a curtain, peering out with only my eyes visible, watching the front.
I could see Dorothy standing at the entrance of the garden.
She had been running non-stop, and her face was flushed red with anger, almost as if it was about to burst. She looked like a bright red bubblegum from hell.
If I get caught, it’s all over.
“…No outsiders are allowed in the garden, so who could it be?”
Quivering like a frightened meerkat, I kept my eyes on the front, when a low, deep voice from above pierced my ears.
Slowly, I lifted my head.
Though his face was hidden by the hood, his tone suggested he held a fairly high rank within the castle.
I didn’t know who this tent man was, but I had to make him my ally no matter what.
Peeking my face out from the robe, I looked up at the man.
“Um, mister…”
“Gardener?”
At that moment, a giant hand gently pushed my face back inside, followed by a voice calling out.
As I was pushed back and sat on the floor, holding onto the man’s pant leg to stand up, I heard a familiar voice from beyond.
“Sorry for entering without permission, but I see you are in the garden. Have you seen a little girl running this way? About five years old?”
It was Dorothy.
So, this tent man’s rank was a gardener. His sophisticated manner of speaking made me think he was at least an aide, but it was unexpected.
“Why are you looking for her?”
“She’s a suspicious child. She said she knows where the missing princess is.”
“The missing princess?”
Perhaps it was the thought that he was hiding me that gave me some reassurance as I listened to their conversation.
But his voice suddenly lowered, making me tense up again.
‘What’s this? His voice sounds a bit different?’
My hand, which was holding onto the pant leg, stiffened.
The previously calm, deep voice now carried a hint of coldness for the first time.
Though he was a gardener, perhaps he understood the master’s trauma well.
“Th-that’s…”
Dorothy hesitated, sensing the change in atmosphere.
“I was going to keep her with me until I finished submitting my audience request… but she pushed away from my hand and ran off.”
Damn it. If he says it like that, he’ll surely hand me over to Dorothy. I tried to stay as quiet as possible, curling up.
A brief silence hung in the air. My heart started pounding.
If the gardener handed me over to that crazy woman Dorothy?
Then I would have to reveal her identity.
Of course, I might also be exposed as a spy, but since I had helped Kreutz, they might view me favorably.
‘Yes. If I die, you die too.’
Resolving myself, I gripped the gardener’s pant leg and glared up with narrowed eyes.
“I haven’t seen any child.”
…He’s hiding me?
“I see. Then, excuse me.”
Thud.
Startled, my hand gripping the pant leg fell away.
My racing heart slowly calmed down in sync with the sound of Dorothy’s footsteps fading away.
“Come out now.”
“…”
“It’s okay. The maid is gone.”
The low, deep voice dug into my ears, and I made up my mind, emerging from the robe and bowing my head.
“Mister, thank you for helping me.”
“You, do you really know where the princess is?”
The man knelt down to meet my gaze.
“If this is a joke, it’s going too far. How do you know the whereabouts of the princess?”
Thanks to the closer view, I could see the lower half of his face under the hood.
A moderately masculine jaw and tightly closed lips. Though his whole face wasn’t visible, it was clearly a handsome face.
‘…Is he really an extra?’
Slightly taken aback, I hid my inner thoughts and answered calmly.
“I was at the same orphanage as the princess.”
“…Orphanage, you say?”
The man’s mouth twisted slightly.
“Yes. I left because of some circumstances, but the princess is still there.”
Of course, this was a lie. But having read the original story, I knew which orphanage the princess was in.
“…Where is this orphanage?”
His once firm voice seemed to waver slightly, but I paid it no mind and responded.
“I can’t tell you that.”
“What? Why?”
“I’ll inform the Duke himself. But only if you grant me a favor.”
“…Haa, what favor?”
He sighed lightly and bit his words out. He seemed a bit anxious.
‘Of course, he would be. Knowing the whereabouts of the princess his master has been desperately searching for.’
Duke Kreutz would be even more desperate. So, I had to present something significant.
I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and tightly grasped the edge of the man’s robe.
“Mister, are you single by any chance?”
“…What?”
I couldn’t see his face, but I could feel the gardener’s brows furrowing.
He clearly didn’t expect to be asked such a question by a five-year-old.
But I was desperate.
“If you are single, I’d like you to become my legal guardian. It doesn’t necessarily have to be you; it can be anyone from the Kreutz Duchy. I’ll ask the Duke for that favor.”
Sensing an explanation was needed, I added more.
“If I reveal the princess’s location, and the bad people behind it find out and attack me, I need someone to protect me, right?”
The man, who had fallen silent as if lost for words, responded quietly.
“…The Kreutz Duchy will protect you.”
“Until when?”
“Until you’re safe.”
“And what’s the extent of my safety?”
But the gardener hesitated at my continued questioning.
I knew.
This man might seem gruff, but he had a kind heart. That’s why he protected a stranger like me.
A person like this wouldn’t abandon a child, even an adopted one, if they were in danger.
So, I had to ask someone like him for help.
“Duke Pose will pursue me to the end.”
As I spoke while clenching my small fist, his gaze sharpened.
“Duke Pose? Could it be that Duke Pose kidnapped the princess?”
“…I’m not sure about that… but I know the Pose family is notorious.”
Glancing up at the sky, I pretended to be nonchalant. Then, fearing he might refuse, I hurriedly added,
“…Actually, my goal is to survive somehow, eat delicious desserts, make friends, and find a boyfriend.”
“You don’t have friends?”
What a harsh thing to say to a child.
“Of course I do.”
“Really?”
“…I have many, actually.”
“How many?”
“……”
I needed to change the subject. I recalled the original setting to bring up something important.
This world had supernatural abilities known as the blessings of the gods.
The Kreutz Duchy of the Frozen Kingdom possessed the ability of ice. The Pose family of the Doctia Kingdom wielded the power of poison.
These two ducal houses maintained the balance of the world with their powers.
But those without supernatural abilities weren’t without influence.
People from non-blessed families trained in swordsmanship to become knights or memorized spells to become wizards and rise to prominence.
Alright. I should appeal in that direction too.
“Ahem. Let me introduce myself first.”
Clearing my throat, I began to speak.
“I’ve grown up suffering like a dog since I was little, so I don’t expect much from you. Just provide me a place to sleep. I can take care of my own food.”
“What?”
“And unlike most five-year-olds, I have a bio-rhythm that wakes me up at 5 AM. I’m strong, so you’ll find me useful as a garden worker.”
“…That—”
“You only need to take care of me until I become a legal adult.”
The gardener opened his mouth as if to cut me off, but there was no way I would let him.
“And if I tell you my life plan, I have physical abilities that are above average for my age, and I’m planning to use them to become an S-rank mercenary in the Free States.”
“……”
“Once I become an S-rank mercenary, I’ll make a lot of money, so I can repay your kindness with a generous allowance. If you’re going to raise a child, why not raise a golden seed, right, Gardener?”
I pointed at myself with determination.
“Of course, the golden seed is me. So, raise me, Gardener.”
Alright. What parent wouldn’t like such a speech?
Suppressing a sense of pride, I looked seriously at the gardener.
“Ouch.”
The man, who had been lost in thought for a moment, lightly flicked my forehead.
“I refuse.”
“…What? Why?”
“Why? Why, you ask?”
The man tilted his head and knelt down.
Then, in a slightly menacing manner, he rested his elbows on his knees and looked down at me.
Though his face was hidden by the hood, the sheer size of the man in that posture was intimidating enough.
“Do you know who I am?”
I paused before answering.
“I know you’re an adult who protects children.”
Desperately, I rolled up my sleeve to show off my impressive biceps.
“Look, isn’t this impressive for an ordinary five-year-old?”
“That’s not a bicep, it’s a slime.”
“……”
I’m a spy, and he calls it slime.
Feeling humiliated, I pouted my lips.
“A giant slime, maybe.”
“?”
“A very strong and solid one…”
At that moment,
“Enough with the slime.”
“Pardon?”
Suddenly, he stood up.
“If I keep talking to you, this will never end. Just follow me.”
Sighing as if annoyed, the man started walking somewhere without even telling me where we were going.
His indifferent tone showed no expectation of me at all.
Why? Is my background not impressive enough?
“Ah, mister. Would you be satisfied if I became the king of mercenaries instead of an S-rank mercenary?”
I tried to boost my credentials, but it was useless.
“I don’t need that.”
“If you don’t like the king of mercenaries, I’ll make enough money to give you a noble title!”
I chased after the man, shouting at his back as he ignored my words.
“Please see my potential, father!”
