002
Galizard Pashayen.
The father of Diegon and the head of the Pashayen family, he is, without a doubt, the ruler of the seas.
In his youth, he conquered the seas with just his fists, and even now, he is strong enough to defeat a whale with his bare hands.
Although his hair and beard have turned white with age, the muscles that fill his entire body have not diminished.
As such, even today, Galizard’s shirt struggles against his powerful physique.
“Why don’t you just take it off if it’s that tight?”
Diegon provocatively asked as soon as he entered the head of the family’s office.
Galizard didn’t even bother responding to such insolence.
He knew why his youngest son had come to see him.
Instead, Galizard simply said what he intended to say.
“No. Stop. Turn back. I won’t accept it.”
“I haven’t even said a word yet,”
“This is a child chosen by the Ancestral of Whale. If you have a problem with it, you can go and take it up with the Ancestral of Whale yourself,”
Diegon furrowed his brow at his father’s irresponsible words.
“How could I possibly commit such a blasphemy?”
The Pashayens, rulers of the southern part of the Baratheum Empire, were a noble family connected to the sea.
When they die, their spirits return to the sea and become divine beings.
The first Duke of the family, the founding ancestor, was none other than the Ancestral of Whale.
Thus, to strike the Ancestral of Whale would be an unforgivable act of blasphemy, an unthinkable action for a Pashayen.
“You’re about to commit blasphemy against me, you insolent fool. Just look at this, after all that pampering, you’re now raising your fists against your father,”
Galizard clicked his tongue in disapproval.
He slowly stood up, clasping his hands behind his back, and looked down under the desk. There was a tiny creature, not quite a turtle, but almost like a barnacle.
The little one didn’t cry but stared back at him, bold and fearless.
“How curious. Even though I’m holding back my aura, this should still be terrifying. I suppose as an awakened one, they can endure to some extent…”
However, the child’s legs didn’t tremble at all.
They were genuinely unafraid—not of this situation, nor of the adults around them.
At that moment…
“Roasted marshmallow…”
A small murmur came from somewhere.
“Did you just refer to me as that?”
Galizard asked, surprised.
“Yikes!”
The child gasped and quickly covered their mouth with both hands.
But just before that, Galizard’s eagle-like vision, sharp enough to see beyond the horizon, caught it.
A thin line of drool trickled down the corner of the child’s mouth.
***
‘Oh no, what should I do?’
I was flustered, my eyes darting around.
The distance from the handsome man’s room to the handsome grandfather’s room was too far.
The handsome man didn’t slow down to wait for me, and because my legs are short, I had to scurry along like a chick, which made me hungry in no time.
I had been thinking about marshmallows even before the door opened, and of all things, the grandfather ended up resembling a marshmallow.
So while the grandfather and the man were talking, my mind was filled with thoughts of roasted marshmallows.
“Is this what you’re like?”
“Well, that’s fine. I thought you were like a barnacle, so let’s call it even.”
‘That’s delicious.’
I didn’t mind, since it was compared to something tasty.
I nodded generously.
“You didn’t like it when I called you a sea squirt earlier.”
“That’s because it’s not tasty.”
Yep, I like delicious things.
‘I’m hungry.’
To be honest, I was dragged here just before lunch, and I haven’t eaten anything since.
Naturally, my sanity was starting to fade.
‘I’m hungry…’
I was about to suck on my fingers but stopped myself with a jolt.
The teacher in the Carrot Class had told me that if I wanted to be five years old, I shouldn’t be sucking on my fingers.
Whenever I got hungry, I had a habit of biting my thumb without realizing it, so I needed to break that habit.
After all, I’m the class leader!
‘But… but I’m so hungry…’
Grandfather and the man continued talking about something.
As my vision started to blur, I raised my hand high.
You have to raise your hand if you want to speak up.
“What is it, little one?”
Thankfully, the handsome man gave me permission to speak.
So, I conveyed my thoughts as politely and beautifully as I could, so the adults could understand.
“I don’t want to be your daughter anymore. I want snacks.”
Please send me to the kitchen!
***
However, I didn’t make it to the kitchen.
Instead, I was taken to an even better place—a room overflowing with food.
“My head is spinning…”
“Oh my, how adorable! Would you like to try this apple crumble pie too?”
“Yes, thank you so much!”
There were many ladies dressed in very pretty maid outfits.
And they brought me all kinds of food—bread, pie, cookies, macarons, and more.
“Mmm, delicious!”
My mouth was smeared with apple jam and cream.
I wiped it off as best as I could while reaching for another macaron.
Actually, I eat a lot for my size.
I’m officially known as the big eater of the public daycare center.
‘Oh dear, little one. Why are you here?’
‘I’m hungry…’
My first memory is of a day when snow was falling heavily.
I was wandering around aimlessly, hungry, when I stopped in front of a place that smelled delicious.
There was an iron gate preventing me from going in, so I crouched in front of it and sucked on my fingers.
Smelling the food while sucking on my fingers made me feel like my hunger was being satisfied somehow.
I didn’t cry anymore, and I couldn’t even walk.
It was the teacher from the Carrot Class who found me, sitting there pale and forlorn.
‘Do you prefer the Carrot Class or the Scrub Class?’
‘The Carrot Class!’
That’s how I ended up in the Carrot Class.
The name ‘Scrub Class’ didn’t sound very nice to me.
It made me think I’d have to clean up something dangerous.
And besides, I preferred being a kitchen maid who could eat all sorts of things.
So, that’s why I was so happy right now.
“Heuk.”
I suddenly snapped out of it.
I realized I had already eaten five strawberry macarons.
‘How did they disappear so quickly!’
It must have been magic.
‘It’s wrong to eat everything by myself. That would be greedy.’
Feeling guilty, I slowly put the macarons down.
“Oh dear, little one. Aren’t you going to eat more?”
“No. They’re for my friends.”
How many are left?
“One, two, three… five, eight. Oh no, there aren’t enough…”
What should I do?
I was on the verge of tears.
Out of everything here, the macarons were the tastiest. I really wanted to share them with my friends…!
After thinking hard about it, I jumped up from the sofa.
Then I marched toward the maids who were watching me with trembling shoulders.
Even though my stride was only a fraction of an adult’s step, I did my best to walk confidently.
“Hmph.”
I hesitated, wondering what to call them, but then I remembered that the teacher said I could call all adults ‘teacher.’
“Teacher, excuse me.”
“Yes, little one… Oh, how cute!”
“Could I please have just one more?”
“Why… why just one?”
The brown-haired maid was trembling.
I proudly held up my ten fingers and explained.
“There are nine of us in the Carrot Class, but I already ate one.”
“So there are nine friends, but only eight macarons left?”
“Yes!”
“Then why did you hold up ten fingers?”
Oops, I got caught.
I fidgeted with my fingers, then just smiled bashfully.
“I want one more too.”
“Aaah, I can’t take it anymore!”
Huh?!
The brown-haired maid suddenly picked me up and hugged me tightly.
It was a bit suffocating, but since she was the one giving me more macarons, I didn’t mind.
Besides, I was getting sleepy now that I was full.
So, I stretched out my short arms, hugged her back, and pressed my cheek against her shoulder.
“Thank you very much.”
I didn’t forget my manners.
‘I miss the teacher. Hehe.’
Maybe I could go home now? I said I didn’t want to be a daughter anymore!
Just then, while I was dozing off, there was a loud bang!
My eyes snapped wide open, and I saw the broken door.
A moment later, the handsome man appeared, frowning.
“Come on, little one… no, crab. I’ll raise you.”
So I can’t go home?
I tilted my head in confusion and then asked the maid to put me down.
Looking inside the broken door, it seemed that Grandfather was sitting in a chair, with his back turned.
“Goodbye. Thank you for the meal!”
But I didn’t forget to bow deeply, my head almost touching the floor.
I hadn’t forgotten who had given me all those delicious things earlier.
“What are you waiting for?”
The handsome man, leaning against the wall with a crooked stance, raised an eyebrow at me.
I tried to mimic his expression, but my face felt weird, so I gave up.
Instead, I placed my hands confidently on my hips.
“The teacher said you have to say goodbye.”
“Just go.”
“No.”
“Go.”
“No.”
“I’ll leave you behind.”
“Then… then… fine!”
I quickly grabbed the hem of the maid’s skirt.
Then, in a quiet but clear voice, I whispered.
“An adult who doesn’t say goodbye is a bad man…”
“……!”
“If you follow a bad man, that’s not good.”
Suddenly, there was a stifled laugh from behind the large chair.
Without even fighting, Diegon had lost twice.
