Chapter 96
Chapter 96
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Edgar and Elena
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Even though it might seem ridiculous for them to change their own names, Nihil seriously pondered options for them. The twins waited for their new names, half worried and half excited. Of course, when they heard about "Jae-rong," they stared at him like it was utterly absurd.
After a long deliberation, Nihil turned to Ella.
"Your name is Edgar."
"...Edgar?"
Ella's eyes went wide at the name. The kids looked a bit bewildered and tried to stop Nihil.
"Isn't that... too much like a boy's name?"
It wasn't just boyish—it sounded incredibly tough. No matter how she thought about it, it didn't suit Ella's pretty, delicate features at all. But Nihil ignored the kids' protests and turned to Ellen.
"Your name is Elena."
"...Elena..."
Everyone fell silent upon hearing the twins' new names. They wondered if he'd picked those on purpose because the twins had been such troublemakers. They had been a bit prickly... no, a lot prickly.
"'Edgar' means the one who protects the home and brings happiness. I tweaked it a bit since you wanted something strong-sounding. 'Elena' means shining brightly on your own. It also implies becoming the pillar of something. Since you named each other, treasure them."
The twins stared blankly at each other after hearing the meanings, then their faces crumpled as the words "you don't have to hide anymore" sank in. They burst into sobs, clinging to one another.
Watching the crying twins, Nihil muttered,
"...I make kids cry a lot."
"Yeah, why'd you pick names like..."
Sir Evan started to question the names but tilted his head. There was no way the wildcat kid would just mischievously slap random names on them.
After some thought, Evan let out a small exclamation.
"Ah... the one with the long hair's the boy."
"What?!"
The kids shouted at Evan's realization and stared at the twins. The twins snorted through their sniffles, giggling with a sense of triumphant deception.
"Why on earth did you live switched like that?"
Ivon asked, unable to understand their actions. But the twins didn't answer. Instead, Dave did.
"To protect each other, probably."
"Protect...?"
"...I'm already too late, but if I could go back in time and take my sister's place... I'd do it in a heartbeat."
Dave and his sister had a big age gap, so even time travel wouldn't have worked, but Ivon nodded, assuming Dave had his own circumstances.
"Edgar suits you."
"Thanks."
"Elena does too."
"Yeah."
Just then, Lianus stirred and slowly lifted his head.
"...Nil."
"Yeah, I'm right here."
Lianus perked up a bit at his best friend's reply and started to grin, but then remembered the trick and pouted, grumbling.
"Nil's a liar."
"Sorry."
"Big Brother's bad too, and the cat's bad."
"......"
"Hiiing~ The pretty young master ordered it."
"Hmph!"
"Ner, say goodbye."
"......Yeah."
Lianus hopped down from Sir Evan's arms and hugged each kid one by one. Promising they'd meet again.
Little Dan toddled over with arms outstretched. Lianus, still glued to his best friend, shot Dan an annoyed look as the very last one.
But he soon chuckled and gave him a big squeeze.
"Dan, see you next time."
"Yeah! Fairy big brother and fairy big brother's little brother... huh?"
Dan, the only kid shorter than Lianus, peeked under the hood and locked eyes with Lianus's hidden gaze. His eyes went huge.
"Big brother's eyes... mmph!"
Just as Dan was about to blurt out "Your eyes are mismatched!", Nihil swiftly covered his mouth, pulled him away from Lianus, and murmured softly.
"Baby."
"Mmph?"
"Wanna keep what you saw our little secret?"
"Mmmph......"
"Promise, and I'll let go."
"......"
With his mouth covered, Dan rolled his eyes before cautiously nodding.
The other kids figured something was wrong with Lianus's one eye and decided to play dumb. He'd always worn a bandage, so maybe there was an ugly scar.
Nihil released Dan, who bolted straight to Ivon. Lianus awkwardly pulled his hood down tight and waved to the kids.
"Bye."
Once the little ones left, Dan tugged urgently at Ivon's clothes.
"Big brother, big brother."
"Dan, we promised to keep it secret, so no telling. And we don't comment on other people's looks."
"Yeah... Fairy big brother's little brother is pretty too."
"I see."
Ivon patted Dan's head proudly. He was growing up, knowing to lie like that to spare feelings.
"It's true though......"
Dan grumbled like Ivon didn't believe him, but soon shrugged it off without a care. He just figured fairy big brother's little brother had special eyes too, since they were brothers.
Dave chuckled at Dan, then surveyed the now cozier warehouse. There'd been a minor squabble over the leaf bed Nihil made and Ner used—they both wanted it—but even that felt peaceful.
The kids dismissed vague "let's meet again" promises as false hope, but Dave believed they'd reunite. No matter where he was, that mysterious little guy would find them again.
It was a bit startling when the cat lady who'd vanished returned, dragging Ivon bro and Jane bro off for ID cards to "get legitimate." But it felt like things were settling back to normal, step by step.
"This body's here!"
"Pan? I told you not to go home—where the heck were you..."
Dave, unaware Pan had even been gone, started to scold him for returning laden with stuff—then froze at the armored people trailing behind.
"Ah, it's fine, it's fine. They're just delivering relief supplies. But... where're the bros?"
"The bros... had some business and stepped out."
"Both of them?"
"Yeah. They'll be back soon. You... everything okay?"
"Ah, no biggie. Just... the old fart pulled his usual crap. But now? Whew, I'm so relieved."
Pan grinned as he said it. Then the twins scampered over.
"This stuff's for us?"
"Whoa! Awesome!"
Walter, captain of the Royal Knights, handed over the supplies to the twins and whispered,
"Do you kids know anything about that boy's father?"
"Pan's dad?"
"Total bad uncle. Beat Pan all the time. Right?"
"Yeah, yeah. Super bad. Why? Something up with him?"
"Ah, no. Nothing."
Walter trailed off, unable to say the bad uncle had sold his son and ended up jailed. The boy himself didn't seem eager to broadcast it, so Walter dropped the temporary custody topic.
"Any other kids around?"
"Uh, um......"
Elena, her new name still fresh, glanced nervously at the guards behind before bowing her head and speaking haltingly.
"The others... yesterday, got caught stealing by the guards..."
"No, no, I don't mean them. I won't blame you kids."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Then besides the two bros who went out, no one's here."
"Got it."
Walter nodded, sensing no lie from the twins. The other kids, meanwhile, marveled at their shameless acting. As expected from kids who'd impersonated each other—different level.
"Well then, did you happen to see a really tall man passing by?"
"How tall?"
"Our Jane bro's tall!"
"Right. Jane bro's the tallest of us."
"Is he now?"
The twins had no qualms selling out Jane to hide Big Bro's existence.
Unaware, Walter started quizzing them about this Jane kid. The twins smiled triumphantly and spilled everything without holding back.
"...So anyway, that's when Jane bro... Oh, there he comes!"
Elena was about to spill one of Jane's embarrassing stories when Jane returned with Ivon.
Jane froze at the stares, ducking behind Ivon—who was even shorter, so it was pointless.
Ivon eyed the armored pair warily and spoke up for his face-hiding best friend.
"...What's going on? Who are they?"
"Bros, come on! These uncles are curious about Jane bro."
"M-me? Wh-why?"
Jane stammered worse than usual, unable to hide his fluster.
Had they found out he sold kids at the Rabbit Arms Inn? Sure, he'd just followed orders, but...
"Wh-what's, th-this a-about?"
"Ah, no. Seems the kids misunderstood. We're not looking for you."
Walter eyed Jane—tall but skinny, like he'd snap with a whack—and was certain he'd been wrong.
The boy was fairly tall but smaller than described. Witnesses said at least 1.9 meters, muscled and sturdy. No way this kid matched. Besides, someone with basement-ceiling-smashing strength wouldn't blend with street urchins.
'Maybe a scammer pretending to sell kids to rip off money...?'
If the seller and the guy who took the kids were the same, it fit. Aura user, so skilled. And he'd shaken off the knights—not ordinary.
"Captain!"
Someone called Walter from behind. A subordinate knight approached with a boy and the Rabbit Arms innkeeper in ropes.
"What's this, Sir Alex?"
"Captain! This boy's the one who knows where the kid-sellers are. Brought him since the innkeeper saw their faces."
"...Really?"
Jane, Dave, and Pan's faces hardened. Pan had just insisted to the guards they knew nothing.
Kelvin, bound in ropes, grinned as he scanned the hideout kids. Clearly playing ghost to drag others down. Jane and Dave ground their teeth glaring, but it was futile.
The innkeeper swept his eyes over the kids, spotted familiar faces, and pointed at Jane and Dave.
"Th-those punks! The t-tall one and the freckle-face!"