Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Grandma Can't Pass By a Hungry Child (2)
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“Then you’ll help us find my granddaughter? You don’t need to drag her home by force. Just confirming she’s doing well is enough.”
“We’ll find Cookie for you.”
“What a kind-hearted young lady.”
Dalia clung to the old woman with the expression of a pitiful kitten. They’d only met minutes ago, yet anyone watching would think the old woman was family and I was the outsider.
The old woman stroked Dalia’s head.
Dalia rubbed her face against the stranger’s embrace and boldly demanded of me, who desperately wanted to leave.
“My nanny said losing family is sad. You’re a wonderful person, big brother, so you’ll help Grandma, right?”
I couldn’t bring myself to tell those sparkling eyes, *No, big brother’s dream is to be a bad guy.*
A headache loomed, so I rubbed my brow. But the old woman and Dalia’s conversation felt off.
“Oh my, oh my, such a sweet heart. Young lady, you’ve never been parted from your family, have you?”
“That’s right. Dalia doesn’t know goodbyes.”
“And yet you understand this old woman’s feelings. How admirable.”
“Is Dalia admirable? Yes, Dalia’s a good girl.”
Never parted from family...?
Dalia’s response was strange. She might be a bit slow on the uptake, but she wasn’t on Enbi’s level of dim. According to the original story, she was more of a top student. A hardworking villainess who rivaled the genius Anemone. That was Dalia Gluttony.
Hard work requires brains. She’d later claim top honors at the Academy. She was young, sure, but after attending the funeral, it was odd that she hadn’t grasped her parents’ deaths.
Was she hiding it? Maybe losing her parents at such a young age was too shocking and embarrassing. Perhaps she was deliberately concealing her weakness.
“Dalia. Come here.”
“Yes.”
Dalia approached and hugged my waist.
“Big brother, we’re going to find Cookie, right?”
“Yeah. If you’re asking like that, I have no choice.”
The old woman chuckled dryly and rolled up her skinny sleeves.
“If you find our Cookie, I’ll make you truly amazing sweets. With all my skill!”
“...You promised.”
The old woman nodded and swung her cane.
“Promised! I swear on the name of Dairy. I’ll bake heaps of incredible treats! If you just find my granddaughter!”
I gripped Dalia’s hand tightly and shook it.
“Dalia. The walk might get a bit longer. That okay?”
“Great!”
Far off, Pippin and Enbi were yanking each other’s hair in a fight, while our Dalia beamed innocently.
***
On the way to the lake, I held Dalia’s hand and finally asked what had been nagging at me.
“Dalia. I have a question.”
“Question game?”
“Uh, sure, let’s call it a game. When you talked to Grandma earlier, you said you’ve never been parted from family... What did that mean?”
Dalia looked up at me and tilted her head.
“Hm? I don’t know.”
Ah. A hollow feeling washed over me. Of course a five-year-old wouldn’t have some profound thought. Maybe she didn’t even know what “parted” meant and just tossed it out.
“It’s nothing. I was overthinking.”
Dalia swung our joined hands back and forth. She strode with big steps, chirping cheerfully.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Our family’s never been parted.”
“...”
“Because Dalia can meet big brother over and over.”
“...What?”
I stopped walking, and Dalia halted her merry arm-swinging too.
“Big brother?”
“What do you mean? Meet over and over?”
Did you know this game looped multiple times, Dalia? Are you really that villainess Dalia? Do you have memories from the game Dalia?
Too many questions jammed in my throat.
Was this kid deliberately hiding her true self from me?
I eyed her suspiciously, just in case. I searched those bright, innocent eyes for any trace of the villainess, but without mind-reading, I saw nothing.
Dalia fanned my suspicions with even vaguer words.
“Mommy told me. That Dalia doesn’t have to part from big brother.”
“Your mommy...?”
“Yeah. A long time ago. I don’t remember when. It was so long ago.”
The late Duchess Gluttony, who utterly despised Sierra and Dalia. No way she’d said something kind to Dalia behind closed doors.
Had she been gentle with Dalia once, long ago?
“Did your mom say that before she passed?”
“Ah. That mommy.”
Dalia blinked at me blankly. Goosebumps prickled my arms. Her expression turned icy in an instant. Like staring at an emotionless doll.
“Big brother. Let’s stop the boring talk.”
“Dalia. Wait. I need to understand what you’re saying. You... You know something I don’t, right?”
Is this related to you being the Witch of Illusions?
“Explain properly. Which mommy? The one who passed recently?”
Was I overreacting? She seemed suspicious, but she was only five—what could she know? I was conflicted.
“Um. I don’t get what big brother means. Oh, flowers. The flowers are sparkly.”
Dalia artfully turned away, pretending ignorance. Her stiff reach for the flowers felt unnatural. She was clearly changing the subject.
As I debated pressing further, Pippin hurled Enbi aside and stuck close to me.
“Ah! You scared me. Back off. You’re too intense.”
“Master, you’re heading to the lake, right? How about tossing that fish out on the way?”
In my distraction, Dalia slipped away and latched onto Enbi. Enbi hoisted her onto his back and rummaged through the forest floor. The two got along surprisingly well.
*Guess I can’t push it now.*
If Dalia herself was reluctant...
Plus, she was only five. Maybe too young to speak without nonsense.
I’d seen it plenty during my kids’ cafe job. One bragged about raising a lion at home; another said both parents died, then Mom and Dad picked her up an hour later. Kids that age can’t be trusted.
*No way. That ditzy face couldn’t hide deep thoughts.*
I stepped back and dealt with Pippin instead.
“Keep extra care with Lady Enbi.”
“Wouldn’t extra care mean tossing him out specially?”
“Are you even listening? He’s a guest.”
“Master, how is that a guest? He’s a wild boar from the sea.”
Pippin shot a glance. Enbi was crawling forest-floor style, sniffing like a beast. Dalia followed, carefully lifting her skirt hem to avoid dragging.
“Sniff sniff. Completely different from the sea smell.”
“Wow, guest, you’re good on all fours too.”
I shrugged at Pippin.
“Time to accept my guest is a sea wild boar.”
“Master... Sigh.”
Enbi scooped dirt, tasted grass clumps, making a racket. Dalia trailed him like he was a stray pup. The kid-and-mutt show dragged on until Pippin, fed up, scooped up Dalia.
“Miss, that’s enough. Stay away from that stinky boar.”
“Pippi! Thanks! My legs were getting tired.”
The rest of the way to the lake was peaceful. A couple butterflies flitted around Dalia.
“Miss, butterflies. See them? Pretty, right? That’s a Small Banded Blue-Spotted something-or-other.”
“Wah... Long name...”
“That tree over there is a metasequoia, grows really tall...”
“Wah...”
Dalia seemed uninterested in Pippin’s ramblings. But she glanced where he pointed and tried to react. Pippin wasn’t silver-tongued, but he was giving his all to entertain her. Admirable.
It felt like a serene moment. A knight escorting a little lady on a walk.
I kept Enbi leashed by his hem like a dog collar to prevent wandering, head turned toward Pippin and Dalia.
“Dalia, don’t get too attached to Pippin.”
I said it jokingly, but dead serious. He’d betray her for Anemone someday. Pippin was a full-fledged traitor candidate.
“Eh? Why say something so mean?”
Pippin pouted innocently. Dalia had already grabbed his hair, braiding away.
“I’ll stay loyal to Master and Miss forever.”
“You mean it?”
“Of course. Who’d leave a master who feeds me, houses me, lends books?”
“Change your mind, and it’s execution.”
“It won’t change!”
Dalia giggled and clung to Pippin.
“But we haven’t seen this Cookie girl anywhere.”
Pippin muttered puzzled. I nodded, scanning around. No human shapes in sight.
“Cookie! Cookie! Where are you!”
“Cookie!”
Pippin and Dalia called out loudly. No reply.
As I expected, Cookie should be collapsed right by the lake. No traces on the way was unexpected, but we’d find her there.
I grabbed Enbi’s arm as he ogled bugs.
“Lady Enbi.”
“Ugh, yeah? Something worth fighting show up?”
“Know where the lake is? Can you smell water?”
“Water smell?”
Enbi looked around, shifting to mermaid skin.
“Water smell. There’s been a weird scent different from seawater.”
Then he whipped toward me. He’d caught the water scent but cocked his head, confused, before asking.
“But weren’t you looking for a human?”
“I think she’s near the lake. Try human scent too.”
“Human scent? You lot reek of it.”
“Not us. Other humans.”
Then Lagia buzzed irritably at my waist.
[Hahaha, tired? Tired? I can’t smell like Enbi, but I sense mana. Know that? That old lady had beast mana. Faint, but real.]
“Beast? You sure it’s not a mistake?”
[I, Lagia, don’t know the word mistake! Oh wait, I’m not human~ hahaha! So no mistakes, not human—perfect being!]
“...”
I wished it’d shut up for real.