Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Let's Find Ted's Family!
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I clutched Bench and Deadri's hands tight, my eyes sparkling like stars.
“Yeah, I gotta sleep now!”
I already had the whole plan laid out.
I’d swoop in and dramatically rescue Holy Knight Ted’s little brother, then hand him straight into his arms to win his trust. It was the only way to capture his heart before the original story’s heroine showed up and snatched him away.
‘Ted’s got that divine power. He’s pretty much the only one who can stand up to Axel’s evil strength, so I have to snag him.’
In the novel, there was a scene where Axel and Ted clashed. Everyone else got their necks snapped like twigs by Axel, but Ted was different. Their fight ended inconclusively because someone barged in.
But every reader knew it deep down.
If it had gone all the way, Ted would’ve beaten Axel.
That’s why I absolutely had to get Ted on my side.
And to do that, I had to save his little brother and deliver him right to him.
‘Ted’s brother was kidnapped as a kid… What did he look like again?’
The original heroine, with her divine power, runs into Ted’s brother on Pellod Street and senses something special about him.
But I didn’t think I’d recognize him on sight.
I let out a heavy sigh, trying to picture the boy.
Ragged clothes, droopy pathetic eyes, scars all over his body. The only thing that sparkled on him was a pair of gem-like blue eyes.
‘He’s a kid, so maybe he’s at the slum nursery?’
He reminded me of myself as a little kid, which was why I remembered him.
Yeah, the novel described him as looking like he’d been through hell, no question.
So I’d planned to drag Ted along to the street, but suddenly I hesitated.
‘If Ted sees his family suffering like that, he might lose control.’
A divine power rampage would be bad news.
I blinked, lost in thought.
If I lost my dad and found out he was living in some awful place, and then saw it with my own eyes…
I didn’t even want to imagine it.
I hugged the creepy rabbit doll the uncles had given me and sighed.
***
The next morning, before meeting the holy knight from Senoa Temple, I marched up to Grandma and boldly asked for a day off.
‘Have the maid sisters catch the spy for me!’
When I gave her a quick rundown of the hunting tournament story, Grandma had smiled in satisfaction.
‘No way. That was all you, wasn’t it? Honey Bun, you’re such a little villain!’
I knew that was the highest praise from her!
So I beamed and started to bow my head to her.
Grandma patted my head, murmuring approvingly.
‘I have a pretty good idea who sent the spy… but it’ll sort itself out.’
She spoke in that cryptic, vague way of hers.
And Leonhardt, standing beside her, had nodded silently.
‘Catching a spy? Genius as expected.’
Basking in their expectant gazes, I grinned sheepishly, bowed to Grandma, and headed out to meet the maid sisters.
‘Head to Pellod Street first and rescue Holy Knight Ted’s little brother!’
I reviewed yesterday’s plan as I changed into plain clothes with the two maids.
To look like a typical commoner kid, I put on a sky-blue beret and overalls, then smeared some light soot on my face to hide my pale skin.
The maid sisters needed a bit more work to disguise themselves.
Their burly builds and faces stood out anywhere, so I’d debated bringing them.
But total face and body transformation magic was way too risky.
So this was our solution.
Huge veiled hats to cover their faces, then wrapping themselves head to toe in huge, coarse cloaks like commoners wore, not a inch of skin showing.
Now neither their faces nor bodies were visible.
We tweaked their height and bulk a little with magic tools, and the disguises were perfect.
‘We look just like ordinary commoners now.’
With our disguises complete, we were ready to head to Pellod Street.
We took a plain two-horse carriage without any family crest—looked like a beat-up public hack—and wound through the roads until we got off a block away from Pellod Street.
Me and the sisters held hands and walked quietly, then gazed down at the dead bird marking the entrance to Pellod Street.
“We’re here at last!”
“Yes, where to first, milady?”
A creepy voice drifted from under the big veiled hat. I racked my brain for novel details. But I had no clue exactly where the kid was right now in Pellod Street.
At the nursery inside, or already out working?
‘Guess we’ll have to search.’
“Wanna look around a bit?”
I had a rough idea where the nursery was, so we’d start there, I decided, and shouted it out.
“Yes! This is exciting.”
“Feels like an adventure.”
Maybe because I hadn’t told the maid sisters the real reason for coming to Pellod Street today. They seemed thrilled, hearts pounding as we stepped in.
We entered Pellod Street, looking around.
‘Dirtier than I thought.’
The entrance wasn’t cleaned. Black-footed cats prowled, licking at trash everywhere.
Still, we ignored the garbage stench and filth, chatting happily as we ventured deeper.
But it didn’t take long for me and the two maids’ faces to stiffen.
‘Scary people.’
I widened my eyes, staring ahead.
Thugs with dangerous faces and homeless folks roamed the streets. Their unwashed bodies reeked.
Totally different vibe from the clean street a block away. I glanced at the weathered sign.
‘Gotta go this way to the nursery. No avoiding it.’
…Just push through.
I gripped the sisters’ hands tight and walked the narrow street.
A silent signal to just keep quiet and go.
Sensing my intent, the sisters matched my pace without a word.
But just like I figured, the homeless guys sitting around started mouthing off when they saw us. They staggered up and closed in on us threateningly.
“What’s this, three little brats wandering around here?”
The one shoving his face in our path stank of booze.
“Strutting around with your noses in the air.”
“That ridiculous hat—what is it?”
“Lemme see your face.”
One spat a yellow glob of phlegm, mocking us.
I grimaced a little, but the maid sisters stepped up first, blocking my view.
“We’ll handle it.”
They looked ready to use brute force.
“No. Ignore them.”
I didn’t want a fuss. Dealing with these guys could wait.
I squeezed the sisters’ hands and tried to lead us another way.
“…Understood. Mission first!”
But as the sisters adjusted their hats and shifted their iron-hard bodies, a white-haired homeless guy swaggered toward us, waving a broken bottle. Thick liquid dripped from the shards to the ground.
“Wanna get hit?”
“Pay toll if you don’t want your face slashed.”
The man bellowed ferociously.
“Ha.”
Bench snorted at their threats and pulled off her glove.
Crack!
Her wrist bones ground audibly.
The homeless guys laughed, oblivious to what was coming, mocking us.
And while everyone was focused on the standoff, I spotted a chestnut-sized head peeking from behind a sign.
A kid, hands shrunken bad from burns, struggling to hold a tiny basket.
“We always give our all, no matter the opponent.”
As Bench spoke, Deadri replied coldly.
“Even if it’s a homeless bum.”
The sisters glared, grabbing the collars of the guys who dared approach me.
“What the—urk!”
The sisters were as strong as ever.
The bottle shattered soundlessly, noses crunched. They took down six or seven with one hand each, easy.
“S-sorry—.”
“Think ‘sorry’ cuts it after trying to kill someone?”
Bickering echoed on, but I couldn’t watch the sisters’ fight anymore.
‘Forget the fight—that kid over there keeps bugging me.’
Thanks to the sisters’ solid protection, even with the brutal brawl right in front of us, I could glance around carefree.
‘Maybe a kid from the nursery?’
I peeked at the kid staring at me, about twenty steps away.
A tiny kid peeking just his eyes from under the sign.
His basket read ‘Lukri Nursery.’
I didn’t know the exact name of the nursery where the holy knight’s brother stayed.
But one thing was clear.
There couldn’t be multiple nurseries in this poor street.
So that kid had to be connected to the holy knight’s brother somehow.
I focused hard to not lose sight of him.
Pale blue eyes darted around nervously, basket swinging.
His gaze locked on me now. Seven or eight years old? Dark-skinned face, unusually snow-white hair.
“Lady Sien, all taken care of!”
While the kid and I stared, the fight wrapped up.
I whipped my gaze back to the street. Bodies littered it. One sniff, and the coppery blood scent hit hard.
‘Those uncles are still alive, right?’
The street punks were no match for the sisters, obviously.
I ignored the thugs and looked back at the kid.
“Sisters, thanks. I wanna talk to that kid.”
They looked puzzled but nodded.
I approached carefully the kid hiding behind the sign, one hand clamped over his eyes like the scene scared him.
***
When we first neared, the kid flinched and huddled. Fresh off the sisters beating homeless guys, no wonder he was wary.
Instead of explaining why I came, I just said, ‘I’m looking for something in this street.’
“I wanna go to the nursery!”
“Uh, I live at the nursery. Came out for a bit of food…”
He mumbled, head down, like a tiny pup whining. Fluffy hair poked out.
Soot covered him, but his eyes sparkled. I reached out to the short boy with all my strength.
“Baby, can you help me?”
“Me…?”
His tone asked if he could really help someone.
I nodded big and grinned.
“Yeah! Take me to the nursery. I’ll reward you for sure!”
“Good to be of help. Follow me.”
The sweet-faced kid hesitated, then stepped forward softly.
I strode ahead energetically.
We’d beaten back the homeless physically, but security here still sucked. So the maid sisters flanked us with fierce auras, guarding front and back.
The kid guiding beside me gazed at me with pure puppy eyes, then asked softly, hiccuping.
“Um, by any chance…”
“Yeah?”
“…N-never mind. The nursery’s kinda dirty… but it’s close.”
I nodded and went with him.
“Do you live here normally?”
“Yeah. Never had a family from the start.”
“Yeah…”
“Yeah, I’m an orphan.”
His gentle voice mixed with grit.
Clearly resenting his family. I nodded.
“Hang in there…”
As I comforted him, I confirmed again—his eyes were blue.