Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: I'll Raise You!
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The boy called the Captain was born a gypsy.
From a young age, he lived alone with his wandering mother, begging for food.
Even if they shared something like oatmeal, having a family made those times happy.
But misfortune came quickly.
The reason for that misfortune was probably the ability he possessed.
From childhood, he saw the future in his dreams. It wasn't anything grand.
Just things like, tomorrow the village will be painted, or people who hate gypsies will show up and kill them....
The Captain, amazed that he had predicted such futures, excitedly told his mother. In response, she scolded him for a long time.
Even if you can see the future.
And even if something appears before your eyes later....
Never let anyone find out about your spiritual powers, and absolutely never tell them.
Right after saying that, his mother distanced herself from the Captain.
And she left for the border region of Mercy, saying she would serve some noble person.
Leaving the Captain alone at the orphanage.
She said she would come back, that she would definitely save up money and find him....
But deep down, the Captain thought.
His mother often watched him with a strange look when he saw odd things. Thinking back now, it was probably contempt.
If it wasn't contempt, she wouldn't have abandoned him at the orphanage.
So the Captain behaved pretty well at the orphanage too.
Pretending he saw nothing. Just acting like an ordinary alley boss.
It wasn't actually that hard. After coming to the orphanage, prophetic dreams hit his mind hard, but he could just swallow them between his teeth.
At least until that 'brown-haired boy' came to the orphanage.
But after meeting that boy, the Captain changed.
The Captain stared intently at Sien.
" That kid goes around killing animals."
"......What?"
"He piles up animal corpses as a joke. Cats, dogs, birds—everything dies."
"......"
It was an unbelievable fact.
That little boy doing such things. To powerless, lovable animals.
"Kid, what would you do if you were me?"
"......"
Sien looked at him without answering.
"Would you just leave alone a kid who's gonna be a future murderer? No, a kid who kills animals?"
"......Call the guards......"
At little Sien's words, he gave a hollow laugh.
"There are no knights or guards in our gypsy alley who care if a few animals die. Not when people drop dead left and right."
As Sien stood still, he quietly opened his mouth.
"You're troubled too, huh? If it's too hard a question, just ignore it and go. I'll reform him my way."
A rough voice.
An Adam's apple bobbing.
"You're gonna fix violence with violence, huh?"
He, who had been speaking fluently, hesitated a moment before answering.
"......Yeah. If he realizes his actions are trash-like, he'll come to his senses."
Sien quietly looked at him.
And the moment she turned away with a hollow laugh, she realized.
The premise of what the Captain was saying was off.
***
"Captain!"
But fortunately, he turned back to me at my call.
"I get the part about killing animals."
"......Yeah."
"But Captain, how do you know that kid's gonna be a murderer in the future?"
In that instant, our eyes met.
In that moment, I was certain.
His blue hair, in the sunlight, turned brown in an instant.
I couldn't explain how a subtle brown sheen came from blue hair, but even so, this kid matched what Melodia had described.
A frank yet rough way of speaking.
Brown hair visible only in the light, and that faint mole under his lip, visible only to those who scrutinized his face closely.
Which meant the Captain—this kid—was exactly...
"I can see the future, and I can do spells too."
The sorcerer I was looking for, the one Melodia desperately sought but ultimately cast out.
"If you don't believe it, that's fine. Who'd believe crap like this anyway?"
I stared straight at him.
"No, I believe you."
At my firm words, the Captain's eyes widened hugely, as if no one had ever believed him before.
I should test him with details from the future in the original story.
The knowledge from the original story exists only in my head. If he's a fake sorcerer, this boy couldn't know it.
Staring at him, I emphasized my words.
"Captain, I believe in your potential."
Sadly, my words came out a bit slurred, but maybe he couldn't be harsh to someone who believed in him.
After looking at me quietly, the Captain said,
"Hey, Sien Mirmod. If you believe in me."
"......Yup."
"Just leave me be. I'll reform that kid properly."
I had no sharp comeback. But I couldn't just leave him like this.
I grabbed his hand tightly and said,
"......Captain, I'm Sien Mirmod."
"What?"
"You know what kinda place the Mirmod family is, right?"
At my words, he let out an "Ah."
"Villain...... family."
Saying that, he sneakily checked my reaction—like a total kid.
I nodded, baring my tiny bunny-like front teeth.
"I'll bring ya and make ya decent."
"......It's a villain family."
"They make decent people too. Prisons prove it!"
It was true.
With so many villains, they often turned them into useful people.
For example, turning murderers who killed civilians into dark heroes who killed lowlife criminals.
I believe in people's fates, but I also believe humans can change through effort.
If left alone, that kid might become a murderer of ordinary folk, but with education, he could become a dark hero who kills 'bad guys.'
The reason I'm going this far is for the future citizens too, but...
"Come with me too, Captain!"
...it was to bring the Captain, the sorcerer of my dreams.
"Come with you?"
The Captain looked at me with a speechless expression.
I shouted at him.
"Yup! I'll adopt you!"
Saying that, I widened my eyes like a bunny.
'Oh no, not adopt. A 5-year-old can't adopt a 10-year-old!'
Looking at the stunned Captain, I tapped my lips and said,
"No, I'll just raise ya!"
Come on, Captain!
Eyes sparkling, I waited for his answer.
At my words about raising him, the Captain hesitated before speaking.
"Sorry, but my mom abandoned me."
"Huh?"
I nodded, looking at him.
With a baffled face, he emphasized,
"I'm saying I'm not the type worth raising. Even Mom ditched me, right?"
"Aha. I'll still raise ya!"
At my unwavering words, the Captain's face paled.
"......No, this ain't it. I've never dreamed of you taking me."
"Umm, yeah."
Of course not. Meeting the Captain wasn't fated.
"......I'm way bigger than a kid like you. You can't raise me."
I crossed my arms and solemnly retorted.
"I'll spoil ya."
The Captain's cheeks flushed red.
"N-No need."
But his mouth was already curving up, lacking credibility. He seemed like he'd cave with a little more, so I put hands on my hips and shook my head.
"No. You do need it. Gotta take ya!"
"......Y-You're really gonna take me? No one needs a kid my size. You sure you're not weird?"
He eyed me suspiciously.
It was a repeated question, but I answered sincerely.
Yeah, even if I say I'll raise him, he'd doubt it!
"Yup! I'm not weird!"
"Then......"
He looked at me quietly. This vibe—it felt like he'd say he'd come with me...!
Sure enough, with resolved eyes, he said,
"Mom......"
My off prediction deflated me a bit as I tilted my head.
"Umm? Mom?"
He didn't say more, just moved his lips silently.
I'm a quick-witted kid. Why would an orphanage kid bring up his mom as a condition?
Instead of prying, I smiled brightly and answered.
"If ya come with me, I'll find your mom too!"
"......For real?"
Pretending otherwise, he was still a kid. Brightening at the promise to find his mom proved it.
"Yup!"
In my past life, I never had a proper mom, and in this one, no mom either. I don't know exactly what emotion flickered in the Captain's eyes, but that's fine.
"Promise!"
I made the 'promise' pinky-swear pose with thumb and pinky extended, then held out my hand to him. Thinking all was settled, but the Captain just stared suspiciously.
"......Do you need my prophecy powers?"
He's straightforward, so I should be honest too.
"Yup."
He cautiously said to me,
"Then, ordinary kids without prophecy powers...... you don't need them?"
He seemed attached to the other normal kids, his eyes darting nervously, tension plain.
I totally got his feelings. Even I started liking the kids today while messing with bread dough.
Watching them throw flour and giggle was fun, so I quickly decided.
"Can't bring 'em to the family, but I'll sponsor this orphanage in my dad's name."
For a split second, I worried.
A 5-year-old like me has no money yet.
Suddenly, I felt bone-deep how I needed money to survive.
Having people but no money meant talents could be snatched easily.
'When I get home, check details on the trading companies that boomed in the original story.'
There were tons of hit items in the original.
Plenty I could apply. Like Grandma's poison business, Delphia's magic tool business, or the maids' fitness business.
Looking at the Captain, I reminded myself again.
And as I steeled my resolve, the Captain...
"......You're going that far, so I'll trust you for now."
Nodded, saying he believed me.
Captain looked a bit thug-ish on the outside but had a pure side.
Grabbing my hand for a promise without even a contract.
"......First, find my mom. She said she went to the Mercy region."
At 'Mercy region,' I panicked and bit my lip.
......Hold on.
The Mercy region was the border where Axel Mirmod was. The place in the thick of war.