Cleanup (1)
The gold ring that had reversed his and his sister's fates. An item he hadn't even been able to find in his previous life. As he stared at it quietly, the person who had given it to him naturally came to mind.
"……Cloi von Valentia."
Even setting aside the feats she would accomplish later, her actions at this young age alone made her worthy of respect from many. At this point, her nickname was probably……
"Valentia's Angel."
Muttering to himself brought a wry smile to his face. She was the youngest daughter of Eschard von Valentia, the Sword Emperor—his comrade who had sent him back in time and told him to come find her.
'Fate reconnects like this, huh……'
It wasn't just because her status would skyrocket later; even her birth alone made her someone Tiny could scarcely approach. That's why he'd seen her as a kind of milestone in life. A person who had drastically changed his path. If that person remembered his name, it would be the greatest proof that he'd lived boldly, as his sister had wished on her deathbed.
—Tiny…… right? Ahaha. Oh……! Sorry, your build doesn't match the name at all…… Um, um. No, really, I'm sorry.
The only regrettable part was that during their first reunion, she hadn't remembered him from childhood. It was natural, in a way, but in his past life, it had stung a little.
"Well, she probably remembers me now."
With this ring, the path to the ducal family would be much smoother. This Philes Territory was ruled by a vassal's vassal of the Valentia Duchy. Broadly speaking, it was the duchy’s frontier.
Of course, even on horseback, it would take over ten days to reach the duchy’s heartland, Valentino.
But.
'She's probably around Daiyen by now? Or even farther?'
Now sixteen and of age, Cloi von Valentia was traveling her family's territories according to tradition, offering flowers at temples and making her name known. Back then, with his sister’s death and his mind in chaos, he hadn't known where she was.
So rather than searching for her now……
"Better to clean up here first and head straight to the ducal family."
This gold ring, engraved with a rare eagle emblem he hadn't found even a trace of in his past life, would lead him to the Sword Emperor.
Fiddling with it unconsciously, a sudden question arose. He'd heard she helped a lot of slum dwellers, but a ring with the ducal crest?
'Why did she give this to me?'
He couldn't know yet, but maybe in this life, he could ask her directly through this ring.
Of course, he still had things to handle first.
—Where is he?
—Uh, probably upstairs!
At the noisy voices from outside, Tiny flashed a cold smile.
* * *
"A kid? What nonsense……."
Ram glared irritably at the thugs. They flinched and bowed their heads, mumbling softly.
"I-it's true! Really, a kid……."
"Hah. You idiots. That's why I told you to ease up on the drugs."
"N-no, really……!"
He pressured them with his gaze at their absurd claims.
"If you're lying, none of you are walking away."
The thugs flinched in unison but held firm. Seeing that, Ram realized something had happened and scratched his bald head irritably.
'Damn hassle. If they've stirred up more trouble, I'll deal with that Wolf bastard first. Can't even manage his own men.'
Ram had good reason for his reaction. It wouldn't be odd for Wolf's gang to hallucinate collectively—most of them dabbled in cheap drugs, a poorly kept secret among those in the know.
Yes, a public secret among the "insiders."
"Hah……."
Ram sighed and stood. His expensive full plate armor, wrapping his body seamlessly, clinked and gleamed. Not magically treated, but well-forged full plate was pricey—hard for a typical knight's salary.
And he could afford it thanks to Wolf's gang.
'Gotta pay back what I've taken.'
Ram, outer castle guard captain of Philes Territory. By position, he took the largest cut from Wolf's gang among the "knights."
Of course, the knight commander or lord took more, but they were beyond a mere knight's reach. He couldn't mobilize soldiers for gang business either, so he had to go himself.
"Lead the way."
"Yes, sir!"
The thugs perked up at his words.
"Thank you!"
"With Captain Ram stepping in personally, that monster kid is……!"
Like foxes borrowing a tiger's might—perfect for them. Amusing, but they had reason to puff up: the mansion kid was freakishly strong, but now they had a knight.
A powerhouse with a semi-noble title, beyond mere mana users—able to infuse weapons and gear with mana.
To Ram, smashing Wolf's gang solo was easy. So the gang thought the same:
'We're saved!'
If they returned to find the boss or Lander Brothers had killed the kid, money wasted—but better than admitting they fled under "reinforcements" pretense.
But their bold steps grew hesitant as the mansion neared. Bloodstains from the entrance revived escape memories.
One reacted differently.
"Hm? Not total bullshit after all?"
Ram's brown eyes gleamed, scanning the entrance traces. He pushed past the thugs with intrigued eyes.
"Where?"
"W-well, not sure now……."
"What?"
As Ram's face twisted at the absurd answer—
"Uh, probably upstairs!"
A quick-witted thug blurted before explosion.
"That's the boss's room."
"……Fine."
Tsk. "Get your shit together, idiots."
Thwack! Ram smacked the offender's head and strode inside. The thugs gulped and followed quietly.
Soon, witnessing the interior carnage, Ram's eyes widened.
"……Grabbed and swung 'em. Using people like a hammer? Brutal technique. Definitely a mana user. But……."
His gaze shifted back; a flinching thug waved frantically.
"I-it was a kid that size! Really!!"
"Hah……."
With others nodding wildly, he couldn't dismiss it entirely. And soon—
"Th-that's him!"
The culprit appeared.
"Ho?"
A real kid: black-haired, black-eyed boy descending the stairs. Ram's eyes sharpened. Ominous colors, but too young for mana user. Maybe ten at most.
'No genius prodigy in this backwater. Hmph.'
As Ram eyed suspiciously, the kid spoke first.
"Knight?"
"……Yeah, kid. You the one who did this?"
Skeptical tone still.
"Yeah."
The blunt, sincere reply hardened Ram's face terrifyingly.
For real?
"……Do you know what you've done?"
"What, cleaned up some gang trash. Big deal? Why's a knight here? That much bribe money?"
Ram's face twisted savagely. The kid's innocent retort pricked his ignored conscience.
But if he had one, he wouldn't live like this.
"……Gutsy brat."
Before the echo faded, Ram closed to Tiny's nose.
Hand shot to grab the collar—in gauntlet.
Bam!
Light strike, but knight's attack. Yet the kid deflected easily, kicking at his face.
Crack!Thud, thud.
Blocked hastily, but impact shocked. Ram stumbled down stairs unbidden, face flushing red.
"You dare!"
Kid was mana user—confirmed. But.
'I'm a knight.'
Guard captain now, but titled knight—strong. No brawl with slum whelp, even genius. Drawing sword on a tiny kid? Shameful.
Face bursting red, Ram drew mana; gauntlet gleamed blue.
"Try this!"
Blue-flashing hand lanced like lightning.
'Pathetic.'
Tiny tsked inwardly at the charging knight. Quick assessment: barely 2nd stage mana user.
Infusing gauntlet just hardens it—wasting energy proved poor skill.
Problem: even that strained his current level.
Full fight could bridge the gap……
'Not now.'
Can't kill knight, antagonize lord yet. Philes knights—over ten—too much for now.
Show he's no pushover, make him back off. Harder than killing, but new friend helped.
—KYAAAOOOO!
"Guh!?"
Sudden translucent giant wolf roar; Ram, lunging murderously, leaped back wide-eyed.
Behind, Wolf's gang panicked.
"Monster!"
"Monster wolf!!"
Crash, clatter. Some bolted outside.
But knightly, Ram guessed Wolrang's nature.
"……Spirit?"
Incredulous mutter. Rare sight in this duchy; excitement cooled.
"Right. So snap out of it? No reason for knight in back-alley beef."
"Back-alley? This is territory business. As outer guard captain, my duty!"
Words firm, but eyes flicking between wolf and kid—shaken.
Snicker. Tough spot. No spirit experience.
"Be straight, knight. Same money, who cares source? Gotta be Wolf?"
"……What're you saying, kid."
"Just means I'll be paying you instead of Wolf."
Not really planning to.
"What?"
"No need to brawl here."
Ram's eyes widened briefly.
"……Back-alley business, huh. I see. Heh."
Absurd; scanned Tiny top-down, sighed shortly.
"Kid. Or whatever. How old? Magic disguise?"
Snicker.
"What magic? As you see. Local born. Ask anyone in the slums—they know the black-haired kid. Name maybe not, but infamous."
"……Hard to believe, but fine. Wolf paid five platinum imperials monthly. You matching?"
Inflated several times, Tiny sneered knowingly.
No intent to pay, but yielding made him look weak—plans derail.
"One and a half, tops. I'll do one-fifty."
"Hah, you little……."
"Or end it here."
"You……!"
—Grrr.
Wolf growled low; quelled Ram's reigniting fury.
"You…… really that young……."
"Thirteen."
"No……."
Stunned, Ram glanced between wolf and Tiny, sighed.
"Hah, what a lunatic…… End times?"
Oh? Spot on! Twenty years off, but.
Amused snicker; Ram nodded helplessly.
"……Fine. Tribute due end-month. Don't miss."
Turning, rear erupted.
"Knight!"
"Captain!"
"You don't mean……."
Surviving thugs grumbled.
"Shut it!"
Faced knight's glare, tails tucked.
"……Pathetic."
Venting stress oddly, but satisfied.
Then, ankle-grab from behind.
"Oh, knight. Owner changed—need lord intro? Set a meeting?"
"What? You dare……."
"Wolf met him sometimes, right?"
Ting. Gold coin arced from Tiny's hand to Ram's palm.
Face twisted, but pride sold cheap once—sold again.
"……Grr, fine. I'll report. But his reaction? No guarantee."
"Want steady pay? Do it right, knight."
"……Fail the promise, face the lord's wrath—not mine."
"Me? Never broken one."
……With 'people.'
Tiny smirked bitterly, seeing off the corrupt knight.