Chapter 46

46

"Shut up."

I said firmly.

I've never seen anything good come from staying still.

Do you want me to just conform to the world and live a humble and miserable life? I've tried that to the point of being sick of it.

That's what the wizards did when Silophia was gone. That's what I did as a child, scavenging through rotten food and corpses during the war.

I have no intention of being protected by Sharent Clown.

A life of trust is just a life of betrayal.

People can't be trusted.

Even true family, even comrades, will unsheathe their swords without hesitation when it comes to their interests.

And I'm not even real family. My blood is only half mixed, and my soul is completely different.

‘What do I believe in, and who do I entrust my back to, with all my cowardice?’

"Shelina, if you run away again, I won't look for you."

"Okay."

I nodded vigorously in response. That's exactly what I want.

"You really... "

Sharent Clown, hearing my resolute answer, stopped speaking and closed his mouth.

Is he finally agreeing with me? Is that why he's raising me until I'm five, or seven?

I stared at him, but Sharent Clown said nothing.

‘But how did he find me?’

I thought the Clown family's information network was not to be underestimated, but I never expected this.

Most importantly, I never thought he would leave the scene of human trafficking without taking me.

Don't they usually arrest everyone and search them thoroughly when they witness a human trafficking scene? Can they just take me out and leave?

Still, how could a mere Duke think of coming here alone...

I had so much I wanted to say, but my vocabulary was too limited. As a result, I was forced to learn how to suppress my curiosity.

Are children educated like this? What an unreasonable world. Sigh.

"Brother, can I run away?"

So I decided to just ask the core question.

I never thought Sharent Clown would tell me to run away.

In fact, I had already marked the coordinates of the director and his son. More precisely, I had placed their hair under the soles of my shoes.

The moment the bracelet on my wrist came off, I planned to cast a curse-type black magic on them.

The more evil deeds a person commits, the more sin they accumulate, and the stronger their vital energy becomes.

The backlash I receive is also more intense.

But the amount of black magic power that gathers is also different.

"Sure, if you can run away."

Sharent Clown smiled.

Ah, you're just saying that because you know I can't run away.

Honestly, if you could find me without leaving any evidence, others can find me too.

"Sharent, look at this!"

I extended my hand, which had the bracelet on it, to Sharent Clown.

He reached out and touched the bracelet, then frowned.

They may use swords, but they also have magic power.

Once they reach a certain level, they can wrap their weapons with magic power. They call this sword qi (劍氣).

For example, it's said that you can wrap a small branch with sword qi and cut down a tree with it.

Even if their magic power is blocked, they can still use sword qi, so the magic power control device is not very useful for them, but it is different for mages. They become powerless.

Sharent Clown also has magic power, so he should be able to detect this magic power control device.

Just touching it should block the magic power, and he should be able to detect it if he is sensitive.

Sure enough, Sharent Clown seemed to recognize it immediately.

"Who put this on?"

"Mora!"

"This isn't something a simple orphanage director can obtain."

That's right, this special mineral can only be found in ruins.

So there's almost none on the market, and there are few people who can process it into something.

Only highly skilled craftsmen or mages in Silophia who specialize in making magical tools can process it.

"Did the director do it?"

"No."

"Someone else must have come and gone."

"Right!"

Even with just one word, his ability to see several steps ahead hasn't changed.

Still, why did Sharent Clown come looking for me, being so smart?

‘I thought leaving a letter would be fine.’

I tilted my head in confusion.

"Who?"

"Someone bought me."

"If the person who bought you put this on, are they a mage?"

He muttered quietly.

‘That's what I want to know too.’

He looks like a mage with his robe and magic power control device, but I couldn't sense any magic power.

Was it because the vital energy around him was too strong? But wearing a magic power control device means he was blocking his magic power.

So I might not have been able to sense it.

"Did you see it?"

"I saw it."

"But why?"

Why did you come looking for me?

At least I thought Verai or Desar Clown might come looking for me.

They did love and care for me, after all.

But I never thought Sharent Clown would come looking for me.

He disliked me, and I often showed my dislike for him.

"I don't know."

Sharent Clown trailed off.

"I don't know either."

You could have just left me.

Hearing his added words, I wanted to nod.

However, Sharent Clown pressed my head down onto his thigh, so I couldn't say anything.

"Go to sleep, you'll have a check-up when we arrive."

"...I can't sleep."

"Go to sleep anyway."

What a guy. How can you force someone to sleep when they can't?

Just as I was about to sit up in frustration, Sharent Clown started patting my back slowly.

"I don't dislike half-breeds or those without dignity... "

My eyelids grew heavy with his warmth and low voice.

Damn, why does his voice sound so good?

Is he coated in honey or something? Did he trade his character for a honey voice?

"I'm not so cold-blooded as to mistreat someone who hasn't even grown up."

The mistreatment is not from you but from the people around you.

Still, I didn't want to push away the drowsiness that was overwhelming me, so I closed my mouth and shut my eyes.

The drowsiness quickly overtook me. The warmth lingered for quite some time.

* * *

"..."

"..."

"..."

Desar Clown's aura is menacing.

I glanced at him, then quickly closed my mouth.

This guy will eat me. I have no one to rely on except Sharent Clown.

"Do you dislike the Academy?"

After a long pause, Desar Clown asked.

If I have to be honest, ultimately, that's why I left. I thought going there would give me even less freedom. After all, the Academy is a place with mandatory dormitory life, curfews, and all sorts of restrictions.

Moreover, I heard that the Academy has a spell that prevents the use of magic.

After a moment's thought, I nodded slightly.

"If you disliked it, why didn't you say so?"

If I could have said that, I probably wouldn't be reciting ancient languages right now.

What do you expect a three-year-old to keep saying?

Besides, what can you expect from the unreasonable Clown family?

No matter how talented I am, I can't control my natural pronunciation.

I glanced at Desar Clown and turned my head. In any case, I was in the wrong this time.

"Sorry."

"Apologies."

Sharent Clown corrected me from the side.

What! You let me speak informally until now.

It's unbelievable that I have to use formal language in the Clown family.

Well, I always used it at the negotiation table, but still, to say "I'm sorry"!

"No pudding."

As I glared at him with my mouth shut, Sharent Clown added.

‘What a despicable guy.’

How can you use my only comfort, snacks, like that? It's so happy to eat a little bit whenever I feel down!

I clenched my fists and glared at him, and Sharent laughed.

You!

Of course!

You have money and power! Whenever you want!

What?

You can eat it, but!

I!

Can only eat one a day, brought by Vera!

Do you understand a baby's longing? No!

Sniff.

Of course, you don't.

"I'm sorry... "

What can I do if you don't understand?

I, who knows everything, have to bend.

Of course, I have no idea what an apologetic expression looks like.

Desar Clown had a very displeased look on his face.

Our Hella is really dead. To bow my head over just a pudding.

After apologizing, I glanced at him, and he was standing with his arms crossed, looking at me arrogantly.

‘My pride is hurt...’