Chapter 62

62

"No."

The word of refusal escaped his lips.

'Not even six years old? For heaven's sake, that’s really despicable.'

Pouting, she held up only five fingers.

"Five years... "

You said you would take care of me until I was five.

I understand that you won’t budge an inch, even with my discontented expression. Sharent Clowen shook his head.

"No."

"...That’s unfair."

If not even five years, then how old exactly do you want me to be before I leave?

I’m already three years old, and you’re not saying I should leave next year, right?

Looking at him with an anxious gaze, he spoke again.

"I no longer have the heart to send you away."

Huh? What do you mean?

"So you can stay."

He said this to me with a very complicated expression.

His expression was so complicated that I wondered why he was making such a face while saying this.

No, I suggested we form an alliance. What did you think about during that time to come to this conclusion?

"Am I sick?"

"I don’t mind."

Sharent Clowen, this guy is definitely sick.

'Sharent Clowen doesn’t realize that his son is abnormal.'

I leaned on the baby table with one hand, straightened my back, and placed my hand on Sharent Clowen’s forehead.

"Sharent, are you sick?"

He tightly closed his mouth as if speechless. After a deep sigh, he reached out and gently tousled my hair.

"I mean, even if you do something a bit troublesome, I won’t kill you or chase you away."

Wow, he really is sick.

I quickly got down from the table.

I used a little gravity magic. Anyway, Sharent Clowen already knew I could use magic, so I didn’t try to hide it.

Over time, he would naturally feel my magic power.

I went down and started to toddle. Toddling, I felt so dissatisfied with my steps.

"Grandpa! Is Sharent sick?"

As I knocked on the door that wouldn’t open, Sharent Clowen picked me up from behind.

I dangled in the air, my armpits held, and glared at him.

"I already said it’s not that."

What, are you after the artifact?

I can’t die for you, but I’ll give you the artifact. It’s a good example of what I have, and I haven’t announced that I’m the owner.

"Here, take it."

"...What?"

"I don’t need it anymore."

My artifact belonged to Hella, so it probably has a new owner now, but even without the artifact, I am strong enough. Even when I was Hella, I didn’t rely on the artifact much.

"...Crown?"

"Yep."

"Are you talking about the artifact you brought from the ruins?"

"Yep."

Sharent Clowen let out a hollow laugh and then sat me down at the table.

Why are you like this? You look so upset.

"You are... "

He seemed to choke on his words and slowly turned his head.

I don’t know how to deal with people.

Watching him turn, I quietly spoke.

"I’m different."

"What?"

"Beautiful and... "

"..."

"Adorable..."

Sharent Clowen’s face turned sour.

He opened the door slightly, looking at himself talking to a child as if it were a pitiful sight.

"Stop doing that."

I am not as noble or pure as you.

I don’t have the mind to stand firm and bite my teeth to uphold my beliefs.

The only way I know to survive is to use dirty tricks and be a tough survivor when necessary.

"Because of that, I won’t."

Adding the Clowen name would only tarnish the Clowen name.

I will kill people and make enemies and seek revenge under my own name.

So, even if it’s unpleasant and you don’t like it, you have to understand. There should be at least one thing in the world that doesn’t go your way to make life worth living.

"You are... "

I’ve never been under someone’s protection, so everything feels strange.

His offer, even his saying it’s okay, feels so unfamiliar and strange to me.

"Are you talking about killing the orphanage mother and the wife of Lord Sullivan?"

Wow, you’re scary. How did you know that?

'Even if the wife of Lord Sullivan is understandable, how did you know about the orphanage mother?'

As I looked at him with a trembling gaze, Clowen smiled.

"I won’t ask where or how you learned such magic."

"Cheek!"

I grabbed a black magic book nearby with both hands and lifted it high.

I learned from books. Of course, you won’t believe me.

"But I don’t blame you. You had a reason. It would be even more absurd to let those who hurt you live. If you hadn’t, I would have killed them."

That’s something the Clowen family’s pride wouldn’t allow. Since you sent people, you must have known who I killed.

"Anyway, you can’t leave this mansion on your own."

"Ugh..."

I disagree with this conclusion.

"But if something like that happens in the future, tell me. Ask me to kill them."

Huh?

"I’ll kill them without leaving a trace, not even a body."

The words he spoke in a soft voice are terrifying. I never thought a monotone voice could be so scary.

"From today, you are a Clowen."

"...Ew."

I don’t want to, but you keep forcing it on me.

Seeing my crumpled face, Sharent Clowen just said that and left the room.

That guy has no consideration at all. Who made me a Clowen? Pfft. Hmph.

After he left and the room became quiet, I flopped onto the bed.

Fiddling with the pacifier around my neck.

'This is an artifact... '

It definitely reacted to something in the ruins. I don’t know what it reacted to.

It just made my pounding heart calm down and cleared my head.

'What power does it have?'

This is the first time I’ve seen such a quiet power.

Now that I think about it, this pacifier was in my mouth when I first came here.

'I don’t know.'

I don’t need to think about it right now. Anyway, no one will take the pacifier from me, so I’ll think about it slowly.

Yawning, I put the pacifier in my mouth and fell asleep.

* * *

"Bera! Here’s a gift!"

I handed Bera a flower I picked from Sharent Clowen’s garden.

Bera’s eyes widened.

She looked surprised. There were many maids in the dining room, as she was preparing the meal.

Actually, Bera is more like a nanny, so she’s different from the maids, but it seems they prepare in the same place.

'What’s for dinner today?'

I hope it’s a savory dish with meat. I licked my lips with a grin.

"Miss, what is this? It’s so beautiful."

"Flower!"

It was a purple rose.

Sharent Clowen’s garden was full of various roses, including purple ones.

I picked the most beautiful one.

Of course, it would have been better to use a little more magic to keep it from wilting before giving it, but that’s too much for now.

"My goodness, thank you so much..."

Bera, kneeling, pulled me into her arms.

"How can I deal with such a kind little miss?"

No, I’m not kind. This is just for Bera.

Actually, I’ve never given a gift to anyone before, so I’m not sure how to do it.

I’ve given national gifts before, which are easy to do—just offering something large, expensive, or precious.

But this is the first time I’ve given a small, personal gift. When I was Hella, I once wanted to give a gift to someone, but I didn’t expect to do it like this.

"Thank you so much. I’ll wear it beautifully."

"Okay!"

I could feel the other maids and servants glancing at us.

I deliberately smiled widely. You don’t get gifts from anyone, do you? If you’re nice to me, you can get good things like this.

"What’s for dinner today, Bera?"

"Today... "

Bera, who was about to speak, tightly closed her mouth. Then she smiled and said,

"Why don’t you ask the chef directly?"

"Huh?"

"The chef. The person who makes your meals every day. Why don’t you ask them?"

I know who the chef is... Usually, she would have told me right away, but why is she acting like this now?

Turning my head to follow Bera’s gaze, I saw the chef, a well-built man, standing with a slightly red face.

Seeing his slightly red face, I had a feeling. He looked like a simple man, but he seemed nervous.

'Not everyone who looks innocent is actually fine.'

The wife of Lord Sullivan and the orphanage mother were like that. They hit me from behind with innocent faces, as if nothing was wrong.