Chapter 7

7

‘I can’t reach it.’

Is a child’s body really this inflexible? Or is it because the child’s body is so short that it doesn’t have a spine?

‘Why can’t I bend my waist?’

My arms are short, and there’s no way I can reach the pond from this seated height.

If I lean forward any more, the weight of my heavy head will make me tip forward.

Then I’ll fall into the pond, and that would be a bad ending.

In the water, my concentration will drop, and I won’t be able to use gravity magic.

‘I need to concentrate anyway.’

I strained my eyes.

If I can’t think of a way, I won’t be able to clean my pacifier again.

There’s no way to support my body wherever I go. And I can’t put a dog collar around my neck to support it and stretch out my arms.

Sitting with my short arms and legs stretched out, I stared at the pond for a while, and suddenly a brilliant idea came to me.

If I can’t reach it while sitting, I can reach it while lying down.

‘Ah, I’m so smart.’

How could a baby think of something like this?

I quickly put the pacifier back in my mouth and lay down.

I can’t be too far from the pacifier. I had to suck on it from time to time to maintain my thoughts.

When I stretched out my short arms while lying down, finally, plop, the water rippled.

“Daddy!”

Yay! I succeeded!

I held the pacifier tightly in my hand and stirred the pond vigorously.

Even though my clothes got wet and my arms were half-soaked, I didn’t care. Finally, I could put the clean pacifier in my mouth...

‘It’s not getting clean, though?’

How dirty is it?

“Ash...”

I naturally got annoyed.

I took my hand off the floor and rubbed the pacifier with both hands.

It seems that babies don’t have much strength. The pacifier kept slipping out of my grip.

I tried to scrub it as hard as I could, but it didn’t feel very clean. Still, I felt relieved that it had touched the water.

“What?”

“Blech!”

Startled, I threw what I was holding.

The pacifier flew into the sky.

“What’s that pig squeal...”

Oh no, my pacifier.

The important thing isn’t the surprise attack.

The important thing is that my pacifier is flying in a parabolic arc in the sky.

Just now, I couldn’t make it fly no matter how hard I tried!

I lunged toward the pacifier as it started to plummet from the sky.

I saw my two legs standing still, but I didn’t care. I had to survive first.

Thud. Roll.

I lunged forward...

Fortunately, I was able to pick up the pacifier falling from the sky within three seconds.

A wise person once said that food doesn’t get dirty if you pick it up within three seconds.

I picked it up in less than two seconds, so it was definitely safe.

“Hey, who are you?”

Oh, a voice that sounds immature.

A young voice. I sucked on the pacifier, which no longer smelled of saliva, and blinked my eyes, tilting my head.

‘Huh?’

It’s a face I’ve seen before.

Those sharp eyes and black hair... exactly like... Sharent Clown.

I had heard that Sharent Clown had a child, but I wasn’t sure if it was true.

‘A snot-nosed kid.’

Still young.

He might grow faster than me, but he won’t become independent faster than me.

He looks about five years old, but by that age, I’ll have already mastered a lower circle and faked my death by making a building explode.

“Was there a kid like this? Are you from a collateral line? If you’re from a collateral line, you can’t come here. If Father finds out, you’ll be in big trouble.”

Is he softer than I thought?

He doesn’t seem like the son of Sharent Clown, who has no blood or tears.

He is called the ‘Iron-Blooded Demon’ because... he is literally as cold as iron.

He doesn’t hesitate to cut down or cut off his allies as needed.

Of course, he didn’t ignore me, but if I had come from a lesser family, he probably wouldn’t have even faced the Great Mage Hella.

That’s who he is.

He doesn’t treat those without ability, even if they have good blood.

He doesn’t treat those with good ability but bad blood. He only thinks those at his level are worthy of speaking to him.

‘That’s why he sent me that demon-like maid.’

I realized this while listening to the maid’s temper.

Sharent Clown sent me that maid.

‘A son with no blood or tears.’

The thought that he could be my parent or sibling sends shivers down my spine.

“Aboo.”

Ignore him and go your way.

I waved my hand at the little Sharent Clown and crawled back to the pond.

I picked it up within three seconds, but it still feels a bit icky, so I’ll clean it again.

Even though I’ve been sucking on it, it does feel cleaner the more I wash it.

I lay flat again and plunged the pacifier into the pond, stirring it.

“You shouldn’t be here. Father doesn’t like kids like you.”

A yellow sprout.

Tsk, tsk, growing up under such a cold-blooded person leads to this kind of thinking.

I answered him in my head while lightly ignoring the little boy.

“You’ll be kicked out. The last time a servant entered Father’s garden without permission, he was kicked out with his tendons cut.”

“...Aboo?”

Just for entering the garden once, his tendons were cut and he was kicked out?

‘What kind of crazy person...’

Of course, rumors about Sharent Clown’s crazy deeds always spread even in Silopia, where information doesn’t circulate well.

No wonder people often abstained from the diplomatic meetings between the empire and Silopia due to Sharent Clown.

If they did attend, most mages would close their mouths when Sharent Clown spoke.

Anyway, dealing with the Clown family was always my job and that of Melaine...

Ah, don’t think about it. It makes me sad. Anyway, he’s someone I have to take revenge on.

I had to break him with my own hands. Since I made the flower bloom, I should be the one to break it.

“You’re just a baby, so you don’t know, but my Father is very scary. You mustn’t be caught. Only those who have permission can enter here. Father takes care of this place himself.”

That cold-blooded man took care of this garden?

While the old-fashioned style does seem to fit that man...

‘I don’t think he would like such a clean and tidy place.’

It’s a bit more sophisticated and luxurious, and also strangely old-fashioned and elegant.

It doesn’t suit Sharent Clown, who has a sharp and cold appearance.

“This is a garden that Mother liked.”

Yeah, I get it, but why are you spilling out your personal life like this? Can’t you see I’m a baby? Don’t start talking nostalgically...

“Haboo...”

Stupid.

I tried to speak clearly.

If he is Sharent Clown’s son, he will eventually fight Silopia. There’s no need to be nice to him.

“Mother and Father had a big fight and got divorced.”

I don’t really want to know, okay? I don’t want to hear about Sharent Clown’s failed honeymoon diary.

I quickly turned my body to look at the pond. My reflection in the pond is definitely not cute.

I’m dirty and my pacifier is gray. I feel a bit sorry for myself.

“I like Mother. I miss Mother...”

Seeing the small child squat down with teary eyes, I blinked in surprise.

I rolled on the ground. I changed direction and looked at the small Sharent Clown.

The child’s round eyes were now drooping.

‘Parents are just a weakness anyway.’

I thought Sharent Clown would raise him strictly, but it seems he didn’t.

Parents who lack ability are as good as non-existent. He doesn’t seem to realize that giving affection to someone is a weakness.

‘He’ll realize it soon enough.’

That’s why Sharent Clown probably cut off his wife.

I don’t know. I don’t know how to comfort a child, and I know that even if I tried, it wouldn’t really help.

Telling a child who isn’t okay that they’re okay would just be a lie.

“Hey, where are you going? What if you’re caught?”

I looked at the small Sharent Clown and just passed by him.

I crawled. I thought I should go back early before I was caught today.

Crunch, crunch.

The heavy steps, the sound of the heavy boots hitting the ground. It was the sound of a person walking.

‘Crawling is too slow!’

I lay down and rolled to the side. I quickly pushed my body into the bushes.

Peeking out from the bushes, I saw a familiar man.

A man with a rigid gait, as if he had just returned from the army, Sharent Clown.

“Ah.”

I sighed deeply.

If I had been caught, it would have been a big problem. My tendons, which haven’t even grown yet, would have been cut.

I watched Sharent Clown walk away and quickly came out of the bushes, crawling with my arms and legs.

As I crawled desperately, I felt a gaze from behind.

The feeling of being watched made me crawl even harder. My knees and palms were a bit sore.

‘Maybe I’ll get some bruises.’

If I don’t overwork myself, I won’t get used to it, so it’s inevitable.

Since I’ll have to crawl for a long time, I need to learn to crawl less painfully and more quickly.

Sucking on the pacifier, I set off on the long journey... to my room.