Chapter 23

The giant, no, the soldier Mosko of the Diamond jurisdiction, glanced back.

"Right, isn't it?"

"That's..."

"Or go."

"It, it seems right."

Then Mosko pushed the one-eyed man's axe with force.

The one-eyed man lost his grip on the axe and tumbled.

In the mercenary area, the one-eyed man, who was the largest, looked like a child in front of Mosko.

Han Jihyuk watched the scene in a daze.

Mosko clenched his fists, making a cracking sound.

"Our young lady said to teach a lesson to those who bully friends."

"W-What...!"

"Stick right behind me."

That day, Han Jihyuk learned what it was like to be beaten to a pulp on a rainy day.

* * *

As soon as the sky brightened, I went down to the inner courtyard.

The jurisdictional castle was truly perfect.

'I thought it would be a new castle if only the repairs were done.'

Michelan seemed to have taught the servants new etiquette, as everyone I saw greeted me formally.

I sat on the stairs and waited for Mosko.

How long had I waited?

Mosko was walking from the western corridor to the inner courtyard.

"Mosko."

"Uh? Young lady, didn't you sleep?"

"I woke up early. The friend?"

Han Jihyuk asked how he was doing.

Mosko squatted down to meet my gaze.

I had climbed three steps, but Mosko was so big that even squatting, his eye level was similar to mine.

Mosko looked around and whispered.

"That smooth-faced... no, your friend is over there. The attackers were given a good lesson."

"Thank you."

"..."

Mosko's eyes widened.

When I asked "Why?" he laughed heartily.

"You always say things I've never heard before."

"Doesn't 'thank you' sound good?"

"Who says 'thank you' to a slave? I've never even had my head patted by my parents."

I stared at Mosko.

He just smiled as if it was nothing.

I gently patted his head.

"Mosko, I like you."

"..."

"Thank you."

"..."

Mosko looked very embarrassed.

But being patted on the head didn't seem to be a bad feeling.

He stayed still for a long time, accepting my touch.

After I withdrew my hand, he grinned and picked me up.

"Let's go. I'll take you to the smooth-faced... no, your friend."

I rode on Mosko's back to move.

Last night, I asked Mosko two things.

To save Han Jihyuk.

And to bring him to the castle after saving him.

"Where is the friend?"

"In a safe place."

I nodded.

And when Mosko led me to the place...

'Is it safe?'

Where?

I turned my gaze to Mosko.

"Mosko, is this...?"

"Yes, the safest place in this jurisdiction—!"

"..."

"—the general's bedroom!"

Father was looking at the bound Han Jihyuk with a bewildered expression.

Enzo called Mosko the strongest spear in the Western Army (Diamond's army).

Apart from Father, no one could beat Mosko in a one-on-one fight.

When I asked why he was still a regular soldier,

'Fool, no, he's pure...'

Father was looking at Han Jihyuk with his arms crossed.

His gaze was so terrifying that Han Jihyuk turned very pale and shivered.

'He might die like this.'

I had to separate Han Jihyuk and Father.

"Elliot, he's a friend."

"A friend?"

"Yes! Yesterday. We went to get a cake. We met."

"Did you invite a friend to the castle this early?"

"A friend. He was being chased by bad people. So, Elliot helped him. I asked Mosko to help."

"..."

Father narrowed his eyes at Han Jihyuk.

I kicked Han Jihyuk's heel to prevent Father from getting suspicious.

"Yes? Ah, yes... That's right, a friend."

"An adult like you is a friend with my daughter, a child."

I quickly answered.

"Not an adult. A teenager. (Not an adult. A teenager.)"

Father and Mosko frowned.

Han Jihyuk looked like he was in his twenties.

He was at least 180 cm tall, and his appearance was very adult-like.

His hair was slicked back with pomade, and he wore white pants and pointed shoes...

Father scrutinized Han Jihyuk for a moment, then frowned fiercely.

"Did you deceive my daughter?"

"Where do you get the nerve to call yourself a teenager with that face!"

Mosko also shouted.

If he had deceived me, he would tear his mouth open, and Han Jihyuk's face lost all color.

"I never deceived anyone!"

That's right.

He had never told me his age.

I had just guessed based on the novel.

Han Jihyuk said with a nearly tearful expression.

"I'm fifteen..."

Father and Mosko looked at him as if he was talking nonsense.

He had passed puberty, was very tall, and had old eyes. He was indeed fifteen.

To appear as an adult, he had to look as old as possible. So, he used his old eyes to make himself look as old as possible.

"Lie."

"Where did you get the nerve to say that."

When Mosko and Father spoke, Han Jihyuk sighed deeply.

"If you untie me, I'll show you my identity card."

Father nodded to Mosko.

Mosko soon untied the ropes, and Han Jihyuk searched his jacket pocket and pulled out an identity card.

[Jo Carter.

Born in 1203, Proud territory]

Father frowned at the identity card, and Mosko groaned, "Huh..."

"Wow. This guy must have suffered a lot. What, he's this old."

Han Jihyuk now had a resigned expression.

I grabbed Father's knee and said,

"Let me play with my friend."

"..."

"Just for a little while."

Father looked at Han Jihyuk and pulled the string.

Soon, Michelan entered.

"Yes, Master."

"Clean him up and take him to the greenhouse."

Han Jihyuk looked like he had been beaten up by the mercenaries.

Michelan soon took Han Jihyuk away.

* * *

The greenhouse.

I was drinking warm milk while waiting for Han Jihyuk to arrive.

Just as the milk was about to finish, I heard footsteps from the door.

Turning my head, I saw someone neatly dressed entering.

A clean white shirt, black pants.

Slightly damp, pink curly hair.

Blue eyes.

It was Han Jihyuk.

'Oh...'

With his bangs down and a change of clothes, he looked much better.

He would be like an idol in the original world.

"You're not an uncle anymore."

When I said that, Han Jihyuk scowled.

"Before, I used to draw beard marks and dark circles to look like an adult."

"You look better now."

"..."

"I know."

He sat down in front of me and crossed his legs.

"I knew, but I didn't do it. Do you know how hard it is for a poor, good-looking man to survive? Noble ladies throw themselves at you, and occasionally disgusting men... Ugh."

Indeed, Han Jihyuk was handsome.

'Protagonists in novels are all like that.'

He was the protagonist of <Bing.Heuk.Son> with a unique setting.

As I was finishing the last of the milk through the straw, Han Jihyuk cleared his throat.

"How did you know the one-eyed man would come looking for me?"

"From the novel."

"..."Why did you save me? If the one-eyed man took all my money, you might have taken my hand for revenge."

"You would have become a cripple from the one-eyed man's beating."

"What?"

"I might do bad things, but I'm not that bad to make you a cripple."

When I said it casually, Han Jihyuk's eyes widened.

He stared at me for a while. His eyes were trembling slightly.

Suddenly, he slammed the table and stood up.

"Don't seduce me!"

"Me?"

I'm three years old?

There's a twelve-year age gap between us.

Is he crazy?

When I frowned, Han Jihyuk shouted.

"Not that, I mean, as a human!"

"What?"

"I don't trust nobles. I've been through so much... No matter what you do, I won't fall for it."

"..."Who said I would?"

"Even if you look as cute as a squirrel! Even if you have the charm of saving someone after saying something mean! I won't...!"

"..."

"Do you understand?"

I thought for a moment.

He seems a bit off too, but do I really need to deal with him...

'Let's see.'

The only person who can know my true identity is Han Jihyuk, another dimensional traveler.

If I told others, I'd have to see a psychiatrist that day.

I still looked at the stubborn Han Jihyuk.

Then I said calmly,

"Jihyuk."

"!"

"You've been through a lot, haven't you?"

"Damn... Stop seducing me..."

"I know."

Han Jihyuk's eyes distorted.

Then he clicked his tongue and turned his head.

The corner of his eye, visible for a moment, was red.

'Yeah, how much he must have suffered.'

I know Han Jihyuk's story well.

Born to a drunk woodcutter, he worked hard from a young age.

He ran away from his father, but was still exploited by adults.

They didn't pay him properly, stripped him of his self-esteem...

After enduring so much, he decided.

He wouldn't be a victim anymore; he would be someone who gives back.

'He was only twenty in the original world.'

After a long sniff, he said in a small voice,

"What should I do?"

"Go to the auction."

"The auction?"

I smiled and nodded.

* * *

A few days later, at the auction.

Han Jihyuk frowned as he looked at the stage.

It was the turn of the 'item' that Elliot had asked him to buy.

"This is a brazier used in an ancient temple. The bidding starts at 100,000 gold."

It was just a brazier, despite the grand claims of ancient and temple.

It had no special abilities, just an ancient brazier.

There was no way such an item could have value.

Or was he the only one who thought so? The starting price was 100,000.

Compared to other items that usually started at 1,000,000, this was a very low price.

'Is that kid trying to scam me?'

If Elliot had put a useless brazier up for auction and he paid a large sum for it...

He would lose all his money, and the only thing left would be that brazier.

There was no way to claim it was a scam.

After all, he was the one who won the bid.

'It sounds plausible?'

That kid seemed quite smart...

At that moment, the bidders started raising their paddles.

"150,000."

"200,000."

"230,000."

"1,000,000!"

What?!

Han Jihyuk turned around in surprise.

A middle-aged noble who had bid 1,000,000 was smiling triumphantly.

'It's Baron Baslang.'

A rich man known for his passion for collecting ancient artifacts.

1,000,000. Even 500,000 would make his hands tremble, and 1,000,000?!

'...Damn.'

Han Jihyuk raised his paddle.

"1,001,000!"

When he shouted, Baron Baslang's eyebrows twitched.

"1,500,000."

Han Jihyuk stared at the baron with wide eyes.

'What a lunatic. What for a brazier...!'

He clicked his tongue and raised his paddle again.

"1,501,000."

"2,000,000."

"2... 2,001,000!"

"3,000,000!"

The sharp gazes of Han Jihyuk and Baron Baslang clashed in the air.

Baron Baslang, who had been frowning, stood up and shouted.

"3,840,000—!!"

The baron, who had been calling out in 500,000 or 1,000,000 increments, called out an odd amount.

'That's his limit.'

Han Jihyuk's lips twisted.

But he couldn't easily bid higher.

To spend over 3,840,000 on an ancient brazier?

He had 4,000,000, earned through years of hard work and countless dangerous situations.

'There's no way I can spend all that on just a brazier...'

Just then, Elliot's voice echoed in his