Chapter 7 (2/2)
“Don’t tell me, you’re… a noble…?”
“How else did I look to you?”
“Well, since the material of your clothes looked extremely good…”
He muttered some profanities and began to hesitate.
‘Judging from his reaction, it seems that he’s not a part of an organization.’
If he were, the moment he realised she was a noble, he would’ve summoned his comrades or tried to find a way to.
‘I guess it’s something I have to be grateful for.’
An individual touching a noble without consent meant suicide. He must be racking his brains over whether he should give up and leave it, or proceed with the kidnapping. He couldn’t have guessed that a child of the peerage would visit a countryside market like this. And anything with that great of a risk involved wouldn’t be good.
“There’s nowhere you can sell me off to. Will they accept a noble easily? Do you even know what kind of family I hail from?”
“You might not know it but there’s also a market that sells nobl—”
“You have connections to such an infamous market?”
A thug from the backstreet alleys having connections to a black market that trafficked nobles? He should’ve at least made his reasoning sound tenable if he wanted to spout drivel.
‘But the problem is that he carried me away so boldly because he was more dim-witted than I thought… What if he kills me because he’s afraid of any future trouble?’
Either situation was not favourable for the girl.
‘But it seems I can still get through to him if I talk, so should I try to persuade him out of it?’
Kynemeia drew out a gold coin and tossed it to the man. His eyes widened as he caught it.
“Take it. I’ll turn a blind eye to everything if you would just leave it like this.”
Realising that this small girl owned such a huge amount of money, the man clenched both of his fists.
‘Just leave it like this…?’
Having been barred from doing anything by force, he couldn’t break his hands free so easily. Rage brewed within his heart, but those steady eyes and mien— He had an uneasy hunch that she wasn’t just any mere noble.
… Like it would backfire at the slightest slip. Damn…! Damn it!
It was during the time when the lad lapsed into his thoughts—
KIKI EATS ASS
* * *
kiki u suck
Eian sat on the rooftop, gazing down at the blonde girl. Hmm.
He was only observing to find out whether she was concealing her mana or not. But to think that she would possess swordsmanship in place of mana. And on top of that, with a broomstick.
‘Is she really not hiding her mana? If so, then how did she discern the pattern?’
He was so curious about the reason that he couldn’t help himself. The failure to comprehend stirred up a tumult in Eian’s calm heart. When he settled on a decision that he should find out more about the Miss Lady, a lark flew over from someplace and perched on his shoulder.
“I knew you would come.”
The pretty twittering voice that rang out ran counter to the harsh berating. Eian stared at the lark.
“Hmm, a lark… You should start to act your age, Teacher.”
Then, as if it were enraged, the lark jabbed Eian’s cheek repeatedly with its wings.
As he grumbled about picking up Eian when the latter had been abandoned at seven years old, Eian remained quiet and looked down.
“Teacher… Your words are wounding me considerably this time…”
His exquisite eyelashes quivered slightly as if tears would spill over at any second.
“If you wished that you’d just left me be that time… Then right now, I…”
And then the lark opened its mouth as if it were smiling.
As the Teacher delivered some excuses with care, Eian grinned.
“It’s a joke.”
“Why do you get fooled every time? And with the same method even. Do you think I’m someone who would get hurt by those sorts of words?”
You! The lark pecked at Eian’s ear with its beak. Eian shook his hands, saying ‘It hurts,’ and ‘It tickles.’
To avoid his hand, the lark flapped its wings.
Eian shrugged, dismissing it as mere trifles.
“Is there someone like that in this world?”
“That.”
A man and a small girl stood facing each other at the spot Eian was pointing at. The girl had the man pinned with a broomstick pressed down on the top of his stomach and was keeping an eye on him without letting her guard down.
“I know right, it does look dangerous.”
Eian appeared composed as if it wasn’t any of his business. Even if the Teacher wanted to say ‘This brat has always been like this,’ he kept it to himself.
“She’s the Miss Lady of the Grand Duke that I’m guarding.”
Strange, isn’t it? Eian tilted his head.
The Teacher grew so frustrated by himself that he shoved Eian with his foot.
“Alright.”
Eian drawled his reply before he jumped down.