Rat-tat-tat!
Wham!
Roll, roll, roll-
Someone rushed over, scooped me up as if snatching me, and rolled on the ground.
Simultaneously.
콰아아앙-!
A massive roar struck my eardrums.
"Cough, cough."
Coughing in the dust cloud that filled the surroundings, I raised my head and gasped.
A deep crater was gouged out where I had been standing.
If I had been even a little slower, I would have been blown away too.
"Hoo..."
A low, long sigh landed above my head.
I wanted to look up, but I couldn't move an inch because he was holding me so tightly.
"Um..."
I was about to ask him to let go, but suddenly, he took a deep breath and shouted.
"Damn it! Who is it!! I told you to be more careful when I'm handling magic! Are you going to come out here right now?!"
...My ears hurt.
His voice was so loud that even combining all the battle cries wouldn't be able to beat this man's roar.
"I-I'm sorry!"
A knight, looking pale, rushed out from inside.
Judging by the looks of it, that knight had shot magic towards me.
"I never expected a child to be there..."
The knight looked down at me with a face that was half bewildered and half resentful.
'Why did you have to come out there of all places!'
-His expression was full of resentment.
"Forget the excuses. It's your fault for miscalculating the trajectory in the first place!"
The man stood up with me in his arms.
'Hoo-ack.'
In an instant, my view shot up.
At the dizzying height that made me feel like I would be seriously injured if I fell, I reflexively grabbed the man's sleeve.
He looked at me for a moment and then patted my back with his large hand.
As if to reassure me.
"..."
I blankly looked up at the man.
A gigantic frame like a mountain, a firm jaw, a sharp nose, and clear eyes.
Within them, orange eyes that sparkled like the sun.
A fierce and robust-looking man who seemed to fit the title of Beast King.
He shouted.
"To not admit your mistake and blame others! I'll give you proper mental training later. You will do fully armed laps around the training ground until I tell you to stop!"
The knight's face turned blue at the man's command.
"Aren't you going?"
"Yes, yes! Captain!"
The knight quickly bowed and hurried back.
"Hoo... and."
The man took a deep sigh and gently put me down.
As soon as he did, he leaned in and muttered threateningly.
"Little lady, how did you get in here? Do you know how dangerous that was just now! Who are your parents?"
He seemed to think I was a naive young lady who had visited the Duke's residence with her parents and gotten lost.
'Just by looking at my clothes, you should be able to tell that I'm not a noble lady.'
I couldn't help but laugh.
"You're laughing?"
The man looked dumbfounded, as if wondering how I could laugh in this situation.
"It seems you're lost."
He looked down at me with a troubled expression.
'I'm not.'
It wasn't like I was lost or anything like that, but I just kept my mouth shut.
Then he would take care of it on his own-
"First of all, it's dangerous here, so let's go inside."
And set up a place for me.
He straightened up, having been crouching down to match my eye level.
It was like a giant rising.
"Come on, let's go. I'll find your parents."
He held out his hand.
I blankly stared at his hand.
'...It's big.'
Big, thick, and a mess.
As I just looked at his hand, covered in scars, he seemed puzzled and then said, "Ah, right. It must look too gruesome for a precious young lady."
I lacked consideration.
He let out a hearty laugh and was about to retract his hand when.
I grabbed it firmly.
"No."
I quickly grabbed his large hand with both of mine.
The man looked at me with surprised eyes.
"It's just... I was just curious. It's not gruesome."
"...Is that so? Well, it might be curious. Haha."
He laughed heartily, held my hand tightly, and walked.
I followed him, holding his hand, when I suddenly noticed something strange.
'His stride is really narrow.'
The man was large, so his legs were also very long.
If he stretched out once, it looked like it would be as long as my height.
Compared to that, his stride was very short, so it looked strange.
I quickly realized the reason.
'He's matching my pace.'
Because I am too small and short compared to him. He knew that if I walked at his pace, I would get tired quickly, so he was matching my pace.
I pretended not to notice his consideration and stole glances at his profile as I walked in step with him.
'It's real.'
From every strand of reddish-brown hair to his bold features and the small scars all over his body, everything.
'It's the person I know.'
Aen Lixus.
The only person who was on my side in the hellish Rhodebel.
And...
'A dead man who won't exist in the future five years from now.'
"Here it is. It may be unpleasant for a precious young lady to be in a place that smells of sweat, but there's nothing else we can do, so please bear with it until your guardian comes."
With a kind explanation, Aen forcefully threw open the door of the barracks.
As soon as he did, a man jumped out from inside.
"Captain! Where have you been all this time-!"
He seemed to have a lot to say, rushing towards Aen, but he stopped when he saw me holding his hand tightly.
He stared blankly at me and then cautiously asked.
"...What did you bring with you?"
Then Aen laughed heartily and answered.
"Some noble lady seems to have gotten lost and wandered into the training ground. It's dangerous to leave her alone, so I'm going to keep her here until I find her parents."
"...Parents? You said you were going to keep her here until you found her parents? I-"
Unable to finish his sentence, he looked at me with a shocked expression, as if he had heard something he shouldn't have.
I immediately realized.
This man.
'He knows who I am.'
Well, this was the normal reaction, and Aen was the abnormal one.
Anyone who was in Rhodebel would know about the existence of the 'black-haired bastard.'
Not only did he bring the person who should be avoided into the dormitory, but he was also nonchalantly saying that he was going to look for her parents.
'How absurd that must be.'
Yeah, I understand.
I understand.
'But I have business here too.'
My eyes met the man's in the air.
Towards the man who was sending me a look that said to just go back on my own, I-
"Excuse me-e."
Gave him a bright smile like a child who knew nothing.
"...Huh?"
At my brazen behavior, the man couldn't hide his bewildered expression.
"No, I mean, what do you mean, 'excuse me'-"
He seemed about to argue with me right away.
"What are you doing?"
"Yes?"
"Go find her parents."
"...Hah, no, really."
The man, who didn't quite grasp the situation, beat his chest as if frustrated at Aen's repeated words to find her parents.
In the meantime, I slipped inside and sat on the sofa. It was a strong will to not leave on my own.
The man looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.
"No, I mean, Captain. First, let's get that kid out of here..."
Perhaps because he couldn't bring up the 'bastard' topic in front of me, the man gave Aen a signal.
Unfortunately.
"What are you standing around for? I told you to go find her parents! Are you planning on killing the guy who's running laps around the training ground until I get back?"
That signal didn't reach Aen.
"...I should just quit being a adjutant."
The man muttered in a small voice, glanced at me, and then left the building.
"He's not usually like that, but he's just getting more rebellious. I'll have to catch him one day, seriously."
Aen grumbled and placed a cup of warm, steaming liquid in front of me.
Looking closely, it was a clear green liquid.
He added with an embarrassed expression.
"I'm sorry. There's nothing for a kid to eat here. The only thing I can offer is green tea..."
I guess it's a bit much?
At his uncertain words, I looked at him and shook my head.
"No. I like it."
"You like it? Green tea?"
I nodded.
His eyes widened. He gave me a look that said to go ahead and try it.
Without hesitation, I picked up the teacup and took a big gulp.
And.
"...Cough!"
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