Chapter 43: CH 43

43 - The Old Man From The Countryside Takes An Underdog Along

T/N: I recently got a vaccine booster and feel terrible. I’m not sure I may have an update for the next few days and will reconsider my daily update schedule in general, as well.

“Give it back!” the girl cried, shooting up to her feet. “Give it back, now…!”

“Oop,” I gasped as she tried to grab my chest.

I couldn’t just sit still and let her get a hold of me, so I dodged.

As far as I can see with her movements, she doesn’t seem to have any combat experience. What she seemed to have was the agility specialized for pickpockets.

“… You…!” she hissed.

“Whoa, calm down,” I said. “I’m not saying I won’t return it.”

Since I dodged, she staggered two, three steps forward, she glared at me and grumbled.

Scaaa-ry. This murderous intent isn’t too strong but it’s not one that a girl this young should have. It seems she’s had a rough life so far.

From this old man’s point of view, I’m more concerned about this girl’s environment than the fighting spirit she has.

In any case, I suppose it’s unavoidable that such shadows form behind a prosperous nation. But I can’t help but feel a sense of helplessness.

Well, I could help, couldn’t I?

“It would be a problem if we cause a scene, so I’d be happy if you kept quiet,” I said.

“…”

I didn’t want to cause too much of a ruckus, and it seems that my intention was conveyed properly.

She’s still glaring at me but she’s closed her mouth.

She shouldn’t want to cause a fuss. I’ve been trying to clear up the confusion so far.

“In short,” I said, “I don’t have the pendant right now.”

“Why did you just say…?” she asked.

Already glaring at me, her expression starts to shoot even more daggers.

“I left it at the Knight Order of Revelio’s Headquarters,” I said. “As a lost item, you know?”

“… Tch!”

If I tell her this much, she’ll understand the basic outline.

I haven’t done anything wrong. I happened to pick it up and left it with one of the leading organizations of Baltrain because it seemed to be a well-loved accessory.

And the girl before me should know better than to blame my actions. Hence, she can only bite her tongue and suffer in helpless irritation.

“I’m not mean,” I said, “so I can say that the owner was found and have the pendant returned. But, you’ll have to come with me.”

It’s almost certain she was trying to pinch my wallet last night.

On a similar note, I’m pretty sure she’s not a first-time offender.

But, I have no evidence.

Speaking only by appearances, she looks like the type who’d be up to no good. But I didn’t catch what she was actually doing so it’s a bit realistic to accuse her of this crime.

However, if you ask me whether a presumed criminal can just go unchecked, there’s also a bit of my conscience tugging at me.

There’s no guarantee that she won’t pickpocket someone else while I go back to the Knight’s HQ to pick up the pendant.

So, I proposed this unusual idea to take care of both those problems for the moment.

I wonder if I could get Alexia to sermon her. I think the scale of the problem is a little small to involve the Captain of the Knights of Revelio, though.

“… Fuck it, alright,” the girl said.

Seems she can’t think of any better ideas.

After a few moments of hesitation, she decides to follow my lead.

But if I made a mistake, she wouldn’t trust me. Still, is that pendant really so important that she’d choose to follow me quietly? If that was the case, she couldn’t have imagined dropping it, but there’s nothing she could do about that now.

“Let’s go,” I said. “Unless you try something, I’m not going to do anything either, for now, alright?”

“… Tch,” she reluctantly replied.

She is really a bad girl.

I’m worried about how she grew up but this kind of kid reminds me of my problem students back at the dojo.

Some of my former students were violent delinquents or evil troublemakers who were tossed my way to get the excess energy out. 1 It makes me feel nostalgic.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Shut up,” she barked. “I’ve got nothing to say to you, Pops.”

And this is what I get for trying to talk to her while we walk.

Of course, I’m aware I’m an old man but to hear it said so bluntly makes me feel a little hurt.

“Oh, alright,” I said. “… Well, I’m sure you have your circumstances and I’m sure you know that, too. I don’t really recommend it, but it is what it is.”

“… Shut up,” she replied.

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The response to my preaching seems to be a little bad.

Well, just looking at her current reaction, she doesn’t seem to enjoy pickpocketing.

I’m afraid that’s the case but I’m not her parent, guardian, or teacher. There’s no reason for me to bother to stick my neck into her business.

She follows me just a little behind to my right and I think she looks like a young girl. I didn’t feel that extraordinary aura I got from Lucy.

It’s a question of whether or not her dull blue hair reaches her shoulders. Her cheeks look a little puffy and it’s hard to call her healthy.

The corners of her eyes seemed to be a little crooked and her lightly pigmented eyes, either chalky or tan, are peering at me without a second thought.

She looks a little smaller than the petite Kuruni. I’m not sure with her robe in the way but her figure might be far from feminine. It feels like you already made the slender Thyssel even thinner.

Overall, she looks like a mean girl with a poor body.

If she has to work as a pickpocket, her daily diet may not be so good.

It feels like I accidentally picked up an abandoned cat. I don’t plan to start feeding her and I don’t think I’ll be involved with her in the future.

“We’re here,” I said. “I think you already know what’s up.”

“………”

“I’m not thinking of giving you up to the Knights. At least, not right now.”

She’s clearly raised her guard as we approached the Knight’s HQ.

Well, she was doing something where it wouldn’t be strange if she got arrested and from her perspective, the Knights are her natural enemies.

Just as I said, I don’t mean to give her up.

I’m just going to get her a sermon from a top authority figure.

“Excuse me,” I said.

The girl with the stiff expression who seemed ready to bark at me at any moment now looks like she’s about to yell.

“Yes… huh?” one of the Knights asked. “Is that you, Sir Gardenant… is this a lost child?”

“No, you’ve got it wrong,” I said. “She seems to be the owner of the pendant I surrendered.”

They glanced at me, then the girl for a moment, and got the wrong idea. I wonder if the Knights also protect lost kids. Their range of duties is extremely wide.

“Oh, I see,” the Knight said. “Then, I’ll bring it out.”

Seems they’re convinced, they disappeared into the back.

“… I’m telling you now, it’s no use aiming to bolt the moment it’s handed over,” I said.

“… Tch.”

I crush the plan beforehand, she clicks her tongue bitterly.

Well, if I were in her shoes, I’d definitely do it. Unfortunately, this old man can understand what kids, especially tomboys, think.

“Sorry for the wait,” the Knight says on their return. “Is this it?”

“That’s it!” the girl cried. “Give it back…!”

“… Seems like it,” I said. “Then, I’ll take care of this.”

I’m not going to let her get it directly from the Knight. I’ll keep a firm grip on it.

“Hey!” she barked. “Geeze, it’s alright! Just give it back!”

“Umm… Sir Gardenant?” the Knight asked.

“Haha… pardon me, she seems to be being a little naughty,” I said.

I’ll return it, but it’ll be a little later after she gets a sermon from Alexia or Henblitz.

“What’s wrong, it’s so noisy… oh, Master.”

A dignified third party’s voice calls out, she hesitates as she sees the young girl trying to nab the pendant from me and makes a bitter smile.

“Alexia, perfect timing,” I said, replying to the voice’s owner.

Perhaps she was about to go home after finishing her work today. Her clothes were relatively casual, centered on a leather jacket, just like when she picked me up at Bidden Village.

Yeah, that was some excellent timing. It was a good thing she ended up coming here but I was wondering if I could borrow her without permission.

“Um… Master, that kid…?”

Me, a Knight, and a young girl.

After taking all of us in, Alexia looks and speaks with a little confusion, seemingly at the girl beside me than me.

“Oh, umm, how should I say this…?” I start.

“No way…” Alexia whispers. “Is that your secret child, Master…?!”

“No, she’s not?!” I cried.

I almost blew it.

You’ve got it wrong. That’s not it.

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