episode_0018

“Are you a customer?”

“Yes.”

I inwardly tilted my head.

That’s because so many people have crossed the threshold of our manor over the years that I can’t even count them all, but this was the first time my father came to me and told me to get ready to receive guests.

“Do you think you are an important person?”

That’s why I couldn’t help but say those words.

Who on earth is planning to visit and why even I, who is only five years old, is mobilizing to greet the guests?

Although it has been several years since he retired from public office, his biological father was once a troublemaker in Luoyang. How outrageous is it that when he was just over 20 years old, he was appointed to the position of Eosajungseung, a position that supervises other officials? And the tower of personal connections I had built back then was still so strong that even the prefectural government that I ruled, acting like a king, was unable to show off in front of this man.

But to think that such a person is a customer who can be said to be ‘important’?

Is it possible that the royal family is planning to visit?

I thought maybe that was the case… After finishing preparing to welcome guests, I went to the front door and soon encountered a black head that looked familiar to me.

“You…?!”

Why are you here?

Could it be that the important guests scheduled to visit today were referring to the Jo family?

It seemed like that when I saw my father bowing politely to the man who was hanging the little version of Jojo on his back.

“It’s been a while since I saw you, that’s it.”

“Are you going to continue to call people in such a grandiose manner when they have both resigned from their official positions and fallen into poverty? Just call me by my name.”

“I heard that you were adopted by King Bijeong.”

“So are you going to say you were disappointed? Well… Sopyeong, you were in a position to be wary of the tyranny of eunuchs, so that might be the case.”

“No. How could I…”

While I was wide-eyed looking at Jojo, who seemed to have just popped out of nowhere, the attention of the two people who were standing facing each other and having a slightly sharp conversation soon turned towards me.

“By the way, is that kid standing next to you the kid that Soo-kyung keeps praising? Soo-kyung said that she was born with the qualities to become a writer for the ages.”

“He is a child of great skill, but he still has many shortcomings. There are so many things to learn.”

“I thought he might have become a bit cruel after resigning from his position as a royal inspector, but his strictness remains the same. My son will be upset.”

“Kuhmm…!”

As a man who openly calls his son an idiot, was he unable to respond to the other person’s remarks that naturally put me at risk? My father cleared his throat to brighten the mood and naturally changed the topic.

“Soo-hyeon, say hello. This is Jo Geo-go, who served as Daehongryeo in Luoyang.”

“Hello. My name is Soohyun Yoon.”

Maybe my father-in-law will be in an absurd position in the future,

It was impossible for me to act like I normally do in front of someone like that, so out of all the things I could muster in myself, I showed my most polite and courteous self, but Jo Soong looked at me like that, and there was a strange look in his eyes.

“Soo-kyung I was wondering what on earth did that friend see in a child who is only five years old to make such a fuss, but the old saying is not wrong at all.”

” Geogo is helping me stand up. ”

“I know it’s not something I should say in front of you, my father, but honestly, I’m jealous.”

In the middle of the process of changing from black to white, he was stroking his beard and making a face that seemed to be thinking about something. For a moment, the small girl’s body was hiding behind the long sleeves that were hanging down. pushed forward.

“It’s a situation where even a child three years younger than you behaves so arrogantly… Why don’t you hurry up and say hello.”

“···.”

“He will be your teacher.”

“If you are referring to the proposal that was sent to you through a letter a while ago, I have not yet said that I will accept it.”

“Sopyeong It wouldn’t be a bad offer for you either. Haven’t the number of flies snooping around your house increased significantly recently?”

I was starting to get a little nervous, but my father’s face hardened slightly at Jo Soong’s expression as if he was saying that.

“···I don’t think this is something to talk about in the presence of children.”

“Then, let’s change seats. Let the kids hang out with each other.”

Does this mean I should take the lead? Josung tilted his chin slightly towards his father. It was right after that that a sigh escaped my father’s mouth.

“Soohyun.”

“Yes, father.”

“Please show the young lady of the Jo family to the manor.”

Normally, I wouldn’t give such a role to a child who is only five years old.

Since the things I’ve shown so far are things that are far beyond my age, did I think it would be okay to trust and leave it to me?

Normally, I would have refused and watched it, even if it was just because it was annoying, but I couldn’t do that even with Josung’s eyes wide open. Also, I wanted to find out from this little boy, who was crying with his face bright red, why he was so embarrassed and unfair at being scolded by Centipede’s father in front of so many people.

“I will do that.”

“I will also inform Su-su separately, so if you need any snacks, please let Soa know.”

“Yes.”

Okay, so the disruptor is gone…

“See you again?”

Would you like to take some time to get to know this little guy?

It may be obvious, but the reaction to what was said subtly was not very good. No, it was beyond bad and there was no reaction at all.

Have we already realized the truth that no comments are scarier than malicious comments?

If it comes out like that, there’s nothing I can do about it. The only way is to make it so that you have no choice but to react.

“Do you want to keep doing that?”

“···.”

“Or so.”

It must have been the moment when he calmly turned around after saying that. After walking just three steps, no more, no less, the sound of someone hurriedly catching up with me came into my ears.

Even though he looks strong, is he still a kid?

I could sense a sense of urgency in the sound of my footsteps, as if I was once again fearful of the fact that I might be left alone in an unfamiliar place.

Anyway, he was a very dishonest kid.

In fact, he is following me, but every time I stop and glance back, he stops and looks the other way.

So, with a little boy who was not good at telling lies hanging on my back, I headed to my hideout that I had set up deep inside the manor.

*****

How can someone who is just a handful shorter than me walk so fast? I was distracted by the scenery that seemed similar to the manor she lived in, but was different, so I took my eyes off it for a moment and thought to myself as I looked at the boy’s back, which had gone a long way away.

It’s something I felt last time, but it’s really… special.

When I was talking to him, I suddenly felt like I was talking to a grown adult, not a five-year-old. Unlike other kids his age whose moods fluctuate several times in a short period of time on a daily basis, he always maintained a grumpy attitude.

That was why, when the adults left and the three of us, including an unknown maid, were left alone, we pretended not to hear the voice of the boy talking to us.

That’s because if I talk to him, I feel like I’m becoming an immature child, just like my father said. I just ignored it for that reason…

How long do you plan on walking? Could it be that he is trying to get revenge like this for ignoring what he said earlier?

It must have been a moment when I secretly frowned as I felt my feet starting to hurt.

A vacant lot that could be said to be narrow when it was narrow and wide when it was said to be wide suddenly appeared before my eyes. What really caught my eye was not the vacant lot itself, but the objects that filled it.

What are these?

Why is the pot that should be in a place like the kitchen here?

While there were a lot of miscellaneous things lying around that I didn’t know what they were, a strange smell that felt like something I had smelled for the first time in my eight-year-old life filled the surroundings.

“You’re sure you left it for a day, right?”

“Yes.”

“What about oil?”

“I put it next to the pot.”

“Okay, then let’s just put on the gloves and get started.”

In accordance with the maid’s gesture, the water contained in the pot poured into the pot. The water was not transparent and black, as if a beggar had used it to wash his body.

“If it’s all swollen, come out for a moment. Light it.”

“It’s dangerous, so I’ll do it, master.”

“Really? Well, then.”

When you see them trying to light a fire, it looks like they are just trying to boil something… Where on earth are they going to use something so black?

Are you planning to secretly spray it on someone you don’t like?

Or maybe… to me?

It must have been a moment when those thoughts were going one after another in my head.

Something happened that made my eyes widen.

Suddenly, a fire broke out in a place where there was nothing but firewood.

This happened as soon as the boy handed over the small spoon-like object he had taken out of his pocket into the hands of the maid.

‘···how?’

How did they do it?