episode_0083

– Her red hair, flowing down to her waist, shimmered like silk.

– It was a perfect shade of pure crimson, with no hint of burgundy.

– Without any freckles, her eyes, a bright blue, were filled with intelligence.

– A red fairy, straying far from the realm of gingers.

– At first glance, she looked more like a 2nd-year middle school student than a 6th-grader.

“Is this really not Jita’s daughter?”

Even though it wasn’t said, it was immediately understood.

She seemed like a child designed by picking only the best genes from her parents.

She was what they called a “designer baby.”

“Is she really in 6th grade?”

Her suit and glasses seemed to shrink, turning her into a little teacher.

Even her posture exuded a great sense of propriety.

Only the horns of a goat on her head remained.

“Why is Aunt so mean? How can she scold someone like this…?”

She made a face reminiscent of Seres from the past.

It was not a pleasant look.

It seemed like a gaze not fit for an elementary school student, making me feel uneasy.

“Are you Leia?”

“Yes. Hello, Mr. Changki. I’m Leia.”

She didn’t bother hiding it anymore.

The little teacher raised her eyebrows and glared at me.

“Just to be sure, I’ll ask again. You’re 12 years old, a 6th grader this year, and you’re Leia Bailey, the apprentice elf working in the current Sunflower class. Your biological mother is Sinead Bailey. Your genetic father impregnated your mother and then died, so you don’t know. Just to clarify, Bridgette Bailey is my aunt, not my biological mother.”

“It feels awkward hearing Aunt’s full name.”

Look at her speaking so fluently.

I immediately understood why Ian and Bridgette praised her so highly.

“Okay… I’m glad you’re safe. Anyway, are you hurt anywhere?”

She replied nonchalantly.

“Except for working late at night sometimes, I’m fine. The working environment here is good. Unless there’s something unusual like today, we get paid on time and in full.”

What is this discomfort!

A 6th grader talking about getting paid is so uncomfortable!!

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing. Sorry. Should I let the dogs out?”

“Yes. The dogs keep licking my feet, and it’s scary.”

“Dogs-”

They immediately backed off when I gestured.

I have a lot to say, but now is not the time to express my thoughts.

Phew.

“You don’t just look smart, you are actually smart. So you probably know what I’m going to say, right?”

“Shall I guess?”

“Go ahead.”

“One, why were you hiding your identity? Two, why did you become an elf? Three, should we call Aunt? Which one is it? But please don’t suggest going back. I’ll obviously refuse.”

“Let’s go back.”

“No, I don’t want to.”

For the first time, Leia pouted like a child.

Sitting in a spinning chair, she raised both arms, clearly showing her displeasure.

“Please reassure Aunt. Even if you don’t know what’s going on, at least make a call.”

“Can’t you explain to me?”

“I’m an outsider, not family. At most, I’m just a poor bastard who came all the way here because I felt sorry for Aunt. Even if you explain it to me, I won’t understand.”

“Hmm.”

It’s still strange.

The wording of “runaway” that I saw in Kids World, and her attempt to hide her identity from me.

No wonder it seemed like she had no intention of meeting Aunt from the beginning.

“Leia.”

“Yes, Mr. Changki.”

“Before calling, I ask. Did you happen to have a fight with your stepmother?”

“You seem to know everything as an outsider. Are you really aiming for the position of a stepfather?”

…ridiculous.

“I didn’t know?”

“I didn’t know. How would I know?”

“Hmm~.”

It was unsettling.

Half trust, half suspicion, a frightening gaze.

I cautiously took a step back to earn Leah’s trust and then eased her suspicions.

“Well, why would an aunt tell her uncle something that would harm her? From what I heard earlier, it seemed like she had some expectations, so she wouldn’t want to give a bad impression to him.”

‘Hey, isn’t this getting involved in something you shouldn’t?’

Harming, bad impression, hiding unnecessarily…

To speak with such ill feelings towards the family that the child had been looking for after about three years of separation.

‘No, no, no… What did that stepmother do to the child…’

No matter how bad the blood relationship is, it’s still a child.

And a child left behind by her own sister.

It couldn’t be.

“Please make the call.”

“Weren’t you against it?”

“You’ve come all this way, and your identity has been exposed anyway. You’ll come back again, won’t you? It’s better to send you back here than have your aunt come looking for you in person.”

“……”

I had to be the mediator between the two.

‘Ian must have recently joined the mechanic guild, and the sister must be awake.’

I turned on the speaker for a video call like before.

There was a short dial tone.

“I’m so nervous. Will I be able to speak well? Phew~.”

While the call was connecting, Leah trembled slightly.

But it wasn’t a childlike tremble, it was an attitude of worrying whether she could take responsibility for her own work before starting as an announcer.

“Hello….”

Why am I getting more nervous?

It’s just ‘sending a child back to her parents.’

Ring ring.

Ring ring.

Ring ring.

Ring ring….

I thought I would answer right away, but surprisingly, I hesitated.

An awkward silence passed between me and Leah.

Thinking about what to do if I didn’t answer, the screen suddenly lit up.

“Hello~? Oh, Ian just came to visit. I was busy entertaining him, that’s why I answered late~!”

“Calling a woman at this late hour. What a cheeky guy!”

“Hehe. Why did you call?”

I got it.

I got it.

I got it.

I repeated the same thoughts, then exhaled deeply and looked at the screen.

The red-haired ginger was scratching her freckles and laughing.

“That’s right! Junior, you didn’t reply to my texts earlier, only calling when you need something? Does this old lady really get on your nerves?”

“I’m sorry. I was busy and didn’t have time to reply to your texts.”

“Busy? You’re on the 15th floor. There shouldn’t have been any attacks, so you didn’t have time to text?”

Her blue eyes flickered.

She was looking at me in the dimly lit classroom, relying on the light from her phone.

She noticed that my face was stiff.

“Why is it so dark around you? Where are you?”

“I’m inside an elementary school.”

“An elementary school? Hah, sneaking into an elementary school at this hour? Has my junior become a pervert?”

She laughed, but my voice was also shaking.

Her blue eyes continued to scan my surroundings and complexion.

“Why? What’s going on? Are you trying to scare me?”

She’s suspicious.

She’s suspecting that I found Leah.

I didn’t answer, just raised my chin and looked at Leah.

“…It’s okay.”

She responded to my gaze, indicating that she was ready.

Now, from now on…

“Aunt.”

“Huh… Could it be… already…?”

“Yes.”

Bridgetta Aunt fell silent.

Seizing this opportunity, I turned the screen.

The light from the phone enveloped Leah, the little child.

“…Huh?”

“Hello, Aunt. It’s been 3 years since we last met.”

“What… what…?”

“I’m Lea.”

A calm child amidst bewildered adults.

She placed her hand on her belly and politely greeted.

“Lea! Are you really Lea? Not someone pretending to be her!?”

“Thank goodness. So, how have you been? Your health? Any injuries?”

“No. This is not the time for me to be like this. I’m leaving now! Where is it?”

As Lea stormed off like an angry bull, Ian, who entered the room late, tried to calm her down, saying, “Please calm down.”

I remained silent, holding my phone.

Because the child I was illuminating was doing nothing but waiting.

“Lea. The auntie really messed up… leaving you alone for 3 years… You must have had a hard time, right? You suffered, didn’t you?”

“It’s not that bad. Auntie knows what kind of place this is. As you can see, I was treated well.”

“…Really? Then I’ll come up now. Just tell me the location. I can probably arrive within 20 minutes.”

“No need for that.”

“Ah! Then how about Chang-gi coming with me? Is that okay? If you’re coming right away, should I prepare something now? Gather the guild members for a celebration…”

I don’t know why my heart is racing.

Despite Bridgetta’s flattery, this side was unusually calm.

Look into those cold eyes.

I vaguely knew what words would come out of the child’s mouth.

“No need.”

And so it began.

I listened attentively and kept my mouth shut.

“Lea, hey? Oh! Then, instead of cake, something you like separately…”

“Auntie. You don’t know what I like.”

The auntie let out a rough breath.

While Ian was behind me, he didn’t intervene in the conversation.

He seemed to be a bystander like me.

“Because we’ve been apart for 3 years… That’s why…”

“Auntie.”

“Why…?”

“You don’t have to force yourself anymore.”

“What…? What are you talking about…?”

“I know everything. It’s okay.”

The child said, comforting the grown-up like a teacher comforting a child.

“What…? Why? We finally found you. Come down quickly. Come and… be with the auntie again…”

“What do you mean by ‘again’?”

“Together… do something…”

“What did we do together?”

“Lea…”

“I’m not coming down.”

Her blue eyes turned towards me.

There were various emotions, but resignation was the biggest one.

“I’m sorry for leading you astray. But I decided when I graduated. Let’s just live here quietly.”

“What are you talking about, living here quietly? You’ll become a monk!?”

“Yes. I’ll become a monk and live here with my friends for the rest of my life.”

“Lea!!”

“I have a lot to say, but I won’t say it. I called the auntie today to say goodbye because she suffered so much. So, don’t look for me anymore, I called to say I’m doing well.”

“What are you saying? Why are you saying it like it’s the end!? Don’t say that, come down from the tower quickly!”

“I don’t want to.”

The red girl approached me and pointed her index finger at my phone.

Anyone would know what that gesture meant.

“The auntie made a mistake! It’s because of something in the past! So please… just explain it once…”

“Auntie.”

“Lea-”

She didn’t give her a chance to explain.

As soon as the greeting was over, she acted.

“Let’s never meet again.”

“I–!”

Before Bridgetta could say anything in defense, she cut off her hope.

As the last light disappeared, darkness enveloped us.

I couldn’t see the child’s expression.