Ch.353Chapter 353 Epilogue – Hey, Who Are You? (3)

I survived.

That was the first thought that crossed my mind when I recognized the little girl who was clinging to us, crying her lungs out looking for her mom and dad, and realized someone had come searching for her.

Though not the mom and dad she was looking for, judging by how this person addressed the girl called Flora as “young miss,” he was likely a butler who served her.

“…Hic!”

As soon as she heard the man’s voice, the girl’s crying subsided, suggesting she recognized the voice calling for her.

Seeing her tearful expression quickly transform into one of joy, I figured there was nothing to worry about.

Anyway, I turned my gaze toward the source of the hurried yet composed footsteps approaching while calling for the child.

“Huff… huff…”

There stood a man in butler attire, bent over and catching his breath roughly, having apparently run frantically enough to make his feet swell.

He had honey-colored hair and an impressively sturdy build that was evident even through his butler uniform with only his upper body visible as he caught his breath.

His physique wasn’t the only impressive thing about him. That became clear as soon as the butler straightened his posture after regulating his heavy breathing.

Judging by his build, I had guessed he might be around my age.

But looking at his revealed face, I saw he was younger than me—someone at the boundary between boyhood and youth, who had just shed the traces of adolescence. His appearance was remarkable.

If Fafnir were still cohabiting my consciousness, he would have immediately commented on how handsome this man was.

While my impressions of the young butler continued, the child’s reaction to seeing someone looking for her was quite dramatic.

“Altair oppa!!”

She stopped crying and happily called the butler’s name with the title “oppa,” breaking away from Shizu and rushing toward him.

…I’m less handsome than her father, yet she runs straight to her butler calling him “oppa.”

I felt a strange emotion swirling in my head that was difficult to put into words.

But I quickly shook my head and gathered my thoughts.

The child didn’t say it with any malice; she was simply expressing what she saw and felt. There was no reason to get upset or take it to heart.

Besides, if the person I care about appreciates my appearance, why should I care what others say?

With that thought settled, I focused my attention on the butler who was receiving the rapidly approaching child with open arms.

Not only were his footsteps composed even when hurrying and his appearance striking, but upon closer inspection, the sword at his waist suggested he was skilled in swordsmanship befitting his demeanor, prepared for emergencies.

My experience and discernment accumulated since before my regression told me this young man’s skills were extraordinary.

Considering his youthful appearance, he seemed to have achieved remarkable accomplishments.

I could tell without even seeing him draw and wield his sword.

Just from his bearing, he appeared to easily surpass the level of an average knight of the Imperial Knights. I wondered where he was from.

It was difficult to guess based on his name alone.

Did that little girl call him Altair? It wasn’t a common name in the central continent, including this region.

The naming convention of using star names wasn’t fashionable among the empire’s nobility.

At any rate, he clearly wasn’t from the central continent, so perhaps he was from the southern continent?

While I had many questions about this impressive butler’s identity as I observed him more carefully,

That wasn’t important right now.

“Phew…”

A sigh of relief naturally escaped me when I saw the little girl delighted at seeing her guardian. There was no time to waste on unnecessary thoughts about someone else’s name.

It came partly from knowing I wouldn’t have to hear any more of that child’s crying that had stopped us in our tracks,

And partly from the relief of seeing the child’s devastated expression transform into a bright smile.

If I, a third party, felt this much relief, how much more must they be feeling?

Just looking at Altair’s relieved smile as he watched Flora squirming in his arms—the butler she had called by name—I could imagine the magnitude of relief he was experiencing.

Seeing them like this, it was clear they had a master-servant relationship built on tremendous mutual trust, regardless of age.

“Goodness, this is why I told you not to wander too far.”

“Sorry… the sand looked so fine…”

“Young miss, your quick feet remain the same whether in Palatium or outside.”

“Hmph… Can’t you compliment me on something else?”

“You should be grateful I’m not telling your master—I mean, your father and mother—about how you snuck out today and got lost, crying your eyes out.”

“…I hate you, oppa.”

“Using ‘oppa’ only when you’re in trouble to try and get your way won’t work anymore.”

“Hmph…”

Moreover, seeing how he firmly but tactfully pointed out his young miss’s mistakes without hurting her feelings,

Beyond the relief of finding his young miss, he seemed to be an excellent butler who possessed the loyalty to offer candid advice and correct his charge’s behavior when necessary.

“Still, I’m truly relieved to have found you like this. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“…No.”

“Well, as long as the young miss is safe, that’s all that matters.”

Seeing how he knew how to soothe his master’s feelings even after scolding her, wouldn’t it be fair to call him a perfect butler?

As I organized my thoughts while watching these two people sharing their reunion and chatting,

I turned my head, curious about Shizu’s reaction.

“…”

Though she wasn’t saying anything,

I could see her lips quivering with satisfaction as she watched the child who had stopped crying and was smiling brightly upon finding the person looking for her.

She seemed even more pleased with the situation than I was.

“Thanks to that big sister, I stayed right here instead of wandering further away…”

Hearing Flora explain to the person who had been searching for her that she hadn’t gone anywhere stranger thanks to someone else,

“…Hehe.”

Seeing Shizu’s lips curl into an even softer smile, there was no room for doubt.

By the way, that child seemed quite perceptive for her age, separate from her crying over not finding her parents.

Ah, right, that’s why she gave that honest assessment that I was less handsome than her father…

Hmm, I should stop that train of thought here.

Anyway, perhaps sensing something from what the child called Flora was saying,

“Ah…”

After letting out a light sigh, realizing he had been focusing only on his young miss,

Altair straightened up from bending down to match the eye level of the girl he called young miss and approached where Shizu and I were standing.

“Thank you so much for looking after our young miss when she was lost and wandering.”

He expressed his gratitude to us with proper formality and courtesy in both movement and speech.

He wasn’t arrogant, nor did he seem servile—his manner of expressing gratitude was impeccably polite.

They appeared to be from a prestigious household, but I wondered who they were exactly.

Well, now wasn’t the time to investigate someone else’s family registry, but rather to show humility in response to his expression of gratitude.

“It was only natural.”

“Anyone would have done the same as I did upon seeing a lost child crying. It was nothing special.”

Shizu and I expressed appropriate humility to Altair who had thanked us, without either of us taking the lead.

The child may have taken some of our time, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

Even though the crying child had blocked our path, it wasn’t as if we were heading somewhere urgent.

And while her crying was loud, it wasn’t particularly grating to the ears.

Anyone would have stopped in their tracks to care for a child crying after getting lost in a travel destination like this.

Come to think of it, it was the same on that stormy day.

When I heard the crying of a little girl wandering outside in tears because of me, I went looking for her then too.

I guess I can’t ignore someone crying and just walk past.

As I realized this and felt a strange sense of déjà vu filling my heart, just as a smile was about to form,

“Mister…”

I could see Flora approaching me with a hesitant voice, following Altair who had expressed gratitude to us.

Mister, mister…

She called Shizu “big sister” but referred to me, who’s the same age, as “mister.”

…Do I really look that old?

While I tend to give off an intimidating impression to others, I pride myself on having softened considerably these days.

It seems that to children, I still appear older than my actual age.

What can I do? Facts are facts, so I should just accept it quietly.

As I tried not to show any change in expression or reaction to the child’s words,

“I’m really sorry for saying you were less handsome earlier…”

Seeing her apologize with an extremely apologetic expression while even bowing her head, I had even less reason to react.

I couldn’t help feeling the child’s pure, untainted sincerity pierce deep into my heart, but it was bearable.

The problem was…

“Kuh…hmph!”

I couldn’t help feeling dejected when I heard Shizu struggling to suppress her laughter after hearing the child’s innocent words.

…When we get back, I should probably practice making my expression gentler while looking in the mirror.