Chapter Index

    “Grandfatherr—!!”

    “Oh my, my grandson!”

    A small boy ran towards the Earl Verga and threw himself into his arms. The Earl’s face, which had been grim just moments ago, instantly brightened.

    “Were you well-behaved, Tommy?”

    “Yes! I studied with my teachers!”

    “Good boy~ Since you studied hard, shall we play with your uncles this afternoon?”

    “Yes, I’d love to!”

    Until right before opening the mansion’s front door, the Earl had been gossiping about Count Hansen. His conversational partner had been the butler. Even though he was, nominally, a nobleman, the way he hurled insults, interspersing them with curses, felt incredibly brutal.

    Now, he’s bouncing his grandson in his arms, laughing radiantly. He’s cooing at the child, his voice muffled as if he’d had half his tongue cut out. The sight made me want to vomit.

    “Grandfather has a little bit of work left, so I’ll come back around dinner time~ Be good and listen to your uncles, okay?”

    “Yes!”

    Tommy’s tutors withdrew, and his play attendants appeared. They took the child’s hands and led him out to the garden.

    Swish—

    I shifted my hiding place from Earl Verga’s shadow to Tommy’s. There might be magical detection tools inside the mansion. Following him all the way to the Earl’s study was unnecessary and dangerous.

    There’s another reason. Tommy’s condition. Behind it all is Earl Verga, who commits crimes like human trafficking. He might have already started his early education. Young children, especially, haven’t yet formed firm values, making them easy to corrupt.

    I also want to observe the servants. Even if they’re just nannies, servants usually have a kind of network. I can get a feel for the overall atmosphere of Earl Verga’s territory.

    ‘Until now, I’ve only investigated what he’s been trying to hide. Maybe I’ll find something in plain sight.’

    Even with the evidence I’ve gathered, I could arrest him right now. However, eyes and ears are everywhere, and unnecessary information could leak. Such as the fact that I infiltrated the First Prince’s faction meeting.

    If I act aggressively, he’ll do anything to survive. So this time I need to reveal myself very slowly. If he finds out I came to the mansion alone, perhaps he’ll try to capture me.

    There’s a saying, isn’t there? When catching a fast herbivore, it’s important to pounce instantly. But when catching a carnivore that knows how to bite and fight back, setting a trap is quite efficient.

    ‘Well, I just made that up.’

    . . .

    “Yaaah—!!”

    “Kwaaah~ I’m sorry, Master Tommy!!”

    “Surrender, surrender!”

    The servants’ enthusiastic rolling around on the garden’s dirt was rather funny. Every time Tommy swings his wooden sword, they fly through the air with exaggerated movements. How long have they been practicing this? Every movement, from spinning to landing, is perfect. They’re like stuntmen.

    Thanks to them, waiting in the shadows wasn’t so boring. It was even a little fun. It brought back some old memories. At his age, I wasn’t wielding a wooden sword, but a real sword, practicing my swordsmanship.

    Eventually, it was the servants who got tired first. Perhaps bored of winning, Tommy moved on. An inexhaustible energizer, he began to run around the garden.

    Timing it perfectly, I hid in the shade of a tree in the garden. It was the moment the servants, now some distance from Tommy, were enjoying a short rest.

    “Master Tommy doesn’t even seem tired…”

    “You fool, you have no idea. That level is incredibly calm.”

    “Hyung said you’re a father of twins, right?”

    “Right. If you think there are two Master Tommys, you’re mistaken. When those kids run in opposite directions, I don’t know which one to chase!”

    More significant information didn’t come up, but I did learn one thing. My concerns about the heinous noble’s early criminal education were unfounded. At least Tommy seemed to be growing up unaware of Earl Verga’s shadow.

    Come to think of it, looking at him, it’s certain he’s completely unaffected by it. The innocent look of a pure child. That’s exactly how I was before I shut myself in my room. The days when I didn’t know anything scary about the world, living only for today.

    “Wow, the shadow’s moving!”

    “Shit- You scared me.”

    “Wow, the shadow’s talking!”

    I almost swore out of surprise. I subtly raised my head, and Tommy was staring intently. He hadn’t seen me in the shadow. With the unique perceptive ability of a child, he’d noticed the ‘shadow.’

    “Kid, go play. Don’t bother hyung.”

    “Your voice is a woman’s, but why ‘hyung’?”

    “It’s just how things are. An adult’s life is hard.”

    “That’s cool…! I want to be an adult too!”

    I’m in a bit of trouble. Because Tommy’s curiosity is in full swing, he’s showering me with attention. The commotion brought the resting servants over.

    “Tommy, listen to hyung. Turn around and close your eyes.”

    “Yes, hyung!”

    While he turned away, I quickly subdued the servants. It wasn’t difficult. They were ordinary people without much martial arts or magic training. I sat them down leaning against each other in the nearby shade, before returning.

    “Will you keep playing with hyung?”

    “Yes! I’ve never seen a talking shadow, even in books.”

    “Let’s see… what kind of shadow games are there. That’s right.”

    There’s a game which used to play every night when I was little. I took his hand, shaped it, and made a dog’s head.

    “It’s a puppy!”

    “Now, try imitating me. Put your palms together like this, and wrap one hand around the other.”

    “Like this?”

    He was a smart kid. He might not understand ten things if you only teach him one, but he would perfectly execute the one thing you taught him. It was like looking at the young Yuri.

    I spent time playing shadow puppets with Tommy, and soon the sun set.

    . . .

    “Were you well-behaved, Tommy?”

    “Yes, Grandfather!”

    “But where did you leave your uncles…?”

    “I wasn’t alone!”

    Tommy proudly points to the ground. It was me, merged with the ground as a shadow.

    “I played with a talking shadow hyung.”

    “A talking… shadow…?”

    I writhed my entire body, asserting my presence. Earl Verga’s eyes widened—an expression of disbelief. It’s understandable; shadows don’t usually talk or move at will.

    I emerged from the shadow revealing myself.

    “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Earl Verga. We haven’t met before, have we?”

    “…!!”

    The Earl’s face turned to horror, but he froze in place, unable to react. The dark shadow emanating from my body was also enveloping Tommy.

    “Well then, you are…”

    “My apologies for the late introduction. I am Narita Floraine Nifrantz, the Fifth Princess of the Nifrantz Kingdom.”

    “Fifth Princess…!!”

    Before he could react and move, I put my arm around Tommy’s shoulder. Tommy, seeing my true form, smiled radiantly. A child’s curiosity knows no bounds. Though the clothes I wore now were not revealing, they fit my body snugly, so the outline was fairly visible.

    “Hyung! No, is it Noona?!”

    “Call me hyung. Because I don’t want to look like a woman to a boy.”

    “Is that also part of adult life?”

    “You have a good point. Tommy, you’re so clever.”

    I ruffled the intelligent boy’s head. While Tommy closed his eyes contentedly, Earl Verga’s expression twisted into a nice display of displeasure. He was now firmly held hostage.

    “The mansion seems very cheerful.”

    “…Why have you come here?”

    “You know best, don’t you?”

    “I don’t understand what you mean. Did you come alone?”

    I chuckled. Earl Verga seems to think I won’t play tricks on Tommy. Well, he’s not wrong. I don’t particularly want to harm this kid.

    He was quickly assessing the situation, using his rich experience in crisis management. His ability to respond to surprises was outstanding.

    “Yes, alone.”

    “No, Hyung isn’t alone! I’m here too.”

    “Our clever Tommy, should we let you step aside for a bit? Adults are talking.”

    “Hiing… Yes…”

    I patted Tommy’s back. The servants, having regained their senses, rushed over, and Tommy ran towards them. Earl Verga gave a silent order with his eyes. As the servants and Tommy entered the mansion, numerous soldiers poured into the garden.

    Perhaps they were suspicious that I released the hostage so easily. Earl Verga hid among the soldiers, wary of me. Relieved that Tommy was safe, but still tense.

    “You seem very fond of Tommy. You raised a good child. Intelligent… and a fast learner.”

    “What are you trying to say?”

    “Just in case. He’s so quick to learn that what you’re doing might also rub off on him.”

    “I can’t understand.”

    He’s trying to act calm, but it is clear to me. Earl Verga and the many soldiers. Their souls, stiff with tension, are showing their anxiety. Their emotions are palpable.

    “Don’t you feel a bit guilty when you look at Tommy? Among the slaves you bring in, there have to be plenty of children around his age.”

    “Don’t spout nonsense. What’s your reason for showing up here unannounced?”

    “…Do you think I’m easy? Would you respond like this to my brother, whom you directly serve?”

    “I do not serve royalty. And, isn’t this a perfectly polite response?”

    Clang—Clatter—

    The soldiers surrounded me. The sound of iron armor resounded loudly. The sharp spear points shone with a lethal sharpness, as if they’d been honed just moments ago. It looks like they could easily rip the skin of an ordinary person.

    “I’ll ask again. Why are you here, Princess Narita?”

    “Ho… So you’re going to act this way? Any other reason? Earl Verga, and your underlings in this territory. You will be arrested for violating the law––human trafficking, drug smuggling, and various other crimes.”

    “You just keep rambling nonsense. I just checked. There’s no sign of your knights or any other faction moving. You’re alone, just as you claim. Confident?”

    “Confident…?”

    I glanced around. Dozens of soldiers, and several well-trained knights. Among them, less than half can use magic. The aura felt similar to our 1-A squad.

    “Are we really going to do this?”

    I barely managed to suppress the upward curve of my lips.

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