IBSGAD 12

Episode 12:  Just What the Heck *Is* That Guy?

Sir Rotia, thankfully, decided against clinging to the wall after I stopped him.
Instead, he carefully asked:

“May I request permission for *close-range escort*?”

“Close-range escort?”

Weren’t we *already* doing close-range escort?
I widened my eyes at him, and he continued, realizing he needed to explain more.

“To prevent incidents like intruders entering your room again… I will stand guard *inside* your room and protect you.”

“Oh…”

I froze.
That would make sneaking out harder.
If it were someone else, maybe I’d manage—but *he* had a magic eye. Whether I used invisibility or flight magic, he’d see the mana. Thankfully, he doesn’t seem to notice the mana circulating around my heart, but still…

“If it’s uncomfortable, I will request another knight.”

“No, it’s fine.”

I waved my hand. Having Sir Rotia was better.
He even said he’d help me sneak out next time.
Whether it’s him or some other knight, I wouldn’t be able to sneak out anyway—so I’d rather pick the one who’s willing to be my accomplice.

The problem was…

“Hmm.”

I looked up at him.
A while ago, I might’ve assumed the Duke of Eiter placed a watchdog right next to me.
But now, I didn’t feel that resistance.

Maybe it’s because… for the first time in forever, someone treated me like a person. Warmly.

*“Don’t stay too long.”*

That was what the Duke had said.
But neither he, nor Rotia, nor Azelta, nor Delpiro ever showed deceit toward me.

Of course, Reitan—who betrayed me in my previous life—had also acted loyal at first.
Until he shoved me into lava because he wanted the title *‘Dragonslayer.’*

“…”

My heart—which had started softening—froze again.
Right. Reitan had also acted kind in the beginning.
But thinking back, he always had a strangely greedy air about him. I just didn’t notice it.

But the look Rotia gave me, with those transparent magic eyes as he waited for my reply, held none of that.
Nor did the others. Especially the Duke.

In a world that banned magic, what benefit was there in taking me in?
He reached out to me first. Sincerely.

Thinking that eased me a little.

I smiled brightly.

“Stay with me, Sir Rotia.”

Rotia, who had knelt to meet my eye level, blinked slightly when I said his name.
—Tap.
I placed my hand on his knee armor. It was polished smooth, but I could feel scratches beneath my palm—cold and worn.

“It has to be *you*, Sir Rotia. Okay?”

He opened his mouth a little, then nodded.

“…Understood.”

He stood up.
Wait—did he just smile?

“Sir Rotia, did you just smile?”

He turned to me with his usual expressionless face.

“……?”

He totally smiled. His lips definitely twitched up.
I glanced at Azelta, who only shrugged and grinned.

“…Maybe not?”

I tilted my head.

—

Adults have too many responsibilities.
In my past life, I envied kids.
But now that I *am* a child, living as one is hard.

*—Beep. Beep!*

The adorable squirrel slippers I wear squeak with every step.
Fine, that’s unavoidable.

*—Beep, beep, beep, beep!*

But my stride is too small.
Walking around the mansion itself is exhausting.
Still, I have a reason to waddle around in these tiny steps.

“…Cassian?”

To ask about *that guy.*
Seriously, what is he?

The maid, Mare, widened her eyes at my sudden question.
She was cleaning the hallway windows on the second floor.
She lowered her cleaning cloth and frowned—only to smooth her expression again when she remembered who she was talking to.

“That man was exiled from Eiter long ago. He shouldn’t even be allowed inside, but it seems he forced his way in.”

She shuddered.

“I heard you ran into him yesterday? If you see him again, please avoid him.”

She whispered,

“He’s a very unpleasant man.”

“He is. Very unpleasant.”

I folded my arms and nodded vigorously.
Mare stared at me, then suddenly blushed.

“……?”

I looked up at her.

“What? Do you like Cassian or something?”

“Wha—No! Absolutely not!”

She practically jumped.
Then why blush while talking about him?
She finally confessed under my suspicious stare.

“You’re just… too cute.”

“…H-huh?”

Out of nowhere??
Better than her confessing she likes Cassian, I guess.
No one’s ever called me cute before, so I instinctively stepped back.

“I’m… cute?”

“Yes.”

Azelta nodded emphatically beside her.

“We never imagined such an angelic child would enter this mansion.”

Mare smiled brightly.

“Especially since children rarely come here. Not since Azelta’s younger sister entered—oh.”

She clapped a hand over her mouth.
With the same hand she’d been holding the dirty cloth with.

Azelta watched her quietly.

“…Azelta’s sister?”

I wanted to ask, but the mood wasn’t right.
Azelta’s expression had frozen for a moment.

“Let’s go.”

If I were a real five-year-old, maybe I’d pry, but I’m not.

“Yes.”

Azelta’s expression had already brightened again.

*—Beep, beep, beep, beep!*

We continued down the hall, and soon encountered a knight in the foyer.
As I marched forward with Azelta and Rotia in tow, the knight looked panicked.

“H-Hello!”

He stiffened, clearly not used to children.
They weren’t kidding: no one here knows how to handle kids.

“I am Senior Knight Henas of the Eiter Knight Order!”

He blurted out his full introduction without being asked.

“Henas,” I poked his side.

He stumbled back like my tiny poke was enough to break his ribs.

“Yes, my lady!”

He shouted loudly enough to burst my eardrums.

“Ahh—!”

I covered my ears.
He gasped and clamped his hands over his own mouth.

“S-Sorry, my lady…”

Now his voice was too tiny. No in-between.

“It’s fine.”

I tapped my ear a few times.

“Henas, what does Cassian do—”

WAIT.
Not *what does he do.*

“…Is he human?”

I barely corrected myself.
At the mention of the name, Henas scowled.

“He’s a disturbing man. Strange things always happen around him.”

He continued.

“Mist rolls in wherever he goes. And the strange creatures within the Misty Sea react to him. Some harmless seaweed dried up after he walked past—it’s not even the worst example.”

“Seaweed?”

Mist. Seaweed.
The seaweed here must hold mana, just like the mist.

And the mana I felt from him that night…

Could Cassian be an actual magician?

“I’m telling you—he’s ominous. I’ll make sure he never gets close to you.”

You’re not going to climb the windows too, right?
I nodded and turned away—and remembered Cassian sitting on the *fourth-floor window ledge.*

I turned back.

“Is Cassian athletic or something?”

Rotia and Azelta looked confused, and Henas scratched his head.

“He was sitting on my window yesterday. Did he just… hop up?”

Henas replied,

“He was always very light on his feet since childhood—”

“Indeed.”

A different voice cut in.

Henas snapped to attention.

“I greet Your Grace!”

The Duke of Eiter?

I turned.
Sun-bright blonde hair. Cool blue eyes fixed on me.

“I heard the report about last night.”

He narrowed his eyes.

“…I told you to stay alert during escort.”

He was speaking to Rotia.
—Clack!
Rotia dropped to one knee instantly, like he was ready to receive punishment.

No way!
He’s my precious accomplice!

I jumped in front of him, spreading my arms.

“Rotia worked hard!”

The Duke looked at me. His lips pressed into a thin line.

“He came in through the *window*. Rotia isn’t at fault!”

Rotia *did* miss the intruder, but still—
I wasn’t giving him up. He promised to help me sneak out!

“…I wasn’t planning to punish him. If that’s what you want.”

The Duke finally spoke.

I relaxed my arms.

“But be more cautious from now on.”

Rotia bowed deeply.
It ended with just a warning.

Still…
Cassian scaled the window *silently*—
And he’s supposedly light because of his childhood?

I glanced at the mist outside the windows.
Soon, the Mist would swallow the mansion.
When the whole world turns foggy, moving around becomes difficult—*unless you use mana.*

If Cassian grew up here and moved easily…
Does that mean he was using mana?

While I was thinking—

“That man bothers you.”

The Duke spoke quietly.
I looked up.
Though he shared a similar face to Cassian, the aura was completely different.
Cassian was like a shadow—deceptive and murky.
This man felt… bright.

I nodded.

“Yes.”

He slowly reached his hand toward me.

“…?”

I hesitated.
He froze for a moment—then, when I didn’t pull away, his hand gently settled on my head.

Warmth.

“You endured well.”

Endured—what?
He rubbed my head with his thumb.

“The Duke… what about you?”

He withdrew his hand.

“He bothers me as well.”

His gaze sharpened.

“I don’t enjoy meeting him.”

Then I suddenly thought—
Maybe I *should* have let Cassian fall to his death yesterday.

The Duke looked at me.

“But thanks to him, one thing was good.”

He knelt to meet my eyes.

“…?”

He looked strangely serious.

“Yesterday… you protected me.”

I did?

I stared.
Azelta bowed with a hand on her chest.
Traitor!

I puffed my cheeks and peeked up at him.
He placed his hand on my head again.

“I’m glad to finally have someone on my side.”

My eyes widened.

*“When I turned twelve, I stopped expecting allies.
The day I was locked in the shell house because of my brother.”*

His present words overlapped those he had spoken in that memory.

“From now on, I’ll protect you.
Don’t do anything dangerous.”

Just like Azelta said earlier.
But coming directly from him… it felt like a vow.

“Sir Rotia!”

Another knight rushed over.

“There is an urgent message from the Deas estate.”

Rotia’s face hardened.
Emotionless like stone—yet now shaken.

“…Your Grace.”

The Duke gestured.

“Go.”

Rotia looked at me.

“May I take my leave, my lady?”

Wasn’t the Duke’s permission enough? I nodded.

“Go ahead.”

“On the first day of close escort, I am ashamed.”

Urgent matters first! I waved my hands.

“Go, hurry!”

He finally ran off.

“What happened…?”

Deas estate—that’s Rotia’s home.
Did a monster appear?

The Duke spoke.

“Place the stones around the Deas estate. Immediately.”

“Yes, sir!”

Stones?
Punishment? Was Rotia being punished?

“No. Those stones temporarily drive away the Mist.”

“Oh…”

His face had looked cold, but it wasn’t punishment.
Stones that disperse mana-mist?
I really needed to study everything here.

Maybe Rotia would teach me.

But… why was he so frantic?

“You’re worried.”

He suddenly asked.

I nodded.

“Yes.”

How could I not worry when the man who seemed like a walking fortress suddenly sprinted away like lightning?

While I stared at my clenched little fist, the Duke added:

“He once survived the Misty Sea alone during the Monster Proliferation Era. He’ll be fine.”

“Oh…”

I wasn’t worried about his fighting skills, though…

Another knight approached.

“The troops you ordered to the Misty Sea—they…”

Whatever he whispered made the Duke’s face turn serious.

“…I’ll go immediately.”

He turned to me, regret flickering in his eyes.

“We’ll speak again next time.”

He walked away.

I watched his back.

In my previous life, I met countless adoptive parents, yet—

*He might be the first person who ever really tried to protect me.*

—