Chapter 8

Dad exchanged a few words with the visiting warrior, then headed to the workshop to show him the sword he had crafted.

“Is that your sword? It’s cool.”

While Dad was momentarily away, the warrior started talking to me.

I held Ex tightly in my arms, eyeing the warrior warily as I nodded.

“Yes, it’s mine.”

“Very nice. You’ve received a fine gift.”

Thankfully, the warrior, unlike others who had come before, didn’t seem greedy for Ex.

Only then did I begin to lower my guard and think about putting Ex down.

But then—
Wait.

‘Hold on.’

This kindness… this gentleness… Something’s off.

‘Could he be the main character?!’

In novels, the protagonist is always kind and gentle—even to background characters. That’s like, a rule.

Most warriors, since they fight with swords, tend to have rough personalities. But this guy was gentle and kind to me? Highly suspicious.

‘If he really is the protagonist…’

‘Please make me 14 swords. Haha.’

‘Of course, I’ll make them for you. Easy. Haha.’

And then—splat.
That’s how it always goes! My eyes widened as I quickly grabbed Excalibur again.

Sensing something ominous, Ex buzzed in my hands.

[You, again!!]

‘Just once, okay? Just once.’

If this guy is the protagonist, I need to chase him out before he can commission Dad for fourteen swords!

I ignored the whining Ex and smiled brightly at the warrior.

“I’ll cut you a slice of apple pie~!”

“That would be great. You’re a smart, capable little one.”

See? See?!

Kind and gentle? He’s definitely a main or at least a supporting character. I was convinced.

I grabbed the apple pie and placed it firmly on the table.

The warrior blinked at the sudden appearance of dessert.

“…Are you going to cut it here?”

“Yes!”

“…With that sword?”

“Of course~.”

I had to show him—demonstrate something.

I raised Ex and swung down as if to strike the apple pie with full force.

But then—

“Huh?”

Slip—

Instead of bouncing off, the sword sliced cleanly through the pie in a single smooth motion, not even a crumb flying.

“…”

“…”

A heavy silence filled the room as a cold sweat trickled down my back.

This… this wasn’t supposed to happen?!

I blinked at the cleanly halved pie.

According to the original plan, the sword was supposed to be so dull it couldn’t even cut a soft apple pie—proving it was a poor blade and drawing attention to the real star: my dad, “Neil Royce,” the master blacksmith.

“…Haha. The sword sure is… sharp.”

Forget sabotage. That was a perfect marketing pitch.

The warrior looked confused, glancing between me and the pie, then slowly gave a round of awkward applause.

Clap clap clap.

Um, sir? You didn’t need to clap…

Just then, the door opened, and Dad walked in looking a bit messy.

“Ah, sorry for the delay.”

“No, not at all. It’s fine. Haha.”

Dad took the warrior back to the workshop.

As soon as they left, I shoved the halved pie aside and gripped the sword handle tightly.

“Hey, Ex!”

[Do not call this noble being so flippantly.]

“You—you did that on purpose, didn’t you?!”

I shook Excalibur in frustration.

No matter how I looked at it, he was the only possible culprit.

‘There’s no way I sliced it by accident!’

I’ve been sabotaging business for a whole year now! I’m practically a genius at perfectly adjusting distance and angle to make something look dull!

The sword buzzed with light and vibration.

[Yes, it was me. I simply could not stand by as you tarnished my honor! Haha, it was quite satisfying!]

“You little—!”

[Do you know how it pained me, watching you sit on filthy market floors, dragging down my dignity with every breath?!]

“Ugh, I’m so done with this ego sword. I’m asking Dad for a different one.”

[W-What?! What did you just say, you brat?! An ego sword is a sacred blade only for the chosen few…]

“Yeah, yeah, I’m not chosen. I just need a sword that doesn’t go slicing apple pies on its own~.”

I stuck my tongue out at Ex’s blade, then shoved him into his sheath and tossed him onto the sofa.

[Hey! Hey! Where are you going, brat?!]

“To Dad!”

You rude little sword can stay right there.

I, Eve, am out.

I huffed, turned my head, and walked quickly away. I could still hear Ex grumbling behind me, but I didn’t care.

I had to check Dad’s workshop.

If that man really was the protagonist, I had to stop him before he asked for 14 swords!

‘He really seemed like the main character…’

Being kind to a nobody like me? Definitely suspicious. I had to stop this!

But then—

Clack—

Just as I reached for the workshop door handle, the door suddenly opened.

“Eve? What are you doing here, sweetie?”

There stood Dad and the warrior, both looking satisfied.

I fidgeted with my hands and looked up at them.

“Uh, I just wanted to help you with your work, Dad…”

Wait—what’s that in his hands?

Please don’t be a commission for 14 swords!

I glanced at the warrior’s hands nervously.

Thankfully, it wasn’t a contract for 14 swords.

“Alright, sweetie. Say goodbye to the guest.”

“Take care.”

“Goodbye, sir!”

I put my hands over my belly and gave a deep, polite bow, keeping up my image as a well-mannered child.

The warrior patted my head kindly and left our house.

And in his hand was…

A bow?

He looked like someone who would swing a sword the size of his body… but he was actually an archer?

I stared after him as he walked away, then realized he was carrying something else.

I tugged at Dad’s sleeve.

“Daaaad!!”

“Whoa, you’re gonna pop my eardrums, kiddo.”

“Dad, that guest—did he only buy a bow?”

“That guy? Oh, a bow and… two kitchen knives.”

“…Two kitchen knives?”

“Yeah. Said he was inspired by the way you cut that apple pie.”

“…I see.”

Yeah. Kitchen knives.

I watched the warrior’s figure grow smaller with a bittersweet expression.

‘So he wasn’t the protagonist—just someone who needed a bow…’

And thanks to my performance, he impulse-bought some kitchen knives too…

‘Sir, I hope you use those knives well.’

I rubbed under my nose and stood there watching until the kind warrior disappeared from view.

The Next Morning

We stood gaping at the massive carriage parked right outside our house, surrounded by knights.

‘What… am I looking at right now?’

I blinked groggily, rubbing my eyes.

Was I still sleepy? Did I see that wrong?

I leapt out of bed and rushed to the bathroom to splash my face with cold water.

Dad, who had also been staring blankly from the window, followed me in and did the same.

After drying off with a fluffy towel, we rushed back to the window and stared outside, mouths wide open.

“Dad… Am I seeing this right?”