Chapter 48
Translator: Missme
Editor: Aru
I remembered the badge Caleb gave me.
I kept it in my pocket in case I needed it when I went out.
“So, why don’t you trust me this time and leave it to me?”
Mila hesitated and nodded cautiously.
* * * * *
I went to the psychiatrist before going to the guard station and asked him to look at Mila’s knee injury.
I couldn’t ignore it because the girl’s skirt’s knee was ripped so badly that the wound was visible.
The disinfectant must have stung a lot, but the girl handled it well without crying.
I was pleased with it myself, so I gave Mila the fruit juice I had purchased earlier.
I was full after only one juice and didn’t even touch the other one.
Mila paused for a moment before accepting my offer, but after drinking the juice, she smiled and said it was delicious.
‘It’s a good thing I bought two.’
After stroking Mila’s head, I took her small hand in mine and walked to the guards’ station.
The girl kept looking around and exclaiming, “Wow!” throughout the journey.
“Is this your first visit to the square?”
“No. I used to come here with my mother, father, and sister. But I think that a lot has changed since then.”
“I guess you haven’t been out in a while.”
“Because my sister was busy. Because there was no dispatch today, she said she could play with me because she was off-duty.”
Her sister must be old enough to bring up words like dispatch and off-duty.
“Do you have to only go out with your sister? Can’t you go out with your parents?”
“I can’t go out with my parents. When I was young, God called them to the heavenly kingdom.”
“He-heaven kingdom?”
“Yes! According to my sister, they will be able to return only after they have completed all of the tasks that God has assigned to them. But they couldn’t come until I was all grown up because they had so much work.”
Mila added as I flinched and shook.
I noticed one thing from the girl’s normal conversation.
Mila’s sister lied to her so she would not be surprised.
Otherwise, there was no way for her sister, who swore bitterly at the guards in front of her little sister, to fabricate a story about their parents’ death.
‘I’d better get going and find her.’
I hurried over to the guard station.
* * * * *
When I opened the guard station’s door and walked in, the first thing I saw was a guard squeaking in a chair.
Despite hearing me enter, he seemed unconcerned and bored.
Other members gave me a sidelong glance before continuing to play poker.
‘Is this really the guard station?’
I was taken aback by the unexpected sight.
At first, I thought I’d arrived in the wrong place, but the men’s uniforms were the guard’s uniforms.
I led Mila to the closest man.
“Excuse me.”
“Ah, why are you calling me… gasp!”
Only then did the man raise his head and look at me.
For a long time, the man who opened his eyes when he saw my face was spaced out.
What? What’s wrong with him?
When I tilted my head in confusion over an incomprehensible reaction, the man abruptly corrected his posture.
As if he were broken.
“Hmm! What brought you here, beautiful lady?”
“Because I found a lost child and want to find the child’s sister.”
“You came all the way here to look for a missing child! Your heart is as lovely as your face.”
“Thank you very much. What should I do to find this child’s sister?”
“Oh, you’re free to leave the girl here. Then, if her parents or relatives visited her…”
“… why don’t you send separate people to look for her sister?”
“It’s not a serious matter, is it?”
Is he asking now if this isn’t a serious matter?
While I was perplexed by the man’s response, he continued to say.
“And parents usually visit within a half-day period, so there’s no need to send people to look for them. There’s no manpower left.”
“Then who are those people?”
I cast a sidelong glance at the men playing poker behind the man.
I assumed that if I spoke openly about it, he would be aware of it, but it appeared that my words were useless.
“They’re just doing their job. They don’t have enough free time to devote to that type of work.”
“I see… They were doing their job.”
Playing poker is a duty, tsk tsk tsk, that’s not even funny.
Indeed, I felt like I knew why Mila’s older sister cursed that the guards were lazy bastards.
It was while I was measuring the time that I touched and took out the badge from my pocket.
The man raised his chin and inquired.
“Would you like us to send people to look for that child’s sister?”
“Indeed?”
“Well, if you want, Lady, I’ll find the child’s sister for you.”
“Didn’t you say you didn’t have enough manpower?”
“Unfortunately, we don’t have any.”
Do you want me to play with words?
The man raised his head stiffly when I crumpled my face in annoyance.
“Calm down. Don’t be so angry with your pretty face. We don’t have any manpower, but if you comply a little, Lady, we’re willing to accept it.”
“Cooperate? What exactly do you mean?”
“It isn’t difficult at all. Just give me some of your time when I leave work later in the evening.”
The man gave a sly smile.
A whistle suddenly came from somewhere in response to his words.
When I tracked down the source of the noise, I discovered it was coming from the men who were playing poker.
They had already put down the cards and were watching us before I knew it.
“…is it a dating request?”
“To be honest, yeah.”
He’s speaking informally.
When he changed his tone of voice, I felt terrible.
Of course, even when he spoke formally, I didn’t feel respected.
However, it was more unpleasant because he recognized me as someone with whom he could converse informally.
And he wasn’t the only one who irritated me.
The laughter of the man who giggled while watching from behind this man was also terrifying.
“To add to that, think of it as the cost of a meal. I am a gentleman, so I can pay for dinner in exchange for some time with a beautiful lady.”
He described himself as a gentleman!?
The men behind booed while I held back myself.
“Wow, you’re only paying for dinner? Shouldn’t you pay for the dessert given the Lady’s beauty?”
“That’s right, if I were you, I’d buy ten desserts! What do you think of me, pretty lady? I’ll give you a house if you live with me.”
“Don’t flirt with the Lady! I was the one who approached her first!”
Laughter erupted here and there in response to the man’s cries.
With cold eyes, I remembered the men’s faces one by one and then looked at the man who had first spoken to me.
“Can you tell me your name?”
“What’s the matter with my name?”
“I just want to know.”
Exclamations erupted all over the place in my response.
In response, the man tapped and spat out, a triumphant expression on his face.
“Ralph Logan.”
“You are Sir Ralph, then.”
“Right.”
“All right, Sir Ralph.”
I smiled wider than I had in a long time.
“Does that mark the end of your dog-spit bullshit?”
“Wh-what?”
“No, I feel bad for the dog saying you’re as stupid as a dog-spit. As the dogs don’t make sounds that don’t even work like this.”
“Did you just refer to me as a dog? Isn’t this a little bitch crazy?”
The man frowned and tried to get up.
Looking in the direction of his hand, I believe he is about to snatch my hand.
But it was faster for me to hit the table.
Bang!
As if startled by the noise, the man shook his shoulder.
“Call your Division Commander.”
“Division Commander? Hey, sigh. Can’t you see what’s going on right now? Do you think the Commander will come for a bitch like you? I kept listening to you because you’re beautiful, but now you don’t even…!”
“You’re the one who has no idea what’s going on.”
I let go of my hand, which was slamming into the table.
The gold badge engraved with the Royal Knights’ emblem shone in the light.
“Did you really believe this badge and make such a fuss about it? Let me look at what….”
The man who was holding the badge and laughing at me suddenly hardened his face.
Then he made an incredible face at me and opened his mouth.
“This… Is this from the Royal Knights…?”
“If you’re done figuring it out, then get your Commander here.”
Right now.
* * * * *
“P-please wait a moment!”
The man, who had been frozen for some time, said it and ran inside.
He’d changed his tone from informal to formal.
It wasn’t just the man named Logan Ralph that changed.
The men who were laughing behind him also organized the poker cards and offered Mila and me a seat.
They even brought tea and simple snacks.
We were able to sit comfortably on the sofa and wait for the Division Commander as a result of this.
Of course, the men around me were not at all at ease.
“By the way, eonni, does your hand hurt?”
“Huh? Hands?”
“Earlier, you hit your hand on the table.”
Mila took a look at my right hand.
Oh, she saw it.
Well, it would be strange if she didn’t see it.
Because I smacked it so hard.
I laughed, hiding the bruises on my palms caused by the badge.
“It hurts a little, but it’s all right.”
Mila fixed her gaze on my hand.
Then she extended both of her hands to me.
“Please give me your hand, eonni.”
Why is she asking for my hand?
Mila closed her eyes with both hands wrapped around my hands when I gently reached out.
Is it just my imagination, but why am I feeling warm?
I opened my mouth after a while, as soon as Mila opened her eyes again.
“Mila? What exactly did you do?”
“I made a prayer to God. It’s a secret, but it won’t hurt if I hold on to the hurt spot and pray to God. Now, eonni’s hand isn’t going to hurt either.”
Mila said this with a shy smile. When I saw that, it made my heart skip a beat.
Oh my goodness. I can’t believe such a harmless creature exists!
“Thank you very much, Mila.”
It was the time when I touched Mila’s hand that had been wrapped around mine in overwhelming emotion.
‘Huh? Wasn’t there a bruise here before?’
The bruises that had remained for a while were now completely gone. There was a blood bruise here as if a vein had burst.
As I rubbed my palm, I suddenly remembered what Mila said earlier.
She made a prayer to God.
‘Does Mila’s prayer have divine power?’
My eyes naturally turned to Mila.
The child, on the other hand, only tilted her head, as if she didn’t understand why I was staring at her.
Well, would it be better to pretend not to know?
It was back then.
The Division Commander and the first man I saw earlier appeared as the door inside the guard station opened.
It didn’t take long for the Division Commander to arrive.
“I heard someone is looking for me.”
“Greetings, Commander.”
“You are…”
The Division Commander’s eyes widened when I greeted him lightly.
“Are you the Lady who was with Lord Egon in the past?”
“Do you remember me?”
“There’s no way I could have forgotten about you, Lady! Do you come because you’re curious about the men who previously threatened you? Don’t be concerned about them. I was extra cautious and sent him to the infamous prison.”
In a confident tone, the Division Commander added.
“They’re probably not going to be able to put their feet in the capital until they die, Lady. You have my word on it.”
“Thank you for looking after me. However, I did not pay a visit today as a result of that.”
“May I then inquire as to your purpose for being here?”
“I came across a lost child on the street who told me she had lost her sister. So I’d like to help find her sister. Is it plausible?”
“It wasn’t even your sister, but the sister of a lost child. If you leave it to me, I’ll do everything I can to find her sister.”
“Are there any costs I must bear to cooperate or pay?”
“There isn’t, of course. I’m just doing what needs to be done.”
“Really? I reasoned that I should because one of the guards had asked me for a dinner date as a form of cooperation. That’s a relief.”
“One of my members asked you out on a date? Lady, do you remember who said that to you?”
“I remember, but I’m afraid I will…”
Despite my hesitating words, I looked at the spot of the man who had first disrespected me.
Interestingly, there was only one person in that direction.
Because of this, even if I didn’t tell him, the Division Commander appeared to have noticed who the man was disrespecting me.
The Division Commander who saw the man made a face as if he was saying, ‘that guy!’
On the contrary, the man who was previously disrespecting me turned pale.
“You don’t have to tell me if you’re uncomfortable mentioning his name. But I dare to say that this will not happen in the future.”
“Then I’ll just be grateful. First and foremost, I’d like to request that you find this child’s sister. And I just want to be with her until she finds her sister. Is that all right?”
“Of course, Lady, it’s fine. I’ll immediately release the manpower. Was there anything else that bothered you or was inconvenient?”
“There is nothing inconvenient, but I am curious about one thing.”
The Division Commander then looked at me with a curious expression, and I looked around at the men.
The men who caught my eye maintained their proper postures.
To the point where I mistook them for the people who had been playing poker before.
However, in contrast to their angular posture, their eyes were trembling a lot when they looked at me.
I couldn’t hear anything, but I felt like I was hearing their petition.
As if to say, “Please just let it slide.”
But what could I do…
“Does the guard’s duty include playing poker?”
… I don’t want to cut them some slack.
—————
Chapter 48
Translator: Missme
Editor: Aru
I remembered the badge Caleb gave me.
I kept it in my pocket in case I needed it when I went out.
“So, why don’t you trust me this time and leave it to me?”
Mila hesitated and nodded cautiously.
* * * * *
I went to the psychiatrist before going to the guard station and asked him to look at Mila’s knee injury.
I couldn’t ignore it because the girl’s skirt’s knee was ripped so badly that the wound was visible.
The disinfectant must have stung a lot, but the girl handled it well without crying.
I was pleased with it myself, so I gave Mila the fruit juice I had purchased earlier.
I was full after only one juice and didn’t even touch the other one.
Mila paused for a moment before accepting my offer, but after drinking the juice, she smiled and said it was delicious.
‘It’s a good thing I bought two.’
After stroking Mila’s head, I took her small hand in mine and walked to the guards’ station.
The girl kept looking around and exclaiming, “Wow!” throughout the journey.
“Is this your first visit to the square?”
“No. I used to come here with my mother, father, and sister. But I think that a lot has changed since then.”
“I guess you haven’t been out in a while.”
“Because my sister was busy. Because there was no dispatch today, she said she could play with me because she was off-duty.”
Her sister must be old enough to bring up words like dispatch and off-duty.
“Do you have to only go out with your sister? Can’t you go out with your parents?”
“I can’t go out with my parents. When I was young, God called them to the heavenly kingdom.”
“He-heaven kingdom?”
“Yes! According to my sister, they will be able to return only after they have completed all of the tasks that God has assigned to them. But they couldn’t come until I was all grown up because they had so much work.”
Mila added as I flinched and shook.
I noticed one thing from the girl’s normal conversation.
Mila’s sister lied to her so she would not be surprised.
Otherwise, there was no way for her sister, who swore bitterly at the guards in front of her little sister, to fabricate a story about their parents’ death.
‘I’d better get going and find her.’
I hurried over to the guard station.
* * * * *
When I opened the guard station’s door and walked in, the first thing I saw was a guard squeaking in a chair.
Despite hearing me enter, he seemed unconcerned and bored.
Other members gave me a sidelong glance before continuing to play poker.
‘Is this really the guard station?’
I was taken aback by the unexpected sight.
At first, I thought I’d arrived in the wrong place, but the men’s uniforms were the guard’s uniforms.
I led Mila to the closest man.
“Excuse me.”
“Ah, why are you calling me… gasp!”
Only then did the man raise his head and look at me.
For a long time, the man who opened his eyes when he saw my face was spaced out.
What? What’s wrong with him?
When I tilted my head in confusion over an incomprehensible reaction, the man abruptly corrected his posture.
As if he were broken.
“Hmm! What brought you here, beautiful lady?”
“Because I found a lost child and want to find the child’s sister.”
“You came all the way here to look for a missing child! Your heart is as lovely as your face.”
“Thank you very much. What should I do to find this child’s sister?”
“Oh, you’re free to leave the girl here. Then, if her parents or relatives visited her…”
“… why don’t you send separate people to look for her sister?”
“It’s not a serious matter, is it?”
Is he asking now if this isn’t a serious matter?
While I was perplexed by the man’s response, he continued to say.
“And parents usually visit within a half-day period, so there’s no need to send people to look for them. There’s no manpower left.”
“Then who are those people?”
I cast a sidelong glance at the men playing poker behind the man.
I assumed that if I spoke openly about it, he would be aware of it, but it appeared that my words were useless.
“They’re just doing their job. They don’t have enough free time to devote to that type of work.”
“I see… They were doing their job.”
Playing poker is a duty, tsk tsk tsk, that’s not even funny.
Indeed, I felt like I knew why Mila’s older sister cursed that the guards were lazy bastards.
It was while I was measuring the time that I touched and took out the badge from my pocket.
The man raised his chin and inquired.
“Would you like us to send people to look for that child’s sister?”
“Indeed?”
“Well, if you want, Lady, I’ll find the child’s sister for you.”
“Didn’t you say you didn’t have enough manpower?”
“Unfortunately, we don’t have any.”
Do you want me to play with words?
The man raised his head stiffly when I crumpled my face in annoyance.
“Calm down. Don’t be so angry with your pretty face. We don’t have any manpower, but if you comply a little, Lady, we’re willing to accept it.”
“Cooperate? What exactly do you mean?”
“It isn’t difficult at all. Just give me some of your time when I leave work later in the evening.”
The man gave a sly smile.
A whistle suddenly came from somewhere in response to his words.
When I tracked down the source of the noise, I discovered it was coming from the men who were playing poker.
They had already put down the cards and were watching us before I knew it.
“…is it a dating request?”
“To be honest, yeah.”
He’s speaking informally.
When he changed his tone of voice, I felt terrible.
Of course, even when he spoke formally, I didn’t feel respected.
However, it was more unpleasant because he recognized me as someone with whom he could converse informally.
And he wasn’t the only one who irritated me.
The laughter of the man who giggled while watching from behind this man was also terrifying.
“To add to that, think of it as the cost of a meal. I am a gentleman, so I can pay for dinner in exchange for some time with a beautiful lady.”
He described himself as a gentleman!?
The men behind booed while I held back myself.
“Wow, you’re only paying for dinner? Shouldn’t you pay for the dessert given the Lady’s beauty?”
“That’s right, if I were you, I’d buy ten desserts! What do you think of me, pretty lady? I’ll give you a house if you live with me.”
“Don’t flirt with the Lady! I was the one who approached her first!”
Laughter erupted here and there in response to the man’s cries.
With cold eyes, I remembered the men’s faces one by one and then looked at the man who had first spoken to me.
“Can you tell me your name?”
“What’s the matter with my name?”
“I just want to know.”
Exclamations erupted all over the place in my response.
In response, the man tapped and spat out, a triumphant expression on his face.
“Ralph Logan.”
“You are Sir Ralph, then.”
“Right.”
“All right, Sir Ralph.”
I smiled wider than I had in a long time.
“Does that mark the end of your dog-spit bullshit?”
“Wh-what?”
“No, I feel bad for the dog saying you’re as stupid as a dog-spit. As the dogs don’t make sounds that don’t even work like this.”
“Did you just refer to me as a dog? Isn’t this a little bitch crazy?”
The man frowned and tried to get up.
Looking in the direction of his hand, I believe he is about to snatch my hand.
But it was faster for me to hit the table.
Bang!
As if startled by the noise, the man shook his shoulder.
“Call your Division Commander.”
“Division Commander? Hey, sigh. Can’t you see what’s going on right now? Do you think the Commander will come for a bitch like you? I kept listening to you because you’re beautiful, but now you don’t even…!”
“You’re the one who has no idea what’s going on.”
I let go of my hand, which was slamming into the table.
The gold badge engraved with the Royal Knights’ emblem shone in the light.
“Did you really believe this badge and make such a fuss about it? Let me look at what….”
The man who was holding the badge and laughing at me suddenly hardened his face.
Then he made an incredible face at me and opened his mouth.
“This… Is this from the Royal Knights…?”
“If you’re done figuring it out, then get your Commander here.”
Right now.
* * * * *
“P-please wait a moment!”
The man, who had been frozen for some time, said it and ran inside.
He’d changed his tone from informal to formal.
It wasn’t just the man named Logan Ralph that changed.
The men who were laughing behind him also organized the poker cards and offered Mila and me a seat.
They even brought tea and simple snacks.
We were able to sit comfortably on the sofa and wait for the Division Commander as a result of this.
Of course, the men around me were not at all at ease.
“By the way, eonni, does your hand hurt?”
“Huh? Hands?”
“Earlier, you hit your hand on the table.”
Mila took a look at my right hand.
Oh, she saw it.
Well, it would be strange if she didn’t see it.
Because I smacked it so hard.
I laughed, hiding the bruises on my palms caused by the badge.
“It hurts a little, but it’s all right.”
Mila fixed her gaze on my hand.
Then she extended both of her hands to me.
“Please give me your hand, eonni.”
Why is she asking for my hand?
Mila closed her eyes with both hands wrapped around my hands when I gently reached out.
Is it just my imagination, but why am I feeling warm?
I opened my mouth after a while, as soon as Mila opened her eyes again.
“Mila? What exactly did you do?”
“I made a prayer to God. It’s a secret, but it won’t hurt if I hold on to the hurt spot and pray to God. Now, eonni’s hand isn’t going to hurt either.”
Mila said this with a shy smile. When I saw that, it made my heart skip a beat.
Oh my goodness. I can’t believe such a harmless creature exists!
“Thank you very much, Mila.”
It was the time when I touched Mila’s hand that had been wrapped around mine in overwhelming emotion.
‘Huh? Wasn’t there a bruise here before?’
The bruises that had remained for a while were now completely gone. There was a blood bruise here as if a vein had burst.
As I rubbed my palm, I suddenly remembered what Mila said earlier.
She made a prayer to God.
‘Does Mila’s prayer have divine power?’
My eyes naturally turned to Mila.
The child, on the other hand, only tilted her head, as if she didn’t understand why I was staring at her.
Well, would it be better to pretend not to know?
It was back then.
The Division Commander and the first man I saw earlier appeared as the door inside the guard station opened.
It didn’t take long for the Division Commander to arrive.
“I heard someone is looking for me.”
“Greetings, Commander.”
“You are…”
The Division Commander’s eyes widened when I greeted him lightly.
“Are you the Lady who was with Lord Egon in the past?”
“Do you remember me?”
“There’s no way I could have forgotten about you, Lady! Do you come because you’re curious about the men who previously threatened you? Don’t be concerned about them. I was extra cautious and sent him to the infamous prison.”
In a confident tone, the Division Commander added.
“They’re probably not going to be able to put their feet in the capital until they die, Lady. You have my word on it.”
“Thank you for looking after me. However, I did not pay a visit today as a result of that.”
“May I then inquire as to your purpose for being here?”
“I came across a lost child on the street who told me she had lost her sister. So I’d like to help find her sister. Is it plausible?”
“It wasn’t even your sister, but the sister of a lost child. If you leave it to me, I’ll do everything I can to find her sister.”
“Are there any costs I must bear to cooperate or pay?”
“There isn’t, of course. I’m just doing what needs to be done.”
“Really? I reasoned that I should because one of the guards had asked me for a dinner date as a form of cooperation. That’s a relief.”
“One of my members asked you out on a date? Lady, do you remember who said that to you?”
“I remember, but I’m afraid I will…”
Despite my hesitating words, I looked at the spot of the man who had first disrespected me.
Interestingly, there was only one person in that direction.
Because of this, even if I didn’t tell him, the Division Commander appeared to have noticed who the man was disrespecting me.
The Division Commander who saw the man made a face as if he was saying, ‘that guy!’
On the contrary, the man who was previously disrespecting me turned pale.
“You don’t have to tell me if you’re uncomfortable mentioning his name. But I dare to say that this will not happen in the future.”
“Then I’ll just be grateful. First and foremost, I’d like to request that you find this child’s sister. And I just want to be with her until she finds her sister. Is that all right?”
“Of course, Lady, it’s fine. I’ll immediately release the manpower. Was there anything else that bothered you or was inconvenient?”
“There is nothing inconvenient, but I am curious about one thing.”
The Division Commander then looked at me with a curious expression, and I looked around at the men.
The men who caught my eye maintained their proper postures.
To the point where I mistook them for the people who had been playing poker before.
However, in contrast to their angular posture, their eyes were trembling a lot when they looked at me.
I couldn’t hear anything, but I felt like I was hearing their petition.
As if to say, “Please just let it slide.”
But what could I do…
“Does the guard’s duty include playing poker?”
… I don’t want to cut them some slack.
—————
