The giant, no, Mosco one of the Daymond's Army, looked back.
"Is it true, or not"
"Oh, that..."
"Otherwise I'm leaving"
"No! right, that's right!"
Then Mosco increased his strength and pushed the One-eyed axe, makes it fly away.
The One-Eyed Man was biggest-man in his Mercenary Group, but he became a child in front of Mosco.
Han Jihyuk stared at him blankly.
Mosco clenched his fist and swung it.
"Young-Miss said. Get rid of those who bullying her friends"
"Wow, T-That's right...!"
"Stay there"
That day, Han Jihyuk understood what it felt like to be dust between rainstorm.
...
..
.
When the Sun rising, I goes to the main-hall.
Seeing the Castle is now in perfect condition.
'If you pay them well, they will re-born'
Maybe Michelan also re-taught the workers about good manners, I get formal greetings wherever I go.
I sat on the front-door stairs and waited for Mosco.
How long must I wait?
.
Mosco appeared walking from the west gate into the courtyard.
"Mosco"
"Oh? Young-Miss doesn't sleep?"
"I just woke up early. How is my friend?", I gave him a look asking how Han Jihyuk doing.
Mosco crouches down and made eye contact with me. Even though I had climbed three stairs, Mosco was as tall as me only after he crouched down. Mosco looked around and whispered.
"That scrawny...no, your friend is in the safest place now. He's a bit messy after being beaten"
"Thank you"
"..." Mosco's eyes widened
I ask, "What's wrong?"
And he began to laugh timidly, "Young-Miss always saying things I never heard"
"Thank you? You never heard of that?"
"Who will say 'thank you' to a slave? Even my parents never patted my head"
I looked at Mosco.
He just smiled with an indifferent expression.
I stroked his hair gently, "Mosco helped me"
"..."
"Thank you"
"..."
Mosco looks very embarrassed. But being pat on the head isn't bad. Because he remains quiet and accept my caresses for a long time.
When I stopped moving my hand, he grins and lift me up, "Let's go. That scrawny...no, I'll take you to your friend"
I sat on Mosco's shoulder.
Last night, I made two requests to Mosco.
1. I want him to save Han Jihyuk.
2. And if he finds him, please take him to the Castle.
"So where's my friend?"
"I left him in the safest place"
I nodded. And we go to where Mosco has left him...
'Which is safest place'
Where is that?
My pupils slowly shift to Mosco, "Mosco, is that..."
"Yes, the safest room in this Castle-!"
"..."
"-is the General's bedroom!"
Father looked at Han Jihyuk, who was tied by 2 ropes, with a confused look.
Enzo labeled Mosco as the strongest lance in the Western Army (Daymond's Army). Apart from Father, no one could beat Mosco in one-on-one combat. When I asked why he was still an ordinary Knight..
'Because he's stupid, no, because he's naive...'
.
Father stares at Han Jihyuk with his arms folded. Father's eyes were terrifying, that Han Jihyuk turned pale and his shoulders shaking.
'He will pass out at this rate'
First, I have to separate Han Jihyuk from Father, "That's Elliotte's friend!"
"Friend?"
"Yes! We met yesterday when picking cakes"
"You invited your friend to the Castle? At Dawn?"
"Friend said bad people chasing after him. So Elliotte brought him here to save him. Just ask Mosco"
"...", Father narrowed his eyes and looked at Han Jihyuk.
I tapped Han Jihyuk with my foot, worried that Father would doubt me.
"Yes? Oh yeah...that's right, we're friends"
"You, an adult, be friending my baby"
I replied quickly "Not an adult. he's a teenager"
Father and Mosco furrowed their brows. Han Jihyuk's appearance was like 20 years old man. He was 180cm tall, and he looked like a person who had already reached maturity. With pomade hair, white pants and pointy shoes...
Father stares at Han Jihyuk for a moment. Then sharping his gaze, "You tricked my daughter?"
"From any angle, there's no youthfulness!", Mosco shouted.
The blood disappeared from Han Jihyuk's face, as they wore expressions that would tear his mouth apart if he really do tricking me.
"I never trick her!"
That's right. He never told me his age. When I read the novel, it didn't say, 'How old is he?'
Han Jihyuk spoke with an expression on the verge of tears, "I'm 15..."
Father and Mosco stared at him in disbelief.
Because he was past his teens, the build is very tall, and dressed like an old man.
Truthfully, he is 15 years old. He has to look like an adult for swindling. So he use special technique to look as old as possible.
"That's a lie"
"How dare you"
As Mosco and Father spoke, Han Jihyuk took a deep breath, "If you let me go, I will show my ID"
Father beckoned at Mosco. Mosco immediately untied him, and Han Jihyuk rummaged through his jacket to pull out his ID
[JOY CARTER, 1203, Born in Plud County]
Father looked at the ID and frowned, then Mosco groaned, "Hey, seems like this person suffered a lot. To the point where he looks so old"
Han Jihyuk now had a relieved look on his face.
I climbed on Father's lap and said, "I wanna play with friend"
"..."
"Can I? just playing"
Father stares at Han Jihyuk then pull on the summoning string.
Not long after, Michelan arrive.
"May I help you, My Lord"
"Give him a bath and bring him to the greenhouse"
Han Jihyuk's appearance was messed up because brutally beaten by a mercenary.
Michelan immediately escorted Han Jihyuk.
...
..
.
THE GREENHOUSE
I was drinking warm milk until Han Jihyuk came. When the Milk reached the bottom of the glass, footsteps could be heard from the door. When I turned around, someone in neat clothes walked in.
Neat white shirt, black pants.
Slightly wet pink curly hair.
And Blue Eyes.
It was Han Jihyuk.
'Hoo...'
Just by letting down his bangs and changing his clothes, he became attractive person. Doesn't He deserve the Best-Real-Idol-Face award?
"I'm no longer a real man", when he said that, Han Jihyuk looked like he was about to cry. "Before, I drew a lot of beard dots and dark circles under the eyes to make me looks like an adult"
"Now it looks nicer"
"...I know", he sat down in front of me and crossed his knees. "I must make it that way. Do you know how hard it is to live as a poor-handsome-man? Women like to teases, sometimes men too...eww"
Of course Han Jihyuk was handsome.
'All Important Chara in a novels are like that'
He becomes that important character with an unusual setting
As I drained the last bit of milk through a straw, Han Jihyuk cleared his throat, "How did you know One-Eyed would come looking for me?"
"Written in Novel~"
"...why did you save me? If I lose all my money to the One-Eyed, I might come to you, for revenge's sake"
"You could be paralyzed from being beaten by One-Eyed"
"What?"
"It's hard for me to work alone, but I don't need a crippled person"
I said it casually, and Han Jihyuk's eyes widened.
He stared at me for a moment, his eyes shaking.
Immediately, he jumped up and banged on the table, "Do not seduce me!"
"Me?"
Am I not 3 years old? There is an 12 years gap between us. Does he lost his mind.
When I narrowed my eyes, Han Jihyuk shouted for no reason, "You guys are inhumane!"
"Hah?"
"I won't trust the nobles. How much I've suffered...no matter how much you've helped me, I won't believe you"
"...who's asking that?"
"Even if you're cute like a squirrel! Even if you have the charm of overturning unluckiness and save lives! I would never...!"
"..."
"Do you understand?"
I pondered for a moment.
Seems like he's not normal, should I work with him?...
'Let's just be patient'
The only person who can reveal my identity is Han Jihyuk, who is an immigrant from the same dimension. Even though he would be sent to see a psychiatrist the day he disclosed it to someone else...
I stares at Han Jihyuk who was still adamant on 'won't-believe-you!'
I says in a calm voice, "Jihyuk"
"...!"
"You've suffered all this time"
"Young-Miss...don't seduce me..."
"I know"
Han Jihyuk's eyes distorted. Then he clicks his tongue and turn his head the other way. If you look closely, the corners of his eyes became red.
'Yes, it must be very difficult for him'
I know Han Jihyuk's story well. Born as a son of a lumberer, who was also a drunkard, he works from a young age.
He managed to escape from his father grasp, but then used by other adults. Not paid properly, his self-esteem also been eroded...
He decided to be the one who hits. Determined to be the one who won't be hurt again and will fight back.
'In the original world, he was only 20 years old'
Hesitated for a moment, then he spoke in a low voice, "What must I do?"
"Go to the Auction House"
"Auction House?"
I smiles and nods my head.
...
..
.
A few days later, the Auction House.
Han Jihyuk frowns and look towards the podium. When the 'item' Elliotte wanted appear.
"This is the Brazier used in the Ancient Shrine. We'll start with 100,000 gold"
They boast it as something from ancient times and from a temple, but it is only a brazier. It has no special abilities.
There shouldn't be of any value. But whether he was the only one who thought so or not, the starting price was 100,000.
Considering other products usually start at 1 million, that's a such low-number.
'What if she tricked me?'
What if it was Elliotte who put a useless brazier in the auction house, and getting large sum of money by me winning over it?
Then his money will be stoeln, and what was left is a single brazier.
But there's no proof that it was a trickery. Anyway, I must win the bid.
'Does that make sense?'
The more he paid attention to her, the smarter the baby seems...
At that time, the bidders began to raise prices.
"150,000"
"200,000"
"230,000"
"One million!"
What?!
Han Jihyuk glance in surprise. A middle-aged noble who raised 1 million smiled triumphantly.
'That's Baron Baslin'
He was a famous-billionaire that had hobby collecting Ancient Artifacts.
1 million.
It's heavy enough if that item is sold at 500,000, 1 million will give him seizures!
'...Sh-t'
Han Jihyuk raises, "1.01 million!"
Baron Baslin's brows twitches at his shriek, "1.5 million"
Han Jihyuk's eyes widened and looked at the Baron
'Crazy. What kind of Brazier is that...!'
Biting his lips, he raises the price again, "1.51 million"
"2 million"
"2... 2.01 million!"
"3 million!"
Han Jihyuk and Baron Baslin's eyes collided sharply in the air
Baron Baslin frowned, he suddenly stood up and shouted, "3.82 MILLION-!"
The Baron, who had raised as much as 500 thousand to 1 million, asks for an ambiguous amount.
'That is the limit'
Han Jihyuk's lips twitched.
But he couldn't just ask for a higher price than that.
Spending over 3.82 million gold on one Ancient Brazier?
Scam after scam thos years, the money he had collected was 4 Million. He got it by going through a deadly crisis.
'It's not normal to burn that much money for one brazier...'
As he thought about it, Elliotte's voice came to mind.
"Jihyuk"
"..."
"You've suffered all this time"
'Ugh'
Slapping his face with both hands, he slowly raised the price, "3.85 million"
Han Jihyuk said weakly and his face was pale white.
Then the host shouted, "3.85 million! anyone with higher bids?"
"..."
"..."
"3.85 million! The Ancient Brazier won by the Man in white!"
Baron Baslain looked at Han Jihyuk with a confused look. The one who raised the price with his own lips, and seemed lost by his doings…..that was his expression.
Han Jihyuk hung his head.
...
..
.
At Daymond Castle
I received the box that Han Jihyuk brought. As soon as I open the package, I saw the item I wanted.
'Ancient Brazier!'
I say with a bright face, "Good job!"
"...Yeah"
Han Jihyuk, who usually dresses up to be an adult, have aged in just a few days without trying.
"Hey, it's all my property, so handle it with care...!- what are you doing!"
While he babbles, I flip the brazier over. The black stones inside poured off, creating scrars on the brazier.
Han Jihyuk was so shocked that he held me down.
"Let go"
"You- Do you understand how I feel when winning that auction-"
"The Brazier is useless"
"What?"
"The important things is this stones"
Han Jihyuk looked at a pile of stones, with the size of a fingernail. Since the brazier was quite large, It seems there's around 300 stones inside.
"What's this?"
"Enhanced Stone"
"Ehanced stone?"
"Yes, this is a treasure that can doubled one's Blessing"
Han Jihyuk's eyes widened
...
..
.
Council of Elders.
The meeting, which been halted since the last accident, is back.
Of course The Marquis Tollisso's faction, which the perpetrator of Ambushing Duke Astra, was spilted.
The nobles that occupying the empty seats watching the Elders.
'I'ts like walking on a thin layer of ice'
The one who sat at the top of the Pyramid, where He sit among the elders.
No one dare to open their mouths haphazardly.
"So shall we end the discussion here?"
The other nobles nodded at Marquis Bouchez's words.
Duke Astra rose from his seat
"Duke Astra, going back already?"
"Is there anything you'd like to talk about?"
"Not really, but... you're always busy after the meeting. Since we're aging together, let's have a few drinks-"
"What a waste of time"
Marquis Bouchez shrugged. The other elders laughed and started talking one by one.
"Drinking is fun. But when we get drunk, He become troublesome"
"Yeah, just like the last time, Marquis Bouchez sold ancient stones out of generosity."
At the ancient stone topic, Marquis Bouchez raised his hand, "Let's not talk about it anymore. How much regretful do you think I am after I woke up? I promise myself that I won't sell it"
Ancient Stone.
It was a special stone that could increase the duration of Blessing about 10 minutes. In a battle, life and death were determined by those 10 minutes, so if they didn't have it, they became anxious.
However Marquis Bouchez, who had collected the Ancient Stone with great difficulty, won't share it easily, so everyone started to lose interest.
'Seems he's doing an social-experiment'
The Duke frowned.
He wondered why the Marquis purposely mentioned the Ancient Stone at the drinking sessions. Apparently, he want to create a new faction in the Council of Elders.
So when a billions gold being offered, he'll reveal that transaction opportunity being held during Drinking Session.
Marquis Bouchez laughed, "I'm glad how much you guys appreciate it"
Not only rare, it is also very helpful in battle, how much the price will rise in the future? He'll raise to the top in no time.
'Unless there is a legendary treasure like Enhanced Stone, the value of Ancient Stone will never decrease'
The Duke's eyes became icy