Chapter 19
“Still asleep, huh…”
Well, of course. It must have been such a traumatic experience for a child.
Murmuring softly, I sat down on the edge of the bed and looked down at As.
His curly hair had fallen over his forehead, and his long, delicate eyelashes rested gently over his cheeks.
His clear, fair skin and soft, rosy lips made him look serene and peaceful.
“At least he looks healthy. The healing spell must have worked well.”
I gently brushed his bangs aside and smiled faintly.
All I could do was heal the physical wounds. The rest… he would have to overcome on his own.
Turning my head slowly, I looked out the window.
Beyond the frosted glass, pale green leaves shimmered in the sunlight.
“Hmm, hmm-hmm…”
I gently tapped my feet and hummed a lullaby.
Since he was asleep anyway, I hoped he would dream something pleasant instead of a nightmare.
I wasn’t sure how long I had been singing when I suddenly felt a small pressure on my arm, which was resting on the bed.
Startled, I looked back.
As had opened his eyes and was looking up at me while holding onto my sleeve.
“That song… did you sing it for me so I’d sleep well?”
“……”
“I’m happy.”
His red eyes crinkled as he smiled softly.
I looked down at him for a moment before slowly reaching out and gently stroked his cheek with the back of my hand.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes.”
“You… didn’t have any nightmares?”
“I didn’t.”
As held onto my hand with both of his and leaned his cheek gently against it.
I stared at him, wondering what he was doing, but then he carefully nuzzled into my hand.
The sight was so endearing that I unconsciously held my breath.
As I stopped breathing, As opened his eyes and looked up at me, smiling again.
Then, he reached up slowly and tapped my nose with his thumb.
“You need to breathe, Einra.”
“Ah… r-right.”
I hurriedly inhaled and exhaled, flustered.
As chuckled softly and let go of my hand.
“Thank you.”
“Huh?”
“For coming to save me.”
He said it so plainly.
I looked at him for a moment before speaking again.
“Were you… scared?”
“I was.”
As lowered his gaze slightly.
“But Einra came for me.”
“……”
“So instead of being scared, I think I’ll choose to be happy.”
He looked up at me again, smiling with his eyes.
The moment I saw that smile, a strange sense of déjà vu washed over me.
‘There now, it doesn’t hurt at all, right?’
‘…Yes. It doesn’t hurt at all.’
I definitely knew someone who smiled like that.
I knew… and yet—
“…But that can’t be.”
Biting my lip, I quickly turned my head away.
What a ridiculous thought.
Even if, by some impossible reason, Ackes had turned into a child, he wouldn’t smile at me so openly—especially not when he’d always kept his distance.
So As couldn’t be Ackes.
“Einra? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
As’s worried voice reached my ears.
When I turned to look, he was trying to sit up in bed.
Startled, I quickly stopped him and shook my head.
“No, I’m fine. I just had a silly thought. You should rest a bit more.”
“Are you really okay?”
His red eyes glimmered with concern.
“You don’t look too well. Did you get hurt back then too?”
He gently tucked my hair behind my ear as he asked.
The seriousness on his tiny, delicate face was oddly funny and adorable at the same time.
I barely held back a laugh and nodded.
“It’s really nothing, so don’t worry. Oh, you must be hungry after just waking up. I’ll bring you some food. Wait right here!”
Before As could stop me, I quickly got up and left the room.
Shoving away the thoughts trying to surface again, I headed down to the kitchen on the first floor.
Meanwhile…
The door closed.
Ackes stared at the door through which Einra had exited, then slowly closed his eyes.
He had first sensed their presence while preparing breakfast for Einra.
The moment he felt them, Ackes instinctively knew that they were assassins sent by Duke Baharman.
Originally, the underworld of Elberk—including the assassin and intelligence guilds—had been under his control. But now, trapped in a child’s body, only Count Chevila, his aide, knew of his true identity.
Maybe Harnen has guessed through Einra too…
But that wasn’t the point.
What mattered was that Duke Baharman, unaware that Ackes still controlled the assassin guild, had tried to kill him by hiring assassins.
And the assassins, unaware that their target was actually Ackes, had come here to fulfill the request.
Of course, there’s no way to explain the truth to them.
No matter how loyal they were, Ackes wasn’t kind enough to spare their lives one by one.
Still, what bothers me is how Baharman even found out I was here…
But there was no time to dwell on that.
After putting out the fire in the hearth, Ackes stepped outside calmly so as not to alert the assassins.
Pretending to sweep the garden, he deliberately let himself be captured.
He hadn’t asked Einra for help because he didn’t want to trouble her unnecessarily.
Even in a child’s body, Ackes was still a master of the sword.
Unlike last time, when he had to fight two knight orders while weakened and unarmed from alcohol, this time he had a chance. As long as he found an opening to seize a weapon, taking down five assassins wouldn’t be difficult.
The assassins took him to a forest on the outskirts of the village.
Perhaps expecting that Einra, a spirit user, might follow, they created a barrier using enchanted beads that suppressed spiritual energy.
Ackes took advantage of the gap, knocked one out, and took his sword.
He imbued the sword with aura and eliminated the assassins.
But because of his child’s body, he was delayed, and by the time two were left, Einra had arrived.
Realizing her presence, Ackes immediately used aura to block all surrounding sound.
Einra mustn’t find out.
He didn’t want her to learn that “As” was actually Ackes—especially not like this.
The pain tearing through his body didn’t matter.
Listening for her footsteps while facing the assassins, Ackes waited until she was just within reach—and then allowed himself to be grabbed by one of the attackers.
The man slammed Ackes into the ground and raised his sword to stab him.
Of course, that attack was intercepted by Einra’s power over water.
The last thing Ackes remembered was running toward her.
Apparently, using aura and fighting in a child’s body had pushed him to his limit, and the sword blow had caused him to lose consciousness.
Still, it’s fine as long as Einra doesn’t suspect anything.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, he heard a knock and Einra’s voice outside the door.
“As, I brought stew. I’m coming in.”
It had been five years since he last heard that voice—and it was still just as welcome.
A faint smile crept onto Ackes’s lips as he replied.
“Yes, come in.”
Later…
As ate all the stew I brought.
I watched him put down his spoon and then cautiously asked:
“Um, As? Did you make this stew yourself?”
“Yes.”
As expected, he nodded.
I hesitated a bit before asking another question.
“Have you ever learned how to cook before?”
“Is it strange for a kid to cook well?”
As giggled as he asked me in return.
Feeling exposed, I shut my mouth with a “hmph” and glanced at him before nodding slightly.
“I—I’m not saying it’s strange because you’re a kid. I was just genuinely curious, that’s all. Honestly.”
“I know. Einra’s not the kind of person to look down on others.”
As said with a cheerful voice.
His words gave me a sense of relief, but at the same time, I couldn’t help feeling puzzled.
To As, I was just an adult he’d known for about a week.
I’d helped him a lot, sure, but we weren’t exactly close.
And yet… what he just said sounded like he knew me really well.
Unaware of my complicated thoughts, As continued with a calm expression:
“I just wanted to cook for someone I like. I guess I got better at it while practicing.”
