Chapter – 05
Ricky felt like crying.
‘Do I know who he is?’
Of course I know!
Even if I wanted not to know, it’s impossible.
The Dark Lord.
An unparalleled genius.
The Empire’s strongest!
How could I not know the famous Duke Panteyeve?
‘Not to mention, he’s also famous for having the worst temper in the Empire.’
In the past, Ricky had worked as a rookie reporter for a gossip magazine.
His assigned task was digging up the secrets of shady nobles.
Tax evasion, affairs, fraud, gambling, etc.
It was dangerous work, so the pay was high, but no one wanted to do it.
However, for Ricky, who needed to earn money for his sick younger sibling’s medicine, there was no better job.
After all, there weren’t many ways to earn big money without committing crimes yourself.
Although, he eventually ended up being caught by a noble he was investigating and thrown in here.
Anyway, having ended up with an intimate knowledge of noble social circles, he couldn’t possibly fail to recognize Duke Panteyeve.
‘It seems he used some kind of tool to change his hair color, though….’
Thanks to his insane observational skills, he had seen right through his identity.
Damn it.
‘Even if I recognized him, I should have pretended not to!’
The problem was that he had instinctively reacted to the absurd combination of Blamshua and Duke Panteyeve.
Oh well.
‘I’ll just deny it now!’
Having decided that, Ricky tilted his head with an innocent face, brazenly.
“Haha, no. I don’t really know who you are…”
“Just so you know, I really hate people who lie.”
“The truth is, I know. I know very well. I was just trying to play along, thinking it might be more comfortable for you if I pretended not to know. Haha! I guess that wasn’t the right tune?”
“Yeah. That wasn’t the right tune.”
“Yep. I’ll correct myself.”
Ricky saluted with his hand and nodded seriously.
A satisfied hand patted his shoulder.
“But what should we do about this? It’s troublesome if there’s someone here who knows me.”
“I’ll pretend not to know! I’ll absolutely pretend not to know!”
“It’s good we understand each other. Great.”
Huh? What’s great…?
A sense of unease swept over him.
“I just happened to need someone who listens well and is tight-lipped. You’ll be perfect.”
I don’t think so.
…I don’t think I’m perfect for it!
But instead of saying that, Ricky just nodded his head with a trembling smile.
From that day on, Ricky became Undercover Investigator No. 2.
His assigned tasks were sorting out the real prisoners from the fake ones among the Blamshua people, and organizing how people ended up locked in here.
‘Sigh. To think I’d end up working here too…’
It was an unwanted, forced employment.
* * *
“You’ve been getting along well with Mr. Oliver lately, haven’t you? Did you two decide to be friends?”
“Unnie! What kind of scary thing are you saying… Ah, no. You never know who might be listening.”
At Unnie’s question, Oppa Ricky, who had flinched, nervously looked around with a fearful gaze.
Muttering this and that to himself, Oppa finally answered, ‘That’s right. We’re, chii, friends. He’s such a great person. Haha.’
I narrowed my eyes and looked up at Oppa.
Tch.
‘When did they get so close?’
It had been a week since Oliver came to Blamshua.
I had been visiting Oliver every day.
“Hello, New Ajussi. Your face is shining brightly again today~”
I’d throw in a 90-degree bow and a bit of flattery.
“Good lunch, New Ajussi. Have you eaten? Melony brought this for you. Bread!”
I’d sneakily try to bribe him.
“Good evening, New Ajussi. Sleep well, shall Melony give you a pat-pat?”
I even offered my special sleep-inducing pats.
All of this was a desperate effort to secure a good orphanage.
But at this rate, it seemed like Ricky Oppa would become closer to Oliver than me.
‘No. It already seems like that…’
Ugh.
‘I can’t lose like this!’
I devised a sure-fire strategy so I wouldn’t fall behind Ricky Oppa.
Namely, the Bribery Operation.
* * *
“Melony, are you really going like that?”
“Ung.”
“Think about it one more time. Unnie will get it for you.”
At Unnie’s worried words, I glanced at my reflection in the mirror.
‘…Do I look a bit like a snowman? Or maybe a chubby bear.’
My body was tightly wrapped in an orange blanket.
It kinda looked like I’d become a lumpy carrot…
It was a slightly funny getup, but there was no choice.
‘This is the only way to move the blanket.’
The blanket was too big and heavy for me to carry in my hands!
This was my specially cherished blanket, just a little softer and a little thicker than the others.
I gently rubbed the blanket with my hand.
‘Mmm, so soft indeed.’
It was a blanket I hated to give away, but if it was to win Oliver’s favor…!
I spoke with a determined expression.
“Melony will do it.”
They say a bribe is only valuable if delivered in person.
Unnie reluctantly nodded and stepped back.
“Be careful, okay?”
It’s just the room next door, though!
‘How hard could it possibly be?’
I stuck out my belly and puffed out my chest.
“Trust me!”
Melony is invincible!
* * *
And, a little while later.
Huff, huff, huff, huff…
Standing in front of Oliver’s room, I was breathing heavily.
“It’s hard…”
The journey was tougher than I thought.
A child’s body is really no joke…
I thought about giving up and calling Jeannette Unnie in the middle, but I held back, thinking Oliver might hear her voice.
I wiped the sweat dripping ticklingly from my forehead, then knocked on the door loudly.
“New Ajussi!”
…Huh?
Why isn’t there any sound?
With a surge of foreboding, I knocked on the door again.
*Knock knock knock*
“A, Ajussi?!”
But again, there was no response.
‘Maybe he’s not here?’
Oh no.
After all the trouble I went through to get here…!
In despair, I peeked inside. Through a slight crack, I could see the inside of the room.
‘…It seems empty.’
Haa. Oh no.
I stood there in silent despair, bumping my forehead against the wall *thud*.
The thought of going back like this was dreadful.
‘This is no good. I should call Unnie this time…’
Just then.
*Creeeak*
“You always appear in such an outlandish state, don’t you?”
The sound of the door opening was followed by a small exclamation descending from above my head.
My eyes sparkled as I looked up.
“Ajussi!”
What, you were here?!
“I thought you weren’t here! I’m so glad you are!”
Overcome with joy, I quickly ran and hugged his leg.
As I bumped my forehead against him *thud thud*, a large hand gently slipped between my forehead and his leg.
“…Is that so. Glad I’m here.”
Along with a quiet murmur.
A moment later.
Oliver, who had detached me and stood me upright, slowly looked over my appearance.
“So, what’s that? A mud monster? A little ghost? I can’t even guess what you’re trying to do.”
Mud monster?
Little ghost?
“…No. Not monster, not ghost, it’s a present-de.”
“A present? Sorry, but I don’t believe in gods.”
Aha, so you’re non-religious.
Ah, that’s not it.
“Not that! Pre-sent!”
When I said it slowly, syllable by syllable, Oliver moved his lips and repeated the pronunciation.
Pre. Sent.
“…Present?”
“Right! This is a present I brought for Ajussi-de.”
I fidgeted with the blanket and said.
“It’s my most cherished thing-de, for Ajussi. It’s very soft and warm-de.”
“You’re giving me your most cherished thing?”
“Yep. For Ajussi-de.”
“…Why?”
“Because, I like Ajussi-de.”
“Why? Why do you like me?”
His curiosity is burning especially bright today.
‘I can’t exactly say “I like you because you’re someone who might send me to a good orphanage”…’
After pondering for a moment, I decided to dig up a past embarrassing memory I had tried hard to forget.
“Tha… because Ajussi saved Melony-de. Melony likes good people-de.”
“Good people?”
“Ung. Good person! Good Ajussi-de!”
Well, his job is an investigator, so, you know.
He is a good person, right?
But Oliver’s expression was微妙微妙 (subtly strange).
‘He’s smiling like usual, but…’
The curve of his mouth feels stiffer than usual?
