Chapter 89
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Chapter 89
Sionel raised one eyebrow sharply.
Theo realized he had unintentionally made her tense and quickly continued with what he'd been about to say.
"She's incredibly adorable."
The tension that had briefly clouded Sionel's eyes melted away, softening into warmth.
She let out a light laugh and spoke.
"How could she not be adorable? A little lady like that, and she's already famous. The gossips have even given her a nickname."
"A nickname?"
"Baby Fairy, I think it was."
"That's not really a nickname though... because she genuinely looks like a fairy."
Theo insisted with complete seriousness.
His face held not a trace of jest.
Sionel finally broke into genuine laughter.
"So she's that adorable, is she? If the opportunity arises, I should meet her myself next time."
After laughing for a moment, her expression grew serious.
"Theo."
"Yes, Sister."
"It's true that the Basilian Count Estate is suspicious. We do need to keep watch over them. Since this serves the Empire as well, consider it an extension of your duties as Security Chief and proceed accordingly."
"Yes, I will keep that in mind."
"And if possible, avoid speaking with Count Basilian. Don't even approach his vicinity. That man is..."
So cunning and devious that he would strip you bare to the bone and still have room for more, she wanted to say.
But Sionel swallowed those words and instead offered a gentler, more measured warning.
"He is beyond your capacity to handle, Theo."
***
"Quite the commotion while Father was away."
Kieran held Chesa in one arm and clicked his tongue.
In truth, those words weren't really his to speak.
Eager to return home early, Kieran had spent the entire night hunting monsters in the Black Forest.
He'd arrived back at the Townhouse before dawn, only to find Chesa missing—and that's when he'd caused quite the scene.
But he wasn't alone in his outburst.
Ishuel and Belzeon had both raised hell over Chesa's disappearance.
Ishuel had been taking a magic lesson at the Duke's Residence when he heard the news, and immediately rushed to the Security Office, turning it upside down.
Belzeon had returned home unaware of anything, only to arrive just as Ishuel was tearing the Security Office apart—with no one to explain what was happening.
So Belzeon had torn the Townhouse apart instead.
He'd interrogated every hotel staff member and swiftly utilized the Basilian Family's extensive network of eyes and ears throughout the Capital to piece together what had occurred.
I'd heard he'd even drawn his sword in the process, so while I didn't know all the details, it was certainly clear things hadn't been peaceful.
And it all started because Karha had caused a disturbance and ended up locked in the Security Office Prison.
Yesterday could truly be called the "Day of Disturbances."
'They're all so temperamental.'
I looked up at Kieran, who was pretending he hadn't caused any trouble at all and smoothly deflecting blame.
He pulled Chesa into a tight embrace as he spoke.
"I'm just grateful Chesa isn't hurt anywhere. But if something like this happens again, just abandon your older brother and run away."
There was no need for the child to venture into such a dangerous place as a prison.
After all, the three brothers of House Basilian could each fend for themselves.
But Chesa was still weak and young, so she required the most careful protection—that was Kieran's sentiment.
Chesa nodded in agreement.
I'd felt it when sending Itar to the Heresy Interrogation Chamber.
In the old days, I would have simply cleaved through with an axe and been done with it.
But now that I'd become a child, everything had become so troublesome.
'This should count as weak and young enough!'
With such low standards for what constituted a normal child, I decided to accept my own relative youth and shortcomings with grace.
And when I heard that Kieran had learned Karha was taking sword lessons from Hailon....
"Hmm."
He merely offered a meaningful smile without saying anything else.
He too seemed to judge this as necessary for Karha and didn't object.
Of course, he didn't actively approve either.
His only real reason was that he disliked Chesa sleeping at the Heretic Inquisitor's residence.
"Cunning, that Heretic Inquisitor is."
With that one muttered remark, he said nothing more about the sword lessons.
Thus, Karha's prison disturbance was wrapped up through Theo's smooth handling and Kieran's cleanup efforts.
***
Until the day of the Pure Child Prayer Ceremony, everyone in House Basilian was consumed with preparations.
The other Basilians were naturally busy as always, while Chesa found herself occupied accompanying Karha to and from Hailon's residence.
In between, she made time to retrieve Hata again.
As expected, Hata was holed up in the laboratory behind the Hat Shop, concocting every conceivable potion imaginable.
The moment Hata saw Chesa, she force-fed her every single potion she had created.
Amusingly enough, every potion worked brilliantly—save for the one meant to grant adulthood.
Chesa shrank, then grew, became a cat, sprouted wings on her back...
After testing virtually every potion on Chesa.
Hata accepted reality.
"There must be something wrong with Lichesia's body..."
Dejected, she drank a potion to transform into a puppy, becoming a small dog nestled in Chesa's arms.
She remained there silently for a while.
Then suddenly, she gently placed her front paws on Chesa's arm and met her gaze.
I expected her usual sorrowful expression.
But Hata was composed.
Rather, she seemed to have made some firm resolve.
"I will protect you."
Chesa stroked Hata's head and made her own promise.
"I'll protect you too, for sure."
Chesa returned with Hata.
As expected, the Basilian men said nothing upon seeing Hata.
Only Karha expressed mild displeasure, muttering that the dog was back again.
And finally, the day arrived to depart for the Holy Empire Hilderd to attend the Pure Child Prayer Ceremony.
Early in the morning, they packed their belongings and prepared for the carriage journey.
Each participant was limited in the number of attendants they could bring, so only a select few servants would accompany them.
The rest would either clean up the hotel and move to the new Townhouse, or return to the Castle of Serpents.
"Can we really travel to the Holy Empire in a carriage like this?"
Karha asked upon seeing the Basilian carriage stationed in front of the hotel.
"Doesn't it look pious enough to you?"
The carriage was elegant—its smooth surface crafted from ebony wood and adorned with the silver serpent crest of House Basilian.
But it felt entirely at odds with the Holy Empire's aesthetic.
"By that logic, we'd be disqualified just by our eye color."
Ishuel, who held Chesa, countered.
It was fortunate that Chesa's eyes were pink.
They were debating how to appear pious while standing before the carriage.
An unexpected figure appeared.
It was Theo, the Capital Security Force commander.
The moment Hata, nestled in Chesa's arms, saw Theo, her mouth fell open.
The startled puppy turned to look at Chesa.
From Hata's eyes came what sounded like the question: "Is that a bear beastkin?!"
"A person."
After whispering the explanation, Hata made a show of rubbing her eyes with her front paws as if she couldn't believe it.
Theo greeted Chesa.
"You've gotten a puppy! She's just as adorable as you are, Chesa."
Chesa nodded politely while thinking to herself.
'Why did he come here.'
Kieran, who arrived shortly after, explained the reason for Theo's appearance.
Kieran, draped in a deep blue coat and leaning on a cane, had rather drowsy eyes.
It was the result of waking up early in the morning.
He stifled a yawn before acknowledging Theo.
"Ah, Theo."
"Count Basilian."
After shaking hands with Theo, Kieran spoke languidly.
"Chesa, the Nemea Marquis Family has assigned him as your escort. They said it was to reflect on this incident."
Looking at Theo's expression, it seemed otherwise.
But Kieran continued speaking as he pleased.
"What does the reason matter anyway. What's important is that you're going together. Isn't that right, Theo?"
"Ah, yes. I think so too."
Theo was readily agreeing with Kieran's words.
He was truly a kind-hearted fellow.
'Marquis Nemea wouldn't have sent him without reason.'
Though he was kind, he seemed to warrant careful observation.
It was just as Kieran finally succumbed to a yawn.
The sound of hoofbeats striking the paved road echoed out.
Kieran's expression soured as he peered down the misty morning road.
The haze dispersed, and soon Holy Knights mounted on white horses came into view.
At the front of the five Holy Knights was Chesa's knight.
The moment his blue eyes fixed upon Chesa, Kieran spoke with mockery.
"Your escort knight has arrived."
It was Hailon.
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