CH 16

Strange signs appeared when they entered the slum area. At the same time the eyes of people who were talking met them, their voices died down, and the movement of the children who were playing with big smiles gradually slowed down.

People’s vigilant eyes were stinging. Since the escort knight was following them, people must be more alert.

I already thought they wouldn’t welcome us, but this… isn’t it more dangerous than I expected?  As she looked at the people who might turn into enemies at any moment, Elusiana involuntarily swallowed her dry saliva.

“Lady Elusiana, think about your decision again. It’s not too late now.”

The border slum area with the commoner’s area was close by. If the young lady changed her mind, they could safely return to the mansion.

Most of them were still children, but when all the people from the slum gathered, Ron alone couldn’t fully protect Elusiana. It wasn’t because he was afraid. He worried about how many lives would be lost to his sword. He also worried about the kind-hearted lady who had to watch it from the side.

“But we already came this far… wouldn’t it be better to see my father?”

Ron’s expression, which was about to answer, hardened for a moment. Some of the group seemed to disappear, but the children in the slums, who were busy avoiding their seats, began to sneak up on them.

“…do you really want to go there?”

“Hehe, Sir Ron, you already know my stubbornness. So, how much further is the shelter?”

Ron made a confused face while looking at the children, who had doubled in the meantime. At that time, a scruffy child tried to grab Elusiana’s dress.

“E-Excuse—”

Tak.

“Aargh!”

The screaming child slumped to the ground. What Elusiana saw was a small hand caught by another person’s hand. When she looked up, she saw a boy about her age with red eyes glaring at the child. The frightened child began to cry.

“Heuk. Heeuk. Huaaang!”

“As, what are you doing? Let it go.”

Elusiana slapped the back of Astein’s hand.

Astein replied, frowning as if he felt it unfair. “He tried to grab your dress on his own.”

“Let go of his hand first.”

Astein stared at her quietly and let go of his hand. Then Elusiana squatted down in front of the crying child.

How hard did As hold that child’s hand? His wrist quickly swollen red. Elusiana, who once again glanced at Astein, who was standing unevenly as if he didn’t like something, gently grabbed the child’s wrist.

“Are you okay? You were surprised, right?

“Heeuk. Heeuk.”

Elusiana, wiping the crying child’s eyes with her hand, put on an apologetic expression. Sweeping the wrist of the child, which had a print mark, she said, “I’m sorry. As too. Umm, As is my family. He was a little surprised, so he didn’t mean to scare you.”

Only then did the child’s crying subside. His round eyes looked at Astein for a moment but quickly turned to Elusiana’s face, which made him a little more comfortable.

Elusiana swept the tangled child’s hair.

“Can’t you forgive us? As an apology, I will give you something delicious.”

“Something delicious?”

“Yes. Like candy or cookies.”

“Really?”

“Yes, but I will give it to you a little later. Unfortunately, I don’t have any of that right now.”

“S-So that’s it.”

Before she knew it, the child who had stopped crying looked at Elusiana with a cute pout on his lips.

“By the way, what’s sister’s name?”

“Me? Fufu, my name is Elusiana. Call me Lusi.”

When she said her name, the child’s eyes widened to the point they couldn’t widen more.

“S-Sister’s name is Lusi?”

“Yes. But why? Do you know me?”

Elusiana grinned, wriggling her nose. It was that moment.

“Is it Lady Lusi?”

“Come to think of it, her face looks exactly like Viscount Simon. Especially those kind eyes.”

In an instant, the crowd began to surround Elusiana’s party. Elusiana, embarrassed by the completely unexpected situation, stood up and was struck by Ron.

“S-Sir Ron? How did this happen?”

Ron, who closed his mouth, sighed involuntarily.

“I don’t know if I should say this is a relief or not. But at least it doesn’t seem to pose a threat.”

Ron, who had been in trouble for a while, nodded to As words.

“As, what should I do now?”

Astein, who looked around the people, glared at the child who had slumped down once again, then calmly shook his head.

“It would be better to meet Viscount as soon as possible.”

“I-Is that so? Sir Ron, you hear that, right? Let’s hurry up and go to the shelter.”

As Elusiana grabbed Ron’s clothes and urged him, Ron began to make way. However, so many people flocked that they could not properly make their way. Everyone who listened to her words poured out their words.

“Lady Lusi, are you on your way to the shelter?”

“We just happened to be on the way to the shelter. Do you want to come with us?”

Elusiana smiled awkwardly as she looked at the flood of people. They were like puppies who were really happy to see their owner, which made her at a loss for what to do.

Their constant chatter, like facing someone they were familiar with, and their smile, like a dog wagging its tail, melted her worries. It was all coming from the people who formed the human dome around her, Astein and Ron.

Looking at them, Elusiana answered stammering, “Y-Yes, o-of course. P-Please take care of me.”

At that moment, the road to the shelter opened like a miracle. Is this like the miracle of Moses? Elusiana was mesmerized by the miracle in front of her for a moment, then came to her senses when someone pulled her hand.

“Let’s go, Lusi.”

“Y-Yes.”

As she and Astein walked ahead, a huge crowd began to follow. And by the time the shelter began to come into view, the people following them increased twice.

Elusiana found Simon standing at the shelter entrance when their praise made her head dizzy.

“Father!”

Elusiana flew over to Simon’s arms with a heartfelt welcome. Simon, surprised, held her in his arms and looked perplexed.

“Lusi. W-What brings you here? Sir Ron, what’s going on here? Why is Lusi here? Astein, why are you here too—”

“I’m sorry, my Lord.”

“…”

Only then did Elusiana’s shoulders flinch as she grasped the situation. But that was only for a moment, and she dug into his arms even more like a baby.

“Don’t blame anything on Sir Ron, Father. Astein also only followed me. You’re asking why am I here, right? I missed Father so much today. Father didn’t miss me?”

The corner of Simon’s mouth, which was trying to scold them, unwittingly loosened.

“Of course, I missed my daughter too. But isn’t this a little dangerous for you to come here?”

“It’s not dangerous!”

Elusiana wanted it all this time and turned her face to the enormous crowd. Seeing them again made her break out in cold sweets, but she smiled broadly and waved her hand. Then, shouts like thunder poured out.

“Lady Lusi! You’re so beautiful!”

“Please come visit us more often!”

Elusiana’s mouth went up as if she was ascending to heaven at their reflexive cheers. After a while, she lowered her hand and looked at Simon with a triumphant face.

“See? They love me so much!”

“Oh my, my head. Now, everyone, calm down.”

Simon, shaking his head, told the crowd to wait a moment and took her into the shelter.

“Lusi, you should wait here for a moment. You too, Astein.”

“What about Father?”

“I still have work to do.”

“Is it something to do with food rationing? I will help too.”

“It won’t be easy, Lusi.”

“I can do it too! Let me help you, Father.”

Simon, who had been agonizing for a while, soon took the three to the warehouse as if he had lost. When he unlocked the tightly locked lock, a huge warehouse she couldn’t even imagine in her dreams was revealed in front of her eyes. Then the smile on Elusiana’s face disappeared in an instant.

“I-Is this really a warehouse?”

Elusiana, who opened her mouth as if her chin was about to fall out, looked into the warehouse with a startled gaze. The warehouse was so huge that it could fit a whole large ship in it. And the grains that filled in it were so numerous that it was impossible to describe them in words.

No way. Can I just express that amount with the word ‘many’?

Elusiana automatically felt dizzy from the headache. She couldn’t believe they were giving out so much grain every quarter, not just once. And it had already happened for years, without skipping a single time.

Oh my gosh! Aren’t they crazy? No matter how much money you have, you spend it like this? What if my family really goes bankrupt from this?