CHAPTER 15
At that moment, in Viscount Mente’s blue-roofed mansion.
Aslan put down the hot milk he had been drinking and beamed brightly at Lloyd.
“Hi, Mister!”
“Mister…?”
Lloyd was taken aback by the unfamiliar title. Did he just call me “Mister”? He wasn’t even married—being called that felt terribly unfair.
Just as Lloyd was about to correct the child, his eyes met Aslan’s innocent face.
“What’s wrong, Mister?”
“……”
Aslan blinked his big, bead-like eyes. There wasn’t a hint of malice in those round green pupils.
Lloyd cooled his head.
Calm down, Lloyd. He’s just a kid.
Taking a deep breath to regain composure, Lloyd asked calmly:
“How did you get here?”
“I asked someone passing by to bring me to Viscount Mente!”
“…That was… brave of you.”
A well-dressed child like him could easily be kidnapped. But Aslan seemed to have never even considered that possibility, puffing up proudly at being called brave.
Lloyd was speechless.
What kind of upbringing did this kid have?
Minerva might’ve refused to return to the imperial palace, so it made sense she hadn’t taught the boy court etiquette. Still, not teaching him not to follow strangers?
The fact that Aslan made it here safely could only be described as sheer luck.
While Lloyd was dumbfounded, Ayla suddenly popped out from somewhere—clearly having heard that Aslan had arrived.
“Aslan!”
“Ayla!”
The two children beamed at each other like long-lost sisters.
“What brings you here, Aslan?”
“No reason!”
“Still, I’m happy to see you! Want some cookies?”
Ayla quickly called someone in, and a variety of sweets were presented for them.
Lloyd massaged his temples.
There’s no way I can send him back now.
He’d missed the timing. If he tried sending Aslan back now, Ayla wouldn’t just sulk for a day—she’d hold a grudge for a week.
I suppose it’s fine to let him stay a little while.
He decided to notify Minerva’s residence and send Aslan back by carriage a bit later.
If Prince Mars saw this mess, neither Aslan nor Lloyd would escape unscathed.
With that in mind, Lloyd sat across from Aslan, who was chomping down on cookies like a hamster.
Sigh. “Alright, Aslan. First, why don’t you tell me why you came here?”
Aslan nodded enthusiastically.
Then he shouted loudly at Lloyd.
“Tell me how to grow tall and strong like you!”
“…What?”
Lloyd was stunned. He expected some excuse for running away, but instead, this?
This tiny child never failed to surprise him.
Rubbing his throbbing temple, Lloyd managed to ask:
“Why do you want to grow big?”
Aslan answered without hesitation.
“Because I have to protect Mom!”
“…You mean Lady Minerva?”
“Yup!”
Aslan huffed through his nose proudly.
Lloyd struggled with how to respond, then finally answered:
“Eat well and sleep well.”
“I already do that! I want to grow up right now!”
“…You’ve got big dreams. When I was your age, I was just like you.”
“But still—!”
Aslan kicked his feet in frustration, making a racket.
Is this what five-year-olds are normally like?
Ayla had been so quiet that Lloyd hadn’t realized.
Aslan was loud enough to make his skull ring.
“Aslan, I understand how you feel. But it’s best if you go back now. I’ll take you, so don’t go running off on your own again.”
“No! I won’t go until you tell me how to grow up!”
Aslan flopped onto the sofa.
Lloyd had never met a child so utterly chaotic.
It was one surprise after another.
He was starting to really understand how much Minerva must have suffered raising this child.
How much force do I use to pick him up?
Worried about accidentally hurting someone else’s child, Lloyd stuck to using only his words.
“There’s no such thing as a method to suddenly grow. No matter how much you fuss, you won’t get taller right away.”
“But I need to get big and strong now…”
“Just wait 15 years. You’ll be plenty grown up by then.”
“But I have to be big now… waaah…”
Aslan looked up at Lloyd with teary, pitiful eyes.
But Lloyd held firm.
“Your mother must be worried. Go back now.”
With Lloyd’s continued refusal, Aslan’s sad eyes suddenly turned cold.
He pouted, grumbling under his breath.
“You’re not who I thought you were… So stingy… Won’t even share how to grow, keeping it all to yourself…”
This little brat?!
Lloyd burst out with a helpless laugh at the unexpected scolding.
He hadn’t wanted to resort to force, but it seemed there was no choice.
Just as Lloyd reached out to grab Aslan—
Swish.
“…?”
Aslan vanished before his eyes.
What? Lloyd stared dumbly at his empty hands.
I swear I had him…
He looked around—and found Aslan already on top of the table.
On all fours, no less.
Lloyd blinked in disbelief at the inhuman posture.
Aslan, glaring at him, snapped defiantly.
“I’m not leaving until you tell me how to grow big!”
Boing!
He wriggled his butt and leapt from the table onto the console across the room.
What kind of physical ability is this?!
He was far too agile—this was not normal for a human.
Even his posture wasn’t human.
What kind of person sits like a cat?!
While Lloyd gaped, Aslan cheekily winked and stuck out his tongue.
“Hmph! You can’t catch me, Mister!”
“…We’ll see about that.”
Lloyd lunged toward the console table.
Aslan leapt down immediately and scurried away on all fours.
He was so fast—even with Lloyd’s long legs, he could barely keep up.
Whenever he thought he had him cornered, Aslan slipped away like a slippery eel, jumping to high places.
Crash! Clatter!
Decorations smashed, vases spilled water onto the carpet, and even a display case toppled.
The drawing room became a disaster zone in an instant.
Lloyd silently cursed Minerva.
What kind of child did that woman give birth to?!
Not only was he stubborn—his physical prowess was off the charts.
Is he even human?
“Aslan! Stop and let me catch you!”
“No way!”
Aslan made one final leap from the display case—toward the ceiling.
Ayla screamed, pointing upward.
“F-Father! Aslan’s—!”
He had climbed onto the chandelier.
Realizing things had gone too far, Lloyd shouted:
“Aslan!”
Aslan was now dangerously dangling from the chandelier with just his arms.
Lloyd rushed under him and held out his arms.
“Aslan, that’s dangerous! I’ll catch you—just come down!”
“No! If you want me down, tell me how to grow tall and strong!”
For the last time—there’s no such thing!
Lloyd felt like crying.
Then—
Creak.
A chilling sound came from the chandelier.
“Aslan! It’s going to break!”
Ayla screamed in horror.
One side of the chandelier had snapped off.
“Huh?”
Aslan realized something was wrong—but it was too late.
Whoosh.
He plummeted toward the floor, still clutching the chandelier branch.
“Aslan!”
Lloyd lunged forward to catch him—
“Hup!”
Aslan twisted midair, dodging Lloyd entirely, and landed perfectly on all fours.
“…What?”
What just happened?
Lloyd froze, arms still raised.
Before he could react, Aslan triumphantly raised the chandelier branch like a staff and dashed away, laughing.
“Wahahaha!”
“Aslan! Wait!”
Aslan’s mischievous laughter faded as he ran, Ayla chasing close behind.
“….”
Lloyd stood there, arms still outstretched toward the ceiling like a statue in the now-ruined drawing room.
And finally, drained of all strength, he collapsed into a sitting heap.
