TBDTPVF 13

 Chapter 13

When Silas suddenly frowned deeply, the atmosphere around us instantly turned cold.

I went too far…!

I thought we had gotten a little closer and almost forgot my place.

Survive.

Survive and become a rich, unemployed person.

Wasn’t that the dream I failed to achieve in my previous life?

My brain spun rapidly, trying to find a way to escape this predicament.

“Th-that is…”

But my mind didn’t work as quickly as I hoped, and I couldn’t think of a single solution.

How could I make an excuse if I didn’t even know what part had made him angry?

At that moment, I hated the version of myself from just a moment ago.

“Enough. Get in.”

Should I consider it fortunate that the Duke simply let it pass?

Letting out a sigh of relief, I hurriedly stepped onto the carriage footboard.

But another problem awaited me.

It’s… too high!

The meals at the orphanage had always been insufficient.

Because of that, my body was smaller than most six-year-olds.

And for someone like me, a carriage high enough that even adults had to stretch their legs to climb up was simply too tall.

I stared helplessly at the carriage.

Someone please save me…!

There were many reasons I needed to get into that bakery carriage.

“Ugh…”

So I didn’t give up, and finally managed to place one foot on the carriage.

Since this was a child’s body, it really was flexible.

Although the position I ended up in looked like I was about to start twerking.

Just as I was wiggling my hips to lift my other foot—

Swoosh.

Two arms slipped under my armpits and lifted me onto the sofa inside the carriage.

Silas had picked me up.

“Thank you.”

I bowed my head again.

Then I waited for a moment.

Whenever I thanked him, he would usually pat my head, so this time I waited out of consideration.

But contrary to my expectations—or rather, the favor I thought I was giving him—he didn’t pat my head.

I raised my head awkwardly.

“Tsk.”

Silas clicked his tongue, as if something displeased him, and turned his gaze toward the window.

And until the carriage reached the capital, Silas didn’t look at me even once.

* * *

Why did he suddenly want to touch those chubby cheeks?

Silas recalled Ragrasia struggling in front of the carriage earlier, staring up at it helplessly while groaning.

The child he had finally found still felt uncomfortable around him.

He had known this would happen when he decided to adopt her, but it still hurt.

“Thank you.”

At that moment, a sweet, almost nasal voice came from in front of him.

The child who had now become his daughter was bowing her head, showing the top of it.

Unlike other times, she simply stayed like that, waiting.

“Hmm…?”

Iris didn’t know it, but as she raised her head, she made a cute little sound.

Seeing that made him want to pat her head again.

“If you want to ruffle my hair, you can just do it.”

The words Ragrasia had said earlier suddenly surfaced in his mind.

His hand twitched, wanting to pat the head of the girl who tilted it curiously.

But he couldn’t do it.

Because a small hesitation crossed his mind—what if she became afraid of him?

If his selfish desire made the child fearful, that would clearly disqualify him as a father.

“Tsk.”

Clicking his tongue at himself, he turned his head away.

* * *

Our destination was the Northern Portal.

One of the advantages of the North was this portal—so enormous and powerful that it could transport an entire carriage.

This was all thanks to Silas’s younger brother, Arpote Deike.

As the master of the Mage Tower atop the castle, he had built this portal for the North.

Thanks to it, we could travel quickly to the imperial capital, Henesis.

Hummm…

After a brief sensation as if my vision had flipped, the scenery around us changed instantly.

Recently, a warm spring breeze had begun to blow in the North.

Spring had arrived.

But the capital, Henesis, was different.

It felt as if summer had already begun.

People were wearing short sleeves, and green leaves harmonized beautifully with the city.

Without delay, our carriage arrived at a dress shop.

“……”

Once again, I needed Silas’s help.

Jumping down from such a height felt a little scary, so when I simply looked at him, he picked me up and set me on the ground.

“Hop.”

After landing, I looked around the glamorous dress shop with curiosity.

Inside, people were moving busily, working on various things.

Perhaps they hadn’t noticed our arrival.

Why is it so fancy…?

Compared to the Duke’s mansion, it was less extravagant—but that was the Duke’s mansion.

Compared to the orphanage, it was the difference between the sky and the universe.

“Wow…”

Eager to go inside quickly, I glanced at Silas.

“You may go in first. I’ll buy you anything you want.”

Was he not going in?

When I tilted my head, the Duke explained.

“I have somewhere to stop by briefly. I’ll return soon.”

“Ah, okay.”

I didn’t like the idea of being left alone, but I shook off the thought and entered the dress shop first.

When I glanced behind me, the Duke and the carriage had disappeared as if they had never been there.

From here on, I’m alone.

Since coming to this world, this was almost the first time I had wandered around by myself.

I clenched my hands tightly and looked around.

It seemed to be a famous brand—there were many noble ladies and employees.

And there were a lot of people.

Were dress shops normally this crowded?

Well, it’s not like I’ve ever been to one.

Thinking of it like Dongdaemun Market in Korea, I glanced around at the dresses.

They’re pretty…

Beautiful dresses of all colors hung on racks, proudly displaying themselves while waiting for their owners.

Surrounded by such expensive-looking dresses, I wandered around curiously, admiring them.

Then one dress caught my attention the most.

A pure white dress.

Soft frills emphasizing femininity, a slim waistline, and a blue gem decorating the mannequin—it was truly enough to captivate any woman’s heart.

I quickly looked around.

Fortunately, no one was paying attention here.

Since no one’s looking…

After checking my surroundings, I carefully touched the dress.

The fabric felt just as soft as modern clothing.

So light and airy.

It was the kind of dress a princess from a fairy tale would wear.

As if enchanted, I admired the dress.

“Take your filthy hands off that immediately!”

At that moment—

A rough hand appeared out of nowhere and violently yanked my arm.

I was forcibly dragged away from the dress.

“How dare you touch the designer’s dress with those filthy hands?!”

“Ah—!”

The person, who seemed to be an employee, shoved me hard onto the floor.

A sharp pain shot through my knee.

The floor was marble—there would probably be a bruise.

I stared at the employee who had thrown me with a dumbfounded expression.

“Eek…!”

Screams erupted around me.

“A demon’s child…!”

The moment people saw my red eyes, disgusted stares and curses poured toward me.

Come to think of it…

It was always like this. In my previous life and this one.

“Red eyes?”

“That’s right! A demon… a demon!”

“What should we do? Call a priest!”

“How is something like that even in the capital?”

Countless insults struck my body like blows.

Maybe I had forgotten for a moment.

People had always treated me like this.

I thought I had gotten used to it.

But maybe I hadn’t.

My chest felt like it was tearing apart, and the dam of emotions buried deep in my heart burst open all at once.

“Sniff… hic…”

Tears began streaming down my face.

To cry over something like this just because I tasted a brief moment of happiness.

I felt pathetic.

But once the tears started flowing, they poured out uncontrollably.

“Someone get rid of that thing quickly…”

“What are the employees doing?”

Not a single person offered a word of sympathy.

I felt as lonely and frightened as if I had been abandoned on a deserted island.

It felt like the cold reality was being laid bare before me.

“What’s going on here?”

At that moment—

A cold voice came from behind me.

“Is that a priest?”

“I don’t know.”

“I think it is. Looks like they’re finally taking that thing away.”

Murmurs spread among the crowd.

Encouraged by it, the employee who had pushed me earlier shouted at me.

“You filthy thing! Get out of here!”

Filthy thing.

Well, from their perspective, I must look filthy.

Through tear-filled eyes, I glared fiercely at her.

“Hah.”

The employee glared back at me in disbelief.

Everyone else looked at me as if urging me to disappear quickly.

Empowered by their stares, the employee strode toward me.

“This is unbelievable…”

As if she didn’t even want to touch me, she pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket, placed it over her hand, and grabbed my hair.

Startled, I tried to stop her, but she was faster.

“AAAH!!”

“Priest! Hurry and take this demon away!”

* * *

The Duke of the North.

Silas was on his way to pick up some famous artisan pastries for Ragrasia.

He had ordered them in advance before leaving, thinking he might offer them as a sort of bribe to apologize for earlier.

After receiving the pastries, he headed back.

“Eek…!”

A shrill scream came from inside the dress shop.

It was far away, but clearly a scream.

At first, he paid it little attention.

It wasn’t unusual for noble ladies to clash with each other over famous designer clothes.

All he needed to do was buy the dress Ragrasia wanted.

“……”

That thought shattered the moment he reached the glass door of the shop.

Ragrasia was lying on the floor.

Dozens of people were pointing fingers at her, staring at her with disgust.

For a moment, confusion struck him.

Was that really his daughter?

While he hesitated, the situation spiraled toward disaster.

“Priest! Hurry and take this demon away!”

Some crazy woman was pulling Ragrasia’s hair.

Her scream pierced his chest.

That was the end of his thoughts.

“You dare… touch my daughter…”

Thud.

In an instant, the surroundings filled with thick, murderous intent.