Chapter 40
Lepônia nodded blankly before she could even think.
She wasn’t sure if stealing a noblewoman’s hairpin and treating Duke Villemon—the head of a great noble house—as if he were a casual friend were sins of the same weight, but still.
“Lepônia.”
“Mm?—I mean, yes?”
“Just talk comfortably. You don’t need to be so formal.”
“But how could I dare speak casually to the Duke—”
“You have a lot of things you want to ask me, don’t you?”
Ruideum walked past Lepônia and sat down on the waiting-room sofa.
“I’m really shy with strangers, so I can’t open up and talk deeply with people I’m not close to.”
“……”
“When someone asks me something, I get nervous and can’t answer properly.”
You’re talking perfectly fine right now though.
“So? What will you do, Lepônia?”
Something felt wrong.
The person who had a lot of questions was Lepônia, the one asking questions was Lepônia, and the one who should be asking him to speak comfortably was also Lepônia. She was the one who should be begging to get closer.
So why was Ruideum doing all of that?
And even though he was the one wanting a casual conversation, why did it feel like he was the one in the superior position?
‘Hmm. Well… it’s not like this disadvantages me.’
Lepônia sat on the sofa opposite him.
“Alright. Okay. Let’s talk casually.”
“Good. Ponya.”
“…That was way too fast.”
“I learn quickly. I pick things up fast. That’s why I mastered swordsmanship early and graduated the military academy ahead of time—ah… that’s irrelevant.”
Military academy? He looked too young to have even graduated the academy, let alone early.
“Did you maybe dream that?”
“Ha. No.”
“Is graduating early from the military academy your goal?”
“It’s nothing like that. Just ignore it.”
Well… he was still young. Maybe he was mixing up dreams with reality.
Five-year-old Lepônia nodded as if she understood.
“Alright, enough of that. I have a lot to ask you.”
Ruideum nodded.
“You.”
“Ponya. Last time, you asked my name.”
Ruideum responded instantly, cutting Lepônia off.
“What?”
“Don’t ask silly things like last time. Think carefully before you ask.”
So even he thought that was a silly question…
“Ahem. You—”
“Mm.”
“How do you know me?”
She wasn’t fully certain, so she threw a broad question first.
Before she became a five-year-old child, she was known as the first daughter of Pope Pretes.
Or…
Now, the five-year-old adopted daughter of House Krytan.
Either way—how did he know her?
He was a kid. No matter how smart, a sudden, sharp question should make him panic.
“This time you asked well.”
But Ruideum didn’t panic. He didn’t even flinch.
Instead, he calmly praised her.
Why did she keep feeling like she was being led around?
“You asked how I know you. I saw you walking around that house.”
“Huh?”
“I saw you wandering around the house by chance. That’s how I knew.”
A broad question received a broad answer.
“So you really were the first one to report it.”
He didn’t even seem to be trying to hide it.
But the question remained—which Lepônia had he seen?
‘Did he see the child-version me wandering the house—or the me from before?’
But if she asked that, she would be revealing that she had become young.
“The knight from House Krytan who came to get me said the first reporter didn’t know who you were.”
“I was covering my face. I barely show myself in social gatherings, so if I simply cover my face, most people can’t recognize me.”
Ah… right. Because of the Villemon matriarch, he wasn’t allowed to leave the estate freely before inheriting the dukedom.
‘Then… was it Ruideum who switched my potion?’
Suspicion rose on Lepônia’s face, and Ruideum gave a bitter smile after noticing.
“You don’t need to be so wary of me.”
“You could’ve said earlier that you reported it. Why didn’t you?”
“I thought you might dislike hearing about your past. Since you’re a noble young lady now, bringing up your former life as a commoner without your permission felt inappropriate.”
He was right.
Bringing up the past life of a newly adopted noble daughter would indeed be rude.
“You knew I’d be adopted?”
“If I knew that, I’d be God. Of course I didn’t.”
Ruideum answered sincerely, trying to ease her wariness.
“I’m not your enemy. I don’t want to be.”
He stated his innocence calmly.
‘Asking whether he switched the potion… I should save that for later. If it wasn’t him, I’d just be exposing myself.’
Lepônia hid her thoughts and nodded.
“I understand. But I can’t agree that you’re not my enemy.”
“Why?”
“You might not be an enemy today, but you could be tomorrow. There’s no such thing as a lifelong ally, so there’s no such thing as someone who’ll never be an enemy either.”
“You’re sharp, Ponya.”
“…And the head of House Villemon doesn’t know that?”
Was his house going to be okay with a lord like this?
Lepônia looked at Ruideum’s bitter smile with a mixture of concern and amusement.
“Ruideum. Why did you come to my room and ask if I was alive—”
Before she could finish—
Click.
A faint sound of a window opening.
Lepônia noticed first and snapped her head around. At the same moment, Ruideum stood from the sofa and pulled her back.
Swish—!
A throwing dagger embedded itself in the sofa where Ruideum had been sitting.
An assassin!
A masked assassin had quietly opened the window and slipped inside.
Were they after me?
Had the Pope finally learned she had turned into a five-year-old? Lepônia bit her lip.
“Ponya.”
Ruideum stepped in front of her and called her name.
“One question at a time.”
“What?”
“When we meet, you only get to ask one question. How about that?”
Now!? That’s what he wanted to discuss now?
And—
“Why do you decide that?”
“Is this really the time to argue about that? Ponya.”
Ruideum unsheathed his sword, his breath steady, his voice so calm it sounded like he was sitting and sipping tea.
“I’m the one answering, right? Even if you ask, if I don’t answer, that’s that.”
Three assassins in total slipped inside.
They exchanged looks, approaching slowly, tightening the noose around them.
“Ponya. You’re curious about many things, and I need you.”
He needs me?
Lepônia’s eye twitched slightly.
“If you want answers quickly, think of a way to keep me by your side.”
Was there a way to get Ruideum out safely?
Lepônia scanned the room, keeping her voice steady so the child wouldn’t panic.
“How would I do that?”
“I don’t know. You’re smart. So hurry and take me.”
They were close to the banquet hall. If she screamed, the knights and guests would come running.
But—
If they find out someone tried to assassinate me… what then?
If Duke Krytan learned she had been targeted…
Lepônia’s face went pale. She clenched her fist.
“Or just be on my side, Ponya. Then I’ll tell you everything.”
Ruideum伸d out his hand. He muttered something, and a breeze stirred.
Silver wolf spirits—three of them—appeared at his side, baring their fangs.
He’s planning to fight!?
These assassins were clearly sent by the Pope to eliminate her. She couldn’t drag Ruideum into this.
Lepônia grabbed his sleeve urgently.
“What is it, Ponya? Are you ready to be on my side?”
Even as the assassins approached with drawn blades, Ruideum turned calmly toward her.
“Ruideum. Get behind me.”
“Mm?”
If she had her original body, all three would be no problem.
‘But even at five years old, I can take at least one down.’
The human body had vital points regardless of size.
Hit them, and anyone would fall.
Lepônia scanned for something she could use to strike those points.
“I’ll—”
“Mm?”
“I’ll protect you.”
Ruideum’s eyes widened. Then he suddenly burst into laughter, as though he heard something incredibly amusing.
“If you want to do that, you have to stay on my side forever. Ponya.”
“They’re trying to kill me—”
“But you don’t need to bother. You only got dragged into my problem.”
At Ruideum’s gesture, the wolf spirits leapt at the assassins, vicious and swift.
“They came to kill me.”
He said it like it was nothing.
“They’re a congratulatory gift from the Villemon matriarch for my succession, actually.”
“What?”
“So just stay still for a bit. Alright?”
Ruideum’s golden eyes flashed dangerously.
Then he moved.
And swung his sword.
