TERMS 02

CHapter 02 …

I tightly held the child’s hand, stood up, and smiled at the men.

“Thank you for taking care of my little brother.”

“Uh, well…”

The men exchanged glances and hesitated, then scratched their heads and turned away with a grumble.

“Tch, keep a better eye on the kid. You know what the world’s like these days.”

“Of course. I just lost sight of him for a moment. Thank you, thank you!”

After bowing my head in thanks, I kept my eyes on them until they completely disappeared, then looked down at the child.

“Hey. You almost got kidnapped, you know.”

“Ha…”

The child stared straight at me with an utterly dumbfounded expression. His lips moved as if he was about to say something, but he soon pressed them shut, the tips of his ears turning red.

Hearing that he had nearly been kidnapped by men who had seemed kind must have shocked him.

I lifted the child into my arms and gently patted his back.

“Don’t worry. Your big sister will help you. What’s your name? How old are you?”

“Ba…”

The child closed his mouth once, then spoke again.

“Baron.”

“Baron?”

“Baron Eldit. Seven years old.”

I was startled when I heard his name.

“What? You have a family name?”

“…Why? Is it strange to have one?”

“No, it’s just—if you have a surname, that means you’re a noble.”

“That’s right.”

No wonder he had that noble air.

I searched my memory to see whether a child named Baron had appeared in the novel.

But no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t recall such a name.

It seemed he was one of the children whose kidnapping incident helped spread awareness in the world, but he hadn’t actually appeared in the original story.

Wait. If he’s a noble, could I maybe get a reward for finding him?

I hadn’t saved the child expecting compensation, but whether money or a letter of identification, anything would make life much easier. If he was a noble, verifying his identity and finding his home should be simple.

But my hopes were mercilessly crushed.

“I… don’t have a mom or dad. I don’t have a home either.”

When I asked where he had been separated from his family and where his house was, that was the answer I got.

“The imperial family said… total extermination? Execution? Title stripped and property confiscated. My nanny left me at an inn and said she’d be back soon, but she never came.”

“….”

There was no emotion in Baron’s eyes, and his voice was flat. It seemed he had been hurt so much that he’d gone numb.

You’ve really suffered because of your parents, haven’t you…!

At an age when he should have been growing up surrounded by all the love in the world, he was instead wandering with no home, no parents—and had even run into kidnappers.

Something surged in my chest.

“Ahem… I’m sorry.”

“Huh? For what?”

“I think I asked something I shouldn’t have. It must’ve upset you. Sorry.”

At my sincere apology, Baron looked flustered and slightly lowered his head.

“N-no. It’s okay.”

His cheeks were faintly red.

Was he embarrassed to be apologized to by an adult?

I tilted my head briefly, then came to my own conclusion.

Well, this world wasn’t exactly kind to children. Maybe it was the first time he’d ever been apologized to.

Anyway… what should I do with him?

Since I couldn’t exactly raise him myself, I thought it over and first took him to a government office. The clerk told me to leave him at an orphanage and gave me directions. It was about a thirty-minute walk.

When we stepped out onto the street holding hands, Baron asked me,

“Are you trying to send me to an orphanage?”

“If you go there, you’ll meet adults who can help you better.”

I held Baron’s hand.

“Let’s go for now. If your legs start to hurt, I’ll carry you.”

“….”

Instead of answering, Baron’s eyes darted around before he asked,

“Wouldn’t it be fine if you just left me?”

“You little—don’t say ridiculous things!”

I lowered myself, grabbed both his shoulders, and met his eyes.

“If I leave you, those kidnappers from earlier will take you.”

“I’m not scared.”

Even though I spoke seriously, Baron just scoffed.

Wow. Seriously.

“No. You just don’t know what happens if you get taken.”

“What happens?”

I recalled the original novel.

“You’d be thrown into magic stone mines, sold to pirates, or sold to nobles… anyway, you’d end up a slave.”

I left out the parts about organ trafficking and illegal experiments—far too shocking for a child.

But at my words, one of Baron’s eyebrows shot up in a way that didn’t suit his age.

“Are you sure? How do you know that, noona?”

His indignant look made me let out a hollow laugh.

“You’re pretty cheeky for such a little thing. Are you interrogating your big sister right now?”

When I pretended to flick his forehead, Baron’s eyes went wide.

“?”

Judging by his expression, he looked like he couldn’t believe what had just happened. Being born a noble, even the gesture of a forehead flick must have been unfamiliar.

Rubbing the forehead that hadn’t even been hit, Baron pouted and muttered,

“No, it’s just… you sounded like you knew too well.”

“If a kid gets kidnapped, what happens next is obvious. Anyway, let’s go. I’ll take you there. Tell me if your legs hurt.”

“What do you mean, tell you if my legs hurt?”

“They said it’s a thirty-minute walk. You’re young, so it’ll probably be hard.”

I shortened my stride to match Baron’s pace.

After walking for a few minutes, Baron looked up at me and asked,

“Noona.”

“Yeah?”

“What happens if my legs hurt?”

“Huh?”

“Then I don’t go to the orphanage?”

“….”

This poor kid. It seemed he really didn’t want to go.

“If you go there, you can sleep safely, eat properly, and be protected by adults.”

“I don’t need protection.”

“What are you talking about? How old are you? You almost got kidnapped earlier.”

“I still don’t need it.”

“Really? Then how have you been eating until now?”

“Well…”

Baron closed his mouth.

“Wasn’t it hard?”

Even when I asked again, he didn’t answer.

I quietly watched him. After holding my gaze for a moment, Baron soon looked away, his cheeks reddening.

“I-it was… I mean, I couldn’t eat properly, and sleep… like you said… it was h-hard.”

It seemed he hated to admit it but couldn’t help himself. His inability to lie was so cute and innocent that I let out a small laugh.

Ha… if only I could take him in and look after him myself.

“See?”

I slowly explained what it would be like at the orphanage, and Baron soon nodded gloomily.

“My legs hurt… but I’m still going to the orphanage.”

Baron said his legs hurt, but judging by the way he walked, they didn’t seem to hurt at all.

He probably just didn’t want to go.

At this rate, the sun will set.

It couldn’t be helped.

I crouched down and turned my back to Baron.

“Come on, get on.”

“Huh?”

“You said your legs hurt. I’ll carry you.”

“…Y-you’ll carry me?”

“Yeah. Or do you want to keep walking?”

A brief silence fell. When I glanced back, Baron—face red—hesitantly leaned his body against my back.

“W-well… it can’t be helped. My legs hurt.”

I stood up with Baron on my back. Then I felt his hands on me.

“You’ve never had a piggyback ride before, have you?”

“…How did you know?”

“I can tell by your hands. Don’t push against my back—wrap your arms around my neck.”

“Huh? That close?”

“It’s easier for me if you hold tight, so scoot closer.”

Baron wrapped his arms around my neck. Soon his small body pressed snugly against my back, and he felt more secure.

“Good. Hold on tight.”

I adjusted Baron on my back and started walking.

Ha… I need to get back home quickly if I’m going to catch something for dinner before it gets dark. I wonder if the blanket I washed and hung out has dried by now.

If I was going to drop Baron off at the orphanage and still finish my chores, I was running out of time.

Growing anxious, I quickened my pace.

After walking for quite a while with Baron on my back, I finally spotted the orphanage. The two-story building standing alone was large, but even from a distance it looked old and worn.

“What’s your name, noona?”

As we walked toward the orphanage in the distance, Baron—who had been quiet the whole time—suddenly asked. Without thinking, I answered.

“Kim Sojung.”