Chapter 49
The Magic Tower Kindergarten was originally a welfare facility created to take care of the children of mages working at the Magic Tower.
So most of the children stayed there until one of their parents finished work and came to pick them up.
On the other hand, Nivellia and Aref would leave at a set time and board their carriage.
“Time really has passed a lot…”
But the carriage that was supposed to arrive didn’t come.
“And I knew you resembled your mother, but you’ve got quite a bit of Celly’s face too? Did your mom and my sister cause trouble together to make you or something?”
Instead, a strange woman appeared in front of the children.
“Who are you?”
The kindergarten teacher, who always waited with them until the carriage arrived, stepped forward to block her.
Aref also moved quickly, hiding Nivellia behind him.
Just in case, he tightly held her hand as well, ready to run away together if needed.
Meanwhile, Nivellia simply blinked her round blue eyes.
“Oh ho.”
The strange woman glanced at Aref with approval.
But first, she decided to identify herself to the teacher, who looked ready to subdue her at any moment.
She had just become the Mercenary King—causing trouble already would be inconvenient.
“I’m Armifera Deiamor.”
“D-Deiamor…?”
Suppressing the rude thought that the teacher’s shocked face was quite amusing, the Mercenary King introduced herself.
“I’m the daughter of Saint Muniel and the aunt of that pretty little Nivellia over there.”
Her golden eyes sparkled brilliantly.
The daughter of Saint Muniel and Holy Knight Ardores.
“Fera!”
And a granddaughter-like child dearly cherished by the Magic Tower Master, Magia.
“Grandpa Magia!”
The moment Magia saw Armifera, he lifted her up and spun around in place—five full times.
The mages nearby widened their eyes in shock.
Some even looked like their jaws might dislocate from being unable to close them.
“Me too! Me too!”
Nivellia tugged at Magia’s robe, whining for him to spin her too.
With no choice, Magia picked her up and spun her as well.
He didn’t forget Aref, who had been subtly waiting his turn, and gave him the same treatment.
Only then did Nivellia and Aref settle down quietly to listen to the adults.
“You finally became the Mercenary King? You adorable rascal! You’re going to make your father’s face ugly again!”
“It seems you’re still getting along well with my father.”
“Ardores’s irritation is my happiness.”
“Hahaha!”
Armifera laughed heartily.
She was a very beautiful woman.
And her muscles were beautiful too.
Of course, her natural features were already those of a classic beauty.
But her sun-tanned skin, the countless scars visible across her body, and her strong, defined physique—
Her beauty was now shaped by strength rather than just her face.
“……”
Nivellia stared at her aunt intently.
Sensing the gaze, Armifera turned her head.
Their eyes met.
Nivellia flinched—but didn’t run away.
Instead, she tightly held Aref’s hand, and he held hers just as firmly.
“Ah, what a close pair.”
Armifera plopped down on the ground.
“I’m glad I visited Della earlier. You’re Aref, right? The fine young man protecting our Nini.”
“Protecting My Lady is my duty.”
Aref said firmly.
“Hmm.”
Armifera nodded in satisfaction.
“You’ve already been given a duty at such a young age.”
“Yes. Protecting the leader is the subordinate’s duty.”
“Oh, you even know the word ‘duty’? You’ve learned well in kindergarten.”
Armifera praised the Magic Tower.
Meanwhile, Magia looked at Armifera as if he adored her to death.
If she had been a one-year-old baby, he would have been patting her bottom over and over.
A scarred hand extended toward Aref.
“I’m Nini’s aunt, Armifera. You can call me Fera.”
Aref carefully took her hand and shook it.
“Huh? You’re learning the sword?”
“How did you know?”
“You’ve got blisters forming on your palms. Want me to teach you later? I became the Mercenary King with just a sword, after all.”
“Yes…!”
For Aref, who dreamed of becoming a knight, this was an incredible opportunity.
He now looked at Armifera with admiration.
“Well then…”
Armifera’s gaze naturally shifted to Nivellia.
This one really is pretty.
Not just because she was her niece—Nivellia was truly a beautiful and adorable little lady.
Her fluffy silver hair looked like cotton candy, and her bright blue eyes were so clear they seemed untouched by the world’s filth.
Her soft cheeks, and her small yet distinct features—
“Nini.”
“Nini.”
Nivellia repeated her own name, as if saying, That’s me!
Finding it cute, Armifera held out her hand to her.
“I’m your aunt. Nice to meet you.”
“Nini is happy to meet you too!”
Nivellia grabbed her hand tightly.
“But Auntie needs to be scolded.”
“…Huh?”
For the first time, Armifera froze.
“Um, why?”
“You ran away from home.”
Running away was a bad thing—that’s what she had learned.
And whenever her grandfather and father talked about her aunt, they looked troubled.
Even young Nivellia knew that leaving home meant suffering.
Even when she was a cat, she never wandered outside her territory carelessly.
Why leave behind good food and a warm place to sleep?
“Running away is bad. It makes your family worry.”
“Well… that’s true…”
Armifera admitted it easily.
“So when we get home, apologize!”
“Wow… to think my brother had a child like this…”
“Mom gave birth to me.”
“You’re really interesting.”
Amused, Armifera tried to kiss Nivellia’s cheeks.
But Nivellia dodged skillfully.
“This cat won’t even let you touch her head unless you’re stronger than her.”
Magia gestured toward Nivellia, telling Armifera to give up.
“……”
At those words, Aref resolved to train even harder in swordsmanship.
Because he wanted to pat Nivellia’s head.
As Magia came to see them off, he asked,
“How did you get here anyway? Where’s the carriage that was supposed to pick the kids up?”
“I broke the wheel. They’re probably replacing it with a spare right now…”
Before Armifera could finish speaking, the Deiamor family’s carriage came rushing toward them.
The coachman, upon seeing Armifera, gasped in fear.
Even the horses snorted nervously, stomping their hooves.
“…Did you beat them?”
Magia asked with suspicion.
“I didn’t. They were just intimidated by my presence.”
“You rascal… That’s why I like you. Show that same spirit to your father too, alright?”
Magia stuffed candies and chocolates into Armifera’s scarred hands.
He didn’t forget to include candies that changed flavor every minute.
Inside the carriage, Nivellia sat next to Armifera.
“Auntie.”
“Yes?”
“You can’t eat all that, right?”
There was so much candy and chocolate that it had been wrapped in a handkerchief and set aside.
Nivellia eyed it greedily.
“Auntie can eat all of this.”
“Then your teeth will rot. Since Nini is worried, should I help you eat some?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“……”
Nivellia frowned.
The sight of a four-year-old pouting like an annoyed cat was so funny that Armifera burst out laughing.
“Pwahaha!”
Her booming laughter made both Nivellia and Aref flinch.
“Oh, you’re too cute! Seriously!”
“Nini is always cute!”
“Right, you should always remember that. Otherwise, you might fall for some strange man and end up crying tears of blood.”
I’ve seen many women like that.
Armifera looked momentarily serious.
But fortunately—
“Nini already has someone to marry, so it’s fine.”
Her bold niece already had a man.
Nivellia got down from her seat and went to Aref, who was sitting quietly across from her.
Then she introduced him herself.
“Aref! Nini’s subordinate! And Nini’s partner!”
“Partner?”
“We’re going to mate later and have ten babies.”
“…What?”
Even the battle-hardened Mercenary King Armifera was shocked by those words.
The moment Kaleo saw his sister getting off the carriage with the children, he was speechless.
“You need to educate your child properly.”
Because he never expected to be lectured on parenting by the sister who had run away from home to become the Mercenary King.
“…Why?”
He asked anyway.
“Nini says she’s going to mate with Aref later and have ten babies.”
“Whaaaat?!”
A horrified scream burst out of Kaleo’s mouth.
