I Am the 5-Year-Old Spy Who Kidnapped the Villain - Chapter 12

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

【Chapter 12】

“…What?”

Time seemed to stop for a moment.

Thinking I had misheard, I stared at the old man with round eyes, and he pointed at the paper with his chin.

No way. Really?

Startled, I read the paper while still being held in the old man’s arms.

“Direct lineage application form….”

To be precise, it wasn’t an adoption form but a direct lineage application form.

Is this like a family register in our world?

I reached out as if enchanted and touched the paper.

Then a pleasant laugh rang out from above my head.

“Sign it. You’re not an ordinary brat, but I’m doing this because I can handle you.”

I felt like I could fly.

The old man really did run away for me.

To save me.

“Old man!”

I jumped up and hugged his neck tightly.

“…Yeah.”

He should have been surprised by the sudden frog attack, but instead he lightly lifted me up.

“Keep growing like this from now on. Don’t hide anywhere.”

And his large hand gently stroked my back.

“Sniff. Yes, yes! I’ll be very filial to you!”

“…What’s being filial?”

“It means I’ll become the gardener old man’s golden seed.”

Actually, this wasn’t a very good choice.

Since the old man ran away with me, we suddenly faced the danger of being chased by two families.

But what’s important is that the old man adopted me.

‘I need to grow up quickly and gain enough ability to protect the old man.’

“Well, if you’re going to become something, become something big. An S-rank mercenary wouldn’t even be enough for me.”

“Hup. I understand.”

I signed the contract while being held by him.

“I signed here. So now you’re my legal guardian, right?”

I clenched my small hands and steeled my resolve.

Old man, no, father.

I don’t know where father ran away to, but we’ll live quite well.

Father’s gardening experience from working at the Crosht Ducal Family.

With my skills trained as a spy, couldn’t we make a living anywhere we go?

“Now that you’ve signed.”

That’s when it happened.

His red eyes, which had been resting on his chin, looked at the paper, then he shook a small bell he had taken out from somewhere.

Jingle-

“I should introduce myself properly now.”

“…A bell?”

That’s usually what nobles use to call their servants, isn’t it?

The moment I belatedly sensed something strange and tried to get up.

“Did you call for me, Your Grace?”

Large doors I hadn’t even noticed opened wide on both sides.

And from beyond them poured people wearing different kinds of splendid clothes.

They lined up in front of us and knelt on one knee with solemn expressions.

“…?”

Is this a dream? Am I having some crazy dream?

I looked over the people’s faces with a stupid expression.

Head Maid. Head Handmaid. Chef. Captain of the Guards. And even Nox.

They’re all people from Crosht.

“Your Grace.”

That’s when it happened.

When the gazes of those who had been greeting the gardener old man with bowed heads looked up-

“…Your Grace, your mask!”

People gasped with shaking gazes and murmured.

“Y-you’ve taken off your mask….”

“What happened to you?”

“I took it off. It was hard to breathe.”

To those asking in confusion, the old man answered nonchalantly.

I still looked at him in bewilderment.

“A mask? What does that mean? Old man, is it hard for you to breathe?”

Then the old man, cleanly ignoring my question, lifted me up.

“This is the child who will grow up under me from now on. So treat her accordingly.”

“!”

“!”

“!”

And at the sudden declaration, the gazes that had been directed at the old man began to focus on me.

“Understood.”

“Please take care of us, Miss Aisha.”

“Please take care of us.”

“…Huh?”

This is strange.

Surely this old man must have run away from the Crosht Ducal Family.

So Nox the aide and the captains of the guards shouldn’t be appearing before us.

At the old man’s declaration, they were all bowing their heads in unison.

Just like they were receiving orders from the head of the family.

“….”

Wait a minute.

Only then did the strange sense of unease I’d been feeling begin to rise anxiously.

Why was the gardener old man, who should be an extra, so handsome?

Why was the old man’s bedroom as luxurious as a noble’s?

…Why didn’t I die?

“Old man.”

“What.”

Hiccup-

I even hiccupped from nervousness as I looked at the old man.

This old man.

Now that I look at him, he seems unfamiliar.

“…Old man, who are you?”

* * *

The quiet Crost Ducal Castle was turned upside down.

Because Duke Calips, who had insisted on wearing a mask for 5 years, greeted people with his bare face.

“It feels like it’s been a really long time since we’ve seen His Grace’s bare face.”

“That’s right.”

Maid Lesa, who was listening to the conversation of the long-serving servants with a face that still seemed to be wandering in a dream, said.

“This is the first time I’ve seen the Duke’s face. If he’s that handsome, why did he only wear a mask for 5 years?”

It was true.

Duke Callipus without his mask was the very embodiment of the North he ruled.

Skin that resembled pure white snowfields.

His contrasting black hair harmonized with the blood-red eyes that had been hidden behind the mask, creating a decadent yet chilling impression.

A gaze so cold it sent shivers just from meeting it.

Even that added to his artistic beauty.

“The Duchess and young masters have all gone missing. He must be hiding his grief.”

I see….

Anyway, it’s nice to see a handsome face!

Among the servants blushing and whispering, the Head Maid’s face was particularly dark.

“…What on earth changed His Grace?”

This wasn’t just the Head Maid’s concern.

Everyone in the ducal residence was curious about it.

Especially the Chef. The Captain of the Guards. The Head Maid. And the Butler.

Those who had devoted their lives to the ducal palace couldn’t just stand by and watch this situation.

So they made a decision.

“But isn’t it rude to secretly watch like this?”

“The Croste Ducal Family is about to fall for a commoner brat, and you want us to just watch?”

“That’s true….”

They decided to keep watch over the little girl who had changed the Duke—Aisha.

Secretly through the window!

People huddled together in front of the slightly open window.

Inside, Duke Callipus and the blonde-haired little girl were walking through the snow.

“…His Grace is in a very emotional state right now.”

“That’s right. We have no choice but to step in.”

“Setting aside removing his mask, that child is a con artist. Why on earth did he bring her in as direct family?”

“Could something have happened to his head?”

“Maybe he’s just lonely.”

“All the young masters are missing. And you think His Grace adopted a child just because he’s lonely?”

No, absolutely not.

They shook their heads with resolute expressions.

What kind of person was Callipus?

A hero who saved humanity from demons.

The ruler of the North. The head of the Crosht family who led the ducal house wearing a black mask!

“That brat definitely approached His Grace with ulterior motives. We should have noticed it was a lie from when she claimed to know the Princess’s whereabouts…!”

That’s when it happened.

“Little one.”

At the Duke’s low voice, people bowed their heads and perked up their ears.

Then they peeked out only their eyes to watch through the window.

“How many days are you going to keep sulking?”

Callipus, who had been following behind Aisha in the pure white snowfield, asked.

Stomp stomp stomp. The child who had been trudging through the snow with short legs stopped.

“This adoption is fraud! I didn’t know you were the Duke!”

And she let out a loud shout.

‘How dare she to His Grace…!’

‘Calling His Grace a fraud…?’

The people who had been glaring at her disrespectful behavior—

“Well, you should have read the contract properly before signing it.”

Were shocked by Callipus’s villain-like response.

‘Read the contract properly before signing?!’

‘Is that something to say to a 5-year-old?!’

‘Who am I looking at right now?!’

Their master had always been kind to young children. Such words didn’t suit him at all.

As if representing the people’s feelings, the child’s blue eyes widened.

“…Is that something to say to a 5-year-old?!”

“Who brought up the contract in the first place? Saying you wouldn’t make a deal without the family head’s seal?”

“Mister-r!”

“Little one. Look at this.”

Just as the child raised her voice even more.

Callipus knelt down to meet the child’s eye level. And what he held out in front of her was premium steak.

Sniff sniff.

“…!”

The child’s nostrils twitched as she caught the scent of meat.

“You’ve been starving yourself for days in protest, haven’t you?”

Then Callipus spoke in a serious voice.

“If you live with me according to the contract, you can eat steak three times a day.”

“….”

“Your favorite orange juice? I could even buy you an orange farm. But if you don’t accept….”

“Hmph.”

He threatened her in a serious voice.

At those words, the child glared with angry eyes, but.

Fidget fidget—

Her short, stubby legs slowly began to move.

“That’s right.”

“Hmph. Hmph.”

“Come into the castle like that.”

“Grr.”

Even at the child’s fierce growling, Callipus remained calm like the true ruler of the North.

As the Duke and child disappeared into the castle—

“….”

The people gathered at the window couldn’t bring themselves to speak.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————