I Am the 5-Year-Old Spy Who Kidnapped the Villain - Chapter 22
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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【Chapter 22】
“….”
This wasn’t just some common storehouse that could be passed by.
It was the contact point that spy brat had written down.
The employee in flashy formal wear near the door was….
‘A fellow spy colleague, perhaps.’
Nox put the monocle he was wearing into his jacket pocket and approached him.
“Haven’t you seen a 5-year-old kid? She has blonde hair in twin tails.”
“Ah. You mean the child with blonde twin tails wearing a dress?”
As expected, the employees seemed to know Aisha.
‘So they are fellow spies after all.’
Nox let out a bitter laugh inwardly.
To think she really came here to do spy work. It was something he had expected, but somehow it felt bitter.
“It’s good that you know her. I’m that child’s guardian, but where might she be?”
However.
“5,000 gold.”
The employee with a suspicious smile suddenly demanded money.
“?”
When Nox, not understanding, raised one eyebrow—
“For 5,000 gold, we’ll hand over that child. We’re keeping her right now.”
The employee whispered to him with a chilling smile.
“….”
Wasn’t she Aisha’s colleague?
Nox bit his lower lip hard.
“…Are you saying you’ve kidnapped the child?”
“We’re storing a lost child for you, so pay the price. Why are you being so stubborn…”
CRASH—!
That’s when it happened.
Suddenly, with a thunderous roar as if an earthquake had struck, the storehouse door burst open, and a terrified man bumped into Nox’s shoulder and came running out frantically.
“Cr-crazy… The, the ability restraint has been released! It’s an emergency!”
Ability restraint?
Nox, who had been flustered, frowned at those words.
“What? The ability restraint was released? Why would that be released!”
The man, more certain at Nox’s question, shouted.
“What about the other employees? Did you release the monster?”
“If we release the monster, everyone here will die, you fool!”
“Th-that brat!”
While the employees continued their urgent conversation, Nox listened carefully to every word they said.
If there’s an ability in this kingdom….
There’s only the ice ability of the Croste Ducal Family.
Though he still maintained his businesslike expression, the hair on his chilled neck stood on end.
‘…No way.’
Nox’s eyes flashed as he suddenly realized something.
The moment he entered the storehouse entrance, as if enchanted by a familiar energy.
Ice crystals filling the walls came into view.
* * *
CRASH—!
“S-someone do something about this monster!”
“Who released the ability restraint?! Damn it!”
After releasing Lucas’s ability restraint.
The precarious situation became so advantageous to us it was almost anticlimactic.
“Dandelion, stay right behind me.”
Could a young boy’s back look this reliable?
“Yes!”
I stuck close to Lucas’s back and nodded vigorously, then stood on my tiptoes to look over his shoulder.
The situation seemed to be over already.
Ice pillars were sprouting everywhere in the dark room where employees had been loitering.
It was exactly like being inside an ice cave.
‘…Is he overpowered? Why is he so strong?’
In the original work, he was treated as already dead, so there wasn’t detailed information.
‘So this is Croste’s ice ability. It’s unbelievable.’
Tex’s ability as a branch family member was also strong, but Lucas seemed to be on a different level.
That’s when it happened.
“Shoot a sleeping dart! Put him to sleep first!”
At someone’s command, a large man jumped out from behind the iron bars.
Aiming an arrow with sleeping potion at us.
“Dandelion, dodge!”
Lucas, who hadn’t noticed the situation behind us, belatedly stood in front of me—
Pop—
“Gah.”
Just before pulling the bowstring, the man suddenly collapsed. A long needle was stuck in his neck.
After confirming he had fallen, I looked at Lucas who was standing protectively embracing me.
Had he been prepared to take the hit instead? His tightly closed eyelids slowly opened.
“…Dandelion?”
He had instinctively tried to protect me, but fear he couldn’t hide lingered in his gaze.
His personality isn’t great, but he’s brave.
They said he’s Callipus’s son, and he really does resemble him a lot.
“Young master. Did you protect me?”
When I tilted my head, feeling grateful for no reason—
“…Of course! It’s natural to protect people weaker than me… Huh?”
He was muttering with a bright red face when he suddenly stopped talking.
Then he checked the fallen man.
“But why did that guy collapse?”
Soon he discovered the needle stuck in the man’s neck.
“I’m a former spy. I carry self-defense poison needles around.”
I hadn’t had a chance to show this until now.
“Ta-da— Cool, right?”
Now, take a look at this color.
A grip that fits perfectly in baby hands like maple leaves.
Smooth black color that’s hard to spot!
It’s a poison needle for children!
“…You.”
I bragged a bit since we escaped the dangerous situation thanks to me, but his brow furrowed slightly when he saw the poison needle.
Oops. Maybe bragging about being a spy isn’t quite right.
“Um. I did say I wasn’t a spy, but it was an emergency… Still, surviving is what’s important!”
I frantically made excuses in my panic—
“I’ll repay… it….”
But then—
“Huh?”
“…I’ll definitely repay this debt!”
Lucas suddenly let out a shriek and bolted upright from his seat.
“Ugh.”
Unable to withstand that momentum, I tumbled and fell over.
“Are you okay?!”
“Yeah. I’m fine…”
Just as I was about to say that.
Through my ear pressed against the cold floor, I heard vibrations of people running toward us.
Along with what sounded like a pained groan.
“…Ugh.”
I heard it again. This time it was definitely a weak moan.
‘What is that?’
Like a spring bouncing up, I quickly raised my head and saw a man who had fallen after being attacked by Lucas.
And beneath his body—
“…”
Vivid purple eyes were watching me.
“Meow—”
It was a baby cat.
“Mew—”
The baby cat was trapped under the man.
“Dandelion!”
When I suddenly ran toward them, a startled Lucas urgently chased after me.
But I couldn’t take my eyes off the cat and asked.
“Can you move that man?”
“What?”
“That man! There’s a baby cat trapped underneath him!”
“Oh!”
Lucas, startled by my words, turned his head to check on the cat.
Soon he slowly raised an ice pillar beneath the man’s head.
Thanks to that, the man’s head was lifted at an angle as if resting on a high pillow.
“Thank you!”
Lying flat on the floor, I reached my hand toward the cat.
“Come here. It’s okay now.”
However, the cat only trembled and wouldn’t come out.
Its fur seemed to still be partially trapped under the man’s body.
I moved a little closer, put in my small hands, and carefully pulled the cat out.
Soon a tiny ball of fur was nestled in my arms.
The moment I met those purple eyes buried in darkness, my whole body froze.
‘Aisha.’
When I had fled into the garden drain.
The Guard’s desperate voice calling for me in that dark tunnel echoed in my head.
I wondered if this was exactly how he felt when he found me.
“…”
Lost in thought for only a moment, the cat came first.
Shaking my head quickly, I suddenly held the cat out to Lucas.
“Young Master. Please save this baby cat.”
“What?”
“You said you’d repay your debt to me. When we return to the ducal palace, please save this child.”
Lucas’s mysterious eyes quietly stared at me.
He scratched the back of his neck.
“…I’ll protect all weak life forms, whether animals or people. That’s what the Croste Ducal Family should do.”
It was definitely a positive answer, but his manner of speaking was somewhat ambiguous.
Was he surprised that I asked him to save a cat as repayment?
Did that displease him?
‘He said he’d repay his debt, so why is his reaction so lukewarm?’
Of course, regardless of Lucas’s reaction, I examined the cat.
Though its life was fading, I could faintly feel warmth in my palm.
This child was probably also brought here as food for the monster.
‘What could there possibly be to eat on this tiny thing that they kidnapped it?’
The baby cat was completely dried up, as if it hadn’t been fed.
There was some wariness in its purple eyes crusted with eye discharge, but it seemed too weak to even hiss.
“Your wish should be something else, like you staying at the ducal palace as my subordinate…”
“Young Master! The baby looks very cold.”
“Huh.”
He hesitated and hid his hand behind his back as he was about to pet the cat.
It was probably because his body temperature had dropped due to his ability.
“I’m cold, so you hold it.”
“Mm.”
I stuffed the barely breathing ball of fur inside my clothes.
“Mew—”
A faint moan escaped, as if it was uncomfortable in my arms, but feeling my warmth, the cat no longer resisted.
It looked peaceful, as if experiencing such warmth for the first time.
If I hadn’t discovered this child, it probably would have lost its life on the cold floor.
Just like me, trembling alone before Callipus found me.
“…”
Seeing this tiny life form suddenly reminded me of my past self.
“For now, Dandelion.”
Lost in thought, I looked up at Lucas’s call.
“Let’s go again. You protect the cat, and I’ll protect you.”
He said that and nodded his head.
More precisely, he tried to nod.
A huge shadow suddenly appeared behind his small shoulders.
At the same time, what shot up was none other than a sword.
“Just die, ability user!”
Lucas’s eyes, who had been off guard, widened.
In my head, dozens of scenarios swirled in that brief moment.
Lucas dies and I survive.
Then I lose trust and become alone again.
I save Lucas and die instead.
That way, I won’t lose trust or become alone.
“Young Master!”
If I had to choose between the two—
‘He may have adopted you out of pity, but he doesn’t trust you. You were the one who lied first, Miss.’
Mai’s reproachful voice pierced through my head like an arrow.
Thanks to that, my resolve was set.
Even if I died, I would save him.
“Aisha!”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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