The Golden-Handed Baby Fixes Everything! - Chapter 5

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 5
Ricky felt like crying.
‘You’re asking if I know who he is?’
Of course I know!
Even if I wanted to not know, I couldn’t.
Master of Darkness.
A genius without equal.
The strongest man in the Empire!
How could anyone not know Duke Pantheibe, that famous figure?
‘And he’s also infamous as the most short-tempered duke in the entire Empire.’
Ricky had once worked as a junior reporter at Gossip Publishing.
His assignment had been digging up the secrets of nobles with dirty hands.
Tax evasion, adultery, fraud, gambling, and the like.
The danger was high enough that the pay was generous, yet no one wanted the job.
But for Ricky, who needed money to cover his sick younger sibling’s medicine, there was no better opening.
Without crossing into outright crime, there weren’t many ways to make a large sum.
In the end, he’d been caught by the very noble he was investigating and dumped in this place, but still.
Either way, having somehow come to know the noble social circles inside and out, there was no way he could fail to recognize Duke Pantheibe.
‘Judging by it, he seems to have used some kind of tool to change his hair color…’
Thanks to his uncanny eye, he’d seen straight through the disguise.
Oh, damn it.
‘I should have pretended not to notice!’
The problem was that he’d reacted without thinking to the absurd pairing of Brambshua and Duke Pantheibe.
Well, there’s no helping it.
‘I’ll just play dumb now!’
Having resolved as much, Ricky tilted his head with a harmless expression and a brazen face.
“Ha-ha, no. I don’t really know who you are, sir…”
“Just to be safe, let me say this: I really can’t stand people who lie.”
“Actually, I know. I know very well. I thought you’d be more comfortable if I pretended not to, so I played along with that. Ha-ha! That wasn’t the tune you wanted?”
“Mm. That wasn’t the tune I wanted.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll correct it.”
Ricky saluted with his hand and nodded earnestly.
A satisfied hand patted his shoulder.
“Now what to do. It would be troublesome if someone here knew me.”
“I’ll pretend not to know. I’ll absolutely pretend not to know!”
“It’s nice that we get along so well. How fortunate.”
Huh? What do you mean…?
A deep sense of unease washed over him.
“I happened to need someone who listens well and keeps their mouth shut. You’re perfect for it.”
I doubt that.
…I really doubt I’m perfect for it!
But instead of saying so, Ricky only forced a trembling smile and nodded.
From that very day, Ricky became Undercover Investigator No. 2.
His job was to sort the people of Brambshua into real prisoners and fake ones, and to organize how each of them had ended up locked up here.
‘Ha. Of all places, I’m working even here…’
It was a forced hire he hadn’t wanted.
* * *
“You’ve been getting close with Mr. Oliver lately, haven’t you? Did you two agree to become friends?”
“Sis! How can you say something so terrifying… Wait, no. He might be listening from somewhere.”
Brother Ricky, who had jumped at Jeanne’s question, anxiously scanned his surroundings with frightened eyes.
Muttering something to himself, he answered, ‘Right. W-we’re close. He’s a really wonderful person. Ha-ha.’
I narrowed my eyes and looked up at my brother.
Tch.
‘When did they get so close?’
It had been a week since Oliver came to Brambshua.
And every single day, I’d been going to see him.
“Hi there, Newbie Mister. You’re looking extra handsome today, huh?”
I bowed at a crisp ninety degrees and laid it on thick with flattery.
“Good afternoon, Newbie Mister! Haven’t you eaten yet? Melloni brought this for you. Here you go!”
I also slipped him a bribe, as sly as can be.
“Good evening, newbie Ajeossi. Shall Melloni pat you to sleep so you rest well?”
She even offered her special, sure-fire patting technique for sweet, deep sleep.
All of this was a painstaking effort to secure a good orphanage.
But at this rate, Ricky Oppa is going to get close to Mr. Oliver before I do.
‘No… it looks like he already has.’
Ugh.
‘I can’t lose like this!’
To keep from falling behind Ricky Oppa, I came up with a desperate, carefully planned strategy.
Otherwise known as the bribery plan.
* * *
“Melloni, are you really going like that?”
“Mm-hm.”
“Think again. Let me carry it for you, sweetie.”
At my sister’s worried words, I stole a glance at my reflection in the mirror.
‘…Do I look like a snowman? Or maybe a chubby bear.’
An orange blanket was wound tightly around my body.
Maybe I looked like a lumpy carrot.
It was a bit ridiculous, but there was no help for it.
‘There’s no other way to move this blanket.’
The blanket was too big and heavy for me to carry on my own!
This was my favorite blanket, a little softer and a little thicker than the others.
I gently rubbed the blanket with my hand.
‘Mm, it really is soft.’
It was a shame to give away such a nice blanket, but if it meant winning Mr. Oliver’s favor…!
I opened my mouth with a resolute expression.
“Melloni will do it.”
After all, a bribe only has value if it’s delivered in person.
My sister reluctantly nodded and stepped back.
“Be careful, okay?”
Not that it’s far, though. It’s only two rooms down!
‘How hard could it possibly be?’
I puffed out my belly and thumped my chest.
“Just leave it to me!”
Melloni is invincible, as everyone knows!
* * *
And then, a little while later.
Huff, huff, huff, huff…
Standing in front of Mr. Oliver’s door, I gasped for breath.
“So tiring…”
It was a journey far harder than I’d expected.
A child’s body really isn’t easy to manage…
I considered giving up halfway and calling Jeanne Unnie, but if I did, Mr. Oliver might hear my voice, so I gritted my teeth and held on.
I wiped the sweat trickling down my forehead, then pounded on the door.
“Newbie Ajeossi!”
…Huh?
Why isn’t there any sound at all?
A creeping sense of foreboding washed over me, and I knocked on the door again.
Bang bang bang.
“Aj-Ajeossi?!”
But once again, there was no response whatsoever.
‘Could he be out?’
Oh no.
After all the trouble I went through to get all the way here…!
Desperate, I peeked inside. Through the narrow gap, I could glimpse the room within.
‘…It looks empty.’
Ha. Unbelievable.
I silently despaired and stood there, forehead pressed against the wall with a dull thud.
The thought of going back empty-handed was dreadful.
‘No good. This time I’ll go get Unnie…’
That was when it happened.
Creeeak.
“Why is it you always turn up looking so bizarre?”
A small exclamation settled over my head along with the sound of the door opening.
My eyes lit up as I looked up.
“Mister!”
Oh, you’re here?!
“I thoughtcha wasn’t here! I’m so glad you are!”
Overflowing with joy, I dashed over and hugged his leg.
I butted my forehead against him, bonk-bonk, and a big hand slipped quietly between my forehead and his leg.
“…Well. I’m glad you’re here.”
A quiet murmur accompanied it.
A moment later.
Oliver pried me off, set me upright, and looked me over carefully.
“So what’s this? A mud monster? A little ghost? I can’t even guess what you’re going for.”
A mud monster?
A little ghost?
“…No. It’s not a ghost, and it’s not a mud monster either. It’s a sung-mul.”
“A holy relic? Sorry, but I don’t believe in gods.”
Ah, so he’s an atheist.
Oh, wait. That’s not it.
“Not that one! Sseu-eong-mul!”
When I broke it into syllables for him, Oliver’s lips moved as he tested the sounds.
Sseu. Eong. Mul.
“…Present?”
“That’s right! I brought it for Mister, a present!”
I said, fiddling with the blanket in my hands.
“It’s my favorite one, so I’m gonna give it to you, Mister. It’s super soft and warm.”
“You’re giving me your favorite thing?”
“Mm-hm. I’ll give it to you, Mister.”
“…Why?”
“‘Cause Mister’s nice.”
“Oh? Why do you like me?”
Looks like his curiosity is fired up today.
‘I can’t exactly say, “Because you’re the one who might send me to a good orphanage.”…’
After some thought, I decided to dig up a bit of embarrassing history I’d been trying hard to forget.
“Well… Mister saved Melloni, right? Melloni likes good people.”
“A good person?”
“Mm-hm. A nice person! Nice Mister!”
He’s an investigator, after all.
Yeah, he’s a good person.
But for some reason, Oliver’s expression looked odd.
‘He’s smiling like usual, though…’
The curve of his lips looked stiffer than usual?

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