“When your magic manifests, your small body will likely be unable to contain it. Eventually, the magic will run amok, and there’s a high possibility that you could cease to exist.”
“You mean…I could die!?”
“Yes. But you’re lucky.”
“…Is that really true?”
“I don’t tell lies.”
“People who say that usually lie through their teeth, though.”
Yan’s response made Hazen chuckle wryly.
She was right on the mark.
“Can’t you be trusted?”
“…I can probably trust that you’re trustworthy, but I can’t trust you yet.”
“I see. That’s a good insight. Well, whichever it is, it doesn’t matter.”
“Huh? What?”
“Yan, taking you with me is a done deal.”
!?
“W-Why? I don’t want to go with someone who just decides these things on their own.”
“Your wishes don’t matter in this case.”
“…!”
Yan was taken aback by the firm, unwavering statement.
“S-So this is kidnapping, isn’t it?”
“Of course, I’ll go through the proper procedures. You’re a minor, so your legal guardian would be the orphanage, right?”
///
Scene transition
///
“I won’t guide you there!”
“There’s probably only one orphanage in a small village like this. Sergeant Baz.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
“Go ask around and guide us to the orphanage.”
“Understood!”
“…!”
As Yan stood in shock, Hazen picked him up and put him on a horse.
“W-What are you doing?”
“I’m taking you with me. The ride back will be at a gallop, so you should get used to it now.”
“N-No, I don’t want to! My home isn’t with you!”
“…I can’t be helped.”
“W-What are you doing? Nooooo!”
Despite Yan’s firm resistance, Hazen used the same binding technique as the Kumin tribe to restrain her.
They arrived at the orphanage where Yan lived. The exterior was quite run-down, with visible signs of repairs everywhere. There was a small courtyard where the children were playing, but it seemed cramped and insufficient in size.
The orphanage director, an elderly and kind-looking woman, came out and looked worriedly at the bound Yan.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lieutenant Hazen Heim of the Imperial Army.”
“I’m Norwege Liag, the orphanage director.”
“To get straight to the point, I’d like to take this girl, Yan, into my custody.”
“…Ah, so this is at the Empire’s request?”
“No, this is a personal matter. I want to nurture her exceptional talents.”
Norwege glanced at the bound Yan and hesitantly spoke up.
“Um, may I ask why she is restrained?”
“She was resisting.”
“…Could you please release her?”
“Understood.”
Hazen swung the shadow-like bindings left and right, and they disappeared from around Yan. The pink-haired girl immediately ran to take refuge in Norwege’s arms, glaring sternly at Hazen.
“This man is a kidnapper!”
“Y-Yan! Behave.”
“It’s alright. It’s just a child’s silly talk. She’s so cute.”
“…!”
The elderly woman’s expression clouded over, despite her serene demeanor. She was aware that she wasn’t well-liked by many, and it seemed she had failed to make a good impression once again. She forced a broad smile, but it was apparently in vain.
“You see, I try to respect the children’s wishes as much as possible.”
“That’s an admirable sentiment.”
“Yan is smart and capable. I feel like there might be other good opportunities for her.”
“…Is that so?”
“Huh?”
“Yan is 13 years old, but has the physique of a young child. Do you really think there will be someone among the tens of thousands of orphans who would choose to take in a child with such a clear disadvantage?”
“…”
Norwege’s expression clouded again, and Yan also stopped her outburst.
“I happened to notice Yan’s potential by chance. In fact, 13-year-old orphans are, to put it bluntly, past their expiration date. Most are selected before the age of 10, and are no longer even considered candidates.”
“…Yan is a smart child. Even if she doesn’t have someone to take her in, she can learn a trade.”
“It’s true she is intelligent. That’s why she’s been secretly trading with the Kumin tribe to provide food for the other children, isn’t it?”
“The Kumin tribe… Yan, what is that about?”
As Norwege asked, Yan’s expression became anxious. She must have been keeping it a secret. Perhaps this girl had intended from the beginning to take on the role of interpreter for the Kumin tribe. Sergeant Baz had been looking for an interpreter, but a young child like her would likely be turned away before even being tested. That’s why she tried to directly pitch herself.
If that was the case, Hazen wanted her even more.
“Just look at this orphanage. There’s no way it’s being run with ample funds. Yan is smart, so she must have felt troubled by your worried expression.”
“Is that true, Yan?”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Even if Yan stayed at this orphanage, she only has about two more years. No matter how intelligent she is, without education and strength, she won’t be able to continue the trade with the Kumin tribe. Norwege, you must know that too, deep down.”
“…”
“Please don’t misunderstand. I don’t undervalue her at all. Here’s a down payment, a substantial amount.”
“T-This much!?”
Hazen handed over a single gold coin. This was an amount that could buy food for more than 10 children at the orphanage.
“As a lieutenant, my monthly salary is 3 silver coins. I will continue to send an extra 1 coin per month. Of course, as long as Yan is under my command, this will continue.”
“…That much?”
The director of the Norwegian orphanage looked at the children. That amount would be enough for 3 months’ worth of food expenses.
“I also have plans for Yan’s future. Currently, I am a commoner who holds the rank of lieutenant, but I have also passed the officer’s exam. It shouldn’t take long for me to be promoted to higher rank. Then I can gain the status of a minor nobleman.”
” …… “
The director quietly closed his eyes. The treatment of a minor nobleman and a commoner was vastly different. If Hazen registered Yan as his relative, Yan would be officially recognized as a minor nobleman.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
By the way, Hazen had already obtained imperial citizenship. Even as a commoner, it is usually difficult for someone of unknown origins to obtain official registration. But his situation was quite complicated.
He had kidnapped and imprisoned an evil woman of imperial citizenship who was attempting to illegally broker slaves, and had forcibly registered himself as her adopted son, living for a time as Hazen-Dali. Later, upon reaching adulthood, he changed his name back to Hazen-Heim, but that is another story.
Eventually, the director hurried to Yan’s side and gently embraced him.
“Yan…I want to respect your wishes as much as possible, but isn’t this a good deal?”
” …… “
After a while of silence with his head bowed, Yan finally spoke.
“Hazen-san.”
“What is it?”
“It’s not enough. If you’re trying to use me, it needs to be 2 silver coins more.”
“……”
“As a translator for the Kumin tribe. And I don’t understand, but isn’t that value worth your investment?”
Smiling, Hazen nodded. Yan looked at the kind old woman’s face with a complex expression.
“And director of the Norwege…”
“Hmm?”
“I have a request.”
“…What is it?”
“This might be the last time, so…could you hold me a little longer?”
“…Okay.”
At Yan’s feet, a few raindrops were falling.
They departed the village of Dinasteld. Hazen placed Yan in front of the saddle and mounted behind him.
“You grip the reins and ride.”
“Eh!? But I’ve never done it before!”
“What are you saying? You just rode a moment ago.”
“Ugh! That was called kidnapping!”
Angrily shrugging his shoulders, Yan struggled to control the reins.
“Anyway, about the negotiation earlier…”
“C-Can’t you see I’m busy here!? Don’t talk to me!”
“Even in the midst of struggle, you should be able to think of other things. Consider it training.”
“Waah! I don’t like this person at all! Someone help me!”
“….”
Yan cried out, but the members of the 8th squad all pretended not to notice.
“Let’s continue. You can get a better deal. I’ll leave the next negotiation to you, so reflect on this carefully.”
“Eh!? Does that mean I’m worth more than 2 silver coins?”
Even as she said this in surprise, Yan was already starting to master controlling the reins. Hazen was convinced that she was a child who would grow stronger the more she was pushed.
“Of course. I don’t make unprofitable purchases.”
“Profitable? That phrasing is really annoying. So where was the compromise line?”
“A down payment of 5 gold coins. 3 gold coins per month thereafter. And after each promotion, one-third of the salary increase would continue to be paid. Honestly, I might have hesitated a bit more than that.”
“Wha…”
Yan’s mouth hung open in shock, almost falling off the horse.
“I said you had magical potential and would eventually grow stronger. That way, you could easily earn money on your own. So my assumption that ‘no one would take you in’ was likely mistaken.”
“You liar!”
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