Chapter 24
It was widely known that Hata was the enchantress Lichesia’s dog.
That fact served as Hata’s shield.
People might curse him behind his back, calling him a dim-witted, foolish mutt, but to his face, no one dared treat him carelessly.
Recently, Lichesia had been absent for a spell, but that alone shouldn’t have been enough for someone to target Hata so brazenly.
Just who could it be?
Chesha sank deep into thought.
If the butterfly didn’t respond, she couldn’t travel to Hata’s location.
Even if she could, in her toddler form, there was little she could do.
First, I need to turn back into an adult.
The potion was with Hata.
I’ll head to his shop tonight.
Behind Hata’s hat shop, a front for his underworld dealings, was a workshop where hats and accessories were crafted.
And hidden within that workshop was a secret door.
Open it, and you’d find the space where Hata concocted his potions.
The potion to restore Chesha to her adult form was surely stored there.
Few knew that Hata, using his beastman abilities, could craft potions.
Those who did assumed he only made standard remedies or enhancement elixirs.
The fact that he produced all manner of obscure potions was a closely guarded secret.
Thanks to this, Chesha relied on Hata whenever she needed to disguise herself or pull off covert schemes.
This time, too, she was confident she could execute a perfect crime.
Chesha let out a small “hmph” and crossed her arms.
Her short arms made the gesture a bit awkward, but she crossed them nonetheless.
The problem is how to slip out.
Karha was going out tonight, but Ishuel would stay home.
He’d likely cling to her side, pestering her until bedtime.
If push came to shove, she might have to risk getting caught and vanish anyway.
It’d be better if there were another way.
To her surprise, Chesha’s dilemma resolved itself with ease.
It happened during etiquette lessons with the new tutor, followed by tea time.
Chesha was sandwiched between Karha and Ishuel, enduring their teasing.
“Heh, my little sister. You’re just too pretty, taking after me,” Ishuel boasted shamelessly, despite their lack of shared blood, as he tried various oversized ribbons on Chesha’s head.
The ribbons, half the size of her head, were part of Ishuel’s personal collection.
He was gleefully using Chesha as a doll, decking her out with accessories that clashed with men’s fashion.
While Ishuel played dress-up, Karha wasn’t idle either.
He grabbed desserts from the tea table, gobbling them down while poking and prodding Chesha.
He pinched her soft cheeks, placed her tiny hand on his, marveling at it, and…
“Ugh!”
When Chesha finally snapped in irritation, he only seemed to enjoy it more.
As she swung her chestnut-sized fists at the twins, Belzeon appeared, his face stern.
“Karha, Ishuel.”
It was clear he wasn’t here to enjoy tea time.
Sensing the weight of his mood, the twins immediately stopped their antics and looked at him.
“You both need to come with me. Now.”
It was a curt command, devoid of explanation.
But the twins seemed to understand instantly.
Ishuel set down the ribbon he’d been about to tie on Chesha’s head and asked, “Are you going too, brother?”
“It’s that kind of situation.”
At the news that even Belzeon was involved, the twins’ faces turned identically blank.
Karha tilted his head slightly, a hint of defiance in his tone. “What’s going on?”
“Holy Knights.”
At that single phrase, both Karha and Ishuel’s eyes widened in shock.
It was a completely unexpected development.
Karha scratched his head, muttering, “Uh… what’s up with them? That’s a big deal. I’ll get ready.”
“I’ll get ready, brother,” Ishuel echoed.
Both stood promptly, no complaints.
Even Karha, who’d normally grumble, moved without a word.
“Take the baby to her room. Keep her entertained,” Belzeon instructed.
He scooped up Chesha and handed her to a servant before heading off to prepare for their outing.
Oh?
“Lady Chesha, we’ll play with you!” the enthusiastic servants declared, arriving with an armful of jingling toys.
Oho?
But Chesha had no interest in their games.
I’m alone?
Opportunity had fallen from the sky.
With Kierne and the three brothers gone, escaping the Basilian manor was easier than eating a cookie.
Chesha played along with the servants, acting docile.
After finishing dinner, she announced she was tired and would sleep early, then barricaded herself in her bedroom.
She could sense the presence of those guarding her room from outside.
As long as they didn’t come in to check closely, it didn’t matter.
Chesha stuffed pillows under the blankets to create a convincing lump.
By the way, why did they mention the Holy Knights?
The idea of the Basilian family getting tangled with the Holy Knights was odd.
If it were just Kierne, she’d assume he’d caused trouble and finally gotten caught, but the fact that the young brothers were involved was puzzling.
Curiosity tugged at her, but Hata was the priority now.
Chesha set the thought aside and teleported from the manor’s bedroom to Hata’s hat shop.
A flower bloomed on the floor of the empty shop.
Emerging with the flower, Chesha’s face immediately twisted into a scowl.
“What the…?”
The shop was a mess.
Hats, meant to be neatly arranged, were strewn haphazardly across the floor.
Hata cherished this shop dearly.
Chesha had set it up for him.
His knack for crafting impressive hats and accessories had always amazed her, and she’d encouraged him to take it seriously, gifting him the shop.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, Hata had sobbed for three days and nights.
“This is Hata’s number one treasure now! I’ll make it the best hat shop ever!” he’d sworn to Chesha, tending to the shop with meticulous care.
Every corner bore his touch.
And now, that beloved shop…
Was in complete disarray.
It didn’t seem like a burglary—valuable hats remained untouched.
…
Chesha stepped carefully to avoid the scattered hats and accessories, heading to the back of the shop.
The door behind the counter was ajar, unlocked.
The workshop was in similar chaos.
Thread, needles, fabric, lace, ribbons, and gems were tangled and scattered everywhere.
Chesha stood still for a moment, taking in the scene.
Then, without hesitation, she moved deeper inside.
She stopped before a wooden cabinet with twenty drawers.
The drawers, once neatly organized with supplies, were now yanked open haphazardly.
Chesha placed her hand on the cabinet.
With a low rumble, it split apart, revealing a small wooden door.
Using a butterfly to turn the bronze knob, she stepped inside, and a dim laboratory appeared.
The room was filled with flowers.
Vines of blossoms curled around shelves lined with potion bottles, and the workbench was adorned with vibrant flower heads.
Many vials, meant for potions, held floral arrangements instead.
All the flowers were Chesha’s doing.
Hata loved crafting potions while surrounded by their scent.
“It helps Lady Lichesia! It makes Hata really useful!” he’d say.
She could still picture him rushing to her, proudly showing off his latest creation.
Pausing to think of Hata, Chesha took a deep breath.
She approached the shelves, inspecting the potion bottles one by one.
Right in front of her were two vials.
[Growing Potion]
[Shrinking Potion]
Reading the labels, Chesha grabbed the Growing Potion.
“Will this do?”
She downed it in one gulp.
It tasted strange.
First, like freshly baked cherry pie.
Then, clotted cream and jam on a scone.
And finally, like a cucumber sandwich…
As she savored the odd flavors, her body suddenly shot upward.
*Thud!* Her head hit the ceiling.
Chesha had become a giant toddler.
“I’m gonna go crazy!”
That ridiculous dog had made such a useless potion.
She quickly drank the Shrinking Potion, and thankfully, her body returned to normal.
Wiping nervous sweat, she searched for the potion to become an adult.
Then, a faint bell chimed.
Someone had entered the shop.
Chesha’s ears perked up.
A familiar voice came from a distance.
“Man, the shop’s been totally ransacked.”
It was Karha.
