Chapter 3

Tall stature. Broad shoulders.

A pale face and long eyelashes.

Clear blue eyes like a lake and soft wheat-colored hair.

His languidly half-open eyes gave off a sense of leisure and sharpness.

The man leisurely looked around, smiled, and opened his mouth.

“I am Oliver.”

At the concise introduction, people began to murmur.

“Crazy, he’s crazy.”

“Right. His face is crazy handsome. His voice is crazy too.”

“Did they add a law in the Empire where being handsome is a crime or something?”

“Then you must be getting a reduced sentence…?”

“You brat!”

I, too, couldn’t take my eyes off him.

Thump, thump.

My small heart pounded relentlessly.

It wasn’t because the man was handsome… but for another reason.

‘He’s an undercover investigator.’

Thanks to squeezing my tiny brain hard, I was able to remember the man’s identity.

That man was definitely the undercover investigator sent by Panteyebe.

‘I saw it in Saturday’s Gossip, so I’m sure.’

I stared at Mr. Oliver with sparkling eyes.

‘If it’s him, he can make my plan a reality!’

My plan to go to a decent orphanage, that is.

‘Someone with the rank of investigator should have the authority to choose an orphanage.’

After making a good impression, if I subtly drop a hint….

That was when.

“Wha, what the?! Why on earth is that person here…!”

Ricky, who was sitting next to me, jumped up with a yell.

Everyone’s gaze focused on him.

Not only Mr. Oliver, but even the guard’s gaze turned toward him.

“What’s wrong, Ricky? Do you know him?”

At the guard’s questioning, Ricky blinked his eyes.

“W-Well, I just felt so sorry that… that such a handsome person got locked up in a place like this. Haha, ha.”

As he awkwardly scratched the back of his head and sat down, playful boos poured out from here and there.

“What the, you scared me.”

“Don’t overreact, Ricky-.”

“Boo, stop showing off!”

Ricky laughed ‘haha’ and waved his hand at people, saying, ‘Sorry, sorry.’

But I, sitting next to him, could see it.

‘His eyes are doing the hula.’

Did Ricky also notice Mr. Oliver’s identity?

That Mr. Oliver is an undercover investigator?

I narrowed my eyes and leaned close to Ricky.

“What. What’s wrong, kiddo.”

“Bwother, tell the twuth.”

“W-What…?”

“Did you… do something wike a detective? Or did you commit a cwime or something?”

“What are you talking about. Where else would you find someone as pure and innocent as me!”

What. Seeing him jump like that, it seems he really didn’t.

“Then it’s fine. Wet’s live qwuietly fwom now on.”

Then was he really just surprised because he’s handsome?

As I tilted my head and straightened up, my eyes exactly met Mr. Oliver’s, who had been staring this way.

Wow, he’s really handsome….

‘No, this isn’t the time for that.’

Good impression, smiling expression!

I quickly went ‘Hee-‘ and flashed a smile.

For a moment, Mr. Oliver’s eyebrows twitched lightly.

He stared at me intently, then slowly smiled back.

Gasp, he’s even more handsome when he smiles.

‘More importantly, this is a good sign, right?’

He smiled at me, after all.

Somehow, the not-bad first step made a dopey, goofy grin spread across my face without stopping.

* * *

That evening.

I headed to Mr. Oliver’s room.

It was to firmly hammer a good impression into his head.

‘For that, I need to greet him well!’

Greetings are the basics of a good impression, after all.

Hello, customer.

Nice to meet you, customer.

Standing tall in the hallway and practicing my greeting a couple of times, I tightly clenched my fists.

“Awight, compwete.”

It’s the real deal from now on.

But as soon as I arrived in front of Mr. Oliver’s door, I lost my will completely.

“Hey, move over! Let me see his face too!”

“I want to say hello too.”

“Me too, me too!”

Mr. Oliver’s door was already crowded with people.

…No wonder. There was no one on the way here.

‘Looks like they’re all gathered here.’

Gulp.

It can’t be helped.

‘Strategic retreat.’

If I squeezed in there, I’d end up seeing the Grim Reaper’s face before Mr. Oliver’s.

But I couldn’t just give up like this.

‘Let’s change the strategy a bit.’

The place my gaze turned to was the room next to Mr. Oliver’s.

Ricky’s room.

“Gweat. Wet’s do it thewe.”

My new operation base!

* * *

“Can I sweep in Bwother’s woom?”

At my question, Sister Jeanne dropped the comb she was holding.

With a shocked face, she tightly grasped my hands with her empty ones.

“Why, why? Did Sister do something wrong? Is that why you don’t want to sleep with Sister?”

“No! It’s not wike that!”

I hurriedly waved my hands.

My kind sister shouldn’t get hurt.

“It’s not that, I just wanted to be cwose to the new uncwe…. The new uncwe is in the woom next to Wicky’s, wight?”

“Ah, I thought it was something else.”

Only then did Sister look relieved, smile brightly, and nod.

“If that’s the case, do as you like. Ricky, is it okay with you too?”

“Uh… huh? What did you say?”

“The kid has been spaced out for a while…. Melony wants to sleep in your room. Is that okay?”

At Sister Jeanne’s words, Ricky’s eyes went wide.

Soon, he nodded his head vigorously and answered.

“I’d love that! I’m so thankful! Sleep in my room. Or no? Just stay there forever. You can stay as long as you want!”

“…No. That’s a bit much.”

I like Sister Jeanne better.

That night.

I spread out the blanket in Ricky’s room and lay down.

“Sleep well, kiddo.”

“Yeah. You too, Bwother. And I’m not a kiddo.”

“Okay, kiddo.”

This guy, seriously….

‘Fine. The magnanimous me will let it slide.’

I let out a huff through my nose and lay back down.

Not long after, Ricky fell asleep first.

Asleep, he started groaning and tossing about.

“Ugh, save… please save me. I don’t know anything.”

What kind of dream is he having?

I let out a pitiful sigh and patted his chest.

Oh, he’s quiet now.

‘Then let’s start moving.’

I moved as quietly as possible, tiptoeing around.

‘Opening the door might wake him up…’

If the rusty door creaks, Ricky might wake up.

That would be a problem.

He’s not the type to let me wander around alone at night.

What I chose was the small hole at the bottom of the door.

It was a hole used for exchanging food, and I could barely squeeze through it.

‘If I was any bigger, it would be impossible.’

Carefully putting my head through the hole, I crawled out.

The empty hallway was dark and quiet.

Gulp.

‘A bit scary…’

Why is it that I suddenly recall the Bramchois ghost story I heard from Ricky once?

“You know what, Melony?”

“What?”

“Actually, a monster lives here in Bramchois?”

“…A m-monstew?”

“Yeah. The Bramchois monster eats children who don’t go to sleep early-.”

“Ricky. Stop teasing Melony.”

“Hing. Sister Jeanne only hates Wicky. Hing hing.”

Of course, since it was a story Ricky told me, I didn’t really believe it, but.

‘Tch. He just told a scary story for no reason.’

Honestly, if it were the original me, I would have scoffed and ignored a silly ghost story like this.

I wouldn’t have been scared of a dark, pitch-black empty hallway either.

After all, I had experienced all sorts of things while sleeping rough on the streets.

But the problem was this body.

‘Is it because my body is young…? My childish instincts keep coming out.’

The fact that I was picky about carrots again was proof of that.

Before I regressed, forget being picky, I used to even pick up and eat spoiled food sometimes.

…I don’t know if this is good or bad.

Grrr.

‘Well, let’s just keep going.’

Since I’m out, I need to achieve my goal.

The destination was the front of Mr. Oliver’s room.

Of course, I had no intention of going in.

‘I shouldn’t invade his privacy.’

I just planned to check up on him.

I diligently moved my legs that were trembling with fear.

Approaching as quietly as possible, I peeked at his door for no reason, but-.

‘I-I think this is enough. Let’s go back!’

That was brave enough, Melony!

Having achieved my goal, I quickly returned to Ricky’s room.

Phew, phew.

‘I guess I shouldn’t wander around at night. That’s better for my heart.’

I crawled back down and put my legs into the hole.

It was when I had crawled in up to my shoulders.

“…Huh?”

Oh, it’s not moving?