"Get out of the way! Hey! Impudent fool! You almost ran me over!" Leon's voice shrilled through the clamor of Tintagel Market. His tiny feet were in a hurry, but he quickly vanished into the indifferent crowd. Being only the height of a toddler, the bustling people didn't notice him at their feet. Leon was often bumped, sometimes even almost accidentally stepped on by gigantic feet. With every bump, a burning rage flared within him, igniting the resentment of thousands of years trapped in a child's body.
"Ughhhhh! Grrrraaah! I'll crush all of you!" Leon snarled, clenching his small fists. A thick crimson aura, thin yet accompanied by pressure, began to emanate from his body, making the surrounding air heavy. This aura was a manifestation of powerful ki, a legacy of thousands of years of training, now unleashed as the wrath of a Grand Master trapped in a toddler's body.
In the middle of the market, an old gentleman of slender build radiating an aura of calm wisdom, Benitez Silva, was leisurely walking with his granddaughter, Valtoria Silva (about 8 years old), when he suddenly stopped. His eyes narrowed, and cold sweat ran down his temple. "What is this?! I feel an extremely urgent aura! Who... who is emitting such strong killing intent?!" His whisper trembled, filled with alarm.
It wasn't just Benitez. Many swordsmen and mages hidden within the market's hustle had sensed the wave of Leon's unrestrained rage. They all stiffened, their eyes bloodshot as they searched through the crowd for the source of the invisible threat. Some secretly gripped the hilts of their swords or prepared spells, ready for the unseen enemy.
"What's wrong, Grandpa?" Valtoria asked innocently, seeing her grandfather tense and sweating. "Why are you so nervous?"
"Nothing, child," Benitez stammered, immediately picking up his granddaughter protectively. "Come on, let's get out of here, right now!" He walked quickly, trying to move away from the center of that ominous aura. Only those who had reached a deep understanding of the world's aura could perceive the terrifying wrath of a Grand Master trapped in a toddler's body. Ordinary people without aura perception only felt a slight unease without knowing its source, as if a dark cloud had passed overhead.
Meanwhile, Leon, who had unleashed his fury and was ready to destroy everything, suddenly saw a familiar figure emerge from the crowd.
"Leon! There you are! I'm glad I found you!" It was the kind gate guard, Harley. A look of relief was on his face.
"Hey, you damn biker! Don't come near me! I'll crush all of them!" Leon screamed, his eyes glowing red, but to Harley's eyes, it just looked like an adorable toddler growling like a cat.
"Biker? What's that?" Harley tilted his head, puzzled. "Oh, right, you shouldn't break everything, kid. If you break everything, you won't be able to buy new pants, right?" Harley chuckled teasingly, thinking Leon's words were just a child's usual bragging.
As soon as he heard the words "new pants," Leon's anger subsided like fire extinguished by water. A practical thought flashed in his intelligent mind. Indeed... if he destroyed everything, he wouldn't be able to buy new ones. He lowered his fists, his expression shifting from angry to thoughtful.
Everyone who had felt Leon's killing intent let out a sigh of relief. Swordsmen and mages began searching for the terrifying presence, their eyes warily scanning the crowd. Because this was a serious threat, some even reported the killing intent emanating from Leon to their families, organizations, and governments. However, they didn't know that the one who unleashed it was Leon, the toddler who now looked innocent and adorable.
"Alright, that's better," Harley chuckled, looking at Leon's adorable angry expression. "Alright, I'll take you to the fabric store."
Leon disliked being carried, so he walked quickly beside Harley, his tiny feet bouncing to match the gate guard's large strides. "Don't let go of my hand," Harley said with a smile, trying to hold Leon's hand.
They arrived at a fabric store adorned with colorful cloths. From inside, a slender transvestite wearing a bright satin kebaya appeared. Her lips were painted crimson red, and her eyes shimmered invitingly. "Welcome! Can I help you, Guard-nim?" she said in a sweet, high-pitched voice, boldly caressing Harley's chest, making him flustered.
Leon instantly felt pure disgust. Ughhh! What is this?!
"Th-this is... I want to have pants and clothes made for this child," Harley stammered, trying to escape the transvestite's flirtatious touch, his face red.
"Oh, what a cute child! Come on, big sister will take your measurements!" The transvestite approached Leon, gently extending a hand, trying to touch him.
"Stop it!" Leon yelled, stepping back, his expression showing undeniable revulsion. "Don't you have ready-made clothes?! I don't want to be measured!" The thought of the transvestite's hand touching his body made Leon nauseous. It felt like something unpleasant was clinging to him.
"There's no such thing, young man! If you want new clothes, you have to get measured first, then they'll be made! Come on, cute child, big sister will take your measurements!" The transvestite tried to approach again, oblivious to Leon's horrified expression.
"No! Impossible!" Leon hid behind Harley's back, like a frightened kitten. "Just buy the fabric! And sewing supplies too!"
The transvestite sighed playfully. "Awww... you poor child! Oh, alright then. What kind of fabric do you want, darling?"
"Anything! Just hurry!" Leon yelled impatiently. He wanted this unpleasant interaction to end quickly.
"Understood, I'll prepare it for you," the transvestite stepped away for a moment and returned with a roll of fabric and a bag of sewing supplies. "The price is one gold coin."
Leon immediately pulled out the gold coin pouch full of coins he had gotten from Elio. Harley's eyes widened at the sight of the pile of gold coins in the toddler's hand. He refrained from asking questions, guessing that Leon was probably a runaway noble child. It was a more plausible idea than the reality.
After paying, the two quickly left the store. Leon walked with obvious relief.
"I understand why you don't want to be near that person," Harley said as they walked away from the store. "But what are you going to do with that fabric? Do you know someone who can make clothes?"
"I can sew it myself," Leon said confidently, looking up at Harley. "I'm quite handy!" Of course, he was handy, he thought. He'd been a chore boy for five hundred years under those damned old gods! He'd done all the sewing, cooking, and cleaning!
"Oh... I see," Harley just nodded, not taking the toddler's words seriously, thinking it was just a child's boast.
"I'm hungry," Leon suddenly clutched his stomach. "Let's go eat! My treat!" He immediately headed for a rather high-end restaurant with a sign that read "Flavor Gems."
They sat by a window overlooking the bustling market. A waitress approached Harley. "What would you like to order, sir?"
"Leon, what do you want?" Harley ignored the waitress for a moment and asked Leon.
"I'll eat the best thing here!" Leon exclaimed forcefully, his eyes shining with anticipation.
The waitress chuckled, looking down at the toddler. "Oh... this child is cute! But I'm sorry, young man, you're too small. How about some milk? That's more suitable for you."
Leon thought for a moment, looking at his small hands. Indeed. He was still a baby. He couldn't chew roasted meat. "Okay, then milk. What are you ordering, Harley? Don't worry about it, I'm paying!" He said grandly, like a philanthropist.
People in the restaurant chuckled at Leon's behavior. However, their gazes directed at Harley were chilling and full of condemnation.
"Hey, look at that gate guard! He's extorting money from a child!" one customer whispered sharply.
"Shhh... maybe they're father and son," another customer added kindly. "But even so, isn't it strange for a toddler to be paying?!"
"Yeah! He's scum!" another customer replied, giving Harley a disgusted look, as if he were the worst criminal.
Hearing their gazes and whispers, Harley became very uncomfortable. His face turned crimson, feeling immense shame. "I-I... Leon, I won't eat. You drink your milk."
"It's fine, I'll drink alone," Leon said indifferently. He didn't care about the surrounding stares. As long as he could satisfy his hunger, that was all that mattered.
Soon, the waitress brought a large glass of warm milk. Leon gulped it down as if it were the nectar of the gods. Afterward, the two returned to the guard post at the town gate.
"Here's your fabric. Can you carry it?" Harley handed him a large roll of fabric that was taller than Leon.
"Easy, hand it over!" Leon said confidently, trying to lift the roll of fabric with his tiny hands. However, his toddler muscles were still weak, so he quickly stumbled, and the roll of fabric toppled over him, wrapping him up like a sausage.
"See, you couldn't do it, could you?" Harley chuckled, helping Leon up and dusting off his clothes. "I'll carry it. Where's your house, kid?"
"I don't have a house," Leon said. "I'll make a house in that big tree over there!" He pointed to a towering, giant tree in the grassland about a hundred meters from the city walls.
Oh dear... what am I going to do with this child? I'm tired, Harley sighed inwardly, feeling helpless.
"Give me the fabric!" Leon yelled, ignoring Harley's muttering. A faint blue aura clung to his tiny hands. It was the body enhancement magic he had mastered, manifesting his true power. Since his body was still that of a toddler, he had to use magic to compensate for its weaknesses. That's why he had easily defeated the thugs in the market. Thanks to that enhancement magic, he easily lifted the roll of fabric as if it weighed nothing.
However, before Leon could fully lift the fabric, Harley called him.
"That's enough," Harley finally sighed in resignation. "I'll carry it. You... you come to my house." His voice was slightly hesitant, tinged with surrender, as if he had succumbed to fate. He intended to take care of Leon until the mysterious toddler's family came looking for him, or at least until a solution to this mystery was found.
"Hmm... okay," Leon thought for a moment, considering the offer. A permanent house seemed better than a treehouse. "But I won't do any housework! I'm tired of being a chore boy!" His expression was serious, recalling his arduous experiences in the Land of the Gods.
Harley laughed. "Hahaha! Alright, let's go!" And so, the two headed towards Harley's modest home. Leon now felt quite comfortable, having found an unexpected, at least temporary, refuge in this strange world.