Danju, Antonio, and Yusteah moved through the underground waterways.
This was because the pursuers had appeared after the incident with the Marquis' employees in the shopping district.
After entering the waterway, Antonio reported the situation to the elite squad.
"Uh, yeah. We've entered the underground waterway. It's different from the plan, but we've secured the 'goods.'"
[This crazy guy. Can't kill his temper, so he's causing a whole mess?]
"I didn't do it."
[What a load of nonsense.]
[So are you saying Danju pulled this stunt?]
Antonio felt utterly wronged.
When he saw Yusteah being beaten by the Marquis' employees just for protecting her hood, he had thought it was a do-or-die situation.
He even raised his fists with the intention of dealing lethal blows.
But the person who actually acted was not him.
'I'm just as stunned as anyone.'
Who could have predicted that a mark would even be carved onto her face?
"Danju did this…"
[Shut the hell up.]
[Go die!]
Click.
The communication was cut off without a single person believing him.
Antonio stared at the shamelessly resting Danju with a sad expression.
Next to him, Yusteah was moving about busily.
"What are you doing?"
When Antonio asked, Yusteah replied while taking items out of her bag:
"Organizing my things. And I'll also gather some herbs that grow in the waterway."
"Shouldn't you take a rest? Look at your face in the water—is that the face of a fifteen-year-old girl?"
Yusteah's face was swollen from being beaten by the Marquis' employees.
"You won't move until the sun sets?"
"That's right."
"It's winter, so the sun sets quickly. We need to get organized before then, or it'll be inconvenient when we move."
Then she resumed packing diligently.
You wouldn't believe how skillful her hands were.
The piles of luggage flattened under her touch and slid neatly into the bags.
"Were you really a noble?"
What noble lady survives like this?
Yusteah, folding a bag of vegetables neatly, replied:
"Until I was twelve, yes. My father was Marquis Andres, and my mother ran the Paul Trade Company… no, now called the Andres Trade Guild."
"You must feel a sense of self-doubt in your current state."
Antonio muttered absentmindedly, then realized he might have gone too far.
Everyone in their group had fallen into difficult lives for one reason or another.
He often joked about it, but with a fifteen-year-old girl, it could be hurtful.
"Self-doubt…"
Yusteah murmured, pausing.
Antonio flinched.
"No, I meant—"
"Not sometimes, but every day."
"…Huh?"
"When cleaning the latrine, I think it comes up every minute. The soldiers' latrines are truly filthy…"
"…."
Seeing Yusteah sulk over dirty toilets, Antonio gave a wry smile.
Sure, she's a bit unusual.
'No, maybe not unusual—just remarkable.'
Yusteah quickly finished organizing and began gathering herbs.
"Waterways bloom water flowers, huh. If I knew they grew here, I wouldn't have bought them from the herbalist."
Such a waste.
Muttering, she mercilessly harvested a heap of water flowers.
"This is excellent for recovering from fatigue if brewed into tea."
"Really?"
"Wait a moment. I'll brew some tea."
She took out a pot as big as herself, boiled water, and added sugar and dried fruits she had bought at the market.
Soon, the waterway was filled with a delightful aroma.
Yusteah poured tea into cups and handed them to Antonio and Danju.
Antonio frowned.
"There's foam?"
"Water flowers create foam when steeped. And it's very bitter."
"Is it drinkable?"
"Try it."
Antonio took a hesitant sip.
Then—
"…!"
Startled, he widened his eyes.
"You said it's bitter!"
"If you brew it with strongly acidic fruits, the bitterness is neutralized. It's drinkable, isn't it?"
Clearing his throat, Antonio gulped down the tea.
In truth, he had never tasted such delicious tea.
He had thought teas like this were only for extravagant nobles, but now he understood why people loved tea so much.
Seeing Antonio drink the water flower tea like soup, Yusteah said:
"Water flower liquor is also tasty. Shall I make it next time?"
"Liquor?"
"Chilled, it's a summer delicacy."
Antonio's eyes lit up at the mention of alcohol.
"When… would you make it?"
"If I can get the ingredients."
"Should I go fetch them?"
Just as Antonio said this breathlessly—
Clack.
Danju set her cup down loudly.
Antonio flinched.
"I'm not going out just for alcohol… I mean, to check our surroundings."
"…."
"I'll keep watch then…"
"…."
Even though Antonio promised to be careful, Danju's gaze didn't leave him.
Had she gotten angry at his foolishness?
Antonio tensed further.
Yusteah approached Danju lightly.
"Shall I give you another cup?"
"Full."
"Yes."
…Maybe it's not just him who's strange.
Antonio looked at Danju sipping tea leisurely, dumbfounded.
Three days ago, Danju, Antonio, and I had exited the waterways.
We had once encountered the pursuers, but Danju and Antonio's immense skill wiped out the squad in about five minutes.
After that, the journey was peaceful.
During the journey, I had quite a few conversations with Antonio.
"You've really gone through a lot. Must've been hard."
"Only Antonio did it."
"But is it okay to leave your mother behind and join this system?"
"I asked the homeowner I owe a favor to. Paid six months' wages in advance."
"I see."
Around noon, we entered the forest where we were supposed to meet the other group.
But no one was there.
"Aren't we supposed to be the last? Where is everyone?"
"They're running a diversion operation because of the shopping district incident. They'll join soon."
"I see…."
Everyone's struggling because of me.
Seeing me gloomy, Antonio waved his hand reassuringly.
"Even if it weren't for you, I probably would've caused some trouble anyway."
Though meant to comfort me, his attitude that causing trouble was natural was brazen.
Danju glared at Antonio.
Over the two days it took to get here, Antonio had been hit by Danju three times.
He had no sense of caution.
Thanks to that, I had learned how to behave in such situations: quietly do your work.
I took out my notebook and began jotting notes.
"What are you doing?"
Antonio asked, apparently bored.
"Writing the accounts. I paid in the shopping district the first day, but after that, Antonio covered the expenses."
"So?"
"So I need to keep track, right?"
"Why?"
"Don't irregulars keep accounts?"
"They do."
"Who…?"
"Me. The deputy Danju made me."
What?
Antonio is a good person.
Yesterday, when the butcher tried charging me an outrageous price, he beat him up thoroughly.
But…
"If you don't explain properly, your neck and body will part forever. How much is six geun of sirloin?"
"Uh, that's thirty copper per geun…"
"So how much is it!"
"Huh?"
…How can I manage the accounts if he can't calculate?
"Um, Antonio… can I look over the accounts?"
"Sure."
Antonio tossed me the whole bag.
I took the notebook from the bag.
It was completely crumpled.
I carefully flattened it out to check the contents.
It was a mess.
'Maybe deputy Danju didn't know Antonio would be this serious.'
Well, even if serious, our team only had Danju and Antonio, so he had no choice but to handle it.
I began organizing the accounts again.
While concentrating, I heard footsteps.
"Danju."
The irregulars scheduled to join us had all arrived.
Among them was a new face.
A tall, well-dressed man.
He hurriedly knelt before Danju.
"My lord."
"The Viscount of San Miguel."
San Miguel Viscount?
San Miguel was a retainer of the Duke of Escalotte.
'Has he already colluded with Escalotte's retainer?'
The Duke of Escalotte had been negotiating marriage with a princess.
But he fell in love with a minor baroness and announced their marriage.
Naturally, the retainers looked down on the baroness and conspired with the princess to kill her.
But the baroness was clever.
Foreseeing her death, she anticipated the princess's influence on her son after her passing.
She secretly took her newborn son—Danju Aslan.
'Danju's life was miserable.'
Raised in the battlefield by Nogis, a life of survival and death.
The reason she endured such a life was her ambition to seize the Escalotte Duke's family.
"Thank you for all your hardships. Let's head to the San Miguel domain."
To the San Miguel domain?
I whispered to Antonio with a puzzled look.
"Weren't we heading to the main estate?"
"Yes."
"Then why the San Miguel domain…?"
"The main estate is San Miguel domain. I wonder if my dear vodka and whiskey are doing well. Yusteah, I'll share some with you specially."
"That's fine. I'm a minor."
So the main estate is the San Miguel domain.
This means Danju wasn't colluding with the Viscount but was taking over the domain and shaping the Viscount as desired.
'Amazing….'
A chill ran down my spine.
The current Duke of Escalotte is unaware of Danju's existence.
Meaning she's wielding influence over a great noble house barehanded.
'Even more impressive than I thought.'
The reason to stick with the irregulars was becoming clear.
Time to do well.
I clenched my fists and declared:
"Shall we prepare the meal?"
"…!"
"…!!"
The team widened their eyes.
But the Viscount of San Miguel glanced at me and waved his hand.
"We cannot serve such meager food any longer. I will prepare the meal at the estate."
At that, the team, especially Antonio, shouted fiercely.
"This child's food is not meager!"
"Her touch is incredible!"
Even reciting the recommendation letter from Colonel Ragoni of the Imperial Army, they cheered.
The Viscount laughed awkwardly.
"What on earth… why are you all acting like this, Danju?"
"…."
"Danju?"
Danju was already sitting on a rock, waiting for the meal.
The Viscount looked confused.
'Good. Clean.'
I admired the washed dishes and utensils, proud.
Wiping the water, everything shone brightly.
After the team finished the braised ribs, it looked as if a storm had swept through.
'The reaction… yes, it was excellent.'
The self-proclaimed cultured San Miguel Viscount even described them as a pack of dogs.
Eventually, they eyed each other over a single piece of braised rib as if they were mortal enemies.
I offered some to the Viscount, but he told me:
"I have no interest in eating vulgar food on the street."
In a very cold tone.
At that moment, Antonio suddenly appeared.
"Upset because of the Viscount?"
I widened my eyes.
Not because I was surprised by his sudden question.
'Wow.'
He was in full knight's armor.
He must have changed while I was cleaning up.
Tall, broad-shouldered, silver armor and a long cape suited him well.
Just like Danju's race makes her blend in, Antonio is also a striking man.
Tanned skin, sharp features, over 180 cm of superior physique, a playful charm.
"You're handsome!"
"Of course."
Antonio smiled and tousled my hair.
"Don't mind the Viscount. The deputy said that before Danju entrusted the San Miguel domain, the Viscount was just a noble in name. That's why he's so picky about manners now."
Antonio had heard the Viscount's words to me.
Technically, only Antonio did.
The Viscount had quietly spoken while watching Danju eat the braised ribs.
"No, it's fine that he didn't eat the ribs."
"Then?"
"I thought he was wary of me."
No, it wasn't wariness but more like caution.
Why would someone like the Viscount worry about a mere servant like me?
Antonio stared into the air, thinking.
Then, "Ah," he said.
"Maybe the Viscount misunderstood."
"Misunderstood?"
"Yes. He might have thought you were a candidate to be Danju's foster daughter, given your age."
A foster daughter?
Danju takes in a foster daughter?
"Does Danju take in foster daughters?"
"Yes. He needs children to send for the princes' formalities… ah."
Antonio paused, pretending to be casual.
But I understood.
I knew the story of the game.
'The princes will soon come to the Escalotte estate.'
As part of the heir's training, the emperor sent the princes to the estates of great nobles.
So the princes' visit is coming.
They need children of similar age to interact with.
'That's the engine.'
Danju intends to use a foster daughter as the engine to make contact with the Duke of Escalotte.
Finally, the time has come for Danju to reveal her true self in imperial society.
The Viscount of San Miguel seemed worried that I might be chosen as Danju's foster daughter.
'Unnecessary worry.'
Danju seems to like my cooking.
But would she immediately entrust me with the foster daughter role?
No trust at all.
'Good. No need to worry.'
The Viscount is the lord of the irregulars' main estate, so I shouldn't anger him.
But since it's a misunderstanding, he won't worry for long.
Relieved, I smiled brightly.
"Antonio, shall we go now?"
"Huh? Oh… sure."
Seeing me suddenly cheerful, Antonio tilted his head.
"It's good to be positive. They say you shouldn't cook smiling people, you know."
"…."
"What?"
"…It's not people, it's pigs. Smiling pigs aren't cooked."
Well, normal people shouldn't be cooked anyway.