In a place that is always noisy and full of smoke, two unsuitable guests went to the office of the empire’s first adventure guild, <Fireworks>. These guests are Count Grey, a noble gentleman in a fancy attire, and Leticia, the red-haired girl he brought with him.
The guildmaster was busy reading the documents they brought. In the meantime, Leticia couldn’t take her eyes off of a picture on the wall. It was a record detailing the appearance of people who were being burned. If my secret gets exposed, I will end up like them. Leticia was unable to escape from that thought. If so, then I’ll stab the executioner’s eyes and run away. Leticia had no intention of getting played like that.
She prepared herself for that moment and practiced the technique of stabbing one’s eyes. Among her twelve-year-old peers, she was in the top three for the empire. While she was still thinking, the guild master raised his head. He was amazed that the little girl noticed the painting. He hurriedly brought up the topic while scraping the paper.
“So this child is……?” “My niece. She is the only daughter of my brother who passed away.”
Count Grey replied as if he had been waiting for that question.
“I see.”
There was a reason why the guild master had to reconfirm it even when he knew. Bright red hair. Pale face. Dark green shaded eyes. A body that was too small to be considered to be twelve. Faded black dress…… The girl did not look related to the count because of their contrast in clothes.
They looked more like a master and a young servant. As if Count Grey knew what the guild master was thinking, he said,
“My niece is still in the state of mourning for her parents. As written in the papers, my brother and his wife died ten years ago by the demons in the North. He was on a business road and accidentally set foot in the devil’s land, Pandemonia.”
“So you’re looking for an artifact now, right?”.
“That is right. The proof of ownership of our family’s business that I invested in is buried somewhere.”
“But isn’t it your brother’s personal property rather than your family’s property?
“Either way, my niece, who I am taking care of, is their legitimate heir. The adventurers who returned today should have proof within the items that they have discovered.”
“Hm…..
The guildmaster handed over the list with a grungy face. Count Grey looked through the list carefully. However, it was the same this time too. There was no proof of ownership, much less anything similar to it. The guildmaster said this,
“I think it would be better if you didn’t hold any hopes. It’s hard to leave a piece of paper in such a wasteland. Of course, you may not know.”
“I also have been there.”
Count Grey replied back. For the first time, the guildmaster seemed surprised.
“An aristocrat like you? What did you do to come back alive? I am genuinely curious.”
Instead of answering, he showed an annoyed expression. He grabbed Leticia, who was standing blankly, and pulled her out. As soon as he reached a place where there were no people, he screamed.
“It’s still nothing! What are your parents doing in heaven? If we can’t find the proof, you are going to have to pay it all back.”
“Ha…..”
“Why are you sighing like that? Just like an old lady! It’s like you’ve aged fifty years.”
Leticia heard that and was surprised.
“N-No. I’m only twelve years old.”
She replied quickly and shut her mouth.
Her heart was pounding like it had been hammered on.
***
In the carriage, Leticia glanced at her uncle. “I didn’t get caught, did I?’ Count Grey was not a very wise person. However, he had shockingly good instincts and was perceptive.
What he said had unintentionally hit the heart. Leticia was not fifty years old. But one could say she lived many years, because she still had memories of her previous life. That was Leticia’s secret. Her reincarnation was awakened when she was five years old. It was when her two older cousins were joking around, which resulted in her slipping and hitting her head hard in the bathroom.