/
For a moment, Kyrios narrowed his eyes.
As Cesar poured water into my glass, he asked a question in an uncertain voice, “You mean the storybook didn’t have the illustrator’s name on it at all?”
“No, it’s not that. It was written in small letters inside the book.” I replied, faking a disappointed look. “So, initially, I tried to contact the illustrator, but it turns out it was a pseudonym.”
The atmosphere at the table instantly turned tense.
“

.”
“

.”
“

.”
Siegfried, Kyrios, and Cesar looked at each other, not sure who would speak first.
‘That’s it.’
I clenched my fists inwardly.
These three warriors are the ones who embarked on a journey to defeat the five Demon Lords, facing all sorts of hardships and adversities.
They must have been backstabbed the most by humans, right?
Yet, they never lost their affection for humanity and saved them in the end. That’s the admirable trait of my dads

Anyway, the point is.
‘Dads know a thing or two about unreasonable situations.’
So I subtly let out a suspicious situation.
I’m guessing you’ve already noticed the anomaly, right?
“At first, I thought it might be a pen name, but if it’s actually a pen name, it wouldn’t be difficult to find the illustrator using that name, right?” I said, pretending to be clueless. “But it wasn’t easy.”
“It wasn’t?”
“I simply couldn’t contact the illustrator, so I asked Nora to go to the publishing house
” I sighed in exasperation. “The manager of the publishing house told me they were hiding the illustrator at the illustrator’s request, and even they couldn’t do anything about it.”
Now the three fathers were listening to my story with serious expressions.
I pretended not to know anything and added, “Oh, and Nora scolded him for violating publishing laws. It was really cool!”
Now, look.
That publishing house seems suspicious in many ways. They even violated publishing laws!
“

Yes. It’s against publishing law to not give the illustrator’s name or pen name and replace it with a pseudonym,” Siegfried muttered quietly, he asked me again.
“So, you couldn’t meet the illustrator at all and came back?”
“Yes,” I nodded gloomily.
Silence fell once again.
And then.
“This method
 isn’t it that?” Kirios spoke with a suspicious voice, parting his lips.
“Yes, I think so,” Cesar nodded, confirming Kirios’s words.
Siegfried raised his head and murmured, “The child is listening. Be careful with your words, everyone.”
“What is it?” I looked at my three dads with curious eyes. “I want to know too.”
In response, my three dads wore perplexed expressions.
Well, it might be a bit daunting to reveal the darker side of society to a child who’s only ten years old.
But still.
“To be honest, I also sense that something is off about that publishing house,” I said with a serious expression. “Nora told me. It’s highly suspicious to prevent the meeting with the illustrator.”
Sorry, Nora. I’ll sell you out this time!
I apologized silently to Nora and continued speaking.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit strange that I’m the one who’s involved in this, and I’m not being told anything because I’m young?”
“That
 It is somewhat true, but
”
My dads exchanged subtle glances.
‘Okay, we’re almost there.’
I felt satisfied internally and wore an innocent expression, pretending to be an oblivious child, as I asked the question, “So, what is ‘it’?”
Well, as you can see, I’m clearly very interested in publisher misconduct.
So I want you to get to the bottom of it. Okay?
* * *
A few days later.
In the carriage on the way to the publishing house.
“Wow, this boss was totally garbage, huh?”
I was flipping through a thick stack of documents with a disgusted expression. The documents in my hand were the result of several days’ work by Orlean’s informants, organizing information.
The topic was the illegal activities and corruption within the publishing house.
During mealtime, my dads explained that such methods were often used to exploit minors. They use fake names and documents to make it look like they’re adults, and then ask them to do unfair work.
Afterwards, wages were often not paid.
Since minors already have difficulty finding proper work and lack knowledge of imperial law, they easily become helpless victims if targeted in this way.
Predatory companies would warn them that if they intentionally provoked their ‘employers’ like this, they would be left defenseless.
‘Of course, it could just be our speculation.’
‘Yes, we won’t know until we investigate thoroughly.’
‘Don’t worry too much about this, kid, until the investigation is complete. Okay?’
Perhaps they were worried that I would lose trust in society, so my dads hastily added those words.
‘Well, it turned out just as my dads expected.’
I snorted.
To think that things would go exactly as predicted.
How do they still have any compassion left for humanity? Today, my respect for my dads is unparalleled

“Miss,” Nora called out to me cautiously. “Can’t we just leave this to the adults, like you said?”
“

.”
I suddenly found myself at a loss for words.
Well, no wonder. Nora’s gaze was genuinely concerned for me.
“You don’t have to be involved in such dangerous matters, Miss
”
Nora wore a somewhat bitter expression.
To be fair, all the adults had similar reactions.
My dads did the same.
They suggested leaving this matter for them to handle, while I take a step back.
But I insisted on going myself.
Because

.
“But still, it was me who started this whole thing,” I smiled lightly. “So, shouldn’t it be me who sees this through to the end?”
“I’m sure the Lord of the House will take care of it, you don’t have to push yourself

.”
“No, it’s not that I don’t trust my dads. It’s just
”
I tilted my head and continued speaking.
“According to the Duke’s research, I was told that the illustrator, Nicholas Moore, is still a minor.”
“

.”
Nora’s jaw clenched.
The age listed on the documents for Nicholas was seventeen.
And according to the empire’s standards, adulthood begins at twenty.
In other words, Nicholas is still a minor who should be protected by adults.
“My dads want to protect me because I’m only ten years old, but
”
“Miss
”
“That illustrator has never received protection from anyone so far, right?”
Nora’s pupils shook vigorously upon hearing my words.
“So, I don’t want to just comfortably stay behind and hear about the results,” I shrugged my shoulders and concluded. “It doesn’t seem right to show such indifference towards that illustrator.”
“Phew, really?” Nora, who had been looking at me with a complicated gaze, let out a long sigh. “Sometimes, Miss, you seem more like an adult than a ten-year-old.”
“R-really?”
“Yes, it’s true. Most ten-year-olds usually don’t understand these difficult documents like you do.” Nora shook her head in disbelief. “And what you’re saying is also too mature
”
“Ahaha
” I laughed awkwardly.
As the heroes who saved humanity, my dads have always been extraordinary since childhood.
That’s why they don’t seem to doubt my behavior, which is not typical for a ten-year-old.
To normal people like Nora, I guess I do look a little weird, right?
“Not that that’s a bad thing, though,” Nora smiled faintly. “I’m just glad that my lady is such a sweetheart.”
“

.”
As I faced that kind face, I felt a bit choked up.
No, Nora.
In fact, I’m not sweet at all.
Making the three heroes my dads, building a friendship with Lakius.
Or forging close relationships with the duke’s servants

.
‘All of it is solely for my own survival.’
Suppressing all those thoughts, I smiled brightly at Nora.
“I really like Nora too.”
* * *
A little while later.
The carriage of the Duke of Orleans came to a smooth stop in front of the publishing house.
“Here we are, Miss.”
I took Nora’s hand and stepped out of the carriage.
As I did, the knights who were escorting my carriage stayed close by my side, leaving no gaps.
It seems that given the circumstances, Siegfried has assigned the knights to accompany me today.
Although it didn’t seem like I would need them that much

‘Oh, there are already security forces on the way.’
Like the upstanding heroes they are, my dads did not take personal action.
Instead, I was told that the Duke of Orleans himself investigated the publisher and handed over the suspicious circumstances and evidence to the police.
‘At first, they started the investigation for violation of publishing laws, but they discovered evidence of tax evasion as well, right?’
Intentional revenue omission and underreporting.
Was that all?
They also discovered evidence of embezzlement, including the misappropriation of employees’ salaries.