What If the Strongest Villain from the Original Story Became the Protagonist's Ally? - Chapter 43 - Kid, and Discovery

I escaped the royal palace with Nana.

We headed to a tavern in one corner of the castle town. There were many rough guys drunk on alcohol, but none of them bothered me in my suspicious mask.

I sat beside Nana at the counter.

“Master, an ale. And some meat dishes. Milk for her.”

“This ain’t a place for kids.”

From my voice, he figured out I was a kid too. As expected.

“Haha. Just joking, just joking. Give me some juice. Really give her milk though.”

“It ain’t about the drinks. This is a tavern. I recommend you little ones go to a different shop.”

“Just serve it up. I’m a customer. It’s fine. I won’t cause any trouble. As long as no one bothers me.”

I released a slight amount of magical power.

Really just a tiny amount. But perhaps understanding that I could manipulate magical power, the man in his forties changed his expression.

“You… you’re pretty capable.”

“So are you, master. You’re strong.”

This person sensed my capabilities slightly from just that exchange. That alone was impressive.

“Master. I want a meat dish too. Juice quickly.”

“…Coming up.”

Taking Nana’s order, the slightly tense atmosphere also dissipated. Nice assist, Nana. After a while, the tavern master lined up juice and food for us.

 ate together with Nana. I properly shifted my mask to the side around my mouth.

“Munch munch... Mm, delicious!”

“Delicious. Eating warm food… it’s been a while…”

Perhaps moved to emotion, tears spilled from Nana’s eyes. Nana sometimes cried like this, looking back on the past. Every day recently.

“Hey, hey, you… what kind of education are you giving her? That’s no good, you have to treasure children.”

“I don’t want to be lectured by an old man’s face… Well, you know, she’s at a sensitive age.”

“You should reflect on yourself.”

“It’s not my fault. Her previous family was problematic. I properly beat them up, so rest assured.”

He had a yakuza-like face but was a kind old man.

Surprisingly, people with scary faces like this were often kind. Conversely, handsome types like me—you couldn’t tell what they were thinking inside. They might normally be violent.

You couldn’t judge people by appearances.

“I see. Then that’s fine. Here, little miss, have some dessert too. Fruit is good for your body.”

“Are you a lolicon…”

“I’ll fucking kill you, brat.”

Oooh, scary. I said it as a joke but he seriously directed killing intent at me. Being kind to children—what a good master.

“Is it okay?”

Nana wasn’t used to others’ kindness. She looked up at the master’s face and tilted her head.

“Yeah. It’s a present so you can be happy with that brat over there.”

“Aren’t you going to give anything to that brat, master?”

“You can eat meat or whatever.”

“Yes sir…”

Well, of course. There was a difference in how he treated me and Nana. This mask made the worst impression to begin with.

“—Hm? Somehow it’s noisy outside today. Soldiers?”

“Hmm?”

I noticed because the master mentioned it. Indeed, several voices could be heard outside. Clank clank sounds of armor too.

The only ones who wore armor in town were adventurers or knights.

…I had a bad feeling about this.

“Hey… Nana.”

“Munch munch. What?”

“Am I the only one with an extremely bad feeling?”

“Princess came?”

“I don’t think we’ve been found yet. But they seem to be searching, right?”

Both Nana and I listened carefully to the sounds outside. Perhaps curious about outside, the tavern’s atmosphere also became quiet.

Thanks to that, I could pick up sounds well.

“Hey, did you find him?”

“Not yet!”

“With that appearance, he should be found quickly. Let’s search!”

“Search for the man with the strange mask!”

“………..”

Yeah.

It definitely sounded like they were searching for me. Even the master in front of me—

“You… are you a wanted man?”

—directed a cold gaze at me.

“How rude, master. I’m not a wanted man. I’m just being chased by a cute girl.”

“What kind of girl? Moving knights—is she nobility?”

“Something like that.”

Munch munch.

Normally it would be impossible to connect it to royalty. It’s not entirely wrong either, so it’s nothing worth mentioning.

“You’d better turn yourself in quickly. Your crimes will get heavier.”

“I told you it’s different.”

“No no, even for woman troubles. You’ll just make your partner angrier.”

“But if I’m found, I’ll be tortured… Nana thinks so too, right?”

“Yeah. That would be tough.”

Nana answered while eating meat. All those spices and such would have been poured in… my stomach would die.

“But I’ll be fine. They won’t find me quickly. Even she couldn’t—”

“Even she couldn’t?”

Chill.

My shoulders trembled at the voice I heard from behind.

The master in front was wide-eyed and frozen stiff.

No wonder. Because right now, behind me was…

“It’s… been a while… Princess Iris…”

I slowly turned my head around , and sure enough, there was Iris with bulging veins.

—I’m done for.