'That damn librarian!'
I was horrified to see Noah looking like he was about to fall and was about to rush out when…
“…! ……!”
Noah miraculously regained his balance on the swaying ladder, grabbed the book he wanted, and deftly climbed down.
Then he saw me reaching out, but it was too late.
“……?!”
Noah suddenly stiffened. He stumbled backward, full of fear.
'N-now's not the time for this. Smile, smile!'
Forcing my brain to work, I carefully raised the corners of my lips.
Gasp!
But as soon as I showed a smile, Noah turned and ran away without looking back, as if he had seen a ghost.
Whoosh. A cold dread washed over me.
“……It’s, it’s okay. I expected this might happen.”
A hollow sigh escaped my lips.
'Well, at least it's a relief the kid wasn't hurt.'
Huh, who knew Noah had such great balance? He could run off and join the circus.
Anyway, after seeing the librarian's stunt, I couldn't take my eyes off him anymore.
To avoid scaring Noah, I followed him more cautiously, keeping my distance.
After a long time, Noah finally picked out all the books written on the slip of paper.
He groaned and lifted them with difficulty; the stack of books was so high it hid the child's face.
'Ah, that must be heavy.'
This errand seems like a bit much, doesn't it?
While I was thinking this, Noah arrived at the desk where the librarian was.
The librarian scanned Noah's unharmed appearance up and down and quietly tutted. Then he suddenly grinned.
“So, you just need me to process these, right? Oh, but I seem to have dropped my quill. Is it by your feet?”
“…….”
It was when Noah looked down at the librarian's words.
The stack of books piled up like a mountain on the desk, waiting to be sorted, began to tilt towards Noah.
The librarian pushed them!
The books began to tilt...
The pile of books, like an avalanche compared to the child's small frame, poured down on Noah.
Noah, who had raised his head, froze in an instant.
My thoughts stopped there.
“No!”
Leaping out from between the bookshelves in an instant, I threw myself over the child with all my might.
At the same time, crash! The books slammed into my entire body. They were all thick hardcovers!
'Argh, you bastard!'
It hurt so much!
But I couldn't move my body, which was covering the child like a roof.
The last book fell to the floor with a thud.
Only then did I open my eyes, which I had squeezed shut.
The sight that unfolded before me left me speechless.
Through his shaggy gray hair.
“……Ah.”
There were Noah's eyes, sparkling like fresh, summer greenery.
In his wide, clear eyes, my figure was reflected.
An exclamation of admiration escaped my lips without realizing it.
“Your eyes are really pretty.”
“……!”
The child's eyes widened even more.
Just then, the librarian hurriedly ran around the desk.
“What the hell do you think you're doing?!”
My mind snapped back to reality.
In an instant, anger surged, and reason flew away.
I jumped up.
“What does it look like I'm doing? I saved a kid, you bastard!”
Slap! The sound echoed through the library.
I slapped the librarian hard across the cheek.
Then I grabbed the librarian by the collar and pulled him close.
“I saw everything you did. And you dare call yourself an adult and a librarian?”
“……Huh.”
The librarian, who had been flustered, stared at my face and suddenly sneered.
"Well, well, if it isn't Lady Caliphe."
“…….”
“You’ll regret doing this, you know? This position was given to me directly by Lord Caiman, the Viscount. He thinks highly of me. You, on the other hand... well, you're on your way out, aren't you?"
Oh, it's all clear now. All the disrespectful ones are Viscount Caiman's lackeys. How predictable.
“Let go of me, now.”
The librarian, who had become confident, tried to pull my hand off his collar.
In response, I also put strength into my grip and resisted letting go of his collar.
Enraged, he twisted my slender arm roughly, without any consideration.
“Let go while I'm still being civil!”
“Ugh…!”
A sharp pain shot through me, making me groan involuntarily.
This was the perfect time for a system message about Caliphe's role, but nothing came.
However.
'You're touching me? Let's go all the way then!'
Because I was absolutely livid right now.
The current me was a woman who, like the original Caliphe, used her fists before her words.
"A noble lady always has a weapon for self-defense, you know... Do you know what mine is?"
While holding onto the librarian's collar, I lifted one foot with force. And then, putting weight on my heel—
Thwack!
“Aaaagh!”
"It's a damn high heel, you bastard! A killer heel, in fact!"
The librarian screamed in pain and hopped on one foot.
He looked ridiculous, but because of that, I, who was holding onto his collar, was also pulled forward and tilted.
“Ah!”
'I'm going to fall too!'
He can crack his head open for all I care, but I can't afford to.
I braced my hand firmly on the librarian's shoulder to use him as a cushion. Then the staggering librarian fell backward.
“What the—?!”
Thump!
“Ugh!”
In the end, the librarian's back landed on the desk.
I was still on top of him, gripping his collar.
The librarian was horrified.
"Damn you, you're going to regret this!"
It was then.
A silver glint suddenly appeared in the corner of my vision.
'Huh? What's that?'
As he fell onto the desk, the librarian must have bumped into the books, causing something on top of them to bounce up like a seesaw.
Spinning rapidly, the object hurtled towards the librarian's face. To be precise, it was about to plunge into his cornea.
No, it was about to plunge.
[Performing ‘Caliphe’s’ role.]
Clack! My hand snatched the object at the last moment.
Now that I looked at it, the sharp silver object was a paper knife.
"Gasp, Gasp"
He completely froze at the near-miss, the blade stopping inches from his eye.
I smiled and leaned closer to him.
The paper knife also tilted accordingly.
“A-aaagh! Lady! Please, please!”
“What? Bark more.”
“Please, p-please spare me. I was wrong. Sob. Sob. Wail. Mommy...”
The librarian, who had burst into tears, soon fainted.
Still, I remained pointing the knife at him. My heart was still pounding with undiminished anger.
But then.
I've been feeling a gaze for a while now.
Who the hell is watching me?
I glared sharply in that direction and snapped.
“What are you looking at? Get lost!”
“……!”
The person who stiffened at my glare was none other than Noah.
“S-sorry……”
Startled, Noah tried to run away again.
“N-no, don’t go away! Stay there!”
“……!”
My voice, urgent and sharp, cut through the air.
Frightened by it, Noah stood at attention with his arms glued to his sides. His head, bowed deeply, was trembling.
'That tone, that tone!'
I bit my lip hard and spoke in the kindest voice I could manage.
“…Ahem. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“……?”
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
As if replaying the words he had heard, Noah remained still for a moment before slowly raising his head.
Green eyes, visible through his disheveled hair, held questions and disbelief.
“Why…?”
“Huh?”
“Why are you suddenly asking me that? You’ve never done that before……”
'…before,' the unspoken words trailed off with his gaze lowering.
It was heartbreaking, but at the same time, I felt hope. Maybe now was the time to show my sincerity.
I gathered my courage.
“I know I’ve neglected you until now. And that you’ve had a hard time because of it. Seeing you almost get hurt just now made me think a lot.”
“…….”
"Don't worry, Noah. No one's going to hurt you anymore."
“…….”
The more sincerity I slowly revealed, the hotter my face became.
Did he understand? I looked at Noah's reaction with anticipation.
Then…
“…….”
Noah quickly stepped back.
In his eyes, I could feel a wall of steel that seemed to say, ‘Why is she suddenly like this? What is she trying to do again?’
'Ah, shoot.'
Only then did I realize.
'Is it backfiring because it's unlike Caliphe to be kind?'
Well, it was understandable that he would be wary since I was doing something I never did before. If so, I had to change my strategy, reluctantly.
“Anyway… you abandoned me.”
“That’s right.”
“…….”
At my clean admission, Noah pressed his lips tightly together. The wall in his heart towards me seemed to grow even thicker.
“But.”
Tap.
Taking a step closer, I lifted Noah’s chin with my index finger.
And then, making eye contact with the child, I said seriously.
“You’re someone I picked up, so the only person who can torment you is me. I will never allow anyone else to lay a hand on you.”
“…….”
“Even if you pick up a dog, you have to take responsibility.”
Let alone a person.
“…….”
Noah’s eyes wavered.
In the green eyes visible through his hair, an emotion slightly different from suspicion flickered.
But it was only for a very brief moment.
Noah, biting his lip, bowed deeply until the top of his head was visible and ran away.
Forgetting even the books he had picked out for the errand.
I rubbed my face roughly with both hands.
“Is this right?”
A tyrannical statement reassured the child more than kind words.
It was all Caliphe’s karma.
Besides, I wasn’t in a position to just blame Caliphe.
'I was only thinking about my own survival without even knowing how Noah was doing.'
The child was more frail and pathetic than I thought. And somehow, he looked very hungry. Not just for food, but for everything.
The more I reflected on Noah’s appearance, which I had just seen, the stronger my resolve became.
“…Let’s protect him.”
It’s this body that picked up Noah.
At least until the original guardian appears, I should be Noah’s protector.
Until then, let’s try to survive well with Noah.
Then, as if waiting for it, a new system message appeared.
[Hidden Route Quest Generated!]
[Make Noah’s Filial Piety Level 0.]
[Success Reward: Synchronization Fully Deactivated, Registered as Noah’s ‘Temporary Guardian’, Quest Unlocked for Hidden Ending]
[Noah’s Filial Piety Level has increased by 1.]
[Current Filial Piety Level: -99]
Huh?
Noah's filial piety level towards me?
