Dad, Leonhart, Acid, and I returned to Duke Mirmod’s mansion.

But, there was a strange shadow in front of the mansion door!

The muscular maid sisters were waiting to welcome me.

They were already intimidating in size, and now they were even frowning.

“What’s the matter?”

I hope nothing happened to the mansion while I was away…!

As I tilted my head, the sisters said in trembling voices.

“Today was also the best protein, Lady Sien!”

Deadry and Bench, the two maid sisters, once again pledged their loyalty to me today.

“My heart is filled with tears of loyalty, but I’m holding back to prevent muscle loss.”

I nodded towards them with a cold expression. Then the maid sisters continued.

“Ah, and…”

“Hmm?”

“Two letters came for you, Lady Sien.”

I tilted my head.

“Hmm, from whom?”

Sister Deadry hesitated a bit. The two high-quality letters in her hand, presumed to be for me, shook tremblingly.

“One is from a holy knight of the temple. It’s written that his name is Ted.”

“…Ah, Ted.”

I glanced towards Acid. Acid was carefully hanging his head. Although his expression wasn’t clearly visible, he seemed quite conflicted.

‘I should read it first, then let Acid know and give him time to think.’

“Hmm, alright! Let’s talk about the rest inside!”

Dad picked me up. I laughed cheerfully in dad’s arms. Acid was watching me with a strange gaze.

***

I made a grand entrance into my room with dad and the muscular maid sisters. My room, which the maid sisters had decorated diligently, was splendid as always today.

“Did another crack appear on the wall?”

“I bought and decorated a bit more with my salary.”

Sister Deadry said with an awkward smile.

As expected of a muscle-brained silly sister. Hiding my regretful feelings, I sat proudly opposite dad on the sofa in my room.

Perhaps because it was an adult sofa, my legs dangled in the middle.

I pouted my lips after firmly pressing my round feet. Though it was a trivial matter, even sitting on the sofa caused discomfort due to my tiny body.

Thinking I should ask grandmother if there’s an artifact that can make me grow quickly, I promptly extended my hand towards the maid sisters.

“Now, give me the letters!”

“Yes.”

“Here you are!”

Deadry bent one knee and reverently handed over the letters. I was about to receive the letters solemnly, but dad was faster.

“These letters could be dangerous.”

I know that too.

Dad spoke as if soothing me.

“Sien. Dad wants to see the letters first.”

The letters were clearly in Deadry’s hands, but somehow they were now aimed towards dad.

I opened my eyes wide, but it was time to stay calm.

I glanced at the letters in dad’s hands, then continued logically.

“…Hmm, that’s right. It might be dangerous. The sender there is written as Delphia. She’s the scary sister, right?”

I frowned and thought to myself.

‘I don’t know why Delphia sent a letter, though.’

Dad’s face relaxed slightly.

He probably thought I would listen to him.

But that’s not the case.

Because it’s dangerous, I had to see it even more. Because I’m a smart and wicked child who knows the future and can protect dad.

I reached out towards the letters in dad’s hands and said energetically.

“That’s why I have to see them instead of dad.”

But dad didn’t budge an inch like a rock.

“Sien.”

“Hmm?”

“I’ll read the dangerous ones and handle them myself. Let’s do that. Okay?”

When I threw a tantrum, dad would speak sternly. That’s the educational philosophy of Asyllia, the education expert.

‘But above the jumping dad is the flying Sien!’

I know our dad’s educational philosophy very well. Dad can never openly hide or deceive me.

“Dad.”

“Yes?”

“Then… are you lying to me?”

For a moment, dad was at a loss for words.

“…Why do you say that?”

“Don’t you remember what you told Sien a long time ago?”

“…Huh?”

Dad seemed a bit bewildered, as if he couldn’t quite follow the thought process of a 5-year-old like me. But I decided to express my opinion rather logically.

“You said you should never ignore a child’s opinion, even if they’re little.”

“Uh, yes…”

“Dad has an obligation to listen to Sien’s opinion.”

I giggled, then suddenly stopped.

‘Oh no, wait. If I let him keep lying like this, won’t dad become a bad person?’

This is a bit worrying.

Whether to let dad lie or not.

As they say, well begun is half done, if he consistently commits small misdeeds like lying, he might really become a villain. On this good opportunity, I looked at dad with sparkling eyes as if cheering him on.

“So, dad…”

Dad’s gaze trembled slightly. I glanced at dad’s letters and brought my hands together in front of my chest with a pounding heart. Hoping he would change to be more villainous.

But…

Dad sighed deeply and firmly placed the letters in my hand.

I clutched the letters and slumped down like wet seaweed, looking gloomy.

It seemed dad couldn’t give up his innate kind heart that he was born with.

“…Delphia is a dangerous person. She can use illusion magic and is aggressive. If she wrote something in the letter… Sien could be in danger. Is that okay?”

I know that very well too. But at dad’s serious expression, I narrowed my eyes.

“She’s a person so scary that dad’s body trembles, so I thought Sien shouldn’t meet her and shouldn’t read the letter.”

I know well the heart of dad who worries about me a lot. Worry is already dripping from his eyes.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ignore Sien’s opinion.”

I’ve heard that some adults never apologize to their children.

Our dad is different.

He honestly admits it and explains why he did it.

I nodded.

“Hmm… Dad, Sien is sorry too.”

We usually hugged each other after apologizing.

I put down the letters, jumped off the sofa, and climbed onto dad’s lap, grunting. Dad reached out his hand to help me sit well and hugged me tightly.

“We’ve made up now, right?”

“Mm! Now the letters!”

Although he hesitated a bit, dad handed me the letters again. I started reading Delphia’s letter first, pondering deeply.

[Invite me to your tea party.

The date, well, I’m not sure. Whenever you want is fine with me.

I’ll keep my schedule open.

P.S. I won’t eat you, baby. I just want to meet you. With love, Delphia Mirmod.]

She won’t eat me!

I clenched my fist tightly.

The letter in my hand crumpled with a crunch.

But I will never submit easily. No, I might even be able to pay her back properly.

‘Delphia Mirmod is very vulnerable to holy power. Fortunately, I have Ted, who is a holy knight…!’

Dad, who must have seen the letter behind my back, spoke up.

“A tea party.”

Dad’s voice sounded a bit ominous.

I tilted my head and said.

“Mm. She asked to be invited!”

I looked at dad with trembling heart, thinking of having an all-out battle with Delphia.

“Sien wants to have a tea party!”

To be precise, I wanted to have an all-out battle with Delphia rather than a tea party, but dad seemed to have understood differently.

“Sien, you want… a tea party? Come to think of it, our daughter hasn’t had many tea parties, has she?”

Dad seemed to pity me for not having proper tea parties, but as they say, all roads lead to Rome, so I didn’t bother to correct the misunderstanding. I decided to play dumb.

“Mm! Now Sien is a noble too!”

“Then… Alright, Sien. Meet Delphia… once.”

Dad whispered gently in my ear.

“Dad will help make sure Sien is safe wherever you are.”

Being behind me, I couldn’t see well, but dad was surely smiling.

But strangely, the temperature around seemed to have dropped by half.

But regardless, I was in a very passionate state.

I hummed a tune and checked the letter from Ted as well.

However, the contents of the letter were something I hadn’t expected.

[Lady Gabrielle, the baby priestess of the Senoa Temple, has repeatedly requested an escort.

As I am still a holy knight, I must take on the role of escorting Lady Gabrielle.

…I am ashamed, but I am writing this letter to inform you that I will not be able to be Lady Sien’s knight for the time being.

May I visit you again after everything is settled?

At that time, I would like to be appointed as Lady Sien’s knight.]

Looking at the last line, it was certainly good news. He says he will become my knight someday.

But I didn’t have time.

Delphia was also eyeing me, and Axel would return in just a month.

‘To stop them, I desperately need a holy knight with holy power…!’

I clenched my tiny hand tightly.

‘If Gabrielle is after Ted, there’s a high chance my plans will be disrupted…’

Since it takes time to enter the temple, it also takes some time for Ted to give up his position as a holy knight. This means that about 7 days of consideration period is needed.

But if Gabrielle keeps calling Ted out during that period, my plans will be disrupted.

Especially if Gabrielle tries to make Ted her knight, there might be unexpected disputes.

What should I do.

As I was thinking deeply, clutching the letter, someone knocked on my room door.

The person who bravely opened the door and entered was none other than Ted’s younger brother, Acid.

“Baby?”

A boy larger than me, but whom I call baby.

Acid, who had been staring with round eyes at the door, was now looking at me with a determined expression.

“I, I have something I want to say again!”

Acid’s eyes became resolute.

***

At the same time, inside the Senoa Temple where the holy knight Ted was staying.

There was someone who acted as if they were the highest authority in this temple and the master of all holy knights.

It was Gabrielle, a child famous for having the most holy power in the temple, even coveted by the Pope.

Although Gabrielle was a child who had lived just over ten years, she had an arrogant side. She raised her chin and whispered lowly.

“Ted, you will protect me on this outing too, won’t you?”

It was true that escorts were needed for the outings of prospective priestesses. But it wasn’t dangerous enough to require a holy knight of Ted’s caliber to accompany them.

Ted was busy with other important schedules, but knowing this, Gabrielle spoke as if throwing a tantrum.

Because until now, Ted had listened to everything Gabrielle said.

“…It seems possible only for this outing. Next time, I have a prior engagement…”

Ted began to answer Gabrielle’s firm words but bit his lip.

He thought of Sien. He knew it was a sin to compare children. But Sien… was a proud yet gentle master. Someone who respected his opinions without any benefit, someone he wanted to serve directly.

But Gabrielle…

“You’re going to be my escort knight, so what prior engagement?”

“…”

“You’re going to serve me.”

“Lady Gabrielle. I… have someone else I want to serve.”