The Mysterious Child: An Adventure Tale Beginning with Numerology

"Get out! This is no place for commoners like you!"

Saaya's father shouted at us, flatly rejecting our visit.

"We won't trouble the Viscount. Please, just let us talk to Saaya-san."

"Your very presence here is already a bother! And Saaya won't see anyone! My daughter is in a different position from you lot! If you understand, then leave at once!"

"...Should I force our way in?"

"Mm, use force."

"No, no, please don't, you two?"

As my companions started to give off a somewhat dangerous atmosphere, I decided to give up without pushing any further.

His words may be harsh, but Saaya's father isn't wrong. It's normal to be turned away at the gate when trying to meet a noble without a letter of introduction.

As we moved away from the gate, Saaya's father went back inside the house.

I sighed, still watching him from a distance.

"With this attitude, Saaya-san must be having a hard time too."

"Isn't this when your devious mind should be working, Ruruk?"

"Please don't call it devious. It's ideas, ideas."

Despite saying that, I couldn't think of any good plans.

We could probably get them to listen if Roze revealed herself as the Mystic King, or if I used my family's influence, but considering the current situation, those seem like bad moves no matter how you look at it.

Even if we could talk, the fundamental problem isn't Saaya's father's personality, but the fact that Saaya is the heir to the Schreine viscounty. If we can't solve that, we'd just be revealing our position for nothing. It's all downside.

First, we need to win over Saaya's stubborn father. Then persuade Viscount Schreine. We should only reveal our position and identity after properly building trust. Let's go in that order.

"Ugh, this is a tougher enemy than demons."

"Mm. Annoying when we can't just defeat them."

"...Elen, you're starting to sound like the master."

This is bad, our child is turning into a muscle-brain.

But with limited options, a frontal approach really does seem impossible.

If we're talking about underhanded methods, there's the 'bribery strategy', but it's a gamble whether Saaya's father would be happy with a bribe. If he turns out to be fastidious, contrary to his image, it could completely backfire.

If only we knew what kind of person he is.

"Either way, I really want to talk to Saaya."

"Mm, leave it to me. 'Full Scan'."

Elen tapped her staff on the ground, activating her magic.

With a confident expression, she puffed out her chest and said:

"That girl, basement."

"No, Elen-san, I'm not saying we should sneak in..."

But then, a question.

Where did she say the noble young lady was?

"Basement?"

"Mm. She's trapped."

"...What do you mean?"

Could she be being punished for running away?

But the major incident of the demon attack is still unresolved. The Schreine family must be gathering information too, so it's not normal to keep Saaya confined in such a situation. They should be prioritizing the family's safety.

"Something smells fishy."

"Kinako, delicious."

"Not kinako smell."

The homemade kinako-like stuff I tried making in Stoania was well-received, wasn't it?

I'll make it again when we get soybeans.

No, that's not the point.

"Let's try talking to Saaya after all."

"Mm, how?"

"We'll sneak in. At night, of course."

It's still before evening.

The city is still in a state of unrest everywhere, with many soldiers on patrol.

Tonight will likely be under high alert, but let's try to slip through the cracks and infiltrate the mansion. We need to prepare anyway.

Having decided this, I headed back to the inn to wait for nightfall.

■　■　■　■　■

It was humiliating.

As far as Saaya could remember, she had never felt such humiliation before.

She apologized for attempting to run away and reported that she had found an exceptional mystic arts teacher. She desperately explained that studying under this person would absolutely benefit the Schreine family.

The place her father forcibly took Saaya after hearing this was the basement.

"Your role is to ingratiate yourself with the royal family or a duke's family. We had you learn mystic arts only for that purpose. If you're going to spout such nonsense without fulfilling your role, you'd better be prepared for the consequences."

Saying this, her father locked Saaya in the basement.

She was restrained with shackles and confined in the damp basement.

The musty smell, the disgusting insects crawling out from the gaps in the floor. No one came to help no matter how much she cried and screamed. There was no toilet, and unable to bear the appalling environment, she wet herself. She couldn't even wipe her wet lower half.

Her human dignity was being trampled.

She had never once thought of that man as her father.

No matter how genetically he might be her real father, Saaya's true parents were elsewhere.

Even though she could never meet them again.

"Uuu... Papa, Mama... help me..."

Insects crawling around her feet. The stench of filth. In such conditions, she called out the names of the people she truly loved.

And his name too.

An emotion that would never reach its destination, an impossible wish that ached in her chest.

She really understood.

There's no freedom for noble daughters in this country. Even if poor, they're promised a position where they can live safely in a world where life is cheap. They're actually blessed, even if they can't decide their marriage partner or daily life for themselves.

But even so, Saaya wished.

For someone to rescue her from this hell.

For someone to end this painful, agonizing, curse-like love.

Hugging her knees and burying her face, she whispered.

"...Help... me..."

"As you wish."

"Eep!?"

She didn't expect an immediate response from right beside her, so she jerked up her face in surprise.

Ruruk was suddenly standing in the room.

The door shouldn't have opened. It was locked, and she would have heard if it had been opened.

To the confused Saaya, he smiled with the same expression as when he had helped her before, as if they were just having a casual conversation.

"Good evening, Saaya-san. I came because I thought you might need help."

"Eh, eh... Ruruk, how did you...?"

"You see, Saaya-san, there are various substitution methods in mystic arts. One of them is called 'Relative Transfer'."

"Transfer...?"

No way.

In magic terms, transfer is forbidden magic—I've heard it's an extreme-level spell.

Since mystic arts have few users—information sources—even if her home tutor didn't know about transfer spells, there's no way someone could learn a mystic art similar to such a legendary, extreme-level spell so easily—

"Ah... Roze-san."

"That's right."

For the legendary immortal, the Mystic King, it must be a natural technique.

She realized anew just how extraordinary the being was that this boy before her was studying under.

"But how did you know this place? Can you transfer to a place you've never seen?"

"Actually, Elen... my small senior disciple, is master's disciple in magic. She has a convenient magic called 'Full Scan'."

"I know that! That's forbidden magic too, right? She can use it!?"

"Yes. So we were able to pinpoint the coordinates."

Saaya was left speechless at Ruruk's casual explanation.

A boy who uses transfer as if it's nothing, a little girl who uses forbidden magic as if it's nothing.

What an extraordinary group of people, defying common sense.

Saaya felt an overwhelming desire to learn together with them, to travel with them. It was the first time since her birth as Saaya that she had experienced such a yearning.

"So I came here thinking I could talk to Saaya-san for a bit. Do you have time now?"

"Y-yes. As long as Papa doesn't come—wait a minute! Please don't come closer!"

Saaya tried to distance herself from Ruruk as he approached.

She was still in her soiled state. Even though Ruruk was still a minor, she didn't want a male to come near her. Not only was it embarrassing, but more than anything, she couldn't forgive herself for being seen in such a filthy, humiliating state.

Upon hearing this, Ruruk seemed to notice Saaya's condition and took a step back, activating a spell.

"'Equipment Summon'."

A towel, shirt, and pants appeared in Ruruk's hands.

"I called them from the inn. I'll turn around, so please let me know when you're done changing. Oh, and those shackles must be in the way too. 'Rupture Bullet'."

With a light 'crack', the iron shackles came off.

Looking closely, the bolt part connecting the shackles had become hollow, as if it had simply disappeared.

"Oh... yes, thank you."

Ruruk turned his back, acting as if he hadn't just done something amazing.

Saaya changed slowly, folded her dirty clothes, and placed them at the edge of the room. Before calling out to him, she gazed at his back, still properly turned away.

Despite being only 10 years old, he had such a polite nature, as if dealing with a lady.

That small 13-year-old back carried a mature atmosphere that didn't match his size.

...What a wonderful boy.

Noticing that such a feeling had sprouted in a corner of her heart, just a little, she shook her head and placed a hand on her chest.

Even if it couldn't come true, even if it was a curse-like love, she had lived this far with those feelings in her heart.

It wasn't such a weak feeling that would waver just because he helped her once or twice.

The desire to be freed from this painful love and the obsessive-like feeling of not wanting to let go were battling within Saaya.

She exhaled, tucking that conflict away in a corner of her mind.

"It's okay now, Ruruk. Sorry to keep you waiting."

As she called out, Ruruk turned around.

His gentle gaze made her face naturally turn red.

No, no. Get a hold of yourself, Saaya.

"S-so, what did you want to talk about?"

"Saaya-san, do you know that this city was attacked by demons today?"

"...Huh?"

A most unladylike sound escaped her lips.

Demons? Attack? What was that about?

She did feel something like an earthquake about half a day ago, but...

"You haven't heard. I see, that's fine then."

"W-w-wait! It's not fine! What do you mean!?"

"It's exactly as I said. The city was partially destroyed by a demon attack, and there were casualties."

"Why did that happen!? What about the demons? Is everything okay?"

"Yes. Elen and I defeated one. Another was cornered by my master but was betrayed and killed by its comrade. The demon that betrayed it seems to have fled the city. Currently, reconstruction work is underway, so the city is on high alert."

"S-such a thing..."

Saaya couldn't grasp the reality of Ruruk's matter-of-fact words.

But despite such a major incident, no one had come to this basement all day.

"So, I have a question. Why were you restrained here in the first place, Saaya-san?"

"That's—"

Saaya honestly told Ruruk everything.

How she had confidently tried to persuade her father, only to be brought here and confined. That her father's goal was to ensure Saaya would definitely inherit the Schreine family, and it didn't matter how excellent Roze was. She even shared her prediction that her father had always complained about wanting to inherit the Schreine family himself, and now he probably only needed Saaya's position.

She honestly said that she didn't think of that man, who saw even his daughter as nothing but a tool, as her father.

"I see. Persuasion seems more difficult than I thought."

"More like impossible... You can see this room, right? This isn't an environment you'd normally put your daughter in."

The room was crawling with insects, she had been forced to soil herself, and they hadn't even brought her food.

Even if it was for punishment, no sane person would do such things to their only daughter.

After pondering for a while, Ruruk gave a small nod.

"...I understand. I have an idea about dealing with Saaya-san's father. Next is Viscount Schreine. I haven't met him yet, so could you tell me what kind of person he is?"

"Uncle is a very kind person."

Saaya answered immediately.

"Everyone in this country discriminates against beastkin to some extent, right? But Uncle doesn't discriminate against others based on race. He even finds beastkin children who might become slaves and adopts them. He raises them until they can travel and then sends them back to their hometowns. That's why he's always poor."

"I see. He sounds like an admirable person."

"He is. And Uncle has two kind wives, but neither of them can have children. Have you heard? There's a rumor that Viscount Schreine is into men and only shows interest in young beastkin boys. That's a lie. Uncle loves his wives and properly... does those things with them. ...But I think he must be ill. In the end, they couldn't have children, so such rumors started. Uncle doesn't seem to mind much though."

"I see... I'm still so immature."

For some reason, Ruruk looked hurt and blamed himself.

He must have believed those rumors too.

But Saaya thought that was unavoidable. Having children is one of the duties of a noble family. Both wives seem to be quite worried about it too.

"That's why Uncle doesn't interfere much with the heir issue. When Papa said he would make me the heir, Uncle agreed without hesitation. Even though Uncle is a viscount, he doesn't seem interested in this problem at all. I think he doesn't care whether I run away laughing or stay crying."

"I see... I understand. Then it shouldn't be too difficult. If we only need to persuade your father to make you a disciple, it shouldn't be too hard."

"Really? Can I become a disciple?"

"I can't say for certain, but I can see a way. I'd like to start preparations, but... what will you do, Saaya-san? Do you want to leave here together?"

"I do! I don't want to stay in this gloomy place for even a second longer!"

She didn't care if her father got angry later.

Hope had sprouted, giving her strength.

Just as she thought that, her stomach growled loudly.

She quickly tried to cover it, but Ruruk had clearly heard it.

"As you wish, my lady. Once we're outside, I'll treat you to something delicious."

"I-I didn't ask for that! But if you insist, I'll let you treat me!"

"Then I'll take you up on that offer."

Even her unintentional bravado was gently accepted and embraced.

...What a boy, really.

"Then, please take my hand."

"Yes, I'm counting on you."

He was probably going to use transfer.

Saaya grasped Ruruk's hand and tightly closed her eyes.

"You don't need to be so scared. It'll be over in an instant."

"O-okay. Then, go ahead!"

"'Relative Transfer'."

The scenery changed.

From the dark basement to a sky full of stars as far as the eye could see.

...Sky full of stars?

"Eh—kyaaaaaaah!"

They were in midair.

There was no ground beneath her feet, and they started free-falling.

Saaya screamed reflexively, but—

"'Relative Transfer'."

The scenery changed again, and this time they safely landed on the ground.

It was some back alley.

As Saaya tried to calm her pounding heart and catch her breath, Ruruk laughed.

This time, it was an innocent laugh.

"Hahaha. So Saaya-san is afraid of heights too. We're alike."

"Of course I am! And hey, if you were going to take us into the sky first, you should have said so!"

"Well, I wanted to surprise you."

"I was surprised alright! You idiot!"

She started hitting him repeatedly.

There might be a difference in build, but apparently not much difference in status.

Ruruk seemed to be in quite a bit of pain, but Saaya continued hitting him until she felt satisfied.

On her face, without her realizing it, a smile had appeared.