Episode 4 Now, I’ll Take Care of This Building

“……!”

The emperor’s chest, covered in his insignia, swelled dramatically. Between his wide-open eyelids, his pupils were trembling.

“Ah, dear…”

“My mom said that you shouldn’t refuse the kindness of a good person.”

As I stepped down the stairs from the carriage, I lifted the hem of my dress slightly.

“I’ve also learned how to behave like a lady.”

“Well done! That’s right!”

He cheered like he was encouraging a baby taking its first steps.

I had only descended four steps, yet we walked side by side up to the fence of the Monati House.

I had been worried that the emperor might try to follow me into the house, but I soon realized that fear was unnecessary.

“Monati, little one!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Why haven’t you opened the door yet?”

An extremely thin old woman was hitting my house door with her cane.

I had intended to allow the emperor’s visit only up to the gate of the fence, but the gate was already open.

“…Do you know her?”

The emperor asked, his face showing surprise.

“Yes. She’s the landlord, an old lady.”

My precious Monati House was actually a rental property.

That wrinkled and hunched old lady was Mrs. Quark, who rents us this place.

“If you’ve made someone’s house like this, you should take responsibility! Come out, little one! I’ll make up for the damage, even if I have to sell you!”

Mrs. Quark, thinking I was still inside, yelled through the door.

I froze in terror.

If Mrs. Quark kicks me out, I’ll have nowhere to go. Even if my mother miraculously finds her way back, we would have no place to return to, and we’d be separated forever.

That would be the worst possible thing that could happen in my life.

While I tried to reason that I should understand Mrs. Quark’s feelings—since her property had been damaged—the thought did little to calm the pounding of my heart, which was now beating wildly, as if I were under a death threat.

The emperor’s expression slowly hardened.

It seemed that, being a naturally soft-hearted person, he needed some time to mentally prepare before stepping in.

The knights following him also sensed that things weren’t right and approached, looking to the emperor for a sign. If given an order, they seemed ready to charge into the house.

“No. I’ll go.”

Just as the emperor moved to step over the gate…

Creeeak—

“Eh?”

The door of the empty house opened.

I blinked in surprise and looked at the scene.

A ghost?

‘Or maybe my mom’s come back?’

Just as excitement started to swell, someone walked out from the house.

It was a very tall man—so tall that he had to stoop to pass through the small entrance.

“Ah.”

It wasn’t my mom.

“That person…”

The emperor furrowed his brows, a hint of recognition flashing across his face.

He muttered, almost absentmindedly.

“Massimo di Ervil.”

Mrs. Quark’s expression was on the verge of collapsing, her voice trembling as she gasped for breath.

“Wh-Who are you? Why are you coming out of my house…?”

“The father of the child you said you’d sell.”

Her eyes bulged so much that I feared she might have a heart attack right there.

And it wasn’t unwarranted; Massimo had the aura of a thug, someone who could easily intimidate anyone. With his piercing eyes, I would have raised my hands and knelt if I faced him directly.

‘At least it’s lucky he’s wearing glasses.’

It made him look slightly less intimidating.

Not that he didn’t look intimidating at all, though.

Normally, a tan complexion might symbolize health, but Massimo was the perfect counterexample to that assumption.

The dark circles under his eyes and the deep creases on his forehead made him appear like a lion just risen from the afterlife. The deep furrows across his brow made him look at least five years older than his real age.

And his shoulders—how they bulged! He looked like a man who’d become a wealthy businessman through dubious means.

‘…That shirt looks like it’s struggling.’

Even though I knew he made his money through legitimate mining business, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he might be better suited for running a criminal organization.

Massimo roughly pushed his brown hair back and shot a sharp look at Mrs. Quark.

“Fine. Let’s see how much you need to sell a child for.”

Surprisingly, his tone was calm and polite. While he had an air of authority more imposing than the emperor’s, he didn’t seem to have a violent nature.

Mrs. Quark, perhaps sensing the respect he was showing her, straightened up slightly.

“I think around 10,000 Roron would be enough to repair the house…”

“Forget about it.”

With a soft thud, Massimo set down a briefcase beside her.

‘I didn’t even realize he had a briefcase!’

It had been hidden behind his thick thighs until now.

“Check it, and if it’s not enough, let me know.”

When Mrs. Quark opened the briefcase, it was filled with blue bills.

At the sight, she nearly screamed, jumping up like she’d seen a ghost.

“My goodness!”

Flutter—

A few bills fluttered in the air.

Those were the highest denomination of currency in this country—10 Roron bills. If there were that many of them…

It would be an unbelievable amount.

“Ahem.”

The emperor, who had caught a few of the fluttering bills, coughed awkwardly. That was understandable, as the face of his late father, the former emperor, was printed on those bills.

The face looked quite similar to the emperor’s.

“Wow.”

With such aristocratic features, I briefly thought that this man could easily be my real father.

As the emperor fiddled with the bills, he finally nudged me.

“Dear.”

“Yes?”

“You can play with these.”

What had just been money was now folded into the shape of a lizard.

“This is a dragon. I used to make these when I was little. You can move the tail and wings too.”

I wasn’t particularly interested in such childish activities, but I couldn’t disregard his thoughtfulness.

“Thank you.”

It wasn’t because the folded paper was 10 Roron bills, I promise.

“I’m glad you seem to like it. Want me to show you how to make one? It’s not hard. If you get the face part right, you’ve already won half the battle.”

He pointed to the dragon’s head. The late Emperor’s face was folded in a strange shape.

 

“…”

Wasn’t this disrespectful? Should I call it unfilial?

It seemed a little amusing, and I almost smiled, but…

“…!”

Massimo turned around to look at us.

Apparently, he’d heard our conversation.

“Ah!”

When our eyes met, I expected my knees to give way.

But his face looked more gloomy that I ended up not being as frightened as I thought.

I tried to smile but ended up blinking awkwardly with a stiff expression. During that moment, Massimo’s eyes were fixed on me, unblinking.

“Ahem…”

Just then, I felt the emperor move closer to me.

Massimo’s face changed immediately. The familiar, twitchy expression appeared.

He slowly parted his lips.

“…Instead.”

His gaze remained on us, but his words were directed at Mrs. Quark.

“Now, I’ll take care of this building. Any objections?”

“No, none at all! I’ll never come near here again!”

“Send the related documents to this address.”

Between his fingers, Massimo held out his business card. Mrs. Quark, trembling like a skeleton, took it from him.

“Ah, Mr. Ervil… It’s an honor…”

“Please leave now. This is my private property.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Mrs. Quark scampered away.

She ran off, clutching the bag like a baby, so quickly that the emperor and I didn’t even see her.

After her footsteps faded completely, a silence settled in.

Massimo and the emperor’s glares collided fiercely.

‘What if they get into a fight?’

Two male protagonists from a reverse harem novel, facing off!

I wondered if the shrimp would get crushed in the whale fight.

I subtly tried to step back, scraping my shoe against the floor.

Apparently, Massimo noticed me dragging my feet. His head snapped toward me.

For a moment, his eyes wavered, but then he smiled—a smile that didn’t quite fit his usual demeanor.

He bent at the waist, lowered to one knee, and extended a hand toward me.

“Cheska. I’m your father.”

A rebuttal came from the sky.

“Father, my ass!”

…The sky?

I looked up in the direction of the sound.

A meteor-like object fell from between the clouds—right in front of my house.