Chapter 158: The Adults Don’t Know

“Lei-sama, what’s wrong? Come on into the tent, huh?” The first person to notice was Hans. He noticed that something was wrong with me and turned around to see what I was looking at.

“Prince Nico!” He screamed, and Nico pulled back the hand that was reaching for the fish for a moment, but then he reached out again. He probably liked touching the fish yesterday.

When the others noticed Han’s scream and started to move sluggishly, Hans had already begun to run. However, even though Hans and Nico were only a few metres apart, Nico’s hand reached the fish faster than Hans ran.

He was about three metres away from Nico. I let my consciousness enter my body for a moment.

“Lei!” Regardless of Nii-sama’s warning tone, my magic changed into a barrier. *PAAN* The barrier spread.

The barrier repelled the fish that Nico was trying to touch far away. At the same time, Hans picked Nico up and brought him back inside the barrier. When I confirmed that they were inside, I dispelled my barrier.

“Your Highness! That’s a Hollow! It only has the appearance of a fish!” Hans carried Nico to safety, gently put him down on the ground, leaned over, and grabbed Nico’s arms.

“It was a Hollow, you say? But it looked exactly like the fish I saw yesterday.”

“Listen, you saw it properly a while ago, didn’t you? Hollows take on the appearances of humans, but they can also take on the appearance of mice and birds. Of course, they can take on the appearance of fish as well.”

“Even fish?” Nico repeated Hans’s words and seemed blank as if he didn’t understand what Hans was talking about, but then he froze as if he realised something.

“A fish Hollow. If I touched it, then it would have sucked my life?”

“That’s right. I’m so glad I made it in time.”

Hans loosened his grip on Nico’s shoulders and gently patted it to reassure him.

“Nico!”

Then, Prince Albert was finally able to move and came running up to them. Nico reached out for Prince Al, who stood frozen on the spot, not knowing what to do.

Prince Al picked up Nico and hugged him tightly.

“Nico! I thought something had happened!”

“Uncle. Sorry. I thought I could catch the fish.”

“You can’t! I told you to be careful against Hollows, didn’t I!”

Nico didn’t understand that even if you told him. He thought Nico would understand since he was smart, but he’s exactly like a three-year-old since his guard flew out the window as soon as he saw something interesting. Regardless if he’s turning four soon or not.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Nico repeatedly apologised, and I saw that he was trembling. I don’t think he understands how dangerous it was, but he was definitely shocked from suddenly being picked up by an adult, brought back and yelled at.

I walked up to Nico and Prince Al. It was just a few steps. Then, I strongly hit Prince Al’s thighs.

Why his thighs? Because that’s as far as I can reach.

“From now on, wh-what is it?”

Prince Al looked down in surprise. Of course, an adorable toddler was looking up at him.

“Time for Nico tho shweep.”

“What are you saying?”

“Nico and Lei wiww geth warm and shweep.”

“Sleep? But…”

It seemed that Prince Al was upset as well. It didn’t seem like he understood what I said.

“Prince Aw. Nico shweep.”

“Nico is here…”

Prince Al looked at the trembling Nico, shocking him greatly .

“Nico! Hey, someone!”

Don’t call for someone, honestly.

“Hansh, geth a bwanweth and a warm drinw.”

“Understood.”

I immediately gave instructions to Hans, and he made tea with the simple cooking set.

“Mawe ith shweeth.”

“Lei-sama.”

“Sweeth ish importhanth.”

Hans looked at me suspiciously because he thought that I was the one who wanted to drink something sweet, but he made Nico a sweet cup of tea. Of course, he made me one as well. I got him to dilute it with a little bit of cold water so that we could drink immediately after blowing it once or twice.

“Nico, dwink.”

“Lei.”

I gave the cup of tea to Nico, who was wrapped in a blanket and held by Prince Al. Prince Al awkwardly supported Nico’s trembling hands.

“Warm.”

“Sweeth.”

“It’s sweet.”

I took out a snack wrapped in paper from my jacket pocket. It was my emergency rations that Natalie prepared for me. I twisted it open. Inside, was a cake like Castella. I broke it in half and gave one piece to Nico.

“Hmm, thanks.”

“Lei, that’s…”

Prince Al looked at me and I reluctantly halved the remaining piece.

“Fine, you can have shome.”

“… Thanks.”

Sweet tea and cake are delicious. By the time we finished eating, Nico was dozing off. How rare.

“Lei.”

“Ai.”

I pulled Nii-sama’s hand and stood up.

“Goodnighth.”

“Yeah, sweet dreams.”

I entered the small tent with Nii-sama. Gill had prepared the blankets and was waiting for us.

“Rest with Gill first. Gill and I will take turns to guard against the Hollows.”

“Ai. Nii-syama be carefuw.”

Nii-sama smiled wryly, then went out of the tent. Gill wrapped me in the blanket and laid next to me.

“Lei, you’ve done it.”

“I had tho.”

“Yeah. But, you did well,” he said, and patted the top of the blanket. My eyes, which were unusually clear, closed in no time. After I thought it was a terrible day.

Like always, I slept at night and the next day arrived. I quickly flew up and went to see Nico, but he looked fine.

“Morning Lei.”

“Mowrning Nico.”

The tent was packed up as soon as I got up and we had breakfast, then withdrew. It was a good idea to leave an island like this as soon as possible. I nodded on the ship that was leaving the island with my arms folded.

“What are you doing?”

Nico stood up and a few guards straightened up in surprise. Either yesterday left a big impact on them or Prince Al was quite angry and yelled at them.

“I’m woowing ath thhe ishwand.” (I’m looking at the island)

“Purgatory Island? It was a terrible place.”

Nico folded his arms next to me and stared at the island.

“Buffo.”

Hans, acting as he usually does. I’d like Nico’s guards to follow his example since they’re overly cautious.

“Do people who live outside of Kingdom have that horrible experience every day?”

“Nico no.”

“No?”

I looked at Nico. I saw that everyone on the ship was listening in. Honestly.

“Howwowsh are near thhe mounthain. They don’th reawwy come tho thownsh.” (Hollows are near the mountains. They don’t really come to towns)

“Aren’t they always there?”

I shook my head.

“There are pwacesh withh Howwowsh and pwacesh withhouth thhem. They don’th come intho houshesh.” (There are places with Hollows and places without them. They don’t really come into houses)

“So, you’ll be safe if you’re in a house!?”

“I hear that they use special materials at the entrance. It’s the same material that Rhodolite swords are made from,” Nii-sama commented on the difficult question.

“Weshther ish a fun pwace. They wawe up earwy in thhe morning and go home ath nighth.” (Wester is a fun place. They wake up early in the morning and go home at night)

“I see. If they do that then they won’t meet any Hollows.”

“Ai.”

The people around us listened in admiration. Lentforce benefits from the barrier, but few people go out at night. Perhaps, there is great injustice near the border. However, people in the coastal and prairie towns that I passed didn’t live in fear of the Hollows.

“Even if there are a lot of adults here, you’re more amazing since you’ve seen them directly.”

Nico, you can’t say that. As expected, none of the adults laughed at what Nico had said.

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