Ch#134
The reason Tie came up with this idea was due to a past incident.
To be precise, it was something that happened in the year before Dad went missing.
That day, Tie had come home from kindergarten and was with Grandma from 107.
Suddenly, the owner of the big alley moving company came by and pounded on Tie's front door loudly.
“Kim! Come out! I know you're in there, come out, you bastard...!”
Tie was startled by the man's curse.
But Grandma from 107, as the boss of Gold Apartment, didn't bat an eye.
Instead, she leisurely went outside, hands behind her back, to deal with him.
“What brings you here, Mr. Choi?”
Peeking through the open door crack, the moving guy looked beet red.
“Hey, Mr. Kim! How can you snatch away someone else's work like this?!”
“Work?”
“The morning delivery gig from Sing Sing Mart! That was mine, but you took it! Does that guy have no business ethics? He didn't even consult me and just lowered the daily rate on his own—that disrupts the market, doesn't it?!”
Grandma laughed in disbelief.
“Why don't you just lower your rate too, kid?”
“Hey, ma'am! Even if I lower it, how much can I make? And that shop's sewer that clogs every time—that's mine too, I charge per job to unclog it! But he does it for free!”
“…….”
“Even the single-room moves around here! I handled all that, but he undercuts the price and steals them! If I starve to death like this! If my business goes under, are you taking responsibility, huh?!”
Only then did Tie realize the man kept saying “Mr. Kim, Mr. Kim” referring to Dad.
Thinking back, she recalled how Dad had seemed busy day and night lately.
Meanwhile, Grandma snorted and retorted.
“Serves you right for messing with someone who works honestly. Messing with him, tch.”
The moving guy widened his eyes in shock.
“What?”
“You brag about hiring shady folks with no background checks. But when it comes time to pay, what do you do, Mr. Choi? Not even half, but slash it to a third? Is that how you treat people?”
“Ah, no, that's because I......”
“Hey, don't mess with the guy from 106! No matter how much you backstab him, he works steadily! He's raising his daughter to be the smartest in the neighborhood!”
Grandma didn't yield an inch to the moving guy.
“......Fine, whatever. I'll snitch to your wife about your bar-hopping crap.”
Tie didn't understand what Grandma's last words meant.
But for some reason, the moving guy turned pale and left right away.
And he never came back to Tie's house again.
Grandma returned to the room, patted Tie's back, and said.
“It's okay, kid. People always flip out when their rice bowl gets taken. That guy's got a rotten temper—might as well starve to death this time...... Aigoo, what am I saying in front of you.”
That day, Tie realized.
When someone's rice bowl is threatened, even a cricket jumps.
So no matter how she thought about it, the way to make Dad come find her himself was just one thing.
‘Tie will cut off Dad's rice bowl!’
It didn't have to be literally cutting off his rice bowl—as long as Tie outdid Dad's mercenary group.
There were several clues that came to mind belatedly now that she knew Dad's identity.
‘Daughter, isn't Dad cool? Isn't he? He was the number one Holy Knight, you know?’
‘Yeah, cool.’
‘What's with that reaction~ Say you really mean it, that Dad did great. That Dad's the best.’
‘Yeeah, Dad's the best! But, Dad, do you like being number one?’
‘......Well? It wasn't so much that I liked it, but back then, I could only relax if I was number one.’
‘Relax?’
‘Yeah, it was a tough time if I didn't focus on some goal. I had too many stray thoughts.’
She didn't know back then, but now Tie understood.
‘Dad was in his wild youth phase back then!’
So even if he lied about his job, the part about aiming for number one was probably true.
Tie looked at the squad members with confident eyes.
“Tomorrow, Tie will buy lots of Teleportation Circles and siege Mana Stones super fast, super super fast!”
Then she raised both hands alone and shouted spiritedly.
“Until Agavert becomes number one—fighting!”
* * *
The next day.
All of Agavert's squad members were forcibly woken at 6 a.m.
Tie, who had gotten up at the crack of dawn, dressed neatly by herself and opened Ppuppue's Subspace.
“Blackie! This way!”
Following Tie's order, Lucarion was waving his hand whoosh whoosh.
Each time, sacks full of gold coins floated through the air and stacked neatly on the cart.
“Kid. What's all this?”
At Veil's question, still half-asleep, Tie shrugged.
“I said yesterday. Tie is going to buy Teleportation Circles.”
“Where do you even find Teleportation Circles?”
“At Selina's house!”
At those words, Raoul and Enzo stopped on the stairs.
Nordics, who had been up early reading in the kitchen due to no morning drowsiness, appeared too.
Regardless, Tie continued innocently.
“Selina's mom and dad sell lots of Teleportation Circles, and they have tons in the basement! Just pay money and take them. Friend sale!”
“Friend sale? Hold on. So you're going to the neighbor's right now?”
“Yup! It's about time for Selina to wake up, so hurry!”
Veil looked troubled and glanced at the squad members.
“I mean, even so......”
“Alright, let's go!”
But by then, Tie had flung open the front door and gone outside.
Lucarion followed her closely, pulling the large cart.
“......Ppueu-cha!”
Ppuppue stood proudly at the front of the cart, twirling its nose.
Watching that, Basto hurriedly stepped forward.
“Veil. You go with her.”
“What?”
“Can't send the kid alone, but if me, Raoul, or Enzo go, it'll draw suspicion. You're the least conspicuous, so follow her.”
Basto tossed an overcoat to Veil.
Veil scowled but took the coat and headed out.
Tie and Lucarion had already passed the front gate.
Crossing the quiet street, they arrived at the opposite house, where Tie pulled the bell without hesitation.
A little later.
“......Who is it?”
A woman crossing the garden looked down at Tie through the iron gate as if wondering what this was.
Tie first gave a deep bow from the waist and said.
“Hello, I'm Selina's friend, here to see Selina!”
“......Selina's friend?”
“Yesss!”
The woman narrowed her eyes.
She glanced once at Veil and Lucarion behind Tie.
“......Come in.”
Reluctantly, she opened the gate.
Tie crossed the garden briskly with Ppuppue.
As the front door opened, Selina in pajamas stood in the first-floor hall just in time.
“Selina!”
“Tie?”
Selina looked around in surprise.
Then she spotted Lucarion behind Tie and stared curiously at the cart Tie had brought.
“What brings you here so early in the morning......”
That was when.
“Ah, what a hassle, suddenly wanting to eat breakfast! She could've just eaten on her own. No childlike side, cunning like an old fogey......”
Someone coming up the stairs spotted Tie's group and stopped.
“......Ah.”
Then shut their mouth and hurriedly pretended not to see, going back down.
Tie stared blankly before turning her head.
Selina looked utterly listless for some reason.
She looked like she'd just woken up, but her hair was neatly tied up as always, and her clenched fist was strangely pale.
