Chapter 6
## Episode 6
"Huh? It's just pea-sized?"
"......Huh?"
Iri nodded with effort.
"Then we just need to train now!"
"Purification Power doesn't grow through training. You use what you're born with."
Cookie sketched out the Purification Power rank chart.
[‘Light of Purification Power’ 5-star Rank Chart]
1-star. Seed of Light
2-star. Tree of Light
3-star. Shield of Light
4-star. Holy Light
5-star. Light of Salvation
"The lower the rank, the weaker the magi you can purify...... You're at the absolute bottom of 1-star. Dead last."
Iri's eyes shook violently.
The voice in her dream had clearly called her the ‘Purifier who will save the world.’
*'D-does that mean that voice was wrong?'*
While she despaired for a long while.
Cookie, who had been scrutinizing Iri as if disassembling her piece by piece, clenched its fist.
"......Huh?"
Then Cookie solemnly scanned Iri's body from top to bottom......
Blinked its thick chocolate eyes. And murmured excitedly.
"Th-there's something amazing inside you!"
"Huh?"
"Y-you have a ‘Ring of Purification’ that absorbs magi...!"
"......What's that?"
"It means you eat people's magi like cookies. Then your Purification Power grows! Plus, the ‘Ring of Purification’ is different from other purification spells! People you purify never suffer from magi again! Th-this is incredible......!"
"G-gasp! Then I'll eat everyone's magi!"
Finally, success!
"But you can only extract magi if you're close to that person. And since you're only 1-star right now, you can only purify people affected by weak magi."
"......"
It felt like kind of a lame ability......
*'Am I really a hero?'*
As Iri's mood sank a bit, Cookie hurriedly spat out the next words.
"D-don't be disappointed! In this world, you're the only one who can become the ‘strongest 5-star’!"
Iri's eyes widened hugely.
The animation she'd enjoyed just as much as Regent in her past life.
『I Alone Super Fast Growth! Swoosh Swoosh!』
The protagonist, who got possessed into a game and was totally looked down on as a beginner.
But he had a cheat key.
In a world of darkness where no one else could grow.
Only the protagonist grew swoosh swoosh! And became the supreme powerhouse on earth!
*'I-I'm supposed to be that cool role? The protagonist no less?!'*
Iri's slumped shoulders perked up slightly.
"Y-you really are a hero......!"
At Cookie's words, Iri's shoulders shot up to the sky.
As expected of the youngest leader of the Kyeonghye Taekwondo Dojo demo team—her spirit was unmatched.
Iri wiggled her butt and did her grandma's favorite ‘puppy peekaboo dance.’
In her mind, she imagined people petting her head profusely.
"My goodness. To have the strongest Purification Power. You're truly amazing!"
"Ahem. It's nothing. I even have Forms."
"Oh my, Forms......! So impressive!"
"I am a bit impressive. Hmm, may I show you the cool Forms where I won a medal at the national taekwondo headquarters?"
"Aah...... Yes! So cool! As expected of the hero of justice......!"
Iri clenched her fist.
"Let's go brag to the maid sisters right now!"
"Ah, what maids? This amazing ability should be kept secret until you tell the Duke."
"......Huh?"
"You can't tell your powerful ability to just anyone. What if word leaks and someone comes to kill you? You're still weak."
"G-gasp."
"Great heroes are always in danger of assassination. Hide your power, young hero!"
Cookie sinisterly mimed slicing its throat with its hand.
Iri hurriedly clutched her neck.
"Th-that, th-that won't happen......"
"So hurry and go to Duke Ortejo first! Tell him you're a hero and get his help!"
"Okay......"
"Come to think of it, isn't he your dad? The moment I was summoned, the vibe was spot on."
"Uh, u-um, yeah......"
Iri's body stiffened briefly. The word ‘dad’ made her feel a little—no, quite a lot—uncertain.
Reality was finally sinking in.
*'Will Duke Ortejo even meet me?'*
Iri wasn't particularly a cute kid.
Her parents in her past life had been the same.
When past-life Iri—that is, nine-year-old taekwondo girl Arin—was very very young, they’d done something called ‘divorce.’ They said it meant separating forever and never seeing each other again......
"Why's the kid being such a nuisance? So annoying."
"The child will hear. Don't say that......"
"Then you take her and raise her. Don't pretend to be nice when you have no intention of parenting."
They'd visit occasionally and use hard words like custody and child support.
She'd been shuttled here and there depending on the situation until her grandma saved her.
"You rotten bastards. I'll raise my grandkid myself, so butt out!"
Still, the time with her past-life grandma had been just as happy as with her current one.
So it was okay.
Even if her current dad didn't like her much, like her past-life dad, it didn't make her sad.
*'I can't get kicked out before 『I Alone Super Fast Growth Swoosh Swoosh!』 even starts!'*
She'd heroically save the world in style. And live happily ever after eating lots of yummy food with Hamuni.
Iri declared spiritedly.
"Right, then. I'll just meet him!"
Meanwhile, Cookie was silently watching Iri.
It grumbled about really becoming a babysitter, but a summon was a summon.
It could vaguely sense the emotions of its contractor, Iri, who had summoned it.
Worry flickered in its chocolate chip eyes.
*'Her face is pale. Is she okay?'*
But Iri still had a spirited expression.
So Cookie thought nothing of it.
*'She'll be fine!'*
* * *
The child hero and companion Cookie decided to execute .
While peeking around the corridors to plan the specifics, Iri happened to run into the head butler.
"Greetings. Head Butler Peter at your service, Lady Iri."
Upon encountering Ortejo Castle's head butler, Peter, Iri's eyes went wide.
Unlike the maid sisters who melted at first sight.
He was extremely cold, like a wall.
*'And a strange adult man!'*
Grandma and grandpa aside, adult men were intimidating to Iri.
*'I want to ask for something, but it feels like he won't budge an inch!'*
As she hesitated, unsure what to say, and looked up at him.
Sure enough, the butler eyed her suspiciously.
"Lady Iri, please take good care of us for the remainder of your stay."
His expression was as cold as winter wind.
But Iri didn't back down and looked at him.
*'Is there anything I can get from Head Butler Uncle?'*
Then, the papers in the butler's arms peeked out.
[Castle safety top priority. In case of emergency, entire force returns immediately.]
*'What's that mean?'*
As Iri tilted her head, noise came from afar.
The butler spoke to Iri, who instinctively looked toward the window.
"Ah, the knights are doing morning roll call."
Was it because it was morning?
From afar, the knights in the training grounds chanted their service oath.
"Protect Ortejo Castle, and in emergencies, report to the Duke immediately!"
The moment those words reached her, Iri's eyes sparkled.
She instantly recalled the Kyeonghye Taekwondo Dojo master, who had eyes even in the back of his head.
It was the time when Iri was obsessed with yogurt ice cream and secretly smuggling it into the dojo to eat.
"Did you say you could eat yogurt ice cream in the taekwondo dojo, or not?"
"Gasp, M-M-Master! H-how did you know I was eating ice cream here......?"
"They say even tigers come if you mention them."
"Th-then Master is a tiger......?"
The master wiped the yogurt ice cream from her mouth and said.
"Exactly, a tiger. You kids keep summoning the master with this accident-prone behavior."
This was it! Iri clenched her fist solemnly.
When kids cause trouble, adults show up.
Adults, unlike kids, had eyes even on their backs!
She felt a bit bad about causing trouble......
"Sometimes, for the greater good, you must sacrifice the small."
Recalling her instructor's words, Iri clenched her fist.
Peter, the head butler, still regarded Iri expressionlessly.
As he gave her a brief bow and left with a cold face.
(Former) nine-year-old model taekwondo girl Iri's mind spun ambitiously.
"We have a plan, Cookie."
"Huh? W-well, um, hmm, don't think too badly of it......"
Finally, Iri kicked off the air and shouted vigorously.
"Let's go cause some trouble!"
