C30
"What?"
Richard hugged me tightly and looked at the future High Priest.
The future High Priest slowly removed his robe.
Then, his hidden white-gray hair flowed down, and his deep blue eyes shone vividly.
"Two cute children..."
I felt a little distracted by the sensation of losing my mind.
"Who is he?"
"Me? I am BamBam's owner. Who are you?"
Well, that's not bad.
"Teacher..."
The future High Priest looked at me.
"A puppy? I can do that too."
The future High Priest's eyes curved like a crescent moon.
"A puppy?"
What does he mean?
When I looked at him with a puzzled expression, he opened his mouth wide with a pitiful look.
"Woof, woof."
No, when did I tell you to imitate a puppy?
When I opened my mouth, Richard hugged me a little tighter.
"I don't intend to become your teacher."
"I don't intend to become your dog either."
"Because I am BamBam's owner, everything that belongs to BamBam is mine. But I hate you, so leave."
"I don't want to."
He quietly set aside his robe and entered the room.
Is this kid really nine years old?
"It doesn't seem too difficult for the three of us to get along, Teacher. I can sleep on the floor next to my teacher's bed."
He said, pointing under the bed.
It was carpeted, but obviously, it would be uncomfortable.
"The bed is big enough for three children to sleep, but..."
I turned my head.
"Get out now! This is the room the director gave us!"
"Then let my teacher leave too."
"Why should BamBam do that?!"
"My teacher and I can't be separated... Isn't that right, Teacher?"
I let out a deep sigh as I looked at the future High Priest who was smiling cheerfully.
I don't know what his plan is.
They were roughly the same age, but Richard was a little more honest with his emotions.
"Please let me stay by your side."
He held my hand with a look like that of an abandoned puppy.
"You guys probably know that I'm five years old, right?"
I'm much shorter than them, but what are you doing pulling me to both sides?
"I..."
Grrrrr-
My stomach growled loudly.
"I'm hungry."
As soon as I heard the sound, I felt drained from hunger.
When I stumbled and collapsed on the bed, Richard opened his eyes wide in embarrassment.
"BamBam?"
"I'm hungry..."
"You can't die! I-I'll order food right away!"
"Yes."
No, no matter how much I stop eating, I won't die.
When Richard was about to leave the room, he pointed his finger at the future High Priest who was by my side.
"You, stay there and stay still. If you touch my BamBam, I won't let you go!"
Richard rushed out of the room.
"I'll take off your robe."
The future High Priest lightly ignored Richard's words and removed my robe himself.
I deliberately left him alone.
According to the novel, the future High Priest surprisingly...
"............"
He had a terrible mysophobia.
Indeed, the child who was undressing me suddenly stopped moving.
In the novel "Adopted," he hates humans, but he hates Suin even more.
The temple was a place where the idea of "human supremacy" was instilled, so it was natural for the future High Priest who grew up there to have such thoughts.
"When he sees the tail, he'll leave on his own."
That's why I closed my eyes to his strong will.
It was clear that he would get tired of me and leave anyway.
"Teacher."
"Yes."
"Are you a Suin?"
"Yes."
"............"
I looked at him. He was staring at the tail exposed under my clothes.
"You can go."
"What?"
"You're disgusted because I'm a lizard, so you can go."
".... No."
He opened his mouth after a while.
"I'm not disgusted, Teacher."
He knelt down and looked at me as I lay face down on the bed.
"I was a little surprised because it was the first time I saw a Suin."
"Lies."
It's not like I don't know how the temple treats Suin.
I slowly closed my eyes.
"Teacher."
"I'm not your teacher."
"I was the first one to approach. I was there for three days."
Anyone could see that he was dressed suspiciously, but it must have been difficult for him to approach with ease.
"Still, three days..."
It's ridiculous.
"Why?"
"Yes?"
"Why were you there?"
"I made a bet with a monster, and if someone picked me up in three days, I would win. Today was the third day, and my teacher picked me up."
No, you followed me, to be exact.
"Then, you are my teacher."
There was no logic in what he said with a big smile, and I was speechless.
But what was the name of this future High Priest?
"What's your name?"
"... Lucilion. My name is Lucilion."
"Lucilion."
I wanted to ask with whom the hell he made a bet.
"Did something like that exist in the novel?"
I closed my eyes and shook my head, but nothing came to mind.
Grrrrrrr-
Again, a loud noise echoed from my stomach. I bent over in embarrassment and held my stomach.
"... I think I've been hungry too often lately."
It's strange.
It seemed like the amount of food had increased a bit since the day I transformed.
"I'm hungry..."
"Didn't you eat buns a couple of hours ago?"
Yes, I ate two huge buns.
"Yes, I've been very hungry these days."
"Well, I heard that Suin need a lot of calories during their growth period, and the amount of food they eat varies depending on their body size."
"Am I a little lizard?"
I said, pinching my fingers together.
"... Is that so? If that's the case, it's a bit strange."
He fell silent for a moment, as if pondering something.
By the time the silence became uncomfortable, fortunately, Richard returned with a waiter carrying food.
"Do we have to ride in this carriage?"
"Yes."
"Is it really where my family is?"
"Yes."
When I nodded, Richard looked worried.
In fact, I felt the same way. Even if the carriage was elegant, it was too elegant. It hurt my eyes as if it were completely covered in gold.
"Sending such an elegant carriage..."
It only increased Richard's suspicion.
"...BamBam, did someone give you sweets and tell you he was my dad?"
Richard dragged me into a corner and asked quietly.
"This kid thinks I'm stupid."
Richard looked at the elongated carriage and then at me with a completely incredulous expression.
"No."
"...BamBam, is my father a swindler?"
"...No."
"...Then, a usurer?"
"...No."
Richard has the ability to create very realistic, strange situations.
"Well, maybe it's because he still can't believe it."
To put it in a novel way, it feels like, "I thought I was an orphan, but I'm actually the sole heir of a ducal family."
"Thinking of it this way, it makes a bit of sense..."
I can't even believe it myself. If they suddenly brought a shiny carriage like this and said they'd take me to see my dad...
"It would definitely be suspicious."
I told him again.
"It's alright."
"...Is the owner of that carriage really my dad?"
"Yes."
"...Liar, why did he abandon me if he's from such a big house?"
"Let's go."
Instead of answering, I grabbed two of Richard's fingers with my small hand and pulled them carefully.
"...It's strange. Why is he looking for me now?"
"Go and ask him yourself."
"...Heartless BamBam."
Even if you say that, there's nothing I can do about it.
"Still, I have a headache..."
To fulfill my promise to Richard, I had to stay in that mansion for a while, but I lacked justification.
I've been thinking for a while, but I can't come up with anything.
"Duke Collin must be very clever..."
Duke Collin was a secondary character and was rarely mentioned, so there was nothing I could do to help other than finding Richard.
"Quick."
I pushed Richard's back forcefully.
When Richard approached the carriage pretending not to have won, someone who seemed to be a knight politely lifted him and helped him into the carriage.
"Miss, this way as well..."
"Yes."
I was about to get in, but Lucilion, who was hesitating from a distance, caught my attention.
"What is he doing there?"
Instead of getting into the carriage, I approached Lucilion.
"Let's go."
The pupils exposed under the robe widened in surprise.
"...Can I go too?"
"...Aren't you going?"
Why is he suddenly doing this after following me for so long?
"...No, I'll go."
Lucilion quickly approached and placed his hand in my palm.
".........."
".........."
What, is he asking me to lift him?
He has no self-awareness.
I stared at the hand in the palm of my hand and held his hand with both of mine.
And I pulled with all my might.
Lucilion's eyes widened.
