Chapter…05

    The Hidden Overpowered Child Is Looking for Dad – Episode 5

A series of giant question marks filled Basto Paerix’s mind.

What were the chances that a small child would be inside a forest crawling with monsters at night?

And that the child would just so happen to get caught in his trap?

And on top of that…

“U-uncle, hic! T-Tia, hic! I-I’m okay! Hic!”

What were the chances that the child wouldn’t cry or complain—but instead reassure him?

“…Hah.”

This made no sense.

It wasn’t that he was strange—the situation itself was.

Basto, who had been untangling the net, finally straightened up with a frown.

The child sitting on the ground visibly flinched.

“You…”

“I-I’m okay! Hic! I’m really, really okay! Hic!”

Basto stared at the child repeating the same words in disbelief.

The child couldn’t even meet his eyes and kept her hands tightly clasped.

Unable to watch any longer, he asked,

“Where are your parents?”

She looked no older than three or four.

There was no way she came here alone.

“D-dad, hic! He’s really, really close…!”

Just as he expected.

Basto nodded.

“I see. Nearby?”

“Y-yes…! If Tia shouts, hic! he’ll come right away! He’s really close…!”

Of course.

Basto knew how curious kids that age were.

Even attentive parents could lose track of them in a moment.

A short chuckle escaped him.

‘She’s brave for such a tiny thing.’

If her father was nearby, she could’ve just called him.

Instead, she only hiccupped—no wonder he thought she might be some kind of weird bandit situation.

With a grin, Basto joked,

“Then you should’ve cried louder when you got caught in the net.”

“…Hic.”

“You can cry now. Let’s see if your dad comes.”

But the child suddenly clamped her mouth shut.

Then—

“Sniff… I-it’s true…”

Tears began to fall like beads.

Basto looked startled.

She didn’t cry when she was trapped—but now she was crying?

“Why are you—”

“Waaah! Blackpang! Blackpang! Save me—!!”

He stepped forward to calm her, but she only cried louder.

Even the hiccups stopped as she began sobbing uncontrollably.

“…Wait, why—”

Then it hit him.

He suddenly realized what he must look like to her.

His hair was still stiff with dried monster blood from yesterday.

His unwashed body smelled foul.

And he had been hiding in the bushes, staring at her from the shadows.

“…Right.”

Scratching his head awkwardly, Basto took a step back.

The crying child peeked at him.

He deliberately stepped back even further.

Then, to reassure her, he even tossed his weapon—the war hammer—down near the net.

“Hic… Blackpang…”

The child sniffled, still clutching her pink bag tightly.

“I’ll stay here. You go. To your dad.”

She blinked at him cautiously.

“Go on. You said your dad is nearby.”

She fidgeted with her bag.

Then asked in a small voice,

“You… won’t come catch me…?”

“Why would I catch you?”

“Because… you’re a kidnapper…”

Basto suppressed a sigh and answered calmly,

“I’m not a kidnapper. I was trying to catch a rabbit because I’m hungry.”

Her face filled with even greater shock.

But after a moment, she slowly stood up.

Watching her struggle to put on her bag, Basto thought,

‘…I should follow her from a distance.’

He couldn’t exactly find her parents for her.

But he could at least make sure she reached them safely.

“Go find your dad. It’s dangerous here.”

She nodded timidly.

Then turned and started running between the trees.

“Ah—!”

She didn’t even make it three steps before collapsing.

The fallen child sniffled and turned her head.

Their eyes met in the air.

“….”

Basto looked at her with a tense expression.

She was clutching her left ankle, her lips trembling.

Soon, a tearful voice followed—

“U-uncle…”

Only after hearing her next words did Basto rush forward.

“M-my leg…”

“Uncle, is rabbit tasty?”

Basto looked up while wrapping a compression bandage around her small ankle.

“Yeah.”

Her eyes widened.

“What does it taste like? Like cow?”

“Meat tastes the same.”

“No it doesn’t! Pork and beef and chicken all taste different!”

Basto chuckled.

‘Talking about meat like that… she might be from a noble family.’

But then again—

A child like this alone in a remote forest?

And her father, supposedly nearby, hadn’t shown up?

“Why isn’t your dad coming? You cried pretty loudly earlier.”

He asked carefully, worried she might cry again.

But she went quiet.

Looking up, he saw her watching him cautiously.

“To take you to him,” Basto added gently. “That’s why I’m asking.”

She pressed her lips together, fidgeting with her bag.

“…Actually, he’s in the capital…”

Basto frowned.

“The capital?”

She nodded.

A short exhale escaped him.

So her father wasn’t nearby after all.

“Then why did you say he was close?”

“Because… if I said that, you wouldn’t kidnap me…”

“…Then why did you say you were okay earlier?”

“My kindergarten teacher said not to provoke kidnappers…”

Silence fell between them.

As Basto struggled for words, the child leaned in and whispered like it was a secret:

“If you ever meet a kidnapper, don’t say ‘please save me!’ It makes things worse.”

“…Why?”

“Because you shouldn’t provoke them. You have to figure out what they want and open the possibility for negotiation and dialogue.”

Basto was speechless.

After a moment, he sighed.

“…That won’t be a problem for me.”

“Huh?”

“Look at me. Do I look like someone who’d get kidnapped?”

The child stared at him.

Her bright green eyes scanned his blood-stained hair, thick beard, and massive build.

Then she nodded in understanding.

For some reason, that made Basto feel oddly uncomfortable.

“…Alright. Done.”

After finishing the bandage, she looked at her ankle in amazement.

Basto stood up and looked down at her.

‘Her parent is in the capital…’

Whatever the truth—

She was injured.

And the sun was already starting to set.

Briowood was close to the capital, and lately, refugees crowded near its gates.

Children sometimes got separated from their families.

His gaze fell on her pink leather bag.

She was young, but well-mannered.

Taught what to do in dangerous situations.

Clearly raised with care.

Basto made his decision.

“Come with me. To the capital.”

He had to report the destroyed magic stone anyway.

“I’ll take you there.”

Her eyes widened.

For a moment, his chest tightened.

Once, he too had a child he prayed would safely return to him.

But that child was gone now.

“Your dad must be waiting for you.”

At his words, a bright smile spread across Tia’s face.