TSRTL 12⏳

Chapter 12

Luckily, Tiya’s sadness didn’t last long.
That was because the carriage had arrived at their destination.

When Mia stepped down from the carriage and saw the building in front of her, she was startled.

“Are you really… planning to buy something here?”

“Yes!” Tiya answered brightly.

[Golden Owl]

The carriage had stopped in front of a pawnshop.

It was located in a busy area, nicely decorated, and often visited not only by commoners but even nobles who were short on money. The shop was well known for its sharp-eyed owner who could judge the value of any item perfectly, and for its unusual way of doing business—buying any story as long as it wasn’t a lie. It was a famous place, though only among those who knew.

But of course, it was not the sort of place a young child from a noble family should be visiting.

‘Besides, there’s that strange rumor that the owner hasn’t aged a bit in the last ten years…’

Feeling uneasy, Mia hesitated.

“Hurry, hurry!”

Before Mia could stop her, Tiya ran quickly into the pawnshop. The rest of the group rushed after her.

“Will you be selling, or buying?” a clerk asked.

All eyes turned toward Tiya. Clearing her throat, she suddenly posed a riddle.

“You know… it’s about the size of my two fists, but inside it holds the whole world.”

Everyone blinked in confusion. But soon, curiosity filled their faces. They had to solve the riddle.

“I want that thing!”

Tiya flapped her hands excitedly, like a baby bird begging its mother for food. She looked adorable.

“Yes, please wait here. Everyone, let’s search!”

In no time, not just Tiya’s companions but even the shop’s clerks scattered around the pawnshop, searching every corner.

Once their attention was far away…

“Heh, just as planned.”

Tiya grinned like a little schemer who had just pulled off a trick. Of course, with her missing front tooth, she didn’t look very scary.

<Why does this child… seem to get sillier by the day?>

While Winter silently worried, Tiya set her sights on her true target: the young woman at the counter, the only one who had stayed in place.

She looked to be in her mid-twenties, with fiery red hair. Tiya skipped up to her.

“Big sister.”

The woman flicked her eyes toward Tiya, looking utterly bored.

“I get headaches when I talk to creatures with below-average intelligence.”

But I haven’t even said anything yet…

Just as Winter had warned, the owner of the Golden Owl spoke with sharp cruelty.

A normal child might have been intimidated into silence. But not Tiya.

<Show her you’re a customer. Don’t let her look down on you. Don’t smile.>

Using the shamelessness she had learned from her emotionless father—and Winter’s advice—Tiya shouted proudly,

“I’m a customer!”

“I’m the owner of this shop.”

The woman glanced toward Tiya’s companions, still busy searching around the shop.

‘Tch. Nobles, as always.’

Clicking her tongue, the owner finally asked, reluctantly,

“So, what do you want, little lowly customer?”

“I need a magic potion that makes you an adult.”

One of the woman’s eyebrows shot up.

“…My headache is getting worse. That kind of item only exists in your dreams. This shop doesn’t sell anything like that.”

Oh no. I didn’t expect that answer.

Tiya quickly darted her eyes toward Winter. Help!

<Act like you already know the truth. Ask if she’s really telling the truth.>

“Rea~llyyy?”

Tiya tilted her head, pulled one corner of her mouth up, and tried to smile threateningly like an old granny.

<Good grief. When will that front tooth grow back?>

Her attempt at intimidation failed miserably. The woman didn’t flinch at all.

After thinking for a moment, Tiya lowered her voice.

“Then… should I tell you where that potion actually is?”

The woman’s face stayed annoyed, but she still leaned in when Tiya cupped her hands around her mouth like a whisper.

“The owner of the Golden Owl pawnshop on Molber Street was drinking that potion five years ago.”

“……”

For the first time, the woman’s indifferent eyes flashed with sharp light.

“Shhh! I’ll keep it a secret.”

Tiya grinned wide, showing her missing tooth with pride.

* * *

Roxanne, the owner of Golden Owl and its only appraiser.

Her ability to evaluate and judge the value of items was unmatched in the trade.

But her real profession wasn’t just appraiser.

She was also the head and mastermind of the information guild Bronze Monkey—ranked number one in trust, accuracy, and speed.

And the secret to why she hadn’t aged in ten years was none other than—

“With this, I can become an adult too, right?”

—The tiny magic potion, no bigger than a finger, resting in Tiya’s hand.

Through her deal with Roxanne, Tiya had obtained the Growth Accelerator ver.10, also called the Zoom-zoom Potion. She examined the tiny bottle carefully. Inside was a pink liquid that somehow looked sweet.

“Did you enjoy your outing?”

Inside the carriage on the way home, Mia asked warmly.

Startled, Tiya quickly hid the potion bottles and pretended to focus on the snow-globe-shaped music box on her lap.

Because of her random riddle earlier, all sorts of items had been brought out—fake jewel boxes, trivia-filled books, miniature dollhouses. Among them, Tiya had chosen this music box, because the castle inside the glass dome looked like the Frost Fortress.

She traced the rough engraving on its surface:

“To my beloved Winter.”

Roxanne had demanded an outrageous price for it. It might have been a scam, but Tiya loved it anyway.

Pressing her cheek against the dome, she admired the little world inside.

“Mm, yes. I had fun.”

“Whenever you’d like to go out again, please tell me!” Mia said brightly.

Feeling guilty toward kind Mia, Tiya answered,

“But tomorrow I just want to rest. Tomorrow, I’ll be with Father all day from early morning.”

* * *

At dawn, when even the most diligent servants were still asleep, Tiya stood before the mirror with the Zoom-zoom Potion in hand.

The mirror reflected a little girl secretly wearing an adult’s dress.

“Alright, I’m ready.”

Pop! The cork came off in a single motion.

<Don’t sip it—drink it all at once. That’s how you take bitter medicine.>

Encouraged by Winter’s words, Tiya swallowed the contents in one go.

Gulp. Her throat moved.

After emptying the bottle, she blinked strangely, then suddenly covered her mouth.

“Mmff!”

<What is it? Does your body feel strange? Are you hurt?>

Normally, magic potions must be carefully adjusted to the drinker’s body and dosage. But Tiya had drunk one made for someone else. A dangerous thought crossed Winter’s mind—what if there were side effects?

“This tastes like strawberries! Not bitter at all!”

<……..>

Tiya even licked the mouth of the bottle.

Why do I even worry… Winter sighed deeply.

Then—

“Ughhh.”

This time, Tiya grabbed her stomach and curled up.

Inside her, it felt like her organs were bubbling and stretching like melted cheese.

Cold sweat beaded her forehead as she groaned. Only belatedly did she hear Winter calling her.

<-Say something!>

“I-I think I’m okay now.”

Holding onto the tall mirror, she staggered back to her feet.

“Hmm?”

She had only raised her knees slightly, but suddenly the floor dropped away, and her viewpoint shot upward.

Lifting her head, she looked into the mirror.

Shhhk. Her hair, falling like a black veil, slid aside—revealing her bare face.