Home/I Saved the Villain and Fell Asleep/ch 23

Chapter 23

Having forgotten to bring my own coin purse, I spoke to Kali in a cheeky tone, implying I'd just take his money. Kali smirked and raised his hand over my head.

"Call me oppa and I'll treat you—ack!!!"

"You're dreaming."

"You, you—keep talking like a thug and I'm telling Rachel!"

"I'll tell her you're the one talking nonsense!"

"Don't do that."

"What did I do that you threaten to tell your mom every time?"

A kid is still a kid.

If he kept his mouth shut and smiled handsomely, he'd be worthy of being called a heartthrob of the century—but the moment he opened his mouth, the fifteen-year-old troublemaker's true self popped out.

"You little chestnut."

"Puhaha!!"

At the familiar word that popped out of Kali's mouth, I clutched my stomach and laughed. "Chestnut"—it was the nickname Irein used whenever he teased Kali.

"You're only big because of magic! What is it? Where is it? What are you wearing?"

When I'd looked at his neck just now, he only had his usual necklace, so it wasn't that. Earrings? No. A ring? None either.

I felt along his arm and found something inside his sleeve.

"It's a bracelet?"

A thin bracelet with a black gemstone dangled from Kali's wrist.

If I took this off, he'd turn back into a squirt...!

Irritated by his smugness, I instinctively pulled at the bracelet.

"Pervert."

"What? Why am I a pervert?!"

"The moment you take off the bracelet, I'll revert back. I'd have to drag these oversized clothes around, but would that be okay?"

"I wasn't going to take it off! I was just looking. ...Wait a minute, who do you think you're acting all high and mighty with? You're the one who put it on and went out without permission!"

"Should I take it off? Right here? Should I strip?"

"Don't strip!!!"

Kali kept giggling at my face, which was definitely flushed red by now.

Ugh, so annoying!

As I huffed and walked past him, I heard a child's scream not far away. I backtracked and peeked into a narrow alley.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

Kali peeked over my head into the alley and listened quietly. This time, we heard a young boy's crying and an adult man's shouting.

"Oh."

"Where are you going?!"

Kali let out a short exclamation and strode into the alley before I could stop him.

"Where else? To help. I can't just ignore a child in danger, can I?"

"You're a child too! More importantly, if you're going to lie, work on your expression first!"

Who goes to "help" someone with a smile that savage?

I grabbed my skirt and ran to catch up with Kali's long strides. Bibi, who had followed us, stayed close to my side, watching ahead.

"Perfect timing. I was just getting used to these longer limbs, and a suitable punching bag wandered in."

"Getting used to what? You're dreaming before the rice cake's even been offered! Don't you dare lay a finger on that bracelet again!"

"More nonsense."

If he said he wasn't used to his longer limbs, how did he beat up those thugs so well just now? Who did he learn to fight from?

Irein? He barely visited the villa. Sier actually hated moving. I enjoyed swinging my club, but I hated fistfighting.

Because fists... hurt!

"Who taught you this stuff? You're not just punching mirrors alone in your room, are you? That's all cringey history—you'll be kicking your blanket in embarrassment when you're older."

"Who taught me? Are you joking?"

"Huh?"

Did we have a combat instructor at home? If there was one, I would have known.

"Who else but the Duke would teach me?"

"Dad only gives you advice on your magic, right?"

"Right. On magic."

His evasive tone made his face look pale.

"He's quite good at fighting. The Duke."

"Dad really taught you?!"

"Just the basics."

Before we could finish, we reached our destination. A dark-skinned, burly man was grabbing a girl by her hair, shaking her violently—she was in a terrible state.

"You think I don't know you're with that beggar brat from before?! Huh? Do I look like an idiot?!"

"I really don't know! I don't know where he ran off to! I'm telling the truth! Hic!"

"Damn it...! Do you know how much that thing costs?! You thieving bastards!!"

The man, whose face was so red it looked about to burst, threw the girl he'd been holding against the wall.

A small boy crouched against the wall tried to shield the girl with both arms, but he was too small—all he could do was cover her face.

"B-big sis, big sis."

"Ugh... P-please save us. We really don't know. We're not in a gang with him...!"

"Boss, they really might not know. What should we do?"

"Ah, shit. Do you know how much I could get for selling that?!"

The man who seemed to be the leader strode toward the fallen girl. Watching from the shadows, I poked Kali's side.

'You said you were going to help, so why are you just standing there watching?'

"I guess I'll have to sell you instead."

His cheap laughter echoed through the alley.

"That guy's trash, right?"

"Huh?"

"Don't you agree?"

"He... is, but."

In an empire where human trafficking was forbidden, anyone who tried to sell children like that was definitely trash.

Cracking his neck lightly, Kali strode forward.

"Who the hell are you?!"

One of the thugs standing beside the leader blocked Kali's path.

"Ah, just move aside."

Kali's open palm rose into the air.

Smack—!!

Using his palm instead of a fist, Kali slapped the man's face. The man went down with a groan, and Kali nudged him aside with his foot.

He could have used his fist, but he deliberately chose to slap—who knew what kind of temper that was?

"Mister, they said they didn't steal it."

"Hah. Th-this bastard. Who do you think you are? Butting in? Crazy bastards are all over the place today!!"

The leader's face was boiling red with rage. I left Kali to toy with them and approached the fallen children.

"Hey, are you okay?"

I brushed aside the girl's tangled black hair and checked her face. Her eyelids were swollen from being hit, and her lips were split.

Where on earth does anyone get off hitting a child this small like this?

"Can you hear me?"

"Yes, yes... sniff."

"What about you? Are you okay? Did you get hit anywhere?"

I asked the boy who was holding his sister. He nodded and hunched his shoulders.

"Looks like those guys got something stolen."

"We didn't do it...!"

The girl shook her head frantically.

"I can tell you didn't. What's your name?"

"I'm Regina. He's my little brother, Leo."

"I'll take you home. Where do you live?"

"You don't have to... I mean, we..."

Regina glanced deep into the alley.

Ah. They live in the alley.

"But, um... you should stop that man... those people are mages!"

There's no one in this empire who isn't a mage. But that's not what Regina meant.

"Jack said they're incredibly powerful mages. What, what do we do? It's because of us..."

"Who's Jack?"

"He's the kid who stole what they're talking about. We're really not in a gang with him! We just know him—he suddenly dragged us here to help, then abandoned us and ran off alone."

Regina, her hands trembling, hugged her brother tightly. I watched quietly.

"Please help us."

"Leo?"

Regina looked down at her brother in surprise. Leo wiped his hands on his clothes a few times, then grabbed the hem of my robe.

"Please help my sister."

I met his tear-moistened eyes. His voice was small, but it was eerily calm—like someone who already knew he wouldn't be heard.

"Sure, why not."

"Ah, miss!"

"But next time, ask for help for yourself too. Not just your sister."

I gave Leo's tiny fist—small enough to fit entirely in my hand—a firm squeeze and smiled.

Even though his voice was laced with resignation, he'd gathered the courage to ask for help. So I had to help.

"Aaaah!!!!"

Just then, a shriek filled with desperation rang out. Kali must have been toying with them ruthlessly—the leader looked like he was about to drop with his neck grabbed.

"You bastards—do you know who I am?! I'll turn you all to ashes today!!"

"Boss! We agreed to keep it quiet in this village!"

"Move!!! You bastard!!!"

Furious, the leader thrust out both arms as flames began to rise around him.

So... candle flames.

Tell that so-called "incredibly powerful mage" to come out. I won't let this slide.

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