Chapter 05
“Hahaha, this child is my daughter. Eve, you should greet them.”
“Ah, h-hello!”
“Hello, Eve. What a pretty name.”
Among the robed men, the largest one smiled and waved at me.
I awkwardly smiled and bowed my head politely in greeting.
“Good timing.”
At that moment, the smallest man—the one who had questioned me threateningly in the forest earlier—strode toward me and looked down at me.
I stared up at him blankly.
Up close, he didn’t look that much older than me.
Rather than a man, he seemed closer to a boy—still youthful, not yet fully grown.
The boy scanned me with a cold gaze, then pointed at the Excalibur in my hand and said,
“Let’s make a deal. Give me that.”
Then he turned to my dad.
Blinking at the sudden situation, I looked up at him.
‘W-what does he want?’
My Excalibur?
Why is everyone trying to take my Excalibur today?!
I shook my head vigorously and looked at Dad, signaling that I absolutely refused.
Dad also looked troubled and gently patted my head.
“Haha, I’m afraid that won’t be possible. If you need one urgently, I can show you another sword instead.”
“No. I want this one.”
Is this guy insane?! Why is he so unreasonable?
The boy shook his head firmly, as if there was no room for negotiation.
I stared at him in disbelief.
Then one of the men standing beside the table slowly stood up and approached Dad, bowing politely.
“We will pay whatever price you desire.”
No, it’s not about the price—I said no!
Clutching the sword tightly, I looked up at Dad with teary eyes.
‘Dad, please do something about these crazy people.’
I thought they were the protagonist’s hero party when they appeared all suspicious in the forest.
But seeing them try to take a sword from an eight-year-old, they’re just lunatics.
So let’s kick them out already, Dad!
I tugged on his sleeve insistently.
Dad looked at me thoughtfully for a moment, then bowed politely.
“I’m sorry. This sword is not for sale. Please leave.”
“…Ha, not for sale?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“What kind of sword cannot be sold to the Crown Prince of the Empire?”
I had been quietly listening to their conversation, but the moment those words came out of the boy’s mouth, my jaw dropped.
‘W-what did he just say?’
The Crown Prince…?
Why would someone like that come all the way to a place like this?
I lifted my head and looked up at the boy, who was taller than me by a full head.
His noble silver hair—proof of a status above nobility—and beneath his sharp eyes…
‘Red gemstone eyes—the symbol of the imperial family!’
Then this rude brat is really the Crown Prince of the Empire?
I looked up at Dad in disbelief.
Dad was still standing there with his head lowered toward the boy.
Judging from Dad’s attitude, the boy’s words, and the demeanor of the men behind him, it really seemed true.
Th-this is crazy. He really is the Crown Prince.
I forced myself to calm my spinning thoughts and think carefully.
‘So the Crown Prince came here and asked for my sword… and Dad refused?’
…Is it okay to refuse the Crown Prince like that?
He’s not going to cut off our heads for refusing, right?
Swallowing nervously, I hoped the boy in front of me wasn’t that kind of ruthless tyrant.
Then, in my heart, I prepared to part with Excalibur.
‘Goodbye, Excalibur…’
Even though it saved me today, if the Crown Prince wants it, I should give it.
After all, my dad’s and my lives are a million times more important than a sword.
But then—
[Who do you think you are deciding that?! I am not some object to be bought and sold!]
The sword in my hand vibrated and shouted.
Startled, I tried to cover its blade.
“Be quiet, you idiot!”
[Unbelievable! What? You want me? Do you think I’m some scrap metal you can just pick up from the market?!]
As the sword buzzed and yelled, everyone in the room turned to look at me.
‘Ah… I’m doomed.’
Forcing an awkward laugh, I wondered how I could possibly take back what this ill-mannered sword had just said.
Maybe I could pretend it has nothing to do with me and just hand it over…
[What nonsense are you thinking now, you fool?! To think that someone this stupid is my master—because of this ridiculous father and daughter—!!]
Bzzzz—
As the sword kept vibrating, the large red-haired man standing behind the boy spoke cautiously.
“Is… the sword vibrating right now?”
“Huh? Ah—no, it’s just, this thing is kind of broken right now—haha…”
I tried to make an excuse, then realized—
He asked if it was vibrating, not if it was talking.
My eyes widened.
“W-wait, sir!”
“Hm?”
“You… you can’t hear this voice right now?”
[You fool! Only you can hear my voice! Only you!!]
“A voice…?”
“Eve, you hear a voice from this sword?”
Dad grabbed my cheeks and looked at me closely.
I nodded while meeting his eyes.
“Y-yes—!”
“Really?”
“I told you! You can’t hear it? None of you can hear it?”
I pushed Dad’s hands away and looked up at the men.
At that moment, the boy—who had been quietly watching me with narrowed eyes—tilted his head slightly and said,
“No. I can hear it.”
“What?!”
[What?!]
The boy stepped forward and held out his hand.
Without a moment’s hesitation, I placed Excalibur right into his hand.
[Hey!!]
Bzzzz—!!
The blade vibrated violently in protest, but I didn’t care.
“Ugh, so noisy. Just be quiet.”
Here you go, Your Highness.
I stepped back with a smile after handing Excalibur over to the Crown Prince.
[You!! You spineless, irresponsible little brat!! And you’re my master?!]
“That little brat is your master?”
[What do you mean ‘little brat’?!]
This is bad.
Watching my sword (which, by the way, talks) speak so rudely to the Crown Prince, I quietly tugged on Dad’s sleeve.
What do we do, Dad? We’re doomed because of this thing.
But instead of getting angry, the Crown Prince raised the corner of his lips and asked again,
“I’ll ask once more. Is that little brat your master?”
[Yes! I am not something that can be bought and sold so easily!]
No, that’s not true.
You are something that can be sold.
I wanted to jump in and shut the sword up, but the Crown Prince’s overwhelming presence made me freeze and squeeze my eyes shut instead.
Ugh… today is really the worst.
I glanced up at Dad.
Just in case, I wanted to give him a chance to say anything he needed to—because it might end up being his last words.
But Dad was simply staring at the sword vibrating in the Crown Prince’s hand with great interest.
And then—
“A-ahaha… A sword that chooses its master. So that story was true…”
