The Baby Villain Dreams of Conquering the World

Chapter 37

Episode 37

It seemed he was trying to assess the current situation by standing just outside the tent, not going far, since he couldn't leave the children alone.

Once again unable to contain her curiosity, Flora scurried after him and peeked just her head outside the tent.

"The monsters are fleeing to the right! If we go around a bit, we'll reach the village, so everyone increase your speed and catch up!"

"Yes!"

The knight order and mercenary bands answered Duke Athanas's command spiritedly.

It seemed the Count's house had hired various mercenaries, as mercenaries wearing different uniforms were mixed among the knights. Seeing them mingle evenly without conflict, Flora was convinced. This was definitely a rare sight.

"Everyone listens to Dad well."

"You saw for yourself that Duke Lucifer's reputation isn't bad among mercenaries, right?"

Basilian, who had followed Flora, peeked his head out just above hers and spoke.

"Mercenaries are treated poorly wherever they go."

"Why is that?"

"As you can see, the Duke embraces and treats the mercenaries without prejudice. Since the Duke does so, the knight order also tries to treat the mercenaries equally without looking down on them."

Indeed, even to Flora's ignorant eyes, Athanas and his knight order were sailing smoothly without significant friction with the mercenary bands.

"So mercenaries try to go on subjugations with the Lucifer Knight Order whenever possible. Most are drifters, and since they mainly hunt monsters, they're considered a lowly profession. This is the only moment they're treated like people, so how sweet must that be?"

Somehow, Basilian's eyes were full of bitterness as he said this.

"But without mercenaries, wouldn't it be a big problem?"

"Right, the Empire would be turned upside down. The demons are still active, and the damage from monsters emerging from the Demon Forest is severe. If there's no one to step forward and stop them, the damage would be immense. The Executor Bureau and the holy knights alone have their limits."

It was a more detailed and meticulous assessment than expected.

'He's clever for his age.'

As Flora was just admiring his firm words, a brilliant idea suddenly popped into her head.

"Don't the mercenary ajeossis have a master? Then how do they get work?"

"I heard they usually live as wandering mercenaries and find jobs, or the mercenary band leader takes responsibility and personally goes around to find work."

"Then if they had someone to manage them, wouldn't the mercenaries be more comfortable?"

At Flora's remark, Basilian looked at her with a strange glint in his eyes before slowly nodding.

"I suppose so?"

And the nobles who hire them would also find it convenient since they wouldn't have to deal with the mercenaries they disdain and could just interact with the manager.

"Hmm. I see."

Flora looked at Athanas's retreating back with eyes full of interest.

"You couldn't resist and came out again."

Benio, who had been assessing the situation and turned back, looked at the two children peeking their heads out from the tent and held his forehead.

"But I didn't come out of the tent, right?"

At the brazen yet hard-to-hate voice, he finally burst out with a stifled laugh.

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The Lucifer Knight Order finished the subjugation and returned after four days.

"Young Lady!"

The first thing Flora encountered upon returning to the ducal residence was the servants greeting her with tear-streaked faces.

"Really! If His Grace hadn't found you, it could have been a disaster!"

At Zamira's words, spoken with eyes full of tears, Flora nodded with a sorry expression.

"Okay, I won't hide like that next time."

"You're promising me, right? You understand?"

As Flora hooked her finger with Zamira's outstretched pinky, she glanced at the gathered crowd.

Elena, Flora's personal maid, was standing quietly with a dejected, lifeless expression.

She was quietly looking down at the floor, standing behind the others without approaching.

'She must have gotten scolded a lot because of me.'

Thinking that Elena, who had done nothing wrong, got scolded because of her actions, a very faint sense of guilt arose within her.

'If she were acting all high and mighty, about to scold me, that would be different.'

Taking her eyes off the Young Master she was responsible for was clearly a mistake, but no one could have imagined that Flora would sneak out of the mansion and hide in a supply wagon.

Sigh, what can I do? I, the kind master, have to take care of her.

"Elena!"

When Flora called out to Elena energetically, the startled maid quickly lifted her head.

Then, perhaps because of the dark circles under her eyes, her complexion looked worse than usual.

Having lost her family and finally gotten a job, she might have been so worried about being fired that she couldn't sleep.

The faint sense of guilt grew just a little bit larger.

'I shouldn't do things like this from now on.'

Just like when she was at the orphanage, seeing her guardians' hearts drop in shock and their relieved faces wasn't a pleasant feeling.

Flora got down from Zamira's arms and ran *dododo* to where Elena was.

"Sorry. I hid too well and you couldn't find me."

Then she hugged Elena's legs and smiled as if telling her to cheer up.

"Next time, I'll be 'it'?"

For a moment, Elena's face stiffened, and then, unexpectedly, tears welled up in her eyes.

"Ar, are you angry?"

When Flora was startled and didn't know what to do, Elena wiped her tears with her sleeve and shook her head.

"No, Young Lady. I'm not angry at all."

Saying that, Elena cautiously spread her arms. When Flora tactfully moved into her embrace, she pulled Flora into a tight hug.

"But let's not play hide-and-seek for a while."

"Okay, I understand."

Flora resolved to be nice to Elena for a while and hugged her back.

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After tearful hugs with the other maids following Elena, Flora immediately started looking for Isaac.

Athanas was currently organizing and encouraging the knight order, and his aide Isaac had vacated his office to greet the guests Flora had brought.

Having learned Isaac's location from Zamira, she started running *udadada* without looking back, and Elena hurriedly began chasing after her.

"Young Lady, you'll get hurt if you run."

Even though she tried to stop her, Flora kept running.

Fortunately, Isaac hadn't left his spot, so she could meet him quickly.

He was watching the lodgings where the two sudden mercenary band visitors were staying with a complicated expression, seemingly flustered by their unexpected visit.

"Isaac!"

"Young Lady?"

His gaze, which had been intently pondering something, landed on her at her appearance.

And Flora immediately ran and jumped into Isaac's arms.

He was startled but caught her just in time.

"Young Lady, you are truly overflowing with mischief."

At Isaac's words, Flora blinked, then smiled sweetly and tilted her head.

"Do you dislike it?"

"How could I? It's a liveliness not often seen at Lucifer, so it's nice."

Seeing his benevolent face, Flora also grinned happily.

"Isaac, I brought something."

"What is it? The mercenary guests who saved you, Young Lady?"

"Similar!"

Upon Athanas's safe return from the subjugation, Flora had made one request.

She wanted to invite the mercenaries who had looked after and saved her to the ducal residence.

Athanas said it was only natural to show gratitude to one's benefactors and readily agreed to the invitation.

And the people of the ducal residence, including Isaac, couldn't help but be flustered by the sudden procession of guests.

"I thought of a way to get rich."

"Oh......"

Isaac's eyes, which had looked tired just moments before, sparkled.

"Then shall we go inside and talk? It's cold, isn't it?"

"Okay, good."

Even though she had adapted, the northern cold wind was still biting.

Just as Flora nodded and was about to enter the ducal residence with him, a figure emerging from the guest annex caught her eye.

"Basi!"

Startled by the sudden call, Basilian was taken aback, but upon realizing it was Flora calling him, he ran over to her.

"What on earth were you thinking, inviting mercenaries here?"

No matter how much the Lucifers were disregarded by society, theirs was not a house that should be receiving such treatment from a mercenary band's errand boy.

Isaac's eyes turned cold, but he couldn't bring himself to break the atmosphere of the Young Lady happily conversing.

Confirming his expression, Flora, unfazed by the abrupt main topic, smiled and spoke.

"I'm like that too, but Basi, you're also quite rude. There's an adult here, and you didn't even greet them."

"......"

At Flora's pointed remark, Basilian choked back his words, then lightly bowed his head in greeting to the standing Isaac and Elena.

Only then did the intensity in Isaac's eyes ease slightly. Seeing his softened expression, Flora pointed towards the ducal residence with her thumb and said,

"If you want to know, follow me."

At the rather commanding words, Basilian hesitated for a moment, but ultimately, unable to overcome his curiosity, had no choice but to follow the group.

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"Here, eat this too."

Flora put the cookie placed in front of her into Basilian's mouth and began diligently filling his stomach.

"Aren't you going to eat?"