Chapter 5: The Little Girl's Blessing, Affection Up (Patreon)

Sweating bullets there, buddy.

Cold sweat crept down Subaru Natsuki's forehead as his whole body locked up, and he turned around stiffly, creaking like a wind-up robot.

If the notebook's panel hadn't been blaring at him the whole time, forbidding any white-flag surrender gestures and spouting some nonsense about a king would rather die than yield, he'd already have both hands up and be begging for his life.

"Hm?"

Felt, all bratty menace, arched an eyebrow in surprise. "You're not afraid to die, are you?"

She'd already gotten the drop on him, knife pressed to his side — one flick of her wrist and Subaru Natsuki's guts would be spilling out right there. Ever since she was little, whenever Old Man Rom wasn't around, this move of hers had cowed more people than she could count.

No matter how tough or fearless someone talked, one press of that blade and they'd all end up shaking like leaves.

But what was up with this guy?

He looked weak as anything, yet there wasn't a shred of a trained fighter's wariness or presence anywhere on him.

Felt bared her tiny fangs viciously, stood up on her toes as far as she could, and swung the knife up to press it fast against Subaru Natsuki's throat instead.

They weren't out on the main street anymore — this was the shady spot by the fruit stall, just a couple steps from the tangle of back alleys, so there was no risk of being seen and reported, and no risk of the Knights catching them either.

Those stuffy so-called knights wouldn't be able to lay a hand on her anyway, not with her Divine Protection of Wind.

"No... forget about being afraid to die or whatever, I don't even know when I made an enemy."

Subaru Natsuki wore a grimace, but he was forced to keep up his so-called kingly composure, so instead he came across as utterly unbothered by the threat, completely fearless. "If Chin and the others owe you money, I'll make them pay it back, but kids shouldn't be playing with something this dangerous. Why don't you put the knife away first..."

"That's it!"

Ha!

Felt, grinding her teeth furiously, had never in her life been this annoyed. Not once. She was irritated on every possible level, super duper mega irritated!

Having to stand on her toes — that was crime number one, mocking her height. Being caught red-handed and still acting innocent, playing the fool saint — crime number two. And now, openly calling her a kid on top of it — that was absolutely unforgivable!

"Whose kid? Whose kid?! I'm already fifteen, you jerk! Look at me properly!"

Felt shook with rage, grabbing Subaru Natsuki by the collar, puffing up like an angry pufferfish, forcing him to open his stupid eyes and look.

"Uh..."

But now that he'd looked closer, she seemed even more like a kid than a second ago — could he actually say that out loud?

Subaru Natsuki gave an awkward laugh, eyes darting side to side, brimming with pity. Fifteen and still this short and flat, huh... well...

"Don't pity me! Hey, don't give me that look full of sympathy!"

Sorrow, flowing like a river in reverse.

Devastated, Felt slumped against the wall, lifeless-eyed, all the sparkle gone out of her.

Subaru Natsuki's inner Divine Protection of the Kid King triggered on the spot. He crouched down affectionately, gushing praise the whole while as he patted Felt's short, pale-gold hair. "It's fine, there's still time to grow, um... probably, right?"

"I'm going to kill you."

Felt bared her fangs — the pat had actually felt kind of nice, but she'd come here for revenge today. "Where do you get off sticking your nose in our business, messing with our slum like this? You're not walking away until you explain yourself!"

"Messing with your slum?"

Subaru Natsuki blinked, tilting his head, glancing between Felt and the trio of Ton, Chin, and Kan, who kept starting to speak and then swallowing it back down. "What's your relationship with these guys, exactly?"

"No relation, no relation, none at all — we've got nothing to do with Big Sis Felt," Ton, Chin, and Kan said, shaking their heads like rattle-drums.

And it was true, they had no relation — other than all being from the slums, and all being infamous there, they barely interacted at all.

Felt was the classic slum tough — the famous Big Sis, someone nobody in the slums dared mess with, commanding real respect, the type who could rally a hundred with a single call. Ton, Chin, and Kan, meanwhile, were infamous in their own different way — the kind nobody wanted to associate with at all.

Now that word had gotten out, and Big Sis Felt had actually come to save them — how touching!

But touched or not, when it came to actually doing anything, they really didn't dare.

Hadn't they seen it? Boss Subaru hadn't even flinched at that surprise attack, not a shred of fear, and had even turned around and patted Felt's head like he was training a dog.

Felt, don't bother — you're no match for him, run!

But the three of them didn't dare say it outright, could only keep frantically making faces and gestures to hint at it. Tragic.

"Hmph, THEY have nothing to do with ME!" Felt sniffed haughtily, tilting her chin up. She made her living taking various theft jobs too, but she only ever took contracts against people who were confirmed to be rich — she'd never touch a poor person's money.

The way Ton, Chin, and Kan went after even the poor — whenever she saw that, she'd pinch her nose and wave them off in a hurry, like they carried bad luck.

But that wasn't the point right now.

The problem was, everyone knew those three were from the slums, and now Subaru Natsuki was dragging them all over the streets to apologize and pay people back. What if that was just the start? What if the rest of the slum, herself included, would be next on the list to be shaken down?

That would be pushing people to their deaths — a future like that could never be allowed!

I'll be the one to protect everyone in the slum!

Subaru Natsuki let out a startled sound, feeling like Felt's aura had suddenly turned righteous and overwhelming, like he'd somehow become some kind of evil final boss.

"Uh... so what exactly did you come here to see me about?" Subaru Natsuki asked carefully. "If it's about letting Chin and the others go, that's going to take some time, right? At the very least they need to work off the rest of what they owe first."

"That's exactly what I'm saying — I already told you, I have NOTHING to do with those useless idiots!"

Felt planted her hands on her hips, huffing, her little nose scrunching as she glared at Subaru Natsuki. "Do you not have a single ounce of self-awareness? Forget it, talking sense into you clearly isn't working. Get over here!"

Grumbling in annoyance, she reached out to yank Subaru Natsuki along, but with a jolt she couldn't budge him at all — instead, her own light little body stumbled and crashed right into him, putting her nose close enough to catch the scent of a boy her own age.

Felt's little face flushed red — whether from anger or something else, who could say — as she muttered, "Get with the program already, you jerk!"

"Huh? Oh, oh!"

Only belatedly catching on, Subaru Natsuki finally went along with it, letting himself be led away, his big hand held in Felt's small one.

Ton, Chin, and Kan didn't dare speak, didn't dare say a word, didn't dare even look, didn't dare guess what was going on — they just obediently fell in step behind, marching toward the slums!