I Received a Request from the Villain Boss - Chapter 5

At those quiet but weighty words, Rodi’s face brightened.

Success…!

That’s what Rodi thought.

She actually wanted to become rich with those gold coins.

She wanted to take lots of gold coins back, but it was an absolute certainty that the headmaster would take them away.

Rodi glanced at Gemvil, who was fidgeting near Eclise.

Not just Gemvil, but all the people who had bowed so deeply their waists nearly broke on the way here.

Immense wealth.

Cheiles was exactly as the rumors said.

So… she wondered if there was a way to both keep the gold coins and be protected.

And it seemed to have worked.

Rodi clenched her tiny fist tightly.

“Punish the headmaster.”

Ding.

Gemvil looked at her with bewildered eyes.

To think that’s all she chose instead of money.

But Eclise, on the contrary, looked interested.

Soon, his lips curled up in satisfaction.

“Fine.”

“Really?”

Thinking she got the answer she wanted, Rodi suddenly sat down.

Then she grabbed a handful of gold coins that had rolled to her feet.

“Th-then I’ll just take these!”

Perhaps regretting it belatedly, she hurried to gather coins with her tiny hands.

There was some conscience in her action as she glanced at Eclise while showing her open palm with the few coins she wanted to take.

Eclise smirked and took a step toward Rodi.

“Was it Verodi?”

“Not Verodi, it’s Brodi.”

“Alright, Brodi. How about this?”

Confused by his words, Rodi, who had pocketed a handful of coins, furrowed her brow.

Eclise grabbed another handful of coins from the floor and held them out to Rodi.

“What is it?”

Rodi asked, reflexively holding out both hands.

“Don’t you want to handle even more money?”

“More… money?”

2. Special Admission! Received an offer to become Cheiles’ youngest new guild member

He asked if I would stay here and use my ability instead of the orphanage I hate.

‘I can leave the orphanage right away…? I hadn’t thought about that at all!’

Rodi’s mind raced.

Return to the orphanage as before.

Or stay here to earn money.

She thought hard about which choice would be better.

At the orphanage were her friends, with Eclise there was delicious bread, money, and success.

Her small mind became complicated.

Glancing, as if checking his reaction, Rodi’s eyes softened.

“Can I bring my friends too?”

“No.”

Rodi quickly became dejected.

Her heart, which had been balanced at 5:5 between the orphanage and Eclise, tilted slightly toward the orphanage.

“If you do your work well, I’ll consider it.”

Rodi’s head snapped up again.

4:6!

“But how can I do it? I live at the orphanage. The headmaster said I can’t be adopted.”

Though she really hated the headmaster, there was no doubt that person was currently her guardian.

So permission would be needed.

It might work if he punished and got rid of the headmaster…

“You asked me to punish them. I’ll handle that.”

3:7!

“Um… Can I sleep in a warm place every day? And no hitting.”

“Of course. Why would I hit someone as tiny as you? Plus, I’ll take care of anyone who tries to hit you.”

Rodi’s mind worked quickly.

If she could save lots of gold coins here and buy a big house, then bring Berry and Jeno and her friends…

Thinking about a big warm house with over a hundred white breads like the one she just ate piled up suddenly made her happy.

2:8!

‘If I become Cheiles’ subordinate, I won’t have to starve anymore.’

She’d be using her ability either way, but she wouldn’t have to beg when she didn’t want to.

And if she worked hard, she could live with her friends without starving or separating.

Getting adopted would be like following strangers anyway.

‘Teacher Tommy said before.’

That people face a crossroads of choice many times in life.

Depending on what choice you make, life can get better or worse.

Was leaving the orphanage after fighting with the headmaster a good choice for Teacher Tommy?

As Rodi recalled Teacher Tommy’s face, she suddenly thought choosing Cheiles would be the better choice.

1:9…

“I’ll definitely take care of the headmaster.”

At those words, Rodi quickly attached herself to Eclise.

0:10!

Complete victory for Eclise!

“Please take care of me, Boss!”

It was a perfect change of stance.

***

Though Rodi had never once told Eclise which orphanage, the carriage was already running down familiar roads.

On the carriage ride, Eclise asked if she really knew nothing about Cheiles and was disappointed.

“But you know. Our headmaster is scary.”

“I’ll win.”

“But they like people with money.”

“Then there’s no problem.”

“Hey, and also.”

Rodi hesitated before sharing what she’d been worrying about.

“Can you pretend not to know about my ability in front of the headmaster?”

“Why.”

“The headmaster really hates when others know things.”

“Doesn’t matter anymore, right?”

“Yeah, but my friends are still at the orphanage. If they get punished because of me… so could you keep it secret until I can bring them?”

For Eclise, he had only said he’d consider it to persuade the child, but Rodi was already thinking about working hard to bring them.

Eclise looked at the tiny kid.

Just from giving her a few pieces of bread, someone who was nearly starving to death had started showing signs of life.

Though anyone could see she was just a kid who could barely take care of herself, it was amusing how she tried to look after others.

She was trying to shoulder responsibilities bigger than herself.

It made him uncomfortable, reminding him of himself from long ago.

Like when he had insisted on bringing his nephew to his side despite his own uncertain future.

‘This little mouse. She’ll have to learn from betrayal herself.’

Well, she’d experience it countless times in the future anyway, so there was no need to know now.

“Do as you like.”

“Thank you!”

At his lukewarm permission, Rodi smiled brightly and started chattering non-stop about all the headmaster’s evil deeds until they reached the orphanage.

***

“So Rodi is getting adopted?”

Jeno looked at Rodi with a shocked face.

They hadn’t heard anything until this morning, but when Rodi returned, she said she was getting adopted, which really surprised Jeno.

“Yeah, that’s right! It’s kind of… like adoption!”

“But the headmaster said you couldn’t be adopted.”

Rodi shrugged her shoulders.

While Eclise went to the headmaster’s office, Rodi came to say goodbye to her friends.

But while Rodi was gone, the other children had left too, leaving only Jeno among her close friends.

Berry had gotten sicker, so Teacher Hand took her to the hospital.

With no choice, Rodi decided to leave Berry’s share of goodbyes with Jeno.

“Now I can go. Here, take this.”

Rodi rustled around and pulled out a paper bag from her chest.

Jeno was surprised to find five large pieces of bread inside when he opened the bag.

Actually, Rodi had pretended to eat everything earlier but had hidden some pieces of bread in the bag.

It would be a waste to eat all at once when she’d been lucky enough to get it.

“Give two to Berry and you eat three. It’s a secret from the others, okay?”

Then she firmly gripped both of Jeno’s shoulders.

To Jeno, who was still standing there shocked, Rodi spoke deliberately.

“I’m going to become rich.”

“…What?”

“If you haven’t found families by the time I come back, then let’s go together.”

“…Rodi.”

“I’ll get a house, and bread too. I’ll get this much firewood too.”

“H-how can you do something so difficult!”

“I can do it.”

She made up her mind on the way here.

Rodi looked at Jeno with determined, firm eyes.

“So, take care, Jeno.”

“Rodi…”

Jeno dropped the bread bag.

For orphanage children, finding an adoptive family was the greatest gift possible.

And it was the happiest way to part with friends they’d eaten and lived with.

So he should congratulate her, but for some reason, Jeno found it difficult.

Rodi picked up the fallen bread bag and placed it back in Jeno’s hands.

“Let’s meet again. Tell Berry too. Okay?”

“Then, can we really meet again?”

“Of course! Because we Three Musketeers are forever!”

Though Rodi was really sad about parting with her friend, she shouted even more cheerfully on purpose.

Because it might be their last goodbye.