Basto did not manage to stop her.

Tie had already naturally squeezed in between the elderly and settled right in the middle of their stalls.

People immediately began gathering around the child who had come from outside.

"My, how small you are. You say you’re four? You look three at most."

At the words of a woman in her sixties, Tie puffed out her cheeks at once.

"No! Tie is fouh yeaws old, and will be five soon!"

"Oh ho, little one, you can talk well. How did you get here?"

Tie politely raised one hand first.

"That’s because...."

"Tie. Get up."

But at that moment, Basto, who had been standing at a distance, approached.

He looked around with a wary expression.

Then he extended his hand to Tie.

"Let’s go. We can’t stay here."

But Tie could not get up right away.

She looked around anxiously.

"But the gwown-ups asked why Tie came...."

Going to the educational institution was important.

Of course, Tie had been waiting for this for a long time in this world.

But.

"No matter what, home upbringing is a hundred times more important than any school."

Looking at these adults, she was suddenly reminded of the grandpas who played baduk in the alley while she waited for the kindergarten bus.

"Tie, you see it too, right? Since you were raised well at home, you greet us every morning. Come on, until the bus comes, try playing a move for me."

She had only been greeting them properly, as the adults had taught her.

And the grandpas liked her very much.

Sometimes they gave her "devil candy" with red ginseng flavor, and even passed her stones, asking her to make a move for them.

Tie would usually place the stones wherever she wanted.

At the end of a long line, in a corner, or she would arrange them into a face.

"Ha ha ha! What a move, a real move!"

"That’s right! Because of Tie, Mr. Choi has an opening! Ha ha!"

Of course, the grandpas were happy with any move she made.

"Right. I should greet adults properly and answer politely!"

Tie looked at Basto and said with importance:

"Mister, you must not leave when gwown-ups are talking. Home upbringing is more important than kindergarten!"

Several people around burst into laughter.

While Basto stood there speechless, Tie answered the unfinished question:

"Tie came because she wants to go to an educational institution!"

"An educational institution? Here, in Flint Cove?"

"Yes!"

The crowd stirred.

Two elderly people stepped forward and asked with interest:

"Where do you live?"

Basto tried to intervene again:

"Tie. Don’t answer anymore—"

"I live on Rosebell Street!"

"Rosebell... Rosovel?"

A man leaning against the wall in the corner suddenly straightened.

He looked around and said:

"Isn’t that the street where the great nobles live? They say everyone there has more money than they can count...."

The gazes turned to Tie again.

But she did not look like a noble at all.

First of all—her simple manner of speaking.

And the black cloak draped over her—far too rough for nobility.

"And most importantly."

People began murmuring.

"A child from a noble family wouldn’t talk with us like this...."

"And besides, are outsiders even allowed into the underground passage?"

"Girl, do you really live on Rosovel Street?"

"If she got in, the district head must have given permission...."

After listening to the flood of questions, Tie confidently raised her hand again.

"That’s because Tie has vewy complicated circumstances."

"Complicated circumstances? For a four-year-old child?"

Tie let out a heavy sigh.

"Grandmas and grandpas just don’t understand. Tie was told she can’t go to educational institutions outside. Too many eyes there."

This time, the gazes turned to Basto.

He simply pressed his hand to his forehead.

"Damn, this is bad."

Getting permission from the district head and entering this place was one thing.

But whether it was acceptable to reveal Tie’s identity to the people of Flint Cove—that had not been decided.

Even if this place was cut off from the outside world, there was no guarantee her secret would remain safe...

And then Tie, drooping slightly, added:

"If Tie goes to an educational institution here and gets exposed, she’ll be driven out of the capital...."

At the word "driven out," one of the elderly could not hold back:

"What are you saying? Why don’t you have an educational institution outside? If you’re from Rosovel Street, you could even go to the Imperial one!"

"Tie can’t. Must hide identity."

"Hide identity?"

"Ah, could it be that?"

The crowd stirred.

Then the young man who had reacted earlier to "Rosovel" slapped his knee. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"An illegitimate child! She’s an illegitimate child of those nobles!"

"Illegitimate...?"

Tie tilted her head.

But the people had already picked up on it excitedly:

"That’s why she has to hide her identity!"

"Cursed people! If they were going to hide it, they shouldn’t have had the child! Why take it out on her!"

People looked at Tie with pity.

"No matter what, she’s still their child... and they sent her to a place like this just to hide her... how hard it must be for her...."

One grandmother gently patted Tie’s head.

Tie widened her eyes in confusion.

She didn’t know what "illegitimate" meant, but suddenly everyone in the underground was looking at her with pity.

"They don’t let you go to an educational institution outside? They say if you’re exposed, you’ll be driven out?"

Tie nodded uncertainly.

"Mm... yes...."

That was what Valentis had said.

Tie could not freely attend educational institutions outside.

Because if her identity was revealed—it would be dangerous.

And that did not simply mean being driven out of the capital.

"Tie will be taken far away and hurt very badly!"

She meant interrogation by the Order, but everyone’s faces turned pale.

"G-Good heavens! Such a small child!"

Still not understanding, Tie cautiously raised her hand:

"What does illegitimate mean? Tie is not—"

"Yes. Illegitimate."

But at that moment, Basto intervened.

With a sorrowful expression, he sighed and addressed the people:

"The child wants to study, but we couldn’t find a single educational institution outside. That’s why we came here."

Some clicked their tongues.

The elderly nodded sympathetically.

Basto continued:

"We barely received permission from the district head. It seems we will be passing through here every morning. We ask for your help."

"Of course, of course!"

People immediately approached, patting Basto on the shoulders and back.

"Don’t worry. You’re a responsible man. Seems like among those useless parents, at least one decent person is by the child’s side. Judging by your build—you chop firewood?"

"I chop firewood, clean, and raise the child. I do all sorts of things."

"Oh... it’s so hard to look at a child abandoned by her parents...."

People lowered their voices so Tie wouldn’t hear.

And began whispering among {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} themselves.

Tie blinked, looking from them to Basto.

She was curious what they were talking about.

But she could not interrupt adults.

Tie sat quietly and waited.

A few days later.

A strange rumor began to spread across the capital.

"Did you hear? They say something’s off with the King of the Dead."

"Ah, the rumor about alcohol dependence? That he goes to the tavern every day?"

"Yes! They say he drinks until evening! Apparently, only when intoxicated does his necromancy become even more terrifying."

Agavert’s ranking rose again.

And along with it, the rumors spread at a furious speed.

Meanwhile, Tie—

"And today, this is what Tie did at the educational institution...!"

—knowing nothing about it, was enjoying an incredibly happy life at the educational institution.