Chick 222

222

The child glanced back at Joorim, who seemed somewhat dazed, and then pointed at Reiji, declaring,

“Dad! This man is a bad person! He’s handsome, but don’t let that fool you!”

“Did little one just call me handsome?”

Joorim thought it remarkable that Reiji managed to understand only that part.

Reiji tilted his head.

“Is it common in Korea to put handcuffs on handsome people?”

Ignoring Reiji’s nonsense, Joorim hesitated for a moment.

It seemed Groo was missing something quite important.

“Um, but listen. That bad person—”

“Yes. Groo caught him. Don’t worry.”

Now, thanks to apprehending a dangerous criminal, Groo’s own misdeeds would surely be forgiven!

She was about to burst into laughter and guffaw boldly, when Joorim said,

“That person is Sabu’s father.”

“…Huh?”

Sabu’s father? All of a sudden?

Groo’s face clouded with confusion at the unexpected revelation.

Reiji followed up immediately.

“Forgive my late introduction. I am Amakusa Reiji.”

“Amakusa?”

Could it be…

Amakusa Reiji…

Amakusa Kazuki…

“…!”

Gyaaaaaaah!

Groo screamed inwardly.

‘That’s right, Sabu told me before that his dad is a bad person!’

And the bad dad turned out to be truly, truly bad.

There were so many types of dads in this world!

Groo’s encyclopedia of dads now included:

A lazy dad.

A dad who was stabbed by his own son.

And now, a criminal dad added to the collection.

But if the potato friend was Sabu’s father…

Wouldn’t that mean Groo had tried to turn in Sabu’s father to get out of trouble herself?

‘…!’

That was not just cruel—it was the absolute worst.

At that moment, Reiji approached, knelt on one knee in front of her, and asked,

“By any chance, young one, do you have a red bell?”

Thud—

Groo paled, glancing between Joorim and Reiji.

Looking for the bell—in other words, he was about to uncover that Groo was Jjapso.

“A bell?”

“Wh-why do you ask?”

Joorim and Groo spoke at the same time.

As Reiji turned to Joorim, Groo scuttled up and clung to Joorim’s pants, hiding behind him.

“I was given a request. I didn’t know the target was my dear little friend. That was my mistake.”

Reiji smiled gently, extending his hand.

“So, could you give me that bell?”

Groo shot a questioning glance to Joorim, asking if it was all right to give it up, and Joorim nodded.

Groo handed over the bell.

Reiji took the bell and squeezed it tightly, crushing it.

Pop! At the sharp sound, Groo shrieked in surprise.

“Y-you’ll get cursed if you break it!”

“Hahaha, don’t worry. I’m already cursed enough.”

“Enough?!”

Was that meant to say it didn’t matter if he picked up one more?!

Staring blankly at Joorim, she received just a silent nod to reassure her.

The potato friend was even scarier than she thought.

Groo’s shoulders shuddered.

“But how did you suddenly figure out to try and arrest him?”

“I saw him in Sergey’s office…”

“And why did you try to arrest him instead of telling your dad?”

“Uh, for that… I’m invoking the right to remain silent…”

“The right to remain silent isn’t for you—it’s for suspects to use.”

“Huuuuh…?”

Her blank expression made it obvious she had no real idea, and was just repeating something she’d overheard.

“The handcuff key?”

“Back in the toy section…”

“Lead the way.”

“Okaaay…”

Groo slouched forward, both hat-hands dangling.

Bailach, who had been watching, hurried over to block her path and whispered,

“You’re just going to let him go? He knows your identity now. Who knows what might happen next!”

“Peepi—!”

“But… he got rid of the bell… and he’s Sabu’s dad…”

“It’s better not to have such a dangerous father.”

“Peepi—!”

“…?”

Groo stared at Bailach.

The two of them, after all their squabbling when Mephisto had stabbed his own father, now had no qualms about getting rid of someone else’s bad dad.

“A dangerous dad is still a dad.”

“Not all parents can be good parents. Sometimes it’s better to cut out the bad.”

Hearing that, Groo stopped abruptly and protested,

“Then! Was Mephi’s dad actually a bad dad, too?”

Bailach hesitated.

Mephisto blinked slowly, as if trying to recall something.

“Perhaps. From a human’s perspective, he would have been bad.”

Bailach replied flatly, and Groo flinched. Was that really something to agree with here?!

“Do you think all families are so deeply bonded? Some relationships are better off not existing.”

“Pee—!”

Mephisto seconded Bailach’s statement, and as they walked on, Groo furrowed her brow.

Maybe that’s how Bailach and Mephisto felt, knowing their fathers.

But Groo had never known either a mother or a father.

A relationship better off not existing? She’d never even had the chance to experience that.

‘But.’

Groo recalled the look on Kazuki’s face when he talked about his father.

There was that inscrutable smile, but what Groo had read there was longing. A face she herself had worn countless times.

Maybe for others such a relationship was pointless, but Groo knew for Sabu, that was not the case.

“Quiet, unless you want to be turned into a hamster again. Just follow.”

“Such a sneaky threat…!”

“Peep peep peep!”

As Bailach trembled, Mephisto covered his mouth with a wing, snickering.

“Whose side are you even on?!”

“Peep peep peep!”

While the three bickered, Joorim ran a hand through her hair, overwhelmed, and followed behind. Reiji examined the handcuffs curiously and let out a murmur.

These weren’t just toys.

They seemed to be made of plastic at a glance, but had the density and strength of metal.

It wasn’t just basic reinforcement.

It was closer to the plastic itself being transformed into something like metal.

The child had gone to the toy section and, in no time at all, created a material transformation—something that wasn’t even a dungeon byproduct.

No wonder Prime Minister Norio Takahashi and foreign competitors had been so eager to find the child.

This child was the genius heir to Oni Jo.

“My little friend will become an even greater hunter than my own son.”

At his simple compliment, Groo gripped the hand-hat and lifted an ear with a squeak!

“R-really?”

“I guarantee it, one hundred percent. And that hat of yours is so cute—may I press it?”

“Sure!”

Groo trotted over and gave him a hat-hand.

Reiji, with his cuffed hand, pressed on the paw-shaped button.

Squeak squeak!

The ears bounced as Groo giggled, and Reiji smiled, too.

Squeak squeak! Squeak squeak squeak!

Just then, a lady at the sample station nearby, charmed by the cuteness, offered some fried dumplings.

“Oh my, so cute! Your daughter is lovely, you must be full just looking at her~”

“Thank you kindly, madam.”

Reiji bowed politely, prompting the lady to smile and offer another dumpling.

“I’ve already received all the kindness I need.”

Reiji politely declined it, then blew on the hot dumpling and handed it to Groo.

Groo took a big bite and chewed, huffing at the heat.

Only Joorim looked on in disbelief at the two.

Just moments ago Groo had been sternly arresting a ‘bad person,’ warning not to fall for his good looks—

Now, somehow, the two looked like best friends.

Maybe I should keep my daughter away so no one mistakes her for a criminal’s daughter, Joorim thought, weighing her options.

Just then, Joorim whipped her head around.

A man who had been watching them quickly ducked behind a display.

Joorim narrowed her eyes.

[“Looks like he was following you.”]

[“Not me—your daughter, to be precise.”]

[“…”]

[“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of the little friend’s tail.”]

Smiling broadly, Reiji summoned a surge of magical power.

A viscous, inky form appeared in front of the man hiding behind the display.

Something twisted opened its mouth before him.

Grrrr—

Soon after, the man slumped limply before the display, as if his very soul had been sucked out.

[“Who sent you?”]

[“You’ll find out soon enough, so don’t worry.”]

The implication was clear: he would take care of the threat himself.

Joorim nodded.

“There’s someone collapsed here!”

“Over here!”

By the time they reached the toy section, Groo poked her head up at the commotion from behind.

“Hm?”

“It’s nothing. Where’s the key, the key.”

Joorim stepped between them, spinning Groo around.

“Key…”

Groo found the handcuff key among the ‘Kids Cops’ kits on display.

Bailach and Mephisto looked rather displeased, but Groo cheerfully offered the key.

As Reiji reached to receive it—

Snap! Groo pulled it back to her chest.

“…?”

“Before I let you go… I have one request.”

Reiji smiled.

“I was meaning to grant you a request anyway.”

“…?”

When?

Groo’s mouth hung open. Had that ever happened?

But dwelled on it or not, she gave the answer she always had for things she didn’t quite get:

“Yes.”

“I’ll grant any wish. Go ahead and tell me.”