Rellia grabbed a large chicken leg and tore into it greedily.
From across from her, the tiger-like old man from earlier watched Rellia eating like a beggar with what seemed like fascination.
Rellia paid no mind to his gaze and diligently devoured the food.
This person seemed to be a truly wealthy noble.
'To put such precious spices generously on camping food.'
Moreover, the clothes he wore looked very high-quality. Though he looked a bit scary, he didn't seem like a bad person.
'Giving food to a child who secretly snuck in means he's definitely not a bad person. He's not just not a bad person—he's an angel. An angel.'
Thinking that, Rellia picked up another chicken leg and began eating.
The old noble narrowed his eyes as he watched her.
"Truly... strangely...."
"Yes?"
"...Never mind, eat first."
Rellia didn't stop eating until her once-hollow stomach protruded roundedly.
When she had filled her stomach like that, the old noble handed her warm water. Rellia blew on it gently and drank slowly.
"Now then, shall we talk? Why did you hide in the carriage? Little one?"
"...."
'Little one.'
Rellia was bewildered by the address she was hearing for the first time. She knew that grandfathers and grandmothers usually called their young grandchildren that way.
But it was her first time hearing it directly, so the feeling was strange.
'Well. I am ten years old, but my appearance probably looks even younger than that.'
More importantly, how to answer now was more important.
Rellia pondered for a moment.
This grandfather definitely didn't look like a bad person.
If she played her cards right, she might receive help.
Moreover, seeing how he unhesitatingly called her 'little one,' he seemed to be someone especially lenient toward young children like herself.
'I need to look pitiful and可怜.'
So that she absolutely wouldn't be sent back to the capital.
After her deliberation, Rellia gazed at the old man. Seeing that he didn't rush her to answer quickly but waited, he was definitely a good person.
Rellia slowly began to speak.
"Actually... my, my father hates me. So I was running away."
".... Were you abused?"
"...."
Abuse... was it. Rellia hesitated to answer.
In any case, Emperor Perseus didn't know that she was his own daughter.
Since he knew her as Iris's child who had tormented the wife he loved, she understood why he would hate her.
But saying it wasn't abuse was also ambiguous. After all, he was her biological parent.
When Rellia couldn't answer, the old noble made his own judgment and spoke.
"Seeing how gaunt you are, I can guess. How old are you?"
"...Ten years old."
"Ten years old and this small?"
The old noble frowned. He recalled for a moment how his fully-grown children were around ten years of age.
He didn't remember exactly, but in any case, they would have been much bigger than the child before his eyes.
The old noble soon chuckled and asked.
"I see, so you ran away, then? How brave. Where were you thinking of running to?"
"...I haven't thought about that yet."
"For a young child to wander alone, the city is dangerous. The countryside is equally dangerous too."
"But where I originally lived is even more dangerous for me!"
When Rellia answered sharply, the old noble made a thoughtful hum. If a young child spoke to this extent, the abuse must have been severe, he thought.
However, it appeared differently to Rellia.
'Is he perhaps trying to send me back to the capital?'
Rellia looked at the old noble with earnest eyes. She absolutely must not return to the capital.
"Please, please help me."
"...."
If that old noble were to have his knights send Rellia back to the capital, everything would become a bubble.
'Emperor Perseus might find me detestable and try to kill me outright.'
With that earnest feeling, Rellia joined both hands and pleaded with the old noble.
"Please help me.... I don't want to go back. You can just pretend you don't know! I won't follow you from here on. So please just don't send me back to the...."
"Do you know how to read?"
At the sudden question, Rellia blinked and nodded as she answered.
"...Yes."
Perhaps thanks to Rellia's earnest plea, the old noble made a proposition.
"My knight order happens to need a squire to help with work. Can you do it?"
"...!"
Rellia's eyes went round. A squire was a young child who ran errands for high-ranking nobles or knights.
Fearing the old noble might change his mind, Rellia quickly nodded.
"Good, then let's go together to Rendinium for now."
"Th-thank you."
Rellia said with a deep bow of her head. She was bewildered. She hadn't imagined the problem would be solved so easily.
"What is your name?"
"...."
Rellia tightly sealed her lips. Revealing her name was dangerous.
However, the old noble casually ordered one of the knights standing nearby.
"Take her to the company commander."
"Understood."
Guided by the knight, they arrived at a place where knights in blue armor were similarly organizing their luggage.
The guiding knight led Rellia to one knight who was brushing a horse's coat among them.
"...."
Rellia stared at that knight. It was a very tall female knight.
Come to think of it, only female knights were gathered here.
When the knights' gazes gathered on Rellia, Rellia's body stiffened.
No matter that the old noble had given permission, if the knights she would personally serve with minor errands disliked her, it would be troublesome.
"What a cute little one. How old are you?"
Fortunately, one female knight stepped forward and asked, meeting Rellia's eyes. It was a knight with long hair tied in a single braid.
At the unexpectedly gentle voice, Rellia answered cautiously.
"I'm ten years old."
"To have such a cute squire, not a servant, we're blessed. Sir Tethys."
At the knight's words, the female knight who had been brushing the horse approached Rellia.
"Call me Sir Tethys. First, we should get you changed. You're too scruffy."
"...."
Fortunately, there was no sign of displeasure or suspicion toward Rellia.
Rellia inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.