kscans

Chapter 1 - Your Castle's Little Person ~Please Give Me Food, I'll Work!~

"I'm... hungry."

'Huh?'

"........"

'What? Huh? Wai, wai, wait!'

In that moment, her consciousness suddenly surfaced.

"Haaaaah!!"

In the dim darkness, she awoke.

"Kah... ugh, what, where am I?"

She was in a shabby, dusty room. The floor was grimy, and it seemed she had collapsed right here. In the narrow room containing only a crude bed, she took a great, deep breath. She was starting to calm down. This was an unused room in a corner of the castle.

And she was Sagami Chihiro. In modern Japan, she had been a single woman in her late twenties, living the high life. She remembered up to the point she died in a traffic accident. Does this mean I've been reborn?

Piecing together the few fragments of this child's memories she possessed, it seemed something had happened and she had been abandoned here.

"Is this some kind of light novel? And I'm on the verge of starving to death? Where's my reincarnation bonus?!"

She looked at her own small hands. Was she two, or three? Why was she left in a place like this?

After gathering the fragmented, dreamlike memories, she finally understood.

"Ahhh. The Eighth Princess. The one who failed to die."

From her memories since birth, she had apparently been a frail princess. A wet nurse had raised her for about two years, but she was unable to even walk properly. Abandoned by her parents, she was left here. How much time had passed since then? Just as she was about to die of hunger and thirst, her memories from her past life returned. Or perhaps they had just been sleeping within this child all along. In her wavering consciousness, she felt as if she had been encouraging the hungry child.

"I wonder if this child died."

Perhaps her memories returned because this child's soul had passed on. Or maybe it was the instinct to not die that awakened me. She didn't know the reason.

But this much she could declare.

...Like hell I'm going to die!!

Biting her dry, chapped lips, clinging to a consciousness that threatened to grow hazy if she let her guard down, Chihiro began to move to save her present self.

Dragging a body that groaned with a pain that had gone beyond hunger, she crawled to the door. She clung to the door and pushed down on the knob. It opened with a kacha sound.

"It's not locked. Good."

Using a body that could barely even walk, she dragged herself out and carefully surveyed her surroundings. It was a sturdy, stone-built corridor. It felt like a basement workshop area. After a short distance, she found a well in a room ahead and plunged her face into the water that had collected in a bucket. She gulped down the water, quenching her parched throat, and finally began to feel human again.

"Is this... a laundry area?"

This was an unknown world where she understood nothing. Where was this place? Was it Earth, or another world? Or somewhere else entirely?

But in a corner of her memory, there was an image of parents wearing crowns and soldiers holding spears. It was a scene impossible in modern society. Since it was an infant's memory, it wasn't very clear.

"I wonder if it's another world. I'd really rather not start out with a toddler survival game."

And she was just barely a toddler. Only just weaned. The fact that she was locked in without the door being bolted must mean she was a truly weak child. They must not have dreamed she could open it. To be abandoned in a corner of the castle despite her parents being the king and queen. Well, I guess it can't be helped for an Eighth Princess. There were seven other healthy princesses. A frail princess who couldn't even walk at two years old was probably seen as no better than dust, a waste to raise.

"First, food. I smell something good."

An aroma of food had been faintly drifting by for a while now. For a stomach on the verge of starvation, it was agony.

Being a toddler, she once again began to drag herself along the stone-paved corridor.

"It's so far..."

After crawling for several dozen minutes until she was out of breath, she reached a place where she could sense people. It appeared to be a kitchen, and people bustled in and out from time to time. Peeking out from the shadows, Chihiro wondered what to do.

She had been abandoned, and she was sure it had been a woman who looked like a maid who had locked this child in that room. The maids passing before her now wore similar uniforms.

Isn't it bad if I'm found? I might be taken back to that room, and this time they might lock the door. If that happened, it would be instant game over. A straight path to a bad end.

After thinking for a moment, Chihiro squeezed under a large nearby shelf, pressing herself flat against the floor. They probably wouldn't find me here. I'll wait until the people are gone and sneak some food.

To think I was reacting to a smell from this far away. Starvation is a scary thing.

The water she had doused her head with earlier dripped from her hair, forming a small puddle beneath her cheek. A tiny tear mixed in with it.

I'm so hungry... so hungry.

It was so empty and sad that Chihiro couldn't stop the tears from spilling out. Why was I even born? If I was going to suffer such a miserable fate, it would have been better if they had just killed me outright.

Did they not want to get their own hands dirty?

Thinking of the feelings of the small child who must have met her end in a state of confusion and sorrow, her tears began to boil with rage.

I absolutely will not die. I will survive.

And I'll bring divine punishment upon those who abandoned a helpless child to die.

As she thought these things, exhausted as she was, she lost the battle against the encroaching drowsiness and drifted off to sleep.

"Honya?"

Feeling something cold, Chihiro opened her eyes. The room was bright, and she was wrapped in a blanket, lying on a long bench.

"Huh?"

As Chihiro blinked in confusion, a cheerful voice called out to her.

"Oh, you're awake?"

A man in a white chef's coat was looking at her with a broad grin. When Chihiro stirred, trying to sit up, something fell from her forehead with a soft thud. She glanced down to see it was a damp cloth. The man picked up the cloth and wiped her face.

"You're so dirty. Whose kid are you? Didn't your dad or mom tell you not to come inside the castle?"

Many servants lived in the castle with their families. The man seemed to think she was one of their children. He let out an exasperated sigh at the silent, staring child and brought out some soup and bread for her.

"Here's what's left from last night's staff meal. Go on, eat up."

Steaming soup and soft-looking bread.

As Chihiro stared at the simple meal, tears once again spilled from her eyes.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?"

Ignoring the man who was panicking at the child who had suddenly burst into tears, Chihiro sipped the soup and chewed the bread. She couldn't get it into her mouth properly, and it spilled from the corners, but she continued to eat desperately through her sobs. On top of being at an age where she was transitioning from baby food to toddler food, her stomach, weakened from extreme starvation, was rejecting the food. Forcibly suppressing the urge to vomit, Chihiro slowly swallowed the soup, bit by bit.

I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I have to eat.

"...It's deli-shush."

The man was speechless at the sight of the child eating while sobbing and hiccuping, but he wiped her runny nose and gave a pained, bitter smile.

"Is it good?"

"Gud."

Watched over by the man, Chihiro had her first meal in this new life. It was a meal so delicious, it hardly seemed of this world.

"What's your name?"

"Chihiro."

"Chihiiro?"

"No, Chihiro."

"Chihiiro."

"...Fine, that's good enough."

His name was Adoris. He was a kitchen apprentice and had apparently come in first thing in the morning for prep work. That's when he found Chihiro's feet sticking out from under the shelf, dragged the hiding girl out, and wrapped her in a blanket like a bagworm to care for her.

"I mean, these tiny feet were just sticking out. It surprised me."

Laughing heartily, Adoris handed Chihiro a small basket. Inside it, sized for a small child to carry, was a bread sandwich with thinly sliced vegetables inside. It was like a sandwich, but unlike the ones she knew from Japan, the filling was thin and sparse.

"It's a cucumber sandwich. Take it with you. You can just have your dad or mom give the basket back."

He gave Chihiro's head, which was looking up blankly, a few gentle pats and went back to his work.

...Could he be a god?

Hugging the basket she was given, Chihiro bowed deeply.

"Thank you."

Hearing the faint voice, Adoris turned around, but the child was gone.

Chihiro was in a good mood, clutching the basket.

"It's food. I'll eat it carefully."

Then she suddenly wondered what to do next. She didn't want to go back to that room, but was there anywhere else she could sleep? As she toddled along, she realized her legs were starting to give way. In her memories, the child had only been able to cruise along furniture. Because Chihiro knew how to walk, she was doing so unconsciously, but that combined with her recent weakness made her walk like a newborn fawn.

"Gnnn, I need to find a place to settle down..."

Sitting down in the gap between the stairs and the wall, Chihiro heaved a deep sigh.

The sky outside was beginning to lighten. Soon, the people of the castle would start to stir.

"What should I do?"

She looked up at the ceiling without thinking, forgetting she was a small child. The weight of her head pulled her backward, and she fell flat on her back. Sute-n.

"Owwwwhhh."

Having hit the back of her head soundly, Chihiro writhed with teary eyes. Then, she rolled into a gap on the landing. Koron.

"Huh?"

It was the dead space under the stairs. Because the staircase had a gentle curve, there was a decent amount of space. A thought flashed in her head.

Wouldn't this make a good home?

Chihiro toddled around and set her sights on the staircase near the area where she had been confined. It was narrower than the last staircase, but people rarely came here. She entered the gap between the wall and the stairs in the same way, and sure enough, there was dead space there too. Though it was narrow, it was spacious enough for about five Chihiros to lie down side by side.

Score, housing problem solved!!

Overjoyed, she borrowed several freshly laundered sheets and blankets from the laundry room. If they got dirty, she could mix them in with the laundry and get new ones.

They abandoned me and neglected to raise me, so I'll consider this compensation.

However, the child who was already weak and utterly exhausted collapsed into a deep sleep as soon as she finished setting up her new home. It was probably also because her stomach was full. Her sated body unconsciously curled up in the warm blanket, and Chihiro let out happy little breaths as she slept.

She slept soundly, from dawn until sunset, and then well past midnight before she finally woke up.

"Whoa... I really slept. I must have been out for nearly a whole day."

But thanks to that, her exhaustion was gone. It was probably also due to having had water and food. Her body felt much lighter.

...Well, I am a toddler.

She suddenly felt thirsty and headed for the well in the laundry room. This time, however, there was no water in the tub. Figuring she probably couldn't work the well herself, she toddled toward the kitchen. The castle was deserted late at night. The kitchen she peeked into was also pitch black. But Chihiro's eyes, having wandered in the darkness, could just barely make out the faint outlines and colors of things.

"The washing area is... here."

There was a well next to the stone sink. Beside it were several large jars.

"Is it this?"

When she slid off the wooden lid, she found it was filled to the brim with clear water. Her throat made a gulping sound. Chihiro looked for a cup and poured some water into it.

Gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp. Ahhh, delicious.

After downing it all at once, she found herself staring at the cup.

I'd like a water pitcher. And a cup, and a small plate too.

She looked around and found a pitcher and some cups overturned on a table. There were quite a few, perhaps for staff meals. There were large and small plates as well.

I'll just borrow a few.

One pitcher, two cups, two small plates. They were all made of wood, so they were light, but for her small body, they were heavy enough. She made several trips, carrying them to her home under the stairs. While she was at it, she rummaged through the laundry room, found some washed and folded napkins, and borrowed a few of those as well.

"With this, I have the bare minimum for a civilized life."

She spread a blanket on the stone floor, then laid a sheet over it so she could relax barefoot. The back third of the space was her bed. She made a thick mattress by folding a blanket twice and wrapping it in a sheet. She folded the edge of the blanket a little more to make a pillow-like shape. Then she folded another blanket in half, wrapped it in a sheet, and that became her comforter.

My body is small, so it's easy to make do with substitutes. So helpful.

It seemed to be a season where it got a little chilly at night, though she didn't know the exact time. She was lucky it was a pleasant time of year.

A tiny living space, like something from a game of house. A dry smile crossed her face at her own circumstances, and then Chihiro suddenly felt hungry. She took out the basket from Adoris and pulled out a sandwich.

I slept for almost a whole day. No wonder I'm hungry.

She stuffed the sandwich into her mouth and chewed as thoroughly as she could. This body's digestive system was weak, and more than anything, she was practically an infant. If she ate normally, she could suffer from indigestion. Chihiro chewed until it was nearly liquid before slowly swallowing.

Just doing that made her jaw ache. But she had to eat. She didn't want to die.

Children can die from the smallest things. It was better to be overcautious. As she chewed diligently, she glanced at the basket. Inside were three sandwiches and three orange wedges. Probably a normal single serving. For this body, she could make it last for two meals, but it was a terribly precarious situation. What should she do?

Then, it hit her again.

I'll get food from Adoris. I'll offer to help with something and ask for a meal as my wages.

And so began the exchange between the young kitchen apprentice and the little child who would later be known as the Hermit.

Chihiro showed up at the kitchen first thing every morning.

"You're here again."

"Mhm."

She would hand the basket to Adoris and start peeling the potatoes that had been prepared on the floor.

To the child who said she wanted food and asked to help, Adoris had assigned the task of peeling vegetables. Her manner of speaking was proper and her attitude was poised. Though she looked small, Adoris figured she was probably four or five and let her try using a knife. To his surprise, Chihiro began peeling the skins smoothly and without any trouble.

Instant asset. Hired.

Impressed by how Chihiro worked precisely according to his instructions, Adoris entrusted her with simple tasks, and his morning prep work began to finish much faster.

And Chihiro's wages were paid in kind.

Watching the child happily accept the basket, Adoris's face would break into a smile. While feeding her the leftovers from the previous night's staff meal, he explained the contents of the basket.

"Today's is a ham sandwich. There's a boiled egg and an apple in there too."

Adoris's chest ached with a small pang at the sight of Chihiro's beaming smile. He had vaguely suspected it, but for her to be this happy over something like this. She really must not come from a decent home.

There were parents in the world who abused and overworked their children.

Thinking back, maybe she had been hiding from her parents under that shelf. Her gaunt, filthy appearance had been pitiful. So pitiful that he had given her a meal without a second thought.

Watching her toddling figure walk away, Adoris frowned with a sense of helplessness.

In reality, it was far worse than mere abuse, but even Adoris couldn't have imagined that Chihiro had been confined and was on the verge of dying from starvation and dehydration.

After Chihiro left, the cooks came bustling into the kitchen. They spotted Adoris standing in the hallway and called out to him.

"What are you doing? Is the prep work done?"

"Yeah, it's done."

"Well now, you've been fast lately. You're getting good."

A large man, built like a bear, clapped Adoris on the shoulder. Looking up at the man, Adoris wondered what to do. It wasn't good to stick his nose into another family's business. But it was just too pitiful to see such a small child coming every day, starving for food. From the looks of it, she probably wasn't being fed properly. When he first met her, she was gaunt and her eyes were hollow.

"Hey, Head Chef. I've got something to talk to you about later."

Seeing Adoris's serious expression, the man called Head Chef raised a single eyebrow.

"What is it? What's this talk?"

"Actually..."

Adoris told him the story of the little child, bit by bit.

How she had been sleeping under a shelf as if hiding. How she was gaunt and filthy and didn't seem to be properly cared for. How she helped with the kitchen prep work every day for food. Adoris told him everything he had seen of the child so far.

"I want to do something to help her... but I can't think of anything. She works so hard, you know. In that tiny little body. When I think about how hungry she must be for food, it's just too sad."

Listening to the story, the head chef unconsciously stroked his chin. A small child. Most of the castle servants commuted, but some were granted houses or rooms. But they had their own designated sections in the outer castle grounds where they lived. They were not supposed to come into the main castle area often.

Did she wander in without knowing? What are her parents doing? Ah, they don't sound like decent parents, that's for sure.

Adoris said that since she spoke well and could handle a knife, she looked small but was probably around four or five. At that age, they couldn't hire her as a worker. They would need her parents' permission. And from what he could guess from the story, her parents seemed like no-good people, and they probably wouldn't agree even if he asked. The head chef looked up at the ceiling and thought for a moment.

"For now, let's meet her."

The head chef flashed a mischievous grin. Adoris felt a wave of relief and grabbed the head chef's hand, pleading with him to help. The head chef nodded in response and visited the kitchen early the next day.

"Hey. Is this the one?"

Chihiro looked up at the large, bear-like man who had appeared out of nowhere, her mouth hanging open.

"Yes. Chihiiro, this is the head chef in charge here. His name is Drago-san."

Startled by the sudden appearance of the huge man, Chihiro, upon being introduced to the head chef, hastily stood up and greeted him.

"Pleased to meet you. My name is Chihiro. I'm indebted to Adoris-san."

The small child bowed politely.

Drago narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

Her speech was indeed fluent. Her greeting was proper. However, this...

"How old are you?"

"Probably... two or three?"

"What?"

It was Adoris who was surprised by Chihiro's answer.

She used a knife so skillfully. He had thought she was four or five. Ignoring Adoris, the head chef looked at the carrots she had been peeling. They were peeled thinly and cleanly. Indeed, looking at this, no one would think she was two or three. For children of this age, a year makes a big difference. Her speech was polite and she seemed to have been educated. Even a seven-year-old who had been baptized probably couldn't respond this well. If they were a commoner. It was no wonder Adoris had been mistaken.

The head chef crouched down to meet Chihiro's eyes.

"You, where are your parents?"

"...I don't have any."

Her parents were the king and queen. But she didn't want to think of them, who had likely abandoned her, as her parents.

"You don't have any? Then how did you get here?"

Drago stared straight at her. Beside them, Adoris watched Chihiro anxiously, looking worried. How should she explain? She herself didn't know the circumstances that led to her current situation. This child's memories were vague and didn't make much sense. Which was natural, since they were an infant's memories. By piecing together the fragments, she understood that her parents were the king and queen and that a maid had locked her in that room.

"...I don't know. I was in a room deep inside for a long time. I was hungry... so, so hungry."

She couldn't say any more, and Chihiro began to cry with hiccuping sobs.

She truly didn't understand, so it couldn't be helped. In fact, she was the one who wanted to ask.

The head chef patted Chihiro's head and had her lead him to that room. The head chef's large hand held her small one, and Chihiro guided them to the room where she had been confined.

"This is the place."

Past the kitchen and the laundry room, further in, was the room. It was in the semi-basement, a small, damp room. A single, grimy bed was the only thing in the empty, desolate space.

A child had been abandoned in a place like this.

The reason was unknown, but it was not right.

"No parents, no food... You did well to survive. You're a tough one."

At the unexpected words, Chihiro looked up at Drago.

Drago looked at her gently and lifted her into his arms.

"If you don't have parents, I'll be your dad. From today on, you're my child."

Staring at Drago's beaming face in disbelief, Chihiro couldn't suppress the pounding in her chest. A child needed a guardian. But she had no one. She had been lucky enough to meet Adoris by chance. She had thought that alone was the greatest of fortunes. Because she could get food.

And yet, she could have a parent? Really?

She was a child of the utmost suspicion. He would become such a child's parent?

Chihiro hesitantly placed a hand on Drago's cheek. Grasping that small hand, Drago laughed cheerfully.

"...Daddy?"

"Yeah!"

Her face crumpled in an instant, and tears began to fall. She threw her arms around Drago's neck. Patting the small, trembling back, Drago was furious with whoever had abandoned such a young child. One wrong move and she would have died. Or perhaps... they intended for her to die?

His anger grew at the thought, and Drago, still holding Chihiro tightly, stormed away from the place with heavy steps. Adoris, watching the head chef's retreating back as he carried Chihiro towards the residential quarters, froze at the unexpected turn of events.

Huh? She's going to be the head chef's child? The head chef is single, right? Can he really take care of her?

Though left behind, Adoris was glad that the child he had been worried about was now under the protection of a reliable man. It was a different outcome than he had imagined, but in a way, it was the best possible ending.

Adoris, watching them go with a gentle expression, could not have predicted the storm that was to come.

Chihiro was a child of the royal family. He did not yet know that as she grew, problems would begin to surface.