I Level Up With In-app Purchases

EP.110 How to Take Down a Criminal Organization (2)

"The kid wasn't hurt, and as you can see, I'm fine. Besides, it wasn't me who caught the criminals—it was the knights."

"Almost getting kidnapped is still a serious matter. I'm worried about how traumatized the child might be."

"Don't worry about that kid. If anything, they were thrilled about getting a medal."

For reference, the kid who almost got kidnapped was awarded a medal for bravery.

Though they did get a spanking from their homeroom teacher, they didn't seem to regret it thanks to getting the medal.

"Ahaha, how cute."

"It was pretty adorable watching them brag about how brave they were, puffing up their chest and all."

"What? Boss, I didn't know you could make such a fatherly smile! Why don't you ever show me that?"

I frowned deeply at Ariane's ridiculous aegyo.

"Why are you being so gross? Why would I ever make that kind of face for you?"

Make a fatherly smile for this one?

"Hmph! So cold! I'm way cuter than that kid!"

Ariane, suddenly showing off their confident self-assessment of cuteness.

"Are you really saying that with your own mouth?"

To be honest, even though that kid was pretty smart, they weren't cuter than Ariane.

The kid was just cute because they were young, but Ariane had a cuteness that transcended age.

"So I'm not cute? Am I not?"

"....."

In other words, since it was the truth, I had nothing to say to Ariane.

I decided to just pretend I hadn't heard anything.

"Hey? Boss is ignoring me."

"Now that they've caught the culprit, the lockdown should end soon. It's been quite inconvenient, so that's good."

I nodded in response to Baine's words.

"At least nothing like today will happen again."

"Really, am I not cute? Not cute at all?"

"You're cute, Ariane."

"Right~? Fran is the only one who gets it~"

Ariane fell into Fran's embrace.

I struggled to look away as Ariane's small face buried into Fran's chest.

"The spot checks are so annoying."

"Right, did we really look that suspicious?"

"It's not us who looked suspicious, it was the old man."

"Do I really look that much like a criminal?"

Suddenly, all the kids' eyes turned to my face.

I met their gazes without avoiding them, as if I had nothing to be ashamed of.

'It's not like I have that kind of face.'

I've never been told I'm ugly anywhere I've gone.

At least I pride myself on looking like a proper person, and I don't think my face inspires any disgust.

"What."

But the kids' reactions were a bit strange.

They were all just staring at me blankly.

Under their piercing gazes, I maintained my expressionless face as if to say 'what do you want me to do about it?'

"Ahem, ahem, ahem."

"Ehem."

"Why is the atmosphere like this?"

The kids who met my eyes made exaggerated fake coughs.

What could be so strange about my face to create this weird atmosphere?

"Is my face that ugly?"

Thanks to the appearance management products I got through in-app purchases, I'm in much better shape now than when I was a mercenary.

My skin has improved a lot with consistent care.

Of course, I can't compare to nobles who've been taking care of themselves since childhood, but still.

"Heehee, no~"

"Our old man has, how should I put it, a certain aura about him."

"Mhmm, mhmm."

The kids exchange glances with each other.

It felt like there was something going on that only I couldn't understand, making me feel a bit left out.

That's when Fran quietly took my hand.

"???"

I wondered why they would do this so suddenly with everyone watching, but then a white light briefly emanated from Fran's hand before disappearing without a trace.

Even though I said I wasn't hurt, Fran must have still been worried.

"I told you I'm not hurt."

"Still, you must be tired."

Fran's healing ability, enhanced to level 11 with encouragement from friends, had reached a level where they could save anyone as long as they weren't already dead.

My body instantly felt refreshed.

It felt like going to a sauna, working up a good sweat, taking a shower, and then drinking a banana milk—that kind of feeling.

'This is addictive.'

How nice would it be if I could keep getting this?

"It really does make my body feel refreshed. But is it okay to use something this amazing just for conditioning? I feel guilty."

"It's fine for you, old man. I'll do it whenever you ask."

Fran said with a shy smile.

It was quite a touching thing to say.

Is this what it feels like to raise a child?

'In Fran's case... more like raising a future spouse?'

Since they're still insisting on becoming my wife, I guess you could call it raising a future spouse.

"How does it feel being at level 11?"

I hadn't been able to examine in detail how the sacred item had changed.

When Fran reached level 11 so easily, the other kids who had lost their momentum started clamoring to have theirs done too, so I hadn't had the chance to check everything properly.

"I'm not sure yet. But it's much easier to use my power than before. The effects are much better too. Even though I just used it, I don't feel tired at all, like I barely used any energy."

Fran was becoming more and more like a munchkin.

You could say Fran themselves were becoming like a 'resurrection stone.'

Personally, I was planning to invest in getting Fran to level 12 even if I had to do it myself.

'You never know what abilities might be added to the sacred item.'

Fran was a kid who became more and more rewarding the more you invested in them.

"The old man looks really tired, we should head back."

Shine said something unexpectedly thoughtful.

"Yeah, your eyes are really sunken in."

"It's not that bad yet."

"We'll be going! Boss, get some rest!"

The kids quickly agreed with Shine's words.

I thought they might ask for more enhancements, but I guess they weren't that immature.

I saw them off with a strange feeling.

And several days after that.

Haeshi came to the general store.

With some unexpected news.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

"I need some help."

"????"

Why am I getting such a strong sense of déjà vu?

"What kind of help do you need?"

Seeing Haeshi's grave demeanor, I decided to take it seriously and asked.

"All this time, I thought Nairel couldn't come because of the lockdown. But that wasn't it."

"What?"

What kind of nonsense is this now?

"They've been hiding it on purpose. Nairel was kidnapped."

"...Are you saying Nairel was one of the three students who were kidnapped?"

"Yes."

I suddenly remembered what the knight had said before.

That one of the criminals was disguised as a knight.

'They said Nairel was taken by knights from the family too.'

What if that was a disguise?

The reason for kidnapping Nairel makes perfect sense.

If what Haeshi said is true, isn't Nairel a talented ability user with a promising future?

"So what are you planning to do?"

I felt uneasy.

Since Haeshi cared so much about Nairel, they would definitely do something reckless.

"They say they've found out where Nairel is."

Could this be information from the kidnappers I helped catch a few days ago?

"How did you find that out?"

"That's a secret."

Haeshi pressed their lips together, clearly unwilling to answer.

It didn't seem like they had obtained this information through normal means.

"sigh So?"

"I'm going there too."

Haeshi finally said what I was hoping they wouldn't.

"Why would you go there?"

What help could they possibly be?

It would be lucky if they didn't get in the way.

"I can help. I'm strong, and I can be bait."

"Bait??"

"We know where the children are, but safely rescuing them without anyone getting hurt is another matter."

Rescue operations are difficult because you have to deal with enemies while protecting the hostages' safety.

The hostages' safety must be the top priority, but we need to be careful since we don't know exactly where they're being held.

"That's why I decided to be the bait."

The knights will enter using the awakened one's ability to wear the faces of the captured criminals.

Haeshi will be disguised as a kidnapped child.

If Haeshi can get into where the kidnapped children are being held, that would be perfect.

The problem was that Haeshi would inevitably be exposed to the kidnappers in the process.

"You're going to do such a dangerous operation? What kind of idiot approved this?"

"Everyone said no, but I insisted. I really want to do this. The operation can't even be attempted without me. They can change faces but not body types."

Isn't it a bit much to recruit a real child because they can't change body types?

If that's the case, they shouldn't even start this kind of operation.

"I'm a noble. I can do it. This is what I've been training for, right? And I want to help rescue my friend."

How could anyone refuse when they say the operation can't even begin without them volunteering?

What if Nairel gets hurt during a rushed rescue attempt because we couldn't try this operation?

"I would never be able to forgive myself."

Tears rolled down from Haeshi's large eyes.

Their eyes showed they had already made up their mind firmly.

"What do you want to ask me?"

"Your store has lots of good items. I was hoping you could sell me some."

I thought we were quite close.

The kids came to visit quite often, and though I couldn't actively welcome them due to my personality, I remember trying to make them feel welcome in my own way.

And all they're asking me for is just to sell them some items?

"You think selling items is all I can do for you? Did I seem that useless?"

"I didn't mean to burden you. I thought a lot before coming to you. But there's no other store that sells items as good as yours..."

"Enough! Any normal person would handle this without letting a child get involved. Are you working with the guard?"

"Huh? Y-yeah..."

"Let's go."

I need to see the faces of these bastards who are trying to run an operation with a child.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

"We've been refusing all along."

"...I see."

I went to the guard station in a rage to meet the person in charge.

But it turned out the operation was Haeshi's unilateral demand.

"We're at a loss too. We understand the urgency, but we wish they would trust us and wait."

"It would be safer if I help."

Haeshi retorted as if they had something to say.

"We can rescue them safely without such an operation."

Though the knights begged them to trust them, Haeshi clearly didn't like that the knights were trying to use a dangerous method when a safe one was available.

"...Then how about we do this?"

After quietly observing the situation, I came up with an idea and spoke to the knights and Haeshi.

"There's a way to do this operation without Haeshi's participation."

"The operation can't be done without me!"

Haeshi immediately objected to my words, but unfortunately, that wasn't true.

Because I knew a girl with a small build who, though slightly bigger than Haeshi, wasn't that different in size.

That girl was much older than Haeshi and stronger too, so there wouldn't be any major problems with her participating in this operation.

After all, for that girl, this operation wouldn't even be dangerous.