Labyrinth Restaurant

A dim alley off the boulevard of a labyrinth city.

A girl of about six or seven years of age who was well acquainted with such a place walked all by herself.

"... uhh... here, where...?

Apparently, the girl is lost.

You fell on the way down. Beautiful clothes are dirty with dirt and dust, and carefully knitted flax hair also looks dull as if it represents her current state of mind.

"Father, Mother... Josephine..."

Finally, you lost your strength to walk, and the girl crouched on the spot.

Loneliness and anxiety fill your chest, with zero puffiness and tears.

But then.

"Mm, are you lost?

"... Huh?

A chestnut-haired boy, about the same as the girl or a little older, has spoken.

When he took the white silk handkerchief out of his pocket,

"See, now you can wipe your tears"

"Ah...... thank you"

I gave it to the girl and told her to wipe her tears.

Girls who have been raised in boxes are honestly not good at talking to the opposite sex, but if they are just as many children, they are not as resistant.

By the time I stopped crying and got up, I seemed to have regained my composure to the point where I could properly thank my handkerchief.

"I'm Simon. Oh, my God. What's your name?

"Sha, Charlotte, it's"

When "Boy" Renamed Simon, "Girl" Charlotte also reflexively returned the name.

"I ask you again, is Charlotte lost?

"... Yes"

As Charlotte, I'm very ashamed to admit I'm lost, but I can't help but look good here. All she can count on now is the boy in front of her.

"It's okay, I'll take you home. Do you have an address?

It's been awhile since I came across the labyrinth city for the convenience of my parents' work, but Charlotte, who had never been out on her own until today, didn't know her home address. On rare occasions when I go out, I'm with my parents or servants, and I can't help but remember because I often travel in my own carriage.

"Hmm, anything else?

"Uh..."

But instead, if you give your own family name and the name of your parents as information that might be a clue,

"You know what I mean?

"Yes, I know you."

Apparently, Mr. Claude, an old man with a stretched spine, held back from the start, knew where Charlotte's house was.

"Well, let's give it a lift."

"Oh, wait. We need to find Josephine."

"Josephine? Who?

But there were circumstances in Charlotte that weren't going home yet.

"This is my friend's cat."

"Hmm, was he in the middle of a cat hunt?"

Apparently, Charlotte has popped up alone looking for a missing cat for some reason. But I guess I got easily lost because I didn't have a land survey.

What a broken bone looking for one cat in this big city though.

"All right, I'll help you find me, too"

"Huh? Are you sure?

Simon decided not to get lost in helping.

"But those of you in the house will be worried. I'm sorry."

"Yes, I understand. Charlotte, call your family from me. Young, if you need anything."

"Um, don't worry. Don't even have Bohanbu."

There are no loopholes regarding various aftercare as well.

Using Mr Claude as a liaison will make the children act alone, but we also have safety measures in case of that. Well, in a labyrinth city where security is unusually good in the first place, the chances of getting involved in a case are endlessly close to zero, even if you're just walking with kids.

I left Mr. Claude to contact me and find a cat just for the kids.

But, naturally, it's unlikely you'll find it if you do it normally.

"But how do you look for it?

"Leave it to me, I have a plan"

Simon said confidently, walking out of Charlotte's hand.

◆ ◆ ◆

Simon headed for one of several parks in the city.

The kids who were playing came together with Zorozolo when they found Simon. A total of about twenty. It's around ten years old from four down there to about half a dozen boys and girls.

"Ah, it's the captain"

"I want to."

"I have a different girl with me again"

"Pretty."

The captain's standing up again.

"Captain, is that the kid?

Apparently, Simon is called "Captain" by them and admired.

There were some statements that seemed misleading, but you shouldn't mind.

"Be quiet. I'll give everyone an emergency mission."

Where the kids came together, Simon gave them a "mission".

"The cat this Charlotte owns got away with it. I want everyone to help me find it. Charlotte, tell everyone about Josephine."

"Huh? Ah! … yes. Uh."

Charlotte, who was confused not to follow the sudden unfolding, also seemed to realize that Simon was going to ask the children in front of him for help.

It seems like a part of the play to them, but the manpower has never gone a long way.

I don't like to talk to Charlotte in front of a lot of people who are somewhat familiar with her personality (this is also the first time I've talked to a so-called "commoner" child), but I thought it was for an important cat (together) and managed to work hard to convey Josephine's characteristics.

"If anyone else seems to be able to ask for help along the way I'm looking for you, keep your voice shut. It would be better if there were more people. Okay, we'll meet here in an hour."

"Yes, it is."

"I'll look over there."

"Well, here I am."

The children who received the "emergency mission" thus scattered all over the city.

"So let's see what we can find."

"Yes!

◆ ◆ ◆

And an hour later.

When Simmons comes back to the park again,

"Ah, Josephine!

"Oh, did you find me? Thank you, Lime."

"Mmm."

Lyme was waiting with a female cat in a strangely plentiful obese shape.

Apparently, he was joining the search by listening to the kids on duty.

"Ah, boss. annoying."

"Ah Negi, that's great"

"Oyabu, every meal"

"Lyme, that's amazing"

"Mmm."

Lime seems to have another kind of respect for Simon. The number had increased during the search and nearly fifty children in all were sending praises orally.

Don't worry too much about diverse names.

In the process of "revamping" abusive or vulnerable bullying children, they were becoming called naturally and that way. Thanks to you, we're all close now, and maybe safe because it wasn't case-friendly.

Well, aside from that.

"You've all done well. Then I will reward you all."

"" "Wow!

"Mmm."

"Reward?

Kids other than Lime cheered on Simon's declaration of reward.

Only Charlotte, who I'm not sure she understands, has a Kyoton face.

"I hope so, too."

"Oh, yes."

As it was, Simon took me to a nearby square with the kids.

Simon goes to the stall where he sells candy when he takes silver coins out of his wallet,

"Hi-fumi... Store owner, please give me fifty-three strawberry candy"

"Oh, boy, every time."

"Come on, everybody, take it in order. Get in line."

"" "Yes!

Apparently, it is customary for "assignments" to be paid for with treats.

The store owner was also used to it, handily handing the kids candy with sticks.

"Look, that's it."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Simon even got Charlotte's share, but she won't try to take it in awe.

After taking care of everything from what to what, there were reasons why I felt uncomfortable getting candy to hit the "reward," and there was a lot of confusion because I had never spoken of food bought in these stalls.

"Don't hesitate. It's better if we all eat this. Here."

"... um, ah"

But when I poked Charlotte's momentary gap and let her open mouth contain candy, that resistance also weakened halfway.

"What do you say?

"... sweet. Delicious!"

It's a simple treat where strawberries stabbed with sticks are tangled in candy and just solidified, but it's like walking around and staining your tired body with sweetness. The feel of thin candy on a parched surface is interesting and the sweetness and sourness of the strawberries inside is great.

I'm sure you wouldn't be so impressed with the same treat if it were normal.

But the situation of walking around desperately and eating the same things in large numbers is just multiplying the flavor of candy by dozens of times.

"And it's so beautiful. It's like the red balls (Ruby) your mother has!

Charlotte has been severely stigmatized as a young but lady.

Coupled with her pull-in-the-mill temper, she finally gave her age-appropriate innocent smile when she never broke her previously modest and frightened attitude.

Simon saw her smile like that,

"Ha, you finally laughed"

"Huh?"

"Again, that smile is more beautiful"

"... Huh? Ahhh!?"

"Mm, what's wrong?

Charlotte's white cheeks stained red like strawberry candy in an instant.

(Ha? My brother taught me to say this to please a woman... did I make a mistake?

Nothing. Simon doesn't have any hair, such as intentions to dictate her.

I simply tried to say how I couldn't please a girl who had a dark face long since we met...... it didn't seem like I had an idea until how they would receive it.

"Oh, that! Oh...... can I hear it from your friend?!?"

"Hmm? Yeah, of course I don't mind. Regards."

"Yes, thank you forever!

I also only think of these Charlotte words as really just a desire for friendship.

"Oh, the captain's doing the usual thing again"

"How many times now?

"How'd it go? I don't remember anymore."

"I want to, you're about to get stabbed."

As a matter of fact, this is not the first time Simon has led to such a misunderstanding.

It is usual for him to help both men and women in finding a child in need, and it is also the usual trend to mislead him with brother-derived socialism (and Simon's supposedly numbing technique) if the other person is a girl. Friendly children also watched in the wind they were used to.

◆ ◆ ◆

Omake Later

"Oh, so you told me you could play outside the mansion?

"Yes!"

On the day I got lost, Charlotte, who came home, was ready for a big eyeball, but she was hardly reprimanded for wonder. Apparently, Mr. Claude, who visited us to reward her for her safety, successfully told us not to get angry terribly.

On the contrary, I was very pleased “for some reason” when I talked about a series of events since I met Simon and was helped. Charlotte didn't know what kind of family Simon was until the end, so it wouldn't be impossible not to know why.

Charlotte, who is quite (...) a well-respected housemaid, was secretly worried that her parents would acknowledge her friendship with Simon, but she wouldn't be the first to worry about it. It's really just a misunderstanding, and the big problem is that Simon at heart has no intention of doing that.

All in all, the girl, who was raised as important as a caged bird, was allowed to go out freely so that she could get along better with Simon, and get a lot of friends and have fun.

Congratulations, congratulations.

…………

"Is that it? Hey, what's up?

"... sticky"

Congratulations, Congratulations?