Delicate, Yet Shamelessly Freeloading [Quick Transmigration] Chapter 87

Chapter 87: The Child from the Pay-to-Win Parenting Game (4)

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According to Tuva legend, when a child lost a tooth and placed it under their pillow, a tooth fairy would come during the night to take the tooth away, and by morning, the child would find a gold coin beneath their pillow.

 

Shui Que, of course, didn’t believe such childish tales. He knew full well that the coin under the pillow was always put there by Count Louis.

 

He had already gone through losing his baby teeth before.

 

So now, in the bright light of midday, he let Leon carry him, eyes teary, to go find Count Louis.

 

In his palm, he held that tiny little tooth, lips pressed tightly shut.

 

He looked helplessly at his father.

 

Count Louis’s expression froze. He immediately ordered Leon to place Shui Que onto a chair.

 

Pinching his youngest son’s soft cheeks, the Count was inwardly panicked, though he still spoke in a soothing tone to avoid frightening him. “Open your mouth, Que. Let Father have a look.”

 

Shui Que really didn’t want anyone to see the gap where his tooth had fallen out. Reluctantly, he pointed toward Garrick.

 

That guy was clearly enjoying the show.

 

Still refusing to open his mouth, Shui Que mumbled, his voice muffled and sticky in his throat, “Don’t let him see.”

 

A father knows his son best. Count Louis dismissed Garrick and everyone else present.

 

Only then did Shui Que agree to open his mouth. His moist, rosy mouth revealed neat rows of pearly teeth, and right beside his upper incisor, the missing tooth was glaringly obvious.

 

It wasn’t completely missing.

 

If one looked closely, they’d see a tiny tip of a new tooth already pushing through.

 

Shui Que still wasn’t used to the chill of air brushing directly against his gums. He used his tongue to feel the empty spot.

 

It felt sharp.

 

Count Louis withdrew his hand, his gaze dark with unreadable emotions.

 

Leaning against the back of the chair, Shui Que looked frightened and murmured, “I was so scared… I thought it would never grow back.”

 

No fourteen-year-old should still be losing teeth in that position.

 

Count Louis gently reassured him, “It will, my child. It will.”

 

“The new tooth will be even healthier,” he said with firm conviction as he looked into Shui Que’s eyes.

 

“Oh, sweetheart, what’s the matter?”

 

Madam Maren had just returned from outside. She undid the strap below her chin, removing the straw hat from atop her golden hair. A maid stepped forward to take the hat from her.

 

She wore a long overdress and a flared skirt, and she casually pulled off her silk gloves, handing them to the maid as well.

 

“You’re still losing teeth, sweetheart?” Madam Maren said in surprise, bending down to inspect the child’s mouth. “Looks like you’ll need to be more careful while eating these days.”

 

Shui Que was always obedient in front of older women. He let her look and then nodded seriously.

 

Count Louis greeted her briefly. “You’ve returned from Brew?”

 

“Yes,” Madam Maren replied, brushing dust off her skirt. “Every single one of those Gruches people is a handful!”

 

Gruches was her family name.

 

She was the eldest daughter of Baron Gruches. With no brothers, Tuva law granted her the right to inherit — but only if she had a husband of equal status. Otherwise, the title would fall to her dim-witted male cousins.

 

That was why Madam Maren had agreed to a union with Count Louis.

 

The Louis family was of old nobility, while the Gruches were nouveau riche, having gained wealth through the spice trade. It wasn’t easy to find a family of similar standing in the regions around Brew.

 

Due to managing spice businesses and walking around the warehouse, the hem of her skirt still carried the scent of the mixed spices used in brewing beer.

 

She needed to wash up before coming back for lunch.

 

Before leaving again, she warned Garrick, who had been constantly pestering Shui Que.

 

“Stop teasing your little brother all the time.”

 

Garrick only shrugged.

 

Que was likely a boy who liked to look good.

 

Garrick had teased him countless times—even pulling faces while circling him.

 

Shui Que just pressed his lips tightly together, refusing to say a word, a determined expression on his face.

 

That only made Garrick itch to mess with him more. He loved provoking him, just to see the little one roll his eyes at him.

 

Kind of cute, really. A little devil with a missing tooth.

 

Garrick suddenly winced—he had been hit in the forehead with a plum. Letting out a couple of muffled sounds, he was fairly certain Shui Que had said, “Go away!”

 

Straightening up, Garrick pretended to be offended.

 

But then a tall figure suddenly stepped between the two brothers.

 

Leon stood there silently, shielding his master.

 

Garrick sneered coldly. “Do all strays jump to pledge their loyalty like this? You’re like a lapdog guarding its master.”

 

“We’re brothers. I’m not gonna hurt him. You don’t need to butt in.”

 

Leon acted like he didn’t even hear, still standing firmly between them.

 

Shui Que patted the back of Leon’s hand and praised him: “Good Leon.”

 

It sounded suspiciously like “good dog.”

 

…

 

Late at night.

 

Shui Que lay tossing and turning under his wool blanket.

 

He looked utterly pitiful, cold sweat dampening his back. His fine brows were knit tight, face pale as if soaked by silent rain. He resembled a little bird curled up in its nest with wet feathers.

 

Guan He noticed he kept covering one side of his cheek and tried talking to him. “Shui Que? Are you having a toothache?”

 

He coaxed him to open his mouth for a look.

 

[Character Health -5]


[Character Mood -1]

 

Shui Que clutched his blanket tightly, ignoring his guardian spirit’s words. He even pulled the blanket over his head.

 

A thin, weak whimper escaped his throat — meaningless words, as if he were in unbearable pain.

 

And Guan He had specifically added “brushing teeth before bed” to the Action Points list today, just to prevent Shui Que from going to sleep right after eating dessert.

 

Looking at the shivering lump on the bed, Guan He grew frantic and furious. He demanded of the system, “Why aren’t there any item packs right now? What about a health pack?”

 

It was a far cry from the way he used to scold the developers for being greedy, money-grabbing scammers.

 

[Divine Power Pack: Only 1000 Interstellar Coins! Unlock additional spiritual power! Enjoy year-round companionship from your condensed spirit guardian for your little child!]

 

[Note: Divine Power Pack is only active at night]

 

[Due to uncontrollable in-game factors, there is no health pack available. We apologize for the poor gameplay experience this may cause.]

 

Guan He didn’t even bother questioning what “uncontrollable factors” meant anymore.

 

He just enabled password-free payment.

 

A white, mist-like spiritual form appeared in the bedroom. It had the tall silhouette of a body, but no facial features. The divine energy clung to it like fog, spreading across the large room, fully sealing it off from the outside world to keep any humans from noticing anything strange.

 

Guan He stepped forward. His hand, also fog-like and vague in shape, gently tugged on the wool blanket.

 

Shui Que peeked out, asking in a tiny voice, “Is… is it a ghost?”

 

Guan He sighed. “It’s me, He. Your guardian spirit.”

 

“Let me see—does it hurt?” Guan He bent down and pinched Shui Que’s chin like iron tongs.

 

Startled by the white, ghostly figure approaching him, Shui Que let his guard down and his jaw opened slightly.

 

Due to player settings, Guan He could see clearly in the dark.

 

He saw the moist red inside, a bit of clear saliva touching his fingertip. Shui Que whimpered softly again and tried to shut his mouth, but Guan He held his cheek and bent down, turning his face to get a better look.

 

In the daytime, only a little of the tooth had peeked out. But by now, more had grown in — white like a snail shell, but pointy. Unlike a normal tooth, which would be flat or blunt.

 

It brought to mind sharp instruments—tools meant for attack.

 

Guan He’s gaze sharpened. Something was clearly not right.

 

The pad of the thumb traced along the edge of the lips, pressing gently against a sharp tooth.

 

It hadn’t fully grown in yet—just enough to feel out its shape. The tip was sharper than a normal canine.

 

But it wasn’t as sharp as it looked.

 

Guan He froze for a moment, distracted, and his grip loosened. Shui Que bit down on his thumb, clamping tightly.

 

There was no blood, not even a break in the skin.

 

It was just like a cub teething, biting down as if the motion itself could bring some relief to Shui Que.

 

【Mood +1】

 

【NPC Favorability +1】

 

The unease in Guan He’s heart dissipated with the system’s notification sound.

 

He simply watched Shui Que in silence.

 

Something was pressed against that new tooth now, and Shui Que stopped whimpering, eyes drifting shut as sleep took hold, settling down completely.

 

Now and then, he’d gnaw gently.

 

【NPC Favorability +1】

 

【NPC Favorability +1】

 

His cheeks were rosy, and he slept soundly.

 

His lashes drooped low, long and delicate.

 

For a moment, Guan He genuinely wondered if the character he was raising was really a little boy.

 

How could a boy be so pretty, with eyelashes this long?

 

【Shui Shui looks so cute from this angle.】

 

【Old man, come on, why didn’t you buy the Divine Power Gift Pack earlier? The whole stream was waiting for you to cuddle Shui Shui!】

 

【Top-tier angle, perfect bundle—Old man, let me borrow your spirit body for a while】

 

【I want the baby-biting-finger treatment too】

 

【Baby baby…】

 

【Wait… are the baby’s teeth… not quite right?】

 

…………

 

The next morning, when Shui Que woke up, there were four small gold pouches under his pillow.

 

Even the annoying Garrick had contributed one.

 

Thankfully, Garrick was returning to Virginia Academy in the neighboring city in a week—he’d only be home on weekends and holidays.

 

Shui Que would finally get a break from seeing his two stepbrothers every day. No more daily Action Point tasks like [Greet Garrick] or [Greet Dorian].

 

Virginia Academy was an elite school reserved solely for the children of royalty and nobility. It was located in Castro City, which bordered Dockshire where the Louis family resided. Though nearby, Castro was the second-largest city in the Tuva Kingdom, just behind the capital.

 

It was one of four bishoprics overseen by Archbishop Sarre, the highest authority in the Tuva Church. Castro stood for true honor, wealth, justice, power, and art. In comparison, Dockshire felt more like a rural countryside.

 

The kingdom’s civil officials, clergy, and knighted aristocracy were mostly chosen from schools like Virginia Academy, located within bishoprics.

 

Only noble children were admitted, typically beginning their studies at age sixteen.

 

Shui Que watched from the courtyard as servants bustled back and forth, loading luggage onto the carriage. Count Louis had his back to him, sitting in the shade of an oak tree, where the breeze rustled softly through the leaves.

 

For some reason, ever since Shui Que had grown those little sharp teeth, his tolerance to sunlight had improved.

 

He could now stay in shaded areas without issue—as long as the sunlight didn’t hit him directly, he no longer broke out in redness or itchy discomfort.

 

Count Louis didn’t seem particularly surprised. When Shui Que mentioned it, he simply stroked his head tenderly, as if he’d expected it all along.

 

Dorian came to say goodbye and tried to check his teeth, acting like a worried older brother.

 

Shui Que quickly avoided him, burying his face into Count Louis’ shoulder and refusing to look up.

 

Garrick raised an eyebrow and teased, “Dorian, you’d better leave him alone. Careful or Que will bite you with those little teeth of his!”

 

Finally, Shui Que lifted his head and shot Garrick a fierce glare.

 

Dorian reached out his hand, and Shui Que couldn’t dodge in time—his palm landed gently on Shui Que’s head, ruffling his hair.

 

“I’ll come back to visit on the weekends,” Dorian said, smoothing out the messy strands of his platinum-blond hair. His usually cool expression softened. “Don’t be afraid of being lonely. I’ll write to you.”

 

Shui Que couldn’t check NPC favorability like Guan He could.

 

And lately, he’d been bullying Dorian a lot—intentionally causing trouble during Action Point tasks.

 

Like, when saying good morning, he’d deliberately comment that Dorian’s outfit was ugly just because he didn’t like black. During meals, he’d sneak all the bones onto Dorian’s plate so others would think he ate like a dragon.

 

When Dorian tried to read in the library, Shui Que would force him to come over and carry him instead, secretly snapping his quill pens—anything to keep Dorian from doing anything serious.

 

He was a bad, spiteful little demon of a brother!

 

And yet, Dorian had stopped wearing black. At the dinner table, he cut Shui Que’s meat for him, carefully picking out all the bones. He even gave him two new quill pens.

 

Shui Que couldn’t understand why Dorian treated him so well. Maybe he was just a go-with-the-flow kind of righteous big brother.

 

Or maybe… he was pretending in front of their father, secretly hating Shui Que with a passion!

 

【NPC Dorian’s Favorability toward Character: 70】

 

【Impression: A younger brother who needs care and attention】

 

【OMG our Shui Que is just a little kitten starving for love, not trying to cause trouble on purpose…】

 

【That day wasn’t his fault either. He didn’t mean to blame his brother—the bookshelf was just in the wrong place, obviously!】

 

【Baby good, brother good, bookshelf bad! Luckily brother doesn’t hold grudges, or our poor baby would’ve been wrongfully accused.】

 

Guan He didn’t pay attention to the barrage of comments on the screen. He just watched the warm scene between the brothers with satisfaction.

 

All those Action Points had paid off.

 

The carriage rumbled into the distance, trailing dust behind, until it disappeared at the edge of the plains.

 

“Father…” Shui Que lay against Count Louis’ back and asked softly, “Can I go to Virginia Academy too?”

 

As the son of a count, he certainly qualified to attend a bishopric school.

 

But…

 

Count Louis adjusted Shui Que’s legs higher on his back. “That might be difficult, my child.”

 

Virginia Academy’s core curriculum, in addition to the seven classical subjects, included the seven knightly skills—horse riding, swordsmanship, archery, javelin throwing, swimming, and other practical disciplines. Students also began exposure to elemental theory, though not everyone possessed magical talent, even those from the original twelve noble bloodlines of Tuva.

 

Even if students later became clergy or politicians, they were still required to maintain strong physical fitness.

 

Shui Que couldn’t walk. Even for Count Louis’s sake, Virginia Academy wouldn’t admit a student with congenital disabilities. He simply wouldn’t survive the school’s rigorous training.

 

Count Louis sighed deeply.

 

Shui Que covered his mouth to keep from laughing aloud.

 

Perfect. He had finally entered a world where he didn’t have to go to school.

 

Count Louis added in a gentle tone, “But there’s no need to envy your brothers. The tutor I hired for you will be returning today.”

 

“Besides painting, you’ll learn all seven subjects your brothers study. We’re not inferior to them in any way.”

 

Shui Que: “…”

 

In Tuva, all official schools affiliated with the church, court, or government, as well as noble home education, taught the Seven Classical Arts—grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, music, astronomy, and geometry.

 

These subjects clearly required no extra physical exertion.

 

Shui Que slumped lifelessly on Count Louis’ back.

 

System 77 chimed in, “Host, the male lead just paid for an annual upgrade to your Master Class bundle. Your new painting tutor used to be a court artist! The rest of the subjects will be taught by kingdom-renowned experts too! They’re as good as Virginia Academy’s teachers!”

 

“He spent three thousand Interstellar Coins!”

 

No wonder Shui Que’s freeloading stat had spiked dramatically just now.

 

【Character Shui Que’s Favorability toward Player -10】

 

Guan He: “?”

 

He’d spent so many nights helping Shui Que with teething, telling bedtime stories, painstakingly building that favorability… only to have it deducted just like that?

 

Gaining favorability was like pulling teeth—point by point. But when it dropped, it was a ten-point chunk, silent and swift.

 

What a bad, bad little boy.

 

Just who on earth was raising such a bad-tempered little boy?

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Huge shoutout to @candycorns2 on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.

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