Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Reunion and Encounter (6)
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The little brat hiding behind my legs had climbed up my body and onto my shoulder.
I nearly swatted the kid away and patted my chest in surprise.
"I'll show you Blue's house!"
In the meantime, the brat was stubbornly pushing their point.
'Blue...'
It must be referring to Rashar's hair color, right?
I had no idea what their connection was.
'Use this kid as an excuse to bail.'
Thanks to this unexpected link, I could dodge getting tangled up with Hesserma.
"Huh!"
"Hm?"
But Hesserma's reaction was downright weird.
He gasped at the sight of the kid who'd climbed onto me.
Then he muttered something loaded with meaning.
"Of all things..."
"What's wrong?"
Even when I asked, he didn't respond.
He just stared at the kid on my shoulder with a stiff expression.
It wasn't important enough to pry into, so I figured I'd use the opening to slip away.
"Thanks for the offer, but I think we'll manage on our own."
I turned down his proposal.
"Ah! W-wait a moment. If you're leaving, let me at least give you two a ride in my carriage—it'll be much more comfor—"
Hesserma, who'd been insistently pressing the issue, suddenly flinched and backed off.
It was because the kid, now perched on my shoulder, bared their fangs at him with a hiss.
I was just as startled as Hesserma by the suddenness.
But I couldn't just freeze—the kid started wailing and throwing a tantrum.
"I'll show you! I'll take you there! You stay out of it!"
Right after, soft fur brushed my neck. It was the kid's tail.
It felt like a noose tightening, and I wasn't thrilled.
I unwound the tail from my neck and said,
"Looks like that's the plan. Anyway, it was nice seeing you again. Until next time..."
"That way! Over there! Hurryyy!"
"Hey, hey! Don't pull my hair!"
It wasn't intentional, but thanks to the kid's moody outburst, I managed a vague farewell to Hesserma and turned on my heel.
* * *
To be honest, I hadn't anticipated this situation even as I turned my back on Hesserma and left.
"Miss Velta, it's been a while."
"Yeah!"
The kid, who'd climbed onto my shoulder and showed no signs of coming down, responded brightly without a care.
The one greeting them was an elderly gentleman.
—I'm Gentler, the one who serves Miss Rashar.
With his white hair neatly combed back and half-moon glasses perched on his nose, he remained utterly composed throughout.
Even seeing me with the kid on my shoulder and my hair a total mess didn't faze him.
"By the way, you came looking for Miss Rashar?"
Meanwhile, exhausted from wrestling with the kid on the way here, I let out a sigh close to a groan.
"...Yes."
I'd approached the kid in the first place to ask for directions to the resistance headquarters.
Somehow, I'd ended up tagging along all the way there, and now we'd arrived at Rashar's mansion together.
At first, I'd tried sending the kid back. I didn't want to be treated like a kidnapper.
But me trying to pry them off, and the kid refusing to get down.
After a few tussles, I was the one who gave up.
The little rascal was so quick, slipping out of my grasp every time.
In the process, their claws left scratches all over me.
'Not your average human, huh?'
I'd suspected as much from their appearance and the speed that barely let me keep up.
The kid's strength and reflexes far surpassed human limits.
Dragging this out would just mean more scratches on my face.
'It wasn't me bringing them. They followed me.'
If the kid's guardian said something later, I'd state it dead serious.
To make that stick, not a single hair on the kid could be harmed.
In the end, instead of forcing them down, I let it be.
Once I settled down, the kid went ahead and wrapped their legs around my neck like a horse rider.
Thanks to that, I'd ended up carrying them piggyback all the way here.
A mix of my will and mostly theirs—I'd stumbled into Rashar's mansion with the kid in tow, mulling over the old man's words.
'Miss, huh...'
Not just Rashar, but he'd called this kid that too, right?
"Hee hee hee, I brought him!"
What was the deal with this kid wrapping their legs around my neck and yanking my hair for all it was worth?
What kind of background let them wander this massive mansion with the guards opening the gates without even checking my ID, just because they were with them?
And how did Gentler, Rashar's servant, know the kid?
"May I have your name?"
"...It's Ke."
"Ah."
My weary voice made the old man's eyes widen slightly.
The implication was clear.
"You know me?"
"I've heard the stories in passing."
Rashar's home, as expected—she'd talked about me.
Coming here thanks to the kid was a stroke of luck.
"My apologies, but Miss Rashar is currently at headquarters..."
The problem was she wasn't here either.
"If you're not in a rush, why not wait? I'll send a telegram."
Silver lining in the misfortune—they had a way to contact her.
'This is fine.'
No more spinning my wheels looking for Rashar; waiting was no big deal.
Plus, I figured I'd rest while killing time for her.
I'd gotten worn out dealing with the kid on the way.
"Then I'd be grateful."
Gentler bowed politely and turned slightly.
"I've kept you standing too long, guest. Please, follow me to the drawing room."
Just as I stepped onto the grand staircase in the center of the hall behind him—
I felt the kid, who'd been lounging on my shoulder, suddenly leap up.
"I smell chocolate!"
Before I could react, they bolted off like a shot.
They'd kicked off my head for leverage, making me stagger for a second.
But I wasn't upset at all.
'Finally!'
Free at last, I fiddled with my hair.
It stung from being pulled too hard and too long.
Seeing strands fall out every time I scratched made my heart sink.
'If they'd clung any longer, I'd have gone bald for sure.'
I couldn't hold back a sigh, and Gentler's gentle voice followed.
"It seems they're making chocolate in the kitchen. It's Miss Velta's favorite treat."
My expression turned odd.
Chocolate existing in this world? That was easy enough to accept.
Where there are people, snacks evolve—natural progression.
But the kid eating it? That surprised me.
'I thought they were more beast-like...'
Isn't caffeine toxic to dogs or cats?
Chocolate has caffeine too.
By that logic, the cat-like kid shouldn't eat it either—but apparently, that wasn't the case.
"It might be presumptuous to say this to someone who's been through such ordeal, but please don't think too badly of Miss Velta."
Misreading my gaze toward the direction the kid vanished, Gentler half-turned to me and spoke calmly.
"She probably did it because she likes you, Sir Ke."
"I'm not childish enough to throw a fit over a few scratches from a kid."
I had no intention of pitching a fit over minor injuries.
It was just that the kid's behavior today nagged at me.
"Still, she needs to learn the world's dangers. Following a total stranger she just met? She could get in real trouble."
Good thing it turned out to be someone she knew.
What if I'd had bad intentions and kidnapped her?
I'd only said it because Gentler seemed acquainted with the kid.
"Beastkin are born fearless and brimming with curiosity, so it's a common occurrence."
I finally heard about the kid—things I'd only vaguely guessed.
"With their innate powerful physiques, it's only natural."
Gentler gave a subtle nod, signaling we resume, and started up the stairs.
The wide hall's staircase to the second floor split midway to both sides.
He veered toward the eastern branch.
Following him, I chewed over the word I'd just heard.
'Beastkin.'
Not the document or hunter meaning I knew.
'Beast (獸) kin—literally.'
It fit the kid's appearance best.
Since the topic was open, I decided to ask more.
"What's their deal?"
Because they're beastkin, getting miss treatment and free rein in the mansion? Or something else?
My hesitant question got a quick answer.
"She's the youngest daughter of Horpe, the current king of the beastkin tribes."
The words from Gentler's mouth were so grandiose, I was speechless.
'The king's youngest daughter.'
Everything from meeting the kid to arriving here flashed through my mind.
Royalty in human terms, yet wandering alone and eagerly following a stranger?
"Is it really okay for a kid like that to roam free? What if something happens...?"
"The family and relatives would have to prepare for death."
Gentler chuckled softly, replying lightly.
His following words were a bit shocking.
"There are those who kidnap subrace children for illegal human trafficking. It happens in the shadows somewhere, no doubt."
But cases involving beastkin were exceedingly rare.
The moment their identity was exposed, the family would be brutally slaughtered, bodies put on display.
Not just the perpetrator—their direct parents, children, collateral relatives, even friendly neighbors could face retaliation.
Leaders and military heads of various nations reportedly wouldn't contest such massacres if trafficking evidence was clear.
It was the price for deploying beastkin to the foremost, fiercest battle zones.
"Huh."
Frankly, it was a shock.
That talk reminded me this world ran on monarchies and rigid class systems.
'On Earth, human rights groups would've swarmed for protests over retaliatory massacres like that.'
But this wasn't Earth, and that's why such things were possible.
I had to accept it.
While I pondered gravely, Gentler's explanation continued.
"Beastkin, faithful to their instincts, tend to let their young roam free."
Especially predatory beastkin.
"They believe tying a child down out of fear of accidents won't produce true predators."
Like a lion pushing its cub off a cliff?
"Their physical abilities so vastly outstrip humans' that minor risks are hard anyway."
Even a four-year-old like that kid could crush a grown man's skull with their grip.
A chill ran down my spine at the thought.
Damn system