Escape. (6)
The treatment was given, but my body was still confined in prison.
...Still, I survived, so I guess that's a relief.
As I wiggled my toes and stretched my body, bright yellow eyes suddenly popped out of the darkness.
"You almost died, yet you're so carefree, nya."
A long, extended tail flicked my nose with a 'tuk'.
It didn't particularly hurt, but I felt the scolding contained within it.
Still, for someone who hates demons, she's approaching me quite familiarly.
I was a little grateful for that.
"By the way, what's your name, nyang?"
"...Ariel, just Ariel."
Wasn't it said that starting a relationship begins with an introduction?
I readily answered the one who asked my name.
It didn't really matter if I told her, and there was also the reason that I didn't want to lose the conversational partner I had just gained.
"I see, nyang. For a demon, it's a pretty name, nya."
Her muttering 'Ariel, Ariel, Ariel' as if repeating it multiple times so as not to forget, was quite cute.
Indeed, even in the game, beastmen were quite a popular race.
It was a very wise choice to understand the players' needs and only attach ears and a tail to a beautiful girl's body.
"What's your name?"
"It's Ryanyori, nyang."
"...Ranori?"
"Ryanyori!"
So, isn't it Ranori?
As I blinked and repeated 'Ranori...', she yelled back that it wasn't.
It's Ryanyori, not Ranori, nyang!
Only then, at her shout, did I realize my mistake and nodded.
"My apologies."
"If you know, then it's fine, nyang."
The tail, swung like a whip, hit my cheek this time.
...It doesn't hurt, but it's unpleasant, this.
When I reached out and tapped it with my fingertips, it dodged around like a cat.
No, she is a cat, but still.
"Don't get cheeky, nyang! Don't you understand your current situation, nyang?!"
When I firmly grabbed the tip of her tail, an irritable reaction came back.
Startled.
It was an attempt to cheer myself up while feeling down, but it seemed Ryanyori didn't appreciate it.
Indeed, my situation is quite unfortunate.
I let out a hollow laugh inwardly and tapped the ornament tied to the tip of her tail.
"You're not really like a demon, nyang..."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"And your way of speaking is strange, nya!"
Speaking of speech patterns, yours isn't so ordinary either.
When I looked at her with that meaning in mind, she flailed her limbs wildly.
She's someone fun to tease, it seems.
"By the way, Ryanyori, I have a question."
"...What is it, nya? I won't tell you how to escape or anything like that, nya."
"No, it's not that—"
I hesitated for a moment, then gathered my courage and spoke.
It felt like I was approaching a taboo, but I could endure it if it meant satisfying my curiosity.
"By any chance, you don't have four ears, do you?"
"...What are you talking about, nyang."
No, because for a typical beastman, it was a mystery whether it ended with the ears on top of their head or if they had additional human ears on the sides...
If they also had human ears, then they would have four ears.
And if they didn't have human ears, it might look a bit unbalanced.
"Here, look, nyang."
"...There aren't any."
When she smoothly lifted the hair covering her side, the hidden part was revealed.
Perhaps because there were no human ears, it looked quite grotesque, but once her hair covered it again, it returned to a normal appearance.
I think I understand why they draw human ears.
"Of course not, nya. If you had four ears, that would be a monster, nya!"
Ryanyori flapped her tail wildly and shouted.
That's true, but...
Anyway, I'm disappointed.
"Why are you making such a disappointed face, nyang?"
Caught.
***
To be honest, it's probably true that I wasn't grasping the situation.
Or perhaps I had half-lost my mind to forget the pain.
"Walk straight, Demon!"
"Ugh..."
Isn't it too cruel to tell someone with a broken leg to walk straight?
Let me say it again, this world was too cruel to me.
My not-fully-recovered body screamed, but I didn't show it outwardly.
Right now, just walking was agonizing.
"...Hmph."
"......Thank you."
If it weren't for the hand that subtly approached and held me, I might have collapsed immediately.
Tears welled up little by little at the clumsy kindness I felt amidst the hostility all around me.
"Village Chief-nim, I've brought her."
"Well done."
How long did we walk like that?
As I sat down with the announcement of our arrival, Ryanyori subtly adjusted my posture, making it seem as if I had knelt.
...To make someone with an injured leg kneel, that's too much.
"Yes, so... you're the demon they said was captured this time."
Along with the scent of grass, a beastman popped out of the small hut.
Her perked ears on top of her head and nine swaying tails revealed her identity.
'A character with nine tails and wearing a shrine maiden outfit... there's only one.'
Miko.
She was said to be a shrine maiden serving an unknown god, but the god's identity was never really revealed.
There was an episode where demons attacked her to steal the power of that unknown god.
The story was that if she lost her virginity, she would lose her power and resist with all her might, but eventually, the talisman attached to her groin would be pierced, turning her into an ordinary beastman.
'Seeing her alive and well, I feel a new sense of emotion.'
As I stared blankly up at the face of the approaching person, I heard murmuring from around me.
Things like 'Bow your head,' 'How insolent,' and so on.
...If I bowed my head, they'd probably say I was insolent for bowing my head.
A pointless rebellious spirit arose, and I decided to keep my head held high.
If only it weren't for the hand pressing down on my head.
"Bow your head before the Village Chief-nim, nya!"
"...Ugh."
Perhaps because I was forced to bow, my nape ached.
It seems beastmen are characterized by their inability to control their strength well.
I shivered, recalling the memory of almost dying from being given hemostasis just recently.
"A demon with severed horns, how truly fascinating."
A hand approached silently and slowly stroked the severed surface.
I forcibly swallowed a groan at the chilling sensation, and a small laugh reached my ears.
It was a laugh that felt as if she had discovered something amusing.
"My name is Miko. I am a shrine maiden who serves a god, and I am the Village Chief of this village. What is your name?"
"...Ariel. Just, Ariel."
I replied with a wry expression to her self-introduction, which was adorned with various titles.
If I had introduced myself as the Demon King here, I would surely have met a bad end.
Perhaps because my horns were severed, she wasn't as hostile as the others, which was at least a relief.
"Yes, Ariel. You are that demon."
It was a kind voice.
So kind, in fact, that it made me uneasy.
"The God said. That someday, a demon named Ariel would pass near the village."
And that demon, they said, would give birth to the dead kin again.
"...What?"
My shoulder was grabbed.
Her lips, curled into a round smile, felt as if they were pronouncing a death sentence upon me.
A lie.
It's a lie, isn't it?
"I almost let you die. It was a mistake I made because I've never seen such a fragile demon before, so please forgive me generously."
"Ugh..."
The kindness before my eyes made me want to vomit.
That smile, similar in color to one I had seen before, made anyone who saw it feel an instinctive revulsion.
"Please, I hope you don't betray my expectations."
Expectations, huh.
What kind of expectations is she talking about?
To give birth to the dead kin?
In this state?
Tears flowed from the injustice.
Just kill me, you beastly bitch.
No, since she's a beastman, is she half-beast?
"You can rest assured. Your death will come after you have given birth to all the dead kin."
"..."
Because demons killed quite a lot of our kin, you see.
Still, you'll be alive until you've given birth to that many, so your lifespan will be quite long.
It was clearly a remark made to mock me.
"Bring her inside."
"B-but Village Chief-nim. This bitch is a demon! She might harm the Village Chief-nim—"
"Do you think I would be harmed by this demon?"
A cold voice spread among the beastmen who were glaring at me as if to kill me.
Clearly, the one who said something was over there, but the beastmen's hostility rose towards me.
Truly, trouble follows me everywhere.
As I was dragged away, half-resigned, my skin scraped against the floor, stinging.
"You, stay as if dead in the Village Chief-nim's house, nya."
"..."
"Unless you want to die a violent death by the others, nya."
I was thrown into the hut with a chilling warning.
I tumbled and crashed against the wall, every joint in my body aching.
It would be better if I just lost consciousness.
Staring blankly at the brownish ceiling, I let out a silly laugh.
It was truly ironic that tears were flowing even though I was laughing.
"First, it seems you're not in a state to copulate, so let's take a look."
"...Ugh."
It was merely the act of being lifted, but even that overloaded my body.
Indeed, it was a miracle that I was still alive after falling from that high cliff.
If it hadn't been for the dense forest, I would have died instantly.
"Hmm, so. Yes..."
She brought her ear to various parts of my body, letting out groans.
Her attitude, as if treating a precious object rather than a person, made me feel bad, but I had no strength to say anything.
Right now, I just wanted to rest.