Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Nil's Heartfelt Laughter
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"Nil's weak against kids, huh."
Lianus muttered to himself as he thought back on Nihil's demeanor up until now. He'd even handed chocolate to little Bri along with the medicine.
"That's exactly why he became friends with you."
"...?"
Lianus tilted his head, wondering what that was supposed to mean. Nihil deliberately curled up the corner of his mouth and continued.
"If you'd been a full-grown adult, no chance in hell."
"...!"
"He only tagged along nicely because your antics are so damn cute."
"Th-that...!"
Lianus looked utterly shocked, as if he'd just taken a punch to the face, then promptly started to sniffle.
"Th-then you'll ditch me once I grow up?"
"...What?"
"D-don't ditch me. I'll... I'll try to stay cute even after I grow up."
"What the..."
Nihil stared blankly at Lianus's teary declaration that he'd work on being cute, then his shoulders began to shake as he broke into stifled laughter.
"Khup... Ri, Rian... you're really... khup, heuk, hahaha, ahahaha!"
Lianus's eyes went wide as he watched Nihil burst out laughing. Nihil wasn't one to laugh in a harsh or joyless way, but this was the first time he'd ever heard him laugh so heartily. The other kids all turned to stare, startled by the sudden loud guffaws.
Nihil kept laughing for a good while, even as he heard the kids whispering among themselves, before finally calming down.
"Haa..."
He wiped away the tears that had welled up from laughing so hard and lazily lifted the corner of his mouth.
"...All laughed out?"
"Mmm, for now."
"Planning to laugh about it later too?"
"Feels like I'll be cracking up over this one for ages."
"...Whatever... long as you're having fun."
Lianus had a foreboding feeling he'd be teased endlessly over this, but seeing Nihil laugh so heartily made the sacrifice feel more than worthwhile, so he just grinned it off.
Of course, far in the future, he'd come to regret brushing it off with a smile.
"Yvon bro-!"
Dan, his happiness meter maxed out from the meat, came running straight at Yvon while waving the chunk clutched in his hand.
"Dan, what're you gonna do if you actually took that?!"
"Bro said I did good taking my medicine. Dan ate nasty medicine to get it, so no wrong. Was gonna eat it all by myself, but bro works hard raising Dan, so I'll share a special bite. Here, ah~."
"Uh, huh?"
Yvon stared in confusion at the meat thrust toward his mouth, but the irresistible aroma proved too much, and he finally took a bite.
"...!"
"How's it? Tasty, right?"
Yvon forgot all about scolding him as he savored the juices and spices flooding his mouth. Now he understood why Ner had solemnly dumped on all those seasonings. Dan watched Yvon eat, then took a huge chomp himself and started stomping his feet while yelling how delicious it was over and over.
Just then, laughter started erupting from Ner's campfire. The kids jumped at the sound, then again when they realized it was coming from Nil.
"Wh-why's he laughing?"
"That kid knows how to laugh like that, huh."
"Must be Pan's story."
"Why me again! And Dan, quit sucking on it already—toss it!"
Pan snapped irritably at Dan, who was slurping on the leg bone as if trying to melt it down after devouring all the meat.
He was starving to death, a delicious smell was wafting everywhere, and the damn brat who'd starved him was cackling away—this whole situation grated on him.
Yvon soothed Dan and pried the leg bone from his tight grip before offering him some stew.
Dan took a sip of the stew, his eyes sparkling as he chattered nonstop that it was the best stew he'd ever had. It was still a bit bland for Lianus's tastes, but for kids used to eating food without any seasonings or spices, it was a whole new world.
Dave, while eating his stew, suddenly remembered something and gently rolled the stones he'd tossed into the fire with a stick. But a few of them crumbled away into dust, as if they'd just been clumps of dirt.
"Why'd you even put stones in there? You can't eat 'em!"
"Dunno. Nil did it, so I copied. Their campfire's got stones too."
"He assigns meaning to every little thing!"
Pan grumbled in annoyance and kicked away a stone Dave was reaching for, sending it flying far off. Dave just shrugged and chucked another one into the flames.
A little later, the kids—who had polished off nearly all the stew—started chattering away.
"Yvon bro, let's ask him to catch pigeons for us every day!"
"Hmm, that might be tough. They said they're leaving Sharton tomorrow."
"What? Tell 'em to stay here!"
"Yeah! Let's convince 'em not to go."
Before long, the kids were whispering schemes to lure Lianus and Nihil over. But beggars like them had nothing worth offering as bait.
"We'll treat 'em real nice and ask 'em to come..."
"But that hooded kid seems tricky. Maybe lure the bandaged one and he'll follow?"
"Can't see a thing—why wear the hood like that? I'd choke from how stuffy it'd be."
"Maybe scars he doesn't wanna show? The little one's wrapped head to toe in bandages too."
"Hmph, must be ugly as sin."
Pan, who still couldn't stand Nil, jumped into the conversation with a grumble. Dave, who knew what Nil really looked like, snorted dismissively.
"He's got his reasons for wearing the hood everywhere."
But Pan took Dave's words the wrong way, thinking he'd hit on Nil's weak spot, and shot up from his seat.
"What, Pan—where you going?"
"Wait there! Gonna see just how pockmarked he is!"
"What? Pan! Don't do anything you'll regret—get back here!"
Dave tried to stop him, but Pan had already bolted off. And in the blink of an eye, Dan had toddled after him too.
"Dan, where're you off to now?!"
Yvon called out urgently, but it was no use. The moment Pan reached Nil—who was sitting there quietly—he yanked the hood back violently.
The kids held their breath, fearing Nil would explode now that his "secret shame" was exposed, but thankfully, no big commotion followed. Instead, they could see Pan had gone rigid. Dan, who'd followed along, paused for a moment before clinging right onto Nil, just like he had when he'd gone for more meat.
A moment later, Ner came yelling and peeled Dan off him.
"...He's not gonna steal the rest of the meat, is he?"
Yvon muttered anxiously, just as Dan came back dragging Pan by the hand. Whatever had happened, tiny Dan had practically hauled Pan along behind him.
Dave clicked his tongue at the somewhat dazed-looking Pan and shook his head.
The other kids, unable to contain their curiosity, swarmed Dan.
"Dan, what'd you do?"
"Saw his face? What was it like?"
"Licked bro."
"...Huh?"
"Lick... why'd you lick?"
"Eyes said first to lick owns it."
"...?"
The kids' faces filled with confusion, unable to parse Dan's words. Dave, piecing it together, muttered condolences to Ner, who must have been utterly baffled by now.
"...Poor Ner. Your bro's innocence got stolen by lil' Dan."
"Whaaaat?!"
"D-Did Dan k-k-kiss or s-s-something?!"
Jane, hit hard by the shock, started stuttering even worse than usual.
"Not kiss. Licked. Bro tasted good."
Even on the lips!?
"Dan gonna marry that bro when grow up. Licked it, so mine now."
"Good lord..."
At that moment, the still-dazed Pan suddenly whipped around to head back toward Nil.
"Pan, where you off to now!"
"Me too... wanna try."
"Try what?!"
"P-Pan! N-No!"
Yvon grabbed Pan in horror as he mumbled his bombshell remark in a daze. The kids—everyone except Yvon and Jane—lost it, rolling on the ground in hysterics at how hilarious the situation was. Dan, clueless why his big bros and sisters were acting up, just looked baffled while holding Jane's hand.
"Why bros like this?"
Jane—who rarely spoke up because of her stutter—replied firmly to Dan's question.
"Dan, fr-from now on, no l-licking or k-kissing strangers without asking."
"Wasn't lick."
"A-anyway. No th-things like that. B-body contact only with p-permissions."
"Okay. Got it."
The kids laughed for ages before their curiosity about Nil's looks kicked in, and they started firing off questions.
"That pretty, huh? Prettier than Mary?"
"Mary sis is human."
"Er... yeah, true."
"That bro's a fairy."
"...That pretty?"
"Eyes sparkled like stars in night sky. Real real pretty."
"Yeah?"
"That pretty? Lemme go see!"
"Me too, me too!"
The kids all rushed over to catch a glimpse of Nil's face. But they couldn't breach his little brother's ironclad defense and slunk back empty-handed.
They were grumbling about their unsatisfied curiosity when Ner approached.
"Why'd you come? You mad?"
"That's why you gotta keep it down!"
"But we're curious!"
"Yeah! Pan messed up!"
"..."
Yvon sighed at the bickering kids and walked over to Ner.
"Sorry. The kids are kinda immature."
"Nah. My bro seems... pretty carefree too. We're heading out now, so I came to say bye."
"Heading out?"
"What?"
"Already?"
"This late?"
"Bro going?"
"Wh-where y-you going?"
"Dangerous to wander now!"
The kids blurted out in surprise at Ner's announcement that they were leaving. Ner shrugged, explaining they'd only planned to eat dinner here anyway, then handed Yvon a handkerchief-wrapped bundle of heated stones and some tea leaves.
"Tea leaves to keep your body warm. Super... nasty tasting, but nights get cold—drink it before bed. These are just hot stones. Dan's got a fever, so no tea for him; use these to keep him warm instead. Tell Dave... not to toss random stones in. Might rain at dawn, so definitely sleep in the warehouse, and Pan—don't head home tonight."
"Don't order me around!"
"Take care. We're off then."
"W-wait, it's dangerous out there this late. Why not rest here and leave in the morning?"
"Appreciate it, but we've got stuff to do—we gotta go."
"Th-then I'll come with."
Dave jumped in urgently, having overheard.
"I came out here to tail you guys in the first place. Let me tag along too. It's your first time in Sharton. I'll show you the way."
Lianus shot Dave a troubled look, then glanced at Nihil—who was packing up a short distance away.
Nihil, who'd been listening from afar, walked over and spoke up.
"Don't follow."
"What? Why not!"
"Too dangerous."
"Dangerous for you guys too."
"Not for us."
"W-well, maybe, but."
"If something happens, protecting you on top would be too much."
"No need to protect me!"
"..."
Nihil fell into thought. Telling him not to follow probably wouldn't stop him from sneaking along anyway. Should he just grab Lianus and bolt? But if these kids went out looking for them and ran into trouble, it'd only make things messier.
"Fine, then. If one of the bigger ones comes along as a protector, I'll allow it."
"..."
The comparatively "biggest" ones—Yvon and Jane—glanced at each other, pondering. Were they really the "big ones" he meant?
Still, since that's who the kids thought of as the big ones, all eyes turned to Yvon and Jane.
Jane spoke up first.
"C-can I c-come if it's okay?"
"Yeah."
"Whoa, thanks Jane bro!"
"N-no biggie. I-I'm w-worried too."
"Grab any weapon you can hide. Razor blade works if nothing else."
The kids tensed up a bit at Nihil's abrupt demand for tools, but they knew Sharton's nights were that dangerous, so they quietly gathered what they could.
Dave had a small pocketknife, but Jane didn't have anything suitable. Yvon handed over the dinner knife he'd hidden at her waist, but since Jane lacked the guts to use it, she rummaged through the warehouse and grabbed a little awl instead.
"...You gotta come straight back once you're done!"
"...Haa..."
Even after getting fully geared up, Nihil let out a deep sigh as Yvon held him there nagging for ages.