Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: How Uncool
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"By the way... what was the title of that story just now...?"
"Why?"
"Just... you know... in case I want to hear it again later..."
Thankfully, the story I whipped up on the spot seemed to have won Rapi over.
I mean, she was putting on this nonchalant face like it was no big deal, but the fact she was asking me for the title said otherwise.
But what was I supposed to do? I hadn't even thought of a title.
"No title. Wanna come up with one now?"
"Me...? A fairy tale with no name? No way, I can't name it myself...!"
Her sense of copyright awareness was impressive... Thanks a ton, kid. It means a lot coming from a reader.
"It's fine. I just made it up."
"?"
"I'm the author. So I get naming rights."
"N-No way!"
"Why would I lie? Just to show off to you?"
"You might...!"
"...You think I'd lie to a kid my age just for a pat on the back?"
"Uh..."
Even you know that's not it, right? That'd be... way too pathetic for an adult.
"Did you really make it, mister...?"
"Of course."
"How...?"
"I'm a writer. A novelist. So yeah, I can handle a story like that."
"For real?!"
"Yeah. Guess you didn't know?"
"You just told me! How would I know?!"
"Nah, if you were into it, you'd recognize my name."
"...?"
Rapi tilted her head in confusion, but it was true. Not self-importance talking.
Even if the genre novel scene in this world was small, the big fuss with the beastkin lately meant more people knew about my books—even if they hadn't read them.
And my name as the author had spread even further.
...Though folks around here were so cut off from the outside world, they probably didn't know much.
"So, mister, you make money writing novels?"
"Yep. That's the job."
"Are you famous?"
"Kinda? Anyone in the know knows."
"Are your novels fun?"
"Well... readers seem to think so. Only two volumes out so far, though."
Rapi's eyes were lighting up more with every answer.
She was hooked now. Time to keep the momentum going.
"What's the story about?"
"...Can't tell you that."
Oof, instant fail.
"...! Why not!"
"Just can't."
"Is it naughty stuff?"
"No, it's not that, you little rascal."
If it were some violent action flick, fine, but... this felt awkward to spoil.
"You don't wanna tell me...?"
"Huh? No, that's not it. Don't worry."
Suddenly, she looked hurt—like genuinely wounded—her face all downcast as she said it.
Ears and tail drooping. Eyebrows too.
I jumped in panic and assured her otherwise.
It was like a kid hearing her friend had a secret just from her. Kinda similar situation, huh.
...But were we really friends?
"Anyway, we've still got time, right? Want another story?"
"...Like what?"
"Pick a theme you wanna hear this time?"
"Romance... how about that...?"
"Sure by me, but wouldn't something fresh be better?"
"...?"
"The last one basically shifted from adventure to romance anyway."
"If not, whatever..."
"Let's do it. Okay?"
She loves romance, huh. Fair enough.
So I pulled out another well-worn cliché from my mental library and tweaked it.
Villainess and her guard knight romance. Describe her as a tsundere going "oh ho ho," and boom—villainess achieved.
A puppy beastkin villainess, no less. Sure, the historical accuracy was trash-tier for this world... but if it was fun to hear, that was enough.
To me, it was a total cliché, but Rapi was eating it up, eyes sparkling.
At some point, her fluffy tail started wagging like crazy. Nice breeze back there.
And she'd been inching closer bit by bit; now she was right in front of me, staring up with those wide eyes.
When I first came in, she'd huddled in the far corner, avoiding my gaze entirely.
"What?"
"...Nothing."
"Then hurry! Tell me the next part!"
"Alright, alright."
Now, eye contact didn't faze her—instead, she got mad when the story stopped.
Better than before. She was acting her age.
Probably 'cause I was tailoring the plot to her requests right away this time.
I was basically an AI chatbot.
She picks the plot, I flesh it out.
"Um... don't make her fall for him so quick. Maybe tease a bit more...?"
"Got it."
If she didn't like it, revise and retry. Same gig.
But hey, I understood her better than any AI, plus voice mode. Female voices were a no-go... but still a win, right?
Anyway, not a bad time.
I love spinning these yarns. Why else would novel-reading be my hobby?
Rapi looked thrilled too. Hard to believe she'd been sulking in the corner, snapping at me earlier.
But I'd overlooked one thing: the power of immersion.
Truth was, we weren't that close yet.
Ulpi said Rapi hated humans, so yeah—distant.
We were bridging that gap through fun distractions right now.
But if that immersion broke...
The distance would snap right back, wouldn't it?
...
...
-Grrrrumble...
"?"
A stomach growl mid-story. Not mine.
Had to be Rapi. Her face was turning red.
I'd brought some bread just in case, figuring she'd get hungry waiting.
Didn't wanna embarrass her outright, so I pulled out my share and offered the extras casually.
Thus, the tale for Rapi paused—unavoidably.
The room fell deathly silent. The chattering just moments ago made it feel eerie.
...Rapi's expression was off. Her excited glow faded into a blank stare.
Like she'd been doused with cold water the second the story stopped.
She slowly looked around. Glanced at how close we'd gotten.
Then took the bread I'd awkwardly handed her. Didn't eat. Just froze.
"...Um! I have a question!"
"?"
She'd stared at the bread forever without biting, then blurted it out.
"Why are you helping me? Because of my sister?"
"Huh, why bring up Ulpi now."
"Sis is nice, pretty, and gets along with you."
"True."
"...But I'm not! I was a total jerk to you!"
Rapi declared her jerkiness with fierce pride.
But her shaky eyes gave her away—she was faking calm. Tense. Dreading a negative reply.
"Never really annoyed me."
"No way!"
"For real."
"Liar!"
"What's my motive to lie?"
"It doesn't make sense!"
She yelled it out.
"I was so rude!"
Listing her own "crimes."
"Grumbling all the time!"
Eyes squeezed shut now.
"Even now! Even now...!"
Trailing off into shaky breaths.
"Yelling...!"
Her forced outbursts cracked instantly.
"Just... yelling... so much..."
She'd tripped over her own fears. I hadn't reacted, but her imagined version terrified her.
"All the time..."
No hiding the emotion now. Raw and bare.
"...You hate me, right? Rapi."
"Never."
"You promised sis... you'd meet again... but you didn't."
"I was busy. Super busy. No choice."
"You stayed away 'cause Rapi creeped you out...?"
"No. I don't hate Rapi at all."
I'd never treated her badly. Always tried to show my best side. Why was this happening?
"Liar... Rapi's a beastkin."
"Then I'd hate Ulpi too. Do I seem like that?"
"...I'm not like sis."
"Huh...?"
"Sis is nice, pretty, hardworking. I'm not. I just snap at people."
"..."
"Sis is weird... doesn't get mad even after humans hurt her..."
"..."
"And Rapi's weird too... I hate humans... they made sis and me suffer. All of them."
"That's normal."
"So I hated you too... You seem nice helping sis... but you're human, so I hated you."
"I'm fine with that."
"Why... no way... If you hated me, I'd be devastated..."
"Heh."
"Why be nice to Rapi? That's what I'm thinking."
And that scares me. That's how she finished.
The young beastkin had gotten lost in the human's tales for a bit.
Forgot she'd been wary of him moments ago.
Then immersion shattered. Reality crashed back.
Why is this guy helping me?
Some ulterior motive? Otherwise...
No way he'd help a rude, annoying beastkin like me.
And the human hearing it was stumped.
Wanted to comfort her, but no clever words came.
So he went raw. Uncouth and rough.
"No special reason, really. A kid's grumbling doesn't hurt me, and seeing you struggle made me wanna help."
"..."
"I'm impulsive by nature. Jump into stuff on a whim. No way someone like me has a neat, logical excuse for you."
"..."
"So, let's make a new one now. What do you say?"
"...?"
"Right now, it hurts seeing this kid doubt kindness and blame herself. I don't wanna see it anymore."
"And...?"
"I'll make her smile—a lot. Promise. Cool?"
"H-How can I believe that...?"
"Yeah, got nothing to prove it this time either. Oh well, I'm a weirdo."
"...Hahaha!"
She laughed. Bright as day, after all that gloom. Unreal.
"Keep that promise! Got it?"
"Naturally."
"Then be super nice to Rapi!"
"How nice?"
"You smile a lot too! You'd be scary mad!"
"Next?"
"Play like today! Lots of stories, walks together!"
"And?"
"And! And...! Visit tons! Remember Rapi!"
"Easy. Obviously."
"Hahaha!"
Rapi laughed like a kid again.
Wiped away stray tears—they didn't suit her.
Tail wagged harder than ever.
Watching her, I thought...
Maybe Rapi took after Ulpi after all. Maybe she liked humans deep down.
Just for a moment.