Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter:
Chapter Title: Rika's Reply
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Rika's reply.
I heard Ulpi's reply.
The sky had gone beyond black before I knew it, and the moon had risen.
The streets were now lit by streetlamps that ran on mana instead of electricity.
They weren't in great shape, flickering dimly and weakly, but it was enough to barely make out the surroundings.
According to the original plan, I was supposed to be heading home by now. In fact, even going back right this moment would be a bit late.
"Come on in, big bro."
"...Um, Ulpi."
"Why?"
"Doesn't the time seem pretty late?"
"Yeah, yeah."
"Isn't it about time I head home...?"
"No, you can't."
I see. Even before I could finish my sentence, a firm reply came back.
Contrary to my expectations, Ulpi didn't say another word and simply turned to head back into the house.
For a moment, I wondered what was going on. It wasn't like she was holding me back or letting me go either, or so I thought.
"...Mister!"
"Ah."
She was holding me back after all. Rapi came running out of the house and grabbed me.
"You promised me! You said you'd stay just a little longer today!"
"Uh, yeah. Right."
"Liar! I thought it'd be different this time! I thought I could trust you this time!"
"No, there must be some misunderstanding. Let's go inside."
"Hng...!"
Rapi was glaring at me with a pouty expression.
I wheedled and coaxed her as best I could.
She was still jutting out her lip a little, so in the end, I just scooped her up and carried her into the house.
"Come on. Let's go in."
"...!"
Rapi panicked at the sudden rise in her viewpoint but quickly clung to me tight.
Her tail was swishing back and forth. Good, her mood had improved at least.
On the way inside, I caught Ulpi looking at me with those impassive eyes.
Yeah... Ulpi, you never pick a fight you can't win.
No need to complicate things by getting all upset or whatever—just simply called Rapi from inside.
"Hey, you're favoring Rapi again."
"...?"
"You don't pet me, don't hug me first."
"No, Ulpi. Rapi just feels like a much younger little sister."
"I'm young too. I'm your little sister too. I'm not an adult yet."
"...Didn't you grumble last time that you're not a kid anymore?"
I remember that perfectly. Last time, when I said I felt bad for some struggling kid and helped them out, you definitely pouted.
And anyway, Rapi really does seem like a little kid.
"If I treated you the same way I do Rapi... wouldn't that be embarrassing?"
"Why?"
"Petting and hugging a girl as tall as me, one who looks indistinguishable from an adult—it'd be kinda weird, right?"
"I'm fine with it."
"I wouldn't be."
"Aha."
Putting everything else aside, that's just how I feel. Doing all these things you'd do for a kid to a bigger girl... the picture it paints is off in all sorts of ways.
Only after I explained it like that did Ulpi seem to get it a little.
"Just do it."
"...Uh, okay."
Nope. If the reason is just 'do it,' I don't have much to argue back with.
Ah, but wait a sec. Spending time here is one thing.
"Ulpi, then what about my house...?"
"Stay over."
"There's only one room here."
"It's fine. Won't be cramped. We can just sleep all stuck together."
"No way."
"Why."
"Are you telling me, an adult, to sleep over with two young girls?"
"Spot on."
Couldn't that be a little less spot-on?
Ulpi's expression was utterly confident, like what was the problem? Not a shred of embarrassment.
It even made me feel guilty, like I was the one harboring weird thoughts.
"...!"
Rapi didn't say much, but she was gazing at me with sparkling eyes.
This one had its own kind of pressure. So this is what silent pressure feels like.
...No, no, still, this really isn't okay.
"...I'll head home at dawn or something."
"No. It's late—dangerous. What if you run into a robber on the way?"
"Even if they have a kitchen knife, I could take them."
"Liar. No matter how strong you are, you couldn't."
"I can just grab a brick on the way. There were a bunch scattered in the alleys since everything's so rundown."
"...Oh."
"If I sneak out after you two are asleep, what could you even do?"
"? What do you mean, big bro? I've been planning to sleep holding you from the start."
"What."
"M-Me too..."
"Rapi, you too?"
If that's how it is, then yeah... I really can't escape.
* * *
Morning came.
Ulpi and Rapi had kept every word of what they said last night... perfectly.
When I woke up, they were sandwiched right up against both my sides.
Rapi was modest about it, just holding onto my arm with her hands, but Ulpi was straight-up clinging to me.
I really had tried to find some way to slip out last night.
But when they openly showed how sad they'd be—ears and tails drooping, looking all gloomy—I just couldn't leave. Instead, we compromised on sleeping at opposite corners of the room.
Yeah, they broke that while I was asleep.
It was like they'd made a promise to do exactly this.
To be honest, I don't mind what Rapi does. No matter what, she can get away with it cutely. And what she actually did wasn't beyond kid level anyway.
Ulpi's the problem. She seemed fine when we went to sleep, but come morning, she was in way too comfortable clothes.
I desperately ignored the feel of her arm as she hugged me.
It wasn't good at all. Straight-up chilling. No one to report it to around here, but if there were, I'd be dragged straight to the station.
I wanted to sleep in a bit more if possible, but this time I had to bolt upright right away.
Since it had come to this, I woke the girls up too.
"Yaaawn... Good morning, mister..."
"Yeah, good morning."
"...Morning, big bro."
"You, go grab some clothes and put them on, please."
"Why won't you even greet me back...?"
I don't have the luxury for that right now, Ulpi. It was your fault to begin with.
I wish you'd stop dawdling and just hurry up.
Apart from anything else, I wish you had a sense of shame.
You weren't like this when we first met... How many times have we even met for you to get this comfortable with me?
Anyway... After that utterly disastrous time, I bought the girls breakfast and finally made it back home.
This time, they didn't try to hold me back. I'd already given in once last night.
But I still had to promise to come again. Otherwise, tears might've started welling up in those big eyes.
I was finally home. I was about to dive right into writing volume 3.
"Come over here and sit, Aren."
"Ah."
That is, up until I predictably ran into Ranyori, who was full of anxiety again.
I ended up having to soothe her once more.
Anyway, now it was really, truly time to finish volume 3—even if a lot of time had passed.
The scene where Karen uses her various connections to investigate those guys and take them down was easy to write.
Just using data that's already out there—what could be hard about it?
First, show the villains sneering, mocking what basis they have to claim they did anything wrong.
Karen's reaction here isn't anger. It's 'Oh, really?' Then she coolly walks away.
The villains feel uneasy behind her and shout something, but Karen doesn't turn back.
Then next. She dives into the investigation proper. Rather than showing every detail of how... let's just skip ahead in time.
Instead, I'll drop in lines of dialogue here and there to show the progress.
The key is to direct it so readers feel rage at how shockingly awful their crimes were.
And at the same time, uncover legal ways to dismantle what they've done, one by one.
To build catharsis, add in the company president sensing something off midway and panicking.
Once that's done, they go to Rika. Tell her they'll help.
Rika doesn't get it at first. She's just happy they've come back to her, wagging her tail gently.
But as Senyora and Karen keep explaining seriously, that smile fades.
"...Really?"
"Yeah! Really, really!"
Senyora nodded like that and said.
And at the same time, she hoped.
That hope, that emotion, would fill those colorless eyes devoid even of despair.
Rika's expression was strange.
She couldn't even smile.
She didn't shed tears either.
Like she had no idea how to react, overwhelmed by too many emotions crashing in, she reacted as if broken.
This was an important part. The scene where emotion is planted back into a girl whose feelings had dried up completely.
The time to water that parched earth once more with rain named tears.
"Th-Thank you."
Rika bowed her head first.
And gave her thanks.
She tried to continue to the next words.
But her mind was a mess, nothing coming to her.
"Thank you. Thank you."
She just kept repeating thanks.
Nothing else came to mind.
"Thank you—"
"... ."
"?!"
And then Senyora hugged that Rika.
She didn't even know why herself.
This wasn't her usual personality at all.
But one thing was certain: she desperately wanted to say this.
"Good job."
"... ."
"Good job... really. Now rest."
She heard breathing.
The breathing growing ragged.
Sobbing sounds too.
Senyora felt Rika hugging her even tighter in turn.
She stayed still.
Casually lifted her head to gaze at the sky.
She felt her clothes growing damp.
It must be raining.
The sky was so clear, yet it seemed to be raining.
It's okay.
After the rain, new sprouts will grow from the earth soon enough.
...Next, a few more days pass.
Rumors spread. About the company that had been tormenting the beastkin and some humans in the neighborhood being on the verge of collapse.
Everyone was thrilled. So thrilled it almost looked like a scene of madness.
People started suggesting they storm the company outright and give those tormentors a taste of their own medicine.
They were doomed to fall soon anyway—no way it'd hurt them to do it.
The response was great. Not a single opposing voice.
They achieved considerable success. They broke in, smashed equipment and facilities, vented on the employees.
And that taste of success was like lighting a fuse for them.
They grew even more violent.
Their targets expanded too. Some hadn't even had their legal crimes uncovered yet, others were far from any wrongdoing.
Didn't matter. Bystanders rubbed them the wrong way too.
As the madness spread further like that, they came looking for Rika.
Rika had somehow become a celebrity in the neighborhood.
Seen as the biggest contributor to their downfall. Even though in reality she'd done nothing.
Rika had been spending her time quietly, away from the violence. With Senyora and Karen.
They said this was all thanks to her, so she should join them in getting revenge on those bastards. Time to vent all that pent-up resentment, right?
...And her reply to that is the most important part of this volume 3.
I paused to recall a memory.
Ulpi's reply from last night.