Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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>Translator: Lord First
>Chapter: 3
>Chapter Title: I'll Feed You Well
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Heh heh heh. I'll make sure you're well-fed.
Now that I was done cleaning up after Odil, it was time to take care of other things. First, I needed to eat.
‘I should get the kids something to eat, too.’
The previous owner of this body used to just toss the kids, the test subjects, some water with a few chopped potatoes. When he couldn't be bothered, he'd even throw them bread that looked past its expiration date. All the while, he himself ate the soft bread and soup fit for Odil.
‘That won't be happening anymore. Hehehe.’
I first picked up a ladle at the age of five after seeing my mom’s burnt fried eggs. For someone like me, a master of cooking, preparing meals for children was a piece of cake.
‘I'll make sure you're well-fed until you're rescued.’
Chuckling to myself, I began to cook a delicious-looking soup. I brought the generously spiced soup and bread to Odil.
“Leave it and go.”
“Yes, sir.”
Odil, seemingly focused on his experiments again, didn't even glance at the food. I left the room and returned to the kitchen.
*Thump.*
I placed a tray on top of the large, oblong soup pot instead of a lid, and set the bowls on it. Hoisting the heavy pot, I headed for the basement where the children were waiting.
***
Inside the underground prison, where cold water dripped steadily, young children huddled together, sharing their warmth.
‘Mama...’
A girl named Lily, so thin her cheeks were hollow, blankly recalled her mother's face.
She's a girl, so she's worth more, right? Look! She should fetch a pretty good price!
Her mother's voice buzzed in her ears. Lily didn't care about her mother's harsh words. She just wanted to return to the arms of the only 'adult' she could rely on. Even though she knew she couldn't go back, and that she wouldn't be happy even if she did, she still longed for it.
*Thump.*
She flinched. Footsteps sounded from above. The children shrank back, pushing themselves away with their feet. Their bodies trembled with fear.
*Clack, clack.*
They were relieved it wasn't the sound of the Black Mage's leather shoes, but they didn't relax their tense bodies.
‘It's him...’
The man who threw them tasteless bread at mealtimes. The one who sometimes dragged them out instead of the Black Mage. *Shudder.* Her body trembled at the thought of being taken away.
*Rustle.* Just then, a gentle warmth embraced her.
“It's okay. I'm here.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Lily buried her face in the embrace of Pia, who held her with stick-thin arms. The two were not blood sisters, but they were connected by a deep bond.
*Thump, thud. Clatter.*
“*Sniff, sniff.*”
“It smells good...”
As his footsteps drew closer, a savory aroma tickled their noses. Without realizing it, Lily slipped out of Pia's embrace and twitched her nose.
“Li-Lily!”
“Unni, it smells so good.”
“Still, come back here. You might get taken away!”
“Okay.”
The thought of being dragged away was terrifying, so Lily nodded and returned to Pia's arms.
*Grooowwl.*
*Gurgle.*
*Rumble.*
All sorts of sounds echoed from their stomachs, reverberating through the underground prison. Their bellies, numb from long starvation, churned in protest, demanding they eat the savory-smelling food.
*Clack!*
“...!”
While they were focused on the smell, he stepped down onto the last stair. Unlike usual, he was carrying a large pot. The smell was coming from it.
*Gulp.*
The sound of someone swallowing dryly echoed.
Striding forward, Rian approached the prison cell and set the pot down beside the entrance.
*Jingle.*
Then, he found a bundle of keys at his waist and unlocked the door.
*Clank.*
“...!”
“Hyaaah!”
The children, who had been inching forward, recoiled and scrambled back. Whenever he opened the door, he always dragged one of them away to be a test subject. Like she was being swept away by a tsunami, Lily was pushed back by the other children. Rian’s face, as he entered the cell, was obscured by the backlight.
“Heave, ho.”
Rian propped the door open with his foot, then hoisted the pot and came inside. He set it down to one side, then placed his hands on his hips and looked toward them.
*Flinch.*
Realizing their eyes had met, Lily flinched and buried her face against Pia’s body.
*Clatter, splash!*
At the sound of something falling into liquid, Lily shuddered and peeked over. A wooden ladle was spinning around inside the pot that was emitting the delicious smell.
“*Slurp.*”
Lily unconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva. She could feel her throat, cracked and dry from not having had even water properly.
*Plop.*
Rian picked up a wooden bowl from the tray he had set aside and began to ladle soup into it.
*Pour.*
The sight of the appetizing soup filling the bowl seemed to play in slow motion. Lily stared blankly at the soup, as if mesmerized.
*Grit.*
Just then, Pia gritted her teeth and glared fiercely at Rian.
‘He's doing this on purpose...!’
Until now, Rian had always done trashy things like sneering at the starving children in the cell or tossing them his half-eaten bread. He had never brought food that smelled this delicious right into the cell, but he had stood outside, tearing off pieces of soft bread and laughing at the children crawling on the floor from hunger.
Given his history, it was no wonder Pia’s expression was sour.
‘If he's really doing this on purpose... I'll knock the whole pot over.’
She might be dragged away as the next test subject, but at least Lily and the other children would get a taste of the soup. Of course, they would have to lick it off the floor, but in this place, you had to eat like that just to survive.
Just as Pia's eyes flashed fiercely while she stared at Rian.
*Clang, clang!*
Rian lightly tapped the inside of the pot with the ladle.
“It's time to eat. Come over here and form a single line.”
“...!”
“*Gasp...*”
A few children, having lost their reason to hunger, rushed forward. Seeing this, the others, who had been frozen in fear, reflexively followed.
“I won't give you any if you don't line up. You, stand back there. That's right.”
Rian, who would normally shake his hands in disgust if even a single finger touched one of the children, was now gently taking the grimy children's arms and helping them form a line. It was a sight so unimaginable that Pia could only stare at Rian, her mouth agape.
“Me too!”
“..! Lily!”
When even Lily rushed forward to get in line, Pia had no choice but to follow her. It wasn't because she really wanted to eat.
“It's hot, so be careful. Use this spoon and give it back when you're done.”
With practiced skill, Rian served each of the children a bowl of soup. Afraid someone might take it from them, the children carried their soup to a corner and began to devour it hastily. Soon, it was Lily's turn.
“Here you go.”
“...!”
Lily's eyes sparkled as she hurriedly took the bowl and tiptoed to lean against a wall. Thankfully, she hadn't spilled a single drop.
*Slurp, gulp!*
“...!!”
A thrill shot through her as she carefully spooned the soup into her mouth. Despite his warning about it being hot, the soup was perfectly warm and melted lightly in her mouth. It was a potato soup, made from mashed potatoes, and it was sweet without being greasy.
“*Gulp, slurp!*”
Lily devoured the soup as if she were drinking it. Tears welled in her eyes when she chewed on the small chunks of meat mixed in. By the time she came to her senses, the bowl was empty. Just as she was licking the spoon and bowl in disappointment...
“*Sluuurp!*”
Startled by the loud noise, Lily's eyes went wide and she turned her head. Sitting next to her, Pia had her mouth to her bowl, gulping down the soup.
“U-Unni?”
“Mph..!”
Snapping back to her senses at Lily's voice, Pia, who had been scraping up the last of the soup, blushed and swallowed the remaining mouthful.
“I-It's hot, so you have to eat slowly, Lily.”
“Okay.”
Lily learned that Pia was capable of saying things that made no sense.
“We'll have dinner later, too. So let's just have one bowl for lunch.”
A gentle voice reached her ears, and Lily's gaze turned toward the cell door. Rian was sitting on the floor in front of the entrance, placating a child who was hesitantly holding out their bowl, asking for more. His voice and smile were so kind that the child froze.
“You ate it all up. Was it good?”
“Y-Yeah.”
The child, who had been sold at a young age without ever learning to speak properly, answered with clumsy words. As if finding even that commendable, Rian gently patted the child's hand before taking the bowl.
“If you suddenly eat a lot of food, your tummy might hurt! So if it hurts, let me know, okay?”
“...Okay.”
Why he had suddenly changed, why he was giving them delicious food—the reasons didn't matter. In a situation where they couldn't rely on any adult, none of the children could refuse a warm, outstretched hand.
“Alright, I'm going to go now, so be quiet.”
“Okay!”
“Yes...”
A few of the children, who had opened their hearts in an instant, came close to the bars and answered obediently. Rian reached his hand through the bars and gently stroked their heads. A faint blush appeared on the children's faces.
*Clack, clack.*
As the sound of his footsteps faded, Pia bit her lip and hugged her knees. She acted like an adult for Lily, but she herself was only a thirteen-year-old child.
‘In this hellish world, mercy doesn't exist.’
In the kingdom of Iskenia, which had fallen into the hands of the Demon King, humans were treated no better than livestock. The only humans who received somewhat better treatment were those whose hearts were as twisted as the demons themselves.
‘Don't get your hopes up. If you do, you'll just be betrayed again.’
Pia buried her head between her knees, suppressing the hope that was trying to bloom in her heart. She recalled the faces of the vile humans who had betrayed and abandoned her. The scum who smiled to her face while selling her out behind her back.
Without realizing it, that anger of hers turned toward Rian.