Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: His and Her Hidden Identity (4)
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In the unseen darkness.
Kanpu felt a trembling tension.
Gulp-.
Fear stems from the unknown.
That held true even for Kanpu, who had been unable to fully see ahead since birth.
Though some incident had improved her situation slightly compared to other ordinary blind people.
Of course, that didn't mean her fear of the unknown had completely vanished.
The iron door blocking the slum from the building interior was quite thick.
...The entrance now.
She couldn't hear the approaching footsteps, yet Kanpu immediately sensed her comrade and that person arriving near the building entrance.
As Kanpu rubbed her slender wrists to ease her tension.
"Why is everyone gathered here?"
"Hey...! Quiet!"
"Shh, shh!! We'll get caught!"
The noisy voices of children followed,
and Kanpu felt the heavy tension weighing on her body vanish in an instant.
A slight headache.
Feeling a faint ache inside her unseen eyes, she muttered.
"Everyone."
At Kanpu's cold voice, like ice water poured over them.
"See? We got caught!"
"I-I don't know anything!"
The gathered children scattered and fled.
Quite skilled and swift movements.
Though there weren't many places to run inside, the space wasn't narrow, so the children vanished from the spot in a flash.
Ultimately left behind were Kanpu, holding her forehead due to the headache, and the smallest child who hadn't read the mood at first.
The child fidgeted with their fingers and asked Kanpu, who was waiting by the door.
"Kanpu, are you okay? Your face looks bad...."
"I'm fine, so you go inside too."
"Okay!"
With an innocent reply, they dashed into the room.
Kanpu steadied her mind and exhaled.
Yes. My precious siblings.
And even big sis.
All of them were people she had to protect.
Though they might think the opposite.
Kanpu waited for the guest arriving at the hideout with a slightly more confident posture.
Soon.
Clunk....
The iron door's lock turned slowly.
And Runrun's familiar face popped out first.
"Come on in."
"Y-Yes. Just got back...."
But her attitude was off.
A somewhat suspicious reaction.
She wore an oddly reluctant expression, unlike usual.
"...And this is, yes. The rumored person Kanpu wanted to see."
By the way.
The man entering the building behind Runrun didn't look too intact either.
"......"
"......"
A quiet silence settled between them.
The man's appearance, like a giant balloon figure commonly seen on streets, was enough to stir anxiety in her heart.
Even the tallest in the family, Runrun, couldn't surpass the absolute barrier of 160cm.
(Not even anyone over mid-150s.)
Only by lifting her head very high could Kanpu look straight at the fearsome man—Hotdog Man's face.
Long body, so Hotdog Man?
It felt like a highly credible guess.
She could sort of understand why he'd treated Liberra like a kid.
Kanpu unwittingly shrank her shoulders.
Scar-like memories resurfaced.
Fear of adults....
Even after much time passed and everyone in the family could be called adults, she never got used to gazes looking down at her plainly.
But behind Kanpu were still many children who hadn't grown mentally.
So Kanpu straightened her back as much as possible and introduced herself composedly.
"Welcome to our home. Hotdog Man. My name is Kanpu.... I've heard a lot about you from big sis Liberra."
But.
"......!!"
The man's body shook roughly.
As if struck by lightning overhead.
Noticing the man's odd state, Kanpu subtly focused her senses toward Runrun.
Having spent a long time together, they could convey intentions without words.
What's up with him now?
...Well, you see.
Runrun scratched her head with an awkward expression.
It was due to a short conversation that could be called a mistake or a ploy.
Just before coming here.
The man and Runrun had exchanged some small talk.
- By the way, how old are you, little Runrun?
- Twenty-three.
For the man, it was a conversation of shock and horror.
- ?
The man's mouth gaped open.
Moreover, Kanpu had just referred to Liberra as her 'big sis,' older than herself.
Meaning the youngest here was the 'adult woman' named Runrun.
Expressed as inequalities, it went roughly like this.
【Runrun < Kanpu < Liberra】
....
Abel Anderson, having objectively sorted his situation, wanted to crawl into a rat hole if one existed.
* * *
- Tw-Twenty-three? Not thirteen?
- Yes.
What, even baby faces have limits.
Claiming to be an adult with a face that could enroll in elementary school tomorrow wearing a backpack.
I couldn't easily believe it.
So at first, I thought it was a lie.
Until Runrun pulled out her ID from her pocket.
- Ah, don't go telling people. It's useless here anyway.
Next, I suspected forgery.
My own ID was arbitrarily made by Christine, after all.
Not low probability.
- Hey, what forgery? If you say that, nothing in this city is trustworthy. For reference, this is made by Megacorp, unlike city hall IDs—it's genuinely reliable. Wanna get shot by a corp guy?
A world where corps hold more power than the city.
Finally, I asked about Liberra.
- Ah, boss.... I mean, big sis.... Ugh, I don't know well either. Ask her yourself later.
At least.
Runrun, no, 'Ms. Runrun's words didn't sound like lies.
I quietly wiped my dry face.
More than feeling tricked, a wave of self-loathing crashed in.
I recalled what I'd said when first meeting Liberra.
- What did you come to buy, kid? Mommy's errand?
Starting our first meeting like that, no wonder Liberra couldn't reveal the truth.
Plus, Liberra felt a heavy debt to me.
A light kindness from my side, but to her, the only salvation to feed her starving family.
Pretending to be a kid while hiding her identity wasn't entirely incomprehensible.
Only then did I grasp the full truth.
...No wonder.
Michael and the surrounding homeless had all looked at me like I was weird.
They were doubting my sanity.
Yeah, that's how it was....
·
·
·
Honestly, I wasn't entirely without excuses.
Having lived 176cm my whole life, after growing over 190cm, everything in the world felt small.
So I thought they were really kids.
And Runrun, the woman who introduced herself as Kanpu,
Liberra too.
All had very faint presences.
Like looking at small puppies.
Unlike Liberra and Runrun, who hid their faces with shaggy long hair, Kanpu showed her face fully.
With eyes gently closed, a mystical aura lingered around her.
Her ears oddly pointed, making me briefly think, How can a person be named Kanpu....
She wore an openly wary expression,
but at best, it was a fierce chihuahua or growling Pomeranian level.
Wanna pat her head—.
"Um, excuse me?"
"Ah."
That voice snapped me back.
This won't do.
I cleared my throat lightly and calmly adjusted my clothes.
Sigh, calm down. Calm....
I looked down at Kanpu, whose sullen expression was plainly visible.
Ah, I haven't introduced myself yet.
"My name is Hotdog—no, Abel Anderson. ...Liberra's little sis, right?"
"Yes, that's correct. Sorry for the sudden invitation; thank you for accepting so readily."
Unlike her youthful appearance, her demeanor was definitely adult.
I thought she had half-open eyes, but actually, they were fully closed.
...Can't see?
"And we're always grateful for the food too.... Must not have been an easy choice for Hotdog Man. We truly appreciate it."
"N-No...."
Banmal kept slipping out unwittingly, so I bit my tongue lightly.
The other party kept looking like a child.
To an oddly strong degree.
As I pondered some questions.
"But."
Kanpu's eyes slowly opened.
White pupils gleamed in the darkness.
The focus wasn't straight.
Vision seemed nonexistent.
Runrun, watching from the side (munching secretly fetched popcorn), raised her voice urgently.
"...Kanpu! What are you─."
"Quiet."
Kanpu silenced the noisy Runrun with one word, her gaze reaching me.
A bizarre sensation I'd never felt before....
Unpleasant yet refreshing.
"What is your real purpose in approaching us?"
"...Purpose?"
"Yes."
I scratched my head.
Unable to grasp the question's intent.
"......Just pitied you?"
Banmal slipped out in fluster.
Kanpu frowned.
"...Pity?"
"Does that sound bad? You said you had starving family, so I just brought food out of pity. That's it."
Cheap sympathy, nothing more.
Of course, one could take it badly.
- Please let me join your organization.
I vividly recalled Liberra kneeling and begging.
The organization didn't actually exist, so impossible,
but providing expired discarded food was doable.
What easy choice? It was extremely easy.
That led to helping other homeless too.
As I organized my thoughts, astonishment floated on Kanpu's face.
Like witnessing something unbelievable.
"That's really all? Without knowing our identities. No weird fetishes. Pure goodwill...."
Yeah, she suspected that.
There are pervs like Bogers in this world.
And.
Kanpu bowed at a right angle—no, nearly head to floor.
Her opened eyes were closed again.
"...Sorry for the weird question."
"Well, it happens."
I nodded in reply.
Honestly, my looks aren't kind either.
"No, it was great rudeness. ...Please forgive generously. And─."
Kanpu's gaze fixed straight on me.
At the same time.
The closed iron door flew open.
"If you bring Hotdog Man here...!!"
"Please take good care of our big sis from now on."
Liberra's flustered voice overlapped momentarily with Kanpu's gentle one.
As if time froze.
Everyone's movements halted.
"...Huh?"
Runrun munching popcorn on one side, children's gazes through the slightly open door, bowing Kanpu.
Finally, Liberra's flustered face looking up at me.
....
What to do with this atmosphere.
I let out a small sigh.
* * *
A world where goodwill can't be taken as goodwill.
Kanpu, barely surviving after nearly being consumed as a corp lab subject, knew that better than anyone.
Animals with the strongest power naturally become faithful to instincts.
So she risked it to confirm.
His true feelings.
- Just gave food 'cause seemed needed, what's the big deal. Well, can be upsetting. Ah, talking food makes me hungry. Wanna eat hotdog thoughtlessly.... Chili sauce today.
Kanpu doubted her ability for the first time.
This is....
100% pure kindness.
No base lust, desire, or purpose.
Unlike some androids judging lies via heart rate, pulse, blood flow.
Kanpu's power read deep psychology even the person themselves unnoticed.
...Yet.
He was a good person with a mindset from another world.
Aside from the vicious rumors.
Kanpu couldn't help but bow.
With a small request added.
"Please take good care of our big sis from now on."
However,
She didn't realize that remark could cause slight misunderstanding....