Only You Think That Way, Demon
Porern Orphanage on 4th Street. Estimated population: 8 to 10. Home to Alice and Charlie, our protagonist Kiara, and a bunch of nameless extras like Chun-sik, Number One, Two, Three... A peaceful little country.
It was tucked away in the back alleys of the slums, but surprisingly, even this dump had some semblance of infrastructure.
"Shasha. Check it out—there's even a clothing store here."
[Hmm...]
"No way. This place sells groceries? You just hand over money and get food? This isekai world's pretty impressive~"
[Guess that wasn't a thing in your old world?]
"Yeah?"
In the end, it was still a neighborhood where people lived. Restaurants, clothing shops—you name it, it was all here. So why were the kids running around naked and starving?
'Sigh. What's the point of dwelling on it.'
I'd known she was a total bitch from the start, but witnessing it firsthand? The mental damage was no joke.
People often lose their minds when confronted with something they can't handle, but Luagwen was too pathetic for even that. Luckily, I managed to overcome it with a hasty emergency escape to the outside.
"Let's see... Got clothes. Got food..."
[Wine.]
"Shut it."
[You said you'd do what I want if I did what you want.]
"Ugh, fine... I'll grab some later. No toothpaste or soap around here anyway—looks like I gotta buy everything."
Clothes, food, toothbrushes, toys... Even I, who'd spent my life cooped up in a hospital, could see there was a ton we needed just off the top of my head.
Thanks to Luagwen's "consistency" on full display over the past few hours, at least one thing was crystal clear: nothing good was gonna be here anyway, so I had to buy it all.
'Clothes like these? Better go for the expensive stuff. They can hand 'em down if needed.'
The one silver lining was the stash of money Luagwen had squirreled away at the orphanage—it was still decently stocked. She'd swapped a hole in her own neck for a hole in her wallet, so good for her. Great, even.
[If you're worried the kids'll come for revenge later, you don't need to buy such pricey clothes.]
"What're you talking about? Should they just wear newspaper?"
[No, I'm saying why waste good money on kids' clothes? You think you're some saint in the place you live?]
Was she sulking because I hadn't bought wine yet?
[Feed orphans and they're grateful. Why invest my money in them?]
"Because they're kids."
[Nobody treats kids like that.]
...Was common sense here different from Earth? Maybe ignoring children was the default in this world.
Look at that rich guy passing the street stall.
"Daddy, Rowan wants chicken skewers."
"We have dinner soon, sweetie."
"Waaah..."
"Okay, okay—wanna sneak one without Mommy knowing?"
Or over there.
"Oh my, what a cute baby."
"Gah goo!"
"Right? This little one's keeping me going these days."
...Nah, you're the outlier. You're the demon here.
[Those kids have parents.]
Luagwen pointed at the stall the rich guy had just passed. Well, not really—she didn't have hands for it, the pathetic thing.
"Don't stink up the place—if you're not buying, get lost!"
The stall owner who'd been selling skewers to the dad and kid moments ago. The kindly old uncle vibe was gone, replaced by a hag chasing away the children.
Their ragged clothes said it all about what Luagwen was getting at. Treatment changed based on where you came from.
[Orphans are despised. Be grateful they even house you...]
"Fuck."
...Wasn't that our house? Why was she there?
Alice of Porern Orphanage. Among the kids, only Kiara was older than her.
But Kiara wasn't around much—always vanishing somewhere and popping back up out of nowhere.
So thirteen-year-old Alice inevitably became the eldest sister figure. She had no choice but to develop keen instincts. Otherwise, she wouldn't have survived.
— "You cooked it, you eat it."
The director's words at lunchtime. The little ones took it literally and scarfed it down happily, but Alice couldn't get a single bite past her lips.
Instead, she chewed over the words.
'Guess they think this counts as food?'
'If you can't even cook properly, what's the point of taking us in?'
Bitter taste without eating a thing. The words weren't exactly that... but why did they feel the same?
'Gotta make dinner right!'
She wasn't an adult yet, but orphans grew up fast. For her siblings who still needed care, she had to stay as the "kid" holding down the fort.
'She hates meat... so seafood.'
Seafood was pricey these days... but the kids had eaten lunch, so they could hold out a bit.
'...But I suck at cooking seafood.'
She could borrow a cookbook from the city library, but walking there and back was a haul. And even if she made it on time, would they let her in?
What to do? No good options came to mind—nothing she could actually pull off.
Her head spun with worries, but what prodded her mercilessly was the smell. Far more tantalizing than the kitchen stench, wafting from a nearby stall.
'I love meat too...'
The hungrier you got, the more violent the scent. Nothing like what a kid could whip up—pure temptation.
She stared blankly, oblivious. The stall owner yelled something, but it didn't register.
'I want it.'
Her thoughts nearly froze, but superhuman willpower held her back. Just hurry home, she decided—
"Fuck. Why talk to her like that, old man?"
Alice nearly burst into tears at the voice behind her. Not from the stall owner's words, but because the scariest person she knew was right there.
"D-Director?!"
She swore three years just shaved off her lifespan.
"Eat up."
"...Thank you."
Acting all pitiful to strangers without a shred of tact... It didn't mean the same thing, right?
Alice clutched the skewers in both hands. A rare luxury in her life. The stall owner had slipped her some candy too, as an apology...
She was probably the richest kid her age in the slums now.
"Not hungry?"
"...No. I'll eat."
If she made the director worry more, the wrath would be real. Her appetite had vanished, but she forced a bite.
'...It's good...'
Even street food beat her cooking by miles. Did that mean the director really got mad because her food sucked?
...Happy, but depressed now.
"Bought plenty for the others too—don't hold back, dig in."
"...Thank you."
"I'm buying this to thank you for helping with shopping. No need to feel bad."
That old man and his mouth... Seoha swallowed her rant. Tempted to flip the stall, but he'd apologized properly after, and Alice said it was fine—what more to say?
Instead, she slipped him some cash and asked him to share skewers if any kids came by. A nice wrap-up.
Maybe it'd keep the others from getting the harsh treatment.
'Her stomach must be in knots, but she can't even show it.'
Seeing Alice mope made Seoha uneasy. She barely ate at the diner, and now this? Her stomach really must be wrecked.
Seoha didn't realize the real appetite-killer was the nearby disaster (green hair, aka herself).
Why does she hate me? She seemed to like playing together. Classic Seoha logic.
The guy who'd been Lee Seoha just hours ago had logged "kids fear me" in his brain but hadn't adapted yet. Anyway, that was beside the point.
With the unexpected companion, they wrapped up shopping faster than planned.
"You're the Porern director, right? On the house."
"Whoa, thanks!"
Few bought multiples of the same doll—guess she noticed. The doll seller was kind, at least.
"Such a cute kid. Heard there are creeps targeting children lately—keep an eye on yours."
"More pervs messing with kids?"
"Some thug named Malkor in the back alleys... Word is he's started a kid-related business."
Was Luagwen's name Malkor?
[Not me.]
'...Really?'
[Some other back-alley punk, not me.]
Shut up, Malkor! Suspicion lingered, whatever.
"God. Gotta chemically neuter creeps like that... We'll be careful."
This rundown spot didn't seem worth targeting, but better safe.
One woman, several kids. Actually one crazy Evil God nut, one overpowered kid, and several rugrats—but on the surface, easy prey.
[Unnecessary worry. Orphanages are church-managed, so lowlifes don't touch 'em easily.]
"Huh???"
You worship an Evil God while taking Goddess church funding...? And a not-lowlife showed up?
"Director, you okay...?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
'Worry less about other houses' criminals—ours first.'
Strange headache as they walked. Hurrying home, she noticed footsteps behind had stopped.
'No way?'
Kidnapping? ...Nah.
Turning, Alice had paused at a bookstore. Her gaze led to a cookbook.
"Want me to buy it?"
"No, it's not essential... Just something I haven't seen at the library."
"Then we'll get it. Pick more."
"Um..."
Hesitant, so Seoha grabbed every cookbook in sight. One had a big hunk of meat on the cover; another, a mermaid.
'Not actual mermaid recipes, right...?'
Probably seafood-focused.
"...Need any other books?"
"No! This is plenty for cooking."
"Not just cookbooks."
What did kids here read—novels? Comics? Curiosity hit about local books.
"Okay, one errand: Take this money and load up on comics or novels from the bookstore."
"...Yes!"
"Oh, and one more."
She loved books that much? Time to get her proper schooling, not just cooking.
Seoha watched her dash inside grinning, thinking: 'Keep a few for me, stash the rest in the kids' room—they'll read 'em on their own.'
Alice emerged arms full soon after. Sunset not yet—perfect timing to head home.
"Pasta with tons of shrimp for dinner."
"Got it. I'll prep."
"Nah, I'll do it. Grill meat later."
Too much meat now might shave her lifespan. Seoha grumbled inwardly.
[...And wine?]
Ah, forgot.