Chapter 153
Chapter 153
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: Burning Up. (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
# 153
16. Burning Up. (2)
#3 Their Circumstances: A Certain Cat's Circumstances
Why is this happening again?
If I could speak freely, these would be the first words out of my mouth.
"Hey, kitty."
The man—benefactor to my benefactor and master of this house—gripped both of my front paws in his hands and stared at me with serious eyes as he spoke.
"I don't really care what you are, honestly."
This guy really says one thing and does another.
If you don't care, just ignore me!
So why say that with that silver girl right next to you?
And that guy over there—he's practicing punches in the air?
He's thrusting his fists into empty space, muttering, "Whoosh, whoosh! This isn't a sound from my mouth! It's the sound of wind parting from my fist!" while sneaking glances at me!
Stop it, you're scaring me!
"Still, my little girl is basically your lifesaver. You'd admit that much, right?"
I almost nodded but barely stopped myself.
Yeah, she's a benefactor.
A true benefactor who healed me when I was on the brink of death.
If I ignored that grace, I'd be no different from a mere beast, not a beastkin.
"So if anything happens... the moment my daughter is in danger, you have to do everything in your power to protect her."
"Nyaong."
Piece of cake.
For my benefactor, I could even give my life.
That's the price for saving mine.
A life that might've ended otherwise—I could offer it for her.
"Good, I think you get it."
"Nya~aang."
I won't nod, though.
This man and girl seem to know I'm not an ordinary cat, but just in case.
I have to act like a normal cat, same as always.
"What a shame..."
"Nyaang!"
What's so shameful?!
I flee from the silver girl smacking her lips as she eyes me.
Normally she'd chase me a bit, but today she's quiet.
"Alright, next up."
"Grandpa?"
The lizard tilts its head at the man.
Ah, it means there's still more prey left.
"Come on, Kkoko?"
"Y-Yeah!"
The lizard flinches at the silver girl resuming her air punches but soon continues talking with the man.
Just as I thought—her actions were a show of force.
"Kkoko, what would you do if Mom was in danger?"
"Mom? Danger?"
"Yeah, if something threatening shows up for Mom, our Kkoko has to protect her, right?"
"Yeah! I'll protect Mom!"
"Good. And to do that, our Kkoko needs to learn magic."
"Magic?"
"Yeah, or at least learn to breathe brass."
"Brass?"
'Crazy?'
What is this man demanding from a lizard not even a year old!
Magic? Brass?!
If that's possible at one year old, it'd create a monster beyond the word "genius"!
"Yeah, brass is when you squeeze out all your power from your mouth and spit out flames."
"Hmm?"
See? It doesn't get it!
"And magic... if you learn it, our Kkoko can go play with Mom anytime."
"R-Really?"
"Yeah, just learn a spell called polymorph, and you can be with Mom whenever."
"Polymorph? I wanna learn!"
I wanted to turn human and scream at the lizard staring up at the devil with sparkling eyes.
'That's all bullshit!'
Even if lizards are the magic-using dragon race, they can't spit brass or cast spells at one year old.
Of course not.
Kids are weak in any race.
It's like handing a sword to a human toddler just starting to talk and saying, "Try using sword aura. Just concentrate mana into the blade like this."
"How do I learn it?"
"Well... feel your mana with all your might, then blast it out with all your might... maybe?"
And the one making the demand has no plan.
"Huh?"
See? The lizard looks confused.
"It's fine. This one will teach you how to use magic anyway."
"Ta-da!"
"Eek!"
The man suddenly scoops up the silver girl punching the air and plops her right in front of the lizard.
"N-No!"
Of course not. That thing stimulates every instinct screaming "predator."
But the man just smiles warmly at the lizard's resistance.
"Don't you want to protect Mom?"
"I-I do!"
"But what can you do right now, Kkoko?"
"I-I can!"
"No, you can't."
No matter how you look at it, this is just a man bullying a one-year-old kid.
"Ar, go call the young lady from outside."
"Yep~"
The silver girl hops away and soon returns, leading my benefactor into the room.
"Daddy!"
"Yeah, yeah."
My benefactor leaps into the man's arms the moment she enters, and he seats her on his lap.
"Young lady."
"Yeah, Daddy!"
"Don't you want to stroll the neighborhood with our Kkoko and eat yummy things together?"
"I wanna play!"
"Yeah, yeah."
I could sense something going wrong as he gently stroked my benefactor's head.
'I have to shut that mouth! It's dangerous otherwise, lizard!'
But right now, I'm just a cat.
I can't speak.
"To do that, we need Kkoko's help."
My benefactor stares at the lizard with sparkling eyes, leaving it in a tough spot.
"Come on, Kkoko! You can do it!"
"Y-Yeah! I'll do my best, Mom!"
In the end, the lizard caves.
It looks happy basking in my benefactor's praise, but when it glances sideways and spots the silver girl, its eyes drop to the floor.
Trials like this before even a year old.
So pitiful.
"Hee hee."
Chill.
'Am I in no position to talk?'
My skin crawled at the silver girl's sudden grin directed at me.
Like becoming a predator's prey?
'Still...'
There must be a reason the man is suddenly pushing this.
Everything he's said is about protecting my benefactor.
'If it's for that, maybe I can muster some strength...?'
Glancing at the silver girl eyeing me and the lizard, it feels like we might not be needed, but...
Better safe than sorry, right?
Yeah?
***
Perfect, that's it.
"If only the old man next door comes back, it'd be flawless."
I wanted to whack the cat with my metal bat until it talked, but it'd probably run, so I settled for words.
Though I did feel like even a regular cat might start talking if hit enough with the bat.
"The brass launcher is coming along too."
I know a dragon under a year old can't breathe brass, but I have my almighty metal bat.
Disciples turned monsters after beatings, gods made contracts with students to survive.
Even the downgraded wooden bat mass-produced swordmasters.
With the metal bat, maybe a one-year-old dragon could spit brass!
"If not, sorry."
It only hurts—no real harm.
Should be fine.
Great. Now my conscience is clear.
"Alright, time for me to prepare."
I awakened thanks to my young lady's tears.
Yeah. Since when have I lived quietly?
Most of my life in the Evil Organization, then a big flop at Yuglasia Academy after.
So what if my daughter is a demonkin!
If the Demon King targets her, we run. If she's the Demon King, smash the demon world until no king is needed.
Though it'd be best if none come!
"Alright then..."
I grip the hefty pickaxe in both hands and tap the wall.
Clang! Clang! Clang! The underground hole widens bit by bit.
As pro Evil Organization vet with 25 years experience, master fugitive Naruan Teacher says:
Fugitive life starts with...
"Making an escape route."
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Thus, the escape route crafted by a master fugitive began taking shape.
#4 Their Circumstances: A Certain Old Man's Circumstances
Finding the dwarf race wasn't easy.
But asking them to forge a weapon was even harder.
I scraped together a hefty sum and came to them, but they're artisans.
Most what they sell humans are practice blades by blacksmiths—or failures.
Valuable by human standards, but not what I wanted.
The best. I wanted the absolute best sword.
I came here for the ultimate blade, infused with a smith's soul!
But the dwarves didn't trust humans.
"Still haven't gotten it?"
One blacksmith from the Red Hammer Clan eyed me and said that.
"I won't leave until I get what I want."
"Plenty like you. But none have received our clan's weapons. Think waiting will change our minds? Big mistake."
He spoke truth.
One week, two—soon a month, then two.
Treated like village decor, just sitting and waiting one day.
"Just one question. Why does a swordsman who swings a blade rely on a weapon?"
A dwarf introducing himself as elder of the Red Hammer Clan said to me.
"Depending on a weapon—isn't that shameful?"
"I just want a weapon matching my skill."
"Hoh. Got the skill?"
"Yes."
He nodded, then eyed me impassively.
"If you're so confident, why seek our swords? Humans forge decent ones now and then."
I closed my eyes at that.
True—humans do produce fine named blades.
But I want... the overwhelming power of that silver sword Melrn wielded.
Wield such a weapon, compare my old self to new.
"I..."
I quietly told him about my time with Melrn.
After the tale ended.
"Hoh, do you... know that weapon's name?"
"Heard it's a magic weapon made by dwarves."
"I-I see... What did it feel like getting hit by it?"
"Wanted to die. But... the pain kept death so far away."
"Its color... silver, right?"
"Yes."
Trembling, he grabbed my hands and pulled me up.
"You and I are comrades."
"Pardon?"
"Comrades struck by that vile magic weapon!"
Tearing up, he shared his story.
Roughly ten years ago.
The story of the Black Anvil Clan, who felt guilt over their weapons killing and made a "magic weapon" that doesn't kill.
He said he mocked the Black Anvil Clan then.
Weapons are for war. Opposite creed to Red Hammer Clan, who seek ever-stronger arms.
"But after tasting that magic weapon, all my values flipped."
A weapon that doesn't kill? Shame on dwarves.
He said he faced that magic weapon himself.
"My magic weapon wasn't even one."
The instant he was hit, he thought like me.
'Ah, just let me die.'
Probably everyone hit by it thinks that.
"And I realized: if you're gonna kill, do it clean— that's courtesy to the foe."
He fetched a greatsword from his room and offered it.
"My strongest magic sword. No—call it the Red Hammer Clan's ultimate magic weapon."
The red-glowing greatsword looked worthy of "best sword" to anyone.
"I'll give it to you. Will you take it?"
That was my goal coming here.
Of course I'd accept...
"And settle things with the one wielding that silver magic weapon!"
I froze.
"Th-That is..."
My hand halted mid-reach for the sword.
Fight that silver magic weapon again?
"W-Well, too tough, huh?"
He looked understanding.
And a week later.
After agonizing, agonizing, agonizing!
I took the magic weapon.