Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Standoff with Tactical Filial Piety Grandpa
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The dragon caught red-handed giving a tactile experience.
The grandfather frozen in place like stop-motion in his panic.
"...Grandpa?"
The owner, just as baffled by the whole situation.
"Granddaughter! Get away from that thing!!"
Grandpa immediately pulled out his premium Filial Piety Baton from his pocket and aimed it at me.
"That thing...! It's an utterly vicious beast that covets hamburgers!!"
"...Keng?"
I'd been about to growl back in anger, but his words left me dumbfounded.
How is coveting hamburgers vicious...?
"......"
"Don't look at me like that. I don't get why eating hamburgers is wrong either."
I stared at the owner—his granddaughter—with a blank look, and she waved her hands, signaling she had no idea either.
"Get away right now, granddaughter! You know all Anomalies that mimic humans are dangerous!"
Grandpa earnestly tried to persuade her, ignoring all that.
The more I listened, the more wronged I felt.
I didn't choose to become an Anomaly...!
"You're a shady old man who won't even sell hamburgers!!"
"Hmph! No hamburgers for lizards!"
"I'm not buying hamburgers from your convenience store either!!"
I swished my tail and made an X in the air, and a vein popped on Grandpa's forehead.
Does this make you mad?
"You little lizard...! Do you know how old I am?!"
"How old?!"
Words aren't working, so you're going for age?
Fine, bring it. I'll take you on, born in 1994.
"I'm a whopping 2000 baby!"
"2000 baby? Pfft."
Whoa! A 2000 baby!
Millennium baby!
You must've felt the power of the Red Devils at age 2!
Sorry, but I was 6 then!
"Younger than me!"
"Wh-what?!"
I won on age, but as a '90s kid, I felt defeated by this 2000s kid Grandpa.
They probably don't even know what Nolto is. Or do they?
Still, they didn't go to national school!
"Bueh!"
I stuck out my tongue in an adorable taunt, and Grandpa instantly raised his Filial Piety Baton to smack my head as he charged.
Showing nimble movement worthy of a swordmaster's stance, Grandpa ultimately...
"Grandpa! Why are you picking on our Lua?!"
"Krek!"
Thwack! He was stopped dead by Mi-ra Owner's flick to the forehead.
Grandpa clutched his stinging forehead, eyes wide as he stared at his granddaughter.
"Don't bully Lua. This one's saved my life three times, you know."
"...What?"
Grandpa looked at me in disbelief.
He couldn't wrap his head around an Anomaly protecting a human.
"Heh heh...! Hear that?! I'm the benefactor who protected the owner~!"
"Lua, don't talk informally to my grandpa."
I puffed out my flat chest in victory, only for Mi-ra Owner to flick my forehead this time.
"You two seem to have some misunderstandings, so sort it out nicely. You can talk just fine, so let's discuss it."
She clapped her hands and set up a negotiation table, seating us both.
"......"
"......"
Sharp glares from the hamburger-munching dragon and Tactical Filial Piety Grandpa flew across the table for a moment.
"...Thanks for saving my granddaughter."
Grandpa bowed his head first, expressing his gratitude to me.
...He's admitting defeat this easily?
"Be grateful you have an owner who makes hamburgers this good. Hmph!"
I was still a bit miffed, so I snorted childishly.
But when Mi-ra Owner poked my horn with her finger as a hint, I lowered my tail too.
"..."
"..."
Awkward silence settled between us now that we had nothing more to say.
My expressive tail twitched oddly at an angle.
"So, what kind of Anomaly are you?"
Uncomfortable with the lingering silence, Grandpa broke the ice first.
"A dragon."
That was the only word that perfectly described what I am.
A dragon... though closer to a girl. Anyway, a dragon.
"Main diet is hamburgers. Can't eat anything but."
"Don't all Anomalies eat humans as their staple? Does that even make sense?"
Grandpa, rich in Anomaly knowledge from his long life, voiced his doubt.
"Owner. Got any fruit or something?"
"Yeah? One sec...."
I politely asked her, and she handed me some leftover apple pieces.
I held the apple in my cute little hand and took a big bite right there.
Crunch—
The sweet aroma of fresh apple spread for a moment.
"Urk! Eek! Heek!"
I spat the bitten apple onto the table and writhed around like I was seizing.
"Puebl! Kkeheeng...!"
Eating anything but hamburgers twisted my body, so I'd never even tried other foods.
No way this body could handle human flesh.
"I've seen it myself. She really can only eat hamburgers."
"...Huh. What a peculiar one."
With Mi-ra Owner's backup sealing the deal, Grandpa sent a slightly less suspicious glance my way.
"Hmph... If you're fooling me, you'll have to worry about becoming a leather wallet."
Trusting the word of such a docile girl, Grandpa seemed ready to believe me... Wait, what?
Leather wallet!?
"Eek!! Dragon hunter!!"
"Tsk tsk...! That tail of yours is perfect for a wal—Khek!"
Another sharp flick flew at Grandpa as he threatened me with a sinister grin.
"Grandpa. Stop scaring Lua. She's such a good girl."
"Aigoo, granddaughter! This thing's an Anomaly!"
"She is an Anomaly, but our Lua is cute and safe, right?"
Grandpa pressed his stinging forehead with his fingers, shooting his granddaughter an aggrieved look.
Mi-ra Owner subtly ignored his gaze and patted my head.
"Hehe.... Our Lua...."
Her touch treated me like a definite ally, so I wiggled my fingers cutely and shook my head.
What a kind owner!
Grandpa's shocked expression at the cozy scene was just icing.
Hmph! Seduced!
Should've given me a hamburger yesterday, and none of this would've happened!
"...Granddaughter. Then, until we confirm this thing is definitely safe, mind if she stays with you?"
"That much is fine.... But help out at my shop a bit."
"Leave it to me. I'll help properly while keeping watch."
Still unable to fully let go of his suspicions, Grandpa volunteered to act as Mi-ra Owner's bodyguard.
That was fine by me.
It was a chance to prove I wasn't a bad Anomaly.
Even if the Management Bureau caught me later, two witnesses would be more credible than one.
...Still, I hoped I wouldn't get caught by the Management Bureau.
Something about their image was scary.
A horde of men in black suits swarming in, dragging me away, strapping me to an operating table, and bringing out a sharp scalpel...!
"Urk! Nooo!"
I kicked out my folded short legs wide and screamed.
"Kk!"
Smack—!! My kick landed squarely on tall Grandpa's knee.
"Th-this little sneak attack...! Grh...."
Grandpa comically clutched his knee and pulled out his Filial Piety Baton to bonk my head.
"Kyawng!?"
Thwack— It didn't hurt at all, but the surprise attack soured my mood.
"This old man for real!"
"You lizard!"
Just as our truce fell apart again and we bared our teeth to clash...
"Enough already!!"
"Tyaat!?"
"Khaak!"
Clang—! Fed up, Mi-ra Owner grabbed a ladle and whacked our heads hard.
"Both of you, hands up and stand there! Why do you keep trying to fight?!"
"It wasn't on purpose!"
"She hit first, I just reacted!"
Grandpa and the dragon tried to explain, but Mi-ra Owner's anger had already boiled over.
"Hands up now, or I'll kick you both out."
"N-no! Hands up, standing! Sorry!"
"Sorry, granddaughter! My fault!"
Obeying the top authority's command, we meekly raised our hands and stood.
"Seriously.... Fighting over hamburgers?"
No time for thoughts as the scolding began.
Mi-ra Owner brushing back her snow-white hair looked stunningly beautiful. And charismatic.
...Simply put, terrifying.
Evening fell in silence after the commotion.
"Waited long, Lua? Here's your hamburger."
As closing time hit and I poked my head in...
Mi-ra Owner handed me a handmade burger from outside.
"Haum...! Always!"
"Tasty?"
"Ehehe! So good, really!"
A violently delicious taste I'd never tire of, even after a lifetime.
Two straight days of hamburgers, and I could die happy.
"I'll help with cleaning too!"
"Sure? Then wipe the tables with this rag."
"Yes!"
After eating, I helped close up shop.
I could secretly help as a part-timer, but was there more I could do?
I pondered ways to truly help Mi-ra Owner.
...A surefire way to make the hamburger shop thrive.
"...Anomaly hunting?"
Nothing else came to mind.
"To make the shop busier.... This area needs to be clean, right?"
If the back alley had no Anomalies, more people would pass through?
More people means...?
"More customers!"
No flaws in that plan. I toddled up to Mi-ra Owner checking closing inventory and asked.
"Owner...! Lots of Anomalies around here?"
"Huh? Maybe one a week, if that."
One a week was plenty doable.
"Oh. Heard some weird tiger Anomaly showed up since last night."
"...Tiger?"
"Apparently grabs passersby and threatens for rice cakes."
A tiger extorting rice cakes like in a childhood fairy tale.
Tonight's prey was decided.
"Why ask about Anomalies?"
"No! Nothing! Ehihi...."
"...?"
Didn't want to worry her about hunting. I scurried off to scrub the tables.
"Weung...!"
The cute sound of me on tiptoes stretching my arms echoed in the hamburger shop.
"......Huh."
Grandpa, watching me, let out a disbelieving sigh.
That dawn. Alone in the back alley, I perched on a utility pole like an owl, scanning the surroundings.
"Tiger Anomaly. Just you wait...."
As the signal flare for the alley's prosperity, I'd kill it thoroughly.
Just as my red eyes glowed quietly in the city's darkness...
"Kyaak!!"
A man's scream faintly echoed from down the alley.
"There you are!"
I spread my wings and soared high to catch the tiger that appeared right on cue.
Buildings blurred past in afterimages.
"Give me one rice cake and I won't eat you~!"
"Spare me! Anyone there?!"
"One rice cake and I won't eat you, I said?"
I spotted a truck-sized tiger blocking a man's path, growling low.
"No rice cake? Then I'll eat you!!"
"Please spare me! I'll buy some rice cakes, please!"
The man frantically begged, clasping his hands, but that was it.
"Kyaak!"
"I'm curious about the rice cake in your body!"
The vicious Anomaly shoved the man down with its paw and toyed with him like a plaything.
"Please! Hyaak! Someone save... Khaak!!"
"You look delicious!"
The man gritted his teeth and resisted, but the tiger dismissed it and pawed harder.
"Now! Become my rice cake!"
As it bared its savage fangs and gaped its jaws, I folded my wings and dove from observation.
"Playtime's over!!"
I targeted its crown precisely, thrusting my tail like a rapier.
Splurch—! A chilling sensation pierced its steel-plate skull, and the tiger froze.
"Heek!"
Thud—! What fell on the man shrouded in death wasn't tiger fangs, but an unexpected savior.
Flowing pink hair.
Sharp upward horns.
Flapping wings.
And a plump, wriggling tail.
"Run along. Don't wander alone in the dark night."
"Hwaaak!! Monster!!"
"......"
The man, saved moments from becoming a tasty meal by the sudden pink dragon girl who slew the Anomaly, fled without looking back.
"...Sniff."
Alone in the silent alley, I eyed the tiger Anomaly's corpse.
"Skin it and lay it in my hideout. Perfect."
Truck-sized hide would be useful.
"Nng...! Why so heavy...!"
The dragon girl who dealt with the alley's menace flew high with the tiger hide (planned) in tow.
With Mi-ra Owner's worrying Anomaly handled, tomorrow's alley would be peaceful.
...Or so I thought.
"Shiiik— Shiiik—!"
"This Anomaly won't fuck off?!"
Mocking last night's efforts, the next day an Anomaly hanging a person from a clothes rack raided the hamburger shop.
"Hyoi! Hyoi!"
Grandpa fought valiantly to block it, but one premium Filial Piety Baton couldn't fully stop it.
A do-or-die crisis for Lua's Hamburger's survival.
"Owner!!!"
Spotting the commotion from a nearby pole where I'd been resting, I charged straight at the Anomaly.