Chapter 61: Rin Isn't Bad (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 61: Rin Isn't Bad (2)
“Th-That pink fox! It’s the fox who brings misfortune. I’m sure of it!”
“A pink fox? You mean that cursed fox?”
“I’m telling you, it is!”
The adventurers muttered amongst themselves, right in front of Rin.
The triumphant expression on Rin’s face, who had been waiting for praise, began to stiffen.
Her expression slowly faded, and the void it left was filled with bewilderment. She never imagined she’d be met with such words after saving them.
I found myself frowning as well.
“You survived thanks to my slave, yet your words are quite harsh.”
“Survived? What do you mean, survived? If it weren’t for that pink fox, none of this would have happened in the first place!”
“That explains it. I was wondering why a Treefiddian suddenly appeared when they’re only found in deep, dark forests. It was because of the pink fox’s misfortune.”
The beastkin nodded as if they’d just realized some hidden truth.
It seemed they had already erased the fact that Rin had helped them from their minds. The atmosphere was one of consensus, concluding that the Treefiddian’s appearance was Rin’s fault.
“Because of this pink fox, today’s hunt is ruined and my gear is broken! You’re her master, right? Take responsibility!”
“Don’t be absurd. You have no proof that this is Rin’s fault.”
“Proof? What proof? The pink fox is right in front of our eyes! What more proof do you need? Should we go to the city and let the people judge?”
The lizardman’s expression was brazenly confident.
He knew what the outcome would be.
So did I.
A hundred out of a hundred people would say it was Rin’s fault.
Of course, it was true that Rin was a creature who brought misfortune. It had happened just this morning, and back when this was a game, starting Rin’s story would trigger all sorts of bullshit bad luck.
A storm would blow in and wreck the shop.
Ingredients would spoil right when you needed to cook.
The slaves’ conditions would suddenly plummet.
But some days are just like that. Besides, I knew better than anyone the extent of the misfortune a one-tailed Rin could bring.
It wasn’t yet at a level that could harm people.
In other words, the Treefiddian was a coincidence, an incident that occurred because of their own powerlessness. They were blaming their incompetence on Rin.
‘This is why misfortune is so fucked up.’
It wasn’t visible, so there was no way to prove anything. All they had to do was bring up Rin’s color, and their logic became invincible.
Even Rin herself, the one at the center of it all, seemed to have no doubt that it was her fault, and her tail drooped pathetically.
“Agh, my back and neck are so stiff.”
“Really? It must be because of the Treefiddian.”
“I know, right? I’ll have to go to the cathedral for treatment. Just give us three gold coins to cover the treatment, today’s ruined hunt, and our broken gear, and we’ll let it slide.”
The adventurers grinned slyly, putting on a whole show for themselves.
Three gold coins just because we happened to pass by. It was nothing short of an insurance scam.
I had the money. No matter how short on points I was, I had more than enough to pay three gold coins.
“And why should I?”
But why the fuck should I give it to them?
“‘Why should you?’ It’s your slave’s fault, so you need to take responsibility.”
“I think you’re all mistaken about something. What can you possibly do if I refuse to pay? You, who were helpless against a single Treefiddian, think you can win a fight against my slave?”
“What?”
“It’s a common occurrence for adventurers who set out on a journey to never return. Especially for low-level adventurers without even a title.”
Only then did the meaning behind my words seem to sink in, and the smiles vanished from the adventurers’ faces. One of them turned pale.
And so, I stole their smiles.
Those who can’t appreciate the good deed our Rin performed don’t deserve to live.
“Your misfortune wasn’t the Treefiddian. It was meeting the pink fox in the first place.”
*
We finished our business and returned to the city.
As for those clueless adventurers who didn’t know their place, after the shoot, Rin had a delicious meal~
‘…is what I’d like to say, but of course not.’
I let them go.
I couldn’t care less if they lived or died, but in the end, Rin would be the one doing the killing.
First, I didn’t want to make Rin a murderer.
Second, I was worried that Rin’s fur might be left at the scene.
I simply prayed with all my heart that misfortune would follow them for the rest of their lives.
Rin was dejected, clearly in deep shock.
There was no strength in her steps as she walked.
“Don’t worry about what just happened, Rin. The world is full of shameless people like them.”
“…”
No response.
It seemed my words were no comfort at all.
“Hey, look over there. It’s a pink fox.”
“We’ll catch her misfortune. Kids, get inside, quickly. Hurry!”
The residents whispered as they looked our way, pulling their children away as if we were a plague.
Was it because of what Seira had said this morning?
Was it because of what we had just experienced?
Words I’d often heard before seemed to pierce my eardrums like daggers today.
And for Rin, the one they were aimed at, with her enhanced hearing, they must have been even clearer. Sure enough, she walked with her head bowed, crushed by the people’s glares like a sinner.
Her ears were pressed flat, and she had brought her tail around to hug it in front of her, as if trying to hide its pink color from everyone.
It didn’t look like she would shake this off anytime soon.
That evening, Rin didn’t eat.
As soon as we got home, she shut herself in her room and showed no signs of coming out.
I never thought Rin would skip a meal.
This was a girl who ate at least three plates per meal. Even Seira was quite taken aback.
“Did something happen?”
“Well…”
I explained what had happened during the day. After hearing the full story, Seira grew serious and contemplative.
“So that’s what happened. She must be quite hurt.”
“I’d imagine so.”
She was still just a young girl. It was highly likely she would be unable to withstand such blatant criticism from others and be swept away by it.
“Go and comfort her.”
“Of course I will… but who’s going to comfort me?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m suffering from discrimination against humans every day, my heart is sick. Shouldn’t someone comfort me…?”
Seira picked up a knife.
“Won’t the demons in hell comfort you when you get there?”
“I’ll be right back with the child.”
I scurried away and went to Rin’s room.
“Rin, you must be hungry. You should eat. You need to take care of yourself, especially at times like this…”
The moment I saw the state of her room, my eyes widened in shock.
The room was a disaster. Pink fur floated everywhere, and in one corner, Rin was ripping clothes to shreds.
For a moment, I thought she was venting her anger, but that wasn’t it at all. She was trying to wrap the torn cloth around her tail.
Her disheveled tail showed signs of being plucked. Since she couldn’t pull out all the fur, she was trying to cover it up so it couldn’t be seen.
My heart ached. I let out a small sigh and sat on the edge of her bed.
“Rin.”
“…”
“Rin.”
Even though I was right beside her, Rin wouldn’t look at me. She ignored me, stubbornly continuing what she was doing.
With no other choice, I snatched the cloth from her hands. When she lunged as if to get it back, I used a command to stop her.
“You can’t do this.”
“Kyaaaing!!!”
“What’s not allowed is not allowed.”
Covering Rin’s tail or dyeing it was something I could never permit. That would be the same as agreeing that her pink color was a brand of shame that needed to be hidden.
It was the same reason I hadn’t given the adventurers any money.
Rin looked at me with an expression of pure sorrow.
Her mismatched eyes shimmered with tears.
She looked like she could burst into tears at any moment.
Sighing once more, I pulled Rin onto my lap, seating her between my legs. With the comb Seira had bought, I began to gently brush Rin’s tangled tail, careful not to hurt her.
“Honestly, they have no taste. This pink color is so pretty and looks so fluffy.”
“…”
“Do people’s words bother you that much?”
“…”
“You don’t need to listen to them. They’re the kind of people who will change their tune like bats the moment you become beautiful.”
Rin didn’t react.
A single cruel remark can linger in the heart longer than a hundred words of comfort.
But what could I do?
If a hundred times wasn’t enough, I would just have to do it a thousand, ten thousand times.
“Think about it. If you were ugly, why would I keep you around? I’m no fool. There’s no one who looks out for their own interests more than a slave trader.”
“…”
“It’s all because you’re pretty. Other people might not know, but in my eyes, you’re just a cute fox I want to look at and touch all day long.”
Rin’s ears twitched slightly.
“Rin, don’t worry about what others think. Just listen to me. The one who knows you best isn’t anyone else. It’s me.”
Finally, her ears straightened completely, turning slightly in my direction.
This was what was so great about beastkin.
Even without hearing a reply or seeing their expression, you could get a rough idea of how they were feeling.
“One day, you’ll become a beautiful fox who mesmerizes everyone. I promise you that.”
“…”
“So please, don’t hide your tail. Don’t think of it as a flaw you need to conceal. I happen to like your tail very much.”
“…Kyaing.”
It was a short reply, but a reply nonetheless.
To think this little one was making her master worry. I ruffled her hair roughly and got up from the bed.
“Let’s go get something to eat. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. I’ll just eat it all.”
“Kyaaaaing!”
As if to relieve her stress, Rin ate six whole plates.
It was a new record.
*
Ever since the Reaper’s attack, Rin’s sleeping spot had become my stomach. She would curl up in a ball and lie there.
According to Seira, it was because she felt safest by my side.
So, this weight I was feeling on my abdomen had to be Rin, but she felt a little heavier than yesterday. No, rather than heavy, it was more like her weight had slightly increased.
‘Did I feed her too much last night?’
I was worried she might start rolling around.
“Hungry. Gimme food.”
A voice reached me through the haze of sleep.
“Just five more minutes…”
“Get uuuup! Foooood!”
Why was her voice so loud this early in the morning? I tried my best to ignore her and go back to sleep, but my eardrums felt like they were about to burst, and I couldn’t hold out any longer.
“Seriously, you ate so much last night, and you’re already asking for food? At this rate, you’ll turn into a pig, not a fox…?”
The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was Rin, staring at me with a pout.
She was poised as if ready to pounce at any moment. Up to this point, it didn’t seem much different from usual, but behind her, pink tails were swaying back and forth.
Three of them.
“Gimme fooooooood!”