Chapter 18: Mutual Contract (1)
"Mummah! Nummy time! Nummy!"
"Haah······."
Tia's vocabulary had ballooned lately.
She'd started making her wants known—asking for food when her tummy rumbled, demanding a diaper change when nature called. Every spare second she'd trot after me chirping "Mummah!" and chattering away, and honestly, it was exhausting.
Not that I could complain too much. It beat the days when she'd just burst into tears and I had to play twenty questions to figure out what was wrong.
"Keep your hat on. Okay?"
"Why-y?"
"Because you can't let anyone see your horns."
"Why-y?"
"If they see them, you won't get to stay with Mama anymore."
"Nooo! I don't wanna!"
"You don't? Then you have to keep your hat on nice and tight."
It was all the talking that was the problem. Whatever I said, she'd never just let it slide—she'd loop back with why-why-why in an endless spiral, clinging to every answer like a dog with a bone.
Even her rate of learning was anything but ordinary.
"Dangnabit!"
"Where on earth did you learn that?"
"Heard Mummah say it."
"······."
Tia had begun absorbing and deploying every word that ever left my mouth. Everything from the mildest grumbles to the most colorful profanity.
I resolved, with genuine urgency, to start watching my language.
On top of that, Tia had lately learned to toddle down the stairs all by herself. Granted, she did it backwards on all fours, feet-first like a monkey—but still, she'd managed it without a shred of help. Which meant that more than once, Tia had appeared on the ground floor without warning, nearly giving me a heart attack.
"You mustn't trust anyone but Mama. No matter what anyone says, you don't follow them, and you don't let them carry you. If they try to take you away, you scream. Got it?"
"What about Aunt Iwina?"
"Mama and Aunt Irina are the exceptions."
"What about Mista Boss?"
"The Boss counts too. So except for those three, you trust nobody. And especially, especially be careful around church people in white robes."
"Mmmm······."
I drilled it into her, over and over. Never take off the hat outside, never stray from my side, never go off with a stranger. I warned her in the gravest terms that terrible things would happen if she didn't listen to me.
Her endless why-why-why barrage I steamrolled with a single answer: "Because that's just how it has to be."
Thankfully, Tia hadn't broken a single rule yet. I prayed fervently it would stay that way forever—or at the very least, until the day I died.
"Yulia."
"······What."
Middle of my shift. I'd just changed clothes in the break room and was about to head out when Irina seized my wrist and dragged me all the way to the bathroom.
I truly, honestly tried to resist, but I couldn't budge her an inch, and that was when it really hit me. If I couldn't even put up a fight against the scrawny Irina, what would I ever do if a man got his hands on me······?
I made a fresh mental note to be extra careful walking down empty streets late at night.
"Quit this bar."
"What?"
"I'll lend you the money. I've already talked to the Master about letting you out of your contract. So go find some cheap little place and move out. Once you get your citizenship papers, slowly, you can find work as a housekeeper or a maid easy enough."
"W-wait, hold on! Where's this coming from all of a sudden?"
I was floored. Why on earth would this miser of a woman offer to lend me money? I could only tremble at the thought of what kind of interest she must be planning to slap on it.
"What do you mean, all of a sudden. Look over there."
"······."
Irina jerked her chin toward the main floor. Her flat chest shifted out of the way, and I could see Tia in the distance, cradled in the Boss's arms. The customers clustered around her numbered a good fifteen or more. Lately, they said, that one toddler was pulling in the revenue of three or four full staff members on her own.
She certainly was adorable. Ever since she'd started wearing that little hat with ears poking up like a fox beastfolk's, the cuteness had only multiplied.
"You know Tia understands everything the customers say to her these days, right?"
"I know."
"And that she nods along with them?"
"Obviously I know."
"Up until last week, that kid could only say 'Mama.' So far everyone's accepted her as just a slightly clever child. But what happens when she grows more? When her body gets bigger and she starts talking fluently? At that point 'she's just a fast developer' stops flying."
"I'll save up enough and quit before then."
"How much have you even saved? What's this month's first paycheck?"
"Five million······."
"That's half a year's wages for your average farmer, so it's a decent sum—but you know it's nowhere near enough, right? You absolutely cannot quit on that. Stop arguing and just take my money. The thing I have rotting in excess is cash. What, fifty million should do it?"
"······."
I lost the ability to speak.
Because every word out of Irina's mouth had struck dead center. Tia was growing at a terrifying pace, and the money I'd broken my back for this past month—rent, food, plus the bribe money to grease the wheels for my citizenship—was laughably, hopelessly short.
I had to get out of this place before Tia's secret was exposed. And to do that, the conclusion practically wrote itself: I had to take Irina's money.
"What are the conditions?"
"What conditions?"
"Don't play dumb. There have to be conditions. Interest, collateral, something. Nobody lends money for nothing."
"There's nothing, so just take it, okay?"
"You're seriously lending me money with zero strings attached?"
"Have you spent your whole life getting burned or what?"
Irina's face scrunched up in open displeasure. That was when I realized—she meant it. Every word.
"Then it's settled, you're out on payday. I'll transfer the money then too."
"Yeah······. Thank you, Irina······."
I couldn't lift my head. I was just too grateful······.
What had I ever done for Irina, that she'd extend me a kindness this enormous? I was overwhelmed.
"Shall we head out?"
"Y-yeah. Let's."
.
.
.
Wahahaha, it's Sasha!
Today, I witnessed something absolutely monumental.
Would you believe it—Big Sis Wang grabbed Yulia by the hand, hauled her into the bathroom, and started doing the old kabedon, wall-slam and all?
At first Yulia's face was all irritation, but little by little it softened into pure bewilderment······. Oooh. What on earth could she have said, I wonder?
Could it be that Big Sis Wang has finally asked Yulia to marry her?
If the two of them got married, whose surname would Tia take, hmm? Surely the strong, gallant Big Sis Wang's? No, wait. It's always the tough, powerful women who turn out to be the total opposite at night—so then it must be Yulia's surname after all······
"What are you doing?"
"Huh?!"
A breeze at my ear made me shiver all over. I snapped out of it to find Yulia standing there holding a broom, staring at me with a worried look.
Oh. It's closing time already. I'd been savoring that sweet, sweet scene and the hours just slipped away······.
"Sasha, was it?"
"Oh! Yes, that's right!"
"What are you doing, right now?"
She remembered my name! Our shifts rarely overlap, so we've hardly ever crossed paths. I'm a little touched, honestly.
"I asked what you're doing. Get those tables cleared."
"Umm?"
"You gonna move faster or not? If I get off work late because of you, you'd better be ready for consequences."
"······."
Touched, my foot! That was insubordination!
She's been here less than a month and she's already talking back to her senior?! Was it because I'm always so polite that I looked like a pushover? Or had she gotten cocky from being all cozy with Big Sis Wang lately?
"Y-Yulia!"
"······?"
Right. What needs correcting must be corrected. I called out to Yulia in my most commanding voice, and she turned back to me with a blank look on her face. Time to display a senior's proper dignity.
"Th-that's no way to t-talk to······"
"Sasha! You still here, Sasha? Huh?"
Just then, with a tremendous bang, the whole tavern shook. The door swung open, and there he was.
Oh. That bastard again. The tattooed pig who keeps coming here every single day trying to hit on me, making a scene, and leaving. Always crowing about how he once floored some knight or other—like it's impressive that you ambushed a drunk guy from behind in the dead of night?
"Sasha! You were here after all!"
"What do you want? We're already closed for the night······."
"I waited for closing time! So I could deliver my heart!"
"Ugh."
The tattooed pig whipped out a bouquet from behind his back.
Ugh. Sunflowers. I have trypophobia—hate sunflowers.
But more than that, that obsessive creep who deliberately waited until after hours to show up is a hundred times more disgusting.
"I'm sorry, but if you came during business hours, I could properly······"
"No! I want your answer from when it's not business hours! Sasha! I love you! Will you accept my confession?!"
"······."
This had gotten completely out of hand. Clearly, nice words weren't going to work. I'd better go fetch the Master······.
"Ah."
Oh no, the Master's not at his post. Th-then what do I do?
"Why are you trying to run? Give me an answer."
"Ahh! Let go of me, please!"
"Give me an answer and I will, Sasha!"
And so I ended up with my wrist clamped in the tattooed pig's grip. Grabbing someone by the wrist and dragging them off by force is a trope that should be reserved exclusively for the yuri genre. This is too much.
And then, of all things, Yulia stepped between us.
"Sasha. Why not just give him an honest answer?"
"······."
Yulia is utterly useless. No thought of going for the Master—just standing there spouting nonsense. An honest answer? You want me to tell this human-shaped trash that I wouldn't waste a single word on him even if he paid me? Does he need a hospital?
Oh wait, it's the middle of the night, hospitals aren't even open.
"See? Even your friend says so. Just answer my confession already."
"Hurry up and answer, Sasha."
"Nnngh!"
I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't let this go on. My wrist hurt, my arm was yanked up so high my shoulder felt like it would pop out, and the voices droning on either side of me were so infuriating that my patience finally snapped.
"No! I said no! Ru······ Ru—what was your name again? I forgot, but whatever it is, I never, ever want to see your face again!"
"What? Sasha. Th-that's a lie, right?"
"Ah."
I said it. Out loud. Am I an idiot? I never act this impulsive······.
The grip crushing my wrist tightened until I thought the bone would splinter, and a scream tore out of my mouth. The pig got worked up and started shouting right next to me, spittle flying all over my cheek.
"That's a lie! Say it's a lie!"
"Tch. Tsk tsk tsk. God, you're loud."
"Who the hell keeps butting in and pushing my buttons—"
"You're making Sasha uncomfortable, you pig."
"······?!"
Crack.
A sound no human jaw should ever make rang through the tavern. The tattooed pig's jaw twisted slightly sideways, his legs suddenly gave out, and he crumpled to the floor in a heap. Foaming at the mouth, unconscious.
I whipped my head around in shock—and there was Yulia, holding a metal tankard, wearing the most chilling expression I'd ever seen.
"D-did you just hit a customer?"
"He's not even a customer. He came in after closing. And above all, kicking out a deadbeat who never pays properly and spends every night harassing a member of my staff and souring the mood—that's good for the bar and good for the customers, wouldn't you say?"
"Oh······."
So Yulia knew. All along.
How this man showed up on every one of my shifts, how he'd throw things and rage when I wouldn't engage with him, how he'd even followed me home once. I'd been trying to handle it myself so I wouldn't be a bother to anyone—I never told a soul.
But it had all been obvious, hadn't it?
More than the fact that she'd clobbered the tattooed pig on my behalf, the fact that she'd seen all of it—that was what made my throat suddenly tighten.
"Huu, hnn! Hck······."
"What? Why are you suddenly crying?"
"Haaaaah-hng!"
"Is your wrist hurting that bad? Want me to blow on it?"
You dummy. It was never about my wrist.
I threw my arms around the bewildered Yulia and sobbed my heart out. I think I finally understand now—why Big Sis Wang likes Yulia so much.
This is a total alpha female. If this were a yuri series, she'd be the protagonist who sweeps up woman after woman and ends up getting them all yandere-locked in her basement.
"There, there. Cry it all out."
"Hnnnng······."
But just as I was buried in Yulia's arms······
'Wait, I'm not supposed to be doing this?!'
My senses snapped back all at once. I'm a yuri observer, not a yuri practitioner! And besides, that's not even my type!
While I was sniffling and fumbling about, Yulia let go of me.
"All cried out? Feeling better?"
"Aah······."
And then, over Yulia's shoulder, I saw something waddling along quietly. What on earth—oh. It was Tia, in her adorable little hat.
Based on that precious little tushy wiggling away, I could tell exactly what had happened, too.
Tia stopped in front of the open door, glanced back at me, and started sizing up the situation.
"······."
"······."
"······Ah!"
After what felt like a very long staredown, Tia seemed to reach her verdict, whipped her head around—
—and bolted out of the tavern at top speed!
"Um! Th-that······!"
"That was rough, huh? Want to cry it out in my arms some more?"
"No, that's not—!"
"It's okay. It's okay, really."
"Ahh!"
I have to tell her. I have to tell her that Tia ran outside. But there I was, still wrapped up in Yulia's arms, my tongue tying itself into knots as I fumbled and stammered.
Oh no. Oh no, oh no.
This is bad.