A Sudden Situation (1)
"Mwaah!"
"Whoa! You startled me..."
Tia's scream jolted me awake. My first sleepy thought was that I'd flattened her with my butt again, but that wasn't it—Tia had already tumbled clean off the bed. She must have thrashed herself right over the edge in her sleep.
Huh? Wait, that's strange, though.
Tia's never been a restless sleeper before.
"Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself anywhere?"
"Mmuuuh..."
"Did you have a nightmare? Come here. I'll hold you."
"I remember! That man I saw yesterday! The one Tia chased after before!"
"What...?"
Tia was flailing her arms in excitement, words tumbling out of her in a torrent. If I interrupted the flow now, she might forget the whole thing, so I decided to just listen to everything first. Yesterday's man—did she mean that errand boy, Sailor?
"Before! You know, before! Huh?"
"You can't just say 'before.' Start from the beginning and tell me the whole thing."
"Mmuuu! I saw it through the window! That man had black horns on his head!"
"R-really?"
Black horns? Surely not another child of a dragon like Tia. So... a demon, then? If so, that would explain why he went around with his head wrapped up in that hood.
"So then, I wanted to ask him what the horns were, so I chased him, but I lost him."
"Lost him? How were you chasing him?"
"I jumped across the rooftops..."
"..."
"...Oh."
Realizing her slip of the tongue, Tia froze mid-motion. I held her clear, guileless gaze for a moment—but she only rolled her eyes sideways, dodging my stare.
"Across the rooftops, you say?"
"N-no, I said it wrong..."
"What did I tell you about lying to Mommy? Yes or no?"
"Mmuuh..."
"Yes or no."
"...No..."
"Haa."
Only then did Tia droop her tail and slink sheepishly over to me, snuggling close. Her scheme was transparent—she was trying to smooth things over with aegyo. But some things could be fixed with cuteness, and some things simply couldn't.
"What do you mean, 'jumped across the rooftops'? You were leaping from building to building?"
"Mmuu..."
"Without any equipment? Just like that? Barefoot?"
"Mmuuh..."
"..."
My head began to throb. That shadowy bastard Sailor was a professional contractor by trade, so it wouldn't surprise me if he ran across rooftops like some ninja. But this tiny little girl flying across rooftops after him? Sailor had probably been so shocked at being chased down by Tia that he nearly fainted on the spot.
Still, I'd had my suspicions that Tia's physical abilities were exceptional, but I never imagined it was to this degree. She was already leagues beyond an ordinary human—and the fact that she was still growing was frankly terrifying.
"Tia. You must never, ever hit people or hurt them on a whim. Understand?"
"Why?"
"Because you're special. Nobody else is as strong as you are. Although—there's exactly one exception. If Mommy's ever in danger..."
"Mmuu! Then I don't care who's watching! Anyone who makes Mommy cry won't get away with it!"
"Thank you..."
I hugged Tia tight. It felt like I'd gained my very own sword—one that loved me dearly, obeyed me faithfully. A personal bodyguard I could wield at will, sharp enough to run me through if I ever chose to end it all myself. Tia seemed especially lovable today. She even looked a little more grown-up than usual.
"Mmuuk! Owwie!"
"Huh? Wh-what?"
Her sudden yelp startled me into letting go. Tia had backed away until she was pressed against the wall, one hand clutched over her chest, eyes brimming with tears.
"S-sorry. Did that hurt? Where?"
"My chest hurts..."
"Your chest? Does it hurt when I touch it like this?"
"It stings..."
When I brought my fingers to her chest, her whole body shuddered. I was a bit startled myself. I'd felt something slightly firm there—and it was definitely not her ribs. I sat Tia down in front of me and gently palpated the area around her chest, starting at her collarbone and working down. It wasn't my imagination. There was a small, hard lump.
But Tia was hurting so much that I couldn't keep prodding her.
"What's happening, Mommy? Is Tia sick...?"
"..."
I was at a loss for words. Even someone as hopeless about the female body as I was could guess what this meant. Tia had entered puberty. There was no way it was breast cancer at her age, so a lump like that had to mean she was starting to develop.
It worried me a little, honestly. If she grew anywhere near as large as me, it would be a real nuisance in daily life. Aching shoulders all day, trouble running, sweat pooling underneath in the summer...
All I could do was pray, fervently, that she'd inherited plenty of flat-chested genes from her father.
"No, you're fine. Tia's growing up to be a big girl, that's all. It's not an illness, so you don't need to worry."
"Really...?"
"Really."
I stroked her hair slowly and planted a soft kiss by her ear. My voice was trembling without any conviction behind it. Naturally—it wasn't as if I'd ever raised a daughter, or gone through a girl's growth spurts myself. But in front of Tia, I couldn't afford to look uncertain. At the very least, I had to be someone Tia could rely on to feel safe.
"Now, shall we get up and get dressed? Mommy has work soon."
"Mmuu. I don't wanna wear that one. It's scratchy and it hurts my chest."
"Then wear your undershirt under it."
It was almost time for work. Factoring in washing up and getting ready, I needed to hustle. There wasn't much laundry today, so I figured I'd throw it in quickly before heading out. I gathered up the clothes Tia had shed wherever she'd pleased.
"Hmm?"
There was a stain inside Tia's panties. I wondered if she'd wet herself, but it was too small for that. Maybe a slight leak—her muscle control issue? Except for urine, it looked a little... viscous.
"Mommy! Tie my hair, pwease!"
"Just a minute."
It was probably nothing. I dunked the laundry into the soapy water and scrubbed away. Better to finish fast and get to work.
"Curry! That was so, so delicious! Could you teach me the recipe, Yulia? I want to make it myself!"
Sasha came bounding over to greet us the moment we arrived, as if she'd been waiting. I'd tried to treat her to curry at our place yesterday, but with no spare dishes or utensils, I'd had no choice but to pack it into a small pot and send it over. I'd felt a little bad about that.
"Sure. It's not that complicated."
"Here! Your pot back! Thank you for the meal!"
"Uh... hey, Sasha. Didn't you say you had family?"
"Nope? I live alone."
"...?"
The pot Sasha returned was bone dry. The amount I'd sent over was enough for Tia and me to eat three meals a day for a solid week. Unless she'd thrown it out, she'd polished off all that curry by herself in a single day...
"Mmmh! Master! Snack, please! So I can eat and then start working!"
"Two bowls? Or three?"
"Just one!"
"Are you on a diet or something?"
"Nope? I had a mountain of curry for brunch!"
Considering Sasha's appetite, that actually checked out. Soon the other employees trickled in one after another, and the tavern grew lively. Among them I spotted a blonde woman—the Natalia who'd been hauled in stuffed inside a sack yesterday. When she changed in the back room, I saw her stomach was covered in fresh bruises. Apparently she'd managed to reach an amicable settlement with Irina—judging by the fact that she'd shown up for work alive and without any permanent damage. I decided not to ask what exactly that settlement had entailed.
Before long the doors opened, and the customers flooded in like a tide.
"Tia. Will you go upstairs?"
"Nope. I'm gonna play down here."
"..."
Tia shook her head firmly as she answered. Lately, "nope" had become a constant in everything she said. Contrary child, was she? Whatever I asked, a "nope" seemed to attach itself to the end. I almost snapped "fine, I don't like it either" back at her—but no. I couldn't be that childish. I was the adult here.
"Yulia. You've got a request."
"Yes! Right awa—"
No wonder the Boss's expression had looked off. From across the room, I could see that repulsive monkey-faced son of a bitch waving at me. The Hero, Leopard. The man was so conspicuously loud that even in that churning sea of faces, my eyes found no one but him.
"What'll it be? You can refuse the request if you want."
"I'll take it for now..."
I accepted the key from the Boss. Was this about the Dragonia matter he'd mentioned before? No matter how much I hated the sight of that face, I couldn't just keep avoiding it forever.
"What is it? If you've got business, come find me separately. Don't interrupt my work."
"You told me to come during business hours last time. You just don't like looking at me, do you?"
"Perceptive, aren't you. Former Hero, sir."
"How many times do I have to tell you—drop the 'former.' Anyway, is that any way to talk to me? Do you know how much I spent just to request you? I just burned two checks made out to Dragonia."
"..."
It suddenly struck me as curious. Just what kind of household was House Dragonia, anyway—bankrolling the every whim of a good-for-nothing who did nothing but cause scenes like this?
"Whew. Good evening, honored guest. I'm Yulia, the lady of your choosing. Is there anything else you'd like to order?"
"Ooh, lovely. That businesslike attitude. And yet your face is all scrunched up in disgust—the contrast is just exquisite."
"You perverted bastard. So what's your business here?"
"Business? You're asking a customer what his business is? Obviously I came to spend a pleasant time with you. Now, have a seat."
Left with no choice, I sat down beside him. An arm slid naturally around my waist, and it irritated me. What irritated me more was that it felt—just a tiny, tiny, infinitesimal bit—comfortable. His hands moved with the practiced ease of a man who'd held plenty of women.
"You know, you might want to learn to hide your feelings a little better. Just because you dislike someone doesn't mean you should wear it on your face. In this treacherous world—where your enemy today might be your ally tomorrow, and your ally your enemy—honesty isn't worth a damn."
"I know. I just don't bother hiding it around you."
"That's cold. Who knows? Humor me a little, and something sweet might come your way."
"I don't need it."
"Absolutely sure?"
"..."
The man drew something like a black card from his coat and set it on the table. I snatched for it—and Leopard's hand clamped around my wrist.
"Taking it without so much as a word?"
"I need to check what it is first."
"I'm not feeling the sincerity."
"P-please, sir..."
"There we go."
Only when my hand was freed did I pick up the paper and examine it. It was, of all things, an invitation. An invitation to a party hosted by Marquis Dragonia at his villa in the Imperial Capital.
"What is this? What do you expect me to do with it?"
"Your position here is already secured. But who knows? Attend the party, catch a VIP's eye, and you might land something even better. Even if not, putting faces to the names of the nobility would do you a world of good."
He wasn't wrong. There was nothing to lose from making an impression on the aristocracy. I might even come away with useful connections. This was genuinely valuable—I was sure of it. Afraid he might change his mind on a whim, I whisked the invitation behind my back and hid it.
The slimy smirk he gave me as he watched made my blood boil, but there was still something I had to say. Words of thanks.
"Th-thank you..."
"What was that? Didn't quite catch it?"
"Thank... you!"
"Mommy."
Just then, someone tugged at my sleeve. I whirled around to find Tia looking up at me, her face deathly pale.
"Mommy. I..."
"Mommy's working, sweetheart. Go play somewhere else."
"M-Mommy... something's wrong... I feel weird..."
"Huh?"
I lowered my head slowly. Tia's skirt—which should have been brown—was soaked through a deep, dark red. The moment my eyes caught the fresh blood tracing its way down her trembling legs, my mind simply stopped.
Wh-what do I do?