GalaxyTL
“This won’t do, this won’t do. Making a girl cry, what kind of men are you?”
I was at a loss for words, facing the bawling shrimp, when a relaxed voice came from behind me, seemingly out of thin air. It was a voice I disliked.
“Kei! You’re just in time! D-Do something about this! Lend me your charm skills!”
“Hmm, that’s a terrible way to put it, but I can’t just ignore a crying girl. Okay, leave it to me.”
I hadn’t noticed Kei’s arrival at all, but the oni seemed to have sensed them. I guess he’s still an oni. You could call him a genius when it came to battle. So why was he so stupid? Were geniuses and idiots two sides of the same coin?
“Meg-chan, here, wipe your face, okay? While your crying face is adorable, it pains me to see a girl cry. There’s nothing to be afraid of now. I’ll protect you.”
They picked up the shrimp effortlessly, handed her a handkerchief, and started flirting. I mean, I’m sure they didn’t intend to flirt, but they’re like that with everyone, even children. I shuddered. Look, the shrimp’s speechless. …I guess that means they succeeded in stopping her crying…?
“Haah…”
I couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh. This might be the day I sigh the most in my entire life.
That morning, when Dr. Ludo told me to look after a child, I thought he was joking. But when I realized he was serious, I think that’s when I let out my first sigh of the day.
It wasn’t that I was being picky about my work. Everyone had their strengths and weaknesses. My biggest weakness was dealing with people. But I wouldn’t refuse work just because I was bad at it. I reluctantly accepted the task. Sure, I resisted a little, but I didn’t throw a tantrum like a child.
I’m aware that I’m twisted. But how can you trust people so easily? I wasn’t as strong as the others in the guild, so I was an easy target. But well… I was stronger than the guys in the regular guilds, at least.
I used to hate my appearance. This hair… Of course, it fetched a high price. But aside from our beautiful fur, Rainbow Wolves weren’t that different from other Wolg demi-humans in terms of abilities. This eye-catching fur was nothing but a nuisance. Or so I thought.
『Wow, your fur is beautiful! Why don’t you join my guild?』
I met the Don in the headquarters of an illegal human trafficking ring. It was a large organization, a notorious black market guild that everyone in the underworld knew. Because I was a rare species, I wasn’t kept at any of the branches, instead being held captive deep within the headquarters building.
They kidnapped me when I was young, meticulously destroyed my village, and I grew up in this black market guild. I was put on display, attracting customers, sometimes being touched by those filthy hands to confirm that I was real… They didn’t hurt me because I was a high-priced commodity, but I’d seen so many of my fellow commodities (friends) broken, one after another. And I learned to shut everyone out, to protect myself.
Those commodities (friends), defiled as I remained untouched, glared at me with resentment. What did they want me to do? Would they have been satisfied if I was also defiled? Why did they resent me?
It made me sick. There was no one in this world you could trust. There shouldn’t be.
I’d grown used to that life when one day, my seemingly endless days came to an end. A certain individual, along with a few companions, eradicated this black market guild. And then, they said those words to me.
They destroyed this huge organization with just a handful of people. I couldn’t fight back, not against them. I had no choice but to agree. And so, I nodded.
『…You have the right to choose. I’ll take you with me now, because I don’t want you to stay here. But it’s up to you whether you want to become a member of our guild. I’ll give you a trial period.』
The “right” to choose. I’d only been given the right, or rather, the obligation to live. My eyes widened at the revelation that I possessed something like that.
『It doesn’t matter how long it takes. You can even just use the guild. Free food and lodging guaranteed, no strings attached. Not bad, right? So how about it? Will you come with us? 』
I didn’t understand why they were being kind. I figured they were trying to trick me, make me lower my guard, and then trap me. But I didn’t care what happened to me anymore.
But curiosity got the better of me, and I managed to force out the question, “Why?” The Don then laughed and said. I remember it clearly, even now.
『There’s no reason. Do you need a reason to breathe? I don’t go through all that trouble.』
And from that day onwards, I was placed under the protection of that kindhearted, eccentric individual who helped people as easily as breathing.
I still hadn’t given him my answer.
Later, Gil-san said he could sense a soothing magic in my rainbow fur, and I was assigned to the guild’s medical department.
But I was still baffled by the fact that no one tried to kick me out, even though I was distrustful and prickly. They chuckled and called me “troubled,” and sometimes they’d even scold me. Like I was a normal person.
And this shrimp, who’d just come to the guild yesterday, didn’t show a single trace of ill will towards me. It was strange. It made me think that maybe… this was normal. No! People should be uglier than this.
…Why did I have to remember all that now? This shrimp… seeing her was like looking into a mirror, a reflection of my own ugliness. It made me frustrated.
Was I jealous of her happy, loving childhood? When I didn’t even have one?
And the strangest part was that, despite feeling so irritated, I didn’t dislike her.
Ah, no, that’s not it. It’s not like I liked her. I didn’t dislike her, that’s all. I still couldn’t trust her, and being reminded of my own ugliness made me feel uncomfortable.
“I’m not cwying anymowe. I’m shawry!”
It seemed like she’d finally stopped crying. She clutched the handkerchief Kei had given her and apologized, looking down shyly.
Good, she’s stopped. I was worried… No, that’s not it. I was just relieved that I could proceed with the afternoon lesson. I didn’t care if she cried or screamed. Well, as someone in the medical field, I couldn’t ignore her injuries, but still.
“Hmm? Did crying… make you sleepy? You can go back to sleep. I’ll carry you to the nap room.”
The shrimp looked apologetic, but she couldn’t fight off her drowsiness. She rubbed her eyes, and then she was out like a light in Kei’s arms. No trace of wariness at all.
“Hey, Reki. You’re in charge of her today, so you should stay with her while she’s napping. Yesterday, she almost fell down the stairs right after waking up, it gave me a fright! Dahahaha!”
“Down the stairs…? You idiot oni, keep an eye on her!”
“That’s what I’m saying! Don’t dwell on the past. Just be careful next time.”
This oni! If she’d been seriously injured, you wouldn’t be saying that! I was so irritated.
“Hmm. Reki, you’re worried about Meg-chan, aren’t you?”
“Wha—!? Who…!? I’m part of the medical department, of course, I’d be worried!”
What are you talking about, you airheaded snake! There’s no way I’d worry about anyone!
…It’s not like… I care about her or anything!!
——
Wolg → Refers to wolves.