Published at 25th of March 2019 11:08 pm

Chapter 42: Trauma of demi-humans

From my back, a family calls out to me in the harbor, while I was looking up at the ships and waiting, wondering when we’ll depart.

“Um, oniichan, thank you for saving oneechan.” (Younger daughter)

“Really, thank you so much.” (Daughter)

“I really don’t know how to express my gratitude.” (Shop Owner)

Although they were afraid of me at the start, probably because they would feel guilty to not thank me, the tavern family is thanking us, but to be honest, I don’t feel like I did anything.

I just took action because of my own circumstances.

“Velt. Regardless of your method and real intention, you are being thanked. Why don’t you at least wave your hand with a smile?” (Ura)

“I~diot. It’s already decided that the only people who can make people happy by waving their hands with a smile, are idols and ikemens.” (Velt)

“I, ikemen? Ahh, the word you told me about before, which means someone with a good looking face. If so, there’s no problem. For me, there has only been one person since five years ago, which is that word you call ikemen~, or rather, an ikemen to me~, and-.” (Ura)

“I think your head’s disappointing sometimes.” (Velt)

“Let me finish my sentence! Or rather, don’t just make an end of it with a brief comment!” (Ura)

Like, it’s just embarrassing. To be frank, if I didn’t get interested in the Japanese sword that Jeed was holding, I would have left things to Farga and Ura, since those guys would have been instantly killed.

“Say, will you be alright? Riding a ship together with those dangerous people.” (Daughter)

The woman I saved asked that while seeming a bit hesitant to ask.

Her doting father introduced her to me, saying that she’s the most beautiful woman in the port city, according to rumors, and that her name is『Rita』. To be honest, I don’t think I’ll meet her again, so I’ll probably forget her name.

Rather, what part of me was this woman looking at? What part of my exchange with Jeed did she see was worrying?

“There’s no problem. I’m the baddest guy in the royal capital’s wheat field, you know?” (Velt)

“…………?” (Rita)

Ah, crap, did I miss? Her eyes are staring in puzzlement.

“Ahahahahahahaha, oniichan isn’t scary at all! He’s funny!” (Younger daughter)

I, I was laughed at! By a brat! Moreover, oniichan? Don’t foock with me, the only person that can call me that is Hanabi.

“Fufu, he really is funny!” (Rita)

Why are you laughing too now.

“Sor, sorry. In the shop, I thought you were really amazing and scary, but you are just trying to behave like a scary person.” (Rita)

“Ha, haa? Don’t foock with me, oi! I’m-!” (Velt)

“I hope you stay safe. And please, come again. Please let us give you grand service next time.” (Rita)

Damn, so lame.

Why are you trying to see me off while smiling so happily like that?

“Come back again, oniichans.” (Younger daughter)

No good, this is messing up my mood. Now it looks like we saved them or something. Well, that’s not wrong, but that kinda makes me feel uneasy.

“Hmph.” (Ura)

“Wait, Ura! Why are you pulling on my ear.” (Velt)

“No reason. Just don’t be so deredere.” (Ura)

“You’re the one that told me to be more social though!” (Velt)

Even Ura seems like she’s in a bit of a bad mood. Ahhh, so troublesome.

“Fufu, she is pulling her hat over deeply, but I can see that she is a very beautiful person. If you are going to ride a ship with such dangerous people, make sure to properly protect your lover, okay?” (Rita)

Rita secretly said that to me, but Ura probably heard her voice too, because her displeasure suddenly changed completely, and Ura began humming.

Like, she’s not my girlfriend though. Besides, she’s overwhelmingly stronger than me, so there’s no need to worry.

It would be Jeed and the others who get sent to the watery grave after stupidly making a move.

“Oi, you damn sheets, what the hell are you talking about. You seem like you’re prepared already, so let’s hurry up and board it.” (Farga)

At that moment, when I looked up, Farga said that while holding onto the ship’s handrail.

There are about fifty crew members in the sailing ship. Since it’s quite a large ship, there shouldn’t be any concerns about the voyage.

“Men, we’re departing! Let’s return to Shiromu!” (Jeed)

“““““Ooooooh!!””””” (Sea Thieves Member)

Seeming somewhat unenergetic, Jeed started, and the other commerce guild Sea Thieves middle aged men joined in.

Well, they let me do as I pleased, and even let me ride the ship.

It’s inevitable for them to feel down.

“Alright.” (Velt)

“Well then, we should go.” (Ura)

Jumping onto the ship that detached itself from the harbor, we are now traveling through sailing.

In a way, this means that we really are leaving the country.

While holding slight nervousness and curiosity in my chest, we now set off.

“Goodbye!” (Rita)

“Come again, oniichans!” (Younger daughter)

Well, I won’t ever meet her again, but for now, I’ll at least wave my hand.

I don’t know what could happen after this, so I’ll have to replenish on some human nature.

“Now then, Jeed, let the others run the ship, and protect your promise.” (Velt)

It’s because I need to ready myself for some trauma from now.

“Hmph.” (Jeed)

“Now, lead the way.” (Velt)

At the deck of the ship, Jeed is making quite a reluctant face because of us three, but a promise is a promise.

Jeed gave up, and gestures us inboard, to guide us.

“Come with me. All the goods are packed in the bottom warehouse.” (Jeed)

The ship sways. Pleasant wind blows. The sound of waves is gentle too.

Since this ship is usually used as an ocean liner to go to the empire, it’s made firmly, and the cleaning is thorough.

And yet, the more I walk inboard, the more my heart creates a stir.

Even Ura, who looks unconcerned, seems somewhat uneasy, and is tightly clutching the hem of my clothes.

Farga doesn’t seem to be particularly phased, but I don’t know about his inner thoughts.

And then,

“It, it’s here.” (Jeed)

Jeed stopped in front of the door. He inserts the key into the door, and slowly opens it.

I swallow my saliva and resolve myself too, for the scene beyond that door.

“I’m begging you, save me! I don’t want to be a slave!”

“We will never come to the Humanity Continent again!”

“No way, I don’t want to be a human’s slave! Hey, let us out! Please, return me to my country!”

“Hey, you, save me! Hey, let me out of here! If you let me out, I’ll do something good for you, hey! I’ll do anything you ask of me!”

“Please, my family is in waiting for me at home! Even I didn’t really want to do it, but I had no choice since I need to return my debt!”

Inside, there was a rotten smell and the smell of beasts. Tears, screams, and begs.

Demi-humans had their hands and feet binded, inside small, cage-like pens.

The majority of them have human bodies, while having partial characteristics or organs of animals, and there are many diverse races.

Cats, foxes, and men with rabbit ears and noses, wrapped in worn out, dirty cloths. No, would it be more correct to call them males?

And similarly, there are also slightly young females, with voluptuous appearances.

“-” (Velt)

Damn, I feel nauseous in lots of different ways.

I’m begging you, don’t look at me with those kinds of eyes.

However, I need to make sure they don’t notice my nausea.

If I get flustered, Jeed would probably sense my weakness after all.

“Are these guys demi-human parents?” (Farga)

“Ye, yeah. These workers were secretly fishing in the Humanity Continent’s sea.” (Jeed)

Farga calmly asked that while looking at the shouting males in the pen.

“By the way, females are mixed in so that problems don’t occur during the long voyage, so uh, putting in『those types of women』seems to be part of the demi-humans’ culture. Especially since the energy of demi-humans in their mating season is way too dangerous.” (Jeed)

“I see. So there’s nothing to criticize about this situation of getting demi-humans slaves. That’s foocking disgusting.” (Farga)

Only for this, I have the exact same feelings as Farga.

But rather than just feeling disgusted, in my case, I might actually vomit.

“It’s not that hygienic. What about taking baths? Are you properly giving them meals? Their cheeks are slightly hollow! There are women there too, you know?” (Ura)

“Wa, wait, even we won’t let the goods die. Just, we don’t know what food to give to these guys that would give them stamina.” (Jeed)

It’s fine already, I don’t want to hear anymore, and I want to leave this place as fast as possible.

I’ll just hurry up and get through with my objective.

“Oi, so where’s that swordswoman?” (Velt)

“O, ooh. That’s right. She’s in a pen at the back. So that she doesn’t struggle, I restrained her tightly.” (Jeed)

In front of us, who advanced to the back, was a slightly bigger and different pen to the others.

“There were actually three people, but two of them ran away, and so now she’s the only one left.” (Jeed)

Inside, a girl whose limbs were locked up and had a gag stuffed in her mouth, was rolling around in the pen, stark naked.

She’s quite young. Probably a bit younger than Ura and my age.

“Outrageous! She’s still a young girl! Do you not even have the compassion to let her wear a single piece of clothing, you low life!” (Ura)

“Hii, there, there’s no helping it! She was hiding weapons and stuff! Bu, but, she’s an important merchandise, and virgins sell at a super high price, so we haven’t made a move on her! I’m saying the truth!” (Jeed)

“That’s not the problem here! It’s not good, as expected, I can’t endure it!” (Ura)

Immaturity is still remaining on her face.

She’s a girl with long, emerald hair tied up in a ponytail, and tiger ears and tail. No, a female? It doesn’t really matter now though.

“Cut it out, Ura.” (Velt)

“Don’t stop me, Velt!” (Ura)

“Shut up, at least do it after I finish my business!” (Velt)

Even though she can’t talk, she’s looking up at us with eyes filled with hostility.

“Like, why was a swordswoman on a poaching ship though? Furthermore, it was a brat like this.” (Velt)

“It’s to escort the ship.” (Jeed)

“Escort?” (Velt)

“Ye, yeah. But she wasn’t that skilled. In the first place, demi-humans that poach are usually full of people that dream of getting lots of gold in one grab, so they don’t have much money. That’s why they can only hire novice brats to escort them. The two that ran away were also brats.” (Jeed)

So that’s how it is. Well, to be frank, I don’t care about her skill.

The only question I want to ask is why this brat had a katana that resembled a Japanese sword.

“I’ll be talking to her for a bit.” (Velt)

“Ye, yeah. I’ll remove the thing in her mouth right now…………” (Jeed)

“You don’t need to.” (Velt)

“Eh, ehh!” (Jeed)

The mouth gag was binded by a string. I can easily untie a string like that with one fingertip.

While looking down on the slightly surprised brat through the iron bars, I finally ask the question I wanted to ask.

“Are you Japanese?” (Velt)

Now, how will she reply? Farga and Ura’s expressions have question marks on them, but what about this brat?

“What is that nihonjin or whatever! No, rather than something like that, die die you damn filthy human, let me out of here right now! Die!”

She shouted at me with an anger filled expression, but I became slightly disappointed.

It seems it was a miss.

“Tch, is that so. Then, I’ll change the question. Is this katana yours?” (Velt)

“Return it! My samurai sword! A repulsive human shouldn’t be touching it, die die!”

“Shut up. Tiger brat girl, answer my question.” (Velt)

“I have nothing to say to an inferior human! Get me out of here already! I’ll kill you! Die die die die dieeeee!”

Stop putting modifiers on me every single time, like filthy, repulsive, and inferior.

And you’re saying die die too much. Even Asakura Ryuuma hasn’t gone that far either.

“Ah~, we put that mouth gag on her because she was quite loud.” (Jeed)

Well, that would make sense. It’s quite irritating to me.

No, calm down. Don’t make a fuss over talking with a brat.

“Are you the only one that has a samurai sword?” (Velt)

“Die die die die dieeee!”

“Ah?” (Velt)

I’m annoyed.

“I’ll break this katana, you know? I might throw it away.” (Velt)

Oh, her face changed.

“Stop it! That is what my grandfather gave me for my birthday, a samurai sword! Stop it, stop it! Dieeeee, just dieee!”

A samurai, huh. Well, they do say a sword is a samurai’s life after all.

“Who made this samurai sword? No, whose invention was it?” (Velt)

Now, this is the main question. I don’t care about who this girl is. The problem is who designed this katana.

However…………

“I don’t know something like that! Dieee! The swordsmen of the country had it since the past after all! What will you do by knowing something like that, diee!”

Is that so. However, in that case, it’s turned into a complicated, troublesome situation.

At the very least, this brat doesn’t seem to know anything else.

To know the roots of the katana, I’ll need to rake up the demi-human’s history, or find someone else that’s well-informed.

“Good grief, even though I thought I was quite close to the truth, I guess it wouldn’t be that simple.” (Velt)

“Velt, what’s wrong?” (Ura)

“Hmm? Ahh, I’ve finished my business here, so I’m just going to sleep already.” (Velt)

There’s no longer any reason to stay here. I feel gross, so I’ll just leave already.

“Eh, wha, ehh? Ve, Velt, is that all? Are you fine with just that?” (Ura)

“Oi, stupid younger brother. Even though you put on that much airs, you didn’t learn sheet in the end? What the hell are you thinking about. What did you want to know?” (Farga)

“She just didn’t know what I wanted to know. I’m fine now.” (Velt)

It’s understandable for Ura to become perplexed, but there’s no helping it. She really didn’t know anything.

Besides, this brat kinda annoys me, and I feel like hearing the voices of imprisoned demi-humans is going to become a trauma.

In that case, I should get out of here as fast as possible. That’s all I felt.

Hearing that, Jeed let out a relieved breath because I didn’t cause any strange actions.

However,

“You damn human, just watch me!”

As Jeed tries to put the gag back on the brat, she stops my leg as I try to leave.

“Definitely, definitely! Onee will definitely clear away this resentment! At just 15 years of age, onee became a young, genius swordswoman whose name was famous throughout the country! She has enough talent that she’ll be chosen as one of the『Four Heavenly Demi-humans』in the future! Onee will definitely save us.” (TL Note: Onee = elder sister

Yes yes, is that so. I’m not interested in that.

Well, by the time your onee comes to save you, I won’t be here anymore though.

Without having much interest, I just tried to leave the room like that.

However, at that moment.

“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!” (Sea Thieves Member)

A scream resounded.

It’s from outside.

“It, it’s a demi-human, a demi-human is attacking us!” (Sea Thieves Member)

“Sheet, these guys, somewhere, gyaa!” (Sea Thieves Member)

“These guys are the guys that ran away the other day! They brought along a demi-human helper!” (Sea Thieves Member)

“Hii, hiii, you, you bas, pigya!” (Sea Thieves Member)

“A weapon, weapon, gukya!” (Sea Thieves Member)

The screams of humans that disappear one by one.

By the time I realized it, we were running outside the ship.

At that moment, from the room we just ran out of, I heard the voice of the tiger brat girl.

It was a voice mixed with tears, and relief.

“I’m glad………… those children escaped, and called for help. Besides, this smell………… without a doubt, it’s onee,『Musashi』-onee came!”

My heart pumped.

Share