CH 6

Author’s Note:

Over 1500 bookmarks!

No. 1 for the day!

Thank you very much (*^▽^*)

─Renneiga’s side─

Given the Captain’s extraordinary power, I think he’s more suitable in the First Corps.

Why is he content with the Third Corps…?

Well, I’m glad my boss was the Captain.

I’m not good at humbling myself.

Because of my rough temperament, I’ve been scolded many times.

However, the Captain accepted me to his unit.

Now I’m the Vice-Captain.

I’m a Shiks beastman, but the Captain is an Akinist beastman.

A rare race where their mighty power earned them the title Shadow Kings.

Even if he fought the First Corps Captain, my Captain will win.

…nevertheless, the Captain didn’t aim for the First Corps.

Even the First Corps Captain understood that he’s no match for my Captain.

Is there any reason he’s staying in the Third Corps?

The Captain got a lot of attention just because he’s an “Akinist”.

Many wanted to be the Captain’s partner, regardless of gender.

In the case of a man, the birth rate is worse than that of women.

But the Captain hadn’t married anyone.

And there’s no evidence of even having a lover.

Is it because he’s a workaholic?

It’s said that Captain’s the last remaining one, but is he waiting until he found an unmarried Akinist?

But, are his parents not saying anything?

The Captain must be 156 years old by now.

By the way, I’m 138 years old.

Counting my age is getting more and more troublesome.

We’re about 15 to 20 years old when we first took our humanoid shape, and our appearance wouldn’t change much from there.

Since adulthood differed from beastman to beastman, many people get married between the ages of 100 and 120 on average.

…I’m not married yet.

Even with different races, a child would be born.

No pure race would be born, but wasn’t he told to leave at least a half Akinist?

────

──

One day, the Captain returned with a humanized child.

He said he’s going to get some grass for Sig, but returned with a completely different thing…

I’ve never seen a humanized figure so small.

And I could feel a power that I couldn’t imagine coming from that figure.

But the child seemed to be childish.

He got angry when he’s laughed at and ignored us, but when you smile at him, he’d still smile at you.

It seemed like the Captain would adopt him as his son, but did the child, who called himself Kou, understand?

The Captain then headed home.

It was dinner when he reappeared in the barracks.

But I’m surprised.

Because he could already speak some words though Kou’s still lisping.

In just a few hours, he could talk to this point…

However, Kou might be different from a normal child.

It didn’t look like he’s just reserved around the Captain.

Is there something he couldn’t say?

Is there any reason why he used words I’d never heard before and why he humanized in such a small figure I’d never seen before?

I thought he’s a childish child, but why did he look so mature?

────

──

The next day, the Captain showed up with Kou.

It’s already noon and just as I was thinking what he’s doing…I somehow understood it when I saw Kou.

He seemed to have gone to a tailor to make Kou’s clothes.

Because no one would humanize in the form of a child, there are no clothes that Kou could wear unless it’s customized.

The same was true for shoes, so he’s now wearing new shoes.

I don’t think he’d have much need for shoes since the Captain is always carrying him.

But how much money was spent?

All were of good quality and they surely cost a lot of money.

When he said that he’d prepare a chair for Kou, I thought he was being awfully sweet to Kou.

I feel like the Captain didn’t really like kids, but is that really so?

Somehow, the inside of the Captain’s head seemed to be dyed by Kou’s color.

Certainly, Kou was not intimidated by me or the Captain and was able to interact with us.

Understandably, we found him cute.

However, I feel like the Captain was being overkill…

What touched the Captain’s heartstrings?

“Ryodo, york (chigoto).”

“Yes. Work (shigoto). Kou, wait here (kokode matsu).”

“Heer (koko)? Whait (machyu).”

Kou didn’t seem able to speak properly yet.

He’s just picked up yesterday, so it’s not funny at all.

It’s a miracle that he’s able to speak so far, since Kou couldn’t speak or understand the language when he was just picked up.

That’s why the Captain’s speaking the words slowly.

…However, when the Captain is with Kou, he’s acting too different from usual.

It’s no wonder everyone would stare.

He’s a kind person from the beginning, but he wasn’t this sweet of a person.

He’s strict to both himself and other people, but many people still longed for that kind of Captain.

But when the Captain is with Kou, he looked like a troubled parent.

“Kou, whait (machyu).”

…Kou didn’t seem to have changed in particular.

“Book (hon).”

“Wait. Book (hon), read (yomu).”

“Rwead (yomyu).”

The picture book that Kou had seemed to be bought by the Captain.

He even bought such a thing…

It seemed like there’s more than just that one book.

I think the Captain bought a picture book for children and a book that taught basic letters just today.

(By the way, can he write the basic letters?)

How good was Kou’s intelligence to be able to write, even though it’s already difficult to understand and speak another language?

He looked like someone enthusiastic about studying, but is that really so?

Is he studying because he wanted to go home?

If we can’t communicate, then we won’t know where Kou lived.

──but what about it?

Did he want to go home that much?

…to that someone who would leave him naked.

“Ryodo, *****.”

He said something while waving.

Goodbye? …it didn’t seem like it, so it’s a send-off?

The Captain solidified as if shocked at being waved at.

Kou strangely looked at such a Captain.

…Captain looks pitiful.

“Kou.”

When I called out, their eyes were directed at me.

“Ryen.”

“[Take care (ittarashai)].”

“?”

He didn’t seem to understand what I meant.

“Take care.”

When I said that while waving to the Captain, he seemed to get it.

I’m told he’s smart, and that seemed to be true.

“Tatake car (iteterasha).”

“Take care.”

“Teke cay (iterassha).”

During our conversation, the Captain, who understood what Kou wanted to say, looked relieved.

Is he scared of being hated by Kou…?

(That’s stupid.)

Although I denied it, it’s the only thing I could think of with that attitude.

Why is the Captain so obsessed with Kou?

“I’m off.”

“Teke cay (iterassha).”

After waving to the Captain, Kou sat on the prepared chair and opened his book.

Before that, there’s also a table…

The Captain probably brought in the table and chair.

Next to the table, the Captain put down the books he held and after stroking Kou’s head, he left.

Kou seemed to be reading a book while opening the other book called [The Basic Letters].

It seemed to be a way of memorizing words with pictures and letters.

It’s probably because he knew the language to some extent.

He’d just apply the words he knew and fit them into our language.

…still, I think it’d take a lot of work.

“Renneiga! What are you doing!?”

A sharp voice flew over.

The Captain was looking at me as if accusing me of looking at Kou.

It’s been a while since I’d been looked at with such eyes.

“I’ll be there soon!”

I unconsciously replied politely.

“Kusukusu*…” (T/N: *chuckle/giggle)

Like finding something funny from me being scolded, Kou laughed.

“Ryen, ****.”

Moreover, even though I didn’t understand the words, I knew I’m the one being laughed at.

(Damn it~…)

I feel like Kou is making a fool of me.

In front of the Captain, he acted like a good boy.

“Ryen, teke cay (iterassha).”

But he still waved at me with a smile.

I don’t seem to be hated.

…but I feel like the Captain’s eyes have become narrower.

Kou read the book quietly for a while.

But now he’s watching us in training.

The Captain, who noticed this, raised his hand with a smile, as if he just noticed that Kou was watching.

He didn’t try to approach, probably because he understood that it’s dangerous.

And while he’s a child, he might like watching the training.

…though I don’t think he could hold a sword right now.

Did he want to learn the sword in the future?

Or would he use his high intelligence to become a civil officer?

But since he has a lot of power, he’s likely to become a magician.

…well, it’s a long way off, so he probably hadn’t thought about it yet.

“Renneiga, your hands stopped!”

As I was thinking that, I was hit by the Captain…

(This is unreasonable.)

Even the Captain was looking at Kou.