CH 22

(Author’s note: Monster’s are also parents who flee barefoot.

Dispatch) (TL: don’t ask me~)

Without his normal leather coat, nor the shirt he normally wears, the one wearing the superior black clothes because once again, to him they were this 『Battle Uniform』.

Without his normal leather coat, nor the shirt he normally wears, because to him in addition to being superior black clothes, that was his 『Battle Uniform』.

The 『Saint Seal』 going down from his neck too, was not a getup he normally has.

If they even slightly knew that, 『That』 with it’s considerably elaborate structure was made with materials, strictly determined, depending on his status at the shrine then, they’ll probably realise that he held a considerable position at the 『Shrine』.

Even the elderly female priest who has entrusted with the Shrine of 『Yellow God (Asfaru)』 in this District of Kroix knows of him.

An adventurer who holds deep ties with the current prime minister, his excellency the duke.

However, 『Shrines』 were detached from the country’s authority, becoming an independent organisation that has a recognised privilege to be outside the country’s laws.

Although they are within the country of Rabando, they have no reason to receive the orders of the royal family or duke house.

At least on the front.

Dale knows this as well.

Which is why today he is not being 『The adventurer supported by the Duke’s house』 but was visiting 『Asfaru』’s Shrine as 『A high ranked Priest』.

The 『Divine Protection』Dale has — the power to give God’s miracles to frail 『People』– was not a property of 『Asfaru』 but, even if it was a property of the other gods, people who hold 『God’s Divine Protection』 cannot not be treated badly by any Shrine.

The gods are all equal, as they are existences in line with each other.

Furthermore Dale’s 『Divine Protection』 is quite a high ranking one. There is no 『Priest』 who doesn’t understand that. Excluding those with extremely low ranks, hired for the sake of doing chores and odd jobs, everyone in the 『Shrine』 has a 『Divine Protection』.

Originally, the goal of the organisation called 『Shrine』 was to shelter in the people who hold the unique power called 『Divine Protection』, and was established as a place in order to protect them. 『Priests』 are an occupation which only allowed for people with 『Divine Protection』 to do.

“Why, I’ve come to this place. There’s no need to tell you again, don’t you agree. I think I have the right to ask about the circumstances”

“Err…. yes. That is true”

Even she, the one responsible had the information come to her.

The fact that the young girl of the 『Demon Race』, who had come under the guardianship of the youth in front of her, is commuting to the school established by the Shrine since this autumn.

And even, to that girl,

the foolish thing this Shrine’s 『Priest(Teacher)』 did to her.

“For me, no matter how much you flaunt your principles, I have no plans to deny it. People of the belief that 『Human Master Race』 is not rare either. ….But, I think that in contrast to the views of the people who live in this district 『Kroix』, that’s quite a narrow-minded view.”

“….It is as you say”

“This district has been built upon by trading with travellers, so no matter what occupation they have, they have a deep relationship with other races. It’s impossible that the people serving the 『God of Learning』 don’t know about such an obvious thing, don’t you agree.”

The man named Dale, is extremely terrifying when his emotions appear calm. Even she, whose meeting him for the first time can feel an irritable sweat transpiring down her back.

The auras from slaughtering enormous monsters and magic beasts, no matter how high a rank the priest is, isn’t something they would experience so often.

“I hear you told the children your opinion of mocking and abusing the 『Demon Race』. Is that the recent opinion of 『Asfaru』?”

“…. She was born in the neighbouring land, in the demon race’s living area…. her relatives parted because of a quarrel with 『them』. Because of that….”

“Because of that, you’re saying that it doesn’t matter even if you verbally abuse a girl who has done nothing wrong calling her 『monster』, is that 『Asfaru』’s opinion? That’s a new interpretation.”

“No, absolutely not…”

She searches for words to say as she wipes away the sweat on her forehead.

With the words just now, it showed that the youth before her eyes already knows the whole story of 『What had happened』.

In reality Dale had only investigated the basics about what had happened to Latina.

Hearing the story from Latina’s friends as well the proof from Rita, her 『Main job』 and the 『Towns Rumours』 through Chloe’s mum. He had reached a confirmation after comparing both parties.

It seemed that the female priest who took the job to teach Latina and the other kids, was transferred here from a bordering district of the neighbouring country quite recently.

That kids were calling her, 『 the Person who’s always cold』. The person herself might not have intended for that but, children are sensitive to a face like that, and don’t decorate their words.

It seems that in the beginning Latina was taking some distance from that female priest. Latina had gotten emotionally attached to the priest who was working as a teacher until then, and Latina had never had such an attitude from anyone before.

Her friends too, seemed to be cautious.

–And then that day.

That woman noticed Latina’s 『Horn』.

“『Demon Race』…..”

Muttering quietly, and she grabbed hold of Latina’s hair. After her beautiful horn which had been covered by the ribbon was exposed, she spat out hatefully.

“Why, in the district of 『people』, is an annoying thing like you in it!”

“-! Thing….”

“It’s impossible for those sub-species other than 『Humans』, to be 『people』 don’t you agree!”

Firing out her words as if they were indeed correct.

Then she released even more poisonous words at the dumbfounded and speechless Latina.

“It’s impossible for a strange-looking 『Monster』, who can continue living with the same appearance for over a hundred years, to be a person don’t you agree”

With a face as if she came to believe that not one thing of what she said was wrong, she loudly told the children who were bewildered by the situation.

Latina, having her hair grasped, couldn’t even move, and was pushed out to the front as if flaunting her spoils.

“Sub-species other than the 『Human Race』 are not 『People』. Like this, holding a strange-looking proof(TL: horn), even if that’s how their life ought to be, they are monsters different from 『People』. Don’t be deceived everyone!”

–The 『Human Race』, regarding population is a race which accounts for an overwhelming majority, at times they don’t have any less 『Ignorant』 people than 『Ignorant races』.

It is especially sad that I can’t even say for certain that the 『Human Master Race』way of thinking, that only 『Humans』 can be called 『People』 and that other races are called 『Sub-species』, is the minority.

Which is why in that sort of sense, you could say that she only expressed her own principles.

However, in 『Kroix (This Town)』, that is heresy.

Without even noticing the disgust across the children’s faces, she shouted again.

“Especially the 『Demon Race』, they are wicked, foul beings connected with the 『Demon King』! You can never let your guard down. Her hiding her origins like this, and mixing into the streets of 『People』 is the best proof of that!”

“Kyaah!”

Getting her hair pulled even stronger, Latina screamed with a completely pale face, and that was the signal.

Chloe threw with all her strength, the 『Slate』 on top of the desk.

It didn’t hit her but, it struck the wall, making a loud sound as it crumbled.

“What are you doing! That’s dangerous!”

Taking notice of Chloe’s actions, she loosened her hand. Latina dropped to the floor.

Anthony and Marcel start to move, in order to go help Latina.

In that instant, Rudy kicked the desk.

A large desk which seats three people, with a lone child’s strength, would at most shake a little but, it was enough to get that woman’s attention.

“Stop! What exactly are you doing!”

At that shouting figure, the children in the classroom were not just disgusted but were even, scared.

The appearance of that woman shrieking, raising her eyes and, the appearance of the sweet girl, everyone’s close friend, crouching as if she wanted to cry.

To the children, there was no need to compare who was the 『Monster』.

The instant Rudy tried to kick the table again, Chloe matches his timing and kicks it from the other end.

This time for sure, the desk makes a loud sound, falling to the floor.

“STOP IT! STOP IT!”

Because the two had gotten the hang of it once, at the next fallen desk, she shrieks even louder. Several children cried. Those voices only irritated her more as she shouts out again.

“STOP!! STOP!! STOP!!”

At violent sounds and the unusual situation, what the other priests who had rushed in saw was, a disastrous classroom as if a storm had passed through, and the scared, sobbing children.

In addition, in the center was 『Their co-worker』 shouting with a furious expression, and the figure of a child glaring at that 『co-worker』, protecting a ghastly looking young girl, from her.

“Teacha….”

While the priests came out to take the 『Woman who should’ve been their teacher』 away, Latina called out to the priest who had been in charge of these children’s education until quite recently, with a terrible complexion.

“Is something different? Latina… Are 『Demons』 different from everyone?”

“……Latina-san. Things like different….”

“What is ‘life is different’? What is, ‘living hundred years’? ….Is it different from everyone?”

At her painful voice, that person frowns, and looked sad but, he decided not to lie.

Bending his knees, he meets eyes with the small Latina.

“….. The biggest difference between 『Humans』 and 『Demons』, isn’t their appearance. 『Demons』 have the longest lifespan amongst the 『Races』. More than two times 『Humans』, a race that can live through many months and years.”

Latina’s grey pupils enlarged.

No doubt Latina was a clever girl, being able to understand the meaning of those words.

Without concealing the shock she received, Latina was on her way home. The voices of her worried friends couldn’t even reach her.

And then, with her own magic, she personally broke off her 『Horn』.

(Author’s note: Since it ended up being longer than I had thought, I split it into halves.

I didn’t plan to split it at first, I’ll upload the next part in the afternoon. (TL: not me~ :v)

The 『Slate』 in the text, is a notebook that every students uses, similar to a small blackboard) (TL: Fuck, she’s 8 for fuck sakes)