Your and My Asylum - Book 3: Chapter 9: [Short Story] The Story of the Saber-Fang Girl

***

Roroa Ara Harte shouted.

“Wan! What’s the meaning of this!?”

The branch manager of the Black Dragon Street that was within Water Dragon City, Loumbre, laughed while exposing his teeth.

“What do you mean? I’m putting you in prison.”

“My little sister! Didn’t you say that you’ll release my little sister, wan!?”

“Haha! Do you think a human would keep their promise with a dog?”

“You! Waan! I won’t forgive you, wan!”

“So what if you won’t forgive me? You sisters should just prepare to receive customers!” Loumbre tapped on the shoulder of the man standing beside him. “Ma, keep guard!”

Loumbre left while letting out a crude laugh. The bearded Thumb department head of the Black Dragon Street branch that was within Water Dragon City brushed off his shoulder with a sullen face.

“Tsk. Stay there obediently. I may like dogs, but I absolutely hate being bitten by one.”

“Senior, please release me!”

“What are you talking about? You should be aware of that baldy’s personality. He won’t change his mind even if ten fingers were to go up on the throne.”

“Do you plan to abandon me, wan!? Even though we’ve worked together for several years!”

“Do you think the black would rub off if two Black Dragons rubbed against one another for a couple of years? Sorry, but my life comes first.”

Roroa became enraged and shifted into her unsheathed state. With three times her original height, and two times her original physique, she rushed at the bars and swung at them. Bang······! A loud boom echoed but the bars didn’t even shake. The Thumb department head made a pitiable face.

“This is technology from the Lunar Origin Vault. Do you think it’d break just because you hit it?”

“Gauu! This······ this is taking it too far, wan!”

“In the first place, we became Black Dragons because we took it too far.”

Although he was talking coldly, secretly, the Thumb department head agreed with Roroa. Of course, that baldy always took it too far, and it was thanks to that that he was able to become the branch manager of the Black Dragon Street in this city, but this was too much.

It didn’t make sense since the part where he had taken Roroa’s little sister as a hostage. Instead of giving a reward to Roroa, who had completed her mission, there was nothing that could be said about the fact that she was instead imprisoned and told that she was going to be sent to a whorehouse at the Cat Palatinate. However, the thing that was the most excessive was the mission that Roroa was pressured into carrying out.

The Thumb department head let out a sigh and looked further into the prison cell that Roroa was imprisoned in.

A single man was leaned against a wall while unconscious. His thick-rimmed glasses, disorganized beard, and sharp facial lines made him give off the air of a scholar. He had an appearance that you couldn’t possibly say was similar to the brawler Thumb department head, even as empty talk.

Regardless, the issue wasn’t because of that atmosphere, but rather, the man’s appearance was different from the Thumb department head on a more fundamental level. Once he regains his consciousness and opens his eyes, then it would become even clearer. If this man were a human, then this man should have the ‘inner eyes’ which everyone naturally had. The kidnapped man wasn’t a normal human.

He was an otherworlder who had been summoned from another world.

The baldy had put his hands on the Silver Lion, the esteemed daughter’s retainer.

“He was probably blinded by the reward that the Mage Tower offered, but······ what does he intend to do by doing this? They say the esteemed daughter of the Earl is able to summon anything before her······.”

“Uuh······ nothing particular should happen for the time being, wan. There are 13 days left until the esteemed daughter can use her summons again. The Mage Tower will most likely try to obtain as much information as they can from the otherworlder before then, and they will obtain it, wan. The otherworlder will then be immediately discarded.”

“Who said I was talking about the otherworlder? I’m talking about us. If they find out that the Black Dragon Street was involved, then can you imagine how that record-breaking esteemed daughter will rage······ that baldy, don’t tell me he doesn’t plan on doing business here anymore?”

“That’s probably the case, wan. He knows how much the Mage Tower is aiming for otherworlders. The baldy will receive that much profit as well, and he’ll be able to fill his quota to get a promotional transfer to the headquarters of the Black Dragon Street, wan.”

“And the people remaining here will have to take care of the aftermath. This is insane······ but why did you do something like this?”

“Waan! Are you making fun of me!? Kina was captured as a hostage, wan! Do you think I had any other choice, wan!?”

The Thumb department head clicked his tongue.

“You shouldn’t have tried to become a Claw Black Dragon in the first place. If you had just become a Scale Black Dragon, went to the Cat Palatinate on your own two feet, and spread your legs for some pervert with a preference towards kids, then you would be living better than now.”

“Wan! Bite off all Twelve Fingers!”

Roroa struck the ground. Even after her transformation had ended, she continued to hit the floor. She was upset. She was upset that she couldn’t rescue her little sister. She was upset that she was used and she was upset that she had ended up in this situation. She was upset that there was no other choice but for this to happen. Although there hadn’t been a single moment in her life where she thought she was emotional, just this time, she couldn’t suppress her emotions.

“Wan! Waan······!”

How did things end up like this? Roroa looked back at the life she had lived.

Among the tribes of the Saber-Fangs, Roroa was born within the Tribe of Drooping Ears. Within the territory of the Lion Palatinate, the slums in the southwest region of Water Dragon City, and among those slums, the residence that was isolated as a place where only non-humans gathered to live, she was born in a place called the Claw Nest. Her family lived alongside the Cold-blooded Tribe(冷血簇, Kubera’ kan), who had scales growing out of their bodies, and the Winged Steed Tribe(馬翼簇, Orabia), who had wings like horses. (TL note: They mentioned before that their horses here have wings.)

Although the majority of the days there were peaceful, occasionally, when the human administrator came to collect the tax, the atmosphere would become grim. That caught the mind of the young Roroa.

“Why do we pay tax, wan?”

“Since we’re living in their city.”

Roroa’s grandmother, Morba, answered. Her white hair displayed how old she was.

“Waan! Why do we live in their city, wan? Can’t we live outside of the city, wan?”

“The outside is dangerous. There are monsters after all.”

“Monsters! Wan, are they scary?”

“They’re wicked.”

Grandmother Morba spoke. Although Roroa was still at an age where she couldn’t understand the implicative meaning behind that response, she could at least understand one thing.

“So you’re saying that instead of living while being harassed by monsters, we’ll be better off living while paying taxes. Wan. Since money is a cheaper price than our lives.”

Grandmother Morba smiled.

“I see you have a head that’s as sharp as your teeth. Being able to bite lean meat isn’t something that just anyone can do.”

However, Grandma Morba had said that idiom without knowing the essence of Roroa. Once Roroa grew up and started to do her own portion of the work, she felt as if she had been on the short end of the stick. Even if she were to live while being harassed by monsters, she was confident that at least she would survive. Why did they have to give money to the people who wouldn’t be able to survive?

Roroa didn’t try to go further into this. She knew that if she brought this up, then that would put her at a disadvantage.

Instead, she chose to ask in a roundabout way.

“Wan. About Mr. Arbere.”

“That playboy?”

Harisa, who was Roroa’s sister from the same mother, asked back while trimming Roroa’s ears. Roroa raised her head and looked up at Harisa.

“Wan, yes. Doesn’t that person eat and live well even though he doesn’t work? Even his scales are blue.”

“Since he has wealth.”

“Yes. There are rich people like that who have wealth among the Cold-blooded Tribe and the Winged Steed Tribe, right? I also heard that there are people like that among the humans as well. But why don’t we have someone like that, wan?”

“If there’s a rich person, then that means that there are ten times the number of poor. Those people don’t care if their fellow kin die as long as it means that they can live an abundant life, so that’s why they’re able to live such terrible lives.”

It seems like an awesome life. Roroa did not say this out loud.

“So you’re saying that in comparison to them, we live while sharing everything among one another, wan?”

“Yup. Since that is the will of the Giant Molar. Work together, share together. Thanks to that, no one starves to death. You work while you’re young and feed the pups and you’ll be supported once you’ve grown old. It doesn’t have to be solely food, but items as well. It’s a good thing since a person in need can use something whenever they want to, and it’s also a good thing because fleas won’t form in the items or our fur. How reasonable is that?”

“What if we don’t have enough food, wan?”

“Then at that time, the older one has to bear with it. For example, if it’s just you and me, then I’ll be the one who has to endure. If it’s just you and Kina, then you’ll be the one who has to endure.”

What if you don’t want to endure? Roroa did not ask this out loud.

“What happens if you obtain an item that’s so precious that you can’t share it with anyone else, wan?”

“Is there anything in the world that’s more precious than your kin?”

Roroa realized that she wasn’t going to be able to understand her kin. Her kin weren’t going to be able to understand her either.

The only person who was able to even slightly notice Roroa’s true essence was Grandma Morba.

“I see you have a head that’s sharper than your teeth.”

Grandma Morba said words that were slightly different compared to before and spoke as if she were sighing in grief.

“No matter how sharp one’s teeth are, they will break if they come in contact with bones. Although that head of yours may save you from an abundance of crises like a well-held sword would, at times, it’s because of that very reason that you’ll end up calling upon trouble. I shall one day tell you how to sheathe that blade of yours.”

However, before that day could arrive, Roroa had run away from the Claw Nest.

Roroa, who had come out to the urban district, was filled to the brim with hope. However, there was a limit to what she could do in the city as she was not a human. For starters, the deeply rooted scorn towards other races held her down by the ankles.

“I’d rather use orphans than hire you. At least those kids are human.”

The next thing that had caught her by the ankles was her small frame that didn’t reach even 1 meter tall.

“Can you even wash dishes like that? Didn’t you say that you’re unable to stay transformed all the time?”

Her young appearance held her down as well.

“21 years old? As I can tell by your brown hair? Even if you tell me that, I have no idea.”

There were people who wanted her. A merchant smiled broadly as he massaged his ample stomach.

“It can’t be done here. We can’t openly do business. His Excellency the Brown Earl is strict about strange things. But you know? Let’s say that you go all the way to the Cat Palatinate. The demand for your current figure and even your unsheathed state in the whorehouses over there is······.”

A certain leader of a circus said this while showing off his muscular body.

“People desire to see rare exhibitions. ‘The Rare Tent of Treasures’, which I, Barze, manage, provides that. Fruit plucked from the Tribe of Soaring Trees. From the 5th generation of a pioneer village⎯⎯⎯of course, it’s the 5th generation of an unlicensed pioneer village, a living leather taiz. We even have a hand that belonged to royal blood. Although Saber-Fangs aren’t really rare exhibits, if you follow our training well, then I might be able to give you a job as one of our choreographers. Albeit, you won’t be paid and you’ll have to live in the training camp until you’re able to pull your own weight.”

Roroa refused them both. Although she didn’t have any resistance towards selling her own body, the Cat Palatinate was a place that had so many disturbing rumors that it made even Roroa, who had just come up to the city, reluctant to approach. On the other hand, she had no idea how long it’d take before she’d be able to receive a proper pay from the circus.

Roroa wanted to quickly become rich. Ironically, the ability that came with being the kin of Gainu Warmon, the God of Equality who had a doctrine that was the complete opposite of her desire, helped her. Around the vicinity of Water Dragon City, there were several labyrinths that had never been traversed before. Roroa was able to construct an elaborate database and record maps. The fact that Roroa could also enter her unsheathed state whenever she was in danger was a factor that added points as well.

The leader of the adventurer group ‘Gold Beard’, Rihitle Odeon, spoke while touching his golden beard which was the origin of his party name.

“I have no interest in your race. I am only interested in whether you’re able to do your job properly or not.”

However, Rihitle was actually incredibly interested in Roroa’s race. He spoke adamantly when they discovered a fist-sized piece of gold while exploring the labyrinth known as the ‘Lamenting Mine’ which was used as a waste water disposal facility for the Mining Industry District.

“You do not have the right to have this. This is for humans after all. If you have a problem, then file a petition at the government office.”

The very right to file a petition at the government office was only for humans. The Saber-Fang Roroa didn’t have the qualification itself to even request for someone to mediate. Non-humans were always in the position of living in this Water Dragon City on rent. You could say there was a reason why they gathered in an isolated area in the slums.

At the time, the reason why Roroa didn’t go towards the Black Dragon Street like most people would often do once they’ve been turned away by the governmental powers, was because the retentive memory which Roroa was born with was warning her that if she stepped in there once, then she won’t be able to ever come out again. However, once similar occurrences happened over and over again, she could no longer bear it.

The Black Dragon Street didn’t care about the circumstances of another race that received racial discrimination, but they were very interested in the treasure that the party of adventurers had discovered and the inner details that were given to them by Roroa. Roroa had received money. It was a sum that she had grasped for the first time ever since she came out to the city of humans. When you look at it as compensation for the new quagmire she was entering, the money also seemed lacking.

“You know, there’s a thing about us. We’ve helped people who weren’t humans. We’ve even slipped them some money. Because they were pitiable, while also betraying our fellow humans. Do you know why? It’s because we’re Black Dragons. Anyone can be a Black Dragon, and the Black Dragon is everyone. In other words, shouldn’t you repay the favor for the other Black Dragons as well?”

Regardless of how smooth those words were, Roroa had no other choice. No adventurer party would accept Roroa who had sold information to the Black Dragon Street. Once she had come to her senses, Roroa realized that the only people who would give her work were the Black Dragon Street. Although she was able to live normally with the pay she got from the Black Dragon Street, she became unable to pursue anything higher than that.

The most depressing thing was the fact that she had predicted this situation. She didn’t want to go to the Black Dragon Street because she knew this would happen.

It was similar to the stifling sensation you’d get when playing a game of chess where your defeat was already certain, and yet you weren’t allowed to stop playing midway through and were forced to continue. Kina had left the slums and came looking for her when that feeling was at its zenith.

“Woof! It’s been a long time, big sis!”

“······Why have you come here, wan?”

Roroa was exhausted. Although Kina felt puzzled after seeing Roroa in this sort of state for the first time, she soon spoke spryly.

“Woof! Grandma Morba sent me! She told me to become big sis’ sheathe!”

Sheathe? Roroa recalled the words that Grandmother Morba had told her. ‘I shall one day tell you how to sheathe that sword of yours.’ Nagging that was unique to white hairs. Annoying and boundlessly bothersome words of wisdom. It wasn’t even funny. For them to send this idiot to her. Roroa wanted to tell Kina that she had no intention of shouldering baggage like her and that she should immediately return to the Claw Nest. No, there was no need to even say it. She could lock the door and shut herself in. The idiot Kina would loiter around the streets for a while and be sold off to the Cat Palatinate before even three days. Roroa could also be the one to sell Kina off herself. If she wanted to become rich, then she had to use whatever means necessary.

There was a single problem. She couldn’t become rich. She wasn’t capable of becoming rich from now on either.

“Woof······ big sis?”

And she was tired.

“······Woof.”

Kina, who had been looking at Roroa anxiously, carefully placed her hand on top of Roroa’s head. Roroa pulled Kina into a hug and trembled.

Time flowed by. Roroa kept Kina with her. Kina was one of the very few people who didn’t harbor malice towards Roroa, and she was the sole person who would never become Roroa’s enemy. A tranquilizer.

“I welcome you as a formal member of the Black Dragon Street.”

“Woof. Big sis. Do you want a shoulder massage?”

“Two harlots from Ordon Halzum’s place ran away. This is a problem that’s related to our honor.”

“Woof. Big sis. I made the food.”

“Our task this time is to show hell to the bastards over at the House of Palcan. For them to try and use the water by themselves during this period, how absurd.”

“Woof. Big sis. A letter came from big sis Harisa!”

“They say the eldest son of the House of Naricpitor caused an accident again. The person directly involved in that accident, the maid of the Cold-blooded Tribe, is saying that she won’t get rid of the egg. Sir Zaho clearly said that he did not wish for something like a grandchild with scales······.”

“Woof. Big sis, Mr. Barze taught me a new dance today! Want to see?”

This child was my tranquilizer. Roroa tried to assert it as so. However, deep down, she knew that Kina was an existence that was greater than that. In the end, this fact was proven once several years had flowed by and Kina was captured as a hostage, forcing Roroa to do something insane like place her hands on the otherworlder who belonged to the Silver Lion esteemed daughter. How could she have ended up imprisoned in this cell and hitting the floor?

“Damn it! Damn it······!”

Even though she had a feeling that that baldy wouldn’t keep his promise. But for her to still have no other choice but to do this. Roroa was so upset that she couldn’t contain it. From the very beginning, she shouldn’t have done things that didn’t suit her. Or she should have just done things that didn’t suit her from the very beginning.

If she didn’t leave the Claw Nest. If she had just lived with her kin. If she did.

“Wan······! Shit······!”

“Hey, you’ll hurt your hand.”

“Who cares, wan! I can’t use these hands from now on any······.”

Roroa shut her mouth. Once she raised her head, she could see the otherworlder scratching the back of his head.

“······You woke up, wan?”

“You should be able to tell just by looking at me. Mm, your name. It was Miss Arba, right?”

Roroa recalled that she had told him a fake name. She didn’t feel the need to fix that.

“Wan. It would have been better if you stayed passed out longer, wan. You’ll be knocked out again anyway once the baldy comes back, wan.”

“I would have liked to as well. But my head kept ringing. Miss Arba kept hitting the floor after all. My name is Ahyeon. Show me your hand for a moment.”

The otherworlder, Ahyeon, spoke while walking towards her. After glancing at the slim hand stretched out towards her, Roroa bared her teeth.

“Grrrr······ are you pitying me, wan?”

Ahyeon looked down at Roroa before getting down on one knee. He grasped Roroa’s small hand and opened it before gently rubbing the torn areas on the back of her hand with his handkerchief. Roroa was about to shake his hand off but dropped her shoulders instead. It was half because she didn’t feel the need to do that, and the other half was because she could enter her unsheathed state whenever she wanted in order to slam this otherworlder into the floor.

“How is it now?”

Ahyeon asked. Roroa growled.

“It’s painful, wan.”

“I did that as punishment. Now you shouldn’t thoughtlessly hit the back of another person’s head. Okay?”

Roroa stared at the otherworlder with her mouth hanging open. Ahyeon flashed her a grin and took something out of his pocket.

“Now I’ll treat you.”

“······What’s that, wan?”

“Medicine from my world. It’s called Madecassol.”

Roroa quietly watched Ahyeon squeeze the ointment out and rub it on the back of her hand. It had a peculiar scent that felt like she was forcing herself to breathe through her nostrils even though they were clogged. The otherworlder finished it off by wrapping some adhesive band called a band-aid on top of the area where the ointment was applied.

“Now then, it’ll become better now. Probably.”

Roroa wanted to ignore the last word that Ahyeon had added. The sudden question that popped up in her head prevented her from doing so.

“Does the medicine from your world work on the people in this world, wan?”

“It worked. Although I’m not sure if it’ll work on a Saber-Fang.”

“Isn’t that the important part, wan!?”

“Eeh but~ there were no Saber-Fangs around me. Honestly, the first Saber-Fang I ever got to talk to was Miss Arba······.”

“So was it an experiment under the pretense of treatment, wan!?”

“It’ll be fine, really.”

Ahyeon let out a hearty laugh and scratched the back of his head. Roroa, who was chuckling while showing her teeth, could feel her strength slowly escape from her body. It didn’t matter anymore. This otherworlder was soon going to become a test subject for the Mage Tower, and she and her sister were going to be dragged to the Cat Palatinate. She······.

“So, Miss Roroa Ara Harte. Why did you kidnap me?”

Roroa froze. Ahyeon was still looking at her with a humorous smile on his face.

Shortly after, Roroa spoke.

“You know my name?”

“Yes. Although I’ve never met one before, I’ve been planning something that involves the Saber-Fangs. So the ghettos within the city, ah, ghettos are what you call those isolated areas. In any case, the Claw Nest, right? There was a need for me to get a grasp on the Saber-Fangs who lived there and the people who came out to the city area⎯⎯⎯Well, it’s like that. Sir Zaho and Miss Sophna combined their strengths and somehow did it. I think this was about 4 days ago.”

“So you’re saying that you followed me even though you were aware that I gave you a fake name, wan?”

“Tell me the reason. Why did you do it?”

“You should be able to guess that by now! The Mage Tower wants⎯⎯⎯.”

“I know that. I’m asking for the reason why Miss Roroa kidnapped me.”

Ahyeon spoke calmly. Compared to when she was talking with the Thumb department head earlier, the aspect of this conversation was the complete opposite. Still, Roroa found a certain comical factor in the fact that, instead of the person who she had suffered together with for the past several years, the person who she had tricked and kidnapped was the one showing more concern for her.

Roroa didn’t have an emotional personality. However, she was not a monster who couldn’t feel emotions either. She wasn’t a sociopath who smirked at warm hearts and took advantage of kindness.

Not yet.

“······My little sister was imprisoned.”

“Do you mean Miss Kina?”

Since he knew her name, it was obvious that he would know her little sister’s name as well.

“Yes. That’s why.

“That’s why you did this to me.”

“I have no intention to apologize, wan.”

“I don’t plan on receiving an apology either. Rather than that, since Miss Roroa is here, that must mean the trade didn’t end well.”

“The baldy broke his promise, wan.”

Roroa gnashed her teeth.

“It’s something I’ve experience all the time ever since I came out from the slums, wan. Humans always break their promises and lie, wan. They don’t see me, us as equals. Although my greed can also be put to blame for the situation becoming like this, if I were a human, then this would have never happened, wan. This city, your city is so sullied that even a Giant Molar cannot set root here, wan.”

“That’s right. There is that sort of problem. It seems this city especially is conservative. According to Miss Mii, she said that it was because of the location, but that doesn’t work as an excuse. Since it’s something that must not be done anywhere or by anyone.”

Ahyeon pleasantly agreed to her before placing his hand on Roroa’s shoulder.

“That’s why I’m going to fix this.”

“······Fix it, what are you talking about, wan?”

“Things like people’s gazes, the trends, the atmosphere, and the ghettos.”

Ahyeon stuck out his chest and spoke.

“I’ll make the things that were obvious into the things that aren’t obvious.”

Roroa looked up at Ahyeon. With a confident look on his face, Ahyeon had one hand on his hip while his other hand was pointing up towards somewhere.

Once more, Roroa did not have an emotional personality. However, as expected, she wasn’t a monster either, so she didn’t say ‘What is this lunatic saying? We’re currently locked up and we’ll be meeting our ends soon’ out loud.

“How do you plan to do that, wan? We’re currently imprisoned⎯⎯⎯.”

“Great Rending Slice!”

The sound of thin air being cracked open resonated.

Roroa flinched and turned around to see the bars cut in half and a girl standing there with her sword swung while also panting. She seemed to be in her early teens. Although she had an unfriendly appearance, her waist-length blue hair soaked in sweat slightly went against that impression. Roroa recognized her.

“······The Silver Lion esteemed daughter’s knight?”

“I am Zia Batsand Naricpitor, a squire.” Just like the rumors had said, she spoke politely and formally. “Ahyeon, I have come looking for you.”

Ahyeon grinned and spoke to Zia⎯⎯⎯in a strange language that Roroa couldn’t understand. Zia responded in a similar sounding language. Like that, after watching the two of them talk back and forth with one another, Roroa soon realized something.

“You let yourself be caught on purpose, wan.”

Ahyeon glanced at Roroa and laughed.

“Though I didn’t think I’d be hit this strongly.”

Roroa recalled the words that Ahyeon had said. That he had investigated the Saber-Fangs. That he knew her real name and the name of her little sister. Then he should also know that she’s a part of the Black Dragon Street. But why? Ahyeon must have noticed her confusion as he let out a hollow laugh.

“We required a justification to go against the Black Dragon Street.”

“······So you’re saying that you put up with this risk just for that, wan?”

“It’s not ‘just that’. If you wish to make something obvious into something that isn’t obvious, then you must first reach your hand out towards the people who are treated as if that fact is obvious, the alienated class.”

Although Roroa couldn’t understand the meaning of those words, there was one fact that she understood. The alienated class was gathered in the Black Dragon Street······.

“My little sister! My little sister is in another······.”

“Do not worry. Shyuriok should have handled it.”

Roroa was aware that the individual known as Shyuriok was another otherworlder who the Silver Lion esteemed daughter had summoned. The reason why she had panicked even more was also because of that very fact. Zia Batsand Naricpitor fiddled with her waist-length blue hair and reiterated her words.

“Do not worry. Different from the rumors, Shyuriok isn’t dangerous. Probably.”

“That doesn’t make me feel at ease though, wan!?”

“Rather, Ahyeon. What should we do about that?”

“Wait, don’t ignore me, wan!”

Zia ignored Roroa and dragged ‘that’ here. To be exact, it was the Thumb department head of the Black Dragon Street who had vacated his position earlier. Seeing that several portions of his clothes were melted off and the fact that his entire body was captured within some sort of phlegmatic substance, it was obvious that he had been done in by Shyuriok.

“Kuh······ kill me!”

“I serve the esteemed daughter, and it seems she does not wish for people to die if possible.”

Zia had spoken in a contemplating voice and both the Thumb department head, who had tried to show his resolve, and the watching Roroa became panicked. Only Ahyeon alone was able to maintain his composure as if he were accustomed to this.

“What is your name?”

“Uh······ are you referring to me?”

“Yes. Your name. What is it?”

“They call me Borg.”

Ahyeon opened his eyes wide.

“Borg? The one who became a title possessor in his teens and got up to an executive seat?”

Borg’s face became slightly red with embarrassment.

“That’s a tale from the past. Even if I’m an executive, I’m currently just a Thumb department head. Although ‘thumb’ may sound extravagant, if you open your hand, then it’s the shortest.”

“Hm. Okay, Mr. Borg. From this moment forth, you’ve become the branch manager of the Black Dragon Street of this city.”

Due to the words that were like a bolt from the blue, Borg’s mouth fell open.

“What?”

“Since the current bald branch manager won’t do for several different reasons, you’ll be taking his place in his stead, Mr. Borg.”

“That’s not how the Black Dragon Street······.”

“Miss Mii will be negotiating with the headquarters of the Black Dragon Street in regard to that.”

Borg fell into thought. The Black Dragon Street had received a request from the Mage Tower and kidnapped an otherworlder who belonged to the Earl’s esteemed daughter. With the intention of demanding compensation, the Lion Earl would have the right to request for a branch manager who is within their influence. In other words······.

“There are regulations that need to be upheld.”

“This teacher is quite delighted that you’re a fast learner. Miss Mii will give you the details.”

“I’ll think about it. When will you wash this disgusting phlegm off of me?”

“Wait 3 hours and they’ll fall off on their own. Mostly.”

Borg cursed. Zia dragged away that Borg.

Ahyeon stretched and turned back to Roroa.

“Now then, shall we go?”

Roroa let out a sigh.

“What you said earlier······ The reformation, you really intend to do it, huh.”

“Ei, is there such a thing as a fake reformation? There probably is, but this teacher doesn’t raise things like that.”

“······When you said the reformation was related to the Saber-Fangs, what did you mean, wan?”

“You should be able to take a guess.”

Ahyeon straightened his voice.

“There’s a theory on evolution in my world. Crazy people believe that this is what separates the superior people from the inferior people. In other words, they’re using discrimination as a basis. But those people are saying that without even knowing what the ‘evo’ in evolution means. The theory of evolution simply refers to the lifeforms that were able to overcome their environments in order to survive and the form they took in order to achieve that.”

Ahyeon adjusted his glasses and spoke in a voice that really stuck to one’s ears.

“Of course, you can add your own interpretations there. However, not in a way that flatters the strong who obtained supremacy in the ecosystem, but in a way that praises the weak. Science is something that humans made for humans. So if I were to make an assumption on your race according to that knowledge of mine, then your race’s true nature is peace. As a result of avoiding fruitless fights and raising your swords only when you had no other choice, you’ve evolved into this current form. As you are a race that possesses that much dignity and intelligence, you are a race who must obviously be treated with respect.”

Ahyeon put more strength into his words and concluded his statement.

“I’m going to make it so that your race is able to receive that sort of treatment.”

Roroa gazed up at Ahyeon. She had one hand placed on her chest. It felt as if something was clearing up inside there.

It was an emotion that was as strange as what she had felt when she was held in Kina’s embrace.

Ahyeon grinned broadly.

“For now, let’s return to the castle once this place has been cleaned up. Your little sister as well. The other Saber-Fangs within the city should have received the summons and gathered together by then. Let’s look for jobs that’ll be worthwhile for them together, okay?”

And then, they did so.

Fin.

***

TL note: Now that wraps up the end of this volume. There’s the afterword and the character pages left, but it’s the weekend now so I’ll be working on those next week. It might take slightly longer than usual since there’s 4 character pages I have to translate and typeset, so yeah.

In any case, I wonder if I should do the same thing here as I do with Dungeon Defense. As in, make a poll for your favorite characters. If you want me to do this, then feel free to leave it in the comments. I’ll see what I can do.