Chapter 1 Part 7: People Are The Enemy

I got up from my seat and supported Ms. Hilipa.

She pushed me away as if to say she was fine and continued speaking.

“I’ll go check if it’s okay to see him now, ack!”

She slipped.

Her foot in the high heel slid.

Startled, I supported her again.

She almost fell to the floor.

Ms. Hilipa gasped for breath a few more times before finishing her sentence.

“…I think.”

“…”

A chill ran down my spine.

Ms. Hilipa was by no means a weak person.

Was I really making a mistake by taking this job?

The urge to quit surged again, but I desperately suppressed it.

I couldn’t run away before I’d even saved any money.

I placed an energy potion in Ms. Hilipa’s hand and said,

“Let’s go.”

I had to remember: it wasn’t a good boss that made me come to work, but my empty wallet.

To fill that empty wallet again, I had to do anything.

Even if it meant jumping into the fires of hell.

As Ms. Hilipa was leaving the infirmary, Clam raised his hand.

“I can come too, right?”

I looked at Ms. Hilipa.

She nodded without hesitation.

“Yes, the more the merrier.”

And so, Ms. Hilipa, Clam, and I boarded the elevator.

Clam placed his palm on the crystal ball and asked,

“Senior.

Just asking just in case, but are you really going to be okay?

Whatever you’re imagining, you’re going to see something beyond that.”

I stared blankly at Clam and asked,

“If I said I wasn’t okay, would you let me run away?”

“No.

I was just asking as a formality.

You said it’s polite to ask if someone is okay in situations like this, Senior.”

I knew it.

Still, on the other hand, it was kind of endearing.

“You really haven’t forgotten a single thing I’ve said, have you.”

“Hehe.”

Clam laughed playfully and took his hand off.

The elevator stopped.

As soon as we got off the elevator, we heard someone shouting and something breaking.

The hallway was a complete mess.

The carpet that had been on the floor was torn to shreds, and all the pictures hanging on the walls were cracked.

Was this perhaps…?

I turned my head, dreading the answer, and Ms. Hilipa avoided my gaze.

Clam whispered in my ear.

“Senior.

It’s not too late even now.”

“You said you had no intention of letting me go.”

“Running away together in love with me is possible…”

Before Clam could finish, I asked Ms. Hilipa,

“You said he’s using an entire floor, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Isn’t it hard to clean?”

“Aagh, Senior!”

We crossed the hallway.

The shouting grew louder and louder.

I asked awkwardly,

“The child certainly seems to have a lot of… energy?”

Ms. Hilipa replied irritably, as if she didn’t even want to talk about it anymore.

“I told you.

That child is just a beast.”

“Is that so?”

“When you see for yourself, you’ll understand why we call him a beast.”

Ms. Hilipa’s steps stopped in front of a door.

I gently pressed my ear against the door.

Amidst the shouting, I heard a familiar voice.

‘You beastly brat!’

It was Aslan’s voice.

Why was he here?

Clam, standing next to me, also tilted his head, having heard Aslan’s voice.

“Why is Senior Aslan here?

He stormed off angrily after fighting with me.”

Ms. Hilipa shrugged.

“I called him.

He handles the child relatively well.”

“Ah.”

“We’re going in now.”

Ms. Hilipa turned the doorknob.

As the door opened, I could see the mages surrounding Aslan in a circle.

I slowly approached them.

Aslan was pressing something down with those sturdy arms of his.

I narrowed my eyes.

That black thing was thrashing its body without a moment’s rest.

“Prepare the binding spell.

Multiple layers!”

Ah.

The moment I realized what it was, my mouth fell open.

Ms. Hilipa looked at me with a ‘see for yourself’ expression.

“Well?”

Impossible.

Honestly, I had been half-doubting it, but this…

Clam stood behind me and asked in a playful tone.

“Clearly a dragon hybrid at first glance, right?”

I slowly nodded.

What was struggling under Aslan’s arm was, none other than a small child.

Milky skin and soft, chubby cheeks that were impossibly adorable.

But,

“Aack!”

A thick tail lashed out, striking the abdomen of an approaching mage.

The child’s appearance became clearer in my eyes.

Between the black hair, a pair of horns stood erect.

The two arms, constantly scraping the floor, were covered in the black scales characteristic of reptiles.

The fingernails were also incredibly long and sharp, like an animal’s claws.

Clam whistled.

“Look at those eyes.

It makes you pause every time you see them.”

The vertically slit pupils were very distinct.

The red eyes, the same color as Aslan’s, were filled with murderous intent.

The boy opened his mouth.

Shark-like, jagged teeth were fully revealed.

A sharp scream burst from between his open lips.

“Kyaaaah!”

“Hurry up and prepare the binding spell, what are you…!”

Aslan’s eyes met mine.

His words cut off abruptly, and the boy took that opportunity to rake his claws down Aslan’s arm.

Flesh tore, and blood spurted out.

I involuntarily shouted Aslan’s name.

“Aslan!”

The child, who had been wiping the blood splattered on his face with the back of his hand, whipped his head around.

I had unintentionally attracted aggro.

The red eyes glared at me without a single flicker of hesitation.

The moment I stepped back, enormous wings sprouted from the small back.

Even wings…?!

The child leaped towards me at an invisible speed.

Aslan roared roughly.

“Stop him!”

I hurriedly pulled out my pocket watch.

The white gem embedded in the lid of the pocket watch shone brilliantly, like a rainbow.

***

Today was another eventful day.

Standing in front of the bookstore door, I touched my cheek.

Thanks to the potion, it had healed without a single scar, but my cheek felt strangely sore.

The clerk leaned over the counter and spoke kindly.

“Welcome.”

“…”

Why was my life like this?

I must have sold my country in a past life, that was for sure.

I’d heard there was a fortune-teller who was very accurate; maybe I should go visit him.

As I stood there without moving, the clerk called out again, louder.

“Welcome!”

Clam poked me in the back.

“What are you doing, Senior?

Stop blocking the way and go in.”

“…Sorry.”

Snapping out of it, I went inside.

The clerk asked,

“Are you looking for a specific book?”

“We’ll look around ourselves.”

“Okay, if you need any help, please let me know.”

Hundreds of books were lined up on the shelves.

I ran my palm over the books as I walked.

Clam followed along closely.

“Why are you here?”

“Because I want to be with you, Senior.

We’re one, aren’t we?”

Only you think that.

I looked at Clam with my mouth shut, then turned my eyes back to the books.

Clam twirled between the bookshelves.

The robe symbolizing the Magic Tower spread wide.

Other customers looked at Clam with astonished faces.

Seeing a mage, especially one affiliated with the Magic Tower, wasn’t a common occurrence.

People would probably keep staring at Clam until he left the store.

For the record, I hated receiving attention, so I had taken mine off as soon as I left.

“Since you’re here, do you want to buy a book too?”

“Will you buy it for me, Senior?”

“If you want.”

Ah, this title looks good.

I stood on tiptoe and pulled out a book.

“You said you had no money.”

“I have money to buy a book for my junior.”

After examining the book, I put it back on the shelf.

This time, Clam’s earlobes turned red.

Clam idly tapped the floor with his foot.

“I don’t need it.

Most books are in the Magic Tower anyway.

Why do you insist on buying books, Senior?”

“I can’t take Magic Tower books outside.

I want to read at home too.”

Clam pointed at my cheek with his finger.

“Is your cheek okay?”

“You have eyes, don’t you?

It’s healed completely.”

I placed the books I’d carefully selected into a basket.

Clam leaned against the bookshelf and scratched his head.

“Senior, you’re too soft.

That child lunged at you with the intent to tear your throat out.”

“If there were only people like you and Aslan, there’d be no balance.

Someone like me needs to exist too.

Stop grumbling and look at this.”

I held out a book with an orange cover in front of Clam.

“How about this book?”

The title read, [Taming Wild Animals].

Clam chuckled.

“So you think that child is like a beast too, Senior.”

“…I don’t see him as a complete beast.”

I knew he was different from ordinary children, but I didn’t expect him to be this different.

It wasn’t unreasonable for the mages to call him a beast.

This was my first time dealing with a dragon’s child, so I had no idea how to handle him.

If I let my guard down, my throat would be ripped open by those claws immediately.

The child clearly hated us.

No, was “hate” too weak a word?

Recalling those red eyes, I placed another book in the basket.

“I wonder if Aslan is okay.”

It was still vividly clear.

Aslan’s arm, blood spurting like a fountain.

It was obviously not an ordinary wound.

But Clam didn’t seem worried at all.

“Of course he’s okay.

You personally cast a healing spell on him, Senior.

You’re the best at healing spells among us, aren’t you?”

“Still, a scar remains.

Haah, I’m really worried about tomorrow.”

I placed the basket on the counter.

Inside the basket were one copy each of [Taming Wild Animals] and a book titled [Proper Child Discipline Methods].

***

Unlike Clam, who was returning to the Magic Tower, I went home.

My house was located in the middle of a dark alley.

It was secluded and didn’t get much sunlight, but it was cheap.

It also came with a warehouse attached that was perfect for converting into a lab, so I signed the contract without hesitation.

I could easily compensate for moisture and mold with magic.

I could solve any other minor problems too.

Just like now.