ACDWL 003: The Little Outsider

─ ? Side ─

When I arrived at a spot where I rarely took my breaks, I found someone had beaten me there.

A child was sleeping by the spring.

(Why is there a child in a place like this?)

And naked, at that.

I thought he might be dead, but it seemed he was only asleep.

He didn’t appear to be injured either; rather than abandoned, it would be more accurate to say he had been left behind.

(No tail, round ears without any fur…no scales, no wings. What species is he?)

I had never seen anything like it before.

A black-haired child of an unknown race.

If he were only a few years old, he should still appear beastlike.

It’s said that almost no one can take the form of a human child at that age.

We are born in the natural form of our species, and only learn to take a human shape later, for the sake of convenience.

Even adults revert to their beast forms if they lose their reason.

That is to say, that is our true form.

I am what’s considered rare—an Akinist.

A member of a race so powerful it’s called “the Kings of Shadows,” yet their reproductive ability is incredibly low; it is said that I am likely the last Akinist alive.

Unless both parents are Akinist, no pure-blooded Akinist is born.

And since there are no unmarried Akinist left, it is now impossible to produce another pure-blooded one, no matter who I take as mate.

That’s not the only reason, but even with a culture of marrying soon after coming of age, I still remain single past adulthood.

(No one else around…)

There weren’t any adults nearby who seemed like they could be his parents.

In fact, there wasn’t a soul in sight.

It was just me and the sleeping child.

Why was he here all alone? I’d have to ask him.

He had rolled over in his sleep and moved closer to the spring, so I decided to wake him.

“It’s dangerous to sleep here!”

He just frowned at the sound of my voice.

“Why are you here?”

I shook him and called out, and he finally woke up.

His eyes, like his hair, were black.

But for some reason, he was staring at his own hands.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

The kid seemed dazed, but without answering, he sat up and looked around.

“…＊＊＊＊＊＊?”

Yet the muttered words he spoke were unfamiliar to me.

Other countries often use similar tongues.

…Could he have come from some isolated settlement?

Still, I didn’t know his species; he was certainly a strange child.

(Where did this kid come from? …But it’s impossible to ask if we can’t communicate.)

I might not be able to send him home.

Wouldn’t a child this small cry for his parents?

I had never married and never really spent time with children.

But I couldn’t just leave him here…

Without realizing, I found the child standing by the spring’s edge.

He was staring right at me.

Did he want to say something?

(If he’s coming to the spring, is he thirsty?)

With a body that small, he couldn’t drink from the bank of the spring.

“Are you thirsty? This will be easier to drink from.”

I held out a water pouch, but he seemed confused.

If you can’t communicate, you can’t even explain simple things like this.

I demonstrated, then handed it over again, and finally he took it and drank.

He must have been very thirsty, for he drank greedily.

He drank for a while, and then, satisfied, took his mouth away.

“Want to come with me? It’s dangerous if you stay here.”

I called out to him, and he looked up at me with a blank face.

(Well, not surprising.)

He probably had no idea what I was saying.

I took the water pouch from his hand, closed it, and put it away.

How could I convince him I wasn’t a threat?

“Let’s go. Can you walk?”

I pointed toward where I’d left my Donikron mount—

“＊＊＊＊＊＊?”

As he said something and tried to stand, he froze, apparently just realizing he was naked.

“Wrap this around yourself.”

I gave him a strip of cloth, but when he went to take it, I wrapped it around his body.

“That should do it.”

Or so I thought, but he didn’t seem to like it and immediately started trying to undo it.

“I’ll buy you some clothes later.”

Even as I spoke, the boy didn’t stop.

But it looked like he wanted to make the wrap look more like real clothing.

He gestured for me to pull the ends tight, so I did.

When we tied it at his shoulder and waist, he seemed satisfied and smiled.

“You’re a clever one, aren’t you.”

He couldn’t understand my words, but he did seem highly intelligent.

Since children usually can’t take human form, there’s no telling how old he really was.

Unconsciously, I patted his head, but then, judging it would be faster to just pick him up, I did just that.

“Don’t worry. I’ll look after you.”

I told the child, who gazed up at me from my arms, but he didn’t seem to understand.

If anything, he seemed wary of me.

…I suppose that can’t be helped.

My prized steed was Donikron.

His name was Sig.

Since Donikron are picky about choosing their masters, it’s hard to ride one by preference.

If someone else wants to ride, it’s only allowed with Donikron’s approval.

(Would the child be permitted?)

But something unexpected happened.

Sig licked the child’s cheek.

He’d never approached anyone but me before.

The child, on the contrary, seemed frightened.

He clung to me.

“Are you scared? Sig won’t attack you.”

If Sig licked his cheek, that meant he wouldn’t do any harm.

When I patted his head, I saw he was annoyed.

Did he think I was making fun of him?

“Don’t pout. It’s only natural for a child to be afraid!”

I couldn’t help but laugh, and he punched me in the shoulder.

But he hit an armored spot, and his tiny hand turned red.

He blew on it, and again, by habit, I rubbed medicinal herbs onto his hand.

He grimaced at the sting, but if it stings, that means the medicine is doing its work.

Afterwards, he sniffed at his hand.

He seemed to mutter something…

Holding him, I climbed onto Sig. The child was so small, I strapped him to myself with a cloth.

This way he wouldn’t be unsteady even if I took my hands off him.

The child seemed much calmer now.

His face was clouded with something dark…I wondered what was wrong.

“What’s wrong? Don’t worry.”

Even when I spoke, he wouldn’t look up at me.

Instead, he began to cry.

“What’s wrong!? Are you hurt somewhere?”

I called out in alarm, but the boy only sobbed harder.

I rubbed his back, though I doubted it would help.

“It’s alright. From now on, I’ll be your guardian.”

With one arm around him and the other holding the reins, I embraced him.

(To leave a child this small alone… What were his parents thinking?)

And to leave him naked, abandoned.

The boy cried for a while, but eventually, exhausted, he fell asleep.

(Why was he really alone in a place like that?)

Even if someone abandoned him, it didn’t have to be somewhere so deserted.

I was glad I happened to stop there for a break.

Sig only liked the grass that grew here, so I rarely came myself.

Donikron aren’t in high demand because of these habits.

They’re sturdier and faster than other mounts, but will only let their chosen master ride, so few people seek them out.

It would be odd for anyone to come here for reasons other than collecting that grass.

────
──

I arrived in the town where my home was.

“Hey—Captain?”

As I walked Sig along at a slow pace, a subordinate approached.

This was the Third Division’s vice-captain, Rennega Soekinuk.

He was bigger than I was, but had a cheerful, friendly personality.

A beastman of the Seeks, a tribe renowned for their combat prowess.

“…Is that a child?”

He was peering at my arms.

“Yes. Apparently so.”

“…He’s already taken human form! What is he, anyway?”

“Keep your voice down! He’s sleeping.”

I scolded him for suddenly raising his voice.

Having cried himself to sleep, I wanted to let him rest.

“You were louder than I was, Captain!”

(…Admittedly, I had been quite loud.)

How could I have overlooked something so basic…

“More importantly, I’ve decided to take responsibility for this child.”

“He’s not just any lost kid, is he…?”

Rennega seemed to realize there was more to this, but come to think of it, why did I only consider taking the child in myself?

As I pondered, I heard a sound.

Looking, I saw the child yawning.

“Up already?”

I patted his head again, but he just looked up at me without any sign of displeasure.

Maybe he’d relaxed his guard a little.

“Can’t you even greet people? What sort of upbringing did you have, anyway?”

For some reason, Rennega’s exasperated tone made me angry inside.

“Are you listening?”

He gave the child’s hair a light tug, and the child tried to pull away.

“Let go! What are you doing to a child?!”

Without thinking, I bent his fingers back to make him let go.

“Ow ow ow ow!”

Rennega’s pitiful cries rang out, but I couldn’t understand why I’d gotten so angry.

I’d never even really liked children that much.

“What’s with that look!”

When he said that, I glanced down at the boy—he was making a deeply offended face.

He was showing clear dislike, though he hadn’t looked at me that way.

“This child was in an abandoned place. There was no one around, no footprints but ours. He can’t speak our language either.”

“No language? Captain, where on earth did this kid come from?”

“I said we can’t ask him that. Besides, he was sleeping out there naked.”

“Naked!? Then even if you took him in, his parents might not ever find him!”

Just as I was explaining the situation in detail—

“Chap, chin?”

The child said something.

“Cap—chin??”

He tilted his head after saying it.

Was this…

“Chapachin??”

(Is he trying to say Captain?)

He didn’t get it quite right.

“Ha ha ha, not bad!”

“There’s no need to force it.”

Rennega laughed, and I fondly patted the boy’s head.

“＊＊＊! ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊”

But apparently he thought we were making fun of him and got angry.

He slapped at us, but it didn’t hurt at all.

I couldn’t help but laugh, and then he punched my stomach.

…That, too, did not hurt in the least.

When Rennega patted his head, he swatted the hand away.

“You don’t have to call me Captain.”

“Looks like he’s got a lot of studying ahead.”

He was clearly sulking now; whatever I said, he wouldn’t look at me.

(That was foolish of me, laughing just then.)

He’d worked so hard to listen and repeat what he heard.

It seemed he thought “Captain” was my name.

While riding Sig through the town, the child kept glancing eagerly around him.

It felt more like he was looking at people than the town itself.

He’d frozen when he first saw me; had he never seen strangers before?

What kind of isolated place had he grown up in?

“We’re here.”

I unfastened the cloth that held him, and finally his eyes met mine.

He looked uneasy, but I could tell he relaxed when I picked him up.

I was used to being depended upon in my position, but children had never tried to approach me before.

Something about this boy made me want to protect him.

“Third Division Captain!”

“You’re with the Vice-Captain, too? Good work.”

“I took the liberty of resting a bit before you.”

“Thank you for your service.”

Those inside noticed us and greeted us with salutes.

We were at the Third Division barracks.

That meant these were all my subordinates.

The captain and vice-captain—that is, Rennega and I—lived in privately owned homes outside of here.

We’d stopped in only to report our return and about the child.

“Captain, who is this?”

“He was sleeping outside, naked, so I took him in. He can’t speak our language, and has no tail, scales, or wings—his race is unknown.”

“Then he’ll be taken in as an orphan, right? I could see him to a facility.”

Ordinarily, a lone orphan would just be sent to the orphanage.

But—

“I told you, he can’t even speak our language. I’m taking him in myself. From today onward, he’s my son.”

The shock on everyone else’s faces was obvious. The child looked up at me.

“From today on, I’m here with you. Together. …Do you understand?”

I knew he couldn’t grasp the words yet, but teaching him was now my duty.

“…shugesher?”

He probably didn’t understand, just repeating the word I’d said.

But I found it endearing.

“Yes, together.”

When I patted his head, he tilted his own in confusion, but at my smile, he smiled back.

His wariness seemed truly to have eased.

In that case, I would have him call me by name, not title.

“Rodokiaus Serafine.”

He looked blank, but repeated the name, pointing at me over and over.

“Ryodo…su?”

He managed to get it out, but it must have sounded like a blur to him.

He looked perplexed.

“Rodokiaus.”

“Ryodo, kisu?”

Even the name alone seemed hard.

“Rodo.”

So, a nickname would do.

“Ryodo?”

“Rodo.”

“Ryodo.”

He still lisped, but that was only natural for someone so young.

“Ryodo, ＊＊＊＊＊!”

He looked proud, and I decided not to expect any more—he would grow into it in time.

“＊＊＊＊”

Now he pointed at himself and said something.

Was that his name?

“＊＊＊＊?”

I tried to repeat it, but he shook his head as if to say no.

“＊＊＊＊?”

I repeated it, but he didn’t agree.

“＊＊”

After a while, he uttered a shorter word.

He seemed to accept that as a compromise.

“Ko?”

“＊＊”

“Kō.”

He nodded reluctantly.

It seemed there were still dissimilarities, but compromise was the only way forward.

“Ren.”

Rennega tried to teach him his own name as well.

“Ryen.”

“Well done!”

“＊＊＊＊＊”

Rennega patted Kō’s head, and Kō let out a little shout.

…Why did I find myself displeased at that?

Was it because Kō seemed to be enjoying himself?

“Ryen ＊＊＊＊!”

He clung to my leg and said something to Rennega.

The way he stuck out his tongue made me suspect he was complaining.

…Why did that make me feel relieved?

“Let’s go home.”

I picked him up and left the barracks again.

“Ryodo?”

“We’re going home.”

When I said it slowly, he repeated the words.

“Gyo, hume?”

“That’s right.”

When I nodded, he smiled again.

“Gyo, hume.”

He probably didn’t understand what it meant, but he repeated it anyway.

Leading Sig by the reins, I headed home.

“Ryodo!”

He pointed at me, saying my name, then pointed at Sig.

“Sig.”

“Chigu?”

“Sig.”

“Chig.”

Still lisping, like a proper child.

As we went along and I taught him names for things, we stopped on the way home to buy some cloth since there were no clothes for someone Kō’s size.

We arrived home.

“We’re here.”

“?”

He stared at the house, tilting his head.

“Rodo, home.”

“Ryodo, hume? …Home? ＊＊＊＊!”

He seemed excited.

I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but his eyes sparkled.

“Home, go~ey!”

“Yes, we’re home.”

He seemed to get the meaning, waving his arms in delight.

Clearly, he was quite intelligent.

At this rate, I suspected he would pick up the language quickly.

─ End Rodokiaus’s Side ─