They're demi-human girls called Pochi-chan and Tama-chan . All demi-humans that I've ever meet eyes were like stray cats ready to bare their fangs, they were scary . But those girls are different .
◇
My morning starts early, because I'd get scolded if I don't get to the gate inn before the dawn . When the sky begins to brighten, I leave the orphanage to the main street . It's dim, but I'm not afraid . Because I'm with other children who are running toward their job's place .
I enter through the back door since the big gate for carriages is closed . The back door is also closed, but for the short me, I can just slip through the small gap .
I head to the staff door through the courtyard . The water is low when I peek at the water jugs . I must fill it before the landlady woke up! I pick up a bucket and go to the well .
"Kuu~~~~~, heavy~~~~ . "
Hanging on my body weight, I pull the rope connected with the bucket . Drawing water is a hard labor . Especially for someone as light like me . I wonder if the day will come when I can draw water effortlessly like Martha-san?
"Intruder~?" "Suspicious person nano desu~ . "
I was surprised by voices from the dark and let go off the ropes . Ah, even though I was about to succeed . . .
I turn toward where the voices came from . From there 4 lights are floating out together with carefree voices!
"Kyaa-----!" "Unyaa----" "Nyuu----"
I wasn't able to suppress my scream . But anyone would be surprised if they were in the dark . Encouraged by that fact, I harshly scold at the someones who are in the dark .
"Don't raise your voice suddenly! I'll have to draw again now!"
"Sorry~?" "Nano desu~ . "
Those someones frankly apologizing making me losing my tension . The sun gradually rises and I can see the faces of those girls .
Those girls are beast-men .
◇
I was surprised at first and shouted, "Don't come here!" . But Pochi and Tama didn't mind it .
"I'll help~""Nodesu~ . "
Saying so, they begin pulling water in place of me . Pochi quickly pulls the rope like a joke . I wonder just how strong beast-men children are . Or maybe these girls are special?
After Pochi is finished drawing the water, this time Tama says, "Unfair~? Tama will also do it~", and begins drawing water . These girls must have thought that this is a play or something!
Oh god I'm sorry, Yuni is a bad girl . I use the two who are happily playing around until the bucket is full of water . Moreover, not only drawing, they also help me carrying the water .
As a thanks, I will share today's meal with these girls .
◇
I break apart the black bread I've received as breakfast and bring it to the two with soup . The work here is hard but it's nice because I get delicious meal .
Even without garnish, the soup is far better than the thin soup that is occasionally served on the orphanage, even the slightly sour black beard goes well with it .
There's no the bittt~er steamed gabo fruit or pickled gabo leaves as the only meal!
The two will surely be delighted!
While thinking so, I go to the stable .
There's a big lizard-man woman beside the two girls there! I'm scared enough to almost drop the soup bowl, but I can't waste the important meal! I frantically bear it .
"Yuni~?""Nano desu~ . "
The two girls welcome me .
But, wait?
Hey, what are those in your hands?
"Meat~?""Cheese nano desu~ . "
No way~~~~! Eh? Eh? That's a lie right? You can't eat meat even after so many years right?
How do slaves, two demi-human slaves at that, get that kind of expensive thing? Furthermore, it's quite a big lump!? Huh?
I hold out to keep my drool . It came out a bit but I immediately wipe it .
"I thought I'd eat with you together . . . "
'I'll share you this', giving like I'm above them, would be quite comical .
"Ara, aren't you the errand girl? What's your name again? Since you're here already, why don't we eat together?"
From behind the lizard girl, two girls come out . The who started talking is a violet-haired girl of the same age as me, and the other is a black-haired Onee-san with regrettable face .
The violet-haired girl, talks in a really bossy way that I wonder if she's really the same age as me, but she, Arisa, is . She cut the dried meat and cheese lumps and shares it with me .
The lizard girl, called Liza, is going to say something but, Arisa says, "It's fine, the little girl's share is trivial . Master will surely consent! If he's mad then I'll be the only one who'd get scolded, moumantai . ", and Liza-san understands . I don't really understand what Arisa is saying but now is the time to savor the taste of these meat and cheese . I puff my cheeks like a squirrel while thoroughly enjoying the taste many times over . I'm sure that I'll remember this day for a while, and I'm confident that even gabo fruits would taste like meat and cheese!
◇
Rather than dividing my meal as a thanks, I got to eat delicious things instead . Furthermore, after the meal, Pochi and Tama help me taking care of the horses . The two are really strong . Even Liza-san who was bored, helps changing the litter boxes of the horses .
I thought that demi-humans are scary, was I wrong?
◇
There are good things and also bad things . The landlady told me and Martha to buy firewoods from the lumber shop .
Umm? Do we really have to bring this two bundles to the inn? Martha-san says, "Yosh! Let's do our best~ . " but you won't be able to easily carry it you know?
Still, I'm an employee, I won't complain . If I carelessly complain I might get fired, and I don't know if I could get another job then . In the future, if possible I don't want to become a courtesan at the street corner .
I lift the firewoods with all my power . My feet are staggering, but I won't lose . Since Marthan-chan is carrying bundle of firewoods even bigger than mine!
Carrying the firewoods .
Yes, carrying it .
. . . Carrying firewoods .
When I'm about to faint, the weight is suddenly no more .
I look up and an unknown man has taken my firewoods . No, don't take it! I must bring that home!
Before I could complain, Martha-san thanks him . I said he's unknown, but when I look at him again, it turns out that he's a guest on the inn . He's the person who gave me tips lavishly just by bringing water to his room this morning . It seems he's called Satou-san .
Satou-san not only carry my firewoods but also Martha-san's . A man is strong after all . He's carrying it without breaking a sweat . I didn't notice it before, but Pochi and Tama who are carrying big rucksacks are together with him . So the master of the two is this man . It might be good to be a slave of this man, I'm thinking such .
◇
When I get back to the inn, I continue to take care of the horses . Pochi and Tama also help me like in the morning .
That's okay .
It's okay?
But .
"Please don't, I'd be scolded by the landlady if I let a guest helps me!"
For the master who's wearing such expensive-looking robe, please don't help me taking care of the horses .
Please stop with that disappointed face . It's like I'm doing something bad!
◇
"Plate!"
I declare so and flip the card . The plate is drawn on the back .
"Yes~ this is the third!"
I carefully collect the card that I worked hard to get .
This is a tool for learning letters it seems . At first, Martha-san who can read letter was teaching us but in the middle, Arisa devised this play .
After that, everyone is engrossed with it! This is the first time I've done this play . I've always wanted to learn how to read letters, but it was like saying, "I want to fly on the sky" . It was such dream-like things . . . .
But now it's different! Only in a few hours, I've learned how to read 7 letters!
◇
Fun thing doesn't last for long they said, but this is too much . Even though I've made new friends, tomorrow Pochi and Tama are going to leave this Seryuu city .
But I've made a promise to the two . I will absolutely learn words and write them a letter! I don't know the cost to send a letter, but I have a secret saving of two copper coins . If I have this much, then I should be able to send a letter .
In the evening, when I've finished my work, Satou-san gives me a bag full of wood blocks . When I look inside, although they're a bit poor, they're the same thing as the learning cards . He says, "It's a thank you for getting along with our girls . ", and gives it to me . I want to thank him immediately, but I don't know how to express this gratitude .
◇
Oh yes, the wood-block cards that Satou-san gave become extremely popular at the orphanage . Some interested older children asked for woods waste from the lumber shop and the children who are good with arts drew the pictures .
Even though a week hasn't passed since then, we have already finished making 3 sets .
It'd be nice if everyone becomes able to read letters in one year~ That's my dream .
It's nice if that really happen . The work is hard as always, but after that day, I'm seeing more happy dreams each day .
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login