“J-just a moment… I’ll stay like this for just a moment….”
Once he thought they’d touched the ground, his wildly racing heart gradually calmed down.
The problem came next. As reason returned, it hit him all at once that he’d lost his mind and clung haphazardly to Taeyon, and that even now he was being held in his arms.
Kaniel’s face flushed red. Too embarrassed to ask to be put down, he just groaned.
When Kaniel only curled up like a turtle even after time passed, Taeyon began walking toward the village just like that. Startled, Kaniel jumped out of Taeyon’s arms in alarm and rolled on the ground once.
“Are you alright?”
He was embarrassed to death, but he couldn’t keep acting stupid like this. Kaniel forcibly feigned composure and jumped to his feet.
“I’m fine! I was a bit embarrassed, but thinking about it, staying like that would’ve been more embarrassing. Hahaha….”
“What’s embarrassing?”
“I pathetically screamed and all that….”
“…Wasn’t that a human characteristic?”
“No! It’s just… because I’m afraid of that sort of thing.”
Originally Kaniel wasn’t the type to be afraid of heights either. Rather, he’d liked riding flying monsters and soaring through the sky. But it seemed things had changed after experiencing a fall once.
“More importantly, let’s go. We decided to eat hot stew at the village.”
“Right.”
In front of the gate in the wooden fence, guards protecting the village stood controlling entry. Beastkin could only enter the village after having something like identification verified by the guards.
“I don’t have anything, so what do we do? What if they say humans can’t enter?”
On the Floating Island, they definitely wouldn’t carelessly let unfamiliar races inside. Since it didn’t seem like the surface would be particularly different, Kaniel whispered anxiously.
“It’s fine.”
“Really? But….”
It would be nice if he’d explain how it’s fine. Since the taciturn Taeyon didn’t say anything, Kaniel rolled his eyes anxiously the entire time they waited in line.
But once they reached the castle gate, he could immediately tell it really was fine. The guard members who’d been somewhat slovenly straightened their backs the moment they saw Taeyon and greeted him first with a thoroughly disciplined appearance. It was a very stern-looking sight.
It would have looked even more flawless if the tail on their bottom wasn’t swaying gently. It seemed that guard member was probably a dog beastkin.
“Good day. Have you come from Oblyad Castle?”
“Yes. I’m on a subjugation patrol.”
“You’re working hard.”
“Are there any particular problems in the village?”
“No, monsters and demonic beasts don’t appear often around here. This village is safe.”
It was fortunate. To Kaniel, who’d encountered monsters once or twice a day for the past few days, the words “safe place” came as a relief.
The guard member checked the identification Taeyon handed over and immediately returned it.
“But the person next to you is…?”
“My servant.”
“He looks weak to use as a knight’s servant. And his ears…. Lucky kid.”
When Taeyon made no response, the guard member made an “oops” expression and opened the way for them to enter inside.
It really was fine. And he definitely said “knight,” right? Was Taeyon someone important?
Kaniel approached Taeyon who was walking into the village and whispered a question.
“What does ‘knight’ mean? Taeyon, are you perhaps someone important?”
“Someone who fights monsters.”
“Ah. So you’re someone who protects people.”
Is that why he protected me too? Kaniel looked up at Taeyon with a gaze full of respect.
“Then I’ll call you ‘knight’ from now on too.”
“No.”
“What? Uh… I can’t? Why?”
“Because I don’t want to reveal my status to just anyone.”
“Ahh. Well, looking at that person earlier, they did get really tense. It would be uncomfortable if it’s like that every time. I understand, Taeyon.”
When Kaniel called his name as if confirming, Taeyon nodded briefly.
“Shall we go to the inn now?”
“First… let’s go to the market.”
“The market?”
Though it was already time for the sunset to thickly descend, the market still had many people. There were torches placed here and there but it was rather dim, so how could the market be this active? On the Floating Island, the market only opened during the day. Markets that opened at night were separately called night markets and only opened during specific periods, with magic deployed to keep them as bright as daytime.
“Ugh.”
Kaniel, who’d been carefully following Taeyon on the dim road, bumped into someone’s solid chest. Kaniel stepped back and raised his head.
“Watch where you’re going, kid.”
A deer beastkin with impressively large antlers reprimanded him irritably, then paused when he saw Kaniel.
“Huh? Your ears are…?”
The deer beastkin’s expression twisted.
“Don’t tell me you’re a cursed one?”
“What? Cursed…?”
Come to think of it, the guard member they’d met at the village entrance earlier had also glanced at his head and mentioned his ears. Could it be that among beastkin, people without ears on their heads were considered cursed? It’s just because he was human though.
Seeing contempt settle in the deer beastkin’s eyes, Kaniel backed away flustered. Before he knew it, the gazes of surrounding beastkin were focused on him.
He has no ears.
I’ve never seen a cursed one before.
What if it’s contagious?
Shouldn’t we drive him out?
Murmuring sounds were heard from all directions. Multiple pairs of beast eyes glowing in the darkness pressed down on Kaniel. It felt like standing in a spotlight. A completely non-positive one at that.
Thoroughly frightened, Kaniel was about to turn around and run while being wary of all directions when Taeyon, who’d approached at some point, grabbed his waist and stopped him.
“Is there some problem?”
“No. That guy, his ears….”
“So I’m asking if there’s a problem.”
The calm tone strangely carried a force that pressured people. The deer beastkin clicked his tongue with a displeased expression and passed by them.
Kaniel somehow felt thoroughly intimidated. It seemed like all the beastkin passing by around them were only staring at his head. Conversely, Kaniel could only barely see their forms.
Right, I understand why the market doesn’t close even at late hours. Everyone’s beastkin so they have good night vision. The only person here who couldn’t see their surroundings properly and bumped into other people was Kaniel, just him alone.
Because he was the only human here.
“Let’s go, Kaniel.”
Kaniel took the hand Taeyon extended and quietly followed behind him. Among the noisy market sounds and the dim view, only the body heat felt from Taeyon’s hand that he was holding felt like the sole lifeline.
Cursed one.
Of course, he knew that wasn’t a curse directed at him. Since hundreds of years had passed since humans left the surface, there was no way curses against humans would remain. So that would be an insult directed at those who couldn’t properly beastkinize. Thinking that way was rational.
But even knowing that, his chest felt stuffy at the fact that he would be seen as a “cursed one” by beastkin from now on. Because insults would surely follow behind such perception.
Kaniel, who’d been continuing his thoughts, slowly raised his gaze that had been toward the ground and looked at Taeyon’s back.
Taeyon wouldn’t have been unaware that humans without ears on their heads could be misunderstood like that. Yet had he still decided to take him along?
Looking at that broad and dependable back unlike his own, Kaniel felt his chest growing stuffy. However, it was a stuffiness slightly different from the painful stuffiness from earlier. Somehow his breathing was getting faster.
“Come here.”
Taeyon, who’d stopped in front of some stall, selected a thick cloak from the stall’s display and draped it over Kaniel’s shoulders. It was a cloak with a large hood. Soon after the hood was put on, his bothersome head was covered.
“There, now no one will know.”
“Taeyon, when I asked for help, why did you accept?”
“Should I have refused?”
“No, it’s not that…. If I become a burden….”
This was being spoiled. It was no different from throwing a tantrum because he wanted to hear that it was okay. But even knowing that, he couldn’t stop.
“Because I look like a cursed beastkin….”
“Kaniel.”
“Yes.”
“There’s no such thing as cursed beastkin.”
Taeyon said firmly.
“…There isn’t?”
“That’s just a petty superstition. And I decided to take you along because I thought you’d be helpful. If you’re not helpful, I’ll abandon you again.”
Though it was a declaration cold enough to be heartless, it actually put his mind at ease. He was confident he could be helpful. Though he’d caused incidents one after another until now, it was still certain that he possessed knowledge and power that didn’t exist on the surface.
He just didn’t know the method well yet, but he would surely be able to find a way to be helpful.
“Yes! I’ll definitely be helpful. Don’t worry.”
“I’m not worried.”
“Yes!”
