I’m the Only One With a Different Genre - Chapter 52

Pia was with Noah’s group but lived in a somewhat detached state. She performed her share of tasks well and could hold a conversation when spoken to, so no one realized there was anything wrong with her.

Even if they had noticed, the children’s own mental states were such that they couldn’t have provided any care.

Like recalling a cool glass of water whenever she felt thirsty, Pia always thought of Lian in times of distress and joy alike. It was a reflex as natural as bleeding when cut.

[Pia, are you okay? You didn’t eat much earlier.]

‘Yeah, I’m okay.’

[Really? That’s a relief. Let me know if you’re feeling unwell anywhere.]

‘…Thank you.’

[Hahaha, it’s what I should do. After all, it’s what Pia asked for.]

Pia no longer saw hallucinations of her sister. Instead, she saw and heard hallucinations of the affectionate Lian.

She was going mad.

The hallucinations and voices of Lian weren’t entirely bad, though. They just barely held together Pia’s crumbling psyche.

Thanks to them, she had managed to hold on to her will to live so far. Despite the hallucinations and voices, she felt happier than in the past.

But such happiness didn’t last long. Memories she had endlessly denied and screamed were not her fault came to haunt her during the cold nights, tightening around her throat.

“Pia…why did you do that to me?”

Lian looked at her with eyes full of disgust.

“I always thought of you fondly. Why?”

I’m sorry, so sorry. I truly am.

No matter how much she pleaded, she was as mute as a stuffed animal, unable to utter a word.

“I said I would help you. I promised to save you.”

That’s right, you said you would save me.

Her memories were twisted. She agonized over words Lian never said as though they were reality.

She no longer could distinguish what she had done wrong or what the truth was.

“But why did you do that? Why? Why did you drive me to death? Pia, why?”

The voice of reproach tunnelled into her ears, gnawing at her brain. Pia woke up from her sleep, unable to bear the agony.

She muttered like a mad person.

“Sorry, sorry… sorry… I’m sorry…”

Her frail mind couldn’t accept the melting guilt. She started to push away the haunting remorse to survive.

“No, it’s not… I’m not wrong. That’s right… It was your fault.”

Pia faced her sins over and over again like someone thrown into hell, despaired over and over, and committed the same faults over and over, as if trapped in purgatory.

Her behavior resembled the asceticism of priests who willingly endure pain. Perhaps because of this, Pia began to foster a strange belief.

“Salvation, yeah… I will be saved. Yes, Lian will… Lian will save me—”

Like all humans in need of hope, Pia found her salvation. Her savior was Lian.

***

Jess was a blessed beastkin with greater wisdom than other beastkin, and yet she was also a slave. Her mother, always shackled by heavy chains, would tell her,

“You have to pretend to be a dumb beastkin. That’s how you’ll live longer.”

No master likes a clever animal. They wanted a pet beastkin that was somewhat entertaining and dumb. Jess’s mother knew this and educated her like brainwashing.

Not long after, Jess’s mother was dragged into a cruel match and died.

“Jess, scared…”

Jess’s poor speech and somewhat exaggerated actions were all molded by her mother’s hand. Jess knew these behaviors were one of the things that protected her.

That’s why she didn’t try to fix them. Then, one day, she met Lian.

Jess quickly realized.

‘Ah, this person is kind.’

Jess clung to Lian, telling him that the person who gives her tasty food is the master.

Though many slave traders had given her tasty treats or garbage-like food, she had never considered any of them her master. But she used the term “master” with Lian because doing so might get her slightly better food and a better place to sleep.

Calling Lian “master” was based on the same principle.

Jess felt an affection for Lian but remained cautious. Her keen beastkin instincts warned her.

It’s safe near that person, no harm or hard work if you stay by his side.

To Jess, who had lived as a slave since birth, “absolute safety” was no different than a cult’s greeting. That’s why she was wary of Lian.

Then, ‘that incident’ happened.

Beastkin generally ate more than average humans because their metabolic rates required it.

The difference in strength between a well-fed beastkin and one that wasn’t was significant. So, Jess didn’t hesitate to eat whatever she could, whether it was a rat or an insect.

That was how she survived each day.

‘There’s nothing here…’

Although there were a few insects crawling around in the prison cell where Jess, Noah, and Nero stayed, all were smaller than Jess’s little finger. They weren’t enough for her to hold on.

‘I need to find something to eat…!’

Jess crept around the cell when everyone was asleep.

‘Ah, a hole!’

She pulled at the edge of the prison bars, and a small hole appeared, just big enough for Jess to pass through. It looked like someone had made it for an escape. Fitting the removed bar piece back in place concealed the hole perfectly.

‘I’ll sneak out, eat just a little, and come back.’

It didn’t have to be proper food. Eating rats or insects was fine. Jess snuck out of the cell and headed towards the kitchen, her nose twitching.

‘Smells tasty.’

She sniffed around the kitchen, rummaging here and there.

‘Not much here…’

There was less to eat than she had hoped, but it wasn’t entirely barren. She grabbed a half-piece of broken bread and a bit of cheese and hid inside a cabinet under the sink, closing the door. As she was stuffing the food into her mouth,

Bang!

“!”

A loud noise startled her. Jess’s ears and tail popped up as she tensed.

‘Did they notice I’m out…?’

Jess swallowed dryly and squeezed herself into the corner of the cabinet. If her escape had been discovered, she needed to stay as silent as possible.

How much time had passed?

“It’s hot…”

The kitchen grew unbearably warm. Jess, belatedly sensing something was wrong, opened the firmly shut cabinet door.

“Uh..?”

Whoosh—.

Bright flames greeted Jess. The kitchen was engulfed in fire.

“Cough, hack!”

The acrid smoke stung her eyes and choked her breath. Jess realized quickly. The fire was too widespread. There was no escape from here.

Even for a beastkin as smart as Jess, facing ‘death’ at such a young age was enough to cause panic. Without her mother’s embrace to run to when scared, Jess shut the cabinet door again, curling up in a corner.

Crackle, crack.

The sound of something burning and the smell of charring hit her nose. The fire hadn’t reached Jess’s hiding place yet, so it felt like something happening far away.

Jess had an absurd fantasy. Imagining the fire wouldn’t reach inside the cabinet and she’d emerge unscathed.

It was a ridiculous thought, but it was all Jess could do at the moment. Tears welled up in her eyes and her breath hitched.

“Jess!”

His voice reached her. The moment she heard it,

“Wailing…”

Despite being taught always to cry silently, she cried out loud. The door she had closed was opened, and a kind, worried gaze poured in.

Wrapped tightly in a damp cloth, she felt the desperate rush of her master’s breathing and heartbeat, and the smell of flesh burning.

Jess realized she would never forget this moment.

From that day on, Jess blindly followed Lian. She recognized him as her true master, not just in word.

Jess had only one goal—to protect and make her master happy. Young and clumsy, Jess tried her best to be helpful within her abilities.

Then, one day, Lian, her master, disappeared without a word.