Black Killer Whale Baby - Chapter 354

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Additional Side Story: Episode 18
The topic change was effective.
“Oh, I know! I know!! That haunted mansion! They say tons of ghosts appear there!”
“Hmm? Are you talking about the traitor’s estate?”
Luca, whose focus was poor, followed along first, and Brunel obediently went along with the topic change as if he felt guilty.
‘Surely those people chattering at the banquet said the Dragon Duke’s egg was… secretly brought into the capital and is being monitored in that cursed mansion.’
According to the children’s story, that place was like this.
It was an old mansion where a traitor once lived, and after all the traitors were executed, they tried to demolish the mansion as well.
But strangely, no matter what they did, the mansion wouldn’t break apart or burn down.
Finding this odd, the Imperial Palace eventually decided to leave it as is.
So it remained as an ominous structure.
Despite being just a mansion, it had waterways dug around it like a castle, and even had a small drawbridge, they say.
It was the mansion owner’s preference, apparently.
‘Water, huh…’
I tapped my chin thoughtfully.
Now that I think about it, the Imperial Palace also had waterways. They said they laid torpedoes in those waterways and kept ferocious beasts there?
‘What a bunch of hypocrites. They despise aquatic beastkin so much, yet they shamelessly use them when it suits their needs.’
“Where exactly is that place located?”
“Hmm? Probably to the west… I’ve been there a few times? Oh! I have a friend who knows that place!!”
Luca’s ears perked up.
Among this group, Luca was the most sociable after Brunel.
“My friend Sae-a lives nearby!”
“Sae-a?”
“Yeah! Seia Lindell, she’s an Otter beastkin!!”
My eyes widened.
What?
…Is it connected like this?
Wasn’t I just thinking about the Otter beastkin and their family today?
I even recalled various things about them. Such as their future, for instance.
‘I was thinking of going anyway and giving them a hint even if there was no connection…’
Wasn’t this an opportunity?
Shortly after.
For the first time since coming to this Weakling Club, I was sitting at a different table.
At the table were only myself and a small girl.
The child in a pale green dress and white bonnet was Seia Lindell, an Otter beastkin.
‘I’m grateful the other kids brought their friends.’
The problem was that this girl didn’t lift her head even when I sat down.
I scratched my cheek awkwardly.
“Um… h-hello?”
What should I do? Two regressions have completely destroyed my social skills.
I should have just seated Luca here instead.
She flinched.
Sae-a’s shoulders trembled at my greeting.
I lowered my hand as it was.
“Um, if I startled you….”
“A, a hello!!!”
To be precise, it came out more like ‘hel↗lo’ with a pitch break.
‘Oh, that voice crack was brutal.’
The young girl’s face, which she’d just lifted, turned as red as a tomato.
“S, s, sorry…!”
“What are you sorry for?”
If anything, it was my fault for speaking first, wasn’t it?
Yet for some reason, Sae-a suddenly pressed both hands against her bonnet.
Looking closer, I could see delicate whiskers sprouting on her cheeks.
At first I thought it was just messy hair, but it wasn’t.
It was adorable.
But Sae-a’s hands were trembling, and her brown eyes, which she’d gathered courage to meet mine with, were glistening with moisture.
‘…Wait. I’m absolutely terrible at comforting crying children!’
Recalling how much trouble I’d had soothing Lili, I went rigid.
“I, I, I, I’m gross…!!”
I paused for a moment, confused by the meaning.
“…What?”
“I, I’m gross… s, sorry.”
“No, no.”
It wasn’t that I didn’t understand.
“Gross? What part of you is gross?”
“…Huh?”
Sae-a was startled, but seeing my genuinely confused expression, she slowly relaxed her tension.
Her hands, which had been gripping so tightly I worried the fabric might tear, released from her bonnet.
“I….”
“Before that, I’m a Beastkin from aquatic animals myself, so are you really okay with me?”
“Huh huh?”
“Even if you say I smell now, I don’t really mind.”
Sae-a’s eyes widened as if they might pop out of her head, and she quickly shook her head. Her bonnet flew off with a whoosh.
Boing!
‘Insane, what is this cuteness?’
Watching her small, fluttering ears, I pressed my lips together firmly. I wondered if this was what it felt like when the Black Panther Knights’ squirrel had those adorable ears pop out.
I quietly covered my mouth with my hand.
“Um, you….”
“Um, you…?”
“I-incomplete Beastkin, aren’t you….”
So I was an older sister.
And what a wonderful thing it was to be called an older sister….
From what I knew, otters were carnivorous beasts in their own right.
But this one seemed to overflow with the fragility of a natural monument that would go extinct without protection.
“I-I like water too. I love swimming! S-so, no smell!”
“Oh… thank you?”
Sae-a, emboldened or perhaps flustered, raised her voice.
“Y-you’re pretty! I felt it from the first time I saw you. A-and, and y-you smell nice!”
Then she squeezed her eyes shut and leaned over to the side, sniffing away.
“Big sister!”
…Perhaps it was because of the similar hair color. Lili came to mind. She was clearly just as harmless.
And equally adorable.
“Hehe, thank you…. You’re really cute too. I mean that sincerely.”
Flushed.
Watching the child’s cheeks bloom with color, I let out another genuine laugh.
Late afternoon.
The children began leaving one by one. Sae-a was no exception.
“Big sister would look good in pink too. I have lots of ribbons—should I give you some?”
“Thank you. Show me next time we meet. I think they’d suit you better than me.”
“You’ve got an eye for it. Calypso would look good in purple too.”
Sae-a and I became close remarkably fast. More precisely, the little otter with her guard down sparkled with bright eyes and chattered away.
‘Once her guard dropped, she was quite the chatterbox.’
And surprisingly, Serin and I got along well.
Sae-a, who had been afraid of Serin at first, listened to our professional interpreter—Luca—speak a few times, then her eyes sparkled toward Serin as well.
And with pure admiration and compliments about being pretty, our baby feline lady fell head over heels. Along with a “You’re kind of cute, aren’t you?”
‘Tsk, who on earth bullies such good children.’
It seemed the capital’s Beastkin shouldn’t discriminate against incomplete Beastkin, but rather conduct internal inspections to discriminate against and isolate those whose character and minds had rotted.
After parting with Serin—Brunel and Luca had apparently chased her away, saying something about girls’ talk—only Sae-a and I remained.
“Shall we walk a bit more?”
“Mm-hmm!”
I deliberately walked Sae-a toward the door under the pretense of seeing her off.
But I didn’t actually reach the door. The Black Panther Knights were stationed there, watching intently in case I attempted an escape.
“I-if you wait, my m-mom will come!”
“Really?”
“Mm-hmm! My mom is cool, big sister.”
Serin gently swung the hand she held with me while grinning widely. Her hair, not hidden by the bonnet, gleamed with luster, and her ears were simply adorable.
“Though not as pretty as you, big sister!”
My, children certainly are honest. I laughed awkwardly.
Not long after, someone appeared on the empty path.
It was a woman accompanied by two Knights. She appeared to be in her late thirties. With the same hair color as Serin and a similar face, I recognized her immediately.
She was from the Lindell family.
“Mother!!”
Serin bounced in place.
Then she spun around in circles.
“Sae-a! I was worried when you didn’t come out.”
“Mmm, I wanted to stay a bit longer with my sister….”
Sae-a glanced at my face as if asking, “Is this okay?” I gave her a subtle nod.
Thank you, little Otter.
“Hello.”
“Ah… I apologize for the late greeting.”
The woman straightened her posture upon seeing me and bowed with proper courtesy. My eyes widened slightly at this unexpected treatment.
“It is an honor to meet you, Noble Lady of the Orca. I am Esther Lindell, the Matriarch of the Lindell family.”
Then she glanced back slightly, hesitated, and lowered her voice.
A hand extended gently and grasped mine softly.
It was a warm hand.
“…You must have endured much hardship in such a harsh place.”
Her voice was deeply lowered.
Small but filled with genuine concern and worry. My lips parted slightly.
“…Sister?”
I had originally come here to wait for her mother with Sae-a because I had something to discuss.
Did she know?
At that single word of kindness devoid of any self-interest, I changed my plan.
I had intended to give them one piece of information and conduct a light transaction that would benefit both sides.
But I decided to change course and take a more active approach.
I released Sae-a’s hand and had her go toward the Knights.
“Sister! Bye-bye!”
“Yes, bye-bye.”
After sending Sae-a away, I approached the Knights and spoke.
“Would it be alright if we had a brief conversation?”
Esther glanced back slightly, then signaled to the Knights. They withdrew with Sae-a.
“…Conversation is not difficult, but I should apologize in advance.”
A bitter expression crossed her face.
“If you were thinking of asking us for help… I’m terribly sorry, but our situation is also quite difficult.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
Escape? I would create my own way out. What I hoped for from the Otters was something entirely different.
“What I’m about to tell you might sound far-fetched. But it’s real.”
I took a step toward Esther.
The things I had realized today.
This was an exceptionally grave matter for the Otter clan.
“You and your Otter clan… will be annihilated before long.”
Esther’s eyes widened as if they might tear apart.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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