I Opened an Illegal Animal Hospital in Another World - Chapter 32

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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32

Chapter 8. Things Are Getting (3)

It all happened in an instant.

According to what I sensed through the smoke, there were only two or three patients left, so I was quite excited. Not excited because work was ending, but happy that there were hardly any sick people left.

Of course, the fact that I could rest was also nice. I had even made plans to skip lessons for a few days once I got home, using fatigue as an excuse.

But what is this situation? To be kidnapped…

The assailant covered my mouth and pushed me through a door in the floor just as I was about to let go of the patient’s hand and turn around. It was probably originally used as something like a pantry.

And while I was going “Huh, huh, huh?” he put something like a sack over me and ran off carrying me.

‘I hope this doesn’t trigger Mom and Dad’s trauma again…’

Having been a kidnapping victim before, I was able to stay calm. I even displayed filial piety by worrying about my parents while being kidnapped.

Though I don’t remember what happened when I was victimized…

Folded up like the letter ㄱ inside a sack, my stomach feels like it’s going to burst every time the kidnapper runs….

Even though I was shaken so much it felt like riding an amusement park ride, making my head feel like it would split and my stomach churn enough to vomit…

I wasn’t scared! I wasn’t frightened at all!

I wasn’t panicked in the slightest!

The kidnapper set me down on the ground somewhat roughly. Then he removed the sack. I squeezed my eyes shut and boldly shouted.

“Who are you why did you kidnap me if it’s money I’ll give it to you how much do you need!”

I don’t have cash right now but I have some valuables, and my parents have lots of money! My voice was clear and my shoulders weren’t hunched. I’m confident.

“You can open your eyes, miss.”

“Ah, I’m not closing my eyes because I’m scared. Something just got in my eyes, urgh…”

When I took the breath I’d been holding, my stomach, which had been churning from being flipped upside down and hit hard, turned over. When I vomited up whatever was coming back up from my stomach, the other person screamed in panic.

“Bl, blood?! Wh, what do I do, are you okay?!”

“Ugh…”

It’s just vomit… It’s not red… It happened to be not long after I’d had lunch, so my stomach was full. The kidnapper kindly patted my back.

Maybe it would have been better if it was blood. Should I bite my tongue even now? To show a complete stranger exactly what I’d eaten earlier.

“I’m okay now…”

How embarrassing.

“Are you really okay? Your face is still pale…”

“Sorry, but if it’s alright, could you give me a glass of cold water and a towel? And I need to clean this up…”

It was the first humiliation I’d felt in a long time since my infant days.

“Don’t worry about it. Here, cold water…”

“Thank you.”

I politely bowed and took the cold water the kidnapper offered, gulping it down. The bitter taste remaining in my mouth faded and I finally felt like I could live. I almost died…

Then I cleanly wiped my mouth with the towel the kidnapper offered and covered the palm-sized vomit. It’s less embarrassing now that I can’t see it.

“…Miss, you shouldn’t accept things from strangers without suspicion.”

“Ah…”

I couldn’t use the excuse I’d used with Raven: ‘I don’t trust just anyone, you know? It’s because it’s you.’ The man in front of me was a kidnapper!

I hid my flustered feelings and calmly looked at the kidnapper.

The kidnapper was looking at me with quite worried eyes, not like a criminal who had committed a heinous act.

‘Don’t tell me he’s a pedophile…’

My mind was getting dirty, so I decided not to complete that word. Fortunately, I didn’t see any dirty desires in the way he looked at me. If I said something like this, Raven would look at me coldly again, saying I’m too soft…

The kidnapper was even quite handsome. His angular jaw and thick neck, his body built with muscle gave a solid and firm impression, and his features hidden by his shaggy gray hair were sharp and clear.

He had crouched down his large body wrapped in those muscles to pat my back, and his palm was big enough to cover my entire back and more.

‘If I act up and get hit once, I’ll die right there. I should stay on his good side.’

I wanted to live a long life in this lifetime, just playing and eating without overexerting myself.

“You don’t seem like someone who would do bad things, mister.”

“…But I kidnapped you…”

Oops. A concept error from the first line.

“Th, that’s what I mean. If you wanted to kill me, you would have poisoned me already…”

If he had made me take poison when he covered my mouth, I would already be dead. …Like the kidnapper and Raven advised, I should probably be a bit more cautious…

“…A child saying such brutal things.”

“You kidnapped me without killing me because keeping me alive has meaning. That’s why you broke through those guards to kidnap me…”

The conclusion seemed quite smart. I’m satisfied.

“I risked my life to kidnap you too. I was lucky. This area was also my territory. Actually, I don’t have much time even now. They’ll probably come chasing soon.”

“….”

The kidnapper had a resolute face as if he had prepared for death.

His words about risking his life were probably the truth without any exaggeration. My security was that tight. Even though Evelyn, Maria, and Ella were cleaning, they were people who were extremely sensitive to suspicious movements from others, and around the building, the Royal Guard and our family’s private soldiers were stationed under the pretense of volunteer work.

On top of that, I was wearing the necklace Mother had given me around my neck. That necklace worth several castles… It’s still burdensome. But I’ll never take it off.

Breaking through that security to kidnap me would have been difficult, and even if the kidnapping succeeded, I would be rescued soon.

And once caught, this person wouldn’t be able to survive.

Not only my parents, but Raven, who actually cares for me quite a bit despite pretending to be indifferent, wouldn’t let him go either.

So kidnapping me wasn’t a profitable crime. Poisoning would be more efficient. After experiencing and hearing about various incidents while staying by Raven’s side, I’ve become quite familiar with such brutal terms.

“So please!”

The kidnapper suddenly dropped to his knees in front of me with a thud. There was a cracking sound of his kneecap hitting the ground. Ugh. That must hurt… You who don’t spare your kneecaps will regret it when you’re old.

“I know I’m being shameless, kidnapping a young child like you and saying such things. But we were in such a desperate situation that we had to risk our lives.”

“….”

“If not you, only you can save us. Please, please I beg you…”

The kneeling man cried out desperately. Even when the large man crouched down, he didn’t become smaller, and his size alone created tremendous presence. I wasn’t, wasn’t scared.

“You need to tell me what’s wrong, if you just ask me to help without explanation…”

“Please, save our children! At this rate, they’ll all die!”

“What?”

I had treated almost all the sick people on the streets. Moreover, after cleaning thoroughly and washing clothes and blankets, the environment had improved considerably. Compared to when the epidemic was at its peak, I was confident there was no one sick enough to die. But children are sick?

“Are the children ill? Where are they? Where are they?”

“…As I thought, you were the one providing treatment.”

“….”

Had he solemnly and sternly laid a trap card? Did I get caught?

“Wait, it’s a misunderstanding. I didn’t deceive you. I heard from Renate, but it was just speculation…”

“Renate? You know Renate?”

“That’s right. …Will you come this way?”

The kidnapper extended his hand to me. Still sitting inside the sack, I was so surprised to hear a familiar name after so long that I couldn’t think to refuse and grabbed his hand.

…Actually, I grabbed his finger. His hand was too thick…

‘If he knows Renate, then perhaps…’

The kidnapper led me and carefully opened the door. This seemed to be underground. The musty sewer smell and the stuffy feeling characteristic of stale air suddenly hit me.

In the dim space, dozens of children were gathered. The children, who seemed terrified with hunched shoulders, ranged from my age to what appeared to be Raven’s age.

They all had pitifully thin frames, sunken eye sockets, and lifeless, darkened skin. Even while running a fever and gasping for breath, they couldn’t lie down properly…

I felt a shock as if someone had hit the back of my head hard.

They were all children with animal ears and tails, like Evelyn.

“This epidemic was too virulent for even beastmen’s immunity to withstand. The adults were fine, but all the children fell ill.”

“If you had contacted me earlier…”

“Renate has been away from the capital on a long-term commission since last summer.”

“I’ve been treating people here for days!”

“…Adults can skillfully hide their tails and ears, but children can’t control them yet. If they appeared before people, especially nobles, there’s no telling what would happen to them…”

“You could have quietly mentioned it to Evelyn!”

“…We couldn’t burden a child who’s living well. If she were misunderstood as being one of us, we thought she wouldn’t be safe either.”

My insides felt like they were boiling.

I could only open and close my mouth. I was angry. At myself for being so short-sighted.

‘What was I acting so proud about.’

Secretly treating people was certainly a good deed, and I think I did something kind. But the fact that these people were driven from the streets that were called ‘districts’ and had to hide underground while dragging their sick bodies was definitely because of us.

Despite calling myself Evelyn’s best friend, I never even thought about it.

“I’m sorry. I’ve done something truly terrible to you. If you’ll just save these children, I’ll gladly pay for my crimes with this life.”

“I don’t need that!”

What would I do with that.

I burst out angrily and stamped my feet. Since being born into this world, this was the first time I felt so frustrated.

I had heard and knew that beastmen faced discrimination and persecution. Evelyn thoroughly hid her ears and tail except in front of Maria, Ella, Bailey, my parents, and Lloyd.

Strong beastmen could work as mercenaries or be employed by nobles, but weak beastmen found it difficult even to survive.

So they couldn’t burden Evelyn who worked for a noble family, and no noble would send their precious daughter to dangerous beastmen, so they resorted to kidnapping…

‘Because beastmen can’t receive treatment, and no one would treat them…’

I gathered clay to my heart’s content. I spread the gurgling clay on the floor and poured it all at once. Light burst forth from beneath my feet. The kidnapper jumped up in surprise.

“Gasp!”

“It’s not harmful. It won’t hurt you.”

Whoa whoa. Stay still. If you swing those thick arms wrong, I’ll just go flying… As the light seeped into the children’s bodies, they too began looking at me with surprised eyes.

Are beastmen’s… eyeballs sturdy too…? Aren’t they blinded by the light…? They’re looking at me even in this bright light…

“It’s warm….”

The kidnapper’s face contorted as if he was about to cry.

‘I should purify the entire basement while I’m at it! Just you wait and see. Kidnapping me and then trying to spare just your measly life….’

Hiss, hiss. You’ll pay for your sins with that body of yours.

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