Daisuke and April took a moment to look around.
Ihe manor, they were swept into a realm of refined luxury that was worlds apart from the slums they khe walls were ored with tapestries depig a ruins and rge deposits of glowing ores. A grand delier, crafted with a myriad of bizarre crystals hung from the ceiling, casting a shimmering cascade of light upon the polished marble floor.
Before they could begin admiring the furnishings—
“She will guide you both to your rooms and assist with freshening up for supper,” the butler said with a stoic expressiouring toward a lone female oairs. “Well then... Master Langley, Young Miss,” he bowed courteously before exg himself.
The young woman who received the task of caretaker only slightly lifted her head wheler left. She was a Beastkin garbed in a maid’s uniform. Daisuke didn’t miss the metal colr around her neck, which hi her social status within the Percival household.
Her gaze shifted around awkwardly for a moment, theurned around and meekly began leading the way. “I-I will show you both to your rooms,” she stammered softly.
A red carpet edged with gold trim yered the staircase leading to the sed floor. Sunlight drifting in through tall windows bathed the spa natural light, casting shimmering refles upon the imposing suits of armor statio each er. Along the corridor, framed paintings showcased the portraits of each lord through the ages, a visual icle of their lineage and legacy.
Daisuke’s gaze shifted to the maid’s drooping ears perched atop her head and the listless tail trailing behind her. It made him to pohe living ditions that Sheba and the others would have to endure.
“Hey you,” Daisuke called offhandedly, staying in character. “What’s your name?”
The girl offered a sidelong gnce, her eyes shimmering with a hint of fusion. “Umm. I don’t have a name, Lord Julian.”
“You… don’t have one?”
April exged a curious gh Daisuke. She ing the hem of his shirt, walking closely at his side.
“What do you mean? Expin.”
The girl’s lips pressed into an unfortable line before she spoke. “With the exception of the Superior Races, demihuman and noxsian sves aren’t allowed to have names.”
Setting aside his ignorance about two of the aforementioned races, Daisuke persisted. “And why is that?”
“…Demihumans are widely perceived as monsters,” the girl expined in a dejected tone. “Names, acc to humans, are only reserved for the civilized and refined. Here, we are generally identified by ender or by an assigned number.”
Daisuke sighed inwardly. So demihumans face discrimination and are often ensved. From what I’ve gathered from the sve merts, females especially are vulnerable to exploitation. They’re either sold into sex-traffig rings or forced into domestic servitude.
I suppose that’s why there were so many female Beastkin in the wagon with us. It seems that no matter the world, racism and prejudice persist. People struggle to accept those who are different from themselves.
***
The air carried a subtle st of polished wood and aged leather, lending an air of antiquity to the bedroom. Expeiques and orifacts adorhe space. A rge four poster bed sat in one er and a heart in another.
The Beastkin who had covertly introduced herself as Sylvia reoccupied rummaging through and old truhe wardrobe. With swift movements, she sifted through the tents, sending clothes once worn by the family’s children swirling into the air.
After his embarrassing dispy of ignorance regarding knowledge that was even rudimentary among oners, Daisuke humbled himself and reassured Sylvia that she was in good pany. In respohe girl’s ears perked up with excitement and her bushy tail swished animatedly.
Meanwhile, April absolutely refused to loosen her grip on Daisuke’s shirt let alone sider being pced into a separate room. When a dress nded on her head from Sylvia’s frantit for a suitable attire, she retrieved it and held it before her face.
“Wow—so pretty!” she excimed, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
Daisuke observed her with a tender smile, noting the subtle flush that graced her cheeks for the first time siheir departure from Dusthaven. He desperately wao preserve that glow.
“Lord Julian,” Sylvia called nervously, even as her deft hands tinued rummaging through the trunk. “I appreciate your leniency, but you should really be cautious about how you express your views okin around others. You could find yourself in a lot of trouble.”
“…I’ll be sure to keep that in mind,” Daisuke replied, turning towards the bathroom. “I’ll go ahead and take a bath first.”
“I’ll go too,” April chimed in.
Sylvia was evidently far more shocked by those words than Daisuke. “L-Lady Aprilena… perhaps you should let Master Langley go first, then you go afterwards?”
April pouted, her cheeks puffing up like a balloon. “No, I want us to go together!”
Sylvia looked around awkwardly, her cheeks flushing. “L-Lady Aprilena... at ye, boys and girls shouldn’t be taking a bath together. Because… well, it’s umm—”
“It’s fine,” Daisuke interjected, only to note as Sylvia sheepishly began undoing her bowtie before slowly rolliog down the length of one creamy, outstretched leg.
Daisuke ged. “Umm. What are you doing?”
“…O- up myself in her pce.”
“…And why exactly would you o do that?”
Sylvia pursed her lips meekly, her cleavage and colrbones flushed. “From what I’ve observed… human men are devils who only live to feed their deepest desires. Among all the other species, they are known to be the ones mostly ed by greed and lust, mating with practically anything that moves.”
Daisuke stood motionless, poker-faced. It was shameful, but he couldn’t quite deny that horrible truth. “That may more or less be the case,” he started to expin, “but humans generally don’t mate with their siblings; it’s taboo.”
His sce, depicted by a small chibi figure, averted its gaze with a guilty expression. Though… April and I aren’t teically reted.
“I’m going!” April decred again, throwing a tantrum as she g to her pretend brother. “I don’t want to be left here alone!”
Sylvia’s lips quivered with disapproval, and Daisuke could see the genuine care and reflected in her gaze. Just before she could respond, he presented her with a question.
“Sylvia,” he began, his tone serious and anding, almost tangible in the room. “ I trust you?”
His iy caused the girl to swallow nervously before she replied, “Y-Yes! Of course!”
Daisuke’s gaze narrowed to dangerous slits, his butterscotch eyes practically sm with iy. With a steely expression, he delivered his warning: “If you betray me and endanger Aprilena’s life, I’ll do everything in my power to kill you.”
The maid’s hair bristled in respoo the chilling threat, but she ched her fists and nodded with solemn resolve. In response, Daisuke’s hostility ebbed away and he rexed his shoulders.
Croug dow his makeshift sister at eye level aly stroked her hair. “I’ll freshen up and then head down for supper,” he said softly. “I need you to stay here and lock the doors while I’m away. I’ll bring you something to eat ter, okay?”
April hugged her kears welling in her eyes. It was clear she was more distressed about being alohan her rumbling stomach. “Big Brother, please don’t leave me,” she pleaded, her voice trembling with regret. “I’m sorry I acted without your permission.”
She must be referring to the food run Brek anized. “I’m not mad about that,” Daisuke reassured her gently.
“…You’re not?”
“Of course not, silly,” he replied with a small smile. “I just want you to stay safe.” He gnced meaningfully at the attentive Beastkin beside them. “And while I’m away, Sylvia will be here with you.”
“Th-That’s right, Lady Aprilena!” the girl excimed, throwing herself on the ground beside the brooding child. “Why don’t you lend me a hand with starting the firepce? Afterwards, we make sure you’re all squeaky before Master Langley returns.”
April gnced up at Daisuke, as if seeking his approval, and he responded with a reassuring nod and a warm smile.
“You lost Mr. Honeykins ba Dusthaven, right?” he asked softly. “I promise I’ll find you another friend if you’re a good girl and stay here.”
“H-Hn! I’ll do as you say.”
“Atta girl,” Daisuke praised with a ge on her head.
Fear of monsters & the unknown: 53.8%
