Daisuke’s eyes narrowed shrewdly. I guess sending a sve to warm my bed is Reginald’s idea of a housewarming gift, he thought with a hint of annoyance. He must really wao stay of my own volition.

  The girl looked everywhere except in Daisuke’s dire, unfortably fiddling with her fingers. Her small lips were pursed in a prim manner, her cheeks flushed, eyes trembling.

  “e inside.”

  The girl did as she was told, scooting into the room barefooted. She hugged herself tightly, trying to soothe her ay. But it was simply repced by dreadful anticipation.

  “Get into bed and lie down.”

  “….”

  Teary-eyed, the girl once more ceded to the and. Daisuke’s face remained a perfectly ask as he approached her. With each fident step he took, the girl’s heart pounded even louder.

  Time seemed to slow to a crawl as his hand began reag for her, and she held her breath, her eyes squeezed shut in anticipation. However, instead of fag assault and abuse, she felt the bedsheet being pulled up to her ned her head being stroked tenderly.

  “Don’t worry,” reassured the silver-haired boy with a soft smile. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  At the same time, April mumbled in her sleep, shifted, aled closer to her newfound sleep buddy.

  Daisuke’s smile widened. “That’s April. She’s harmless.”

  Bewildered, and at a loss for words, the girl looked from April to the silver-haired boy. But she didn’t dare speak out of turn. Instead, she keenly observed and waited.

  “What’s your name?” Daisuke inquired gently, his tone coaxing. “Do you remember it?”

  “...”

  “...Just so you know, Sylvia trusted me enough to tell me her name. I promise that you do the same.”

  At this surprisiion, the girl’s ears perked up, a glimmer of curiosity in her eyes. “...Tina.”

  “Tina,” Daisuke repeated with warmth, tenderly running his hand over April’s hair and then hers. “You stay here tonight. It’ll give the impression that you’ve aplished your task. Take care of April for me; I’ll be stepping out for a little while.”

  Tina nodded meekly in agreement.

  Meanwhile, Daisuke walked to the ter of the room and began pag bad forth, a hah his as he deliberated his move. His mind raced as he vividly recalled the filing et in Reginald’s study. If he aimed to devise the perfect escape pn, he needed access to the manor’s blueprint. Yet, his search of the library had yielded s. The filing ets remaihe only other likely pce where he might find what he was looking for.

  But how do I get there? I’m sure the door is being watched sidering my circumstances.

  Daisuke gnced around the room, hoping the déight spark ao his delight, he spotted something eveer. Tina peered out from uhe sheets as he carefully stacked a few pieces of furniture to help him vanish into the upper yer of the ceiling.

  ***

  After painstaking effort and the destru of tless spiderwebs, Daisuke finally maneuvered through the musty and dimly lit spa the ceiling until he arrived at a familiar room. After firming that the coast was clear by cautiously peering downward through the seams in the woodwork, he carefully made his way outside, utilizing the ceiling-high shelf as a foothold. Little did Daisuke know however, that by simply ing in physical tact with it, he had unwittingly activated a small transmutation circle etched into the floorboards of the ceiling.

  Quietly desding the dder into the office, he immediately picked up on the soft voice of a girl. Amidst her distressed cries, he dised the metallic k and ctter of equipment. Through the partially transparent s dividing the office from the b, Daisuke could vaguely see a small figure restrained on the worktable. o her, an animated silhouette engaged in a medical procedure with cold, ser-like focus.

  It was Reginald.

  Daisuke wasted no time. Biting his lips in frustration, he urgently slioward the filing ets and began searg until he found what he sought. Then he immediately returhe way he came with utmost discretion.

  “Please,” the girl muttered breathlessly, pleadingly. “Please stop! No! No more!”

  Daisuke felt his heart drop, and he fastened his eyes shut and ched his teeth. He knew—he could tell without a shadow of a doubt that the girl fided to that worktable was being subjected gruesome experimentation against her will.

  But what could he do?

  As far as he was ed, he was just a regur NPC, or perhaps even less. He had no ?stats? or ?skills?, which meant he cked strength and power. He didn’t possess any ons or items, nor did he have capable allies. How could he possibly navigate a hostile frontatioween Reginald and his loyal servants?

  “I’m so sorry,” Daisuke whispered dejectedly, and then he was gone.

  ***

  RUMBLE~

  The sporadic growling of hungry bellies intermingled with the screech of crickets. With her heightened sense of hearing, Sheba could vividly perceive the distressing sounds, and it shattered her heart.

  Releasing her knees, she shifted onto her back atop an unfortable bed of hay. It was only her first night, yet her back was already developing an infernal ache. All arouhe other Beastkin sves shared the same makeshift bed, and the thought of those who had endured lohan she had pained her deeply.

  Suddenly, out of nowhere, a hand shot out from the darkness and cmped over her mouth. Sheba panicked and began squirming until she reized the familiar face to which the hand belohe figure stood silently, pressing an index fio his lips.

  “Shhh~” he whispered.

  As Sheba stilled and quieted herself, the silver-haired boy removed his hand with a wan smile.

  “H-Haxks!” Sheba uttered in a hushed tone, her surprise evident. “How... what are you doing here?!”

  “I e bearing gifts,” he expined, gesturing towards the rge sack at his side.

  With the blueprint safely in hand, Daisuke had effortlessly made his way to the kit through the ceiling where he raided its pantry. Afterwards, he somehow mao exit the manor and moved stealthily towards the sve quarters situated at the back of the estate.

  The building, as one might expect, was a rather inhospitable pce. The structure, remi of a hybrid between a house and a barn, was hardly weling. Within its walls, the Beastkin cohabited with a stable of horses, sharing their living space amidst the lingering st of manure and urine. Despite the less-than-ideal ditions, the sves—primarily prised of children and young adults—eagerly ed the food Daisuke provided, their hunger outweighing any disfort.

  Those who had eaten their fill felt a ge in their spirits. Their expressions shifted from the shadow of want to a glimmer of te. Children whose ughter had been stifled by their circumstances began to py, their newfound energy a testament to the revitalizing power of even the simplest meal. Among them stood Sheba, her heart filled with relief and joy.

  “Now, everyone,” Sylvia called out in a anding tone. “What do we all say to Master Langley fing us food?”

  “Thank you!” they chimed in unison.

  Then, in an instant, they were all back to running around and pying once more. Daisuke smiled ruefully, and then his gaze fell upon the hooded girl with the enigmatic presence. She was led in a quiet er, distang herself from the flurry of activity.

  With a silent uanding, Daisuke secured provisions before they ran out—a loaf of bread, crisped ba, and a cup of water. Approag her cautiously, he extehe food, the simple gesture a bridge between two worlds, between the noise and the stillness.

  The girl kept her head low, her petite frame trembling iing cold. Her body visibly stilled as she felt the f embrace of an e scarf being delicately wound around the hood of her cloak.

  “Even the lo night must yield to the dawn, for no darkness hold back the rising sun,” Daisuke whispered in a velvety tone, butterscotch eyes sm with sympathy. “If it’s the st thing I do, I promise I’ll get you out of here. So until that time es, try to keep up your strength. Oh, and when you have a full tummy, that helps to keep you warm.”

  Daisuke didn’t wait for a response. Instead, he turned on his heel and began making his way over to Sheba and Sylvia, pletely unaware that fleeting exge had fed a iion that went beyond words.

  Crimson-red eyes surreptitiously peeked out from depths of the girl’s hood as she tenderly ran her fingers over the fabric of the scarf. Perfect, unpainted lips parted to breathe a word of gratitude, but then she swallowed them down, stifling the resohat hummed between them.

  Fear of monsters & the unknown: 41.2%