That Unique Monster Who Just Got the 'Consciousness' Passive Skill Chapter 19 I Just Wanna Go Home

"Say no more, young man."

"What!? 'Young man'!? Show so respect!"

"I get it. He must have… Well, I must have committed cris… in the past. To you and, uh, I… Well, yeah, there you have it. Now let go."

"I'm talking to you here! Is that how you reply?!"

"Look now. You're not my enemy. Just piss off."

"W-What the— What the actual fuck!? You'll show so respect—Ugh!"

Brushing the guy's arms off, I punched him in the stomach and ran away. Honestly, I didn't know what I was expecting. What should I do now? Touch grass? No, eat it? Or leaves? Dirt, even? Maybe I should wait for the stupid older brothers who abandoned that little guy back in the dark? Maybe my Bro-Ther-Thieves team would co back for , the Tiny Bro guy. No, they thought I had died.

I ran away to the back alley, not thinking of any better place to go. There, I lay on the ground, still hoping soone would co for . I dozed off trying to forget the pain. An hour later, I woke up and sneezed. And like a chanical lifeless robot, I mustered enough strength to get on my legs, then set off to who knew where. I didn't think of any destination, I just thought I'd go.

❮ The new Passive Skill [Pain Resistance] has been acquired. ❯

Oh, so that's why I felt it more faintly.

❮ The Player has reached level 41! ❯

Glad to still be going.

Without really knowing why, maybe because I was used to strolling anywhere in that wide and lively street, I was back in the comrcial alley. For a reason I knew about, then, I was headed to the East. Leaving aside my miserable starvation, I was now thirsty, too. To the East lay the closest river. Hence why I went that way. The comrcial alley though? I could have just avoided that big street. If anything, walking down that path was more of torture than anything. There were so many kinds of different tasty foods and ingredients around—

Suddenly, my hand went on its own and snatched a fresh apple from the stalls I walked past at present.

"Hey, you!" I had no indications of what to do now. But then again, my body went into the running-for-dear-life mode on its own. I didn't spare a single glance at anything around . I just hugged my apple tightly, tilted my head forward, and dashed away. My footsteps echoed behind , I sensed stirring from the stall I stole from. People ran after . 'Tis of difficulties and wars.' That's what the young man said. Maybe they'd catch ? Worrying about tomorrow's problems, I neglected today's own. My footsteps failed , I fell crashing to the ground. A smarting sensation of pain ca from my left cheek, shoulder, and flank.

Everyone around turned to look at the thief boy who had just fallen. Resentnt swelled up inside . I gritted my teeth in fury. I managed to hold back my tears of frustration.

Soon, soone caught up to . "Think I wasn't watching you! Brat! Have the decency to ask at least!" As tight as I held it, my fresh apple still rolled off my arms, and down to the angry fat rchant. Leaning in, he picked up his goods, then stomped on my hand. "You keep your filthy hands to yourself, next ti, humph! You little—"

And then, she spoke up for . "You should stop. I believe the kid's understood."

The fat rchant complained. The kid didn't understand, he said. He was in fact right. I didn't understand any of it. That's too bad I had no sword on and no vigor left. But the ma'am who stepped up in my defense shook her head, insisting the kid had understood. Even if I didn't understand my lesson anyway, the way he treated wouldn't resolve anything.

"He has… absolutely not! Ti and ti again he's been caught stealing—"

"Despite all that, please, back away, Sir rchant."

And that's how I was saved. That's how I t her, and that's how I would always rember her. That kind ma'am—she was the best. Though I have to say, earlier in life, I was taught by a swordsman that 'Might makes right.' If you were strong, you just did as you pleased. If you were weak, you just suffered under the mighty. Hence why I agreed more with Sir rchant than the kind ma'am. Still, I was glad I was saved.

When her eyes t mine, she gave a bedazzling smile. That smile alone was enough to give a healthy reddish color back to my pale complexion. I felt the warmth of her kindness washing all over and ekly smiled back to the lovely madam.

I was still on the ground, but she helped up. She grabbed my hand and didn't let go of it. She didn't address so much as a word, most likely because her smile was welcoming enough. And just like that, she started to walk. Timidly, I followed behind her, her warm hand covering mine. To be honest, I didn't quite understand what was happening. I an, what was the point of her doing that? Being so overwheld by her kindness, however, I just followed her lead.

Following her, I went from stall to stall. Each coming after the other. I did, or rather, we did that for quite a long ti. Seeing she didn't address any words first, I didn't ask any questions. She seed to make supplies of ingredients of all sorts. She bought so kinds of food, but she was mostly after seasonings. At so point, she did let go of my hand, patting my head gently. She was carrying more and more ingredients by the minute. As if it were totally natural, she also started to hand over so ingredients to . I could help her with the carrying, so I was glad. As she didn't impose them on , I didn't refuse them. With each item she handed over to , she first gave the kind of look who asks whether I could still carry more, and each ti, I confidently nodded at her, with determined eyes.

Half an hour passed, and our itinerary reached its end. She stopped by yet another selling stand, but the place where the owner should be was free of any people. Shall we try and steal so food from that reckless person's place? Certainly not. The idea didn't cross my mind. After all, it was obvious the stand was hers. Arriving there, she put all she had of bags on the elevated counter, she turned to and knelt. "Will you give those?" she asked gently. Not before I extended the bags to her and nodded did she hold her hands and take her goods.

Taking it all on her, she brought it to her counter with the rest of her goods. Quickly, she turned yet another ti to . We faced each other, and now, she would talk. "See, today, kiddo, we worked," she started to explain, playfully showing off her arm muscles. "It was painful, boring, tiring, and everything… Can you tell?"

I nodded.

"Right. It was really hard and tedious, aren't I correct? Yet, you kept at it and actually helped out with all those items you see over there. Without you, kiddo, I couldn't have done it all by myself! Thanks for the help. Yes. Today, we worked. We earned our resting ti. And you stuck to helping without running away like a thief, or giving up like a loser. And… seriously, look at you. I can feel pain just by looking at that frail figure of yours. You had all those painfully heavy things to carry, and it was hard, yet you chose to be honest, a good and honest boy, and didn't steal nor harm . I an, you could have. Right? Or maybe not since my arms are so big~ Heh-heh… But still, you were a great boy. I'm, and it isn't only , proud of you. I know you're hungry," she took sothing out of her pocket and gently placed it on top of my head. "Being hungry is tough. But hey, you worked with , honestly at that, so you earned your share. Your fair share. Aren't I correct? In life, kiddo, everything has a price. Right now, you just earned it, the price. So smile away."

Was she educating ? I thanked her for it. I accepted her food—no, my food, as she said I earned it and began gnawing it. I thanked her for it, really. Still, however, the fact remained.

"Say, ma'am?"

"Hmm? Yes?"

"Where is the monsters' ho, ma'am? I'm tired of all of this. I want to get back ho, ma'am."

Hearing what I just said, her eyes teared up. I was guessing she was thinking of how sad it was that the boy in front of her, the boy that was so young, even ca to call himself a monster. But she was mistaken. I really was a monster.