“We were in the carriage, heading north toward Fieron City, when out of nowhere this huge spider popped up and killed my horse.”
Inside the cave, Fischer had lit a campfire and was busily writing with a quill pen while chatting with the rescued humans.
Turned out they were a married couple and the man's sister—a family traveling the Southern Continent. They had originally planned to visit the Koxenin Circus, but halfway through decided to detour to Fieron City for vacation. While passing through Keken City, they were kidnapped by a few demi-humans.
“I told you, we never should’ve sent Annie back to the city. She was sick! If we had taken her with us to Fieron City, none of this would’ve happened.”
The man’s sister sneered with a an look in her eyes. She cautiously glanced at the injured Korriri and the others nearby. As a human, she looked down on demi-humans, and even the Dragonkin by Fischer’s side disgusted her—filthy and vile, in her eyes.
But since those Dragonkin were clearly this young and handso gentleman’s slaves, she kept her mouth shut.
Oh my, such a young gentleman… I should ask where in Nary he lives. He must be a lawyer or surgeon or sothing prestigious. My daughter would—
“Drop it, sis. Annie’s worked for our family for years. If she hadn’t co down with that awful sickness, I wouldn’t have left her behind... Blue blood from her mouth and eyes—I swear she was cursed by a demon!”
The mory made the man shiver.
Their conversation caught Fischer’s attention. His quill paused as he looked at them.
“You an the one that causes ntal regression, blue blood from the orifices?”
“Yes, yes! She was like a wild animal, I swear. A few weeks ago, in the carriage, she suddenly lunged at and nearly bit my ear off!”
“Before that, did you co into contact with anything unusual? See or touch anything strange?”
“Uh…”
The group exchanged glances, thought it over, then shook their heads.
“No… We were just tourists. Didn’t dare stray far from the cities. Always stayed where it was safe. And if sothing strange had happened, it would’ve affected all of us, right?”
Fischer thought for a mont and resud writing.
The wife’s face suddenly turned solemn, as if rembering sothing.
“Co to think of it... Annie got sick right after she heard her daughter had died at the textile mill. Her husband passed long ago too. It’s just so tragic…”
Fischer’s eyes flickered. He morized the details and stood up, nodding.
“Got it. Leave tomorrow morning. Stay around crowds. The Southern Continent isn’t safe—don’t get caught again, whether by humans or demi-humans.”
“Ah, thank you, please—”
The man tried to express his gratitude, but Fischer was already walking off toward the Dragonkin group, leaving him awkwardly lowering his hand.
Fischer carried the parchnt he’d just written over to Raphaëlle, who was resting. She wasn’t in great shape, but her mind was clear. She sat by the carriage watching Larr and Fassil play, occasionally shooting wary glances at Sia and Korriri, ever alert for an ambush or escape attempt.
Her vigilance was always impressive. Seeing Fischer approach with his usual blank face, she pressed her lips together, her tail twitching behind her.
He had saved them, after all. But unlike Larr, she couldn’t blurt out a carefree “thanks.” Her tail waved for a while... and in the end, she said nothing.
“Here. Take this.”
“...What is it?”
Raphaëlle instinctively took the parchnt he handed her, finding it was a simple Draconian index guide.
“Basic Vocabulary, Pages 1 to 117.”
“Basic Grammar, Pages 118 to 201.”
“....”
Fischer handed her a Nary language beginner’s book as well, then said:
“Just rembered—your not knowing human language is going to be a hassle. Once I bring you back to the Western Continent, I can’t act as your translator 24/7. Use this ti to learn Nary.”
Raphaëlle glanced at the materials, then angrily tossed them aside.
“You really think I won’t be able to kill you? I will kill you and escape. Even if I don’t, I still won’t learn your language!”
She cast a sideways glance at the discarded books, showing nothing but contempt. To her, the human tongue was filthy—the language of invaders who tainted everything.
Fischer’s expression didn’t change. His cold gaze made Raphaëlle suspect he was about to hit her or threaten her with her comrades again...
“Raphaëlle, what are humans to you?”
The question caught her off guard. But her answer was imdiate and blunt:
“Shaless invaders. Thugs. Thieves. Arrogant parasites!”
Humans had burned their lands with fire, viewed demi-humans as livestock, and stole everything they had—just because they could. That, to her, was the essence of humanity: greed and arrogance.
Fischer’s face stayed expressionless. He continued:
“I’m that kind of human. But I learned Fermabah Draconian—and I’m still learning it. That’s why I can speak with you now. Yet you scoff at the human language as if it’s beneath you. Arrogance may be humanity’s original sin, but it seems Dragonkin aren’t immune either, are they?”
Raphaëlle turned her head. She couldn’t refute it. Fischer picked up the books she’d thrown and placed them back in her hands. This ti, she didn’t resist—nor did she turn to look at him.
Her heart was in turmoil. Fischer said nothing more and walked off in another direction.
Raphaëlle’s claws gripped the books. As always, only when Fischer wasn’t looking did her eyes follow him.
So always—always—what she saw was his back.
...
...
Ignoring the tsundere Raphaëlle, Fischer was about to tell Larr to quiet down—it was ti to sleep—when he noticed Korriri, half-ethereal, leaning against the stone wall, staring at him with a complicated expression.
At her feet, the Pangolinkin Famasie was pale but sleeping peacefully. She’d been bandaged and was stable. Sia hadn’t rested yet—though massive in size, she didn’t dare et Fischer’s eyes, afraid of triggering so strange “switch.”
She didn’t even dare ask for her precious spider silk back.
“Sothing on your mind?”
“Your na is Fischer, correct? I’m Korriri, a Brain Demonkin.”
“And?”
Korriri smiled lightly.
“Nothing. Just... your words to that Dragonkin girl earlier piqued my interest. As for her Coming of Age Ceremony, I’ll have the materials ready by tomorrow. So no need to worry.”
“Good.”
“And one more thing. If you're heading northwest, you might run into so rather unfriendly goblins. Best to steer clear, if you can.”
“Goblins?”
“Mhm...” Korriri nodded and added, “They’ve lived in caves for generations. Unlike the Pangolinkin, they can’t dig, so they settle near existing ones—which often contain minerals. Since humans arrived, many goblin tribes lost their hos. They’re extrely hostile to humans now.”
“You’re strong, yes—but dealing with endless waves of goblins is exhausting. Safer to avoid them.”
Fischer studied her calm expression and considered the advice before nodding.
“Thanks for the warning. Should I be giving you sothing in return?”
He assud she was offering the tip in hopes of getting sothing—maybe Sia’s spider silk.
“It’s not a trade. But... if you returned Sia’s silk to her, she’d probably be happy...” Her eyes dimd, the glow inside her translucent brain dulling.
“As Brain Demonkin, we’re able to facilitate interspecies communication. For that, many of us were forced to beco human interpreters. The demi-humans see us as lapdogs. Humans see us as slaves. That’s why I fled ho... Maybe you were right. Maybe... we were all too arrogant from the start.”
Her gaze was hollow. Whatever she ant by “we” was unclear. But the sorrow was plain to see.
Fischer’s face didn’t change. He said nothing. But as he turned away, he casually tossed the jar of spider silk to the still-stunned Korriri.
She caught the glowing jar, looked up in surprise at the departing human, and saw nothing but his silhouette walking away.
“Larr, stop running around. Ti to sleep.”
“But Larr was locked up all day and didn’t get to move at all... Fine. But Fassil and the others have to sleep too!”
“All of you need to rest.”
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