Chapter 39 – The Haise Household
“Please take a seat,”
The woman ahead of me said coldly. She did not look pleased. Rather, she had a strong frown plastered across her face. The unfazed spear girl from before still looked as impatient as ever and gave a smile. Sitting down on the cushioned floor, my bitten arm was abruptly grabbed, and an ointment was rubbed around it, before being wrapped around with a towel. She had a bright complexion with red eyes, brown hair and like mother like daughter I guess since they had their horns in the same location.
“The ointment will ease the pain and the towel will eliminate the poison,”
What straightforward reasoning.
“H-how can a towel heal in such a way?”
Both of them stared at me, as if it were the most obvious question in the world. Excuse me? It’s just a towel! How am I supposed to know what it does?
“It’s coated in holy water. Is this truly your first time seeing this?”
The ‘mother’ broke the silence.
I nodded slowly.
“Your race truly deserves to be where it is,”
She muttered quietly under her breathe before receiving an elbow from the one who dragged me here. Did she truly not expect me to hear that? Or did she despise demi-humans this much. Honestly, all this talk is making me more and more impatient about revealing that I’m actually a monster and can fully use magic – though only some – effectively.
“Any other ‘questions’?”
Where is the shortest exit?
“What are your names?”
Another brief silence. I didn’t care enough about continuing the act anymore, but I’ll try to return the pleasantries then leave. Despite the treatment, they did try to fully heal me.
“Oh!”
The perpetrator speaks!
“I’m Rio Haise! Or Haise Rio! This is my mother, leader of the Haise clan! Haha, I’m sorry I forgot to before, it’s the spur of the moment!”
Do I call her Rio or Haise? She truly was an eccentric person, but I could tell she didn’t mean any harm by bringing me here.
I return the gesture and smile.
“I’m…”
Wait what do I call myself. Alice? Maybe something fresh? How about Aria? Or maybe even Mio?
“… Alice.”
Well, another brainstorm session that went to waste. I guess the ring on it just sounds too nice. The elder Haise muttered something even more silently than last time blocking me from hearing it. Showing discontent for silence, Rio stood up.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Alice! Since it’ll be hard for you to return to your clan, why not stay here for dinner?”
Eh.
“S-sure,”
And I agreed. Caught completely off-guard by this invitation. At the very least, I’ll have something to eat. Maybe some meat instead of just grass. Would that taste nice though? Thoughts flooded my head as my stomach grumbled. I guess grass and hay weren’t good enough to fill the void left by delicacies or microwave foods from Earth.
“Young girl, you must change into our attire if you do indeed wish to participate in our feast. With your current wear, it would be considered shameful to let you out.”
I need to take a deep breathe in. I’m transforming into an exhibitionist! My poor maid clothes. Ripped beyond repair. Which was probably any repair since I’m not wasting energy on sewing magic or something of the like. Swallowing my pride, I answer to Rio’s parent.
“May I please borrow some?”
“I don’t believe we have another choice if you wish to eat.”
Maybe I was growing on her!
“Rio, give this ‘thing’ something to wear.”
Maybe.
Rio gleamed and pulled me upstairs to what I presume was her room. Just like the living room, it was very plain. A wardrobe, something like a lamp on the ceiling, and a bed consisting of two blankets and a cushion. Despite the simplicity, it didn’t have the feeling of suffocation which the mansion ‘back home’ had and felt comfortable.
“Okay Alice, strip!”
Wah? My clothes were pulled. Then ripped, being replaced by a T-shaped light blue garment with snowflake patterns on. I couldn’t control my blushing. The only words I could use to describe wearing the kimono was that it was airy. It probably looked a bit like loose pyjamas but felt as if I was being covered by a tiny piece of cloth.
“It suits you so much!”
Give me back my maid uniform back! It felt so secure! Where was the persona which completely massacred a thief and burnt down an entire forest? My embarrassment couldn’t be controlled.
“Rio, don’t you have something tighter to wear?”
“You want to cover your chest with something more than a bra?”
This girl. It was hard to imagine she almost tried to kill me a few hours ago. After running downstairs in embarrassment, then upstairs again when I realised her mother was sitting there. I came across the third and final floor.
Finally, some peace and quiet!
Since demi-humans were treated horribly, what if I do some illusion thing where I change my horns and ears to fit demon characteristics. Following the previous steps I took, I closed my eyes, trying to circulate mana through my ears and through my horns. I guess since it wasn’t projecting externally, it didn’t feel like I would run out of the magic anytime soon. Why did I have to waste something on physical strengthening if this was the case?
Ignoring the previous statement, I try to concentrate again. It’s a success? My ears definitely feel longer now and my horns?
I’m trying not to voice my pain. It hurts. I can feel that it straightened like the ones the demon’s possessed, but I guess it’s too sensitive to just shape or move around. Releasing my breathe, the magic breaks, returning me to my normal ears and sheep horns state.
“Alice, it’s time to eat!”
I should decide on what I want to accomplish. No matter how hard I thought about it, the only thing I could truly gain in my time here was a better friendship with Rio. Nothing else, the reception from the others were either non-existent or completely prejudiced.
“Girl!”
“I’m coming!”