Ch.3Beggar

Just like that, the mere possibility of receiving food before it was thrown away made the park worthy of being rated as the best among all trash cans.

Somehow, other beggars rarely came to this place.

However, the more I frequented the park, the worse the parents’ gazes became.

After rummaging through the trash cans so often, the police eventually showed up.

“Oh, um…? You’re… from before.”

“Hmm.”

The one who came to chase me away was the police officer I had borrowed money from recently.

The officer was startled to see me digging through the trash can and placed his hand on the gun at his waist.

However, he soon lowered his hand, perhaps remembering that guns wouldn’t work on me.

“What are you… doing here…?”

“Eating.”

“Um… yes… Look, there have been complaints asking to remove you from this area.”

“Who complained?”

“No, it’s not about who specifically, but people, people are uncomfortable.”

“I can’t give up this place. The food people throw away here tastes the best.”

The police officer made a somewhat peculiar expression at my answer.

A puzzled expression, the scent of confusion… part of his thoughts are readable through my monster senses.

“I have no intention of harming people.”

When I spoke after reading the officer’s concerns, he emitted a scent of relief.

“Oh… um… I guess you’re not a villain… Well, did you perhaps injure your head while awakening your superpower…?”

“I’m fine.”

“If you’re fine, why not try getting a job… If bullets don’t work on you, you must be quite strong, right? Why not get a thorough examination and work as a hero?”

I knew about the thorough examination required before becoming a hero.

It involves detailed analysis of awakened superpowers and very comprehensive physical examinations for research purposes.

If I were to undergo such an examination, even though I’ve lived confined in a laboratory—no, precisely because I’ve lived confined—I know exactly what would happen next.

They would immediately gather S-rank superhumans from all cities to capture me and put me on an examination table.

“No.”

“You’re really a strange person… what should I call this? A homeless superhuman?”

“What’s homeless?”

“It means someone without a home… By the way, where did you get those pants? They look like firefighter pants from long ago. And what’s that bracelet? You didn’t steal it, did you?”

I sensed, slightly, that he wanted to take these items from me to find their owner.

I glared at the officer and released a weak killing intent, not even needing to activate my core.

“I didn’t steal it. It’s mine.”

“Ugh… Okay, okay, geez, you really are a superhuman…”

The officer shook his hands dismissively, sat down on the bench next to me, sighed, and rummaged through his pocket.

“Look, if you’re hungry and digging through trash cans… here, take this and go buy something to eat over there.”

“Are you lending it to me again?”

“Do you intend to pay it back?”

“Hmm…”

Thinking about it, I had no way to repay this money since I couldn’t earn any.

As I hesitated to accept the money after realizing this reality, the officer suddenly placed the money in my hand.

I reflexively started to close my hand but stopped, thinking that even the slightest grip might turn the officer’s hand into minced meat.

The money fell to the ground.

“Ah! What are you doing? You should take it!”

“I can’t pay it back.”

“I’m just giving it to you, so take it and go buy some food over there, and stop digging through trash cans.”

“Give it to me again.”

“W-wait! Promise! Take this, and stop digging through trash cans here!”

“Hmm.”

I extended both hands to receive the money again, secured the bill with my thumb, and walked to the store the officer had pointed to.

The hot dog was delicious.

But it wasn’t enough to fill my stomach.

That’s why I can’t stop digging through trash cans.

#

“Sigh…”

“Hmm.”

Some time later, I encountered the police officer again while digging through a park trash can.

The officer sat on the bench looking exasperated, looking down at me sitting on the ground to avoid breaking the bench.

“Um… you promised not to come here…”

“I didn’t dig anymore that day and went somewhere else.”

“Ah, so you just didn’t come that one day… I should have known…”

“If you’re going to give me money today, give it.”

“…Just asking, but if I give you money, will you stop digging today?”

“Hmm.”

“Then, I’ll give you a bit more money, but could you please not come here anymore, for good?”

“That’s not possible. This place has the tastiest food.”

“This is hopeless, really… Wait here, I haven’t had lunch either.”

A moment later, the officer returned from the store with two hot dogs.

I tore open the wrapper, ate the hot dog in just two bites, and then went back to digging through the trash can.

“You just ate a hot dog! Why are you digging again?”

“You didn’t give me money, you gave me a hot dog.”

“You’re like my cat that still scratches the walls even after I buy it a scratching post…”

I stopped my hands and looked at the officer who was muttering in disbelief.

“A single hot dog or two isn’t enough to fill my stomach.”

“Well, with that size… ugh, this is troublesome.”

I’m digging through trash cans because I’m hungry, and since I’m still not full, I have no choice but to continue.

Faced with this perfectly logical reasoning, the officer continued talking while slowly eating his hot dog.

“Look… I need to somehow get you to leave this place, so what would make you stop coming to the park?”

“There’s water here and food.”

“Yes, and that’s why there are so many complaints… Children who come to play in the park say there’s a beggar who drinks from the hand-washing station and eats food from the trash cans.”

“I haven’t caused any harm.”

“Yes, I know… You wouldn’t cause direct harm… You’re someone who just walks away after being shot… But the people who live around here have a fit just by having a beggar nearby… especially in today’s world.”

“I haven’t seen anyone having fits.”

“Did you perhaps miss mandatory education?”

“What’s mandatory education?”

“Hmm…”

The officer’s gaze filled with bewilderment.

“What’s this? Did you suddenly awaken superpowers while living as an orphaned beggar…? If so, I guess you might not be registered… Do you not have parents?”

“They passed away.”

“That’s common these days. Ah, my parents are gone too. So I’m not insulting you.”

“I see. So we both have no parents.”

“That’s a bit…”

People can be without parents, I thought as I dug deeper into the trash can and found a sealed bottle of alcohol.

This body wouldn’t get drunk from alcohol since poisons don’t affect it, but I was curious about the taste.

Carefully lifting the bottle, I tried to open the cap but accidentally broke the neck of the bottle.

Well, I could still drink the contents, so it didn’t matter.

The taste of alcohol was… not good.

“Tastes bad.”

“Whoa… no… why are you opening and drinking alcohol like that? Don’t you know how to twist a cap?”

“The bottle is too weak.”

“Wow, I’ve never heard that before… Is this what being a superhuman is like? How am I supposed to drive this person away…?”

“Are you chasing away other beggars too?”

“Yes, if I don’t, the complaints keep coming in.”

I see, so that’s why there were no beggars coming to this park despite having such good trash cans.

Those beggars had no choice but to flee when the police chased them away.

But I’m not an ordinary beggar.

Human beggars might lose, but monster beggars don’t lose to police.

“Give up.”

“Isn’t there any way? If it comes down to it, I might have to pretend to be crazy and attack you.”

“You can attack if you want, but I’ll ignore you.”

“Wow, this is driving me crazy… a beggar immune to bullets, what are you, a bear? You’re as big as one too.”

“What’s a bear?”

“This is really driving me crazy.”

“I’m joking. I know what a bear is.”

“Hey, where are you going?”

Since there was nothing left to eat in the trash can, I went to wash my hands.

Then, children playing in the playground came running over, interfering with my hand washing.

“It’s a beggar! A beggar!”

“It’s the beggar mister!”

“Hmm, move aside.”

These dirt-covered little ones are regulars at the park playground.

At first, they wouldn’t come near me, but as they got a little closer each time, I stayed still for fear of crushing them if they so much as brushed against me, and now they’ve become bold enough to rush at me.

As I paused while washing my hands, the officer hurriedly came over and made the children step back.

“K-kids! Go away, go away~”

“It’s a cop!”

“Wow! A beggar and a cop!”

“No, where did you learn such words?”

Thanks to this, I was able to wash quickly today.

Very carefully, carefully… I turned on the faucet as if moving a single strand of hair with my fingertips.

First, I washed my hands, then carefully cleaned my body with bare hands.

While I was at it, I washed my hair once and even cleaned my bare feet, causing the officer watching from the side to sigh.

“This is exactly why there are so many complaints! Do you think this is a shower room?! Why are you washing yourself here?!”

“Water comes out.”

“Of course water comes out! Obviously! Argh! Why does a beggar have such a good body? This is annoying!”

“Step back.”

After thoroughly rinsing my long hair with water and letting it hang to the ground, I shook my head from side to side.

Water droplets splashed around as if spreading out.

“Ugh! Wet dog smell!”

“Hahahahaha! Like a dog!”

“Like a dog! Dog beggar!”

Having dried my hair with just a few shakes, I finally rinsed my mouth well and gulped down some water.

Women who appeared to be the children’s mothers were watching my actions from a distance.

“Oh my, oh my… look at that body, really… if it weren’t for that, I would have complained too…”

“Wow… really, isn’t he kind of… wild?”

“These days, so many people lose everything in a single day… He comes often, but he doesn’t do anything bad to the children, so I think it’s okay if he comes occasionally…”

“Still, it’s a bit uncomfortable having a beggar in this apartment complex, isn’t it? I wish he would go to the park next door… I pass by there sometimes.”

I heard all the whispering voices and pointed to the women in the distance, addressing the officer.

“Those people think it’s okay if I come occasionally.”

“You can hear what they’re saying from this distance?”

“I hear well.”

“Um… those people probably came out with their kids because they think nothing bad will happen with you around. I noticed earlier you try not to even touch the kids… But other people are uncomfortable, so you shouldn’t come.”

“People who are uncomfortable don’t have to come.”

“This beggar is hopeless. Ah… really, this is driving me crazy… Am I the crazy one? Why am I trying to chase away a superhuman? I’m just a normal police officer.”

“Are you crazy?”

“A little bit, yeah? Don’t you know? Unlike heroes who are half-obligated to protect people, police is a job that only truly crazy people apply for.”

Suddenly, hearing the officer’s words, I recalled a conversation between my parents from childhood.

Being a firefighter is crazy, but it’s necessary work.

If crazy people don’t do it, no one will.

And my father always looked tired.

Even as a child, I thought it would be nice if my father could rest a little more.

“Police are necessary… hmm… always tired too…”

“Huh… I didn’t expect you to say something like that.”

“Alright, let’s do this. If you come while I’m digging through trash cans, I’ll stop.”

“Hey, doesn’t that mean I have to come here every time?”

“Hot dogs are delicious.”

“Are you trying to extort a police officer now?”

“What’s extortion?”

I genuinely didn’t know what it meant, so I asked, and the officer sighed.

Then, as if half giving up, he threw away the hot dog wrapper and said:

“Hot dogs aren’t expensive, so I can buy you one…”

“Two.”

“Yes, two… I wonder if this can be processed as a business expense…?”

After that day, I was able to eat two hot dogs every day.

The officer, seeing me come every day, said incredulously:

“Hey, why do you come every day?”

“Because there are hot dogs.”

Originally, I didn’t visit this park daily, but if there are hot dogs, I can come every day.

“Are you a hustler?”

“What’s a hustler?”

“…Never mind, just enjoy your meal.”

Actually, I know what a hustler is too.