Chapter 48: If you don’t listen, i’ll eat you

…I’d like to think that’s what she was thinking, but…

Lunari couldn’t act on it.

Because of the scent she could detect with her nose.

Her sense of smell is tens of thousands of times better than a dog’s.

She would never forget Isabel’s scent.

His unique fragrance.

The smell of expensive fabric softener.

No one else smells like this. She’s certain.

The scent of Isabel Leonhardt…

It feels like Isabel is lurking nearby.

She was convinced.

And just as she thought…

Isabel, cloaked in his Invisibility Robe, was standing next to Lunari.

Just in case.

“Then, please take good care of her.”

The director smiled and left.

Lunari watched the director walk away, then opened the door.

Creak. As the door opened, the little girl stared blankly at Lunari.

“…”

An awkward silence.

The ticking of the clock filled the room.

Finally, the girl with short hair and vacant eyes spoke,

“…Who…?”

“Me? Lunari. Who are you?”

“…”

The girl closed her mouth and lowered her head.

Lunari stared at the silent girl.

Then she sensed it.

That the girl instinctively resembled her.

Lunari smiled softly at her.

“Heh, you don’t have a name?”

No name.

Contrary to Lunari’s assumption, the girl did have a name.

Of course, it was an orphanage name that she didn’t like.

Lunari crouched down…

To meet the eyes of the girl huddled on the floor.

“I was the same. I didn’t have a name…”

“…?”

“I’ve always been alone in this world.”

The girl slowly raised her head at Lunari’s words.

“You’re alone too, aren’t you?”

The girl nodded at Lunari’s question.

“Heh, we’re alike.”

The girl who resembles Lunari…

She also lost her parents and younger brother in an accident.

It was a long time ago, when the girl was less than five years old…

“Hmm. Is it okay if I sit next to you?”

“…”

Lunari quietly sat down next to the girl.

She didn’t show her tail, but she twitched her ears, looked into the air, and murmured,

“I should call you something…Shall I give you a name?”

“Name…?”

She was called “Mania” at the orphanage…

But the girl didn’t like that name.

Her friend teased her, saying she was a gloomy, creepy ghost, a mania.

Secretly, the girl wanted a new name from Lunari.

Lunari…just like how Isabel smiled at her when they first met…

“Hmm, since you look delicious…”

She smiled, just like Isabel did, and said,

“Honeygrain…

I’ll call you that.”

“Honeygrain…?”

“Yes, Honeygrain.”

“…”

“Hmm, is it strange?”

Lunari tilted her head and asked.

The girl chuckled and shook her head.

“No. Honeygrain…it’s a food name. Like a combination of honey and grain…”

“Heh, it sounds delicious.”

“Strange person…”

The girl giggled.

Lunari smiled back, breaking down the girl’s walls.

“Hmm, she’s adapting surprisingly well.”

I’m watching Lunari, hidden by my Invisibility Robe…

But she’s taking good care of the child, unexpectedly.

Especially that girl…she’s definitely “Mania.”

That NPC from “Lilith Tycoon” becomes a great knight.

The gatekeeper of Mysticgrove.

An unparalleled knight.

A true guardian of the village.

And that child is now following Lunari?

This situation is getting interesting.

The meeting of a future divine beastkin and a knight…

“…This is getting interesting.”

I smiled softly and continued to observe the situation.

“So, are you leaving soon, Big Sis?”

“Yes. I feel like I might explode if I stay here any longer…”

The noisy children…

And their boundless energy seem to be stressing Lunari out.

She’s subtly glancing in my direction, even though she shouldn’t be able to see me…

It seems she knows I’m nearby.

…She’s perceptive.

—Watch out!

The children’s sudden, urgent voices.

It seems a ball is flying towards the girl next to Lunari.

“…!”

A soccer ball flying towards Mania.

I looked at who kicked it…

Those delinquents definitely did it on purpose.

They were snickering.

“Those bastards…”

I was about to intervene…

But Lunari grabbed the girl’s wrist and pulled her back.

“Whoa…!”

Then she lightly deflected the ball with the back of her hand.

“Heheh. Fun, isn’t it? Honey.”

“…Yes.”

This is admirable.

I don’t know if it’s thanks to her beastly instincts…

But she accurately shielded the girl…

And blocked the ball herself.

Not only that…look.

“Ouch!”
“Wh-What? Why did the ball…?”

She bounced the ball back and hit the boy’s head.

With precise angle and trajectory.

As expected of a beastkin.

Normally, she would have just let it hit him…

But she must have taken a liking to the girl…

She even protected her.

“Wait here.”

“Big Sis…?”

Lunari smiled and approached the boys.

“Hey, you!”

The boys were startled by Lunari’s appearance.

“Uh, uh…”

“Answer my question.”

“…Y-Yes?”

“Are…you bullying her?”

Lunari asked with a smile.

The boys were speechless.

Who would openly admit to bullying?

But the boy who seemed to be the leader spoke up defiantly,

“We did! So what!?”

“Heh, you’ve got guts. Little male.”

Lunari’s eyes curved into a beautiful arc. She quietly pointed at Mania…

And gave a chilling warning.

“If you bully her again, your legs will disappear.”

If she had said that to adults, they would have challenged her.

But children are different.

They believe what adults say.

The boys looked at each other in panic, whispering, “What do we do!?”

The leader, however, still tried to act tough.

“H-How are you going to make them d-disappear!?”

“Hmm…Let’s see.”

Lunari put her index finger to her chin, pretending to think deeply…

Then she suddenly smiled brightly.

“They’ll be bitten off. How’s that…?”

“L-Liar!”
“A b-big sis would never do that!?”

Yes, you might see her as a big sis.

But it’s true that she’ll eat you if you don’t listen.

I wanted to tell the boys the truth.

As if reading my mind, Lunari smiled and spoke sincerely,

“Heh? I love biting off the legs of small male animals like you. They’re tender, thin, and easy to chew…Don’t you think?”

Lunari suddenly drooled and giggled.

“They’ll be delicious. Should I just eat them now…? Will you give me one?”

As she drooled and started to approach them…

The boys screamed in terror.

“W-Witch!”

“Aaaack!”

The boys scattered and ran away in fear.

They shouted, “Witch!” and ran as fast as they could…

Lunari smiled as she watched them run.

“Tch, I’m a beastkin…”

Lunari looked in my direction.

“Don’t you think…?”

She winked, and I chuckled.

“…I do.”

I thought she might cause trouble at the orphanage…

But seeing her restraining herself and trying to get along with the girl…

Gives me hope.

As the red sunset painted the sky…

I waited for Lunari at the entrance of the orphanage.

Lunari came walking with the girl, smiling bashfully.

They seemed to have become closer.

“Are you coming again?”

“Hmm…I don’t know. I’ll think about it.”

“…Please come again! Big Sis Lunari!”

“Hmm, why?”

“Big Sis Lunari is pretty and strong…!! I want to be like you.”

It seems…

Lunari has become a role model for the girl.

“Heh, you shouldn’t be like me. You should do something else…”
“Hmm…? Like what, Big Sis?”

“Hmm…Devouring!”

“Ah! Devouring! That’s right!”

“De…voring…? What’s that?”

Just as she was about to speak innocently…

I covered Lunari’s mouth and answered for her,

“Haha! That means…like eating when you’re hungry, you should study hard and exercise hard to make everything your own!”

“…Who are you, mister?”

…Ouch. That hurts.

Mister?

But I didn’t show it and just smiled.

“I’m Isabel! Haha.”

“Isabel…?”

The girl looked up at me suspiciously.

“Haha, Lunari. Good work today.”

“Oof!”
“Oh dear, oh dear.”

I removed my hand from Lunari’s mouth.

“What, Isabel…Sigh…I couldn’t breathe.”

“It seems like you had a good time. Where’s the director?”

“Ah…She asked me to tell you she went home. And she thanked you for your help.”

“Hmm, I see. Then that’s fine. Shall we go?”

“Yes, let’s.”

After hearing Lunari’s answer, I looked down at the girl.

The girl was looking at Lunari with a sad expression.

She must be sad that Lunari is leaving.

“Honeygrain. You shouldn’t make that face.”

“Why, Big Sis?”

“If you make that face, you’ll never see them again. The people you like. I’ve seen it countless times with that expression.”

“…”

The girl forced a smile, trying to appear cheerful for Lunari.

“Good girl. Big Sis will come see you again. Can you wait bravely and strongly until then?”

“Really?”

Lunari nodded confidently at the girl’s question.

“Let’s make a promise! I always keep my promises!”

“Okay…! Promise!”

The girl held out her pinky finger.

Lunari linked her pinky with the girl’s, making a promise.

A heartwarming scene…

I tactfully stepped aside, giving them space.

I could hear them exchanging farewells…

A little while later, Lunari followed me.

“Isabel! Wait!”

Lunari came running after me.

I quietly smiled, looking straight ahead.

Lunari whined, seemingly annoyed.

“How could you leave me behind?”

“You’re supposed to give them space in moments like this.”

“Hmm, it’s fine even if you’re there…”

“Besides, being with a child is bothersome.”

“Is that so? What about you?”

As expected.

Even ordinary adults find it difficult to deal with children.

But…Lunari seems different.

Unlike her usual perception of humans as food…

Lunari looked at me and continued,

“But…it wasn’t bad. Even without devouring her.”

“Is that so? Haha, that’s good.”

Has she finally understood the value of human life, even just 1%?

Then, if we proceed with the next event…

We can significantly reduce her Malice Gauge.