episode_0104

After Metal Sight Office Manager Anderson leaves the bar.

Ray and I played as usual.

Have a drink while watching the TV near the bar’s counter.

While playing against a powerful lineup of players including Sheila, General, and Midas.

“Johnny, isn’t that show so boring right now?”

“Huh? Oh, that one.”

Johnny immediately waved his hand.

I think it would be better to just leave it alone while being conscious of the guests around you.

“Why?”

“It’s a popular program among orcs.”

Hmm… Most of the customers in the bar right now are orcs.

Grove Avenue is also a district that clearly belongs to Oakland, so the population of Oakland is overwhelmingly concentrated there.

“Then there’s nothing I can do.”

The guests liked it, but I couldn’t just change the channel.

“So what’s it about?”

“Sister, come and see for yourself.”

At Johnny’s words, Ray and I focused on the current program on TV.

A bearded orc happened to be talking about this and that.

– Are there any words that have hurt you the most in your life?

You’re stating the obvious. Who hasn’t had that experience?

– In my case… When I was a student, I seriously told my homeroom teacher that I wanted to become a writer. When I showed him the writing I had diligently done, he said this.

– In my opinion, you have no talent for writing, so you should just stop writing.

Laments came from the surrounding panelists and audience members.

A few of the bar’s patrons were also murmuring.

“…You’re not a good teacher.”

“Okay.”

Even as Ray answered me, the orc’s story continued.

– …The teacher may have said it as a joke. But at the time, it hurt me too much to take it as a joke.

One panelist, speaking for the viewers, pressed on what happened next.

After listening to the story, it seemed that the orc had given up on his dream and worked as a troubleshooter for over 10 years.

From aspiring writer to problem solver.

In the real world and in this city, you have no choice but to give up your dreams in order to live in reality.

– I didn’t write anything while I was working as a problem solver. No, I didn’t have time to do that in the first place.

Another Orc panel politely asked what had made him regain his confidence.

– My colleague was helping me move things around the house when he found some writing I had done as a child and told me that I was a really good writer.

But it is said that the orc answered his colleague rudely.

He said that it was just trash he wrote when he was young.

In his expression, the sadness of having to leave his dream behind was keenly felt.

– But my colleague secretly submitted that piece to a writing contest. … I didn’t have high expectations, but the results were better than I expected.

He said that after winning an essay contest, he gained confidence and quit his job as a problem solver.

– Thanks to that, I was able to be selected as a bestselling author twice by the Magusfall Times.

Another panelist took a sudden cult following when he mentioned his recent work.

– The point is this. I have something to say to people who tell others that they have no talent.

As I continued to listen to him, I couldn’t help but focus.

So what are you trying to say?

– Everything is… subjective and you should just eat shit.

A child who had his dreams ruined by his teacher is now so successful that he says something like that.

“…What the hell are you doing?”

Meanwhile, the other patrons at the bar agreed with the orc writer’s words.

They were cheering loudly and cursing at their teacher, saying among themselves that it was really touching.

“Johnny, what channel is this?”

“Look at that. Not bad, right?”

I asked Johnny for the channel number, thinking that I would be watching it not only at the bar but also from my house on the third floor.

I never thought there would be such a great pro in Magusfall.

***

But the excitement didn’t last long.

“Chris, I’m hungry!”

“…Already?!”

Just how bad is the fuel economy?

Midas, who looks cute but is actually extremely vicious, once again began demanding that his hunger be satisfied.

“Haa, I think it would be better to just go buy some feed right now.”

“Would you like to go with me?”

“Oh, really?”

It was just a passing remark, but Ray responded and, unintentionally, Ray and I decided to go buy some food for Midas.

“Chris, is it okay for just the two of you to go?”

As the giant mole-shaped Eslock approached, he asked.

I don’t think it would be a bad idea to have another companion just in case something happens.

But it was clear that neither Nana nor Ray wanted that situation.

“Oh, it’s okay. I hope something bad happened?”

“If you say that, we will become more anxious.”

Laia, who was nearby, said something to me.

“Ah….”

As she said, I ended up steadily stacking flags without even realizing it.

“Hey, it’ll be okay. I’ll be back soon!”

Ray and I left the bar before anyone else could catch us.

Cheeek―.

A familiar sound that tickles your ears and scares you when you step outside.

For a vampire, it was like an unavoidable fate under the sun.

However, Ray and I, who quickly took out the stationmaster umbrella, were able to quickly say goodbye to that sound.

“Well, since I’m buying it, I might as well buy some Silla feed, right?”

“Chris, can you bring them all?”

“I think it’ll be okay since I have a mimic wallet too.”

I also had a Raydo Mimic wallet.

After hearing the answer, Ray didn’t worry about that part anymore.

“…But where do I buy the feed?”

I glanced at Ray with a questioning look.

“Wait a minute. I’ll ask Deoksu hyung.”

Ray looked into my eyes and quickly decided to use Deoksu Chance.

I could hear Deoksu’s annoyance from beyond the terminal, but Ray ended up getting what he and I wanted from Deoksu.

“Chris, there’s a place nearby that sells pet food.”

“…Is this a trustworthy place?”

“Well, well, that’s fine…”

People who play with their food are everywhere. And there are even more people who play with what their pets eat.

If that law applied equally to this city of magical engineering, then there was a great need for caution.

First, I followed Ray to a store that sells feed.

Grove Avenue was definitely not the best place for two little ones.

A large orc population meant a high crime rate.

I’m not saying this because I’m some fucking racist who discriminates against orcs!

***

Even at this very moment, there were orcs everywhere, looking at me and Ray with ominous eyes.

Some of them were surprised when they saw me.

Perhaps he realized that I was the little jinjo of the rumors.

“Chris.”

While I was thinking negative thoughts and being wary of my surroundings, Ray suddenly called me.

“Huh? Why?”

“…Won’t you hold my hand?”

A fleeting exchange of glances.

I was speechless at Ray’s generous offer, trying to figure out what he meant.

‘What the heck? What on earth are you planning?’

The situation is what it is, so it could be dangerous… Are you saying we should hold hands? Or is that what it means?!

While I was thinking about it, Ray had already extended a hand to me.

‘Eww!’

If this is the case, it’s as if there is no choice!

He grabbed the hand in front of him with an urgent movement.

Then Ray looked quite satisfied.

Looking at that sight, I felt relieved without realizing it…

“Oh.”

I found myself admiring Ray’s warm hands, which were different from my cold hands.

“Chris?”

“Ah, that, that. Ray, your hands are warm….”

It was warm. It was such a warm feeling that I couldn’t help but stutter.

Could it be because, unlike me, who is a blood relative, Ray was originally a human?

The warmth I felt beyond her pale skin, unlike mine, was amazing.

“Chris, let’s go.”

“Ugh, yeah!”

Ray didn’t forget to be alert to his surroundings. He took my hand, which was standing there blankly.

Because of that, I ended up being dragged away by Ray while holding his hand.

I never knew that having someone lead me could feel so trustworthy….

I was able to arrive in front of a store following Ray.

“It looks like a place that sells feed at first glance.”

Seeing that there was not only feed, but also fertilizer and plants, I thought it was a store that sold a variety of things.

“Ray, let’s go in.”

“Yeah.”

It seemed like holding hands with Ray was becoming a familiar thing to me.

Of course, as we entered the store, Ray held my hand tightly and didn’t let go.

“Are you there?!”

A clear voice calling the store owner.

In response, I heard the sound of someone getting up and felt a movement.

“….”

A blunt orc appeared from inside the shop.

Standing before the orc, we felt like two little kids running an errand for their parents.

First, Ray said he came to buy food for dogs and cats.

***

However, there were more things to consider than we expected.

The owner asked us about Sheila and Midas’ ages, conditions, and so on.

Next, we asked about the ingredients of the desired food, whether the dogs and cats that would be fed the food were eating food they had previously eaten, and what their favorite food was.

“Uh….”

I couldn’t express it any other way than that, he eats well without being picky.

Then the owner said that these days, feed made from insects is popular.

“Huh? Insect?”

Anyway, I don’t think Janggun will be able to eat the feed, but I thought insect feed might be a bit ambiguous since Janggun is there too.

“Are there any other feeds?”

Ray first checked with his master to see if he had any other options, as if he understood my thoughts.

“Then how about this?”

The owner showed us different feeds and explained the ingredients.

Feed made from naturally pastured poultry, fish, and seafood. They added that the air-drying process and other methods were used to give it a taste similar to raw food.

“Oh, that sounds good.”

I had a feeling that both Sheila and Midas would like it.

Without any hesitation, I decided to buy three bags of that feed.

Meanwhile, the owner asked us how we were going to carry this.

“There are ways.”

I showed him my mimic wallet.

But the mimic guy was trying hard not to open his mouth when the time came.

Are you saying this because you don’t want to put animal food in yourself right now? Really?!

He had no choice but to threaten the Mimic by gently scratching its exterior with his vicious right hand.

“….”

Mimic had no choice but to open his mouth, this time yielding to overwhelming violence.

“Ray, help me out.”

“Yeah.”

Ray and I easily threw three bags of feed into the Mimic wallet.

“….”

The expression on the shop owner’s face as he watched the scene was quite subtle.

“I’ll come back later!”

After that, I left the store, promising to meet the owner again someday.

“Looking at the speed at which Midas eats… I think he’ll be back within a week.”

Although I said it casually, Ray smiled slightly when he heard me. And then, before I knew it, Ray was grabbing my hand again.

“Do you like holding hands that much?”

“Chris, you don’t like it?”

“No! That’s not it!”

I answered without the slightest hesitation so that Ray wouldn’t misunderstand.

Ray’s hands were warm and felt good, and since we were just holding hands, it didn’t really… matter.

My mind was too mature to blush over something like this.

I don’t care. I don’t care!

After brainwashing myself like that, I returned to Sylvia’s bar with Ray.

Nothing special happened.

Although we occasionally saw groups of people emitting a dangerous smell, we were able to avoid any unfortunate incidents thanks to our careful avoidance.

But this time, luck was in vain.

“Wow!”

As Ray and I headed into the bar and took out a bag of feed from our Mimic wallets, Midas came running towards us… and that was the start of our misfortune.

“Eww! Stop it!”

It seems that Midas felt a considerable sense of emptiness and hunger while he was out buying food.

The guy rushed straight to the feed bag, made a hole the size of his head in the middle of the bag, and started greedily devouring the contents.

“Eslock! Help me!”

Only after going all the way to the giant mole-shaped Eslock was Midas able to be separated from the feed sack.

“Ha….”

But looking at the cool hole that was drilled through, I felt so empty that I couldn’t help but laugh.

Ray quickly closed his mimic wallet to prevent the same thing from happening to the other two batteries.

“Please give me more!”

“This pig is real!”

Even while being held in Aslock’s two hands, Midas the Golden Retriever’s shameless behavior of asking for food filled him with rage.

I couldn’t bring myself to hit Midas.

I wasn’t so heartless that I would hit a guy who politely said he was hungry.

“Chris, what should I do with all this?”

“Well…let’s sweep it all up and gather it in one place.”

Although I don’t know when it came, I answered Laia’s question about what to do with the food that was scattered in all directions.

Me, Ray, Eslock, and Laia. The four of us were somehow able to organize all the materials.

In the meantime, he gave Midas a bowl already filled with food to prevent him from doing the same thing.

“That pig is really annoying.”

“Even if you say that, you seem to care quite a bit about that child.”

Well… it was because I was now in charge of Midas.

If Gordius was still alive and well, then it would be different, but if not, Midas and the Blue Heart Office would have to take responsibility.

Fortunately, both Sheila and Midas seemed to like the food.

A few days later, after the two had spent some time eating peacefully, the Metal Sight office finally delivered some news.

“…Really?”

“Yes, they said they would transfer the management office authority to us.”

“Wow! Hurray!”