Chapter 49 - Bastards

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Toc ~ Toc

There was a moment of silence just before Rei and Kazuki approached the door, the question of who it could be surfacing in their minds.

And the instant they opened it, the answer was revealed without much delay, and both found themselves face-to-face with an elf standing outside the room. Despite the calm demeanor on the young man's face, his brown hair slightly ruffled, his words carried an air of impatience and urgency.

It didn't take long for him to start explaining, with urgency, about the food distribution area, —a place near the dining hall where all kinds of supplies were provided for refugees and those in precarious and unstable situations.

Beyond the brief explanation, he also mentioned other matters regarding the organization and structuring of the entire region in a summarized manner.

When he had finished speaking, the elf noticed Mia and Takayo at the back of the room. He then advised Kazuki and Rei to leave them in a daycare managed by the elves themselves, —a place where many young ones received psychological support from professionals, aiming to ease the pain and suffering caused by war.

Kazuki took a moment to consider what would be best in such a situation. However, the memory of his own inability to help Mia and Takayo resurfaced. In his view, the best course of action was to leave them with professionals, as he felt incapable of assisting them properly himself.

In the end, the beastman agreed with the suggestion and decided to entrust the children to the care of the elf and other professionals at the refuge.

The next moment, he left the room at Rei's side, heading for the food distribution area as the elf had instructed.

As they walked, the student who had not questioned Kazuki's decisions until now, asked with a hint of concern about his choice.

— Do you really think you can trust him enough to leave Mia and Takayo with them?!

There was a short silence before Kazuki looked at the boy and explained:

— I don't know if it was the best decision, but I think it was the right one. They even care for the children — he replied confidently, without a trace of hesitation in his voice.

— In a way, the children need professionals to guide them properly... I'd just get in the way... and even though I'm their father figure, I still have my limits — he added, looking down, resigned to reality.

— Well, I get it… You did the right thing — Rei commented, thoughtful about the situation.

As they continued towards the food distribution area, they talked about the children to pass the time, — wondering how they must be feeling right now and discussing related topics. However, soon, voices from some people in the corridor began to spread throughout the area.

The voices of the two men in the hallway carried malice and disrespect, belonging to individuals around 38 to 40 years old.

— We found a treasure here... hehe, I wish I could get my hands on that beauty. How the hell can that bitch be so damn attractive? — The fat man muttered, unable to take his eyes off Rei's body.

— That's right brother. I wouldn't just put my hands on him, I'd grab him by the hair and... — said the man next to him, laughing with a lustful look at the boy.

As Rei and Kazuki walked, they failed to notice that the men in the corridor had started following them, whispering sexual harassment at the student in hushed tones.

The fat man's appearance was deplorable, fitting more into the category of a beggar, with tattered clothes and acne covering his face.

Meanwhile, the other man, despite being considered handsome, had his facial expression twist into something grotesque and terrifying as he made comments about the student.

As they continued to follow them, the men began to raise their voices and make malicious remarks filled with sexual innuendo.

Up until that moment, Rei and Kazuki hadn't realized anything was wrong. They only began to hear the conversation behind them when the men deliberately raised their voices to make sure they were heard, as if they wanted to provoke them with those degrading remarks.

— They… They're not talking about me, right? — Rei asked, unable to believe what was happening before his eyes.

Hearing this, Kazuki's expression darkened, rage growing on his face as he looked back.

— I'll take care of this — the beastman declared, stopping the student who was already turning to confront them.

"These bastards... they're doing this on purpose. Can't they see we can hear every word they're saying? They must be messing with me..."

"Just because I've changed worlds doesn't mean people will change their behavior. Being treated like this, like garbage, reduced to just my body... This is complete bullshit!"

"Damn it... Why the hell do I have to go through this..."

He thought angrily and watched as Kazuki approached the two men.

— What the fuck are you talking about? — the beastman asked in an aggressive tone, his expression stern, his eyes filled with pure contempt.

The moment he did that, the two men shrank in their insignificance. They trembled in fear before his presence. But as soon as they realized that Kazuki couldn't do anything to them, they found the courage to speak back.

— What are we talking about? How dare you talk to us like that? — the fat man said, regaining his nerve and confronting him.