Chapter 3: Exclusive

10 Years Old Arc: A Girl from an Inferior Race

Exclusive

An apartment in Nygenburg.

Albert Mergen sat on the living room sofa, washing down a sandwich made from dark bread that tasted only of artificial flavorings—a convenience store purchase—with artificially sweet concentrated juice.

He had bought it with the money that were on the living room table after returning home from his usual walk among the shrubs in the park.

His mother was always out somewhere, never at home.

His father had been working alone in the Lille industrial area for many years.

He wasn't exactly struggling financially.

He had his own room, and if he left a note, there was usually enough money on the table to buy whatever he wanted.

The apartment was fully furnished with furniture and appliances, and even had some stylish, historically-tinged pieces.

However, this house lacked something that should have been there: love.

After finishing a meal that left him utterly unsatisfied, he looked up at the ceiling, recalling the feeling of that girl's animal ears and tail that had captivated him.

Those ears felt fluffy, like touching high-quality fur, yet they also had the elasticity of a living creature, with blood flowing through them.

The tail looked voluminous and bushy, but to the touch, his fingers glided through it with a smooth, silky texture. Stroking it allowed him to simultaneously experience its silky smoothness and the warmth of a living creature.

It was irresistible.

Not only did the feeling of euphoria that lingered hours after touching them, but the sense of superiority he felt—that he was the only one among the students at school allowed to touch her—was irresistible.

It wasn't just the ears and tail. Celica herself was captivating.

Her slightly yellowish-silver hair was unlike anything he'd seen before. Her face was beautiful, and her rare golden eyes, set in drooping eyes, were irresistibly captivating.

The mole next to her right eye looks as if she's shedding tears, arousing both protective and sadistic feelings.

Her slender limbs are well-proportioned, and her breasts and hips are already rounder than those of a ten-year-old.

More than anything, touching the invisible wave-like feeling that radiates from her instantly fills him with happiness for no reason.

Albert looked up at the ceiling, surrendering to the feeling of happiness he wouldn't have experienced without Celica, and suddenly his thoughts drifted to Celica when she first entered elementary school.

★★★

When Celica first entered elementary school, she wasn't the shy, withdrawn girl she is today.

She played baseball, soccer, tag, and hide-and-seek with the boys, not caring about getting covered in mud.

It's true that the boys teased her for not being able to speak well, but no boy truly disliked Celica, who, despite her lack of eloquence, would nod and listen attentively to what others had to say.

Compared to other girls who were clever and outsmarted the boys with their words, it was obvious which one boys would prefer.

What boy would dislike a cute girl who listened attentively to what he had to say and played along with boys' games?

She was sometimes ostracized by groups of girls who were jealous of her friendships with boys, but she was close to the boys and was never truly isolated.

... I didn't like it.

I didn't like seeing Celica smiling at other boys.

The thought of other boys' hands touching Celica.

You guys are lucky.

You have parents who celebrate your birthdays with you.

You guys are lucky.

You have people who welcome you home and say "Welcome home."

So, at least, give Celica to me.

★

I didn't do anything particularly significant.

I simply told three boys from different grades, who were close to me, that "Celica said she hates Albanian boys because they're all rough and childish," a statement she never made.

On a single occasion, at a Buddhist church I was taken to on a whim by my mother, I learned that this was one of the ten evils: "Double-dealing."

This "double-dealing" had an unexpectedly powerful effect.

The "insults Celica allegedly said" quickly spread among all the boys in the school, and being young, they easily believed them without verifying the truth.

The boys, convinced they were hated, began to harshly criticize Celica's non-fluent language, perhaps still wanting a reaction from her.

Then, as a finishing touch, all I had to do was beat up and defeat the boys who were bothering her.

A boy who, unable to accept that he lost the fight due to his pride as a man, would think like this:

"Celica said bad things about me, so I just mocked her for her poor language skill as a justified revenge, but I got hit."

"I got hit because of Celica."

"Celica is at fault."

"Because Celica is at fault, I have the right to bully her."

The boys began to bully her in insidious ways.

Celica became isolated.

★

"I'm sorry... It's my fault... I'm sorry..."

After the wounds inflicted by the boys who bullied Celica were healed, she and I were embracing each other, facing each other.

When Celica said she would talk to the teacher, I panicked and raised my voice to stop her, but it seemed I managed to cover it up somehow.

As I stroked Celica's back as she cried while hugging me, I was aware that I couldn't stop the corners of my mouth from turning up.

At this moment, she was only thinking of me.

At this moment, I was the only one in her mind.

The feeling of her fragile body, which seemed like it would break if I hugged her too tightly, and the gentle happiness emanating from her, filled my heart more than ever before in my life.

It was worth it to have deliberately held back and getting more wounds than usual.

Even so...

Celica's healing magic, or more accurately, healing proficiency, is improving day by day.

At first, it could only heal scrapes, but now it can heal facial bruises and the pain itself.

I've told her, "Let's keep quiet about it so it doesn't become another reason for bullying. I'll keep it a secret too."

She's easily fooled when she's mentally cornered, and the fact that she can use magic remains a secret between the two of us.

If it becomes known that she can use magic, she'll be respected and the bullying will stop.

That would be a problem for me.

Especially if she went to a Magic Academy, we wouldn't be able to be together anymore.

By hugging Celica, the embodiment of happiness, even tighter, I erased the dark future from existence.

★

Buddhist teachings say that what I did was one of the ten evils, but what are the ten evils?

What is Buddhism?

Just look at this Naraka.

My homeland, Mittelland, keeps winning wars, has killed countless people from other countries, expelled non-Albanian people, and is occupying the central part of the Europa continent, prospering.

What about Yashima, the most prosperous country in Naraka now, which has thoroughly enforced the anti-Buddhist decree?

While exploiting the countries of Southeast Asia, it has used military force and strategy to send many Yashima people into the puppet state of Banshu, which it has arbitrarily created on the land of other countries, and is expanding its territory.

In the end, it's power and intrigue that matter.

Even toddlers attending kindergarten in Naraka know that.

Thus I had absolutely no desire to follow this so-called Buddhist teaching, which I had only heard about once.