BLACK CAT CHAPTER 82: HOW TO BECOME A FREELOADER (FAWKES)

~Fawkes’ Perspective~

　The man is said to be a member of a party of adventurers whose names are well known in Ibouro.

　While I was packing my bags, the people in the slums were speculating as to why they would pay three gold coins to buy a catkin.

“He’s just a perverted bastard who tortures those who can’t resist.” (Slum Dweller)

“No, he’s probably using him as bait during monster subjugation.” (Slum Dweller)

“Isn’t he a double for an escort?” (Slum Dweller)

“Fool, there’s no such thing as a catkin with bodyguards.” (Slum Dweller)

　I don’t know what my body will be used for, but there’s no doubt that it’s a hopeless purpose.

　Even so, I have no right to go against him, who doesn’t have the means to earn three gold coins.

　I knew that if I came to Ibouro, I would soon be able to find a job where I could earn enough to eat.

　I had done reasonably well at school in Atsuka village, so I had nothing to worry about.

 

　Even my younger brother Nyango was earning money by imitating an adventurer, so I assumed that there was no reason why I couldn’t do it, but idea and reality were very different.

　The snow delayed my departure, and when I arrived in Ibouro, there was no work.

　It was not that there were no jobs at all, but there were only a limited number of jobs available for catkin, and even these jobs were taken away from them when they had to compete with other races.

　There were many jobs that were difficult for the weak catkins, but there were few jobs that could only be done by catkins.

　I spent what little money I had to register as an adventurer, but the work was still limited.

　I accepted a request to exterminate rats, but even after a day’s work, I could not catch even a single rat.

　Before I knew what was going on, I ran out of money, and it wasn’t long before I was thrown out of a cheap hotel.

　I thought about going back to the village, but I didn’t have the money for a carriage, and above all, my father had told me when I left the village not to come back except to visit.

　As a peasant, my brother was the only one who could afford to set up a house.

　I was at my wits’ end in Ibouro, where I didn’t know anyone.

　I was tricked by a man who approached me with a friendly face, and before I knew it, the one silver coin I borrowed turned into two, then three, then a large silver coin, and I was forced to sell my body.

　When I was in the village, I never even imagined that a man would be bought by another man. I had no choice but to accept the act, I could not compete with the power of his arms, his wealth, or his wiles, so I had no choice but to do what I was told to do.

　Even though I was made as comfort tool for perverts, my debt did not decrease but only increased, and I began to steal in order to survive.

　I was surprised that anyone would pay me, a filthy catkin in body and soul, three gold coins.

　I may end up being used for a bad purpose, or worse, I may end up dead, but I would rather die a glorious death than spend the rest of my life in a trash heap of the slums.

 

　However, I do not want to experience pain and suffering.

　When I am attacked by people of superior physique, I cower in fear of violence.

　Even ordinary people, when they want to satisfy their own desires, are violent, as if they have lost all reason.

　A young horsekin who bought me some time ago violated me as much as he wanted and I had to stay in bed for three days.

　In return, the horsekin was charged a large sum of money, but that money was never used to repay my debt.

　The adventurer man who bought me and his companion walk away without saying a word.

　Although I did not see a bright future awaiting me, my body still trembled with joy as I left the slums with my belongings in my arms.

　I would never return to the slums again, and if possible, I wanted to give those who had wronged me a good beating.

　To do so, I would have to survive to finish fulfilling the objectives of the men walking in front of me.

　As the men walked silently from start to finish after leaving the slums, my suspicion and fear began to grow.

　Before long, the joy of escaping the slums had left me.

“Here, get in…” (Serge)

　They were taken to a building that looked like a warehouse, but the back door led to a neat little place.

　Waiting for us inside were a Lizardkin man, a rhinoceroskin man, and a black leopardkin woman with sharp eyes.

　All three of them must have been adventurers, and the atmosphere they wore was not just ordinary.

　The black leopard woman, who approached with eyes that looked as if she was sizing them up, frowned and said,

“You stink… you should wash before we talk…” (Shure)

　The condescending tone made me angry, but of course I didn’t have the guts to retort.

　As I was lying on my face, holding back my anger, the man who had bought me off opened his mouth.

“Silent says you stink. Go wash up a bit, Nyango.” (Serge)

“Eh?” (Fawkes)

　I turned around at the unexpected name that jumped into my ears, and the insides of the other man who had brought me here disappeared, leaving only clothes behind.

“Meow, meow?” (Fawkes)

　I yelled out in surprise, and in front of me, the clothes that had fallen to the floor moved and a familiar face appeared.

“Woah, you really stink.” (Nyango)

“Nyango, I’ll allow you to use soap…” (Shure)

“I’ve got cold sweat on me too, I’m going to take a bath.” (Nyango)

　My little brother Nyango picked up his clothes and pointed to the back of the building, ignoring me who’s mind couldn’t catch up with what was going on.

“The bathroom is in the back, let’s go, big brother.” (Nyango)

“Eh, huh…?” (Fawkes)

 

　I was pushed into the bathtub and stripped out of all my clothes, soaked in hot water covered with foam, and scrubbed from the tips of my ears to my tail’s last fur.

　While I was soaking in the bath, the clothes I was wearing and the change of clothes I had brought with me were washed and spun around in the air to dry.

“Brother, get out of the tub so I can wash the bubbles off.” (Nyango)

“Oh, yeah…” (Fawkes)

　When I got out of the tub, I was doused with hot water that came out of the air, and when that was over, I was next blown with warm air to dry me off.

“Brother, put on your most decent clothes and go back first. I’m going to clean up the bathroom.” (Nyango)

“Oh, sure…” (Fawkes)

　My brother poured out the hot water from the sludgy bathtub and began to clean it.

　I don’t really know what’s going on, but I’ll just go back to the front.

“Oh, uh… Funyaa!” (Fawkes)

“Hmm… not it, I still prefer Nyango…” (Shure)

　When I returned to the front, the black leopardkin woman suddenly picked me up and touched my arms, head, and tail.

“Oh, what’s going on?” (Fawkes)

“What, didn’t you hear anything in the bathroom?” (Serge)

　The guy who bought me off asked in a dumbfounded tone.

“Haa…” (Fawkes)

 

“Nyango is shy, so… that’s why it’s good.” (Shure)

“Huh…?” (Fawkes)

“This is the base of Chariot, our adventurer party, and your brother is a member of ours.” (Serge)

　The man who bought me, Serge, told me a story that was hard to believe.

　A rabid monster called the Bronze Wolf had appeared in Atsuka Village, and Chariot had hired my brother to help guide them in their quest to subjugate it.

　However, it seems that my younger brother, who was hired as a guide, killed the Bronze Wolf, who had eaten and killed many adventurers, and was scouted by Chariot, who saw his ability.

“You’re not joking… are you?” (Fawkes)

“Believe it or not, Nyango has been promoted to the D rank and is now a respected person in the guild.” (Serge)

“He won a landslide victory over a C-rank Bode without letting him do anything…” (Shure)

　I don’t know why the Black Leopardkin woman is so proud, but it seems true that my brother has become a different kind of person.

　This brother of mine saw me stealing at the market while he was out buying and asked them to help him rescue me from the slums.

　The reason they were able to complete the purchase tonight so easily was because my brother had done his homework.

　Of course, he knew what I was doing there.

“Nyango earned the money that bought you out.” (Serge)

“Eh…?” (Fawkes)

　I thought that I had borrowed money from a member of the party, but it seems that my brother earns not only gold coins but even large sums of money in a single request.

　While I was asking them about his situation, my brother came back after he finished cleaning the bathroom.

　I looked at him again and saw that he had grown taller and more robust than when I left home.

　I could sense a sense of confidence in his body language and behavior, and his face was more fearless.

“Funyaaaa, put me down, Shure.” (Nyango)

“Hmm… Hugging Nyango is the most comfortable.” (Shure)

　I take back what I said before, it seems I was mistaken in seeing him as a full-fledged man.

　We sat down around the table to discuss it, and my brother was on the lap of a woman named Shure.

“I was able to get my brother out of the slums for the time being. Thank you for your cooperation.” (Nyango)

　My brother bowed his head with a mysterious look on his face, and I bowed with him.

　I was going to be bowing to my brother for the rest of my life.

“Brother, if you won’t go back to the village, you can live with me in my room in the attic and look for a job. Until you find a job, you can do the chores here. When you find a job, why don’t you rent your own room and start being independent?” (Nyango)

“Are you sure?” (Fawkes)

　If this is the base of their party, my brother is a newcomer who just joined.

　I thought it would be a nuisance for the newcomer to pull in a freeloader, but it seems that the talk has been completed by the time he brought me here.

 

　The four people other than my younger brother nodded.

“I’m Nyango’s older brother, and my name is Fawkes. Nice to meet you.” (Fawkes)

“I am Laius, the leader of the party. If you have any problems, please feel free to ask me anything.” (Laius)

“My name is Gad, nice to meet you.” (Gad)

“I’m Serge, and I’m here to help you with anything but money and women.” (Laius)

“Shure, you should groom your fur more.” (Shure)

　All four of them seem to have their own unique characteristics, but all are said to be B-rank adventurers.

　If you go to a town closer to the center of the country, you’ll probably find a more accomplished party, but in Ibouro, they are said to be one of the best adventurer parties in the country.

　If one of the best and most reliable adventurers in Ibouro is in front of me, I have no choice but to talk to them.

“I’m sorry for being so rude even as a freeloader, but there is something I would like to ask of you.” (Fawkes)

　I decided to ask the five of them, including my brother, to listen to a plan I overheard by chance in the slums.