Shadow Ruler

Then, one night under a full moon.

I often stay up late at night because I can’t move or do anything, so gazing at the moon through the window where I can see a little bit of it every day is the only thing I look forward to in a day other than spending time with the cat and the bird.

That night, the cat and the bird came in with a very panicked look on their faces.

Even though they rarely ever came on a night like this.

“Master, we’re in trouble! We have to get out of here and run away quickly!!!!”

The Bird-san called me Master.

I don’t have a name, and I don’t know what he means by Master, but I understand that he’s calling me.

Then, I nod my head as if to ask why.

The cat also pulls my hand with his tail, telling me that I need to run fast.

“The townspeople have finally hired an assassin!”

Assassins?

“A profession that specializes in killing… ah… adults who are good at killing.”

He taught me that killing is a painful thing.

I don’t want to be in pain.

They hired him? What does that mean?

“It means they spent money to make a request.”

It seems that without money, people can’t give you something you want or even something you want to eat, so who would they ask to kill with such a valuable thing?

“They hired an official assassin instead of an underworld assassin. They lied to the higher-ups about the Master being evil… bad… and they gave permission for the Master to be killed by the higher-ups.”

Why?

Why do they have to kill me?

Did I… do something?

I don’t know anything about the world outside of this room.

What did I do wrong when I can’t even do anything?

Is there something wrong with me?

I heard that there are people who treat people like objects, but my father said that I’m useless because I don’t do anything.

My skin is pure white, but it’s tattered with blue marks from beatings and cuts, and my hair is long, almost to my knees, but it’s shaggy and frizzy and full of split ends.

The cat said I needed to cut my bangs, so the cat trimmed them with its claws.

Then the bird arranged it for me.

Also, my hair color was pitch black, which the bird said looked like jet black or the color of wet feathers of a crow.

My father used to say it was a weird color, but the cat and the bird said it was quiet and beautiful, like the night.

…I don’t know, but I think it’s easier to see now that my bangs are shorter.

I heard that split ends are not good for the hair.

And my body is skinny, and because I don’t move much, I’m even skinnier.

My clothes are a cloth dress that can barely be called clothes.

I’m a girl.

But the size of the window through which the moon can be seen is such that a body the size of mine could pass through it, but I don’t think I could climb it, and I don’t think any bird or cat would be able to lift me up.

I don’t want to die.

I do not want to be in pain.

But I don’t want the cat and the bird to get caught up in it and do things I want to do with them.

So I push my body outward to escape, even if it’s just the two of them.

“Why?… what did Master do? Why did Master have to go through that… damn it… why would Master sacrifice herself for the sake of people like them?”

I don’t like being hurt, but I hate it even more when people do things to the two of them because they want to be with me.

I don’t want them to be in pain because of me.

I don’t want that.

The tears that have never flowed since I was born flowed down my face as I tried my best to smile and smiled at them.

My expression barely changed, so they might not be able to tell.

“It’s not right, Master… damn it… it’s so frustrating… that we can’t do anything about it… that Master would be killed without us being able to do anything… damn it!…”

A very frustrated and sad looking cat and bird.

I think that was good enough for me.

I was happy enough that they were being this nice to me.

And then, as I was trying to use what little strength I had left to push them outward again, the window disappeared without a sound.

Or to put it more correctly, the window was completely gouged gouged out.

I shrank back, confused, with my head in a messy state.

Then the cat and the bird became my shield.

Then the cat, the bird, and I were grabbed by a very bulky arm that grew out of the window and pulled us outside.

I couldn’t speak, but my mind was a mess of fear and confusion, and I mobilized all my energy to protect the cat and the bird by hugging them tightly.

Both of them are trying to protect me.

I’m going to be killed like this.

Cat and bird…I’m sorry.

It’s my fault… and I apologize, moving my lips inaudibly.

“…I guess it’s okay if we make it this far.”

The voice sounded different from what I expected.

It was a gentle voice that I had never heard from anyone other than the bird, and when I looked at the owner of the voice with tears welling up in my eyes, I saw that it was a big brother with a scary face.

I am going to be eaten!

I instantly knew what was going on and turned my back to the man while hugging the bird and cat to protect them.

I forced my trembling body to protect them.

Then, I felt a hand gently patting me on the head.

Then.

“…I knew it was just like Gramps said…Damn it, who’s the devil’s child? How can a little girl protect a cat and a crow while neglecting herself? What’s more, she’s so kind… it’s just that the lord of the house is black-hearted… damn it!”

Grandpa? It seems that this person is different from the people of this town.

He said that although I’m supposed to be the devil’s child, he thinks that’s a lie.

And this grandpa? This scary-looking brother is an acquaintance of that grandpa?

It seems that father has a black stomach.

Is there something wrong with having a black belly?

“Master, a black belly is not a person with a black belly, but a person who is kind and nice in front of others, but thinks terrible things when others are not around. …More importantly, let me go… it’s painful.”

“Ni-yaa…”

I hurriedly let go because I was hugging them too tightly, and they looked like they were in pain.

“Keho! It’s nice to be taken care of by Master, but I’d be happier if the hug was gentle.”

“Nyan-nyan.”

The cat nodded.