Following the female attendant, I walked towards the corridor.
As I walked in it’s corridors, I became all the more surprised and understood the vastness of this building. A hallway that continues to expand as if endlessly and among other things in those walls, was the doors that lined up to the point of being countless.
Being on those large hotels probably gives the same feeling but because I have never come to such large hotels, it’s just a wild guess.
On that corridor, numerous people were walking.
There were females wearing the same maid clothing that was worn by the woman called Riza. The males on the other hand was wearing suits, or rather maybe it was more close to tuxedo. I have also noticed the persons with helmet that rarely pa.s.sed, I wonder if they are something like escorts or knights
It’s very similar to the medieval Europe that you see in the movies.
Though I’m glancing at those who we pa.s.s by from the opening of my bangs long enough to make others not realize that I’m looking at them, those “others” on the other hand are the ones looking at me without any restraint.
What is a dirty child doing here; even though I can’t hear it, I understand what’s going on in their thoughts.
Just how long do we have to walk? Descending one more level in addition to exciting the room, what we arrived into had a fountain located ahead.
「Rinse your body here.」
「Yes?」
「I will leave the towel here. You can call for me when you are done, until then I will wait.」
「… Okay.」
My questions will be ignored.
As if she already said what she had to, the female attendant left.
Is taking a bath for an orphan of the slums such a waste or something? Or is it that taking a bath was a luxury for the other people?
Upon asking inside my head to the other me, the only thing I understood was that I have never taken a bath myself.
There was a spherical pipe that stretched in the water fountain and from there, water is continuously flowing. There was a countless water buckets in the place where water falls. At the very least, it also functions not only as fountain but also a bathing place.
Holding that bucket in my hands, I let the flowing water fill it.
Thank goodness, the current weather isn’t winter. In the first place, I don’t even know if this world has the concept of weather— no, it seems it has one.
Would I be able to manage with this weather difference?
I began to take off the seemingly robe clothes I wore. There is nothing underneath it. That’s why I am stark naked. Though it’s embarra.s.sing, the me right now is just a kid and by convincing myself with that, I manage to bore with the embarra.s.sment.
I poured the water starting from my head. Looking at the water as it flow through my skin up to my toes, my mood has began to worsen. Just from being poured on, the water became muddy. Just how much dirt did my body has?
Scooping water again, this time I poured water to myself while scratching my head. Though the dirt on the water just began to worsen, ignoring such, I began to feel good.
While scratching my head, I poured water to myself and kept repeating and repeating it.
Being able to use such clean water in this way, it seems it was the first time for the other me.
I began to feel happiness filling my heart.
When the dirt flowing in the water has decreased, this time I poured water while scratching my scalp. Having to pour the water to myself each time seemed it would be a pain so I knelt below the pipeline that stretched in the fountain and holding my head I began to wash.
Because my body is just that of a child and was small, it was easy to do so.
Though originally, I didn’t particularly love bathing, but bathing like this would never be a bother at all rather it’s even to the point that you could get addicted to this wonderful feeling.
With this situation, though wis.h.i.+ng for shampoo would be useless, I began to want to use soap. Is there a soap? Though they probably have one, I’m guessing that it would come with a high price.
Living in a world with abundant resources before, for someone like me, it seems I would have to deal with a lot of troubles by living in this world. Though that thought entered me, I immediately shunned it from my mind.
Thinking about it, only negative thoughts have been resurfacing in my mind.
For now, I just want to continue enjoying this bath.
Because I’m already done with my head, I moved towards my body. Bathing with water and scrubbing, just with that, seemingly crumbling dirt has came off. Suddenly realizing something, I began to search for something that separated from me in the fountain.
The thing that was my objective was unexpectedly found immediately.
It’s a stone with a rough surface. Turning to the fountain, I found that stone and used it to scrub my body. The dirt interestingly came off with a bit of pain.
Because I cannot reach my back, I scrubbed it lying down.
The truth is, I immediately wanted to wash my body right away after entering the fountain but thinking that I would probably be scolded, I stopped myself.
Not minding that my body is feeling cold, I intently continued bathing.
After a considerable time, because she was observing the bathing, the female attendant’s appearance seems to be in sight but I am still stark naked.
Though my appearance was that of a child, the one inside is a fine young man. Because being seen naked would be really embarra.s.sing, I quickly wiped my body with towel and immediately put on some clothes.
My hair was still soaking wet. Covering it with towel, I immediately wiped it dry. My hair that was as long as girls was irritating.
「Are you done?」
「Yes. I’ll just dry my hair.」
「If you’re going to wipe it, do it with this.」
Saying that, the female attendant handed me a new towel. Receiving it, I wiped my hair. Though it’s obvious, it’s easier to wipe it with dry towel but it would’ve been better to hand two of them over from the start. Though those thoughts entered my mind, I didn’t bring it to my mouth.
With the moisture being removed to some extent, I gathered my irritating hair together and tied it with towel.
My body was refreshed. My line of sight is also good. Anyhow, it feels good.
「Thank you for waiting.」
「…….」
Though I called out on the female attendant, there’s no answer. Thinking about what’s wrong, turning my gaze towards here, opening her eyes wide her body solidified.
「Erm..」
「…Oh, are you done. …. Let’s return to your room.」
Though the female attendant had a quite complex facial expression, other than that, she said nothing and headed towards the building and started walking.
The confused me only followed after her.
During the interval of returning to the room, the surroundings gazes were turn towards me without restrain. If I were to speak, I feel like it just got worse.
There are persons taken aback, there were also ones frankly frowning showing unpleasant feelings. I knew it, it got worse.
Thinking that something came weird after was.h.i.+ng body, I began to check my body, rub my face to examine it, but even doing that I understood nothing. Since it can’t be helped, as if not minding the gaze from my surroundings, I began walking with my face straight ahead.
Climbing to the third floor, I have pa.s.sed through countless doors on my way. Upon returning to my former room, the female attendant halted.
「We have prepared a meal inside the room.」
「T-Thank you very much.」
「…Please stay and behave well inside the room.」
「Okay..」
As always, the gaze of the female attendant remained cold.
The social status discrimination in this world might be worse than I thought.
If that’s the case, being allowed inside the house and having food and room prepared before hand must have been a considerable hospitality already.
No matter how I think of it, I will never understand.
Upon entering the room, as the female attendant said, there was a food above the table.
It was a piece of round bread, salad, scrambled egg and orange juice.
Upon looking at those, an intense feeling of hunger have began to a.s.sault myself. Thinking about it, ever since I’ve regained consciousness in this world, I have never eaten once. As for the other me— worse than that, it seems he had never eaten food for the whole day. Though he had gotten used to it.
Sitting on the chair, firstly I began trying the orange juice.
「….tasty.」
The strong flavor was delicious to the point that you would doubt as to what the orange juice of the former world really was.
With my expectation being higher, I began to put the bread in my mouth — it was tough and seemingly dried out. As for the bread, the former world’s was better.
Afterwards was the scrambled eggs— it was really great. The egg also had a strong flavor.
The salad was the same. Every vegetable had strong taste themselves, even without something like a dressing, it was surprisingly delicious.
The other me was also delighted. It seems I had never taste such a fresh vegetable my whole life– Fresh?
Information suddenly flooded my mind but was immediately flushed away. It’s probably because I’ve been reminded by things I better of not remembering by meal time.
The food in front of me seemingly went gone in just a blink of an eye, albeit it’s far from having my stomach full, the feeling being full was there. It seems that the other me was a very light eater.
My body felt relief, even my stomach was so-so satisfied. As things have turned out this way, I have decided to thoroughly think of my current situation.
No matter how you think about it this place is definitely different to my former world.
Though it’s possibly just a dream, having to cling to that possibility for now couldn’t be helped.
Beyond this point, I must think of how should I live in this world.
Though it had the atmosphere similar to medieval Europe, because it’s the medieval Europe, I have no idea about how the society runs.
Though I can rely on my other self, it seems I can’t really expect much from him. Because he is just a child and the only thing he knew was the special environment of the slums, other than that he mostly have no idea.
Though I already knew from the memories coming to my mind, it seems my other self had quite the hards.h.i.+ps.
It seems the time for one to be able to understand his/her surroundings was only something for adult.
I have memories of residing with adults. Because I’ve been residing in the slum area, at that time I don’t know anyone with honest livelihood. But even so, it seems there is no need to be troubled by food. Though it’s just within the standards of my other self.
In addition, when the adults living with him have disappeared, his situation has turned for worse.
There was a limit to how one could get food with the method of the very young children. He had no choice but to look for food in the dump site. Looking for food in those food sc.r.a.ps was also not easy. After all, I’m not the only one who was searching for food in the garbage.
They will scramble towards the garbage with good quality, in addition, myself who didn’t have the strength to win, rather than garbage, have turned towards the spoilage that I can only manage to get. Having digestive problems to the point that it feels like I’m about to die have happened countless of times.
It seems my tragedy was not limited to that.
Though he himself didn’t know why, it seems he was hated by his surroundings.
Those who wouldn’t permit him to get close was not limited to one or two, in addition no matter what he does will be forgiven.
The surroundings had that atmosphere.
With that state of not having the strength nor a person to rely on, he manage to live in the lawless area of the slum. It sure was good that he didn’t die.
I also realized the reason why I was lying on that place before.
The guy he killed, it seems the other me tried to kill that man called “Dan” and his comrades. Gathering the weapons, waiting for the right chance and when the right opportunity to put it into practice came, having the tables splendidly turned over him, he was beaten up to the point of almost dying and fell over that spot.
It seems, the other me was a very proud child.
Even faced with such a disastrous situation, not yielding to such, having a strong heart to take action in order to overturn the situation.
Even to the other orphans had a great difference than myself. Having realized the things he cannot have or reach, giving up his future and merely living without giving it a single thought.
Thinking about it, would I find it agreeable, that sort feeling began to swell up.
This body belongs to the other me and the other me gave up his future and just eagerly decided to keep on living.
Didn’t I just closed the doors for the life that was waiting for the other me beyond this point?
That’s no good. I won’t allow such a thing.
I must recover the will of this body by myself, I should be able to do so. The me who killed the person from before was in fact not myself and that action that time belongs not to me but to my other self.
Let’s hand it over, this body.
Originally, this body belongs to the other me to begin with anyway.
Now, rise. Though you might not rise up, wake up.
The life from this day onward belongs to you. From now on, live this life according to your will.
Even just a little, that help….. you will…
(*TN: The other him takes over)
A strange feeling. This feeling was the second time
.
Though I had the sensation of waking up, I have no recollection other than that.
What in front of me was an empty bowl.
It was successful. It was my first time having that food. Though it was obviously like that with the taste, but just how many years has it been since I’ve had a food that smelled good? At the very least, for me, it was since that guy was still alive.
I… There was another myself that was living inside of me.
No, it’s wrong. Not me. Just who is that guy living inside me who knew various things that I have no idea about?
I have lots of memories that I don’t understand at all.
A great number of towers tall enough to the point that you had to look up was standing in line.
What is this?
I know, that it’s called a “building” however, a building.. this is my first time hearing that word, but for some reason I understood what it is.
There’s also a box that was moving as if being pulled by a horse.
What is this?
Car, an automobile.
Though I do not know about it all, for some reason I knew that it was called as such.
Even though the night sky has down, the surroundings were bright. Various colors were sparkling in the surroundings. Is this the well-known magic?  That’s not it, answered by someone within me.
Though I’m curious about something, for now let’s put it aside.
Well then what?
A different world. The other person inside me seems to be born from a different world.
Though I cannot believe it, I know that there’s no doubt about it that it’s true.
I don’t know what’s what anymore.
In the first place, I thought I should’ve died.
That guy have terribly tormented me to that extent. Slum area was not a naive place where one would let the one who tried to kill them live but I am the one alive and I killed that b.a.s.t.a.r.d.
It was frightening.
After killing the guy whom I hated that much, rather than happiness I was overwhelmed with fear. Not being able to stop s.h.i.+vering, and couldn’t move anymore, I have lost consciousness.
This place is where that n.o.ble brat lives.
The treatment I received until now was not bad. However, the other party was a n.o.bility. They wouldn’t feel grat.i.tude for someone like me, that’s apparent from the glance of that female attendant.
That stare was similar to those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds at the slums. Disgust seemingly mixed with something else, a gaze where one cannot feel anything but displeasure. Though the guy inside me have no idea, I have experienced that a lot of times.
As I thought, it would be better to abandon your greed after all.
After getting out of this mansion, how will I live afterwards.
The guy inside of me knows various things that I have no idea about.
That should prove to be helpful.
I heard a voice on the hallway again.
It seems, it seems that cheeky n.o.ble brat would make another entrance.
When the door opened, as I thought, that little girl have entered. Though she was puffing her chest conceitedly, because she had such little body, on the contrary, one would just find it ridiculous.
「It seems, you have become clea–」
The little brat who approached me, stiffened by being taken aback.
It’s a bit different to those guys in the hallway.
「…pretty.」
「Hah?」
The unexpected words the little brat muttered rather made me the one surprised.
「Hey, those eyes. Why are the colors different?」
「..color?」
I have no idea what this girl is talking about. Saying that the colors of the eyes were different, isn’t it normal for others to have different eye colors?
「Have you ever tried looking in the mirror?」
「…no.」
There’s no way that the folks on the slum area would have something that expensive. The daughter of aristocrats doesn’t even know that much?
「Well then, have a look.」
The girl took a small mirror from her pocket and presented it to my face.
Taking it would be unnecessary. My face was already reflected in the mirror but because it’s too small and doesn’t show the whole thing, I tried moving my face.
The color of my eyes. It’s indeed different.
It’s not that the color of the eyes of the girl were different from mine but the color of my pair of eyes were different from each other. Blue right eye, red left eye, I have never met such kind of human.
I finally realized what’s different of me to the other people.
「See, doesn’t it differ?」
To me who was bewildered, the little girl said seemingly delighted.
As for what’s so fun about it, I have no idea.
「Yeah..」
For now let’s return with a vague reply.
「Pretty red and blue. Though your eyes indeed are, you also have a lovely face. Even your hair is long, somehow just like a girl.」
Bringing her face close, the girl who was staring at my eyes said as such. Am I being praised or being spoken ill of? I don’t know. At any rate, let’s cut my hair. Is what I thought.
「Ariel-sama! Please distance yourself!」
Even if we’re just kids, probably thinking we are too close for opposite genders, the female attendant raised her voice.
「Oh please be quiet, I wanted to look at this child’s face carefully.」
A voice larger than the female attendant’s have flown. It seems the selfish n.o.ble girl won’t do as the female attendant told. But even so, the female attendant didn’t obediently withdraw.
「That’s no good! Being too close to those with heterochromia would bring misfortune.*」
「Heterochromia?」
It seems it was her first time hearing it. I on the other hand, have heard it countless times albeit I do not know the meaning. However, now I know the reason why I am hated.
It seems humans with the same condition as my eyes is a sinister existence.
「What is heterochromia?」
「Just like this boy, the color of the pair of eyes were different.」
「Then why would it bring misfortune?」
「That is…」
「If there is no reason, then there would be no need to mind it. I do not believe in something like “misfortunes”. After all, it’s this pretty.」
「However, saying that…」
「Be silent, If you speak another word than this I will have you nonexistent in this house.」
「…certainly.」
With a mind that will only abide by her own will, this n.o.ble girl is outrageously overbearing.
Though the maid didn’t say anything anymore as told, that face was clearly tinged with thoughts of displeasure.
It seems she was not very yearned for.
Having to deal with such personality frequently, that much is obvious.
Not even giving the maid a single concern, the little girl looked at my eyes with great interest.
「Hey, do you know how to use magic?」
「Haa?」
「It’s magic you know? Magic.」
「There’s no way I could.」
「Is that so? Even though you have such a beautiful face.」
I can’t understand this talk at all. There’s no way a commoner like me could use magic at all. Magic can only be used by the descendants of high cla.s.s n.o.bles.
「..But if you are taught then maybe you can.」
Like I told you, there’s no way I can.
「Well, that’s good for now. You will be residing here from now onwards after all, I shall ascertain of it little by little.」
「Ha?」
「What are you being surprised about?」
「Live here..?」
「Isn’t that natural? You are onii-sama’s pet, you know? Therefore, you are also my pet.」
「…Pet.」
「You, what is your name?」
While I was bewildered with being called a pet, my name was asked. It seems she doesn’t concern herself with people’s reaction.
Name…. I can’t remember my name. The thing that comes to my mind was not a name that belongs to me.
Just who am I?
「So you don’t even have a name? Then I shall bestow you one.」
「Ah, no.」
I absolutely don’t want that. That’s what I thought right away.
「Then if you have one, tell me.」
「….Ryou. Ryou Moriya.」
Since I have no other choice, I told her that guy’s name. I regret it a bit already.
Somehow, it’s a weird name.
「…Riyo, Rio.」
It seems the little girl thought the same. It’s hard to p.r.o.nounce.
「….Rion.」 Oh well, your name would be Rion, okay?」
「No, that’s n–」
「It’s Rion. I have decided as such. Do you have any complaints?」
「—not.」
Yielding to the little girl’s coercion, I accepted it. I can also feel that guy voicing out his complaints.
Endure it. Even I, am trying to put up with it a bit.
If you refuse her now, this girl without a doubt will think of an even weirder name.
Thinking that Rion would be better as a name, it seems he was convinced.
「Then, Rion. After tidying up you hair, dress up afterwards okay?」
「Hair? Tidy up?」
「You have to be beautiful enough to be worthy as my pet.」
「………」
Pet = animal = a being that was brought up by human to love. In this case, because human also belong to the animal category, that would be the easiest explanation. At last, I finally realize the meaning behind the word “Pet”.
I reflexively glanced towards the female attendant looking for salvation. Even knowing she won’t voice out anything.
As usual, the female attendant won’t say a thing. Merely, having an examining face, moving her head horizontally.
It seems the female attendant also had kindness in her, but since she can’t veto any resolution, it doesn’t have any significance.
In the end, while being turned around by the little girl, all day long I was toyed about.
Tidying ones hair meant having the ends of it collected so the length didn’t really change Having your hair smeared with oil comes with a difficult feeling already, but something was also spread on my face.
The clothes prepared for changing was the little girl’s hand-me-downs. Even though I’m a guy..
Another memory was added to the list of things I don’t want to ever remember.
Transgender = someone with a face that transcends gender fence = h.o.m.os.e.xual, Bis.e.xual—indeed I was violated by a guy before.