C 22
The small park with a fountain, on weekday afternoons, was filled with harmonious families and lovers.
Near the roughly carved stone fountain, I saw people having a pleasant conversation.
"Whoa, Mom! Mom! Mom! Look at this! I caught a giant beetle! It's amazing, isn't it? I caught it!"
"You'll hurt yourself, be careful. I'll take care of everything, okay?"
"Look at this! It's really big, isn't it? Daddy, daddy!"
"Yes, son, it is. Aren't you a little genius? Haha, isn't that right, dear?"
That was a loving family.
The father hugged the excited child who had picked up an insect and kissed him repeatedly as if he were possessed.
The child laughed as if tickled, and the mother, who looked like a younger sister, held the child in her arms and wiped the dirty cheeks with a soft cloth.
I watched the scene from a distance for a long time.
No matter how old I got, I couldn't help but look away every time I saw such a harmonious family.
I felt a little envious.
And every time, I thought, "I wish I had a family like that."
For a moment, I fell into a happy illusion.
It was the same in my previous life. Sometimes I would sit in a park or playground and watch families go by.
"Ugh, how long will I continue like this?"
I think I'm still far from being a proper adult.
Just as I was about to pat Richard Collin on the cheek to ask him to come back soon with Albion...
Richard Collin's gaze was still fixed on the family.
When I turned my head to follow the boy's gaze once more, I could see the family buying snacks with friendly expressions.
"I thought about this from time to time."
I reflexively turned my head at the sudden voice.
"Why did my parents abandon me? They say normal humans hate mages, but maybe that's why?"
The boy let out a brief sigh.
"Then I thought again. Why did they give birth to me? I would have preferred it if they had gotten rid of me as a baby. In that case... If so, at least I..."
My eyes naturally widened at Richard Collin's words.
It's because I didn't know that I would hear the thoughts that he always recited to me through someone else's mouth.
Slowly, I stretched both my front legs.
Seeing me, Richard slowly lowered the upper part of his body and brought his face closer to me.
Tak.
My front paw barely touched Richard's cheeks.
"Maybe you were abandoned too because you don't have a tail?"
Even though the tail was cut off, it will grow back.
However, I remained still, pretending not to understand.
"Why? You're a lizard... But it's like you can understand people. Maybe you're a genius like me."
He averted his gaze at the slightly sharp words.
"Alright, because someday I'll get revenge on the people who abandoned me and the people who bought me."
Richard made an effort to speak with determination.
I moved my little head and shook it slowly.
"...Don't do that. BamBam, you're not saying that, are you?"
The boy raised his voice as if it were absurd and shot back at me, but quickly closed his mouth at the looks he felt around him.
"No... What am I talking about with a lizard?"
"It's not like that..."
It really wasn't.
Duke and Duchess Collin never intentionally abandoned Richard.
One of the maids, who had ill feelings towards the Collin family, sneaked into the mansion, stole Richard, and sold him to a slave trader.
As soon as Duke and Duchess Collin learned of the fact, they dispatched people to search for him, but they couldn't find Richard, who had already been sold as a slave to a group of pirates.
"At this rate, they won't be able to find him until he's an adult."
Is that right?
I know loneliness better than anyone. I was more aware than anyone of the absence of parents.
Is it right to turn a blind eye to the course of the original story even when I know the correct answer?
"...Of course not."
When I turn back into a human, I will visit Duke Collin.
"If I mention his son, he'll come even if he thinks it's a trap."
Then surely Richard Collin will find his place.
"Then maybe his future crazy personality will change?"
I put my paw on Richard's cheek once more!
Richard's gaze, which had been fixed only forward, reached me very slowly, as if waking up from a dream.
I pointed with my front paw to the park entrance.
Then I covered my eyes with my front paws and pretended to be eagerly looking for someone.
"Come on, it's been a while since Albion told me to find you!"
Of course, there was no way he would understand, so I pretended to run energetically.
And once again, I pointed with my front paws at the family, stood tall on Richard's palm, and thumped my chest with my short front paws.
"I will find your family, trust me."
From a lizard to... No, it was body language.
"...What are you saying?"
It doesn't seem like the message was received at all.
I'm exhausted. I let go of my hind legs and collapsed, lying down in the palm of his hand.
There must be a way to humanize myself.
However, the real heroine of "Adopted" was not a Suin, and the Suin that appeared later was already humanized, so there was no way to see the process of humanization in the novel.
"I don't know what to do."
Fortunately, Richard got up from the bench and left the park.
I could sense Albion's scent (?) not too far away.
Fortunately, Richard obediently followed the instructions I indicated with my paws.
"BamBam, come and eat."
When I jumped, Richard Collin grabbed me and placed me on the desk.
"Eat one today. According to the book, protein intake is essential."
Richard Collin placed me in a small container with a couple of caterpillars.
"Aaaaaaagh!"
Avoiding the wriggling caterpillars, I clung to the wall of the container.
I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to!
Fortunately, Richard Collin was giving me fruit, so I could feed on that in the meantime.
I can't begin to explain how surprised I was at first when he caught insects or caterpillars and offered them to me.
I quickly climbed over the container and shook my head.
"How can I eat something that wriggles like that?"
While shaking my head desperately, Richard Collin frowned.
"If you eat too much fruit..."
I shook my head vigorously. The wriggling caterpillar was moving slowly.
While quickly grabbing onto the edge of the container and stretching, Richard sighed and held out his palm.
I quickly climbed onto his palm, climbed up his arm, and sat on his shoulder.
It seems this has become more comfortable after a while.
"Shouldn't you eat some meat?"
I like meat, but I hate live caterpillar meat!
"Well, I can't help it. Because you don't like it. You can't go anywhere else without me. Where in the world is there a master like me?"
"......"
"Then don't go anywhere and stay by my side. Everyone else will feed you bugs like this."
As he said that, Richard put a small piece of apple on his finger and offered it to me.
I gulped it down.
"By the way, BamBam, what's on your back?"
"Eh? What's on my back?"
I tilted my head and tried to look behind me.
Of course, straining is something anyone can do, but that doesn't mean it produces results.
I can't see my back.
"There's something very small."
"Something small? What is it?"
My head tilted at an angle again.
I can't speak, so when I ask something I don't know, I always act like this.
"It's only been a week..."
Someone once said that humans are adaptable animals, but it seemed to be the same even if you turned into a silly Suin.
"Are they wings...? It's so small it looks like a bean..."
Richard scratched my scales with the tips of his fingers.
Surprisingly, the area he touched was sensitive. Should I say it felt like a slight muscle ache?
"I'm sorry, did I startle you?"
I was a bit surprised...
Strangely, the area he touched was sensitive. Should I say it felt like a slight muscle ache?
"Not long ago, there was nothing like this... You must be a true mutant."
I froze at the voice murmuring that it was the first time he had seen a lump like this.
No way...
"It's not cancer, is it?"
Anxiety arose in a strange place.
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