Oni 15 – Non-human
Author’s comment:
Summary up to the previous chapter –
Vampire – Ate what was offered to her ?
Oni – What are you doing? Are you an idiot who wants to die? ?
Spider – Nothing to do with me ?
We glare at each other. The anger simmering in my chest boils up, and I somehow manage to contain it in desperation. If my anger explodes here, then it’s obvious that I will lose control of myself to Wrath again. That’s why, even while glaring at Sophia-san, I fully utilised my powers of reason and attempted to suppress the anger burning within me.
To me, what Sophia-san has done is not something that I can forgive. Charm magic, brainwashing and forced slavery. Those are the ones I detest the most. Then after calmly doing all that, Sophia-san used the excuse “because I’m a vampire” and became defiant – I will never be able to forgive that.
Coincident with that, in the back of my mind I realise that the point of the conversation has shifted. To begin with, this all started from when Sophia-san turned the demon called Waldo-san into a vampire. Furthermore, before that he was related to the charm magic that Sophia-san had spread everywhere, but let’s not go there. In that case, what’s important right now, is what Waldo-san thinks about having become a vampire I guess.
「Waldo-san.」
「Y, yes?」
When I call out to him, Waldo-san responds in a shrill voice. From his point of view both Sophia-san and I are pretty much monsters. With the likes of us two glaring at each other in this closed space, it certainly would have become a very uneasy place to be in. It’s not surprising that he couldn’t conceal the tension in his voice.
「Waldo-san, what do you think about having become a vampire?」
To my inquiry, Waldo-san ponders for a moment.
「I think of it as an honour.」
In that moment, he was probably thinking what the best answer could be. So that he could convey in a short phrase that he himself wanted to become a vampire, and had decided that even after hearing about the charm magic. In that case, there’s nothing more for me to say regarding Waldo-san. However, the other matter is different.
「Waldo-san is saying that. That he himself wished for it, so because of that I have no intention to say anything more. However, Felmina-san deserves an apology. Her life has been ruined because of Sophia-san. No matter how you look at it, that’s your fault. Regardless of stuff about vampires etc.」
Without averting my eyes from Sophia-san, I declare that. In this brief period I’ve fully grasped just how big Sophia-san’s obsession about being a vampire is. However, that and this are different matters. Whether you’re a vampire or whatever, there’s no way that absolves the guilt of having ruined someone’s life. On top of that, because she’s completely forgotten about it, it cannot be settled.
Sophia-san doesn’t move while glaring at me. However, her eyes are swimming a bit. I guess even she senses that she’s at a disadvantage. Her attitude is like that of a scolded child desperately looking for a way to escape.
Suddenly, something feels out of place. Sophia-san and I are both reincarnators. Combining this and our previous existence it adds up to quite a lot of age. Yet despite that, going by how she behaves her mind seems quite childish. I wonder what that is about?
「Sophia.」
My pondering is interrupted by Shiro-san’s voice. It’s a quiet voice, but has a strength of presence that cannot be ignored. On hearing that voice, Sophia-san gains a small gleam in her eyes. Is she expecting assistance perhaps?
「Apologise to Felmina-chan.」
However, the words that Shiro-san speaks, are not what Sophia-san was expecting. For an instant Sophia-san has a vacant expression of surprise on her face, and after that her face turns red in a flash. She throws a glare at Felmina-san and,
「Don’t get cocky because you were called with -chan!」
Saying that she runs off. For your sharp parting remark, that’s what you went with? It seems it’s not just me who is dumbfounded, as there’s a strange and unspeakable atmosphere pervading the room.
With that atmosphere, the first one to move was Waldo-san. Imploring the faces of the other three people, his glancing eyes turn towards the door that Sophia-san left through. Seeing Waldo-san like that, Felmina-san makes an imploring expression at Shiro-san. In response to that, Shiro-san silently nods her assent. Having received that, Felmina-san accompanies Waldo-san and leaves.
Remaining are just me and Shiro-san. I look at Shiro-san’s face. It’s as expressionless as ever. However, she seems somewhat displeased.
「Do you have some spare time?」
I call out to Shiro-san to forestall her as she appears about to get up. I originally came here because I had some business with Shiro-san. I just got dragged into Sophia-san’s mess. As for when I questioned her and the others, properly speaking I had no right to pry into that as an outsider.
「Why is Sophia-san like that?」
Yet despite that, that’s the question that I raise. Even though I have important matters that I must discuss. Because we’ve had a death battle in the past, perhaps I’ve developed some strange sentiment?
To my query, Shiro-san doesn’t reply for a while. I got used to it during the question and answer session in the other dimension, but a conversation with Shiro-san requires patience. Since she’s not standing up, I think she intends to reply. I think that if she didn’t intend to reply then she probably would have left without saying anything.
「Because she’s not human.」
The reply she gave after a lengthy pause, was a bit too plain for me to be able to understand. Because she’s not human, well, saying that, I’m not human either. However, even though we’re both non-human, I still don’t understand Sophia-san.
「A human cannot understand a spider’s feelings. A spider cannot understand a frog’s feelings.」
It seems my doubt showed on my face. At Shiro-san’s words, I understand somewhat. Even if we’re both non-humans, I am an oni while Sophia-san is a vampire. Though human-shaped non-humans may be grouped together, there is still a clear difference. Because of that, misunderstandings will occur, is what Shiro-san is probably saying.
Certainly, I don’t know anything about vampires. Neither the reason why Sophia-san obsesses about being a vampire, or how they live. Though she is clearly at fault, she was still so opposed to apologising, so perhaps there is something that a vampire is unable to conceed. Though even if I think that, I still cannot forgive her after all.
Though saying that, blaming her one-sidedly might be barking up the wrong tree. Maybe I need to know a little about vampires.
When I gather my thoughts and raise my head, Shiro-san is eating something. If I’m not mistaken, then that appears to be the leg of a huge frog. Shiro-san is expressionlessly stuffing that into her mouth and eating it. Ah, it certainly seems that my understanding of non-humans is lacking. I have realised that just from seeing this scene. Furthermore, not being in the mood to ask any further questions, and having not confirmed anything about what I had originally wanted to ask, I ended up leaving in dejection.