abcnovels
Chapter 294
Chapter 294
Chapter 294
I Asked About Why The Beastkin Were Discriminated Against
“The war between the countries involved many soldiers and civilians, causing death to spread everywhere… And once both countries were ravaged by war, a certain rumor started to be whispered here.”
“A rumor?”
“Yes. That the beastkin were monsters and completely different creatures from humans… That they are evil creatures who attack humans.”
“…”
“I do not know where the rumor started. Perhaps it was done to unite the country against the beastkin.”
They didn’t know who had spread the rumor, but it succeeded in making people think that the beastkin was dangerous.
By doing this, the people would be united as they went about the war effort.
Though, it was also possible that it was just something said by someone without thinking, and it happened to spread from there.
“Though, now that the war is over, the rumor has mostly died down… Even if there are still people who believe it.”
“That they are dangerous? But Liza doesn’t look like she is capable of such a thing.”
“Yes, you are right. They are simply our neighbors… They are not monsters. However, there are some ways in which they are more physically capable than humans. But that is all.”
“Though, that also encourages the rumors…”
“Encourages? Because they are physically more capable?”
Here, Mr. Ekenhart added to Ms. Anna’s explanation with a serious expression.
But I didn’t know why having high physical ability affected the rumors…
“Well, I think it is a kind of jealousy, perhaps. They are born with a little more strength… In fact, there were times when during the war, three human soldiers had to take on a single beastkin.”
“…So they are simply stronger than humans.”
“Mmm. Most of them, anyway. And so perhaps it is people who are jealous that spread such rumors.”
“I see…”
Humans could be very jealous of each other, so it would be no surprise.
“After the war, diplomatic relations improved between our countries. And so it is possible to travel there and back. However, people still talk… And so in some places in this country, people discriminate against the beastkin. Especially near the north, where most of the fighting took place.”
“I see… I suppose it cannot be helped.”
While I felt strongly against it, from the perspective of the people involved in the war, perhaps they could not help but feel angry towards the beastkin.
“Well, things are relatively peaceful in other territories… Still, do you think beastkin would come to such a place for no reason?”
“No. It is not a place you would visit for pleasure…”
“Indeed. And so you do not see them that often in this country.”
“But since they are seen less, more people are starting to believe the old rumor… It is a bad environment.”
“In other words, that was why Liza was being attacked in the slums…?”
“Because they believed what they heard. Most people here are better educated, and know the truth… But in the slums…”
It was filled with ruffians.
In other words, many did not learn or have opportunities to be educated.
And so they believed in old rumors, not doubting that beastkin were monsters.
Now that I thought about it, the boys who had been surrounding her had called her a monster.
“I see… That is a difficult problem.”
“Yes. Children are especially quick to believe such things… While the children here are taught that the beastkin are just like us… Outside…”
“Hmm… I will have to discuss this matter with Sebastian as well. I myself have rarely seen any here, and did not think about it much… But there seems to be beastkin in this town now. If we look, we might find others who live here for some reason or another.”
The three of us thought hard on the matter.
Thankfully, I could hear the cheerful sounds of Leo and the children playing in the garden.
This kind of talk could get very heavy… And I did not like to stay like that for too long.
“Indeed… I suppose the old man who rescued her must have known what beastkin are like.”
“Mmm. I think it is people who were born many years before the war that know the truth. In spite of everything, they understand that they aren’t monsters.”
We didn’t know how old this man was… But since he was called ‘grandfather,’ he must be older than Mr. Ekenhart.
As they had good relations before the war, there would have been plenty of beastkin who came here, and so people from that time would not have believed the rumor.
Liza was lucky to have been found by such a person.
…Though, she wasn’t lucky to have been in such a situation to begin with.
“Mr. Takumi. What do you intend to do with her now?”
“Uh… I have not thought about that. We were just thinking about getting her away from those children who were hurting her…”
“Well, it was pretty bad…”
“It was?”
“Aye. We should probably tell Ms. Anna about it.”
“Yes, indeed.”
While I hadn’t thought about what to do with her. For now, we would tell Ms. Anna about how we had found her.
“It…is no wonder you wanted to save her then… To such a small child…”
“Descrimination can sometimes take hold of a person easily… So that they do not need much reason…”
“That is true. That person is bad… Once they think that, it is enough.”
Ms. Anna thought about Liza with a serious expression.
Was it like mass psychology…?
When someone was different from the others, that difference was considered bad, and if someone said this out loud, then others would believe it.
And no one would do anything different, because then they might become a target.
Obviously, it wasn’t always like that… But it was something I had observed plenty of times back in my old world…