On The Other Side: I Quit Being Human

Chapter 31 Pain And Gain (5)

As the door of the stable closes, I end my useless thought. It's useless not because I take lightly of the harassment the two women have done to me, but because I know I won't be able to do anything about it.

While Valeria is undoubtedly one of the untouchable upper echelons in this Demon Kingdom, Millonia is still far stronger than me. As the word goes in this world: "Hast thou not the fist, thou shall not speak."

As long as I am still a pathetic weakling, I have to endure the harassment those shameless women do to me.

'When I have become strong enough, I will harass them back!' As I ponder about what I have just thought, I realized that I would be no different from them when that time comes. 'Guess what? I don't plan to be a good person—or Demon in this case.'

Knowing full well that I am no longer a normal human from Earth, I quickly shake away the moral dilemma provoking thought from my mind. I turn my head to the right corner, and find ten lumps of gigantic raw drumsticks there.

"It's funny that I have this thought, but I don't think they are as heavy as they look now." I chuckle faintly in amusement, then put my hand on the first drumstick. "Now that I think about it, when will I become a Demon?"

Although Ilschevar didn't say anything in particular about turning me into a Demon, it is apparent from the status I am currently holding that I will end up as a Demon. Otherwise, I would never be able to become a Demon King.

With that being said though, I don't know whether I will become a Demon before or after becoming a Demon King. I would normally consider it must be the former, but judging from how irresponsible Ilschevar is, the latter is highly likely.

"Anyway, that's still a long way to go. Rather than thinking about the future too much, I have to survive the present first." I turn my back on the gigantic drumstick, then pull it behind my back. "Yahoo! As expected, it's lighter than yesterday."

As I am excited with my newfound strength, I don't think dragging the drumstick for 50 feet is a chore anymore.

When I arrive at the first cage, Genelos' cage, I shake my head bitterly as I recall what Valeria said the day before. The cage is empty, so my first friend, Genelos, doesn't exist—he is but my imagination.

"Too bad ... I guess I have to move to the next cage."

"Are you just going to ignore my presence?"

"Holy shit! Genelos! You exist?!"

Much to my utter bewilderment, Genelos, whom Valeria claimed was nothing but my imagination, turns out to be real. He is now staring at me weirdly from behind the bars, as if saying, 'Is this kid retarded or something?'

"Of course, I exist. How else could you see me."

"Shit, now you can be just my imagination."

Genelos has just provided me a valid point—he does exist, because I can see him—but his existence cannot be truly proven if I am the only person who can see him. It is possible that he only exists in my mind.

"You are thinking uselessly deep, Layland."

Genelos' light snort is what awakens me from my thought. "Geez, you need to stop surprising me with your snort. I don't want to have your snot sticking on my face."

"It won't. Wyverns don't have snot; our nose is very dry due to the fire we breathe." Genelos snorts once again upon seeing my admiration look.

"Anyway, I will show you the proof of my existence." He then turns his body around, and walks toward the dark side of his cage.

I actually thought that Genelos was about to kick my ass when he grunted after giving me a snort, but it turned out to be his way to hide his embarrassment.

I look at Genelos' slowly disappearing back in wonderment as I position the gigantic drumstick in front of me in case he is up to something that can endanger my life.

Rumble.

True to my expectation, Genelos is really up to something. The ground I am currently standing on is shaking, and I can feel a dreadful aura storming out of the cage.

My heart palpitates crazily, and for the first time today, I feel so scared my feet can't move a single inch. I am rooted to my place as I wonder what my first friend, Genelos, is up to.

Burst!

As the ground stops shaking, I can see fire fire being shot at me from inside the cage. Luckily I have anticipated something crazy like that to happen, so I crouch and hide behind the gigantic drumstick.

"Why are you hiding? Relax, it wouldn't hit you even if you didn't dodge."

I peek from behind the gigantic drumstick when I hear the familiar voice, and I find Genelos staring at me in amusement. His cage is now illuminated by the light produced from the fire covering the wall on his sides, and a passage has appeared behind him.

"Was't there supposed to be a wall?" I ask as I right myself up. "Was that how you hid yourself yesterday?"

"As expected, you are quick to catch things, Layland."

"I mean, only idiots can't find that out." I shake my head faintly. "Anyway, how come I didn't see this flashy display yesterday?"

"Oh, this? I lit the wall on fire because I wanted to show you my cage—my hiding place. I don't need to do it if I just want to hide myself."

I nod my head in understanding as I find it amusing that Genelos shows me that much of consideration. I am not going to lie, I am glad that my first friend, despite not being human, is such a considerate creature.

'Thinking about consideration, those women...' I quickly shake my head the moment I think about what kind of harassment I have received from Valeria and Millonia.

"Why did you have to hide though? Valeria thought I had lost my mind because of you."

"Oh, that's because this cage is supposed to be empty."

"Okay...?"

"You see, I was just a wandering Wyvern, who had no place to stay, when I accidentally stumbled upon this place two days ago."

"In other words, you are not a registered 'lodger' here?"

Genelos nods his head simply as if everything he has done is acceptable, and I can't help smiling wrily at that. 'Here I thought that my first friend was normal ... He is also twisted in his own way!'

No matter how unique the individuals surrounding me though, Genelos easily takes the spot of the sanest individual in my list. Staying illegally in the Demon King's castle is equivalent to looking for death, but other than that, Genelos is pretty normal.

"I hope you can keep my existence a secret, Layland."

"Don't worry, I won't tell a single soul." I smile then remember about something the moment I turn my head to the gigantic drumstick in front of me. "Oh yeah, this is your meal, Genelos."

"Oh, thank you."

Genelos opens his cage, then takes the drumstick in. I am about to take another drumstick so I can give it to another Wyvern when realization dawned upon me.

"Hey, Genelos..."

"Yeah?"

"Did you know what happened to the original owner of the cage?"

"Yeah, he died in the battlefield."

"Where did you hear that?"

"..."

At his silence, I look into his eyes, and he immediately gives me a panicked look.

"No, no, no! I am not that Wyvern—believe me! I am not that same Wyvern who pretends to be dead in the battlefield just so I can laze around in the stable. I swear!"

"Alright, I believe you."

"Then, why are you giving me that look?!"

I sigh and smile bitterly. It seems that having a normal companion in this world will forever remain a dream.

Despite so, I still want to consider Genelos pretty normal. He just doesn't want to work, and he achieves what he wants with a very brilliant way—I can't blame him.

"I ... I will talk to you again after my job is finished."

"Don't tell anyone about me, okay?"

I don't know whether Genelos is secretly a dumbass or he just doesn't want to acknowledge the fact that Valeria is aware of what he has done already—she prepares his portion!—but I nod my head nonetheless.

I move my feet to the corner of the room, pick another drumstick, then deliver it to the second cage in the stable.

"Took you long enough, human. Rejoice, for I—hey, don't ignore me!"

I have lost my mood to make a bond with any Wyvern for today, so I ignore Tsun-Tsun when she greets me with her sparkling eyes.

I return to the corner, drag another drumstick, deliver it to another cage, and repeat the process. My mind is blank for the entire time, but I am sure it only takes me an hour to finish my job.

The door of the stable suddenly opens, and Valeria comes inside just as I am about to sit down to take a breather.

"Well done for finishing your job on time, Layland."

Just as I register what she has just said, I pat myself in the back for not doing any bonding today—I would have late otherwise.