Those Monsters

Thump-thump!

My heart rate suddenly spiked.

The jovial atmosphere collapsed in an instant, the shockwave even reaching my corner… No, it didn’t just reach me. I was the very center of this vortex.

“A joke told in my presence carries a steep price.”

The Marquis’s voice had dropped into a low register, sounding like a completely different person. Just hearing her threatening tone felt like my spirit was being crushed under the weight of her majesty.

“Is my Demon Eye really that untrustworthy?”

The Captain, however, showed no trace of fear, maintaining her leisurely, smirk.

My shoulders were trembling.

I immediately averted my gaze, staring fixedly at the ground beside me. I felt as if something inside my body was being hollowed out. Even though I was practically lying against the wall, I could no longer feel the floor beneath me. I felt like I was falling, or perhaps disappearing; my breathing quickened, and my five senses began to scramble.

“Rensha, can you find where it is?”

“The Captain is a cautious person. In fact, there has been a certain figure I’ve been curious about for a while now.”

Setting my suitcase aside, Rensha spoke as he slowly turned around.

Thump-thump—thump-thump—thump-thump!

I wished… I wished I couldn’t understand them.

Not me, not me, not me.

Even though I knew I shouldn’t turn away, I pressed my back completely against them. My teeth were chattering; my feverish body felt as though it had been dropped into an ice cellar. A biting cold, like a venomous snake, slithered up my limbs and coiled around me, opening its mouth to reveal sharp fangs, poised to strike at my throat—

A hand gripped my shoulder tightly.

A powerful force flipped me over, giving me no time to react.

“Found you.”

My breath stopped.

Outside the cage, beneath that dark red hair, blood-crimson eyes widened like those of a predator spotting its prey. But what was more terrifying was what was inside his parted mouth…

Fangs.

Two sharp fangs on either side were quivering with anticipation.

How… how does he look like a human… This guy is clearly… he’s clearly…

—A man-eating monster.

“That isn’t yours yet.”

The Captain placed a hand on Rensha’s shoulder. Realizing that they were still in the middle of a business negotiation, Rensha finally let go of me and slowly stood up.

Thump-thump… thump-thump…

“Haa… haa…”

My breathing fitfully returned.

But the trembling in my body would not subside.

I didn’t know what was happening to me. My vision was blurred—was I crying? I was sweating, drenched in it, yet I was freezing to the bone, as if I could suffocate from the cold at any moment.

Fear.

It was an emotion born from the shadow of a desperate craving for life. It didn’t just seize control of my body; even my thoughts and my consciousness were being swallowed by this dark current.

“Rensha, what do you think?”

“Appearance-wise, there’s no mistake. It would be best to verify the blood, though.”

“Taking without paying will get you sent off the plank here.”

“Wait—please wait! If this truly is a human, you can’t just casually—”

The Marquis and her subordinate faced off against the Captain. The goblin, who tried to interject, was blocked by the Captain before he could act.

“This has nothing to do with you, goblin brat… Well, Marquis, what is your verdict?”

“I don’t like dragging things out. Name your price.”

“I see. Then…”

Holding up three fingers, the Siren Captain smiled.

“This price. We should both be satisfied, yes?”

“Rensha.”

“Yes, Marquis—Captain, we will issue a check recognized by the Imperial Family…”

“No. Cash only.”

Rensha, who had been about to pull something from his coat on the Marquis’s command, was rudely interrupted by the Captain.

“We pirates don’t have much time on shore. My apologies, but we only accept cash.”

“You Siren! The Marquis is your biggest buyer! What is this attitude—”

“A human is worth far more than this price. The Marquis should understand: showing others convenience is showing yourself convenience.”