Little Pink Starfish

──────

The sky was clear and bright, yet from the moment he woke up, his mood was at its worst.

Today was the day of the knights’ exchange match, yet he couldn’t even go to the royal capital.

Unconsciously, he slammed his black tail against the floor, swinging it forcefully.

“Bryce! Don’t wag your tail so hard! You’re scaring the little ones!”

“It’s the teachers’ fault! I might never get another chance to see a knights’ match! Take this!”

The boy called Bryce, a feline beastman with black fur, quickly scooped up some mud and hurled it with all his strength.

“Hey! You little—!”

The mud splattered against a pristine white sheet, and the teacher’s face turned bright red with anger.

Dodging the pursuing teacher, Bryce nimbly climbed up the orphanage wall in one swift motion.

Once he reached the roof, he knew they wouldn’t be able to catch him easily.

“…Haah.”

Perched atop the highest part of the roof, he turned his gaze toward the direction of the royal capital.

“…Noah must be watching the match right now… So lucky.”

Thinking about his best friend, whom he hadn’t seen in a while, Bryce let out a deep sigh.

As the fourth prince of the kingdom, Noah must have had the best seats to watch the matches. The thought filled Bryce with envy. At the same time, he recalled the fight they had the last time they met.

“…Just because we had a little fight, he stopped coming to see me. When I see him next, I’m gonna tickle him until he cries.”

Back then, Noah had sobbed uncontrollably.

But the words had already left Bryce’s mouth, and he had only pushed Noah further into a corner.

“…”

A few days later, he had overheard the teachers talking about how Noah’s carriage had been attacked on the way back from the orphanage. Apparently, he wasn’t injured, but the teachers had been in a panic, which meant it was no small incident.

Was it because they had fought? Or was it because of the attack on the carriage?

Either way, Bryce hadn’t seen Noah since that day.

He stared ahead, but of course, he couldn’t see the royal capital from here—only the vast sky stretching endlessly.

“…Idiot.”

Curling up, he rested his face on his arms.

He didn’t know how long he stayed like that. But suddenly, his ears perked up.

The voices of the children and teachers below were the same as always.

But from beyond the forest near the orphanage, he could hear something faint.

Up on the roof, he had the best vantage point to pick up distant sounds.

“Something’s coming…?”

Was it the sound of hooves?

Multiple sets of footsteps, running together.

“A carriage…? Noah?”

Lifting his head, Bryce immediately dashed off the roof and jumped down.

Thud. He landed lightly and sprinted straight toward the forest.

“Ah! He finally came down, but—Bryce! Where are you going?!”

“I hear a carriage in the forest! It’s Noah!”

“…What?”

Bryce’s bright smile made the teacher furrow their brows.

“…That can’t be— Wait! Bryce!”

“It’s fine! I’m just going to meet him!”

“Stop!!”

Ignoring the teacher’s voice, Bryce ran ahead. With his beastman speed, the teacher had no chance of catching up. The distance between them widened rapidly.

Rushing into the forest, Bryce soon spotted a carriage. His face immediately lit up.

As he got closer, he stopped at a distance where he could be seen and waved.

“Hey—!”

Noticing him, the driver slowed the carriage.

Unable to wait, Bryce ran toward it—but as he drew nearer, he realized something was wrong.

Unlike the royal carriages he was familiar with, this one was shabby and completely unfit for nobility. In fact, it was nothing more than a wagon.

And the usual escorting guards were nowhere in sight.

Wait… hadn’t he heard more than just one set of hooves…?

“…Kid, what’s wrong? Are you lost?”

“……Uh, um.”

Realizing too late that he had mistaken a stranger’s wagon for Noah’s carriage, Bryce stiffened.

“Are you from the orphanage up ahead?”

“Ah, yeah… Sorry. I thought this was my friend’s carriage…”

“I see. Well, would you like a ride back to the orphanage?”

The driver smiled kindly.

“But…”

“Don’t be shy. Hey, make room in the back!”

At the driver’s call, a large man slowly stepped down from the wagon.

“Come on, kid. Hop in.”

“…Whoa!”

His wrist was grabbed, and he was forcibly pulled into the wagon.

“It’s fine! The orphanage isn’t that far fr—”

Clank.

A metallic sound rang out.

For a moment, Bryce froze.

Then he felt the cold steel of shackles snapping around his wrists, and his fur bristled in alarm.

“—Ghh!?”

Before he could scream, a rough cloth was shoved into his mouth, muffling him.

“Watch his fangs and claws! Even a kid’s bite hurts like hell!”

“Lucky us—the brat came right to us.”

“We could’ve taken one more, but let’s not get greedy… Best to be cautious.”

Bryce struggled with all his might, but his arms and legs were pinned down, the chains fixing him to the wagon.

“Ha! That was an easy catch!”

“No kidding. The patrols have been tighter lately.”

“Well, today’s the knights’ exchange match.”

The men cackled, but Bryce was too terrified to move.

“Those idiot beast raiders ruined it for everyone—no more royal visits.”

“They’re just choking their own kind.”

None of it made sense.

Why was this happening?

His mind spiraled in confusion. The fear was overwhelming, and he lost control, wetting himself.

“Ugh! You little shit!”

A gaunt, sharp-eyed man noticed and kicked Bryce hard.

“Urgh—!!”

“Disgusting! What the hell, brat?!”

“Don’t damage the goods. It’ll lower the price.”

Clicking his tongue, another man leaned away in disgust.

“Seriously, I don’t get why people like these filthy creatures.”

“They say Dias-born beastmen have finer fur. And apparently, kids sell well in Murosva as pets.”

Bryce’s eyes widened.

No… No way…

Terror gripped him.

He didn’t want to know what was happening to him.

“I’ll sell you for a high price, kid.”

A man grinned.

Bryce’s body trembled violently as he stared at his captors. With the shackles and chains binding him, escape was impossible.

“Mmph! Mmmph—!”

“Shut him up. We got what we came for, so let’s head to the ship.”

“Couldn’t we grab one more—?”

“Idiot. The crackdown’s getting stricter. Taking two from the same place is too risky.”

“Damn troublesome times.”

“Whatever. As long as we follow orders, we’ll be fine… After this, we’ll need a new trade.”

“Especially now that Prince Asher—”

The carriage began to move.

But just as Bryce’s fear reached its peak—

──── Thud!

The sudden halt jolted everyone.

“What the— Hey, what’s—!?”

One man pulled back the wagon’s tarp to check on the driver. But then—

“…Where do you think you’re taking that child?”

A blade pressed against the man’s throat.

A knight stood there, his gaze shifting to Bryce.

“You must’ve been scared. Just hold on a little longer, okay?”

“Wha— You’re—?! Black Knight—?!”

Before he could finish, a high-pitched scream erupted from the driver outside.

The man collapsed, unmoving.

Bryce could only stare in shock at the unfolding scene.

The knight let out a deep breath before turning back to Bryce.

“Man… I wasn’t expecting to find an orphanage kid here… But at least we caught them red-handed. You okay?”

After tousling his brown hair, the Black Knight knelt down and unlocked Bryce’s shackles.

“You can’t go running off on your own like that, alright?”

The knight gently stroked Bryce’s head, which had been flattened in fear. At that, Bryce’s eyes welled up with tears, and the next moment, he flung himself at the knight.

“Whoa! Hey—claws! Don’t dig in with your claws!!”

“Uwaaaaaahhh! I was so scared!!! Waaahhhhhh!!!”

“Ow! Seriously—ow, ow, that hurts!”

“…Are you alright?”

From outside the carriage, a beastman soldier with an eagle-like face peeked in with concern.

The Black Knight—Ward—was trying to pry Bryce off, but the harder he pulled, the deeper the boy’s claws sank into his back. Resigned, he let out a sigh.

“Jeez… Don’t cry. You’re safe now.”

“Ugh… uhh…!”

Despite the pain, Ward rubbed Bryce’s head and back soothingly.

“I’ll take you back to the orphanage. Don’t worry.”

As Bryce slowly calmed down, he hesitantly released his grip, retracting his claws. He gave a small nod.

“Good boy.”

Outside the carriage, the beastman soldier narrowed his sharp eyes as he examined the wagon’s interior.

Shackles. A cage. A muzzle meant for a beastman.

His expression darkened.

Ward, noticing his reaction, spoke up.

“…I understand your anger, but don’t kill them.”

“……Understood.”

“We still have things to ask them.”

The soldier clenched his jaw in frustration. Then, from outside, another agonizing scream rang out.

“GYAAAHHH! STOP! PLEASE!!”

Hearing that, Ward sighed again and looked over at the eagle-headed soldier.

“…Tell the guys outside to go easy on them, will you?”

“……Yes, sir.”

As Bryce trembled in his arms, Ward gently stroked his head.

“Haah… When I got this mission, I was skeptical. But damn… I really didn’t expect this.”

This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.

Ward had been planning to participate in the knights’ exchange match, bask in the cheers of high-class ladies, and enjoy being admired.

Instead, he had been suddenly summoned to the office.

Inside, he had found a room full of beastman soldiers, all with grim expressions. Papers were scattered everywhere.

And then, there had been Samuel—smiling.

The mission he had been given.

…Even remembering it now sent a chill down his spine.

“………Huh?”

Ward suddenly felt something cold against his leg.

He looked down and realized that Bryce’s lower half was wet.

His face twitched.

But when he saw the boy burying his face against him, his tail tucked between his legs in terror, Ward let out a small sigh.

To think someone would try to sell off a child like this. Beastman or not, it didn’t matter.

“……I had no idea things had rotted this badly.”

Muttering to himself, Ward hugged Bryce tightly.