Little Pink Starfish

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“So? What happened to the mixed-blood Black Knight and the prince?”

“What about after they got married?”

“Tell us! Tell us!”

As the small children, eyes sparkling, begged for the continuation of the story, the red-haired boy narrowed his golden eyes and smiled.

“That’s the end of the story.”

At those words, the children let out sounds of disappointment. The dog-type beastman child even had his tail drooping.

“I wanted to hear more about the Black Knight’s heroic deeds~”

“Yeah! Me too!”

“He’s so amazing! He fought off all those beast bandits alone⁉︎”

“The prince is wonderful too! He protected us beastmen!”

“There’s a play about them in the royal capital, right? So lucky, so lucky!”

“I want to see their wedding〜”

Suddenly, a dark shadow loomed over the noisy children.

“Hey, you brats! Stop bothering Noah!”

“Kyaaーー‼︎ Brys nii-chan, stop〜 kyahaha!”

The children tumbled away, running off. The identity of the shadow that appeared was a cat-type beastman boy with black fur.

“Shoo, shooーbratsー!”

“Brys, your language is foul. Are you really becoming an adult next year?”

At those words, the beastman boy—Brys—thumped his tail on the floor and turned to face the red-haired boy—Noah.

“Shut up. I’ll behave properly in the royal capital. I’ll pass the exam right away next year, and when your coming-of-age ceremony comes in four years, I’ll guard you as a beast knight.”

“I don’t need you, Brys. I have Ward.”

“What⁉︎ Your current guard knight is Mr. Brown⁉︎”

“Samuel-nii-sama insisted I have a guard… so it’s Ward.”

“Yes‼︎ That means if I become your guard knight, Mr. Brown will be my superior, right‼︎”

“Are you listening?”

“Huh⁉︎ But Mr. Brown isn’t here today, right? Hey Noah, why?”

“Hmm, maybe he’s on a date with some noble or something.”

“Date⁉︎”

“Oh, but today, Ward wasn’t my guard from the beginning. I’m not alone today…”

“D-date……”

“Are you listening?”

Noah sighed at Brys, who seemed to be in some kind of shock. Then, as if remembering it was time to leave, he looked around to find the person they came for.

“Leroy, come here, it’s time to go home!”

From among the children playing a little further away, a small boy peeked his face out. The black-haired boy looked back at Noah with beautiful, clear blue eyes and shook his head.

“I understand how you feel, but let’s go back to the carriage now.”

“……”

He looked so dejected it was pitiful, and Noah desperately held back the words “You can play as long as you want!” He took the hand of the slowly walking Leroy, patted his head, and they returned to the carriage. Waiting there was a red-haired man standing with arms crossed.

“You’re late.”

“Sorry, Hugo-nii-sama. We kept you waiting.”

“……Hmph, what’s wrong, Leroy?”

Hugo asked, noticing Leroy was downcast. But Leroy just looked down and didn’t answer.

“He just wanted to play a bit more.”

When Noah said that, Leroy looked up at Hugo as if gauging his reaction, then slowly nodded.

“I see. I’m sorry, Leroy. We’ll bring you again.”

Hugo gently patted his head and lifted Leroy up.

“Besides, your grandpa and grandma are waiting at the castle, stretching their necks out.”

“Yeah, and Uncle Sam too, he’s really stretching his neck out waiting.”

“……Noah, don’t call him Uncle Sam. It gives me goosebumps.”

“But we’re his uncles from Leroy’s perspective. Aahh, once we’re back at the castle, Leroy’s going to get taken away. Come on, come here, Leroy.”

“You had him on your lap the whole way here⁉︎”

“So what! You get to hold him on your lap on the way back.”

Noticing that Leroy was starting to get flustered, both of them hurriedly denied it.

“No, no! We’re not fighting.”

“You’re not at fault, Leroy.”

The two patted Leroy’s head and climbed into the carriage peacefully. When they peeked out the window, the children were waving their hands furiously.

“See you again, Noah-nii-chan!”

“Let’s play again, Leroy!”

“Ready, set!”

“““Come visit us again soooon!”””

The children kept waving until the carriage was out of sight. Then, from behind, someone came chasing at full speed. The escorting soldiers were on alert, but Noah immediately calmed them.

“Noah!”

It was Brys, running alongside the moving carriage. Noah leaned out of the window, looking exasperated.

“You’re not supposed to come to the royal capital for another year, right?”

“Come on! At least let me see you off!”

“I heard from Ward what happened when you tried to come greet me before and got caught.”

“Wha⁉︎ No way! Just how much did he—ugh‼︎”

Brys crashed straight into a tree due to his carelessness and collapsed. Seeing that, Noah shouted at him as if delivering a final blow.

“No more wetting yourself, okay〜”

A beast-like roar echoed from behind as the carriage moved on.

With a happy expression, Noah closed the window, and Hugo sighed.

“You’re horrible.”

“If I don’t say things like that, Brys gets full of himself. Right, Leroy?”

“……”

There was no reply, but Leroy nodded. He probably didn’t understand, though. Leroy’s cute face and eye colour resembled his mother’s so much it was startling. But his black hair, quiet nature, and lack of expression seemed to come from his father.

This time in the carriage before returning to the castle was the only time they could have Leroy all to themselves. Whenever something happened, Hugo and Noah would immediately pat his head or squish his cheeks. But recently, Leroy had begun to develop a sense of self. Whereas before he let them do as they liked, now he would grab at the fingers trying to squish him and stare up at them curiously.

But even that was cute.

“So cute〜…… I wonder if Asher-nii-sama was like this when he was little too〜. He and Leroy look just alike. If that’s the case, then I can understand why Samuel-nii-sama became overprotective.”

“……Ahh.”

Hugo gave a complex expression, as if saying I don’t want to understand, but I do, and Noah laughed.

“Hey……”

Then a sweet voice was heard, and both Hugo and Noah immediately closed their mouths.

“When will mother… come back?”

Facing Noah, who sat opposite, Leroy stared and asked.

“……And father too.”

“Hmmm, let’s see.”

Noah looked troubled, and Leroy’s expression grew a little sad. Seeing Leroy clearly disheartened, this time Hugo answered.

“……Leroy’s mother and father are currently visiting a bear-type beastman, as big as a mountain, a little ways away from Dias.”

“A b-big… bear-san?”

“Yes, they have a lot of friends, so sometimes they go to see them. That bear… bear-san is difficult to get along with, and only Leroy’s mother and father have ever tried to make human friends with him. Your mother is trying to help him get along with everyone. That’s something really amazing.”

But Leroy looked up at Hugo with a slightly dissatisfied face and said,

“……Then, I wanted to meet the big bear-san too.”

Trying to cheer him up had backfired, and Leroy’s expression darkened even further. Hugo grimaced and looked at Noah, who returned the gaze with an exasperated look.

“Leroy, the bear-san wants to slowly get to know humans.”

“……Slowly?”

Noah nodded with a smile.

“If we suddenly brought you along, it might surprise him. This time you couldn’t go, but maybe next time you can. Try asking mother directly, okay?”

Though he still seemed unconvinced, Leroy nodded. He was obedient and a very good boy. Hugo, relieved, gently patted Leroy’s head.

Rocked gently by the carriage, Leroy, tired from playing, soon fell asleep. As they watched his adorable sleeping face, Noah and Hugo smiled at each other.

“……Even so, Asher-nii-sama really is amazing.”

──Little by little.

In recent years, the relationship between humans and beastmen within Dias had changed significantly.

Dias had always prohibited discrimination against beastmen, but further revision of beastman rights had taken place. The long-standing grudges between humans and beastmen within the country were gradually disappearing. Both races now lived in peace, and while disputes hadn’t disappeared completely, unlike before, both sides stood as equals.

That influence had begun to spread to other countries centred around Dias. More countries were revising their treatment of beastmen and banning discrimination like Dias.

And in Murofsa, where beastman slavery was permitted, a rebellion had begun a year prior, and the civil war still continued to this day.

“You know, he asked the beast bandits who attacked him for help…… um……”

“The Beastman Protection Group.”

“Yes, he turned them into an organisation like that. Can you imagine? Going out of your way to meet exiled people.”

“That guy says unbelievable things sometimes. It was tough calming Sam down back then.”

“Now the Protection Group has as many members as a small country, and even people from other countries are offering aid…… A few years ago, that was unthinkable.”

“You’ve done your research.”

“Because I want to help Asher-nii-sama as soon as possible.”

“That’s a good mindset.”

Hugo patted Noah’s head, and Noah pouted slightly in embarrassment.

“Stop it, I’m not a kid anymore.”

“Idiot, of course you’re a kid.”

Hugo chuckled, and Noah sulked, turning his gaze out the carriage window. They were almost at the castle, and Noah suddenly brightened as he spotted something.

“Leroy, wake up. We’re here.”

“……Fuaah.”

With a small yawn, Leroy opened his eyes and sat up.

Seeing both Hugo and Noah smiling at him, he tilted his head in confusion.

But the reason became clear right away.

The carriage door opened, and the moment he realised who was there, Leroy leapt out of the carriage.

“Mother‼︎ Fatherーー‼︎”

As they watched the little Leroy run off, Hugo and Noah smiled.

They must’ve come back earlier than planned. Thanks to that, Leroy was overjoyed.

“So cute.”

“Just like you a while back.”

“That’s not true.”

Laughing together, Hugo and Noah stepped down from the carriage.

Leroy’s father noticed them and nodded, and at the same time, Leroy’s mother noticed them and waved with a smile.

Seeing that smile, Noah ran off ahead. Unable to contain his joy at seeing his beloved brother, his back looked exactly like Leroy’s earlier, and Hugo smiled inwardly at the uncanny resemblance.

“Tonight’s royal dinner table will be lively.”

Murmuring with suppressed laughter, Hugo gazed at the happy scene before him.

──…….

That year, the civil war in Murofsa came to an end, and the beastman slavery system was completely abolished.

After that, beastman rights were advocated, and the Beastman Protection Group accepted and devotedly aided refugees from Murofsa without distinguishing between humans and beastmen.

Among those events, there was one prince who was recognised as the greatest contributor.

Though this prince had been stripped of his right to inherit the throne, he received immense support from both humans and beastmen alike. However, for some reason, his name was never recorded in history. One theory says the prince himself refused to leave his name.

Yet, despite that prince’s wish, his name continued to be passed down among both humans and beastmen, loved by all.

Because everyone said it.

Who was the first? A beastman saved by the prince, or a passionate believer? In greetings, in gratitude, in prayers before meals, in joyful occasions and celebrations, whether human or beastman, commoner or noble, everyone would say:

──May Lord Asher be blessed.

End