Chapter 244: A Case of Encounter with a Mysterious Person

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Kappitetron is the third son of the relatively wealthy dried fish shop in the town of Serelirin, the 'Kapentoran Dried Fish Shop'.

He is a chubby boy who loves eating more than anything and always has something in his mouth.

His personality is carefree but a bit timid.

He is an ordinary boy you can find anywhere, enjoying peaceful days but feeling a little bored with those days.

That ordinary boy, on this day.

He encountered something... a bit incomprehensible.

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"Hmm, hmm... delicious! Dad has improved his skills again...!"

While saying such pretentious things, Kappitetron was walking towards the playground while munching on Sakketoba on this day at this time.

As mentioned earlier, his family runs a dried fish shop.

They make a living by making dried fish from monster meat and other ingredients supplied by the Adventurer's Guild.

The Sakketoba he is munching on was also made by his father.

Although it's a substandard product with a slightly poor shape and color, the taste is not a problem.

"I have to be careful not to let Gougin steal it..."

While imagining the face of the mean bully leader, Kappitetron gently stroked the bag containing Sakketoba hanging from his waist... that's when it happened!

Zugaaaan!!

With such a sound, something pitch-black fell in front of him and sank into the stone pavement of the alley!!

"Eek!?"

Kappitetron was so shocked that he involuntarily lost strength in his waist and fell on his bottom.

Sand and dust rose in billows.

This place was a back alley with few passersby.

Despite the loud noise, there were no nearby residents making a fuss about it.

The guards who boast of maintaining public safety in Serelirin probably wouldn't rush over immediately either.

In other words, Kappitetron.

He had to face "that" which fell from the sky, alone.

When the winter wind blew and cleared the dust obscuring his vision, what was in front of Kappitetron's eyes was.

A black-haired, black-eyed girl who had somehow got her head stuck in the stone pavement, going "boing".

(A cursed child!!)

The moment he recognized that, Kappitetron's face turned pale and he got goosebumps!

Cursed children are ominous beings.

It is said that just being involved with them brings misfortune, and he had been told since childhood that if he found one, he must never approach them.

He thought he had to run away quickly.

(A-A cursed child...!?)

But why is this one wearing such a strange outfit...?

The next thing that filled Kappitetron's mind was such a question.

That cursed child was wearing a pitch-black, spiky, rock-like outfit on her torso, except for her limbs and head.

Is it some kind of armor, like the ones adventurers wear?

That armor, which occasionally surfaces a rusty red color, is eerie.

Just looking at it makes one feel uneasy.

In other words, that cursed child had an appearance that could only be described as, yes, a Dark Spiky Rock Man.

Kappitetron unintentionally stared at that figure and became confused.

(A cursed child...!!)

But he quickly comes to his senses.

Anyway, that is an ominous cursed child.

Or a monster that has slipped into town.

He doesn't know how it got in front of Kappitetron, but anyway, he mustn't get involved.

He has to run away.

With that thought, he tried to stand up and run away, but... he has no strength in his legs and waist!

Because his waist has lost strength, Kappitetron cannot run away and flails miserably on the spot!

(C-Cursed child! Cursed child! ...Eek!!)

Kappitetron continues to be confused.

But there was something that further terrified the pitiful boy.

It was the gaze of the cursed child in front of him!

The cursed child's deep, black eyes, completely expressionless like a doll, firmly captured Kappitetron and wouldn't let go.

In that gaze, there was certainly... passion.

Kappitetron understood instinctively!

That was the gaze of a predator when faced with prey!

He was the prey, and that cursed child was the predator!!

Leaving Kappitetron struggling behind, the cursed child placed her white palms on the ground and put strength into them.

With a plop, the cursed child's head came out of the stone pavement.

Still upside down, she put more strength into her arms, and from there, the cursed child did a somersault using only the strength of her arms, and stood on the ground with her two feet.

(It's over...)

Kappitetron despaired when he saw the figure of the predator who had gotten into a position to pounce at any moment.

"Hi... hyu..."

Even if he wanted to call for help, this boy, completely overwhelmed by the presence of the cursed child, couldn't even make a sound due to fear.

Ah, why does he have to go through this?

Is it because he skipped studying?

Is it because he ran away from helping his father?

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...

The pitiful boy repeated meaningless apologies over and over in his heart.

While he was doing that, there was movement from the cursed child as well.

The pitch-black, spiky armor that the cursed child was wearing... suddenly came undone and transformed into two giant black arms!

One of those arms swayed softly and slowly approached Kappitetron.

(Ah, it's no use. I'm going to be crushed by this arm and die...)

Amidst the continuing despair, Kappitetron gave up on his own life, lay on his back in resignation, and made a mess of his face with tears and snot.

Then, what do you know.

"Give me that."

Such a cute girl's voice reached Kappitetron's ears.

He hurriedly sat up.

He looked around restlessly.

The only ones in this back alley were himself and the cursed child in front of him.

In other words, the owner of that voice just now was that terrifying cursed child.

"Give me that."

Once again, the cursed child clearly opened her mouth and said that.

What is "that"?

Kappitetron was a little confused, but he quickly understood.

Because the black arm extending from the cursed child's body was pointing at the bag containing Sakketoba that he had hanging from his waist.

"T-This...?"

Somehow managing to say that out loud and pointing at the bag himself, the cursed child nodded.

Kappitetron untied the string that tied the bag to his waist with trembling hands and threw the bag towards the cursed child.

The black arm that had been floating softly caught it.

"Thank you."

While staring at Kappitetron with a face devoid of any emotion, the cursed child said that, expressing gratitude.

"In return."

And she took something out of her pocket and handed it to Kappitetron using the black arm.

It was a beautifully shining white stick.

He didn't know what it was, but from the feel of it in his hand, it was hard, and Kappitetron could at least understand that it definitely wasn't food.

"W-What is this?"

"My snack. Churros."

Let's correct that, it seemed to be a snack.

Kappitetron, at the height of confusion, stared at the shining white churros and tried biting into it.

Crunch!

His tooth chipped a little.

"Well then, goodbye."

When that voice reached his ears and Kappitetron hurriedly looked in front, the cursed child was already gone.

"Huh!?"

Perhaps because the source of fear had disappeared, Kappitetron, who was somehow able to stand up, looked around restlessly.

No one was there.

The hustle and bustle of the town could be heard in the distance.

What on earth had been happening to him up until now?

Was he dreaming?

For a moment, such a thought crossed his mind, but Kappitetron immediately shook his head and denied that thought.

Because there was a hole in the stone pavement in front of him where the cursed child had gotten stuck, and in the palm of his hand... the churros he had received from the cursed child were shining white and sparkling.

In a daze, Kappitetron looked up at the sky.

The clouds that had been covering the sky until then were being gradually blown away by the wind, and the blue sky was starting to appear.

If it kept clearing up like this, tomorrow might be colder than today.

Vaguely recalling the life wisdom he had learned from his mother, Kappitetron stood there for a while, staring up at the sky.

And he bit into the shining white churros once more.

Crunch!

Again, his tooth chipped a little.

Why did it take a whole chapter's worth of text just to receive dried fish from a boy?