Deam said we were playing at being a family

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“Tie his hands and… It would be better if we could tie his hands behind his back…but this will have to do.”

I put Deam’s hands in front of his wounded stomach, and bound them.
While I was tying him, I checked the wounds and confirmed that it wasn’t too deep.
He was bleeding, but he wouldn’t die, even if it was left alone.
Though I was sure that the guards would take care of him, since they would want to question him extensively.

Now that his arms and legs were tied, Deam could not move at all.
Understanding this, he finally became quiet… Or maybe it was just because Leo was pressing down on his face…

“Just in case…”

In such cases, if you let your guard down, then the prisoner could escape from their bindings and run away…
As this was someone who lived in the underworld, he might know how to deal with ropes.
I could not do such a thing. I didn’t know how. So I had to be careful.

“Is there any extra rope?”
“There is more over there. They used it to carry things.”
“Can you bring me some?”
“Okay.”

At this point, the boys obediently did whatever I told them to.
I suppose it was because they saw the state that Deam was in.
In any case, they brought me some extra rope, which I used to tie Deam up even more.
Twice. Thrice. So that it wasn’t just his ankles, but his knees and thighs as well.
And then the biceps of his arms. Then the boys helped me wrap the rope around his body several times.
Like this, Deam was completely rolled up in rope.
He looked like a caterpillar. There was no worry about him getting away now.

“Good. You can let go of him now.”
“Wuff-wuff.”
“Tsk! Hah! Hah!”

Deam could finally breathe freely now, and so he took a deep breath.
…Had it really been that bad?
Leo’s palms were so soft… But they were big.

“Now, we just have to turn them in… But how should we carry them…”
“Wuff?”

It would be easy enough if it was just Deam, but there were five men.
And even if the boys helped, it would take several trips.
As I wondered what to do, Leo turned her back to me as if to say, ‘Should I carry them?’
That might work…but I couldn’t help but hesitate at the idea.

I kind of thought of riding Leo as an honor…reserved for good people.

“Hah…hah… Who are you, you bastard!? Do you have any idea what you have done? I have men in other towns. Other slums. They will kill you.”
“Aye, I know. You do not need to tell me.”
“What…!?”

Once Deam caught his breath, he started to shout at me.
While he was threatening me…it was nothing that I didn’t already know.
Though, he did look like some insignificant thug… And he was constantly moving around like he was scared… Even Mr. Ekenhart had called him a smallfry.
In any case, with Deam gone, things should be much more easier for Mr. Ekenhart and the people here.
Of course, there will also be some chaos for a while as well.

Up until now, nothing had been done because arresting Deam might make matters worse, and cause more conflict.

“You… I heard you talking about the beastkin child. What are you to it!”
“Her father!”
“Wou!”

When asked that question…there was no other answer.
Perhaps I was getting carried away, but it should be fine, as long as I wasn’t saying any names.
Leo even barked next to me.
As if she was saying, ‘And I’m her mama!”

“What…? But it was abandoned. It had no one after Reyndorf died! Besides, you’re just a human!”

Deam shouted back.
Indeed, we were not connected by blood. We were not even the same race.
But that didn’t change the fact that Liza called me and Leo her papa and mama.

“Yes, I am a human. What about it? Humans can raise a beastkin. And there is no reason that humans should persecute them.”
“Tsk. You may play at being a family…but they are beneath humans. Perhaps you just enjoy feeling superior? You think that you are so magnanimous for saving it…”
“Playing? Superior?”

Indeed, there might be people who enjoy feeling superior by helping those who are weak… But I didn’t think of myself like that.
Though, aside from not being connected by blood, Leo was her mama.
So it was not too surprising that some would say we were playing…

Next Chapter

My Beloved Dog is the Strongest in Another World