Is That My Alter Ego

Chapter 68 – The Strange One

A suspicious figure.

That was the thought that struck Kalli the moment she laid eyes on Venice.

With his slick black hair and an air of refined elegance about his attire, he exuded the unmistakable aura of someone from the upper echelons of society.

Yet, there was one glaring flaw.

His expression.

It was hard to tell if his eyes were merely half-open or if he was smiling, but the glint of his bright red irises and the cruel curve of his lips suggested a mind steeped in wicked schemes.

Having encountered all manner of people throughout her life, Kalli had learned not to judge solely by appearances. After all, the disparity between outward looks and inner intentions was a common tale.

It was tolerable until she faced Venice. A sense of revulsion and disdain arose at the sight of a man from the upper class, but she could endure such feelings.

Unlike other members of the elite, he did not hide his disgust and discomfort the moment he met her gaze.

Sitting in a plush chair, she found a strange intrigue in the expensive trinkets that seemed to mock her limited knowledge.

The shift began when he asked if she had time to spare. Of course, she had time.

After all, she was being paid to be here as his bodyguard. The sum was enough to endure this loathsome discomfort.

She replied that she had time.

Smirk—

“………!”

When he suddenly turned to her with a sinister smile, Kalli instinctively took a few steps back, lowering her stance.

The instincts honed through countless encounters screamed that this man was dangerous.

His eyes, ominous and piercing, seemed to penetrate not just her exterior but her very soul. The ghastly grin that split his face sent a shiver down even the brave Kalli’s spine.

Had she ever felt such foreboding upon merely meeting someone, outside the heat of battle? At least, not in her memory.

With a voice that seemed to harbor all the malice of the world, he laughed, his unsettling gaze boring into her. What thoughts swirled in his mind? What schemes was he concocting? She could not fathom.

“What… what is that expression? What are you plotting?!”

Kalli lowered her stance, tensing every muscle in her body. The moment this b*stard made a move, she would either crush him with all her might or flee.

“Nothing, I’m not plotting anything. This is just… my face… heh, heh…”

His laughter, muffled behind a hand as if he could barely contain it, only amplified her suspicion.

That face and that laughter resembled a demon intent on devouring the world and setting it ablaze.

Yet, he claimed to suffer from a ‘condition’ that made it impossible for him to suppress his laughter.

…Is he mad? Am I supposed to believe that? What kind of illness could possibly exist like that?

I followed him outside, compelled by an unspoken urge. Of course, I kept my distance, wary of what harm he might inflict, considering all possible outcomes.

As I stepped through the door, a vista unfolded before me—one I could never witness from the lower levels. Pristine streets, people clad in fine garments. And the smiles that danced upon their lips.

Venice, that wretched child, erupted into laughter once more. I shot him a sharp glance, but perhaps his so-called “illness of uncontainable laughter” was indeed true, for he quickly apologized and stifled his mirth.

What kind of creature is this? I had encountered all manner of humanity, yet Venice was peculiar even to me.

The spectacle of incomprehensible technologies was wondrous, yet it did not imply that the upper echelons were superior.

Look at those esteemed nobles. They do not hide their disdain and contempt as they cast their gazes upon me.

Beastly wretch. Filthy. Disgusting. Terrifying. Let us flee.

The loathsome words began to pierce my ears. They prattled on, believing I could not hear, yet I could hear every bit of their revulsion and disgust, thanks to these ears they so despised.

“Haah… damn it.”

I muttered a curse under my breath, hoping the master wouldn’t catch it.

Do you never tire of this? Why must we endure such gazes?

It was not our doing. Yet why are we treated the same? You all know the truth.

I had faced these stares countless times, yet each encounter ignited a fresh fury within me.

But what could I do? The moment I, a mere lowborn, dared to touch one of these self-proclaimed nobles, I would be seized by their soldiers and vanish without a trace.

It was infuriating to be here, yet what choice did I have?

I lifted my head, which I usually kept bowed in resignation. As I did, I caught sight of the master’s back, frozen in place.

Yes. You must be just like the others, sending me those same mixed gazes of disgust and disdain.

Feigning ignorance, you must be laughing at me behind that wretched mask. All the upper-class folk I had seen before had done the same.

The master turned to glance back. Our eyes met, and I froze in that moment.

“…What’s with that expression?”

The master, who had been grinning incessantly, now wore a face devoid of warmth, as cold as bone. His brows furrowed, and I found myself staring into the fiery depths of his crimson eyes.

A being like him is more attuned to the emotions of others. Sensitive to his own feelings, he perceives more acutely than an ordinary human.

Sadness, anger, emptiness, and a sense of duty. These were the emotions I sensed on his face.

…Why are you feeling such things? Why do you wear that expression?

You, who once smiled with a devilish glee, now gaze at me with such sorrowful eyes.

“Carly.”

“…What?”

“Let’s go home.”

For reasons I could not fathom, I found myself unable to resist his words. Perhaps it was the emotions he projected that reached me, or maybe it had simply been far too long since I had received such a gaze.

I quietly followed him. He returned home, sat in his room, seemingly lost in thought for a moment, before heading toward a place he called the “counseling office.”

…A counseling center? In this godforsaken city, there are people who actually do counseling?

Could it be that this person is concocting some nefarious scheme under the guise of counseling?

Thud—crack.

Yet, Kali’s delusions quickly dissipated.

The owner of the small building labeled “counseling center” had stumbled around in the dark, repeatedly colliding with objects, even though the power switch was right next to the entrance.

The keen sight and hearing of the beastfolk had etched the image and sound of a lost human in the shadows into his mind.

‘This is your counseling center, after all…’

Is this guy perhaps a bit dim-witted?

He seemed foolish, with a clumsy disposition that didn’t quite match his appearance.

“…What are you doing?”

Click.

But I couldn’t exactly ask the target, “Are you an idiot?” So, I put on a pitiful expression and turned on the light.

The owner looked back and forth between me and the switch with a look of wonder.

What a funny fellow, this one.

Despite his fearsome exterior, he resembled a strangely clumsy creature.

Knock—knock—knock.

At that moment, someone knocked on the closed door. The owner and I both turned our gazes toward the sound.

“…Is anyone there?”

“Oh, you may come in.”

“Then, excuse me.”

Creeeak…

The door opened, and a man who seemed to be at least three heads taller than me walked in. His neatly tailored suit looked as if it might burst, muscles rippling beneath the fabric, and his fierce demeanor suggested he had likely taken a few lives.

“”………..””

As soon as the man entered the room, he locked eyes with me, arms crossed.

Why is he staring at me like that? Is it his first time seeing a beastfolk?

The standoff of glances was broken by the owner’s voice.

“You may come in here.”

“…Why is there a beast in the upper levels?”

Crack—

Ah, damn it. I tried to hold it in, but he’s getting on my nerves again.

I feel the veins rise on my forehead, my body trembling uncontrollably at the man’s words.

Say one more word. I’ll tear that mouth of yours apart.

“Hmm. If you have complaints, you may leave.”

“…What?”

“That person over there is my bodyguard. He ensures my safety. If you still have grievances, I would appreciate it if you would take your leave.”

The master, who had only been smiling at the man, suddenly turned serious, revealing hidden crimson eyes as he fixed his gaze upon him.

…Are you defending me right now? I stood frozen, astonished by a defense I hadn’t received in years, the rising anger forgotten.

As a fellow resident of the upper class, he wouldn’t have said much even if he blamed me. I hadn’t expected anything anyway.

I still wasn’t sure if it was truth or lie. But one thing was certain: the master was a strange one.

The man, meeting the master’s gaze, began to sweat coldly, then let out a sigh.

“…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have acted this way. I’ve become just like everyone else, it seems.”

“Ha, that’s all I needed to hear.”

“Well then, please come inside.”

“…Excuse me.”

Just moments ago, I had been seething with anger, but strangely, it seemed to vanish almost instantly.

Creeeak… thud.

……………

……………

The man and the master entered the room, engaging in some conversation. Even with my heightened senses as a developed beastman, I couldn’t fully grasp the words beyond the thick walls.

“Ugh…”

With nothing to do, and not wanting to face even more disdainful glances outside, I simply settled into an empty chair.

……..!

………

I couldn’t tell for sure, but it seemed the conversation was growing heated. Then, the sounds quieted, and the firmly shut door swung open.

The man and the master began to emerge from the room together.

“Cough… cough… Thank you… sir…”

“I’m sorry that I can only offer such a small assistance.”

“No, not at all…! You’ve provided me with immense help and comfort. Truly, thank you…!”

What the hell is this nonsense? The man, who seemed like he wouldn’t shed a single tear even if he lost a limb, was now sniffling and bowing at a ninety-degree angle to express his gratitude to the master.

The master gently patted the man’s shoulder.

The man wiped away his tears, gathering his emotions, and stepped out of the counseling center with a solemn expression, much like when he had entered.

Yet, there was a difference from when he had come in: the emptiness in his eyes had been replaced with a spark of life, a glimmer of happiness and a will to live.

“Haah… Is this the life I’ve led?”

“…Master. What on earth did you do? Why is that guy suddenly crying like a child?”

“What do you mean, what did I do? It was just a counseling session.”

What kind of counseling could make a grown man weep like that?

Did he cast some sort of magic?

Knock, knock, knock—

A sly grin spread across Venice’s face as the sound of knocking echoed, and Kali could only shake her head in disbelief.

Then, a thought began to form in her mind.

Her master, the target of protection, Venice, was truly an incomprehensibly strange person.