I Was Reincarnated Chapter 52
Patron Demon G.o.d-sama
Alba side
I was picked up
Despite me being an orphan, he extended a hand towards me
With everyone else, together
The one who picked us up was the demon G.o.d-sama
I thought he was beautiful and gentle and benevolent
He did not just detest us
Treated like a burden, there were times I was beaten even when I did nothing
I stole the minimum amount of food needed in order to survive
If I was caught I would be beaten with a whip
That, I've already experienced it too many times to count
However, it's not just me who is an orphan
There's also, Reese, Twin, Ray, Mardie, and Fran
Reese is 10, Twin and Ray are 8, Mardie's 7, and Fran is 5
Everyone's still a child, Mardie and Fran are still too young
When I was 5, it was still easy to obtain enough food
However, currently, it's become more difficult
When I found Fran, he'd nearly starved to death
I who was the oldest, had to commit more thievery [in correspondence to the increased number of people]
Like that the number of times I was beaten with a whip also increased
My body was full of scars
That will remain for who knows how long
Everyone else's bodies also had p.r.o.nounced whip marks from being beaten left on them
We who were like that were ignored by humans
However, the demon G.o.d-sama sheltered us all
Warm cooking, a safe home, a fluffy bed…….
Although I thought that we had to survive on our own, the happiness of living here so far has been such a happiness, to the point of being unforgettable
Our only job is to clean, certainly there are few jobs we could do
The wall is high and when I tried to climb up it to clean, demon G.o.d-sama took me down
If it's the extent we can reach, we can barely reach half-way……
Even though with just that much it would be a luxury, demon G.o.d-sama said he would pamper me
Honestly, I've never had anyone do anything like pamper me
There's nothing like a person I could depend on and act spoiled to
The room inside the castle that demon G.o.d-sama showed me to is too big, I'll get lonely
At that, the demon G.o.d-sama said something surprising
He said that we should sleep together
I've heard rumors about demon G.o.d-sama
Without interfering with anybody, he's someone no one could match
Such a demon G.o.d-sama is gentle to an extent far beyond my imagination
We slept together that night
It's the first time I've experienced something like being hugged so close by someone, somehow I ended up bewildered
Even though I have been relied on and cuddle up to [by the orphans], I've never experienced something like being hugged almost as if I was being safeguarded
There was never any person who did something like gently pat my head
An existence that protects me, for him to give me such a feeling of relief and safety—
Like this, wanting him to be beside me and to even wish for it, to the point of wanting to cry, I never had such feelings [before]
While I was tightly hugged, demon G.o.d-sama ended up falling asleep
(Was he tired out?)
I don't know what demon G.o.d-sama usually did
Is this perhaps a special case?
(Is everyone properly sleeping?)
Yesterday, everyone was too excited so they couldn't sleep, are they soundly sleeping today, I wonder?
I also became sleepy
To sleep while being warmly embraced, for it to be such a relaxing thing [how unexpected]
(………..morning?)
My consciousness rose up and I opened my eyes, the demon G.o.d-sama was still tightly hugging me without change
"Do you feel alright?"
Demon G.o.d-sama was already awake and he asked me so while patting my head
"Yes…..uhm, did I do anything?"
I don't feel bad
However, for the demon G.o.d-sama to ask me such a thing, I probably did something
"Since you seemed to have quite a nightmare. At that time, after I saw you skin I healed it"
"Eh-!?"
At demon G.o.d-sama's words I rolled up my clothes
The scars that covered so much of me, disappeared completely
"S,sorry…….. to trouble you……."
Demon G.o.d-sama is probably up because I bothered him by having a nightmare
Moreover, for him to heal my scars……
I'm glad, but I heard you become tired using magic
For the demon G.o.d-sama to do so much for me…….
I can only have the resolve to be driven out
He picked me up while I was thinking and put me on top of his lap
"….Demon G.o.d-sama?"
When I looked up at him demon G.o.d-sama smiled at me with a gentle expression
"Don't worry about it, I'm the one who said I would pamper Alba. I don't think it's a bother. I could also even kill the guy who caused your wounds"
He told me such words while patting my head, and I was too surprised to speak
It looks like he's not angry, however, there are a lot of guys who hit me with a whip
However, the me who stole was in the wrong
Even though I was beaten because I did something like that, to say he would kill that person……
It's probably a scary way of handling things?
It's probably a too severe a way of handling human adults?
Speaking of which, he even ignored the knight(governor)-sama
Despite being a person someone like me couldn't even talk to
"Since I was the one stealing I was in the wrong, so being beaten couldn't be helped….."
"…….Do you have nightmares to that extent everyday?"
As I thought, it seems I bothered him
"It was something you had to do in order to survive, right? Something like a guy to help you all, there wouldn't have been anyone, right? In a situation without any guarantee of security or work, it's something that is unavoidable. It's the country's fault for not making an inst.i.tution to protect orphans"
At demon G.o.d-sama's validation [of me], I couldn't stop my tears
Although it was for the sake of survival, it was still just stealing
Although I was aware it was wrong to do, we would have starved if I hadn't done so
So I always made sure to steal the minimum amount possible
We were always hungry and there were many times we had to stave off hunger with [drinking] rainwater
"Since you've had such bitter experiences up to now, it's alright to not have anymore such experiences. Honestly, since you're a child there's no need for you to work. Since Alba's a child it's enough to just act spoiled and be pampered"
Within his gentle embrace, I let out my crying voice
Demon G.o.d-sama pat my head until I stopped crying
"Demon G.o.d-sama, uhm……could you also heal everyone else's scars?"
Not even one of the scars that I had on my body remained
I thought that he could perhaps heal the painful looking scars remaining on the other five's bodies and I tried asking
"As I thought, Alba is a good child"
He pat my head
(Good child?)
It's the first time I've been called such a thing
"Shall we go to where everyone is?"
"Yes"
I tried to get down from atop the demon G.o.d-sama's lap, but demon G.o.d-sama held me in his arms and teleported us with magic
Before I realized, we were in the place where everyone was
"You guys, take off your clothes"
""……Eh?""
Everyone tilted their heads
"Everyone, so that the demon G.o.d-sama can heal your scars, do as he says and take off your clothes"
At my words, they looked at each other for a moment then took off their clothes one by one
The people of other races that were also there were all kind [people]
Although it was probably because we were children, they taught us various things
Even though those people also had to do fieldwork, they came towards us
It seems people gather around the demon G.o.d-sama
Demon G.o.d-sama held his hand over their body one person at a time and healed their scars
A commotion arose
The scars were all healed just like that
The five's bodies were completely unmarred
"Demon G.o.d-sama can also cure wounds?"
Talis/Taurus-san [Bear guy can't remember which name I used] asked in a state of shock
"I just thought I'd try to heal Alba's scars"
It seems he discovered it when he healed my scars
"The things I can't do are things like reviving the dead or lengthening lifespans, it would cause the world's collapse after all"
Although he didn't say such, but that means he can do most things
"Shin-sama? What are you doing?"
The beastman child who was cherished by demon G.o.d-sama, grabbed onto demon G.o.d-sama's clothes
"Medical treatment, is Rau watering the field?"
"Yeah!"
In a place separate from where everyone was, was a large field
It seems it's cultivated by the four that live in the castle
We were taught to absolutely never approach it
"We planted new seeds"
Demon G.o.d-sama picked up that child and pat her head
The ones that demon G.o.d-sama cherishes are this child and the male beastman
As well as the elf and spirit
They were sure to teach us not to offend these four
Although they told us it was because they were demon G.o.d-sama's things……..what exactly does that mean?
"Shin-sama"
The male beastman called out to demon G.o.d-sama
We were told to have nothing to do with this person especially
It seems that he is demon G.o.d-sama's most cherished person
"Is Rune also watering?"
He nods at demon G.o.d-sama's words
"Everyone's gathered, but what exactly are you doing?"
"Healing everyone's scars"
He set the child called Rau down and walked toward the person called Rune and pat his head
"Shin-sama also has power that can treat wounds?"
"Rune and the others have my divine protection so you won't be injured, so up to now I didn't realize"
The two have an intimate atmosphere
I understood that that person was surely cherished
"Will you sleep with that human today as well?"
"That's right…..Rune, you know Alba's a child, right?"
"…….-, I know"
Rune-san averted his face
Without understanding the meaning I could only watch without doing anything
"Since Alba could never be pampered by anyone up to now, he doesn't have any memories of parents pampering him, he doesn't even remember their faces in the first place. If that's the case, I would be the only one to pamper him, right?"
Although I didn't really get what demon G.o.d-sama's 'if that's the case—' meant, it's probably that it's fine for me to be pampered?
Does Rune-san not like me being beside the demon G.o.d-sama?
"Alba"
He beckoned me over and I came closer
"Would you like to learn to read and write?"
"……Eh?"
I've felt nothing but surprise since coming here
"Whether you leave here in the future or stay, it would be better to know how, right? Dea……rather, lately Dea's work has been increasing. What to do……"
"Master, it's no problem for me"
From behind the pondering demon G.o.d-sama, an elf appeared
It's Dea-san
"Is that so?…..next time, I'll make you a history book as thanks"
"Do you mean it!?"
He exclaims happily
Is a history book really a thing to be so happy over?
He also pats Dea-san's head
Is patting heads something like demon G.o.d-sama's habit?
"Even though I thought to make it [before] in the end I put it off. Translating the letters would take time, it seems it will take a bit so wait for it"
"Yes"
It seems it's something of considerable value to Dea-san
"Alba, everyone else too, learn reading and writing from Dea"
"Yes"
Is he saying he'll even give us an education
I wonder how demon G.o.d-sama can be so gentle
When we were in the town I heard demon G.o.d-sama's harsh way of speaking many times, but in actuality he's a super nice person, I'm glad demon G.o.d-sama picked us up
We are considerably blessed
There were other orphans [he could have picked up]…..
I want to hurry and become an excellent person so I can repay this grat.i.tude
Although demon G.o.d-sama said not to worry about it, just saying thanks is not enough
Alba side end
AN: Alba, you're mistaken…… [TN: not sure what he's mistaken/misunderstanding about, perhaps about Shin being super nice]