The Mob Girl of the Doom Flag

Fee was a half-breed, born to a human and a cat Beastman.

She was a girl who lived in rags—filthy, tattered clothes that had long since lost their original color. Malnourished and stunted, she was far smaller than other children her age, her physical development clearly lagging behind.

It was only natural. In the Kingdom of Inraku, Beastmen were targets of persecution by default. For a Half-beastman, the prejudice was even more severe.

The only people who ever approached her were the deviants—the so-called Beastman Fanciers. Their goal was never to help; they simply wanted an exotic pet to keep on a leash. To them, she wasn't a person.

Because of those circumstances, Fee had learned to distrust any noble who whispered sweet promises.

"Fee... how much longer can I keep going like this?"

Today, she had managed to survive by scavenging through a restaurant’s trash bin, but a sudden wave of anxiety washed over her.

What am I even living for?

In a world where everyone felt like an enemy, she clung to life with everything she had. But was that really the right answer?

Savoring the bitter taste of despair, Fee clutched a handful of nearly inedible raw scraps she’d pulled from the bin and scurried toward a deserted back alley.

◇　◆　◇

I had decided to find Fee, but the Royal Capital was vast.

She obviously wouldn't be lurking around the Noble District, but she could be anywhere else in the city. If she was still scavenging for "ingredients" in the trash, then the back alleys behind the local eateries were my best bet.

That said, the Royal Capital had an exhausting number of restaurants.

No, hold on.

If she was that desperate for food, wouldn't it be easier to just lure her out with bait?

"...Shall I give it a try?"

I had planned to buy supplies anyway, so a little extra spending wouldn't hurt. Even if I failed, the loss would just end up in my own stomach.

I went to a nearby stall, purchased ten skewers of grilled meat, and headed into the alleys. Dim, damp, and smelling of rot, the place was a hangout for the city's poorest children—those who couldn't work and struggled to find a single meal.

Eventually, an Orphanage would be established in the Royal Capital to help these kids, but at this point in time, their numbers were overwhelming.

The savory scent of grilled meat wafting off me drew every eye in the alley.

Could my father have bribed even these nameless mobs to act like starving kids? My enemies are professionals, after all.

I shook the thought off, mentally mocking my own paranoia, and handed a skewer to a nearby girl.

"…?" She tilted her head in confusion.

"Don't you want it? I figured you were hungry."

"…!?"

She nodded her head frantically. She took the skewer, hesitated for a second, pulled off a single piece of meat for herself, and tried to hand the rest to a boy sitting next to her.

"You don't have to do that," I said. "I'll give him one, too."

"…Is it okay?"

"Yeah, of course. It’s just a whim, though."

"Thank you, big brother!"

The two of them began to eat with genuine delight. Naturally, the other children watching the scene enviously began to swarm me. They didn't bother with a line; it was a desperate, chaotic scramble to be first.

"Single file! Line up or no one gets anything!"

They froze instantly and formed a perfect line. By handing the skewers out one by one, I could inspect every face. If Fee heard about someone handing out free food, she’d eventually show up. This way, I wouldn't miss her.

Once I finished the first ten, I told the kids to wait and went back to the stall for more. The owner frowned at me, clearly troubled by my behavior.

"Look, I'm happy for the business, kid, but this is pointless. You aren't going to save them."

I knew what he meant. Their hunger wasn't a one-day problem; it was a constant state of being. Satisfying their bellies on a whim wouldn't change their reality.

But my goal was different. I was here for Fee.

"It’s fine. I’m just doing this for my own self-satisfaction."

"If you say so..."

"Just keep grilling. The crowd is only going to get bigger."

I made several trips, continuing to distribute meat to the kids. I was already certain of my victory—

◇　◇　◇

"…Why hasn't she come?"

I’d fed almost every child in the vicinity, yet Fee was nowhere to be seen. Had my plan failed?

In hindsight, it was full of holes. It relied on Fee being in this part of the city today and believing a suspicious rumor about free meat. Maybe she was just more cautious than the others.

I was contemplating calling it a day when I heard a commotion further down the alley.

"Hey, what are you doing here!"

"Get out of here, you smell like a beast!"

"What if the big brother gets disgusted and leaves? Can you take responsibility for that!?"

"Um, well... that..."

I ran toward the shouting and found Fee. She was smaller than the others, huddled on the ground and trembling while three boys surrounded her. Her long silver hair was a mess of tangles, and the cat ears atop her head served as the undeniable proof that she was not human.

"I-I didn't know... I was just walking past..."

"Liar! You came for the meat, didn't you?"

"He's not giving anything to the likes of you!"

It seemed she was bullied even by the other alley kids. No wonder she hadn't joined the line. I stepped in with a heavy sigh.

"That's enough. I don't remember saying I wouldn't feed her."

"B-But, big brother..."

"That thing is a beast!"

"…She looks like a normal human to me."

I ignored their protests and held a skewer out to Fee.

"Do you want to eat, too?"

She stared at the meat, her eyes wide with shock. "I-Is it okay?"

"I'm giving them to everyone. Unless you don't want it?"

"I want it! Thank you... nano."

She reached for the meat with a look of pure joy, but her legs suddenly gave out. She fell toward me.

"Whoops. You okay?"

"S-Sorry... nano."

She offered a faint, fleeting smile before losing consciousness. It seemed she had been pushing herself far beyond her limit despite her poor health.

"Tch. We're done for today. I'm taking this girl to rest."

"U-Um..."

"What? I'm busy."

"Well... I'm sorry. For calling her a beast..."

Seeing me treat her with kindness seemed to have sparked some reflection in the boy. He bowed his head.

"You should tell her that yourself when she wakes up."

"Yeah! I will. Thanks, meat-big-brother!"

The boy waved and ran off. I hoisted Fee onto my back and headed home.

◇　◆　◇

Wait... where am I?

Fee woke up and stared at her surroundings in total confusion. She was used to sleeping in the dirt; having a roof that kept out the wind was her version of a luxury. Now, she was lying in a real bed, wearing a soft white nightgown, in a room larger than any she had ever seen.

It was like a dream.

No, it has to be a dream... nano.

Her last memory was of the boy who had defended her in the alley. The memory of his words made her chest feel warm. She decided she must have died. That was the only explanation for why she was in a place that looked like a noble’s manor.

"If I'm already dead, I wish I could have at least tasted that meat."

"You're just recovering from a fever. No meat for you," I said.

"Hyaah!?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin, having not realized I was in the room.

"Don't force yourself up. The doctor said it was overwork and malnutrition. Stay here until you're better."

"I-Is it really okay?"

"If you were to collapse outside my door, it would start nasty rumors. It would be a real pain for me."

"Auu... I'm sorry... nano."

She looked genuinely guilt-ridden at the thought of causing me trouble.

"Don't sweat it. It was a whim. Besides, I have something I want to ask of you."

"Something you want to ask?"

I don't think I can do anything for him... Wait, is he one of those Beastman Fanciers?

She tensed up, looking for a way to escape if things turned south.

"You're struggling to find food, right? If you're willing, why not come work for me?"

"F-Fee is, well... she's not a pet!"

"A pet? I'm short-staffed. I want you to work as an Apprentice Maid."

Realizing she had jumped to a wild conclusion, her face turned bright red.

"Auau. P-Please forget I said that... nano."

"More importantly, what do you say?"

"More importantly?! It's important to me! But why Fee? There are plenty of other kids who want to work. Kids who aren't... half-breeds. Just normal kids—"

"I only look for one thing. You're the only one who satisfied the requirement. That's all there is to it."

"Fee did? B-But Fee is clumsy and... well..."

"You can take your time to fix that. So, will you work for me?"

He had protected her in the alley. He didn't want a pet. For the first time, she felt like she could trust someone.

If I’m just going to keep drifting along without a purpose, maybe I should take a step forward.

Fee took a breath and nodded.

"I'll... be in your care... nano."

In the original timeline, Fee was destined to die in the forests near the Royal Capital, killed by monsters. Instead, she became my first loyal retainer.