On The Other Side: I Quit Being Human

I am pretty sure human kids are just cowards in nature. Some of them might be too adventurous and gutsy for their own good, but they don't even even make the 10% of the statistics.

For that reason, I applaud these little bastards for the way they handle the situation they find themselves in. None of them cries—I can even clearly see wonder and fascination in their eyes.

The caregiver beside me, whose name I don't bother to ask, has told me they have gone through a lot. That explains why they are courageous, and why I can see the silent call for help in their eyes.

Since I am not a nosy person, I don't have any intention to ask what these kids have gone through. I can already tell, however, they have gone through things that any kid doesn't deserve to go through.

Obviously, they have faced much scarier things than standing on a high ground. I am not saying it is not scary for them—standing on a high ground; I can still feel their fear, but it is overshadowed by their unpleasant memories.

'This is not worse than that day, so let's enjoy it,' is what they are actually doing, and I find that ironic. To live through the pain and enjoy it by thinking about how the situation could have been worse—no kid should experience it.

This is not something that we, Cursed Creations, have done. This is what humans have inflicted upon themselves, and despite so, the "God" still favors them over his other creations.

It says something about the God himself, doesn't it?

Scoffing lightly at my thought, I turn to the kids. "Alright, it's time to get down, guys. I don't want to be sent to jail for accidentally killing children with Magic."

"Awwh... It's not even an hour yet!"

I hear them protesting, but as soon as I snap my fingers, all of them gasp in excitement. I have just made a staircase surrounding the raised ground they are standing on for them to climb down, and these simple-minded creatures are impressed by it.

Lining up, starting from the younger ones, guided by the older ones, the kids climb down the staircase orderly. I can hardly find something cute lately, but I can't help slightly chuckling at that sight.

"Woah! That was actually more awesome than just standing on it!"

"That's true! What about climbing it up again? It'll be fun!"

"That's a great idea. Let's go!"

I don't know just how many trivial things they have yet to experience for them to get that excited. Nonetheless, knowing that I have accidentally made them addicted to climbing down stairs, I am not going to leave the structure the way it is.

Tapping the ground with my foot as I channel my Mana into it, the raised ground trembles briefly before slowly sinking down along with the earthen staircase.

The kids once again sigh in disappointment at that, but as soon as they turn to me, their eyes light up in, what I say, admiration. Quickly surrounding me afterwards, they ask me to do more Magic.

"Stay away from me. I eat kids."

"Woah! Do you mean it literally or the other way?"

"... What the heck is wrong with you kids? What do you mean the other way? Whom have you even learnt to say that from?!"

"It's called experience, Mr. Scary Mask."

"Your world is too fucked, isn't it?" I mutter in amusement. "Oh, wait. The same shit happens on Earth too as of now I believe. It just lacks exposure."

Looking at the brightest kid of the bunch, the one who has gone through the most, and the one who has been talking with me, I can't help smirking. I can see it—he is already understanding the world.

He knows his interest well, and I am sure he will be willing to do whatever he can to get his interest. He will likely go far in the future, but I don't think many people will like him.

Buzz!

I will like to talk to the kid to know more about how he thinks—how his experience has shaped him—however our time to leave the village has finally come. My necklace has rang, which means Velucan is calling us.

"Alright, I will like to show you some Magic, but it is time for us to go now." I wave my hand in dismissal at the kids. "Let's hope we will meet again in the future."

The kids groan in disappointment. I ignore their plea to show one simple Magic before leaving, then turn to Eliseus and Vibiane.

The two nod their head and stand up from the ground. Walking toward me, I take that as a cue to get out from the circle the kids have made around me.

"All right, everyone. It is night already—let the kind visitors leave."

I see one of the kids trying to hug my leg, but as soon as the caregiver speaks, she stops immediately. The others are also tamed down, so the situation is finally under control.

"It is time to say goodbye to the kind visitors. Don't forget to say your thanks too, understood?"

"Yes, sister!"

Lining up in two rows, the kids stand in front of the caregivers. All of them are seeing us of, smiling at us, showing us how grateful they are of our visit.

I can see no deceit on their face—they are genuine about it. I have only seen that kind of face once, and that was when we visited Scentillion.

They are having the exact same face that the citizens of Scentillion showed me that time. Likewise, I don't think I have done something for them, but they still look at me gratefully.

The citizens of Scentillion thanked me just for the fact that I am a part of the Demon King's Army. These kids and caregivers thank me just for the fact that I came here and played (kind of) with the kids.

Looking at the scene, I am reminded of the fact that there are also humans that find happiness simple, or should I say, that can be grateful of every little thing they get. Being a former human, it evokes something within me.

"You are not as supported as any other families by the Kingdom, aren't you? Your policy of not sending these kids to the battlefield unless they want it themselves is not good for business, you know?"

By the time I know it, my feet bring me closer to the kids and the caregivers. The caregivers are slightly surprised by what I said, but all of them quickly smile when I stand in front of them as if they find me funny.

"Running an orphanage shall never be treated as running a business—we shouldn't even think about it since the beginning," one of the caregivers says calmly. "We just want the kids to have a good life, not a life filled with gold."

"Refusing to take the Kingdom's subsidy for that reason makes me think you don't like wealth."

"We do love wealth." The caregiver shakes her head. "The wealth that we see, however, is different than most people. Each of the kids' smile is our wealth; we are wealthy as long as they are happy."

"You are raising up kids with no sense of patriotism, you know?" I retort.

"Does dying for the Kingdom count as patriotism? No, that is not, at least, in our opinion. Neither Demons nor Monster have ever invaded us before. It is us that are invading them, and we are just playing victim now that they are defending themselves."

The caregiver shakes her head. "For what reason do we send our kids to the battlefield? Have the Demons ever attacked us before being attacked first? No. It is an obvious fact that many people have come to ignore because of 'patriotism.'"

"Wow... I didn't expect caregivers to have such a rebellious thought about the Kingdom." I chuckle in amusement.

"We just don't want these kids to waste their lives. Most of the Knights I know don't know what they are fighting for; the rest believe they fight to protect us, but they know secretly they don't need to bother the Demons to protect us."

In a population, at least 10% of it will think differently than the rest. While the others are believing they are in danger, these caregivers believe they don't have to worry for their lives that have never been bothered.

They are not wrong thinking that way—the war between the Cursed Creations and the rest of the existing races in this world was started due to the nosy humans—but it is quite surprising to have such a talk with a human.

Putting my hand on top of my Spatial Storage, I take out a pouch of gold. I honestly don't know how much it is inside, but I am sure it will be enough to support the operational of the orphanage.

"Here is a little bit from me." I hand the pouch to the extremely grateful caregiver. "I really like the way you guys think ... Keep on leading these kids on the right path."

"T-Thank you, good sir! This kindness—we will never forget it."

Turning my back on them, I wave my hand while walking away. I find myself questioning why I did what I just did, and I can't find the answer.

Oh, the irony. I might have to kill these humans one day, but here I am helping them keep their lives.