His Breeding Obsession

Well, I guess I was wrong.

 

But then again, Mirania caught herself with her foot in the fire.

 

‘So what do I do about this?’ 

 

Mirania looked down at the broom wistfully, as if she were looking at a painting of a cake.

 

If she could not use the broom, she would have to gather her magic, even if it would take some time.

 

‘But since I can’t even steal something in this state, I can’t help it.’

 “How much?”

I asked, feeling like I was being stabbed in the back.

 “The, price tag is inside, I’ll look at it.” 

The worker scurried to the back of the store, behind the curtains. Mirania crossed her arms and waited for the worker to return.

 

Five minutes? I waited, but he didn’t come.

 

‘That’s weird. He can’t have gone to the restroom.’

 

Her instincts screamed a warning.

 

Silencing her footsteps, Mirania strode to where the attendant had run and pulled back the thin black curtains.

 Swoosh— “!” 

The clerk, who had been picking at his nails while holding a strange oval bead to his ear, stiffened.

 

Mirania snatched the object from his hand and placed it in her ear.

 「Ah, I can hear you now. Smith, say it again. A strange person came to the shop??」 

Without another word, Mirania pressed the button that stood out.

 Beep, beep, beep— 

No more voice came out.

 “…” “…” 

A chilling silence passed between them.

 

With a hint of bemusement, Mirania spoke,

“I tried to do you a favor, and you repaid me with spite.” 

The pensive attendant crouched down in front of Mirania.

 “I’m supposed to report anyone suspicious… Alas, sorry, I’m sorry, please, I’m sorry…” 

He repeats the same words as if he’s been brainwashed to say them.

 

Seeing him like that, Mirania lost all desire for anger.

 

In hindsight, it’s probably a reasonable thing to do from the worker’s perspective.

 

Just as he was slumped over a bit, a worker walked up to her and tried to kiss the instep of her foot.

 

It was a gesture of extreme apology from the lowest of the low.

 

Offended, Mirania frowned and drew her foot back, and for some reason, the clerk leaned in even further.

 “For, for sinning with dirty hands, sorry, I’m sorry.” 

Sighing, Mirania bent her knees and grabbed the clerk by the chin.

 

Mirania’s golden eyes locked with the commoner’s brown ones. Her brows knitted together in thought.

 “I can hardly contain my frustration,”

she sighed, then added, 

 “That the humans have fallen so low, and you know what? This workshop belonged to humans hundreds of years ago.” 

Those shaky brown eyes widened.

 “I thought you humans were being punished for capturing and enslaving the beastmen, Grecan, for whatever the child did was none of my business, but… all living things have the right to live freely.” 

Mirania swallowed hard, suddenly remembering the young Grecan pleading beneath Balkan’s freezing cold.

 

Mirania felt similar compassion for the servant, even though she bore no resemblance to Grecan.

 

The world must be to him what Balkan was to Grecan.

 “If it’s hard, run away. Or resist.” 

Mirania swallowed the rest of her words, feeling a little stab in the heart as she realized that this was all because of Grecan.

 

‘I didn’t raise Grecan this way, but I can’t say it’s not related to me, so it’s ambiguous.’ 

 

The servant blinked at her as she sighed in confusion.

 “Sorry, I’m sorry.” 

The worker didn’t drag her feet this time. Mirania realized the words had a different quality than the previous apology.

 

Unlike a moment ago, when it had been nothing more than a panicked outburst, this apology came of its own free will.

 

‘This is enough.’

 “It is all right, for I have come to realize that the condition of humans is neither good nor bad. Instead.” 

Dropping to her knees, Mirania snapped her fingers behind her.

 

A broom she’d been eyeing from a display of brooms was swept into her hand.

 “I’m going to borrow this. Things are going on right now, and I may not be able to return it, but I’ll be back someday to pay you.” 

The servant’s ears flicked back at the casual remark.

 “I wouldn’t call it a price, but I’ve enchanted the rest of the broom, so you’ll be able to squeeze water out of the tines.” 

The servant’s face grew more confused.

 

‘What am I supposed to use that ability for?’

 

Once out of the shop, Mirania glanced back at the dilapidated exterior.

 “I hope that won’t get me in trouble with the owner.” 

Muttering to herself, Mirania wasted no time and hopped on her broom.

 

In a flash, the broom whipped up a breeze and headed out to sea.

 

The only remaining worker in the store crouched down on the cold floor and rubbed at her eyes.

The image of Mirania’s figure lingered like an afterimage on her retinas.

 

A confused muttering came from her mind.

 “Who are you?” 

At first glance, I thought she was just another one of those cold, indifferent people who ignored me.

 

The servant silently placed a hand over her heart. For the first time in nearly a decade, it pulses like crazy. Not with pain, but with a tickling sensation.

 

The customer who had just arrived as a gift was so beautiful and sweet that I was tempted to tell her to steal something other than the old broom.

 

If I did, the response would have been, ‘Uh-huh, it’s not like she’s stealing anything.’

 Beep, beep, beep— 

The forcibly disconnected line flashed red.

 

Fear gathered like a dark cloud over the sobered worker’s face.

 

‘It’s the boss.’

 

 

If he realized what had happened, she would be beaten to death by her returning boss.

 

The boss, a bear man, had a hand as small as a pot lid, and even a single blow would cause blood to gush out.

 

It had already been ten years since she’d waited on her knees in pity for the workshop, under the thumb of a man who had stolen everything from her, a man who wouldn’t mind chewing her up.

 

That’s enough time for the rage and will to resist fading.

 [Run if you must, or resist.]

 

The original owner of the magic workshop.

 

From master to servant, Smith’s body shook with the fall from grace. If anyone dared to attack his scrawny body, he would be beaten to death.

 

Hesitantly, he pulled a crumpled note from the back pocket of his pants.

 <Well-meaning comrades. If you want to live like a human being, gather here.>

 

He hadn’t taken the note off his body since he received it, but he’d been too afraid to look at it.

 

The words were appealing, to live with dignity, but joining the Resistance meant living outside oneself.

 

‘But, but…’ 

 

The disconnected line began to squeal once more.

 [If it’s hard, run away. Or resist…]

 

Helpless, Smith squeezed his eyes shut and scrambled to his feet. He ran for the back door of the store, not the blinking red line.

  

Once Mirania got her broom, she set off down a deserted canyon, falling off her broom.

 

The reason she fell instead of climbing was because the broom was terrible.

 

‘Chera’s crappy broom would be a million times better than this,’

she thought.

 

Luckily, the water was calm, and Mirania flew over the surface of the sea, feeling like she was traveling.

 

‘As I recall, this is Water Dragon territory, so why is it so quiet?’

 

Mirania shook her head and continued flying. Halfway across the water, the surface was still calm.

 

But as they neared the mainland, the foam began to rise and fall like a lie.

 

‘It’s finally showing itself.’

 

At first glance, I caught a glimpse of a giant whale fin-like object beneath the waves, which were rising as if in a gale.

 

A water dragon, a sentinel of the sea. Most ships would be attacked by a water dragon at this point, or sunk by the waves.

 

The waves had even invaded the sky above Mirania.

 Poof! 

Swiping the seawater off her cheeks with the back of her hand, Mirania cut off a handful of her hair and scattered it into the foaming sea.

 

A moment later, a long, massive neck rose and opened its mouth to gulp down the seawater where the hair had fallen.

 

Gulp!

 

Its gaping mouth was so big that it couldn’t even see the hair that had fallen out, and the amount of seawater it swallowed was enough to fill a house.

 

It worked, though, and the waves soon subsided.

 

Mirania glided over the calm waters like a full lion.

 

Arriving at the mainland, she sensed a strange atmosphere.

 

Unlike the humans’ second continent, the beast’s first continent was more nature-oriented. It was no exaggeration to say that the entire continent was made up of forests.

 

‘Why is it that everywhere looks like it’s been eaten by rats?’

 

Mirania lamented as she looked at the scorched earth where once there was lush greenery everywhere.

 

‘A devastated land… what a strange vision… did I see it in a dream?’

 

Searching her mind, Mirania sighed at the memory, which was still as blurry as paint. Her expression darkened with distress.

 

‘The question of who could have done such an inhuman act is pointless. But how could Grecan do this without being insane?’