novelraw Chapter 56: The Answer
Chapter 56: The Answer
Just as Fischer was simmering vegetable soup while pondering how to handle the little goatling before him, rustling sounds emerged again from the bushes where Fischer and Raphaëlle had discovered the goatling earlier. Soon after, a female goatling covered in fluffy white fur emerged, her panicked gaze first landing on Fischer before shifting to the child devouring soup from a bowl.
"My child!"
She cried out in alarm, rushing to the goatling child crouched on the ground and clutching him tightly. The female goatling's body was covered in thick fur except for her face, revealing dirt-streaked features.
It was clear she hadn't eaten for a long time either - her tattered clothes barely covered her body, and she carried a strong milky scent. After confirming her child's safety, her eyes flickered toward the bowl in his hands, her throat bobbing involuntarily.
Fischer observed the trembling goatlings before turning to Raphaëlle, whose brows had furrowed deeply.
Before Fischer could speak, she leapt up and dashed toward the forest behind them.
The mother and child immediately panicked at Raphaëlle's sudden movement, their bodies shaking uncontrollably. The goatling mother shielded her son protectively, as if expecting Fischer to attack them.
But Fischer simply continued ladling soup, calmly tasting its flavor.
"Bang!"
"Ah! No!""Wham!"
Not long after Raphaëlle left, several shouts and gunshots echoed from the distant woods. Multiple trees toppled in succession, sending birds scattering into the sky before silence reclaimed the area.
Soon, Raphaëlle returned from the direction the mother and child had come from, her expression cold as she carried several rifles. Blood stained her linen clothes as she exhaled a long, steamy breath before tossing the firearms to the ground.
"Who were they?"
As Raphaëlle sat back down beside him, Fischer served her a bowl of soup. She wrinkled her nose at the smell, clearly unimpressed.
Her gaze turned complicated as she stared at the bloodied rifles before taking a small sip. "Goatlings. I've dealt with all of them..."
"You're improving quickly. No impulsive actions this time, and your observation skills have sharpened. How did you notice?"
Raphaëlle glanced at the shivering goatlings, her eyes tracing their emaciated frames. "Even fleeing refugees wouldn't starve to this extent. They could survive on wild grasses in the forest normally. This degree of starvation only happens when they're forcibly imprisoned and denied food."
Her gaze shifted to the pale-faced goatling mother. "That female carries the scent of recent mating. Humans wouldn't violate female demi-humans, meaning their oppressors must have been fellow demi-humans - most likely their own kind. Probably deserters from the defeated frontlines raiding their own people for women and supplies."
"They must have sent this mother and child to lower our guard before attacking."
As she spoke, Raphaëlle's expression turned sorrowful as she looked at the pair, momentarily at a loss for words.
This was the reality for demi-humans - not only oppressed by humans, but also suffering from their own kind's shortsighted greed...
When Fischer remained silent, she turned to find him wearing an uncharacteristically gentle smile. Under his rare warm gaze, Raphaëlle's face flushed crimson, her eyes instinctively darting away.
"Excellent analysis. Full marks this time."
"......"
Raphaëlle's tail swayed slightly as she took several more sips of the unpalatable soup, as if it had suddenly turned delicious.
"Fischer! I heard gunshots! Did you hunt something? Larr wants meat! Huh? Goaties..."
Larr stumbled out from the carriage door, rubbing her eyes. Still half-asleep, she wobbled toward Fischer only to be intercepted by Raphaëlle, who pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Larr, come drink some soup."
"Ugh... What is this? No way! Larr hates green food!"
"It's good for you."
Like a demon, Raphaëlle forced several mouthfuls into the drowsy Larr before releasing her. Larr immediately ran crying to the river to wash her mouth as if poisoned.
"I'm telling Mir! Lady Raphaëlle bullied me and put her smelly clothes on me! Larr is angry! Waaah..."
Watching Larr's dramatic retreat into the carriage, Raphaëlle crossed her arms indifferently.
As if her own parents couldn't control her in the tribe, let alone little Larr.
When Fischer remained silent, Raphaëlle offered soup to the goatling pair before pointing them toward safety without inviting them to join their journey.
"Thank you! Thank you!"
Overcome with emotion at their genuine release, the goatling mother wept while clutching her child. After comforting words from her son, they departed southward with one of Raphaëlle's provided rifles.
As night fell, Raphaëlle watched from a treetop as the pair disappeared into the wilderness. With her sharp vision, she spotted a migrating goatling tribe in that direction - their timing should allow safe reunion.
This was all she could currently offer.
The nearby northern shore let Raphaëlle hear waves crashing and see seagulls dancing freely. At night, monstrous roars echoed across the waters - which Fischer explained were human ship horns.
Thus in Raphaëlle's mind, ships became gigantic roaring beasts carrying humans in their bellies across oceans. She wondered what such massive creatures ate to grow so large - surely something that noisy required enormous amounts of meat.
As the horn faded, leaving southern plains silent again, it reminded Raphaëlle they neared Fischer's destination. This realization stirred strange conflicting feelings - eager curiosity mixed with dread.
She longed to see Fischer's homeland, learn about his past and family, to live together. Yet reason told her how absurd this was - at least currently.
Fischer lived in human-dominated lands across the sea. As Mir said, most humans there despised demi-humans. Even if Fischer differed, she couldn't accept...
Raphaëlle had missions to complete, as this journey had shown her.
She must bring her companions home to their families. She wanted to save dying demi-humans so they too could return. She desired equal standing with Fischer, to stand beside him without scorn.
None of which could be achieved by following him home...
Gazing at the distant horizon, Raphaëlle's emerald eyes flickered with uncertainty before solidifying with resolve.
She had found her answer.