A giant hamster that spoke like a person.
Even in this fantasy world with magic and non-human races, this was a fantastic creature. You couldn't talk to monsters alone. There were some rare cases where they could speak, but most of them only repeated specific lines.
«Let go of me! Let me go right now! Damn traitors!»
So what the hell was that thing?
I wrinkled my forehead. This thing was speaking in the ancient language. And I had had the misfortune of encountering a «monster» who spoke in the ancient language not long ago.
Was it a coincidence?
Doubt began to surface in my mind.
«Mr. Yandel, what's wrong?»
«Is there a problem?»
Hey? What were these reactions about?
Confused, I quickly asked them in turn: «Don't you hear what this thing says?».
«...Sorry? Is talking?»
«I haven't heard anything about that. Just yells unpleasantly».
«Ah! That's what I hear too!»
What was this?
I looked back at the hamster, which had become even more distrustful, and realized that it had stopped struggling at some point and was now looking at me again.
«(You...! Can you hear me?)»
What, I was wondering if I could understand it? Something like that? I didn't see any point in answering the question. Instead, I tightened my grip so I couldn't struggle even if I wanted to and started my own conversation. «(You.)»
«(Ugh...! Let go of me...! Barbarian bastard... You don't know who I am?!)».
In fact, he didn't know who or what he was, no matter how tall and powerful he acted.
«(What is your relationship with the village chief?)» I asked, going straight to the most important question. I decided the first thing I had to find out was whether that thing was an agent sent by the boss or not. However, he looked at me like he had no idea what I was talking about, so I gave him the boss's other name. «Cornelius Bruingrid». What, that name doesn't sound familiar to you? Even if you are both monsters who speak the ancient language)».
If he once again pretended not to know what he was talking about, he planned to call a specialist and turn this into a formal interrogation.
«(Damn bastard! I'm not a monster...!)»
«(Shut up. Just answer my question.)»
I flexed my hand to give him a warning squeeze, and as soon as I loosened my grip, he blurted out: «(I don't know! I don't know! So don't squeeze me! I'm going to vomit...!)».
«(Don't you know? What a shame. Then I'll have to investigate it myself)».
«(Investigate it... yourself...?)»
You will soon know.
I called Amelia, and she drew her sword and made to examine its edge for imperfections.
It seemed that the hamster saw its future pass before its eyes. «(It-Wait!)»
«(Have you remembered anything yet?)»
«(The ancient-language...! If we are talking about a 'monster' that speaks the ancient language, one comes to mind! You are... you are talking about the one who flies on the dragon!)»
...¿El que qué?
It was true that the title of the boss when he was a person was Dragon Knight...
«Emily, wait a second». I returned the greeting to Amelia before continuing our conversation in the ancient language. «(You, tell me more about that monster that flies riding a dragon)».
«(I don't know much! But he came here before. He had blue skin and a huge eye on his head. He had many subordinates... And he talked! He spoke the same language as me)»
Blue skin and a huge eye. That description matched the boss's appearance. The chances of there being another race of monsters that looked like that and also speaking the ancient language were incredibly low.
This means the bastard lied about something else after all.
He had told me that they couldn't leave the island and that's why they didn't know anything about the outside world. But all of these were nothing more than lies.
«When did they get here?» I asked.
«(It has been so long since it would be useless to try to tell it)».
«(I will decide if it is useless or not. Give me a number.)»
«(I don't know exactly! The sky has opened tens of thousands of times since those monsters last came here...)!»
The sky had opened. It was probably the rainy season. If that was the case, he could agree with the hamster that it was useless to try to count.
Ten thousand rainy seasons... It would be about 833 years in the outside world.
But it had been opened tens of thousands of times. That would mean that the chief had visited this place thousands of years ago.
After crunching the numbers, I asked more questions. «(What did you mean by flying on a dragon?)»
«(Exactly what I said! Whenever he came here, he would ride a huge dragon and bring a bunch of cronies with him.».
«(When he came, do you say he came several times?)»
«(I used to come here quite regularly, but at some point, it stopped showing up for some reason...)»
«(What did the boss do while he was here?)»
«(The same thing you are doing! They ripped out all the books I had organized with so much effort and threw them in the trash! Really, you...)»
«(Wait, did you organize the books?)»
«(...Sí?)»
What was this?
My gut was telling me that he hadn't lied to me yet, and to be honest, my suspicions that he was a spy sent by the boss were fading into pure curiosity. Now I just wanted to know more about whatever that thing was.
«Why do you organize the books?». I settled for asking. After all, the most important factor in understanding people was their motivations.
The response I received was, unfortunately, too vague to tell me anything conclusive. «(It is...! Because I need it!)».
"(¿Qué...?)"
«(Organizing the books... is what I need to do. That's how it's been since I was born in this place!)»
«(So... the reason for your existence is to organize books?)»
«(It's not such a great reason, I know... but that doesn't change that it's my duty)»
He didn't seem to want to hide anything from me. I asked him several more times to confirm it, but his answer did not change.
«(...Ugh! Idiot!)», he snorted. «Do you think there has to be a deeper reason for everything? Some things are exactly what they seem! They are simply like that. And I just need to organize the books)».
But why do you need to organize the books?
He seemed as confused as I was when I asked him the same question, almost like it was the first time I had to think about it, and in the end he jumped on me.
It seems that not even she can understand her own motivations.
I probably wouldn't be able to get anything more out of him even if I kept insisting on this, so I moved on.
«(Is there anything else here?)»
He blinked, even more perplexed.
«(You know. Things like special books, treasures or special monsters. Maybe a hidden area... If not, maybe something you want to hide from outsiders)».
His expression then went blank.
«(¿Now?)»
At my question quietly, the hamster blurted out: «(NN-No!)».
Sometimes a strong denial was itself a powerful confirmation.
«(As I thought... You have something like that, right?)».
I felt like my mouth was watering. From there, the conversation continued in circles for a while.
«(I already told you I don't have one! What are you talking about?)».
The hamster continued to deny everything like a parrot.
«(Ah, I just want to take a look)».
And I ignored him like any barbarian would do.
«(C-How many times am I going to have to tell you? There is none of that here)».
«(You know, we never said we'd take him. I really just want to take a look at whatever it is. You're starting to piss me off.)»
Seriously, why couldn't this hamster do what I said? I came to the conclusion that being nice to this hamster wouldn't get me any closer to getting what I wanted.
«(Eh.)» I lowered my tone ominously, and the hamster shuddered before looking at me nervously. «(Do you think we're colleagues or something? Don't you understand the situation you are in?)».
«(...No, it's not that. D-There really is nothing... D-Really...)»
«(Ah, then tell me something else.)»
«(Something else... more...?)»
«(Yes. For example, a way to get out of here. Do you know any?)»
«(…No.)»
«(The boss's weakness or a secret of his?)»
There is no answer.
«(So what do you want me to do? I need a reason, you know)».
«(A reason...?)»
«(Yes. I need to get something out of you first if I'm going to let you go or whatever. Actually, you know what? Should I check if you drop an essence?)»
Oho. He had nothing to say to that, so he kept his mouth shut. Was the secret he kept really that valuable?
Seeing that the threats didn't work either, I changed my approach a bit. «Hey, then at least tell me about yourself. What are you? Why are you here, and how did you learn to speak like a person?)»
«(Ah, eso es.)»
Perhaps that topic was more addressable. He answered my question quite pleasantly, although there wasn't much substance in his answer.
«(So long story short, you've been here from the moment you were born, and were you already able to speak like a person back then too?)».
«(Y-Yes... That boss! That boss was the first other creature I saw)»
«(Does the boss know about you?)»
«(He probably doesn't know. I saw that he could talk, so I tried to approach him and talk to him... but that fool didn't understand a word I was saying to him.)»
«(Like the other people here who can't understand you except me?)»
«(By the way, what are you? How can you talk to me, and why aren't you afraid of me?)»
What... why was he suddenly acting so brave?
«(That's my line. Are you the one asking the questions here?)»
Again, no response.
«(Whatever. Let's deal with that first. Why are people afraid of you? Do you have any kind of ability that allows you to scare them?)»
«(...I don't know. This is how everyone around me acts. Even that boss took out his sword and brandished it as soon as he saw me. You didn't seem different... That's why I tried to scare you...)»
«(But then they caught you.)»
He remained silent again.
«(Then why am I okay? To me, you just look like a tiny hamster.)»
«(An h-hamster?! I don't look anything like a hamster!)»
«(So what are you? Does your species have a name?)»
«(Well, I... No...)»
«(So, do you have a name?)»
«(...I don't need something like a name.)»
I sighed. «(That's why hermits like you who are out of touch with society are so... Well, it doesn't matter. Names exist to make things easier for everyone. So now I'll give you a name)».
"(...¿Darm a number?)"
«(Yes.)» I took pity on this lonely creature who had lived alone in this library for thousands of years, so I thought long and hard about what to call it. «(...Hamsick. Yes, Hamsick. That will be your name from now on.)»
He looked at me in silence.
«(What? Do you have a problem with that?)»
«(N-No... Not really...)»
«(I am Bjorn, son of Yandel. Yandel is my last name, and Bjorn is my first name. You can call me Bjorn.)»
«(Bjorn… Understood.)»
Alright, so we had officially introduced ourselves.
However, just as he was about to continue our previous conversation, Hamsick suddenly asked his own question.
«(So... are we friends now...?)»
He sounded cautious and nervous at the same time.
When I tilted my head in question, Hamsick avoided eye contact while muttering: «(Well... as far as I know, people named by their name are friends...)».
«(Where did you learn that?)»
«(I don't know. I just knew it from the moment I was born. How I knew how to speak)».
«(In series?)»
The more I talked to this creature, the more mysterious it became, but I also had a separate thought.
I think I understand now how to handle this thing.
I let go of the thought and helped her to her feet. And then, I met his gaze and extended a hand to him. «Hamsick, I'll be in your care from now on».
He looked at me confused.
«(What, weren't you the one who pointed out that exchanging names makes us friends? New friends often shake hands. Oh, maybe you don't know what a handshake is?)»
«(I know! Why wouldn't I know?» With that, Hamsick timidly extended a furry hand. «Will I also be in your care?»
How desperate for company was this little thing? But he had found a new friend. What it meant...
«Very good, then tell me. Where is? Where is that treasure you hide?»
It was time to start collecting my «friend tax».
Hamsick looked at me with eyes screaming betrayal before sneaking a few steps back.
Hey, you're going to make your new friend cry.
«(Hamsick, just so you know, friends shouldn't keep secrets from each other)».
«(P-But...)»
«(Am I not your friend?)»
«Eep...» Hamsick screeched, disturbed by my question.
I didn't say anything else, instead I chose to wait.
«(I-I got it... I'll show you...)» he finally conceded. «(But when you're there, don't touch anything! Understood?)»
«(Ah, of course.)»
Hamsick seemed to have calmed down now that he had made up his mind. He spun his index finger theatrically, almost as if he wanted to show off to his new friend.
Swoosh.
All over the room, the books on the shelves began to slide a little, enough to show the difference between books that had moved and those that hadn't.
Is it some kind of lock where you have to take out certain books to discover a hidden room?
As he watched the unfolding of events in a daze, the books suddenly stopped moving.
Rumor!
And then, the stone door opened to reveal a hidden area.