NOVEL NEXT Chapter 18 - Episode 18: Pakis' Life, Worst Father Ever.
Episode 18: Pakis’ Life, Worst Father Ever.
(Pakis’ Perspective)
“Are you really my son?”
Those words from my old man just won’t leave my ears. I can understand it a bit, though. Both my parents were drunk when I was made. My mother doesn’t even remember who she slept with, but on a day of revelry, someone present said she was with Dugga. So, I’m just a mistake born out of drunkenness. My mother thought it’d be better off without a father, so the two of us lived together, but then she fell ill. So, I went to meet what seemed like my father, and this was his response. Bastard.
“Mom’s sick.”
“And?”
“And what…!? If you’re my father, do something about it, damn it!”
“Oh well, even if you say that, Rakis said she doesn’t need money from me. If anything, you can earn for yourself.”
It makes sense that Mom said she doesn’t need a father. I really wish he’d just drop dead, but I don’t know any other way to make money, so I decided to earn under this jerk’s command. But I have no intention of living with him, and I’ll do as I please. Some of the older brothers from the gang taught me a lot—how to fight, harass business rivals, intimidate, and make money… and how to kill people. For each of us brothers, Dad assigns a few underlings to take care of work, and then it’s up to us how we live… but…
“You’re still useful, Pakis.”
“Why’s that?”
“Underlings come in all sorts—some are like useful slaves, some seem like they can be useful, and Dad chooses younger ones over us. So, Pakis, you’re still growing into someone Dad can use properly.”
I don’t need such a burden. But occasionally, there’s an underling who seems useful. You can tell by her hair color or race that she’d be handy. I happened to pick one up who seemed useful, so I brought her along.
Timid, foolish, can’t speak clearly. I’ve tried teaching countless times, but she just won’t learn even after getting hit several times. Even I would learn after getting hit a few times, but this one’s so stupid she won’t learn no matter how many times she’s hit. But she can use water magic. It sells for a good price in small quantities, and since she’s so dim-witted, she can conjure it endlessly.
“Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard? Are you okay?”
Mom can’t get out of bed, but she still worries about me.
“I’m fine! I got an underling now!”
“Oh, really? Take care of them, okay?”
“I know!”
Frim was truly a fool. Can’t even throw a stone far enough to harass someone, let alone run away. Frankly, she’s a burden. Still, she’s my underling, and we were earning quite well with her magic. Despite receiving proper education, all she do is make excuses like “I’m hungry” or “I can’t move,” even though she could move if she stopped slacking off after a few hits. Yet, thanks to my education, the amount of water she could produce increased, and our earnings improved significantly. …Well, half of the earnings are taken by the older brothers, but even with the remaining half, I could use it for Mom’s medical expenses. We could afford good medicine soon. Or so I thought.
“It seems Dad took a liking to Frim. Too bad for you.”
“Dammit!”
Even though Frim had finally started producing magic properly after a long period of education, they were taken by Dad. Mom needed to continue taking medicine, even though we had to switch to the cheapest option, and she had started to move a bit, but now she’s bedridden again.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it, just rest.”
“Is your work with your underling not going well?”
“…Ah, it’s just that Frim’s a clumsy fool and keeps failing.”
“That’s unfortunate. Take care of her.”
“I know.”
“Is Dugga treating you well?”
“Of course.”
“How’s Dad doing? Is he well?”
“As usual, he’s asleep.”
I couldn’t stand having to tell such lies, and it infuriated me to no end, both with Dad and Frim. But I’ve heard that if you rebel against Dad, he shows no mercy, and there’s nothing I can do. So, I attacked a stall in another district.
“Hey! Fork over the cash, you fools!!”
“W-What’re you doing?! If you do this, the Niggs won’t stay quiet!!”
“Shut up! Die!!”
“Ugh?!”
I kicked the old man’s head, and he went quiet. Gotta take all the money now… What a pain.
“Pakis, that kind of thing isn’t good, you know?”
“But the older brothers said it’s okay to attack such bastards, right?”
“If we attack enough to shut down the shop, we won’t be able to extort them, will we? We’re dealing with the Niggs here. Got it?”
“You going soft? Are you weak, huh? You gonna wimp out, huh?!”
Got kicked. Damn, that hurts.
“I can’t believe I went too far, got myself educated… I can’t go back to Mom on days like this. What went wrong? What was…?”
… All the bad things started happening after she was gone.
Can’t earn money anymore! Can’t buy medicine anymore! Lost my job too!!
Mom got worse, can’t do anything. Dammit!!
And yet, Frim has subordinates who go out and sell just by producing water. But she won’t pay me. Worthless scum. …She needs to learn his place. If she’s working near my old man now, she must be earning, and I can squeeze some money out of her. Frim is earning with the water magic I taught her. So the money she earns is mine.
One day, I was called by my old man. I thought it was about Mom. Would he at least pay for her medicine? But no, it wasn’t like that. Sickening, sickening idea, made me want to throw up.
“Can’t leave you alone, so take Logan and Olmiroi and Pakis with you. —Is that okay?”
Logan, strong enough to rise from a slave to a slave head. Stronger than the brothers. Olmiroi is damn strong. A lizardman with an unbeatable lineage… Frim can have subordinates like them. And I’m a subordinate? What?
“Feeling dizzy.”
“Throw up and then go to work.Sorry.”
…That shitty old man is worried about Frim, who looks sick. It’s so infuriating. Hold back the rising anger. Killing Frim won’t bring in any money. If I’m going to teach her a lesson, I have to do it where the old man can’t see.
“Pakis, listen to Frim and protect her properly, okay?”
“…Yes.”
Couldn’t say “you piece of shit,” held it in. There’s no point in causing a scene here.
“Master, may I ask something?”
“What is it, Logan?”
“If it’s about cleaning, there may be places where only women can enter. And perhaps we can’t be near Frim-sama, right?”
Frim, sama?
“Oh, that’s right, Logan! You’re as sharp as ever!”
“Not at all.”
“Then pick a couple and take them.”
Is Frim really that important to the old man? I’m so pissed off I could die.
—So I just wanted to stab her a little with a knife and get some money out of her.
“Why… why did you do that?”
“That shitty old man.”
“Frim is helping me out, why did you try to kill him?”
*Peh.*
He spat in my face, clearing my head a bit, but I ended up spitting out everything. With his fists.
Even though it hurt, I kept getting punched until I spat it all out.
“I thought you two could get along… Well, forget it. Pakis, you went too far. Reflect a little.”
“…”
…Damn, screwed up.