Story Reader / Affection / Lamia: Lost Lullaby / Story
3:00 PM, Refugee Camp
What's your name again?
Wait, you're Elene, right?
I'm Elene. You got it wrong again.
Sitting nearby, Lamia says.
Elene... Merlin... Ruolin...
The old man mumbles, becoming less audible as he goes on.
Time... is gone... I can't find it...
As the human feeds the last bit of medicine to the old man, he gradually falls asleep. Lamia tucks him in again.
The human tries to clean up the empty bowls.
Here, let me do it.
I don't want people to think I'm dumping all the work on you and all.
Lamia can't see the human's face through the bandages, but she offers to help anyway, having sensed that the human was about to say something.
See, I'm super grateful that you helped me turn him over, but I'm sure they're going to make this a one-person job going forward if I let you do everything.
And if that happens, we'll end up with twice the workload, so I say we just take it easy here.
Through the slits, Lamia can see that the human seems momentarily dazed. A second later, the Gray Raven Commandant nods.
Lamia picks up on the subtle changes the moment she steps out of the temporary camp with the empty bowls.
The two guards patrolling near the warehouse start chatting, yet their gazes toward this way remain blatant.
The guard standing on the watchtower looks like he is overseeing the entire camp, and yet he seems to be paying special attention this way.
A refugee sorting through his trash is passing something from his left hand to his right hand—without ever putting it where it should go.
Meanwhile, the human standing next to Lamia quietly observes all these people as they adjust the bandages on their face.
(Is the commandant plotting an escape route or something?)
Lamia slows down to give the human some more time to observe.
She still doesn't know what brought the Gray Raven Commandant here.
But always trying to minimize her presence, Lamia sure is glad to have someone here who gets showered with everyone's attention.
(I can kiss this place goodbye as soon as the transport vehicle gets here.)
(Which means the Gray Raven Commandant will have all the time in the world to deal with these people.)
After returning their items, Lamia and her companion are assigned different tasks.
(Should have taken my time with it...)
Lamia lets out an internal sigh. Had she been on her own, she would have taken all the time there was in the world in the tent.
But the Gray Raven Commandant seems to have a different plan, wasting no time finishing all the given tasks before rushing off to wherever the commandant is supposed to go next.
It just so happens to be Lamia's turn to partner with the Gray Raven Commandant today, giving her a perfect opportunity to strike up a conversation to see exactly what the commandant is doing here.
And yet she passes up the chance again, promising herself that she would definitely do it next time.
(Don't they feel guilty at all for employing child labor?)
(Oh, right, it probably doesn't count as employment if they don't pay us.)
The sun is gone by the time Lamia has finished her assigned work, with a brilliant starry cloak hanging over the night sky.
Artificial lights are no longer able to brighten the night sky, so the lights from thousands of years ago unfold.
I wonder if Babylonia is somewhere up there.
Lamia lies on the rock she usually slacks off on, with no intention of returning to her bed just yet.
Right then, she hears a raspy voice coming from behind.
Eek! Even a cat walks louder than you!
Almost jumping to her feet, Lamia gives the human a piece of her mind.
Given her current guise of a "brave little girl who has lost her legs" and her plan of taking her time with everything, jumping to her feet now would spoil everything.
(But well, did I let my guard down back there.)
You sounded sure just now. Have you been to Babylonia yourself?
Lamia was about to roll her eyes at the human's firm denial.
(That was one swift no. Not feeling guilty about lying to a kid, I see.)
(But then again, who am I to say anything when it comes to lying?)
How would you know Babylonia is not somewhere in there if you've never been to Babylonia yourself?
The human before her falls quiet at the question. Through the bandages, Lamia can't see their facial expression.
(Guess the commandant is not good at lying to kids?)
So? You're not going to say you've actually been there, are you?
With a hint of vengeance, Lamia presses on with her question.
At the ambiguous response, Lamia does not pursue further. It isn't the Gray Raven Commandant that she's after anyway.
That's probably because I'm just an outsider like you?
Why are you asking me?
I don't own this place, so suit yourself.
Seeing the human sit a distance away from her, Lamia gives up the idea of moving to the side for the time being.
But you're pretty different yourself, wouldn't you say?
Why are you sitting on the ground when you can sit on the rock?
Oh... didn't know I came off as a loner to you.
(Crap, did I go too far with this role-playing thing?)
You sound like you're a people person.
You must've been quite popular before they did a number on your face? What's the word for that? Social...
Ah, right.
(Yup, pretty sure there are, so could you please take the hint and just go away now?)
Lamia secretly complains to herself as she continues the topic.
It's impossible for everyone to like you... Getting hated on by everyone, though, seems more likely.
Lamia curls up her prosthetic legs, speaking with a hint of dejection.
Pretty sure you're the type that says whatever is on their mind...
Feeling the human's gaze, Lamia turns her head away, feeling awkward.
People never take me seriously, and I only learn about what they think of me from what they say behind my back.
The warehouse manager says I can't lift things to save my life, the food distributor thinks I eat too much, and the overseer finds me barely useful...
People never bother talking to Lamia who deliberately keeps her distance from people, and she quite enjoys being unnoticed.
It's only when she faces this human—who's masked like herself—that she feels comfortable enough to pour her heart out.
She opens up like a floodgate, recounting her recent experiences and feelings as "Elene".
With the human listening to her quietly, Lamia feels heard.
The human keeps their eyes on Lamia without saying a word—which, to her, is more than she could have hoped for.
Gradually, however, Lamia grows quiet when it hits her that...
(Damn it, I spoke a little too much... Gotta change the subject now.)
You're awfully quiet there... Want to talk about yourself?
Lamia nods.
(Yes, just like this. Go ahead and tell me everything there is to know about Babylonia already... Well, guess that's not gonna happen.)
(But that totally got the commandant distracted.)
...
Huh?
