Beautiful Eyes
On the carriage to the Lampail mansion in the royal capital, I told Miu the details I hadn’t been able to share back at the dorm.
“Wow… that’s awful. The slave traders were terrible, but even with any reason, parents who abandon their children… that’s just cruel. Okay, I’ll make them beautiful!”
When we arrived at the General mansion, I quickly greeted my father and the others, then went straight to the two of them.
Under Zack and Sarah’s care, the two were cleaned up. It seemed this was their first time even taking a proper bath, let alone being washed by someone else, and they looked completely stunned.
“Bass, Toto, we’re going to cut your hair now. It’s gotten way too long. My friend will do it for you.”
""!?""
“Nice to meet you, I’m Miura. I’ll make you look cool and beautiful. Okay, we’ll start with you first. Don’t move—it might be dangerous.”
Ignoring their surprise, Miu started with Bass, and in no time he looked refreshed and neat.
“Ah, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Next is you.”
“Eh, umm, I—”
“It’s okay. Don’t worry.”
Saying that, Miu lifted Toto’s bangs.
With her bangs lifted, her round, beautiful eyes were finally visible.
""!!!""
Seeing Toto’s eyes in the mirror, Miu, Zack, and I were stunned.
“… That’s why I didn’t want to…”
Toto muttered softly.
“So beautiful—!!”
“Eh!?”
Toto’s eyes were an odd-eye pair: right blue, left yellow. Seeing that, Miu and I were thrilled. A cat-eared girl with odd eyes… this was just perfect!
“Why were you hiding them? They’re so beautiful.”
“Yeah, it’s a waste!”
Miu and I said at once, but Toto just froze, her mouth slightly open.
“Umm, excuse me…”
Bass spoke up for her.
In the catkin race, odd eyes are considered unlucky and shunned. That was why their parents abandoned her, and why she kept her bangs long and avoided people—so the street kids she lived with wouldn’t keep their distance.
“What—!? That’s the reason!? How is that unlucky!? Did Toto do something wrong!? Don’t blame her for no reason!! Why would someone so beautiful be hated!?”
“Calm down, Joan. Bass and Toto are still scared.”
Zack’s words made me glance at them. They were trembling and clinging to each other, just like the first time we met at the orphanage. Toto’s eyes were watery.
“Ah, sorry. I yelled… I just got a little… worked up.”
I scratched my head and apologized to them.
“Ugh… waaaah, ahhhh…”
Toto suddenly burst into tears.
“Eh, eh, was it… my fault? Eh, eh, Miu, what should I do? I made her cry…”
“Geez!… There, Toto. It’s okay, nothing to be afraid of. What’s wrong? Does it hurt anywhere?”
Miu asked, but Toto just shook her head. When I took a step forward to apologize properly, Miu held out her right hand toward me and said in a low voice,
“Joan, stay!!”
“Yes!!”
Finally, Toto calmed down and drank the tea Zack made. Meanwhile, I was kneeling on the floor.
“It’s delicious… umm, sorry. I just suddenly started crying… I’m… happy.”
""Eh?""
Miu, Zack, and I didn’t understand what she meant.
“Toto, you’re saying you’re happy?”
Miu asked. Bass patted Toto’s back as she spoke.
“I… because of these eyes, I’ve always been hated… Except for Bass, no one stayed near me… But… even though you’re strangers, human, you said they were beautiful, and you got angry for me… Um… thank you.”
“That’s good. I thought I’d made her cry and that she’d hate me…”
I collapsed backward, my legs numb from sitting on the floor.
“Hey, Joan. You’re still a noble daughter, you know.”
“W-wait, Zack. I am!”
I protested, but Miu said,
“Saying that while lying down is… questionable.”
“Bwah….” “Hehe…”
Bass and Toto laughed too. Seeing their smiles, we all looked at each other and laughed.
After that, Toto’s hair was cut beautifully, making her look incredibly cute.
“… And done. How’s that?”
“Wow, amazing. I don’t even feel like myself.”
Toto’s bangs were trimmed above her eyes, and the rest of her hair reached her shoulders. I hadn’t realized because her hair was always dirty, but it was a dark gray close to black. It had a slight wave, giving her an extra cute, fluffy look.
Later, to help the two relax, dinner was eaten with just the four of us: Bass, Toto, Miu, and me. Since Bass and Toto weren’t fully recovered, we had tomato risotto, tofu meatballs, salad, and soup. It seemed to suit all three of them, and when we encouraged seconds, they asked in unison.
When dessert arrived, Toto and Miu’s eyes sparkled.
After dinner, my father and mother wanted to talk, so the three of us (excluding Miu) went to the reception room. Miu was called by Nancy to give haircuts to the staff.
On the way to the reception room, the two of them looked increasingly pale.
“You don’t need to be so nervous.”
“B-but… we’re catkin, commoners, and… we don’t know etiquette.”
“My parents know that too. And they wouldn’t get angry over something like that. They’ll probably just ask again about what I told them before, so sorry about that.”
“If that’s all… not only did you help us, you let us bathe, gave us full meals… really, thank you.”
“Me too… instead of finding my eye color weird, they praised it, made me so cute… thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
What do you think about this chapter?
