Three's A Crowd

The three looked down the hole expecting to see a beast or an animal but got surprised when they saw neither. Instead, a child with black hair stares up at them. Its red eyes are widely opened as if it's looking right through their very souls.

"What is a child doing in here?" [???]

"What else? She might have fallen in here, idiot!" [???]

The child watched as the two guys bickered. Both of them appeared to be in their mid-twenties. The other one, a pretty looking girl who seemed younger than the two, hunched down and looked at the child.

『 This child looks like a cute girl. How did she get in here 』

"Are you okay?" [???]

The child blinked at her and tilted its head to the side.

<< Analyzing language information… Success. You have gained <Language Skills> You can now communicate with others. >>

『Ohh?』

The child then tried to open its mouth.

"...water…"

『Ah! I can really speak!』

It then grinned in happiness, its fang flashing as it did so. The girl, who saw this, flinched in surprise.

『She has a fang?』[???]

She looked confused as to how and just then noticed the protruding horn on the left side of her head.

『A… a monster?! No. What is she? She isn't human!』[???]

"Lou Yi, what are you doing? We should get her out of there!" [???]

The guy who spoke just now crouched and looked down at the little girl.

"Kid! How did you get in here? Where are your parents?" [???]

The child blinked at him.

"I fell."

"You fell? Who's with you? Why are you here alone? Did they leave you?" [???]

The other guy also bent his body to look at the child.

"Yah! Mo Zen! Lou Yi! It's naked! Why aren't you giving it anything?!" [???]

He then shrugged off his outer robe and threw it in. The robe landed on the child's head who immediately pulled it off.

『What is this? Food?』

<< That is clothes. You should put it on and don't eat it. >>

"Clothes?"

<< Yes. Not for eating. You wear it. >>

"Put it on!" [???]

"Do you think she will understand you, Xian Yun? You really are an idiot." [Mo Zen]

"What idiot! You didn't even give her anything!" [Xian Yun]

"You two, shut up! Look away! I will get her out." [Lou Yi]

The two guys scratched their heads but heeded Lou Yi's words.

Lou Yi then looked at the child again who was grasping the robe in its hands, looking at it in confusion.

『 I'll find it out later. She's still a child anyway, she can't do anything to us. 』[Lou Yi]

"Hey, don't panic okay? I'll jump down there and get you out." [Lou Yi]

『 I can get out?! 』

The child nodded and Lou Yi took that as a sign and jumped down the hole. She landed beside the child who was looking up at her in amazement.

『 So tall… 』

<< … >>

Lou Yi took the robe from the child's tiny hands and put it on its body.

『 It's too big on her, but this is fine. 』[Lou Yi]

Lou Yi then stared at the little girl's face. Up close, she could see that the girl is no older than 8.

『 I don't know how old is she in a monster's preference though. 』[Lou Yi]

She pulled her cosmos sack and fished out a pill from a vial.

"Here. Eat this." [Lou Yi]

『Eh? What's this?』

The child examined the pill Lou Yi put on its hand.

"Food?"

<< Error. Can't analyze. Needs to be consumed for the system to study the components. >>

<< Initiating analysis of this world's attributes, customs, and realities… >>

Lou Yi saw the child's confusion, so she bent down to level her eyes with it.

"It's a form-changing pill. It can hide your horn for a week, temporarily." [Lou Yi]

The child's eyes look at Lou Yi before putting it in its mouth.

<< Analyzing pill. >>

『 Bleeeh! Taste bitter! 』

<< You shouldn't have chewed it. It's meant to be gulped down. >>

『 Tell that to me! 』

<< … >>

『 This voice is so mean. 』

The child's horn suddenly retracted and it felt weirded out by it.

『 My horn! 』

<< Scanning complete. >>

<< Learning the world's realities complete. >>

<< Pill analysis success. Form-changing pill, a second-grade pill that temporarily changes one's appearance. >>

『 Ohh is that so? 』

<< … >>

<< Attempting brain calibration… >>

<< Attempt interrupted. >>

<< Attempt canceled. >>

<< The system will attempt later. >>

『 Huh? 』

"Okay. Hold onto me and we're going to jump alright?" [Lou Yi]

The child, who got distracted from the voice, glanced at her.

"Okay."

Lou Yi then carried the child in her arms and jumped. They landed next to the two guys who had their backs still turned.

"Is it okay to look now?" [Xian Yun]

"It's fine now, you two can look." [Lou Yi]

The two immediately turn around and bored their eyes on the child. It was wearing Xian Yun's outer robe which looked ridiculously big on it.

『 It really is a kid. No more than 8 maybe?』[Mo Zen]

"Hey, kid! Where are your parents?" [Mo Zen]

The child blinked innocently at him.

『 What a cute child… 』[Mo Zen]

Lou Yi saw Mo Zen's cheeks flushing so she glared at him.

"She's a child!" [Lou Yi]

Mo Zen flinches and Xian Yun looked at him weirdly.

"Mo Zen you…" [Xian Yun]

"I just find her cute, what's wrong with that!" [Mo Zen]

The child, ignoring their banter, scratched its cheeks.

『 Parents? What is that? 』

<< It's your father or mother. It's where you came from. They made you, something like that… >>

『 Do I have one? 』

<< … >>

The voice sounds like it was really contemplating about it.

<< No, you don't. >>

"Where are your parents, kid? Your father? Or a brother? Someone you came here with." [Xian Yun]

『 It is confusing too. This is the Heaven's Gate forest, why would someone bring a child in a dangerous place like this?』[Xian Yun]

"I don't have one."

The two men stared at the child.

Lou Yi, who was aware that this is not a human child, spoke.

"C'mon, why are we asking her here? Let's go to the camping site first!" [Lou Yi]

Mo Zen and Xian Yun both scratched their heads then started walking ahead in the direction of their camp.

Lou Yi's eyes trained at the child and held out her hand.

"Let's get you to a safe area first. You must be hungry right?" [Lou Yi]

『 I know that there's a possibility that I have the wrong assumptions about this child. It might be even a mistake to bring her along. But I can't just leave her here… 』[Lou Yi]

The child's eyes sparkled and nods.

"I want water."

Lou Yi pursed her lips then smiled warmly.

"After we get there, I will give you lots of water and food." [Lou Yi]