Chapter 7

Landing on the ground, she looked to see that more people were looking down at her. Standing so much taller, there were only more thoughts that ran through her mind as if she wondered if they were going to experiment on her again.

Making her growl as a warning, knowing that they were all looking at her, made her more cautious. "Father, you brought a monster home." Seven looked over to see a young beast boy who held the appearance of a lion with black fur. The archmage had pulled down his hood, allowing everyone to know that he was a lion beast folk with large sapphire blue eyes and white fur.

'Who is this freak?' Seven thought. Noticing that the lion boy and the mage were likely related due to particular beast features that were noticeable—just different fur colors.

"Don't be rude! Set the child down!" A human woman had rushed in instead, being set down with Seven running into their dining room to hide under the dining table. She just bolted to the closest room that she could escape too. Scaring the maids and servants who had all made a way to avoid her.

"Priti! Don't go near her!" Hearing the mage stop the woman, Seven just continued to hide under the table while cautiously looking at them. The tablecloth hid her more than showing her to them when she was all covered in dirt, blood, and wounds.

"Sachin! I can't simply just leave her alone!" The woman was known as Priti, and she had a soft heart when it came to children. How can she turn away from a child who needed help the most?

"You are currently pregnant. I cannot let you get harmed." Sachin was the great mage that everyone respected but feared for being a beast folk. There were still many who feared beast folk for their feral nature and strength, and one with mana only made them more frightening.

"Father is right. We cannot let you get hurt at this stage right now." Their son had taken another step, taking a look under the table to see the little girl growl at him. "Hm, she even acts like an animal. Yet… she does not particularly have the scent of a beast folk." He did not look at all afraid or intimidated by her.

Seven saw the lion boy with blue sapphire eyes that would shine brightly with the sun's rays like the archmage's eyes. It was beautiful, but even beauty does not take away the thoughts that they may have ill intentions for her. Just then…

Growl…

Everyone stopped to look at the table, where they heard the sound of a stomach rumble. "Hahaha!!!!" The boy could not help but laugh when he heard that sudden stomach growl. He did not expect to hear that from the child brought into their home. It was a growl from her mouth that then turned into a growl from her stomach.

"Reg! Don't be rude! Someone! Prepare some food!" Priti ordered the maids to have the cooks all start to cook while she still wanted to try and have the child come out. Kneeling, she looked to see the child had a lot of dirt and mud on her with only rags to wear with bruises that could be seen. Even the blood aches Priti's heart to see such an innocent child go through such hardship. Seven continued to growl, allowing them to see her eyes sharpen like a beast. "Don't worry. We will not hurt you." Priti had the patience to wait for her to come out from under the dining table. Keeping herself at a low eye level, the same as Seven, made the young girl feel odd.

Hearing those words reminded her of when Otie had said those exact words. The woman tried to reach forth, but Seven growled more furiously as a warning for her not to come any closer to her. Priti had been pulled back towards Sachin, who sighed after seeing his wife's attempt to touch or pet the feral child. "As I said, do not attempt anything." The lion did not understand why his wife would even attempt to ease the girl down.

"Lady Priti, I have a plate of food." One of the maids said, holding a plate of food in it, which Seven could smell freshly cooked chicken on the platter. There was one sense of hers that worked well, and it was her nose that made her stomach start another commotion.

Growl…

Her stomach had betrayed her, knowing that the scent of the food was too good of an offer to back away from. "Child, can you come out? We promise that we will not touch you. I will give you the food if you come out from under there." Hearing Priti say, she was hesitant to move out from under the table. Seeing the platter of food in her view, she slowly crawled out to see that the woman was beautiful. Priti had black hair and green eyes that stared down at her with gentleness. Seeing the man or beast who was the woman's husband, she could see strands of a white coat with a youthful face and sapphire eyes once more. "There you go." She pushed the platter of food close to Seven; she stared at the food and then at them. Grabbing one chicken leg, she ran back under the dining table and started to eat. Fully focused and distracted by the food that was ever more delicious than bread. "Where did you find her?" Priti asked her husband, turning to look at the lion who held his calm look.

"…" There was a long pause before he said it. "She was at a slave auction, but I do not think that it is the only place that she had been." Sachin did not want to lie to his wife, who would know immediately that he was lying.

"A slave auction?!" Priti did not think that there would be such humans who would take a child into the auction. It was almost as though she could bring destruction to all the humans who were at the auction and who participated.

"Don't get worked up. Remember, you need to be sure to look after yourself." Sachin needed to calm down his wife, who was still pregnant with their second child.

"Hey, why does she have such eyes and claws? She isn't a beast folk like us." Reg looked at the girl, who had beastly eyes and claws visible at that moment, as well as human features.

"I do not know. We can only wait and get the answers from her." Sachin had been investigating a case that involved the findings of dead human children who had some beastly features but far worse than this—those children were not beast folk but made into one.

"Poor child." Priti did not want to leave the girl alone, still eating the chicken. Sachin had to convince Priti to rest while taking care of the girl he had brought back into his home.

Once Seven had finished eating, she was lifted into the air again as he took her to a room. Without even realizing it, he had cast another spell that made her instantly clean from head to toe without a physical bath needed—allowing him to see her white-pink hair and clearer crimson-red eyes. Even a sleeping night dress had been put on her that made her look more like a noble family's daughter. Once he had placed her onto the ground, Seven had run to hide under the bed. She did not act in any way like a human would; she was more like an animal.

Sachin knew that it was pointless to ask her the first day; it would take some time before they could even get the answers they were looking for. Leaving the girl alone in the room, she would not be able to leave this mansion of his quickly. Seven remained under the bed; she had fallen asleep without knowing it and slept peacefully that night.

***

"How could anyone want to hurt a child?" Priti was crying, seeing how a little girl like that could be harmed. Knowing fairly well how hard it was going to be for the girl to trust anyone again.

"Don't worry. I promise you that I will be sure to make them pay twice as much for what they've done. No human or beast folk should ever have to be in such situations. Do not worry, my love." Sachin comforted his wife, seeing how displeased she was about the entire situation regarding the little girl. He knew that taking in a child like that would be risky, but he needed to find the answers regarding the other children. Was there a connection?