The next morning the four of us silently ate our simple breakfast before sunrise. I had arbitrarily decided that I would bring Marin along with Yuli and me to the training courtyard and hope the old man would let her sit and watch. It was the best I could do currently.

It was odd honestly. In my previous life I hadn’t lived long enough to have kids with Cecily….but now it’s almost like I have one.

Marin really needs the type of direction a parent could provide. As for the other two, they just need someone to rely on.

I broke out of my musings as we made it to the training ground. I had led a sleepy Marin by the hand here but dropped it soon after we entered. She continued to follow me though, the unfamiliar place seemed to make her anxious.

“This is where you guys learn to fight?”

“Yeah.”

“U-uhn.”

She seemed to be waking up and was now looking at her surroundings in rapt attention. As she started to look about the area Yuli and I fell into something of a routine that we had started before the old man would show up. It had started with just me doing some dynamic stretching and doing a few warm-up workouts to get ready for the day. Originally Yuli had scoffed at me. A week of seeing me consistently returning home with less sores and waking up with less stiffness had convinced her otherwise.

It didn’t take long though. Soon the old man and his perpetual aloof servant entered the courtyard. Marin immediately hid behind Yuli and I as we lined up to greet him.

“”Good Morning Teacher.””

As always an odd expression surfaced on his face when we called him teacher rather than master. Though since he never clarified what he’d prefer to be called we continued to call him teacher…..master was an…..unpleasant word.

“Why is this young pup I see in my training grounds.”

“She is one of the girls who survived the Blood Bloom alongside me.”

The Old man gave me a rather nonplussed look before it turned into one of stony indifference.

“That does not answer my question.”

“I was hoping that she may spectate from the sidelines.”

“I see.”

With a few short steps he was looming over Marin. Him and his servant, they both had some absurd way of moving. Before I could react he had grabbed Marin by the chin and tilted her head back. Oddly enough

Marin only gave off a small gasp, I would’ve expected a scream. Her eyes did start tearing up as the Old man gazed into them.

“No.”

“What?”

Without looking over at me he repeated himself.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Five-hundred lifts with your middle weight, go.”

“Bu-“

His gaze shifted over to me, it felt like what a mouse must feel when being stared at by a snake. I was frozen by it, the cold ruthlessness in his gaze destroying any form of argument I could have made prematurely. Then, just as quickly as it came it retreated, his gaze now moved away from me to his servant as he stood up.

“Take this pup back to the scrub’s quarters.”

“Yes.”

Once again before I had time to formulate a single coherent thought in my mind the servant had already grasped Marin by the shoulder and pulled her away.

“Waaa!”

Marin cried out in surprise and fear and looked towards me with tears forming in her eyes.

“Don’t worry, just do as he says. I’m sorry you couldn’t stay, just be a good girl and go back to the room.”

“Nnn.”

Marin tearfully walked away with the servant. I couldn’t figure out for the life of me what had elicited such a response from the Old man. Just as I was about to sink into my thoughts I felt a presence behind me, then a sharp pain in my shoulder as the Old man’s hand clamped onto it in a vice like grip. Yuli received the same treatment.

“I believe you two ignored my commands, prepare yourselves. Today will be a hard one.”

I only had to look upon the grim face of the Old man to know something was truly off. Normally he would have an evil, borderline perverse, grin on his face when he talked of something like a hard day of training.

The same feeling grew stronger throughout the day. The Old man didn’t even speak of tales from the

Arena during the lunch break. He simply sat there in an almost contemplative silence. In the end, I couldn’t puzzle out much more than it had to do with something he must have seen in Marin’s eyes…..

…..or he could’ve done it just because he didn’t want to deal with another kid, or because of the simple fact that I, the enslaved gladiator, had wanted it.

By the end I was too exhausted to think. He had truly pushed us today, I could almost feel every bone in my body creak in protest to any form of movement. Yuli was doing slightly better, her wolf bloodline giving her far more strength than I could wield along with a recovery ability to match. It gave credence to a thought I had had a while back that perhaps the Beast-races were created simply as a warrior race. A tool for some being to use to dominate the world.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

When we returned to the room we found a disconsolate Marin being patted on the back by a weary-eyed Alephi.

“Long day?”

“Yes.”

Alephi practically sighed out the word.

“Did something happen, to be honest I’m a little surprised that you are back so soon.”

“I……I couldn’t handle the blood…..”

She was now using Marin almost like a stuffed animal to cuddle in her lap, her own face burrowing into her little sister’s hair.

“T-there w-was just s-so much of it! I thought I could handle it…but then we came to the human who had

been d-disembolled? H-his insides w-w-were everywhere!”

She started to whimper softly, her anxiety and fear affecting her little sister who started sniffling quietly as well.

“T-then I thought t-t-th-that th-is m-i-i-i-ghht hhhaaa-peen—nnn to k-k-kitling, a-a-a-annddd!”

Her voice became incomprehensible as she bawled into Marin’s hair. Marin herself started to wail, picking up on her sister’s stress.

I swallowed back saying something foolish like, ‘that would never happen to me,’ instead I walked over and hugged the two of them.

“Well then, I’ll be expecting you to patch me up when that happens.”

I gave her a reassuring smile when she looked up at me.

“So what did Zla have to say?”

She wiped the tears and snot off her face and sucked the rest back in.

Gross.

But in a cute way that only children can accomplish.

“He let me go…..and said not to disappoint him tomorrow.”

She still was sniffling slightly as she relayed to me what I was hoping to hear.

“Well then, that isn’t so bad now is it? Do you still want to work with him?”

“YES.”

She uttered the word with such force I was slightly taken aback. Yuli snorted slightly from behind me.

“What good is it if you can’t even handle a little blood.”

Always the rude one aren’t you…Yuli… you just can’t play nice.

“I’ll do it so that I can fix Kitling if he gets hurt!”

Alephi, you are wonderful. Just as I was appreciating Alephi’s innocent and naïve desire her sister got my attention.

“What about me?”

Yes what about you………that will be a problem that will have to be solved with time.

“For now, you will be getting extra lessons from me!”

She frowned slightly, her face scrunching up. I sigh slightly, staying down on my knees like this taking most of what little energy I have left.

“I’m sorry about today. For now you’ll just have to stay here, but, I’ll leave you with things to learn so at least you’ll have that!”

I put on what probably amounts to a desperate grin. I will do anything to keep her from going to those ‘classes’ Zla talked about.

“ok.”

Marin only mumbled that one word out. Dinner was a very quiet affair that night.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The following day I had to put together a large pamphlet to keep Marin entertained. It consisted mostly of word games and math problems. Following that Yuli, Alephi, and I departed leaving behind a melancholic Marin.

Eventually Alephi separated from Yuli and I, taking the path through the hallways towards Zla’s infirmary.

“Don’t push yourself too hard ok? Be careful.”

“Don’t worry I’ll be fine.”

While Alephi said that her voice and body betrayed her, both quavering slightly before she marched stiffly down the halls.

Yuli snorted again.

“Hmph, weak.”

I could only sigh in response.

“Well not everyone is as perfect as you Yuli.”

“R-really!?”

………..It would seem she didn’t pick up on the sarcasm, but I was just too tired to correct her.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

For the next week our days settled into a new routine of Alephi, Yuli, and I departing each morning for training or work and then returning home to an increasingly despondent Marin. It couldn’t be helped though, there was only so much I could do to keep her entertained with words and numbers. I had written out an explanation of how poetry worked today. Maybe that would help her pass the time by using her childish creativity to write some prose.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Later that night I was back at Zla’s place. This was also a habit that was starting to form. An evening cup of tea at the end of the week. The room would often be filled with the smell of the tobacco from Zla’s pipe which he was fond of smoking on these occasions. The smell was actually pleasant, though that may have been the second hand high at work.

We had just fallen into a slight silence after discussing a rather interesting herb that he had placed into the tea this time. It had the effect of increasing blood circulation and Zla had enjoyed its stimulating effect, leading to him trying it out in tea. It was actually quite relaxing for me, I could almost feel the increased movement of my blood flowing through my tired and sore muscles.

“You seem in an awfully good mood today Zla. Win some bets?”

Zla returned his gaze from the cealing that he had been smiling dumbly at with his pipe clenched in he teeth. After taking a long draw he responded.

“Well no. I’m waiting until the servant of a war god steps out onto the field once more….”

I raised my eyebrow. I’m fairly certain he stopped buying that lie within a month of knowing me but it never hurt to continue the charade.

After the pause continued for an almost uncomfortably long amount of time he finished his sentence.

“Actually it’s about Alephi. That little kitling is an angel to the men in the arena. Each and every one adores her. She’s gonna make me rich!”

This…… does not seem good.

“How so?”

“Well several offered money for her to be transferred to their ownership….naturally I refused. Though you may have earned the ire of some strong fighters within the arena now.”

So pedophilic gladiators hate me now……great.

“Though some just asked for her to directly bring them their medicines instead of myself. They also offered money for such a service.”

“And you accepted those offers?”

“…Yes?”

I swirled the herbs that were at the bottom of my cup for a bit before looking up at him.

“And what? Did you think the money was really for just the delivery of medicine?”

I unsheathed the claws of my right hand and tapped them on the armrest, allowing each one to slowly dig into the wood.

Zla shifted slightly in his seat.

“T-they won’t do anything to her. She’s not their property.”

“…..Zla…….are you serious.”

“Haaa, she’ll be ok, there are guards at each hallway of rooms. I already warned them about her coming through with medicine deliveries.”

“We are going there right now.”

“I believe you are over-reacting.”

“She is my responsibility and nothing you can say will make me satisfied until I can confirm with my own eyes that she is safe.”

I quickly stood up and began walking towards the door.

“Really she’ll be quite fine---“

“Kitling what are you doing here!?”

“Alephi?!”

Suddenly Alephi popped in through the door.

“Are you ok? Those bastards didn’t do anything to you right?”

“Huh? The big sis’s were scary at first but they’re all really nice!”

“Eh?”

“I may have forgotten to mention it was the female gladiators that asked for her to deliver the medicine.

Most of them just can’t get very comfortable around me. Their living situations here are………difficult.”

I wheeled about to glare up at Zla. There was a slight glimmer in his eyes.

….This bastard set me up…..

“Nothing’s wrong, I was just coming to pick you up. We should be heading back now.”

“Eh? Umm ok?”

“Ah! Kitling wait!”

I turned back again to look at Zla.

“What?”

“There was still business we needed to discuss.”

“Such as?”

“Well after seeing the ah….. usefulness of Alephi I was hoping to take on the younger sister as well to help out.”

…….This bastard……but this also solves one more issue.

“Fine, she’ll be here tomorrow with Alephi. If she wants to.”

With that I slammed the door and stalked off with Alephi in tow.

“Wait Kitling! Marin can’t go with me!”

“Why?”

After walking through the halls for some time Alephi seemed to gather herself an halt me.

“Because she’s just a little kid! She shouldn’t have to see all this!”

“I’m only a year older than her. Are you going to say I can’t do what I’m doing because it’s too dangerous?”

“That’s…..”

“Marin is going crazy sitting cooped up in that room all day. Even if it’s horrible work it’ll be better for her than sitting in that room. It’ll toughen her up and give her a good skill to know. That’ll help you guys in the long run, if I should…..well….yeah.”

“Kitling isn’t going to die.”

“Huh?”

A teary eyed Alephi confronted me.

“You aren’t going to die! I’ll fix you up no matter what happens!”

I think she’s trying to appear confident when she says that but the tears destroy any projection of confidence she could muster.

“Well then……thank you in advance.”

“Nnnn….”

We started walking again.

“So then, is it ok to ask Marin if she’d like to work?”

“Nnnn….”

Alephi reached over and grasped my hand. Not in the way those in a relationship would, but more like a little kid would a parent for reassurance. Or at least, that’s what it felt like to me.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

“I get to work with Big Sis!? Yaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy!!”

Marin took the news with as much enthusiasm as I would’ve expected. She really had been cooped up here for too long.

I smiled slightly as I ate watching Marin animatedly talk to Alephi about how awesome she was going to be at healing people and Alephi giving her the slight and sad smile of a parent that knows what will actually happen. Yuli was sitting beside me neatly eating her food. Which considering her personality was a bit of a surprise.

However I left it alone. Yuli didn’t like to talk much about where she was from, none of them did. The most I knew about them was that Alephi and Marin came from the red light district and that Yuli had come from the central city where the more affluent people of Snaga lived.

That was enough though. I could imagine their lives there, picture it in the way they acted. Alephi’s furtiveness around men juxtaposed by Marin’s trust in just about anybody. Alephi must have been the one to raise her in a place where women used their bodies as a tool to earn a living. Whether that was willingly or not was up for discussion. Yuli was probably the child of some slaves belonging to wealthy households. Given her personality it may have been she was always like she is now. Which led to her selling to the

Arena since she wasn’t obedient or she had become like that because of the selling. It didn’t matter.

What did matter, was that each of them now had a niche for themselves. At the very least if I were to lose on that first fight they would be able to continue surviving. Zla seemed like a decent sort, a little screwed up in the head but not in a way that would harm the sisters. Yuli had her battle prowress, she was improving by leaps and bounds under the old man’s training. Her strength and speed seemed to improve exponentially, while her finesse lagged behind it would come as she aged.

I think I’ve provided the bare minimum for them. While I could waste time thinking something foolish like,

‘I wish there was more I could do for them’, it would be an exercise in futility. As it stood right now there wasn’t anything I could do.

They would be fine.

I hoped.