The Caretaker of Tenants From Another World - Chapter 109

Alt link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jhmo-bHD8gOIelMdzJi7oRZERIZLK-lUR1qPQwBoXM0/edit?usp=sharing

Chapter 109

We couldn't find Isla anywhere in or around the dormitory. It was as though she really did up and disappeared. Walking out to the backyard, I dreaded to think she took off into the hills. We would never be able to cover that much land.

Val stood quietly by the raised garden beds with a hand to the wooden container. She was the only one who had yet to remove the yellowish fungal growth on her arm. Everyone else accepted the treatment of wiping it away with the bleach mixture. Not Val.

I approached, thinking to assure Val we would find Isla, but she turned to me with an apologetical demeanor.

"I'm sorry, Akira." Val lowered her head.

It came so out of left field that I almost didn't recognize that she apologized and said my name.

"The Queen Valeanor Messier apologizing? Maybe I might win the lottery next." I teased in an attempt to make light of the situation.

"Your jokes have always been a source of welcome levity, but this is serious. I had known from the start exactly what this was," Val said, peeling her right sleeve up until she revealed the small discolored patch on her upper arm.

"You did? What is it?"

"It bleeds magic," she began after a deep breath. "By attaching to a host, the organism expunges mana from anyone with an affinity to magic. That is the reason for Tamara's mana deficiency… it is my fault."

"You… kept this from us… and it hurt her!" an accusing voice rang out.

I spun around to a furious succubus, hands clenched and eyes twitching.

"I did what needed to be done to keep Isla nourished," Val said.

"At the cost of Tamara's health? What if she had died?" Ange asked, full of hurt.

"I would not have allowed it to progress to that point. I thought by all of us having it, we would be enough to—"

"You thought wrong! That is my little girl you hurt… I would do anything for her— give anything to protect her. How would you feel if I uprooted Isla from ever draining mana again?"

"You wouldn't dare." Val narrowed her eyes, and a familiar rumbling sensation of volatile magic in the air straightened the hair at the back of my neck.

"That's enough, you two! Irapesha, Cresta! A little help out here?" I shouted to the dorm.

My two war veteran netherfolks rushed out to us. Cresta restrained Ange from behind, and Irapesha lifted Val a foot off the ground by the strap of her overalls.

"Val, you're in the wrong for keeping this from everyone. But you two aren't doing Tamara or Isla any favors by fighting. There's a rogue netherfolk out in the wild, and we need to find her. So set your differences aside and focus!" I scolded them.

Both Val and Ange faced away from each other with a scowl.

"They were getting tipsy this morning, and now they're at each other's throat? What happened?" Cresta asked.

"I'll explain later. We still need to find Isla. Is your nose working?" I asked her.

Cresta raised her nose to the sky and began sniffing.

"The bleach is still messing with my nose, but I think I caught a whiff of her! Kinda smells like roses," she said, nostrils flaring with each huff.

The four of us followed Cresta as she led us beyond the confines of the backyard and into the undeveloped hills behind Vandice city. It didn't take long before her powerful sense of smell zeroed in on Isla, and we found her cowering at the base of a tree where a mountain lion had her cornered.

"Isla!" Val cried.

"I thought I smelled the piss of an upstart kitten out here. Beat it, punk! This is my territory!" Cresta growled at the predator.

They stared each other down, but neither were willing to back down. The mountain lion lunged at Isla, but Cresta was faster and tackled the beast away. She bared both fangs and claws, causing the mountain to take off running.

"That's right! Never show your face around here again if you know what's good for you!"

"Geez, Cresta. You building a rapport with the local wildlife or what?" I expelled an exasperated sigh.

"You gotta show 'em who's boss!" She shrugged.

"Isla, are you hurt?" Val rushed to Isla's aid now that the danger was over, cradling her like a baby. "You poor thing. Why did you leave like that? What if we hadn't arrived in time?"

The tiny plant girl shook her head, but her leaves and petals remained sagging, seemingly not at all glad to be found despite her frightful encounter just now.

"Isla's feeling guilty because of what happened to Tamara. Isn't that right?" I turned to the alraune in question.

Isla nodded.

"What? That's nonsense. You haven't hurt anyone. Everyone back home is fine!" Val tried to convince her.

Living roots lifted Val's sleeve to reveal the fungal growth on her arm.

"Isla wants to stay with friends, but Isla doesn't want to hurt anyone…" Isla mumbled.

"Then you don't have to hurt anyone," Val began tearfully, brushing the roots of Isla's hair. "Just me. Because that is the least a mother should do for her child, and you are my child.  A little rose bud that I shall see blossom into a beautiful flower."

"Isla!"

Remmy, Ivory, and Tamara clamored, panicked at first, and then upon seeing Isla. They were accompanied by Ines, who flashed a grin as she came up from behind them. Even Rakka had come out with them.

"What can I say? They were worried about Isla," Ines said.

Maybe because they were among the youngest of the dorm, but the trio were so overwhelmed with relief that they mobbed Isla.

"Don't leave, Isla! You're the baby sister I've always wanted, and I don't blame you for what happened to me!" Tamara cried.

Ange pursed her lips and looked away.

"Never thought I'd say this, but being a glorified flower pot for you has been the most fulfilling thing I've ever become!" Ivory added.

Remmy simply smiled. Out of everyone, she was the one who sacrificed the most to help Isla, especially and very nearly at the cost of her life. The proof of that was the still cracked core inside her.

"Well, Isla. You can keep trying to run away, but Cresta will just find you again and bring you back. No one in the dorm wants you to leave. You're just going to make us worried again. So, want to come back?" I asked, lifting her petals.

Isla's cheeks puffed out with a pout, but as the tears welling around her eyes streaked down only to be soaked by her own roots, she deflated with a sigh.

"Family?" Isla cocked her head.

"That's exactly what we are." I nodded.

A week after Isla tried to run away, Professor Markel dropped by for a visit on a Friday afternoon. We made ourselves comfortable in the backyard gazebo, drinking tea and watching Val water a much happier, dancing Isla.

"Your report was probably the most comprehensive thing you've written all year. I'm impressed, Akira. You do have it in you to be articulate for someone who wanted to skip college and play games all day," Professor Markel said, sparing no mercy to poke fun at me.

"Oh, lay off me. I wrote that cover letter not expecting to get this job. So what's the verdict?" I asked.

"Although the remedy to Isla's fungal spores is a simple fix, we can't let slide actively allowing people to be poisoned just because we have an antidote. Tarcosa has one method, and that is to magically neuter and spay her," he said.

I nearly spat out my drink.

"You want to maim her?"

"The risk is Isla spawning thousands of Isilus Mandragons when she matures. I'm not giving you a choice. I'm telling you, Akira. She won't be able to expel the fungal spores anymore, but Tarcosa promises to supply mana potions to supplement her diet," Professor Markel explained.

"And what if one day that supply stops or dries up?" I glared.

The professor finished his tea, brushed the cookie crumbs from his lap, and stood up.

"I can't always take your side. Isla has two weeks. The surgical operation in Weyera will take up to a month to ensure her best chances of survival. I do have some good news." He handed me a padded certificate holder, containing Isla's United States citizenship document with her picture on it.

"Isla's an official citizen?" Holding the piece of paper felt so surreal.

Even I wasn't a citizen. Just a guy with a work visa.

Yet somehow, having Isla's certificate of citizenship filled me with emotions I didn't think possible. This was what I was working towards all along. For netherfolks to find a new life in this world. I held the proof of that in my very hands the first Earth-born netherfolk.

It started getting hard to see with the tears blurring my vision. I wiped my eyes to get a better look.

The date of birth and sex was on it and everything. Isla Katagiri—

I had to read it again to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me.

"Wait… Why does Isla have my last name?"

"What do you mean why? Isla is a minor, so that makes her a dependent. Since she was born in your dormitory and under your care, that makes her your child and responsibility. Congratulations, Akira. You're now the father of a healthy Isilus Mandragon alraune. Since you're a Japanese national, by their common law, Isla also has dual citizenship in Japan." Professor Markel patted me on the shoulder, nodded, and headed for the backyard exit.

It wasn't until the professor was out the door did I snap out of it.

"You get back here right now and explain yourself, Professor! I'm only 18! I turn 19 in July! I'm too young to be a father, damn it— he's already gone… How the hell can he just drop this bomb on me and dip?"

"Did the professor leave? Also, why are you screaming like a madman?" Val asked, then gasped upon  gazing at the document in my hands. "You're—"

"Akira, papa, family!" Isla exclaimed and latched onto me with her roots, crawling up to my face to rub our cheeks together.

"Well… My mom always wanted me to have kids early…" I lifted Isla up as beautiful flowers sprouted all along her hair.