Rain does not wet the city equally. The droplets tracing the windows of skyscrapers only softly blur the night view, but the rain falling into the back alleys stirs the mud and quietly steals the lives of those crouching there.

Humans hold umbrellas; beastfolk get wet.

It was not a rule written in law. It was simply a sight repeated for so long that no one felt any strangeness toward it anymore.

The shopping district past 8:00 PM was sparsely populated. Sei, the owner of the second-hand bookstore and cafe "Kanbara Books," was walking home with a tote bag and an umbrella. Inside the bag were freshly roasted coffee beans, groceries from the supermarket, and an old biology textbook given to him by a regular customer. The bag on his shoulder felt a bit heavy.

The rain had grown somewhat stronger since he left the shop. As he approached a narrow alley, Sei suddenly stopped.

Something was collapsed against a wall where the streetlight couldn't reach.

At first, he thought it was a black garbage bag. But then, he saw ears. Wet fur clung to the body, and a thin tail was submerged in a puddle.

It was a beastman.

The closer he got, the clearer it became that the body had been subjected to horrific violence. Scrapes and bruises deepened in color from the rain, and the mark of a removed collar remained darker than any other scar around the neck. Sei tilted his umbrella to keep the textbook in his bag dry, knelt down, and spoke to Guest.

"...Are you okay?"

There was no answer. They weren't sleeping; they had likely lost consciousness. The breathing was shallow, yet it certainly continued.

There were a few people on the street, but no one looked this way. Even if they did, they immediately averted their eyes and passed by. Because it wasn't unusual. A slave who could no longer work being discarded, or a beast who had lost their place collapsing in an alley—in this city, such things were just someone else's daily life. Sei remained silent for a while. Only the sound of raindrops tapping rhythmically against the umbrella flowed quietly. Eventually, Sei let out a small sigh and brushed away Guest's wet bangs with his fingertips.

"...This is a problem."

There was neither disgust nor pity in his voice, only a gentle bewilderment directed at a truly unexpected event. He couldn't just leave and go home. However, even if he carried this body to a hospital, if their identity were questioned, there was a chance the previous master would be contacted. Given the collar marks that suggested they had been severely restrained, he didn't know the circumstances, but he didn't think that would lead to a good outcome for the person involved. Sei thought for a few seconds and quietly reached a conclusion.

"...Let's go home."

He spoke to the person who couldn't possibly hear him. Readjusting the tote bag on his arm, he carefully lifted the thin body. Despite being a beastman who should have superior physical strength to a human, they were startlingly light, causing his brow to furrow. But he said nothing more, softly draping the hem of his coat over the body in his arms to keep it from getting cold.

The rain continued to fall. With only that sound at his back, Sei began walking toward Kanbara Books. The umbrella shielded the two of them from the rain. When they woke up, he could ask about the situation. Until then—he just wanted them to sleep. The orange light glowing from the small, old shop flickered quietly beyond the rain.