As for what the child would have to give in return—
He would only need to serve as a replacement for a Hōm body pillow.
"You!"
Kiana was so furious that she couldn't get a word out.
"Zerg, come on. If you come with me, you can have all this food."
Volume One: Chapter 4: Bronya's Temptation
Bronya ignored Kiana's anger.
She looked at the little child, trying to tempt him with food.
The silver-haired girl pulled a packet of snacks from the bundle in her arms and waited for the child's answer.
"..."
Zerg held the chocolate bar Bronya had given him earlier. He looked at the huge bundle of snacks in her arms.
Then he looked at the white-haired girl beside him.
After that—
Zerg opened his mouth wide and swallowed the Pocky chocolate bar, wrapper and all, in one bite.
"?"
Even the usually aloof silver-haired girl's eyes widened.
The little child had just opened his mouth to a size no human could possibly manage, then swallowed the Hōm collaboration Pocky chocolate bar she'd given him, packaging and all.
"Zerg wants more!"
After swallowing it, Zerg acted as if nothing had happened and announced that he wanted more to eat.
"That's for you..."
Bronya replied instinctively.
"Ah-woo!"
Then she realized her hand had sunk into something warm.
The girl slowly lowered her head.
She saw the little child's innocent gaze.
That was, if she ignored the fact that her hand had been swallowed.
"Zerg, spit it out! You can't eat that!"
Kiana immediately shrieked beside them.
Did Zerg eat absolutely anything?!
Plastic forks, plastic buckets, food wrappers, and now even hands!
The white-haired dumpling shook Zerg with all her might, trying to make him spit out the silver-haired girl's swallowed hand.
"..."
Zerg blinked.
Then he opened his mouth and spat out the silver-haired girl's hand.
"Zerg wants more food!"
The little child continued pleading for food.
"...You can have all of this."
Bronya stared at her slightly damp hand and fell silent for a moment.
Then she offered him the bundle of snacks in her arms.
Zerg took the bundle.
Then he opened his mouth wide again.
Bronya watched him swallow everything in one go once more.
The food she'd had with her—enough to last her at least several days—vanished just like that.
Not only the edible parts, but the inedible parts too.
Was this little child... human?
The thought arose in Bronya's mind of its own accord.
"Zerg!"
Kiana was about to lose it.
How was he eating more and more random things?!
Before she could even react, Zerg had swallowed everything in one go.
"Zerg's a little bit full!"
Zerg narrowed his eyes, looking just like a cat that had eaten its fill, and raised his head without thinking.
Bronya reached out and scratched his pale, delicate chin.
Then—
"Purr, purr..."
Just like a real cat, Zerg made an adorable sound.
Bronya's eyes lit up a little.
It didn't matter if he wasn't human, right?
"What are you doing?"
Kiana smacked away the misbehaving left hand.
She hugged the little child tightly.
She'd been the first one to meet Zerg!
And she hadn't even gotten to do that to him yet!
"Name your price. How much would it take for you to give him to me?"
Bronya's usual cold expression returned.
But the words coming out of her mouth sounded just like those of a human trafficker.
Although she'd come to Nagazora City with an unspeakable mission, surely Mother Cocolia wouldn't mind if she adopted a poor child.
No, in fact, she'd definitely like this child too.
She'd just have to give him a thorough checkup before bringing him back.
"Huh?"
Kiana was stunned.
What did this girl mean?
Did she want to buy Zerg?
Was she a human trafficker or something?
Justice-minded Kiana couldn't sit by and do nothing.
"I'm not giving him to you, you human trafficker!"
She looked like a cute girl, but who knew that deep down she was a shady human trafficker?
Kiana hugged little Zerg and backed away a few steps.
At the same time, she took out her phone, intending to call the police.
Someone was trying to buy and sell a child in broad daylight!
"..."
Bronya raised an eyebrow slightly.
She wasn't a human trafficker. She was Bronya, a just and upright guardian who couldn't stand to see a child go hungry.
"Before you call me a human trafficker, why don't you think about how long you've left this child hungry?"
She shot back.
"He was so hungry he had to beg a stranger for food. I suspect you're abusing this child."
She looked like a beautiful girl, but who knew that deep down she was a scum who abused children?
Bronya took out her phone too, intending to send this child abuser to jail.
Then she could ask Mother Cocolia to make sure this white-haired girl got twice the prison sentence.
"You!"
Kiana's eyes widened.
She absolutely wouldn't accept such slander!
"Wah... don't fight. Zerg thinks Kiana and Bronya are both good people!"
The little child blinked, then wriggled free of the white-haired dumpling's embrace.
He ran between the two of them and made his declaration.
"Zerg's a little bit full now!"
He said it like that.
They were both good people, willing to feed Zerg!
"Zerg, if you come with me, I can make sure you eat your fill every day."
Bronya spoke in a coaxing tone.
She had plenty of money.
As a genius hacker, the silver-haired girl had a lot of money.
At the very least, she could easily afford to feed a hungry child.
"Zerg, I..."
Kiana also wanted to say she could feed Zerg.
Then she remembered her financial situation.
Even thieves would shake their heads at it, and bandits would feel sorry for her.
"I can feed you too!"
But she wouldn't lose face, and she absolutely couldn't let that silver-haired girl abduct Zerg!
"Heh."
Bronya laughed out loud.
She could hear the white-haired girl's lack of confidence.
The other girl clearly couldn't do what she claimed.
It looked like the white-haired girl wasn't deliberately abusing the child after all, but her finances were obviously in dire straits. She couldn't even afford to buy clothes.
The coat Zerg was wearing clearly didn't fit him, and looked more like the white-haired girl's own.
The same went for the shoes on his feet.
She couldn't afford clothes, and the child couldn't eat his fill.
How could such an adorable child possibly stay with a penniless white-haired girl?
"Zerg, you choose. Who do you want to go with?"
Before you continue