She seemed unable to quite believe it.
In this world, aside from the companions who also scavenged for food in the trash, there was actually someone who would speak to her in that tone?
She tilted her ear and listened.
After confirming that the other person really seemed to mean her no harm.
Only then did her tense body slowly relax a little.
Then.
She raised her hand and gently touched the filthy bandages wrapped around her eyes.
On her little face, blue from the cold, that humble, ingratiating smile appeared again, as though it had already been carved into her bones.
"This..."
"It's all right."
The girl's voice was very soft, but what she said struck Seitenshi like a bolt of lightning.
"...The mommy who abandoned me said she hated my eyes."
"Mommy said... these red eyes were a monster's eyes."
"So..."
The girl paused.
"So Mommy wouldn't hate me so much."
"So Mommy would look at me one more time..."
"I let Mommy... pour aluminum into them..."
Poured lead into them.
Those few simple words.
Spoken by a child only a few years old, in that calm tone that even seemed to seek praise.
Boom-!
Seitenshi felt a buzzing in her head.
Everything went blank.
At that instant.
She felt as though the clamor of the streets around her, the flickering sounds of neon lights, and even the wind had all vanished.
The entire world.
Held nothing but those words echoing.
Poured lead into them.
Did that mean... taking molten, scalding liquid metal...
And pouring it into a living person's eyes?
And...
By her own mother, no less?
"Urgh..."
An intense wave of nausea surged into her throat.
Seitenshi covered her mouth, her face as white as paper, and swayed, nearly collapsing onto the ground.
It was too