Change || The Promised Neverland

⚜ Chapter Twenty-Two: Smile ⚜

<< What hides behind that smile? >>

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

So it's time. Well, it was fun while it lasted.

[Name] walked into the room, following after Isabella. The ravenette woman made a small noise of confusion, although the object of her attention was blocked from [Name]'s view. [Name] blinked, taking into account the ceiling height. According to Norman and Emma, the demons were huge, the one they had seen a good foot taller than Isabella.

They surely wouldn't fit in here.

"Good evening." [Name]'s shoulders tensed up as she heard an adult male voice speak from in front of Isabella. She walked into the room, shock flashing in her eyes as she regarded the green-eyed man, dressed in a suit and with shoulder-length white hair.

He glanced over her way, smiling as he spotted her. "Nice to meet you, [L. Name]."

[Name] blinked in confusion. There was only Isabella and herself. She didn't see anyone else. The man seemed to notice her bewilderment. He chuckled.

"Sorry," he corrected. "I meant [Name]."

[Name] narrowed her eyes. What did that mean? He didn't seem like an idiot, so why would he mess up her name? Well, if he thought she was going to forget that mishap, she wasn't. This was important, she just didn't know how.

"You were already here?" Isabella didn't bother with a greeting, walking up to the man. He nodded.

"Yes," he confirmed. "My schedule freed up, so I arrived a bit earlier than planned."

[Name] could only stare at the two adults as they spoke. What was going on? Her hand squeezed the music box within her pocket for comfort. This was no demon, and from what she could tell, she wasn't getting shipped out.

Isabella knelt to [Name]'s height, gesturing towards the man. "[Name], this is Mr. Ratri," she introduced. "He's going to be your new father."

A foster parent? [Name] couldn't believe her ears. This was a farm, not some orphanage like they pretended it to be. She turned, unsettled, when the man let out a loose chuckle.

"We may be too close in age for you to call me 'Father'," he said leisurely. "Please call me Peter."

[Name] nodded, her eyes still sizing him up.

"My name is Peter Ratri," Peter unnecessarily introduced himself again. "If you don't mind, I would like you to assist me with my research."

Research?

"Aren't you excited?" Isabella cooed. "You can study as much as you want."

Peter held out a hand. "Let me clarify," he offered. "I want you to do the same thing that you've been doing for Mama Isabella here. I want you to be a sheepdog, but for me."

[Name] flinched. "A sheepdog?" she finally forced out. That meant that she was being transferred to a new farm, with new cattle. But wasn't she to be shipped out already?

"If you work for me and be my sheepdog," Peter continued. "You can live. You'll be the only dog there, so don't worry about competition."

Oh. [Name] internally frowned. He thinks that I have the same mentality as a Sister or Mama.

"Pleasure to meet you." [Name] gave Peter a business smile. "I hope we can work well in the future."

I hope you stub your toe.