~Chapter 2~
“Raise your head! By the name of Kinyaxis, I permit it!”
When the little divine beast gave permission, I hesitated but stood up, fixing my clothes.
“Yes, y-yes. Thank you. But may I ask why the divine beast was lying alone in the forest…?”
Could there be guards nearby that I hurried to pick him up from? If so, I’d have no excuse being mistaken as a kidnapper!
But thankfully, Kinya said something different from what I expected.
“Kinya was very curious outside the palace. Kinya couldn’t fly before, but suddenly could! So I flew over the wall but got tired and fell!”
Wait. Is this really good news? Sounds like he ran away…
“D-Do others know you left the palace, Kinya?”
“Hm?”
“You must have told someone before leaving, right?!”
“Of course! Kinya’s not stupid!”
“Phew, that’s a relief—”
“I told a pretty sunflower I was going out for a bit!”
He’s an idiot! Anyone can see that!!
“Damn…”
“What’s damn?”
“That’s a thing…”
I sighed deeply, covering my face with my hands. This reckless little divine beast ran away from the palace. All alone.
“How long have you been out of the palace?”
Kinya wiggled his fingers and showed all except his thumb.
“Kinya saw the moon four times!”
Oh my god. That means at least four days. Plus a day at our mansion means five days passed.
“By now, the palace must be in chaos. You need to go back quickly!”
Stop causing trouble in my house and go back! I don’t want to get involved in trouble!
“Um… Kinya wants to see big brother and sister… and wants to go home…”
Kinya wants to go home too. That was a relief to hear!
“Then I’ll hand you over to the guards right away. I’ll take you safely to the palace.”
“Shhh!!”
Crazy. How does a bird body make such a roar? Covering my ringing ears, Kinya nervously continued.
“No guards… absolutely no guards!!”
“Why not?”
“Ray big sister will scold me!”
Ray… Ray… The name sounded familiar. Then I remembered Raykis Rihwiella, captain of the capital guard.
This runaway kid is scared of getting scolded by his older sister, so he wants to avoid the guards.
“It’s not about getting scolded! You have to go back to the palace as soon as possible!”
“Shhh!! Shhh!! No guards!! Not going!!”
“Crazy!! Then how do you plan to get back? Fly alone?! Do you know the way to the palace?!”
“No idea.”
If he wasn’t a divine beast, I’d pinch those annoying cheeks hard. I desperately hid my trembling fists behind my back.
“Your name is Rinne, right?”
He’s serious but we’re introducing ourselves now.
Despite feeling reluctant, my lips twitched without control. The way the divine beast tilted his head and called my name was so cute. It melted away all my bad feelings.
“Ahem. Yes, I’m Rinnegrim. But why suddenly ask my name—”
Kinya suddenly put his short hands on his hips and lifted his chin.
I felt something was off. A clear voice rang sharply.
“By the name of Kinyaxis Rihwiella, I command! Rinne! Take me to the palace!”
…Cancel that. No more cute.
“Why are you doing this to me!! I just picked up and treated a fallen bird, what else do you want?!”
“It’s not hard! Just ride a carriage with Kinya to the palace.”
That carriage ride is the hard part!
I debated whether to show all my bottom to this kid I just met but decided there was nothing to hide anyway. So I started explaining at his level.
“Okay, Kinyaxis?”
“Kinya! Call me Kinya!”
“Yes, Kinya. Look around. How’s our mansion?”
“Dirty! Old!”
Well, true, but it stings.
“Correct. Our Feahil house is so poor it doesn’t even have a proper carriage!”
“The house is poor? Why?”
“That’s a thing…”
My gaze drifted to the corner bookshelf, where my father’s unfinished thesis was.
[Symbiosis of Magic Power and Divine Power]
Still revolutionary and reckless thinking. The five divine beasts sealed the demon gods summoned by dark wizards and founded the Lionel Empire. Suggesting to introduce magic to such an empire? Impossible given the people’s beliefs.
People here don’t distinguish between wizards and dark wizards. The longer the empire’s history, the more wizards were shunned.
The royal family oppressed uncontrollable wizards, so wizards built towers hidden from everyone and created secret passages all over the empire.
“How did they even enter those towers…”
How did my dad’s research go?
It did nothing to improve people’s views.
Magic shops exist in big cities but are expensive and avoided because they carry wizardly evil energy.
Was that a sufficient answer?
“Lost in research, not even knowing the family was falling apart…”
My father, now a faint memory, had burning passion in his eyes. I didn’t know why I still remembered him, who ignored my sick mother and focused only on research.
“Well, thanks to his research tools, I developed medicine and make a living. Not the worst outcome.”
“Hm?”
“I mean! Our Feahil family is so poor we can’t even get a carriage!”
“But Rinne has money. I saw you drooling over the money pouch last night.”
Damn. Should’ve held back. I was just too happy…
“That’s my living expenses! Without it, I’d starve! And I have a sick mother, so I can’t be away long!”
“Hmm… no money? Then Kinya will give this!”
With a snap, something tore from Kinya’s vest. His small hand held out a shiny object.
“Is that… a brooch?”
“Yes! If you take Kinya to the palace, I’ll give this!”
I swallowed hard. The brooch was obviously made with high-grade gems.
If I take that, it’s not just carriage fare—I could buy a carriage.
No need to think twice.
“Let’s leave now. I don’t leave a divine beast in trouble alone.”
“Wow!”
“T-Then the brooch is mine…?”
“No! The reward comes last! Give it when we reach the palace!”
“Right… that’s right. Smart.”
It was nine in the morning. If we moved quickly, we could reach the palace before sunset.
“I need to find a lady to take care of my mother… I wonder if there’s a carriage available?”
Mumbling, I prepared to leave. I checked on my sleeping mother once more and stepped out, when a strange voice called.
“Why did you bring medicine?”
“Huh? Medicine?”
My bag rattled. I realized I packed it out of habit.
“Just habit. I carry it every day… it’s a hassle to go back and forth, so I just bring it.”
I reached out to Kinya. After staring at me for a moment, he took my hand.
“Shall we go?”
“Yeah!”
“I’d like to rent a carriage. For two people.”
“Yes. Destination?”
“Libety village, in front of the palace.”
“Yes. 5 gold for round trip.”
“Ugh!”
I paid the 5 gold with shaking hands. My monthly living expenses were less than that!
Unaware of my trembling, cheeky Kinya was busy looking around the village.
“Wow! So many humans! Amazing!”
“Kinya… don’t act like you’re not human!”
“Oops! Sorry!”
At my whisper, Kinya covered his mouth. Why so informal to the divine beast? Because of the promise after meeting Mrs. Luba, who would take care of my mother.
“You have somewhere urgent? Of course, Miss Rinnegrim, we’ll go!”
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Luba…”
“But who is this young master?”
“My cousin! Usually lives in the southern end, but he came here on his own. Haha.”
“Hmm? Kinya is—”
“Shh! If people know Kinya is a divine beast, bad people might target us. So Kinya must act like a normal kid now. Kinya is my cousin. It looks strange if I use honorifics, so I’ll speak casually. Please understand.”
“Got it!”
Mrs. Luba lent clothes to Kinya, who was picky about the smell but I didn’t care.
Now, Kinya was trying hard to keep the promise. He even greeted passersby well.
“What’s that?”
“It’s a chicken skewer…”
“How could you! Eating a bird! Kinya’s a friend!”
“Ahhh! Crazy!”
While I looked away for a moment, Kinya slipped again acting non-human. I ran and grabbed him.
“Sorry, sorry. Kinya, our carriage is here! Let’s go home!”
I opened the door and got on. The coachman awkwardly pulled back his hand.
“Ouch. My butt hurts.”
“Bear it. Riding a fancy carriage without guards risks robbers.”
“What’s a robber?”
“That’s a thing.”
“If you tell me, I can’t know? Kinya’s curious! My big brother and sister are curious too! Kinya is divine beast, so I need to know a lot!”
Like a real bird, he chattered non-stop. I heard about his family, his runaway adventure, and what tasty bugs and worms he ate. Things I really didn’t want to know.
Kinya talked without stopping, but finally fell asleep as we reached the village after half a day.
The carriage went around Libety village and finally reached the back gate of the palace.
The sun was setting. Not wanting to attract the guards’ attention, I stopped the carriage in the forest and gently woke Kinya.
“We’re here, Kinya. Wake up.”
“Hmm. Home?”
Kinya smiled brightly, stomping his feet at the palace outside the carriage window.
“Home! Kinya’s home!”
Kinya jumped down quickly and bounced like a child.
“See the back gate? Go straight there. I’m watching, so don’t try to run off—”
“Thanks, Rinne.”
His small hand grabbed my finger. His pretty golden eyes made me wide-eyed.
“Ahem. It’s nothing.”
“I forgive you for putting smelly clothes on me and hurting my butt.”
This was real.
“You didn’t forget the promised reward, right?”
“Kinya didn’t forget! Here!”
Kinya rummaged in his pocket and handed me the sparkling brooch.
“Thank you, Kinyaxis.”
“Call me Kinya!”
“Yes, Kinya, thank you.”
It was really time to say goodbye. Kinya safely reached the palace and I got the brooch I wanted.
“Go now. Many people are waiting for Kinya.”
“Yeah! See you next time, Rinne!”
Whether there will be a next time, who knows. I waved at Kinya running toward the palace back gate.
And then,
“Ughhh!!”
With a loud retching sound, Kinya’s small body collapsed.
