Chapter 39
A low, growling voice. Slightly hostile in tone.
A woman tall enough to rival a man, with short-cropped hair. Her fierce, gleaming eyes resembled someone else’s.
“Could you be… the Divine Beast of the Ludel clan?”
Tearn Ludel. The eyes were the same as the wolf Divine Beast I had once met in the western forest.
“Oh? Little human. You know of us?”
“Yes. Some time ago, in the western forest—”
“Tae-hinra! Where are you rushing off to!”
The bushes shook again, and this time a familiar figure appeared.
“Ah, Tearn. I came because I caught a foul scent. By the way, since when have the Demon King’s hounds been strutting about freely in the imperial palace? Is Lunaris just turning a blind eye to this? What a pitiful fool.”
The sharp gaze of the Divine Beast named Tae-hinra was fixed on Luce.
Between them, Tearn stepped in.
“Tae-hinra! Didn’t I tell you before? That mage aided me.”
“Is that so? Then this little human must be…”
“Wahaha! Little human! Linnegrim! It’s been a while!”
Tearn grabbed me around the waist with a bear-like hand and spun me around. By the time I was dizzy enough to feel sick, he stopped and set me down on his shoulder.
“Ugh… G-good day, Lord Tearn… I’m glad to see you looking so well….”
“It’s thanks to you, little Linnegrim!”
“Indeed. Tearn has told me. You relieved our clan of its frenzy, did you not? Thank you, little Linnegrim.”
The huge hands of both Tearn and Tae-hinra landed on my head, tousling my hair every which way. Their rough patting left me looking completely disheveled.
“Oh? Helion is here too!”
Tearn’s massive hand clapped Helion’s shoulder. It was so forceful I worried it might dislocate his arm.
Tae-hinra tilted her head, studying Helion.
“Helion… isn’t he Ruben’s son? …He’s grown this much already?”
“Tae-hinra, it’s been over ten years since you last visited the palace. Humans grow quickly.”
“I see. In ten years, a boy becomes a young man.”
While they spoke about him, Helion politely bowed.
“Helion Dale Lionel greets the Divine Beasts of the Ludel clan.”
“Indeed, Helion. I’ve heard you were invested as Crown Prince.”
Just when the atmosphere seemed to soften, Tae-hinra frowned again.
“So, the discipline of the palace has truly grown lax. Even if he aided our clan, to allow a lackey of the Demon King to roam freely within the palace walls?”
“Tae-hinra…! I told you, he is the mage who aided me!”
“Even so, a mage is still a mage. A servant of dark sorcery.”
Despite Tearn’s mediation, Tae-hinra remained firm. At that, Helion spoke.
“Lady Tae-hinra. He is a mage affiliated with the Mage Tower, working in cooperation with the palace.”
“Cooperation? What do you mean?”
Her brows arched in displeasure. Helion looked around, then lowered his voice.
“This is not the place to discuss it. Let us move somewhere private, and I will explain in detail.”
“It had better be a reason I can accept.”
Throughout, Luce stood with arms crossed, leaning lazily to the side. As the conversation wound down, he muttered one remark before disappearing.
“Smells like a dog.”
…Truly, in every sense, a remarkable fellow.
“That damned brat!”
Tae-hinra bristled, her hair standing on end, but Tearn soothed her.
“Tae-hinra. Stop baring your claws. Lunaris must have his reasons. More importantly—Linnegrim, are you hurt?”
Tearn slipped one arm around my waist and lifted me up to eye level. With his clawed hand, he ripped apart the bandages wrapped around my arm.
His expression turned grave as he looked at the festering burn beneath.
“Hm. This is a wound from the Eternal Flame. So that’s why Lunaris was urging me.”
“Y-yes… Magic couldn’t heal it, so I needed your help, Lord Tearn.”
Without hesitation, Tearn placed his hand over the burn. A deep gray light, the same color as his eyes, flowed from his palm. A cool sensation spread through my arm, drying the wound and quickly sprouting fresh skin.
“Woooow…”
This was the healing ability unique to the Ludel clan. The feeling was utterly different from Luce’s healing magic.
Flexing my hand, I relished the joy of full recovery. The pain was gone—I felt alive again.
“Thank you, Lord Tearn!”
“Nothing to thank me for! Compared to the debt we owe you, this is hardly anything.”
“Since we’re at the palace, I ought to meet with Lunaris. Helion, it’s late, so we can discuss matters in detail tomorrow. There’s still a full day before the Founding Festival, so no need to rush.”
“Then allow me to escort you to the Divine Beast Palace.”
“No need. I’m not so frail as to need a boy’s escort.”
“I trust you will at least allow the Holy Knights to accompany you.”
“…That much is acceptable.”
With Tearn’s permission, the Holy Knights immediately saluted.
“Ibel Roan greets the Divine Beasts of the Ludel clan.”
“Rail Wayne greets the Divine Beasts of the Ludel clan.”
One after another, they offered crisp salutes. Leaving only those needed to attend Helion, we departed the greenhouse.
Thus, the knights of the Holy Order opened the way for the honored guests toward the Divine Beast Palace.
Minutes later, we sat in the reception room with Tearn and Tae-hinra, waiting.
Light footsteps hurried closer.
The first to greet us was Leti.
“Chief attendant of the Divine Beast Palace, Leti Grisha, pays respects to the Divine Beasts of the Ludel clan.”
“So you’re the human who cares for the young Rihuela. Your efforts are appreciated.”
As Leti bowed deeply, Kinya peeked out from behind her.
“Tyeaaarn niiim!”
“Oho! Kiniaxis! It’s you! Have you been well?”
“Yees!”
Tearn’s hearty laughter and Kinya’s cheerful giggles filled the room.
“Tearn, is that child Lunaris’s son?”
“Don’t spout nonsense! He hasn’t even taken a mate yet! That’s Lunaris’s youngest brother.”
“Ohh, a younger brother… He resembles Lunaris quite a bit.”
Tae-hinra peered at the boy perched on Tearn’s shoulder.
“…Hewwo….”
Startled by her fierce eyes, Kinya shrank back but still offered a timid greeting.
“Kinya came to see Linne… and Luca big brother came too…”
Kinya pointed toward the door, where Luca peeked in. He was holding someone’s hand and tugging them gently inside.
“Luca brought her.”
“L-Linne…”
The one hesitantly stepping in was Hina. I rushed to the door at once.
“Hina! When did you wake up?”
Normally she would have run straight into my arms, but instead she shrank behind the door, avoiding me. Luca answered in her stead.
“Hina woke up earlier. The first thing she did was ask for you, Linne.”
“Linne… I hurt you… Hina hurt you…”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke in a trembling voice.
I held out my fully healed arm and cried,
“No, Hina! I’m fine! Look at this!”
“But… Hina…”
“You must have had a bad dream. Hina, you’ve never hurt me. Alright? Forget that scary dream, okay?”
Still doubtful, Hina scrutinized my arm. But of course, no matter how hard she looked, she could find no wound—Tearn’s healing had restored it completely.
“…So it was just a bad dream?”
“That’s right. Isn’t that so, Luca?”
“Mm. Hina had a nightmare.”
“…I see… So Hina didn’t hurt Linne… sniff…”
With Luca’s confirmation, Hina finally burst into tears and threw her arms around my neck.
“Even if it was a dream, I’m sorry, Linne…”
“It’s alright, Hina. Are you hurting anywhere?”
“…No…”
I soothed and comforted her for a long while, until Lunaris entered the reception room with Eve and Raykis in tow.
“As soon as she woke up, Hina went looking for Linne. Her dear brother wasn’t even on her mind,” Eve grumbled.
Raykis poked his side, scolding him.
“Eve. Show proper respect. We stand before the Ludel elders.”
“It’s been a long time, Lord Tearn. Lady Tae-hinra, do you remember me? I’m Evnis.”
“Raykis greets the Divine Beasts of Ludel.”
While Tearn returned their greetings warmly, Tae-hinra looked bewildered.
“Evnis and Raykis? Last I saw, you barely reached my waist….”
The disparity between memory and reality seemed to puzzle her.
“Tae-hinra, it only shows how long it has been since your last visit,” Lunaris said.
“Lunaris. That sickly face of yours hasn’t changed.”
“I’ll take it as a compliment. Thank you for answering my summons.”
It seemed the Divine Beasts had much to discuss amongst themselves. Holding Hina, I quietly slipped out of the room.
“Hina, shall we sleep together tonight, after a long while?”
“But Leti said it would be hard for you, Linne…”
“Once in a while is fine. Isn’t that right, Lady Leti?”
“Mm. If Lady Linnegrim says she’s fine…”
With Leti’s permission, Hina’s face lit up.
“Yay~ Then Hina will sleep with Linne!”
“Kinya too! Kinya will sleep with Linne!”
“Luca too.”
“Alright, alright, let’s do that.”
“But you all know you must wake up early tomorrow, yes?”
“Aw. Hina wanted to sleep late.”
“Me too,” Luca chimed in.
“Kinya can wake up early!”
“But Kinya doesn’t need to. You can’t do the Flight Ceremony!”
Flight Ceremony?
I had seen that term somewhere before. Where was it…?
“Ah, the opening flight of the Rihuela Divine Beasts at the Founding Festival is called the Flight Ceremony, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. Tomorrow is the rehearsal. This must be your first time seeing it, Lady Linnegrim?”
“Yes. The Founding Festival itself will be my first!”
“It’s truly spectacular. You’ll love it! Especially since this year is Lucas’s very first Flight Ceremony.”
“Mm. Luca’s first time.”
Luca’s cheeks flushed red.
Beside him, Kinya pouted unhappily.
Among the Divine Beast clan, their innate powers manifest around the age of five—called the First Awakening. Only after this awakening can they display their divine strength and truly take flight.
Which meant that since Kinya wasn’t yet five, she could fly, but without her abilities awakened, she wasn’t allowed to participate in the Flight Ceremony.
“So Kinya only joins the parade, then returns?”
“But Kinya can fly too! When I first met Linne, I flew over the wall—”
“Kinya. That’s nothing to brag about. Quiet.”
“Mm… Then Kinya will just stay with Leti and Linne…”
“Kinya, I was only going to see you off. After that, I planned to go back to the administration room.”
“Oh my. You’ll still be working during the Founding Festival?”
“Yes. I have some personal research to do.”
“No way! Linne has to watch us until the end! Luca and I practiced so hard to show you!”
Still in my arms, Hina suddenly lifted her head and shouted. My ears rang from her loud voice so close by.
To make matters worse, Luca tugged at my sleeve.
“We trained so hard to show you, Linne…”
“Lu-Luca…”
Just do it! I can’t bear the over cutenes… (╥﹏╥)(｡♡‿♡｡)~