“About that dagger from earlier.”
“Yes.”
“Who gave it to you as a gift?”
“…Why are you curious about that?”
“That dagger is a weapon the bear beastkin take pride in. There’s no official route for it to leave their territory, and the only way an outsider can have one is at best when it’s given as a gift. But bears value their weapons highly, so they won’t hand them over unless it’s something like having their life saved.”
Bears were quite strong among the four-legged beastkin. Not only were they born with innate strength, they also had good stamina, and despite their seemingly dull appearance, they had average flexibility too. Though they were somewhat lacking in judgment, they had the force and sturdy bodies to overcome that.
A short while ago in the cave, when Arkan had thrown his spear and shattered the floor, truthfully even without Kaniel’s magic, he would have survived. That is, excluding scenarios like having all his bones broken afterward and being unable to move, then starving to death.
In short, it meant there were almost no situations where a bear would have their life saved by another.
Unless it was a battlefield.
“So it was such a precious item. I didn’t know. This is the dagger that person had.”
“He must have been quite an excellent knight.”
“…Yes. He was.”
Effolin, who had seemed reluctant to bring up talk of ‘that man,’ nodded as if she couldn’t help it when praise of him came up.
“He really was an excellent knight. Truly.”
“…May I ask his name?”
“…Jeinote, Ezuel.”
Meow, the cat demonic beast cried out and got down from Effolin’s lap.
Taeyon, who had been lost in thought for a moment, frowned. He’d drawn out ‘that person’s’ name because it felt suspicious, but he couldn’t recall it at all.
“It’s a name I don’t know.”
“Is that so…”
It was then that the cat demonic beast walked over lightly toward Kaniel. The cat demonic beast, which had walked under the table and sniffed Kaniel’s shin with its nose pressed against it, licked it with its rough tongue when Kaniel flinched.
Kaniel, who had made contact with a monster—no, a demonic beast—after a long time, found it hard to hide his joy. When he was on the Floating Island, he’d always had contact with monsters like this. This cat demonic beast felt just like the monsters from the Floating Island that Kaniel had known.
That was why it was hard to shake it off even though he knew Taeyon would dislike him doing this with a demonic beast.
When he subtly lowered one hand down, the cat demonic beast approached that way as if drawn to it. A moist nose touched his fingertips, and soon he felt the soft sensation of fur against his palm.
Kaniel unconsciously let magic flow into his hand, just as he’d always done when living on the Floating Island.
Then, the cat demonic beast rubbed its face against his hand. The movement gradually became more intense, and the moment Kaniel tried to withdraw his hand, it transformed viciously.
KYAAAK—!
In an instant, magic was sucked out powerfully. The suction was so intense he felt a sense of weakness.
“Ugh…!”
In that moment, Taeyon pulled Kaniel’s waist toward himself while drawing his sword.
“Wait! Come here!”
Effolin, who had rushed over quickly, picked up the cat demonic beast. The cat demonic beast, which had been struggling and screeching, soon became docile when Effolin patted and soothed it.
“She’s not normally like this…”
“Well, I wonder about that.”
Taeyon twisted the corner of his mouth.
“That demonic beast, how many people besides you has it met?”
“……”
“I thought so.”
Taeyon exhaled as if dumbfounded, “Ha, ha.”
A misunderstanding had arisen. Kaniel quickly grabbed Taeyon and confessed the truth before the problem escalated further.
“I-it’s because of me.”
Both their gazes focused on him.
“I carelessly shared my magic…”
The supposedly tamed demonic beast had acted friendly and cute like the monsters he’d seen on the Floating Island, so he’d carelessly let his guard down. He hadn’t expected to realize anew how the Floating Island and the Surface were different in this way.
“It’s my mistake, so don’t get angry at her, Taeyon. I’m sorry.”
“…It’s not your fault.”
However, Taeyon still didn’t lower his raised sword.
“Taeyon…”
At Taeyon’s fierce gaze, Effolin turned her body sideways defensively, as if hiding the cat demonic beast.
Tense tension filled the cabin. Kaniel looked up at Taeyon pleadingly. Taeyon, who glanced down at him, suddenly let out a deep sigh. It was the look he showed when he’d let something go.
“Keep that demonic beast away from Kaniel. Understand?”
“I understand.”
“There won’t be a next time.”
The gleaming blade returned into its sheath. That alone stabilized the indoor atmosphere considerably.
That’s when it happened. Effolin suddenly opened her mouth.
“I know what magic is. It’s a resource needed when using magic, right? Does that mean Kaniel is human?”
“That’s right.”
On the Surface, when you see a beastkin without ears and a tail, you just think ‘cursed child’ or ‘poor child’ and move on. So Effolin hadn’t considered the possibility that Kaniel might be human when looking at him either.
Kaniel examined Effolin’s expression with a tense face. However, Effolin’s reaction was neither what Kaniel feared nor expected.
“I’ll make sure Kaniel is never harmed… couldn’t you give a little more magic? This is the first time I’ve seen this child so happy.”
Effolin made a request while looking at the cat demonic beast smacking its lips as if tasting something. The cat demonic beast, which had shown little expression, had sparkling eyes.
It wasn’t really a difficult thing to do. Though he’d been a bit startled by having his magic sucked out powerfully, he still had a long way to go before dropping below half. But it wasn’t something Kaniel could decide alone.
Kaniel reflexively looked up at Taeyon.
“No.”
“Taeyon…”
“I said no.”
“Then hold my hand, Taeyon. When she tries to bite or scratch me, you can just yank it away quickly.”
Kaniel said while pulling Taeyon’s hand onto the back of his own hand. Taeyon, who had been about to say no again, seemed to hesitate, then nodded heavily.
The cat demonic beast meowed happily as if delighted while consuming the magic. And Taeyon monitored that sight sharply the entire time.
* * *
Having finished the meal, now it was time to resolve the request.
Kaniel and Taeyon, guided by Effolin, moved to a pond located not far from the cabin. There really was one snake monster settled there.
“It’s big…”
“It must be about 4 meters.”
The snake monster coiled in a hole beside a tree flicked its tongue irritably as soon as it saw them. The sight of the snake monster moving its upper body as if it would attack immediately if they approached, flashing its red eyes, was quite threatening.
“Then I’ll leave it to you.”
Effolin, who spoke dryly, left while holding the cat demonic beast.
Taeyon didn’t think this request would be very difficult. The opponent was just a snake monster, after all.
However, before even an hour had passed, he realized this request was no easy matter. Strangely, the snake monster tenaciously refused to leave that spot.
It was the same even when Taeyon, transformed into a wolf, approached and threatened it, or when he hit it just enough not to injure it and then pretended to run away.
“Why won’t it move?”
Taeyon, standing with his arms crossed, clicked his tongue while glaring at the snake monster. He looked displeased that things weren’t going well.
“It’s hard to avoid injuring it.”
“Right. If killing it had been allowed, we’d have finished long ago.”
Taeyon glanced at the sword at his waist regretfully. Of course, he probably didn’t really intend to draw it.
“Kaniel, tell me what you know about snake monsters.”
“Hmm… Actually, snake monsters are sensitive to temperature. In weather this cold, they can’t move properly and should normally be passed out, so I don’t know how it’s so fine like that.”
He’d thought that even if Surface monsters were ferocious, their other characteristics would match those of Floating Island monsters to some degree, but it seemed that wasn’t entirely the case. He could only think he’d been lucky with the bear monster.
Kaniel scratched his cheek and murmured.
“I’m sorry I can’t be of help.”
“No. That one’s a special case.”
Taeyon, who glanced at Kaniel, continued.
“I’m not being helpful right now either.”
“Don’t say you’re not helpful. If it weren’t for Taeyon, I wouldn’t even be here. Do you know what that Winged Tribe member said? That I have an owner.”
Kaniel snorted.
“They said that bracelet was a bracelet my owner had prepared.”
Talking about this made him feel as if that bracelet was still fastened on his wrist. Just as Kaniel was about to grimace at the phantom pain of a disgusting bug wriggling, Taeyon pulled his hand and gently rubbed over his wrist.
“If I see them next time, I’ll definitely kill them.”
Taeyon’s eyes had sunk viciously. It was chilling enough to send shivers down his spine. When he trembled faintly at the shoulders, Taeyon seemed to pause, then stopped being angry.
“So I’m telling you not to worry.”
“…Will that person come again?”
“Who knows. Perhaps.”
“I hope we get to Oblyad Castle quickly. They won’t be able to chase us there, right?”
“Absolutely not.”
Kaniel, who smiled broadly, bumped Taeyon’s forearm with his shoulder.
“See? You’re a great help to me.”
“Yeah. Thank you, Kaniel.”
