- Tersium
“……Pipi.”
Serdin called Formo’s name in a low voice. All this time, Serdin had been continuously pondering what Formo might have lost as the price for becoming a beastman. However, despite keeping a close watch on Formo, he found it puzzling that nothing seemed different from before. After all, there had never been a single animal that became a beastman without paying a price.
Formo himself didn’t seem to notice any changes either, so Serdin had assumed the price wasn’t too heavy. He’d also hoped that if a price had been paid, it would be something trivial—like being unable to fly for a few hours each day and needing his help, or becoming more affectionate, or laughing or crying more often.
Then unexpectedly, he came face to face with Formo’s price.
Serdin’s face hardened. Bewilderingly, what Formo had lost as the price for becoming a beastman appeared to be the sensation of pain. However, the extent of it wasn’t clear. It wasn’t something that could be confirmed immediately either. Serdin stared intently at Formo, who was innocently blinking his eyes, unaware of what was wrong, then turned his gaze away.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
When Serdin, who had been acting serious, suddenly turned his head away without a word, Formo asked questions repeatedly in a puzzled voice. However, Serdin didn’t give any particular response to Formo’s inquiries. He simply narrowed his brows while looking out the window.
The carriage that had been running through the capital for quite some time stopped in front of a massive castle gate. Formo, who had been sending heated gazes toward the unresponsive Serdin, turned his head toward the window. A majestic castle came into view outside. Formo swallowed his dry saliva, overwhelmed by its imposing presence. The Detached Palace was large too, but it was nothing compared to the castle in Tersium’s capital.
Formo stared blankly at the splendidly constructed castle. The heavy castle gate opened with a sound. The carriage that had been stopped for a moment entered through the gate. Formo took in the scenery inside the castle as it passed by the carriage window. There were several brilliantly built palaces, and each palace seemed to have its own separate garden. Everything was different from Arancha.
Formo couldn’t help but gape at the sight he was seeing for the first time in his life. He’d thought the Detached Palace was excessively splendid, but inside the castle was built even more brilliantly than that. Moreover, it was so vast that he felt he might easily get lost. Formo decided that if such a thing happened, he would transform into an animal without hesitation as he surveyed his surroundings.
The slowly moving carriage arrived in front of a large palace. When the carriage door opened, Serdin got out first and extended his hand to Formo. Formo grasped Serdin’s outstretched hand and asked.
“Where is this?”
“It’s the palace where the Emperor conducts his business. It’s also called the Karta Palace.”
“Why did we come to such a palace?”
Serdin looked quietly at Formo, who was asking with wide eyes, then answered.
“For an audience.”
“For an audience? Does that mean… we’re meeting the Emperor?”
“Yeah.”
Formo, who hadn’t even imagined he would meet the Emperor, jumped in place.
“Wh-what? Why are you only telling me this now!”
This hadn’t been agreed upon. Coming to Tersium was sudden enough, but now he was going to meet the Emperor too. Since Serdin, Kert, and Sara didn’t see him as prey, it was fine to face them, but other predators were different. They might recognize him as prey and try to hunt him.
Serdin said he would be safe if he remained in human form, but that didn’t mean the predators wouldn’t notice the instinctive fear held by prey. Formo moistened his nervously dried lips with his tongue.
“It’s okay, Pipi. There’s nothing to be scared of.”
“You might be fine, but I…….”
Formo, who had been continuing his words up to that point, closed his mouth with a sigh. There was no point in saying more—it would only tire his mouth. What would a predator at the top of the food chain know? They were born different from the start. Formo glanced at Serdin, who was standing firmly holding his hand. His personality was terrible, but it was somewhat reassuring to have at least Serdin by his side.
This was because Serdin, who thought of him as something like a pet, would probably protect him well on his own. Formo, who had patted the area around his violently pounding heart, followed Serdin’s steps.
The corridor leading to the audience chamber was very long and quiet. The regular sound of shoe heels touching the marble floor echoed through the wide corridor. Formo walked along the corridor as Serdin led.
“Pipi-nim, there’s no need to be nervous.”
Kert whispered softly from behind. If that were enough to feel reassured, he would have relaxed his mind long ago when Serdin comforted him. Formo pursed his lips.
At the end of the long corridor was a door that occupied an entire wall. In front of the door decorated with crafted gold stood two beastmen dressed in full armor. They were guards.
The guards, who had been rolling their eyes around as if bored, discovered Serdin and straightened their posture.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, you have arrived!”
“You have arrived, Your Highness!”
The guards, who spoke in competition with each other, cleared their throats as if they’d been waiting and shouted.
“His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!”
The guards who shouted simultaneously threw open the large door. Formo, who had been hiding behind Serdin, peeked his head out slightly to examine beyond the door. At the far end of the large audience chamber were a high platform and throne, and a jaguar beastman whose imposing physique could be felt at a glance.
Formo hesitated, swallowing his dry saliva, then followed Serdin’s steps. As they entered the audience chamber, the door closed. Formo felt an overwhelming sense of being swallowed by the massive door, and goosebumps rose all over his body.
Unable to even look at the Emperor sitting on the throne, propping his chin and watching them, Formo bowed his head deeply. Serdin squeezed and then released Formo’s hand as if to comfort him, stood before the high platform, and looked up at his father.
“Serdin Belius.”
“Yes.”
The voice, laden with considerable emotion, had weight to it. Harold, Serdin’s father and Emperor of Tersium, shouted in a thunderous voice.
“You damn son! I sent you so many letters telling you to return early!”
Even at the roar, Serdin stood calmly without any change in expression. The only ones surprised were Formo with his tiny heart and Kert, who found him intimidating. Formo, hiding behind Serdin, flinched and let go of Serdin’s hand. Then he stuck right behind Serdin, hiding as if to conceal his existence.
“You’re being loud.”
Serdin said irritably while glancing behind him.
“Y-you……!”
Harold moved his lips with bloodshot eyes, then belatedly discovered Formo hiding behind Serdin and closed his mouth. White hair was sticking out from behind Serdin’s upper body. Harold’s eyes narrowed as he looked at it. He hadn’t heard anything about Serdin taking in a white tiger or snow leopard. It was strange.
……Wait. Recently, he’d received a report from Kert that Serdin had taken in something and was doing quite well as a guardian. Could it have been a beastman instead of an animal?
When Harold sent a confirming gaze to Kert, Kert nodded his head.
“……Oho.”
A smile appeared on Harold’s lips, which had been raging just moments before. He unnecessarily cleared his throat, adjusted his posture, and glanced sideways behind Serdin. He’d already been dying of curiosity after reading the report Kert had submitted.
“Ahem. Well then, Serdin. You did well to come, regardless.”
Harold comforted Serdin in a considerably softened voice. Then he glanced behind Serdin and asked craftily.
“But when are you planning to introduce the beastman hiding behind you?”
“……Hic!”
At the words pointing exactly to him, Formo trembled violently and was startled. He’d thought he was well hidden, but apparently that wasn’t the case. His already white face turned even paler. His hand gripping Serdin’s hem trembled. Serdin felt that subtle trembling and sighed softly. It was a situation they’d have to go through at least once anyway.
It was something he’d been prepared for when bringing Formo to the capital. Though Formo’s thoughts might be a little different.
“It’s okay, Pipi.”
Serdin turned around and comforted Formo quietly. Such words couldn’t possibly ease Formo’s mind. Formo looked up at Serdin with trembling pupils and sniffled. He looked like he might shed tears at any moment.
Serdin’s lips moved as he quietly took in that pitiful sight.
“Pipi, you should only cry when we’re alone together.”
Even in this moment when comforting him wouldn’t be enough, Formo’s brow twitched as he looked at Serdin, who was spouting nonsense in succession.
“Couldn’t you hold it in just a little and cry in my room?”
At Serdin’s following question, Formo’s eyes opened fiercely. For a moment, Formo forgot where he was and who was with them, and questioned in an irritated voice.
“Are you messing with me right now?”
It was a voice so loud it echoed through the interior of the audience chamber. Formo’s pupils dilated as he heard his own echoing voice. Formo, who realized a beat late that he’d done something he shouldn’t have, inhaled and covered his own mouth as well. But it was already like spilled water. Too late.
Silence settled over the audience chamber. Harold stared at his son with a surprised face, and Kert watched the Emperor’s mood. Formo glanced at the throne with anxious eyes. The only one who remained composed in this situation was Serdin.
“Pipi.”
When Serdin’s lips opened, everyone gathered in the audience chamber focused their gaze on him. A crooked smile hung on Serdin’s lips.
“I think I’ve said this before.”
“…….”
“Pipi really… doesn’t give me room to think about anything else, even in moments like this.”
Formo swallowed his saliva and squinted his eyes. He had no idea what this wretched jaguar was trying to say.
“That’s why I like you, Pipi.”
As nonsense close to a confession continued, Formo’s brow crumpled up again.
