Thank you all for the comments and coupons! Have a great weekend! @[emailprotected] Episode 127
42. The Magical Beast and the Beautiful Royal Capital – The Magical Beast and the Beautiful Royal Capital #2
“Legendary magical beast…?”
“Are you saying the legendary magical beast is Behemoth?”
Batus’s blunt answer caused a stir in the court.
I couldn’t believe Batus would tell the truth about my identity, so I was left flabbergasted.
‘Is this for real…?’
I glanced around, examining the faces of the onlookers. They were looking down at me with expressions that could probably throw a capturing net at any moment.
“Ugh.”
“Haha!”
But contrary to my worries, everyone in the court burst out laughing loudly.
“Lord Batus, aren’t you being a bit too cheeky in front of His Majesty?”
“A-ah, the legendary beast! Hahaha, legendary!”
“Is that cute little thing going to breathe fire and sh**t lightning? Hehe!”
They all seemed to treat Batus’s claim that I was the legendary beast, Behemoth, as a hilarious joke.
In a world where dinosaurs roam and mythical creatures exist, the term ‘legendary beast’ seemed utterly ridiculous.
Batus, however, didn’t laugh and chose to remain silent.
The old king set down the leaf he had been holding and firmly grasped his staff, striking it against the floor.
Bang.
“Quiet.”
With the king’s single word, the laughter evaporated from everyone’s faces. After a few awkward coughs, a palpable silence settled over the royal palace.
Realizing the atmosphere had calmed, the king took his seat on the throne and placed the leaf on his lap. He gently stroked the head of the leaf, who was gleefully fiddling with a ring, and continued speaking slowly.
“Platinum Hunter Batus may share hard-to-believe truths, but he is not a man who tells lies. However, sometimes a fool’s explanation is necessary. Can that white beast prove to be the legendary beast?”
At the old king’s question, Batus calmly looked around before responding.
“Everyone here has heard tales of the griffons in the palace garden. In the West, they are revered as fabulous beasts. No need to mention that they are fierce and strong. If we were to unleash a griffon here, it would look like a hellish disaster.”
The knights, nobles, and maidens all flinched, their lips trembling.
From their expressions, it seemed like there was much they wanted to say. It appeared they had all heard plenty about Batus’s griffon waiting in his carriage parked in the royal garden.
“I didn’t take down the griffon; neither did Sir Suleiman, the former commander of the knights. It was that little one who captured and tamed the griffon! That cute little white fluffball might look adorable, but it’s strong enough to rip every one of us apart.”
“That little thing caught a griffon…?”
“I-I saw the griffon earlier! It was as big as a house! How could that beast have caught it?”
“It barely reached my chest.”
“I can’t believe it.”
As everyone muttered their disbelief, the palace quickly became noisy again. The king’s right eye narrowed.
“If it’s such a mighty beast, should we just release it here in the palace without a leash or chains? What if it attacks the people or the king’s subjects?”
Everyone nodded at the king’s question. Batus shrugged his shoulders while glancing at me.
“That beast won’t attack people unless it gets attacked first. It’s quite intelligent. It might even be listening to and understanding everything you’re saying.”
Batus walked toward me slowly and lifted me high, so everyone could see me clearly.
“I believe showing is better than merely telling. I ask to present this white beast to the Saint!”
*
Within the vast grounds of the royal palace was a large circular structure that could be called a stadium, coliseum, or large theater.
Not only the old king but also high-ranking officials and knights led me to a wide arena within the round building.
‘What is happening?’
I frowned at the vast space littered with piles of various animal bones. Looking up, I could see the crowd in the distant spectator seats gazing down at me.
—Batus, what on earth do you want me to do…!?
I shouted loudly, but no answer came from Batus.
‘He must have something planned.’
At that moment, the iron gate on the opposite side of the arena creaked open. I squinted and focused my gaze there; two knights in shining full plate armor entered, holding something like a lasso.
In between the two knights was a woman dressed in a red dress, staggering along with a leash around her neck.
—What in the world is that?
As I contemplated, astonishment erupted from a nearby section of the crowd, accompanied by heavy breathing.
“It’s the Saint!”
“I can’t believe I’m seeing this in my lifetime again.”
Judging by the reactions of the people, it seemed like the woman being dragged around by the knights, looking like a slave, was indeed the ‘Saint.’
‘But she looks more like…’
I squinted, observing the woman as she got closer to me. The usual image of a saint included someone dignified and modest, but with chains around her neck and limbs, a gag in her mouth, and even a blindfold, she looked more like a witch about to be executed or a notorious criminal.
The clingy china dress hugged her elastic body, and the long legs visible along the side looked alluring and captivating.
Moreover, those two sharply pointed horns sticking out of her head were definitely not normal.
‘This woman is not human.’
The knights knelt the Saint before me. Then they removed the gag from her mouth, granting her the freedom to speak.
The Saint’s mouth, previously drooling, broke into an unnaturally wide grin.
“Curse you, filthy humans…!”
Her calm curse drew wild cheers from the spectators.
“She’s still got some fire in her! The same words after all these years!”
“That’s the spirit!”
‘What the heck is going on here?’
I shifted my gaze between the captive woman and the audience, letting out an incredulous sound. The Saint’s previously wide grin froze into a blank expression, like ice.
“Knights, what is happening in front of me? I heard something strange.”
At the Saint’s inquiry, the knights released the chains binding her limbs.
“This is your opponent today.”
With her arms and legs freed, the Saint staggered to her feet. She raised an arm to remove the odd blindfold.
Swoosh!
“Ugh…!”
Suddenly, sparks of red lightning shot from her slender fingertips like a thunderclap.
Startled, the knights nearby admonished her in cold, emotionless tones.
“We cannot remove the blindfold and the leash. Only your arms and legs are allowed freedom.”
“How cowardly. If not for these chains, I would have torn you all apart.”
As the Saint gently tended to her swollen fingertips, she slowly approached me, reaching out a hand as if to confirm my identity through touch.
Her delicate fingers brushed my head. The intense red nails were fascinating, but her touch was surprisingly gentle.
“Soft fur. Cheeks are squishy… sharp teeth. Rough… tongue? You’re licking my finger, so you seem to have a good personality. Hmm. Horns on your head…”
The Saint grabbed my face tightly with both hands. Then she leaned in close, sniffing the air.
“Behemoth…!”
The Saint exclaimed loudly and stumbled back a few steps.
A strong wind swirled around her, sending the armored knights standing nearby flying off into the distance.
“Are humans going to repeat the wrong history again?!”
With a dignified tone, the Saint growled fiercely. Her thick reptilian tail, hidden beneath the red dress, swung powerfully toward me.
‘Whoa, she’s attacking out of nowhere.’
I deftly dodged the attack and widened the distance between us. Cheerful applause and cheers erupted from the audience.
“Fight!”
“k*ll each other!”
‘Ah ha.’
A smirk crept onto my face as I recognized this familiar atmosphere somewhere. Just like the festivals of the Ancient Nest and the Western Forest, this seemed like a gladiatorial arena created by humans.
And this Saint right before me was likely a mythical creature.
—Could you possibly be Fire Dragon Azidahaka?
“I am Azidahaka.”
In response to my question, the Saint, Fire Dragon Azidahaka, answered calmly. Yet despite her polite response, a chilling aura emanating from her made my fur stand on end.
‘If she didn’t have the blindfold and leash, she would have torn me apart on the spot. Whatever it is, it seems her bindings suppress the power of a mythical creature itself.’
I took a step back, creating some distance from the Saint, then looked back toward the audience. Batus, observing me calmly, repeatedly shaped his lips into an ‘o’ and back out.
‘Fight. Fight. He wants us to fight?’
Though I wasn’t entirely sure, Batus’s mouth seemed to be moving in such a manner. It appeared he wanted me to battle this Fire Dragon Azidahaka.
I wracked my brain, trying to predict what Batus and Adam were thinking.
Batus probably wanted me to sharpen my skills by fighting a strong opponent, so he was prodding me to battle the mythical creature to spur my growth. That seemed like the most logical assumption.
‘For a mythical creature bound by restrictions, this is terrifying but invigorating.’
Given I had grown stronger as an adult, this was undoubtedly an appropriate and fitting opponent for me. It was also a chance to test how far my strength would go against a mythical creature.
—Miss, I don’t know why you’re being held captive by humans, but I need you to be my opponent.
No matter how powerful a mythical creature is, being blindfolded is a huge disadvantage. The fact that she has handicaps gave me a surge of confidence.
Rustle.
I stepped aside. The sound of gravel and the remains of beast teeth and bones crunched underfoot.
“Behemoth!”
With that small sound, the Fire Dragon swung her long tail at me.
Her red-scaled tail slammed into the ground, creating a crater as if a bomb had exploded. It was clear that being hit by that would crush bones into dust.
‘For someone with keen hearing, if she was close enough to smell me, her sense of smell doesn’t seem that great. Lacking vision, she must rely on her hearing. Let’s see how that works out.’
I lifted my toes. My skill, “Stealthy Movement,” was a groundbreaking ability that erased not just my footsteps but my very presence after achieving its first milestone.
The sound of the sand crunching underneath me vanished completely, quieter than even the breath of an ant. I grinned with satisfaction as I approached the Saint, Fire Dragon Azidahaka.
Just as I raised my front paw to bring it down on her—
—What!?
Suddenly, a tail attack came flying at me. If it hadn’t been for the enhanced reflexes I gained after becoming an adult, I would’ve turned into a broken log from this surprise ambush.
‘The ambusher has become the ambushed.’
I was baffled. I thought I’d wiped my presence completely, and with her eyes covered, she shouldn’t have sensed me coming. Yet, the Saint detected me and launched an attack.
‘Does she have some talent for detection?’
As I pondered my widened distance, the Saint turned her head toward the audience, her ears keenly listening.
“Do not retreat! Fight and roll in the dirt!”
“Don’t back off; you’re monsters from the Ancient Nest! Tear each other apart!”
The spectators were chattering about my battle with the Saint.
‘Ah, she’s using the sounds from the crowd to gauge our distance.’
The Fire Dragon was not only listening to the sounds I made but also the audience’s conversations. With her attitude, it seemed as if she was experienced in fighting in a blindfolded arena.
‘So, she’s a veteran in this invisible coliseum?’
I glanced between the crowd and the Saint, baring my fangs in a grin.
‘If that’s the case, I have my own tricks.’
[Author’s Note] If you enjoyed reading, please press the recommendation at the top of your mobile screen! In just two seconds, you can bring happiness to a writer’s day! @[emailprotected]
