[Author’s Note] Thank you! If you enjoyed reading, please press the recommendation button at the top of your mobile screen. With just two seconds of your time, a poor writer like me could become truly happy!
Chapter 19: The Mythical Ilgast #1
“Did I just hear ‘Alpha’?”
A tiny lantern flickered to life inside the cave.
Following that, a series of small lights appeared, illuminating the deep interior left and right, spaced evenly apart.
Even though they were as small as fireflies, the dark cave lit up as if it were festooned with fluorescent lights.
“…Come in.”
From deep within the cave, a composed voice rang out.
It was a warm and gentle male voice that could easily attract a fanbase if he were a YouTuber or streamer.
—Let’s go.
Salome nudged me forward with her wing feathers.
I hesitated just a bit, but took a step inside the cave.
‘This cave is surprisingly pleasant.’
I wondered if they had turned on a heater, as a warm breeze swirled around me.
My damp fur dried instantly, feeling fresh and fluffy again.
That wet sensation lifted a little, whisking away some of my hesitation.
‘Whatever this place is, it’s got a dryer in it—good cave!’
This cave, carved out of a cliff or small mountain, boasted walls of rock typical of this realm.
The floor was covered in a grass-like carpet with a vibrant assortment of various plants and flowers swaying gently within the cave.
But most of all, what caught my eye were the antlers hanging on the cave walls.
Deer antlers, elegantly sprouting like branches, displayed their might like hunting trophies.
‘Come to think of it, didn’t the Elder of the Forest say they were of the deer lineage? Are those the Elder’s antlers?’
As I pondered this, I noticed a long shadow flickering against the cave wall.
—They’re around that corner.
Salome took a deep breath, seemingly on edge.
I started to feel the adrenaline kick in as my heart raced in sync with hers.
Finally, as I turned the corner, I caught sight of beautifully pointed antlers sprouting from a figure, and Salome gasped, trembling.
“It’s been a while, Salome. And you must be the Alpha?”
—Oh.
I couldn’t help but admire. Just when I thought a deer might spring out, instead, I saw a young man with long blonde hair.
His thin silk clothing shimmered in the lantern light.
“Nice to meet you, Alpha.”
The young man stood up from a wooden desk illuminated by the lantern.
At first glance, his delicate features and intelligent blue eyes seemed almost too good to be true, like a youthful Adonis from Greek mythology.
‘But wait, he’s got antlers growing from his head!’
He had magnificent antlers extending high above him, resembling branches or a splendid laurel crown.
It made me feel a sort of kinship toward him, possibly because he also had antlers, or maybe it was due to his charming appearance; either way, I felt oddly at ease.
—Ah, greetings, Lord Ilgast. Huh, huh…
However, Salome looked somewhat uncomfortable, her expression scrunching up as she breathed heavily.
—Ugh.
Salome’s stance faltered, and she sank to one knee on the floor.
The man observing her raised an eyebrow.
“Oh, I mustn’t have eased my aura. It’s been a long time since anyone visited, and I apologize. But Alpha, you seem to be handling my prowess just fine.”
The Elder of the Forest, probably this Ilgast fellow, addressed me as if he’d known me forever.
‘What’s this ‘aura’ he’s talking about?’
Since I didn’t feel anything, I tilted my head in confusion.
Seeing Salome distressed made me suspect there was some kind of magical force at play that I couldn’t comprehend.
“Seeing you endure my aura, Alpha… it looks like you are indeed the real deal. I can hardly believe it.”
Ilgast muttered some incomprehensible words under his breath and slowly approached me.
I grew a bit wary, but he didn’t seem like he meant any harm.
“I’ve never met such a small creature before. Yet, you’re quite magnificent. Are those quills the result of eating hedgehogs or edgehogs? Truly splendid; a textbook example of evolution!”
He stepped closer and ruffled my fur as if stroking a pet.
It’s rather intriguing just how skilled the mythical beings are at scratching that perfect spot. Eve was the same way, and now this guy, too.
Although no matter how charming he appeared, he was still a man, and his touch didn’t quite match Eve’s delightful finesse.
I suppose the pleasure of a back rub was halved.
“Wow…! Those claws are remarkable too. Is this a ‘Sturdy Claw’? It’s a talent you see only once in centuries. I’ve never seen one this close. Impressive!”
Still, his continuous compliments didn’t feel entirely terrible.
They say that even whales dance for praise, right?
I guess I’ve always been a sucker for compliments, even since my human days.
‘This guy isn’t bad for a man. He’s got some knowledge.’
I purred contentedly, resonating with low, happy sounds.
“Oh, do you possess a talent for low frequencies? That’s an excellent trait. It helps to ease fears and makes others feel comfortable around you. Having two notable talents like that? You must be well-loved by Mother World Tree.”
Thinking over Ilgast’s words made me reconsider my skill ‘Low Frequency.’
What I assumed was merely a soothing sound function also seemed to elevate my likability among others.
‘Now that I think about it, Leaf kept asking me to purr more often.’
I began to see the connection.
‘On top of that, this guy could see my ability immediately. He must know I’m a magical beast Behemoth, huh?’
While he didn’t verbalize it, Ilgast’s blue eyes sparkled as if they knew everything about me.
He was undoubtedly another mythical creature who had lived since the days when this Ancient Nest was called the gods’ banquet hall.
—Phew, thank you for your consideration, Lord Ilgast.
Since the aura seemed to have lessened, Salome rose and began to stroke her neck with her wing feathers.
“It’s nothing. But what brings you here? Are you here to introduce this little friend?”
Ilgast ceased ruffling my fur, returning to his desk to sit down.
—That’s part of it, but I came here at Lord Lao-Hoo’s request to see you.
“Oh, Lao-Hoo. Yes, that’s right… How is he doing? Is he taking the medicine I gave him? Quit smoking yet?”
—Well…
Salome hesitated in her response, prompting Ilgast to let out a wry laugh.
“That fellow wouldn’t listen to me anyway. He’s been the oddest owner of the western domain throughout history.”
—That’s true. Therefore, I bring Lord Lao-Hoo’s message, but this Alpha from the south will participate as the champion in this tournament. So…
“I oppose.”
Cutting off Salome’s explanation, Ilgast declared his stance firmly.
Even without hearing the rest of the story, he seemed to grasp everything I was trying to say.
With a shake of his head, Ilgast continued to elaborate on his reasoning.
“To oppose means to object to holding the festival altogether. The timing isn’t right. I’ve heard ominous omens echoing from all the forests. It seems foolish to hold a festival at such a time.”
‘Oh, I see.’
For a moment, I was afraid I had been rejected.
Sometimes you need to listen to the whole spiel before jumping to conclusions.
Salome let out a small whimper and continued calmly, “But you know Lord Lao-Hoo’s character well, don’t you? Once he decides to do something, he won’t backtrack.”
“Well, that’s true. Sigh, therein lies the problem. But I’m not speaking without reason. I’ve heard rumors of a black lion spotted in the west.”
Once Ilgast’s words wrapped up, a heavy stillness blanketed the cave.
The sound of the lantern wick burning and Salome’s quiet breaths echoed faintly.
—…A black lion, you say? That can’t be right. Are you sure it wasn’t confused with another black-furred beast?
Upon hearing his unbelievable claim, Salome denied it, shaking her head slowly.
“The spiders told me. With a black mane and red eyes. They insisted it was undeniably a black lion. Even the scar on its forehead matched exactly.”
—But Scarface Suka died hundreds of years ago, right? Surely the spiders wouldn’t lie…
“Spiders may d*e, but they never lie. That’s their curse. Suka is alive. There are things that carry on in this world. Salome, as the daughter of Herodia, you should understand what I mean.”
—That can’t be…
“Think back to about 600 years ago, on the day of the changing of the king in the west. You should read that day’s truth with the talent of your clan, the truth your mother Herodia beheld.”
—But mentioning that day is taboo, isn’t it? No one who remembers it remains, I wager.
“Indeed, it was the day when the old king fell, and the new king ascended. And on that day, the light from the new king’s eyes vanished forever. That day, marked by disgrace, should be erased from everyone’s memory. I thought the same.”
Ilgast’s blue eyes gazed wistfully into the void.
“But I’m sure there was another black lion present that day. A young beast with soft fur not yet fully grown. He would have been reliving those memories that everyone tried to forget up to this point. How could he ever forget?”
Both Ilgast and Salome fell silent after that.
I couldn’t grasp every word they exchanged, but I could tell it was not a pleasant conversation.
‘That black lion seems like a significant threat indeed.’
With my top-notch deduction and comprehension skills, honed by having topped language class, I suspected this was probably tied to the story of the western king before Lao-Hoo.
“The young lion that fell with Suka’s carcass over the cliff was honing its fangs and claws in the depths of a dark, grim valley. Now, 600 years have passed. Who knows how long its hatred and claws have grown? It must have been waiting for the day of the festival.”
—You mean a new king might be replacing the old one?
“I can’t say for certain. Lao-Hoo is undoubtedly a strong man. But he’s old and sick now. The only one who can stop him is…”
As Ilgast rambled on, he suddenly seemed to have an epiphany and paused mid-sentence, exclaiming, “Ah!”
“Ha!”
Suddenly, he looked me in the eye and smiled wide.
What a refreshing smile it was.
If I were a girl, I’m pretty sure I would have fallen for him right then.
I wished to be reborn as a handsome man among humans in my next life, despite being a magical beast right now.
“Lao-Hoo, so that’s how it is. He sent me this guy to make him his champion. It’s true—he means to make this Alpha his champion. Lao-Hoo might not even have realized what he was doing…”
I watched as Ilgast rose from his chair again.
He began inspecting the antlers hanging on the cave walls.
—What on earth is an Alpha? Is this little guy not just an ordinary white-furred beast?
Unable to hold back my curiosity, Salome fired off a question toward Ilgast.
While I, too, was intrigued by what ‘Alpha’ meant, I feared it would lead to a complicated and lengthy explanation, so I kept my mouth shut.
“Salome, your mother’s mother, and her mother before her… It was back in those days. Even if I told you now, you wouldn’t understand. I can tell you one thing, though—you’ll see that this fellow can fight well against Suka’s descendants.”
—Excuse me? Such a small, adorable creature…? He’s not even shed his soft baby fur! Look! A fluff ball!
Salome’s wing feathers gently caressed my soft white fur.
“Unlike other beasts, age isn’t crucial for this one. It’s about what he’s been eating all this time. Hmm, nothing fitting appears to be around.”
Ilgast seemed to have made a significant decision as he placed a hand on the antlers sprouting from his head.
And with a hefty inhale, he used all his strength to break off one of his antlers.
With a crack, his antler broke, and bl**d gushed from the ragged edge, staining Ilgast’s face.
—W-What on earth are you doing!? Breaking your antler?!
Salome’s healthy golden-brown face turned pale with fright.
With his bloodied face, Ilgast extended the severed antler toward me.
“Eat it, Alpha. Seize the fate of your name.”
[Author’s Note] Thank you! If you enjoyed reading, please press the recommendation button at the top of your mobile screen. With just two seconds of your time, a poor writer like me could become truly happy!
