Chapter 63: Sacred Beast?
“Um… Why is Yukihyo here…?”
And why is he chewing on his own tail?
In front of me stands a large Yukihyo. Or at least, I think it’s a Yukihyo. It has thick limbs, a pure white coat with black leopard spots, round ears, and a thick tail with a black tip. On its forehead, there’s a beautifully twisted horn that glimmers with a pearlescent sheen.
“…tch.”
Yukihyo lets out a sound from between its tail.
“What is it?”
“I’m asking if it’s alright for the Deer to appear.”
Next to Yukihyo stands a large white stag, its mouth opening. Its impressive antlers spread out like branches, also white, adorned with several softly glowing bells. It has three round, red horns on its forehead.
A translator!?
“The Deer is here under the assumption that it resides in the Forest.”
But Yukihyo gives off an image of being in a cold mountainous area.
“…tch.”
“Indeed, I usually dwell further north.”
Since there are no dark markings around its eyes, these two must be what are referred to as Sacred Beasts.
Continuing from yesterday, I was heading deeper into the Forest when they approached me. From their conversation, it seems they usually stay much deeper in, but they’ve come out specifically.
“…tch.”
“I have a request.”
Yukihyo is surprisingly expressive, while the stag remains completely still, staring directly at me, its mouth moving alone. Is it specialized in translation?
“What is it?”
“…tch.”
“I want you to make a contract with Majiru and help me.”
Is Majiru another Sacred Beast?
“What is Majiru?”
I can’t help but wonder if all Sacred Beasts are like this. The content of the conversation is less concerning than that.
“…tch.”
“My friend.”
… I think only the protagonist of a hot-blooded shonen manga would understand that.
If it’s a friend of a Sacred Beast, does that mean it’s spirit-related? And if it’s a contract, does that mean I need to rename it? Could it be that Majiru is a melted spirit?
“Can I control it? And what’s the cost?”
“…tch.”
“Let’s create a sanctuary in your favorite spot in this Forest.”
“A sanctuary?”
“It will repel Demon Beasts, Black Spirits, and anything hostile.”
So, I can establish a base in the Forest. That would be convenient for naming the ordinary spirits here.
“Where do I need to go?”
“…tch.”
“Ride the Deer.”
The stag is just standing there, but is it really okay to ride it? Hesitating, I leap onto the unmoving stag.
“Whoa!”
The moment I mounted, it took off running. And fast! I wasn’t prepared, and my upper body was thrown back.
Fortunately, I managed to regain my balance and grasp its antlers. The sound of the overlapping bells jingled as we sped through the Forest. Yukihyo ran ahead silently, still clutching its tail. Isn’t it hard to breathe like that?
Demon Beasts and spirits that appeared at the edge of my vision quickly vanished, and the surrounding trees flew by like a blur.
“Whoa!”
It suddenly stopped without warning from top speed. It didn’t even slide; what kind of physics is at play here? I didn’t hit anything, but the sudden stop jolted my insides.
“…tch.”
“Majiru, Mau has arrived.”
The stag spoke as it headed toward a place where large rocks and trees were nestled together. Is it unable to let go of its tail? Is it like an Ouroboros?
Mau must be Yukihyo’s name.
From the shadows of the rocks, a large black horse emerged, its body translucent and melting around the shoulders.
Now that I think about it, there are unicorns and pegasi deeper in the Forest. But this horse isn’t a Demon Beast or a Sacred Beast; it’s a spirit. It hasn’t possessed anything yet; it’s just a large horse-shaped spirit.
“…Why did you bring a human?!”
A low, rumbling voice echoed.
“My apologies.”
I dismounted from the stag and quickly tackled the horse, pinning its neck to the ground.
At least I don’t have to worry about breaking any bones since it’s not an animal.
“What…?!”
“Yes. What is your name?”
I tilted my head, peering into its face.
Spirits with names usually introduce themselves first to establish the contract. Sometimes they get renamed, but that creates a stronger bond. If I’m just healing its melted body, keeping its original name should suffice.
“…tch.”
“That’s quite terrible.”
The stag continued to translate, but Yukihyo’s ears drooped back.
The black ones are impossible to persuade based on experience! Isn’t it better to subdue them than to half-kill them?!
“It’s okay, it’s okay~?”
“You…!”
I struggled to hold down the thrashing horse. I didn’t want to get kicked; that looked painful.
After about an hour of channeling magic while restraining it, the ground was gouged and torn up from the horse’s struggles.
“Ugh… Majiru…”
“Then, Majiru, let’s make a contract.”
“You scoundrel, human!”
The horse’s eyes burned red.
“Let’s make a contract.”
“…Let’s make a contract.”
Ignoring its anger, I repeated the question, and the horse relented, echoing the same words back to me.
The words of a spirit during a contract can vary, but as soon as it spoke, my magic surged and flowed into the spirit, making the possibility of the contract clear.
It took a hefty chunk of my magic. Thankfully, I wasn’t chasing after the black ones today, so I managed to get by.
“Phew. That worked out.”
I was sweating a bit now.
“…tch.”
“That’s quite terrible.”
I was told the same thing twice!
“I thought you’d use a magic circle or ropes with seals, so I let my guard down…!”
The horse said regretfully.
… Could it be that capturing ordinary spirits isn’t done by brute force but rather by using such methods to ensnare them? I couldn’t help but avert my gaze.