The Beast's Careful Touch
The wound was so deep that no matter how tightly she bound it with bandages, it soaked through with blood in mere hours. She had hoped the skin might at least knit together somewhat, but the pus-laced blood inevitably left its mark on the pristine white wrappings.
“How did this happen?”
It was an imperious voice. Though it belonged to a boy who had not yet reached puberty, its low, sunken tone carried a distinct threat.
“There was a small accident.”
“A small accident?”
He stared at her, face hardening in disbelief.
“How is this a small accident?”
“Because it’s nothing serious to me.”
“How could it possibly be nothing serious?”
“……”
“The smell of blood was so thick the moment you entered that I found it strange. Who did this to your leg?”
Mathias’s hands as he examined the bandaged limb were remarkably gentle, a stark contrast to his savage expression. Even as fury radiated from him, she could sense his fear that the wound might reopen, that it might hurt. He seemed torn, like a young beast unable to decide whether to snarl or whimper.
Her disciple’s fierce interrogation left the master with no defense. In the end, she confessed what had occurred.
“……Adela came looking for me.”
“Adela?”
He mulled over the name for a moment before recognition dawned on his face.
“She mixed poisonous herbs among the incense sticks. They were the kind that paralyze muscles and slow movement. She also used sleeping agents on the other servants, putting them all under.”
“……”
“The bite mark on my neck is from her. The injury on my leg happened when I resisted and she seized a dagger, then counterattacked.”
Mathias’s expression crumpled. As he groaned and covered half his face with one large hand, he demanded in a razor-sharp voice to know where Malena had been. Odeliana hastily defended her.
“A sudden downpour had begun, so she went out to bring in the laundry hanging to dry. That was when Adela broke in… Malena saved me. If not for her, they would have found a mutilated corpse instead of someone with only a leg wound.”
“Where is that woman now?”
“……The knights dragged her away. I heard her whereabouts became unknown after that. I don’t know where she is. Nor do I wish to.”
He looked ready to rise at once, hunt Adela down, and kill her. Seeing him on the verge of storming out, Odeliana quickly caught his hand.
“D-don’t leave me alone.”
“……”
“……Stay beside me. I think I’ll feel safer if you’re here.”
Mathias’s brow twisted. He muttered curses in a manner that seemed entirely unlike him. His crumpled face, stained with despair, rage, and sorrow, showed no sign of smoothing out.
“I should have found that woman and killed her before I left. This is my failure.”
“……It’s not your fault. Who could have predicted she would do something like this? We didn’t even know whether she was alive or dead until now.”
“……”
“Still, the fact that she’s been living comfortably all this time suggests my parents cherished her quite a bit. She must be hiding somewhere even now, under their safe protection.”
Her resigned voice held neither expectation nor hope. Only calm acceptance. As though laying everything down had brought her peace.
“You’ve grown a full span taller in just a month. Come here—let me hug my dependable disciple.”
Mathias stared at Odeliana as she opened her arms, then pulled her into a fierce embrace. Or, more precisely, he held her for a brief moment before lifting her entirely onto his lap.
His touch as he held her was so careful it bordered on reverence. He moved with painstaking attention, terrified that even the slightest brush against her wounds might cause her pain. His larger frame now completely enveloped her.
“How severe is the injury?”
“Fortunately, they’re only external wounds. The feeling in my leg remains, so I can move it if I apply strength. But the wound reopens and hurts, so they said I mustn’t move until it heals completely. It’s thanks to Malena’s timely first aid that it didn’t become infected. Had it done so, they would have needed to amputate.”
She deliberately added the last part in case he might blame Malena again. Knowing Malena already carried heavy guilt over the incident, Odeliana didn’t want Mathias rubbing salt into those wounds.
“……And the pain?”
“It’s bearable. If it hurt so badly I couldn’t endure it, would I be sitting here calmly talking with you? I’d be too busy writhing around.”
Of course, once the painkillers wore off she suffered agony severe enough to keep her awake, but Odeliana deliberately acted tougher than she felt, exaggerating to reassure him. Then she swiftly changed the subject.
“Enough of this dreary talk. Tell me about you. I have so many questions. How have you been? And what is that probe carcass you brought back?”
“During the final exam, a probe appeared near the village. It sprayed toxic gas that withered people to death, then tore into and devoured the corpses. The surviving villagers fled to the testing grounds and begged for help. A beast had appeared, they said—please deal with it.”
“And then?”
“The knight examiners hurriedly sent a messenger requesting reinforcements and began preparing to subjugate the probe. I wanted to finish the test as quickly as possible and return, so I was irritated that time was being wasted on a single beast. Rather than watch them handle it, I decided it would be faster if I took care of it myself.”
“Probes are powerful enough to require ten elite knights, yet you eliminated one with a single strike?”
When Odeliana asked while pretending ignorance of his true nature, he looked down at her and answered as though it were nothing.
“Subjugating beasts is only difficult because people approach them recklessly without proper tactics. A probe’s heart is located in its temple. Pierce that spot and it falls easily. They also hate salt—if you scatter it, their movements slow, making it simple to get behind them.”
“You know a great deal about beasts.”
“I’ve faced them before.”
Of course you know them well. After all, you are one.
Odeliana suddenly wondered if she might uncover clues about the curse from him.
“Isn’t it the beast’s curse, then?”
At the abrupt question, Mathias gazed at her steadily. His expression seemed to ask why she was suddenly inquiring about such a thing, so she hastily offered an excuse.
“I recently started reading books related to beasts. Since I can’t move and am stuck inside the house all day, I was bored…”
It was true that Malena had obtained the books for her investigation, and it was also true that she read them to combat boredom, so it wasn’t entirely a lie. Fortunately, Mathias answered without apparent suspicion.
“The beast’s curse—to be precise, it is called beast magic.”
“Beast magic?”
“Certain beasts possess special abilities known as beast magic. In the wider world, these are simply referred to as ‘curses.’”
“How do you break beast magic?”
“It depends on the type of magic and who cast it. In most cases, the only way is to locate the beast responsible and ask them to undo it.”
“Ask?”
“Those who wield beast magic are generally high-class beasts or above. Their intelligence is not significantly different from humans’, and they can wear human hide permanently. Unless they reveal themselves, they are indistinguishable from ordinary people.”
Mathias offered this valuable information about beasts without the slightest hesitation. He spoke so freely it was almost disconcerting.
“What if you don’t know who cast the beast magic?”
“Then there is no method to undo it.”
“Is it completely impossible?”
At her somewhat desperate tone, Mathias’s expression twisted slightly. He appeared troubled. After a brief moment of contemplation, he let out a small sigh.
“It would be possible if you had Livna’s bones.”
Odeliana doubted her ears. She spoke as if the idea were absurd.
“Livna’s bones? You don’t mean… the legendary beast Livna?”