Chapter 205: Tradition(3)
Chapter 205: Tradition(3)
The atmosphere turned awkward in an instant because of Leona’s bold declaration that she would become my wife. If I were alone, it might have been one thing, but with Mari right beside me, it was a truly harrowing situation.
Sensing that something had gone wrong, Leona’s ears drooped low as she began to steal glances at us. Meanwhile, I was coughing so hard from something going down the wrong pipe that I couldn't even offer a proper explanation.
In the midst of this, Mari, who looked half-dumbfounded and half-flustered, quietly called out to Leona.
"...Leona."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"I’m asking because I don’t quite understand, but you do know that Isaac and I are dating, right?"
"Of course I know."
"Then don't you think saying something like that right in front of me is a bit... strange?"
Mari spoke calmly, but her exasperation was palpable. From her perspective, it was no different from Leona declaring she was going to steal me away.
Upon hearing the question, Leona blinked her golden eyes a few times before answering in a voice far more timid than before.
"...Is it strange for humans? I heard that humans sometimes give their daughters away as rewards, and that they have multiple wives. That’s why I said it..."
"Cough! Between species... cough! There are differences in common sense. Cough. I’ll explain it properly."
It seemed she had misinterpreted what she had learned so far. Once my coughing fit subsided, I began to teach her the nuances one by one.
As Leona mentioned, giving one's child as a reward was a practice from the very distant past. It used to be common to give a daughter to a warrior who had achieved great feats in war.
In a way, it was similar today, only now it was veiled under the term 'political marriage.' The concept of giving them as a reward remained, but the primary goal was to firmly secure an ally.
"Ah~ So you don't necessarily have to give your child as a reward. You can give other things?"
"Yes. And as you said, while it can be a reward, it’s mostly used for political reasons. You said Beastkin are fiercely independent, right? Humans value bonds, so even after marriage, they are considered family. That’s why political marriages exist."
"I see. I finally get it now."
Humans, being the weakest race, had a historical tendency to huddle together, which eventually led to the building of civilization. Those unique bonds gave birth to the peculiar custom of political marriage.
In contrast, Beastkin are highly independent. Thus, even after forming a family through marriage, they tend to treat each other almost like strangers.
Of course, that didn't mean Beastkin lacked familial affection; they would fly into a rage if someone touched their family. This remained true even after marriage.
Treating each other like strangers simply meant there was very little interference in each other's lives, though they would gladly help if asked.
The 'reward' concept Leona mentioned was literal—giving one's child as a prize—without any of the political nuances humans attached to it.
"Then what about polygamy? Humans sometimes have one male with several females, just like Beastkin. Is that for political reasons too?"
"...Yes. Because of that, things get quite messy if a smooth agreement isn't reached. Jealousy and infighting are the basics, and it's common to have headaches because of the children. How is it for Beastkin?"
"We naturally obey the male. A male having many females means he is strong and possesses excellent seeds. My father alone has five wives."
Leona explained the ecology of the Beastkin while happily munching on the rest of her steak. As expected of a race based on animals, their customs were remarkably similar to the animal kingdom.
As I listened to her explanation and pondered, a sudden curiosity struck me, and I asked her a question.
"Then are there cases where a female has multiple males?"
"Almost never. If a strong female appears, an even stronger male will defeat her and take her as a wife. On extremely rare occasions, a strong female might bring in several males, though."
"..."
It really was the animal kingdom in the truest sense. I could see why people called Beastkin barbarians.
"Then it wouldn't matter if I gave you a different reward, right?"
"Yeah, it doesn't matter. Do you have something in mind?"
"Hmm..."
Crunch, crunch—
Leona was now gnawing on the T-bone from her steak. She looked up as if deep in thought, then gave a bright, energetic smile.
"Nope!"
"..."
"..."
A heavy silence fell at her staggering confidence. She had answered so cheerfully that for a moment, I wondered if I had misheard her.
Leona swallowed the bone she had been chewing like a snack, looked between the two of us, and gave a bitter smile.
"...I really don't. Even if I'm the Grand Chieftain's daughter, I'm the daughter of the third wife. All I have is my body."
"..."
"B-but, if I use the wisdom you gave me to change the Animus, they'll definitely give you a reward even if it's not me! So don't look at me like that..."
The more she spoke, the more Leona's voice trailed off. Seeing her ears droop, it was clear she wasn't even sure herself.
Looking at her reaction, I debated whether to laugh or sigh. The gap between this and the usually cynical Leona was just too wide.
"...You can think about the reward slowly. For now, you're planning to return to the Animus, right?"
"Y-yeah! I have to settle things here first before I go back. I don't know if it'll go well, but they'll definitely listen to my voice."
"Alright. Anything else you're curious about?"
"Curious... just that the scent on your body has changed? It's not perfume, it's like a natural floral scent."
"That's because I received quite a bit of Divine Power."
After that, we shared some idle chatter. Mari occasionally asked questions about Beastkin, and Leona answered faithfully while crunching on bones.
"Leona. If you don't mind, could you show me your ears?"
"Huh? I'm already showing them."
"Ah, not those ears. The part where human ears would be. It's covered by your hair, so I can't see well."
"There's nothing there, but if you insist..."
At Mari's request, Leona casually lifted her hair. Indeed, being a Beastkin, the area where ears should be was completely smooth and empty.
Mari looked at it with a fascinated expression before moving on to her next question.
"Then what about your tail? Can you show me your tail too?"
"You two really are a couple, having the same curiosity. Here."
Swish—
Finally, she showed us her tail, which had been hidden inside her school uniform trousers rather than a skirt. Since she was a Lion Beastkin, the end of her tail was tufted like a brush.
It was my first time seeing Leona's tail as well, so I watched with interest. The way it flicked back and forth made me feel a sudden urge to grab it.
"Can you move your tail however you want?"
"Of course. Ta-da."
"Wow."
When Leona formed a heart shape with her tail, Mari let out a cry of admiration. She had the expression of a child who had discovered a new toy.
As Leona wore a somewhat proud smile, Mari made a request in a slightly excited voice.
"C-could I try touching it?"
"Ab-so-lutely not. The tail is a sensitive part for Beastkin. Touching the tail is something only allowed between spouses."
"Oh, really? There was a rule like that?"
Thanks to that, I learned one more thing about Beastkin culture. After playing around for a while longer, the session ended with Leona tucking her tail back into her pants.
Mari looked a bit disappointed, but she couldn't ask again as it would be rude.
"It's already this late. Let's head out. Leona, you're finished... I see."
"...I guess there's no need to do the dishes."
Just as Mari said, the steak plate Leona had finished was spotless, without a trace of sauce left. I wondered what the waiter would think when they saw it.
Embarrassed by our reaction, Leona scratched her head with a sheepish grin.
"I'm sorry for always being on the receiving end. As I keep saying, I'll make sure you're rewarded."
"Sure. Just try not to say things like becoming my wife again."
At my request, her expression turned slightly cautious, and she spoke quietly.
"...Before that, there's one thing I should tell you."
"What is it?"
"In our culture, if we receive something, we must absolutely give back to the other person. Even if you refuse, the Animus will find a way to give you a reward. If you refuse it, they'll take it as a grave insult."
"You can just say you came up with it. Say it's wisdom you gained while attending the Academy."
"Never. Lying among family is one of the greatest sins for a Beastkin. I must reveal that it was wisdom you taught me."
"Hmm..."
If that was their culture, I suppose it couldn't be helped. I thought for a moment, then shrugged and spoke lightly.
"Even if it's something strange, it's fine. So don't feel pressured and just do what feels right."
"...Thank you. I will never forget this kindness."
"It's nothing. Anyway, I hope everything works out."
I meant it. Seeing her ask me for a favor when we weren't even that close showed how desperate she was.
Just before we parted ways outside the restaurant, Leona called out to me.
"Isaac."
Unlike her usual way of calling me 'hey' or 'you,' she used my name.
I looked at her, feeling a bit surprised.
"Yeah?"
"Remember what I said to you before? About the 'dog son of a tiger father'? I sincerely apologize for that."
Leona said this with a deep bow. I blinked in surprise.
Come to think of it, she had said something like that after hearing about my father.
It wasn't exactly wrong, so I hadn't been angry, but it seemed to have weighed on her mind.
Lifting her head, she gave a bright smile that revealed her fangs.
"As expected, a lion is born under a lion. Just because someone is physically strong doesn't mean they have true power. Right?"
"Well... I suppose so."
"I'll take to heart that a king must be wise. Even if I can't become a king myself, I just have to make that king wise."
It seemed she had gained her own realization.
Leona bowed politely once more, then shouted with a bright laugh.
"Then, have a good time! I'll be going now!"
And then she dashed away as if fleeing. I stared blankly at Leona as she disappeared into the darkness before turning my head.
As I turned, I happened to lock eyes with Mari.
We stared at each other for a moment before both breaking into a bitter smile.
"Shall we go too?"
"Yeah. Let's."
My date with Mari wasn't over yet.
*
The very next day after Leona left for the Animus.
"...So, who are you again?"
"I am Kate Louise Angelica, a believer who serves Luminous."
A Cardinal had come to find me. She looked at me with a profound gaze and asked out of the blue:
"May I have your child for the sake of Lord Luminous?"
"What the hell."