Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Magic Stone Engine (5)
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What are beastkin?
Everyone has their own take on it.
Some say they're animals pretending to be human.
Others claim they're just humans with animal ears and tails.
And some insist they're more animal than human, covered head to toe in fur despite their humanoid shape.
And you know what? They're all right.
Beastkin is a catch-all term, after all.
It's what you call any being that's part animal, part human.
Just like you can lump frogs and tigers under the broad category of "animals," even though they're different species living in different places.
Anyway, the one we'd just run into looked like a regular human with nothing more than animal ears and a tail.
Swish, swish.
Hmm, that tail looks awfully fluffy.
I stared at it for a moment before shifting my gaze to her face.
Naturally, my eyes passed over a rather ample bosom, landing on a familiar-looking face.
It reminded me of that fox from a certain game who served as the high priestess at some gentleman's club while also working as an editor at a publishing house.
Would be perfect if there was a purple lightning bolt next to her.
Of course, the vibe was different, and her eyes were pink instead.
Still, there was a resemblance.
No, that's not the point right now.
"Who are you?"
I stepped forward first and asked. She approached with a bewitching laugh.
"Hee hee, what brings humans all the way out here?"
She curved her lips into a smile, lowered her eyes seductively, and drew closer.
Slowly, tail swaying, like she was trying to seduce me.
No, snap out of it.
Didn't I ask first?
The beastkin ignored my question lightly, stopped right in front of me, and...
Sniff, sniff.
...buried her face in my neck, inhaling deeply.
...What the hell?
"Oh, a familiar scent. You like books too, don't you?"
"W-what are you doing?!"
Esili rushed over in a panic, shoving herself between us.
Her face flushed with embarrassment, she pointed accusingly at the woman.
"H-how dare a grown woman do something so shameless...!"
"Oh? Is he your lover? Sorry if so."
"N-no, he's not!"
Esili fuming, the fox beastkin teasing.
Esili taking it without backing down.
The fox beastkin keeping at it.
Both of them were equally absurd.
Anyway, I wanted to get some actual talking done.
In the end, I wedged myself between them and stopped it.
"Hold on. Let's not do this. So, who are you?"
Why was a beastkin here, of all places?
As far as I knew, the beastkin nation was nowhere near the Magic Frontier.
The Magic Frontier lay northwest of the Empire, while the beastkin lands were farther south.
Not exactly neighbors, so there had to be some purpose for coming all this way.
The pink fox beastkin tilted her head thoughtfully for a moment.
"I'm Herringsha. You can call me Ringsha if you like. Or whatever else."
Her voice dripped like honey as she winked with one eye.
Even in simple casual clothes, it felt seductive. I quickly redirected my thoughts.
Katiranya.
Biena.
Ahem, good.
A bit of impure imagining shook off the temptation.
"Ringsha. Let me ask again. Why are you here?"
"That's what I want to know. Well, I've got a place nearby."
A place nearby?
Hard to believe.
Think about it.
The Magic Frontier might be separate from beastkin lands, but it wasn't safe.
No monsters had appeared yet, but the ones here were vicious.
Still, her light outfit made it hard to call it a lie outright.
"And you?"
"We're heading to the dungeon. Surely you know about it if you live around here."
Katiranya had slipped out from behind me and spoken up.
Parasol in hand, she regarded Herringsha with a blank expression.
Not irritation, just going with the flow.
Herringsha kept her smile.
"Want me to guide you?"
"Guide us?"
A total stranger offering to lead the way.
Accepting outright would be weirder, so I frowned and stepped back.
Herringsha put on a hurt, wistful look.
"Oh, don't be so guarded. I'm just bored. How many people do you think make it all the way out here?"
True enough.
But that didn't mean I could trust her.
Her expressions were too free, like she was trying to toy with people.
So I excused us and huddled up with the group for a quick meeting.
A little ways off, we gathered and voiced our pros and cons.
Esili shook her head firmly.
"I'm against it. Can't trust her."
"Really? I'm for it. She's just a beastkin."
Esili against, Pretina pro with her usual flair.
Next, the professor and Katiranya.
"I'm against too. Beastkin, especially foxes, have a reputation for cunning. Not all of them, sure. But better safe than sorry."
"I'm for it. Even if that beastkin is strong, she's no match for me."
Two against, two for.
Everyone now looked to me for the tiebreaker.
I thought it over.
We knew roughly where the dungeon was, but not much about local dangers.
Our research was decent, but no substitute for a local's insight.
We'd stumbled on the dungeon info by chance to begin with.
With scant records, it might even be outdated.
I hadn't checked dates closely.
Ore deposits had discovery logs, but none said they'd been stripped clean.
They took samples for study, but danger kept people away.
Only one document mentioned taking any.
If everyone who went logged it, that was the only "taken" note.
Weighing it all, it was mixed.
"Alright, decision made. Let's take her up on the guide offer."
"Really?"
The professor looked displeased, but I saw no reason to flat-out refuse.
"Yes, Professor. We could use a local's help. Plus, she seemed to like books."
I'd been too flustered at first to notice.
She'd said my scent was familiar and asked if I liked books.
Meaning she might be a book lover.
Something about that made me want to trust her.
Sure, I wrote them, but same vibe.
Readers turning authors is common enough.
Isn't it?
Whatever.
"Isn't that too emotional?"
Esili eyed me anxiously.
Fair point.
But my gut said it'd be fine.
And I had reason to trust it.
Katiranya shrugged at me, signaling to go for it.
I'd never seen her full power anyway.
Her motives—novel fangirling?—were questionable, but...
She enjoyed her games, and said she'd help.
No immediate threat, so guiding with caution worked.
"If it's a trap, following or not ends the same. Might as well squeeze what we can."
"...Fine."
Esili relented at my explanation.
Three to two.
Even the dissenters bowed to majority rule. We'd let Herringsha guide us.
We approached her again, and she was already reading a book.
The cover looked awfully familiar.
"Back?"
"Yes. We've decided. Could we trouble you to guide us?"
"Sure thing. I was bored. Looking forward to it?"
She winked. I managed an awkward smile.
But that book... definitely Don Quixote, right?
"Isn't that book Don Quixote?"
"Oh? You know it?"
Herringsha looked surprised, ears and tail perking up.
A bit cute. Was that why beastkin had their fans?
"It's famous."
"So you've read it!"
Whoa!
She lunged forward, tail wagging furiously, thrilled.
Esili pried her off again, of course.
And so, we set off for the dungeon together.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The path to the dungeon was more peaceful than expected.
We chatted, and wariness eased a bit.
Until one kilometer remained.
"Stop."
"What's wrong?"
"Strange smell."
Strange smell?
I sniffed after her twitching nose, but caught nothing.
Katiranya and Pretina, however, sensed something.
"Someone's set up a fun little trick."
"Daring to block the path like this. Got multiple lives, I see?"
What, exactly?
I asked Katiranya. Black magic aura ahead—don't go first.
Black magic?
The stuff shunned continent-wide?
Banned in the Empire too.
Black mages hid for that reason.
Why here?
As I puzzled, Katiranya stepped up.
"I'll handle it."
She raised a hand, palm toward the front.
Not the darkness from before, but blood-red energy coiled around it!
No time to stop her—crimson tendrils split off, stabbing everywhere.
Black wisps flickered at impact points, then vanished.
"Oh."
Impressive.
I admired briefly before snapping to.
Wait, that wasn't shadowy darkness—it was blood!
Sure, it looked like red streams if unaware, but still!
I was about to chew her out for carelessness when admiration came from behind.
"Whoa, what kind of magic was that?"
"No idea. But impressive."
Uh, yeah.
They don't know. Phew.
I sighed in relief.
Pretina and Herringsha showed no reaction, though.
Glancing over, they didn't seem to know. Better warn anyway.
"Katiranya. Next time, no blood stuff. Screams vampire to anyone watching."
"Hmph. That wasn't even blood arts. Overreacting."
No, it's the visuals.
I stared; she turned away.
"Fine, I'll be careful."
Doubt she'd stick to it, but okay for now.
Ready to go again?
No such luck.
Herringsha stepped up after Katiranya lowered her hand.
"I'll handle the rest. This is my neck of the woods, after all."
"Do it."
What would she show?
She conjured flames in her hand confidently.
"Go. Burn it all down!"
She hurled it into the forest without hesitation.
...Arson?