Purpose
Joseph looked down at the stone, his brow furrowing.
......What the hell is this?
Whatever it was, the creature's purpose, at the very least, seemed to be handing this black stone over to him. Last time it had been a Holy Relic. This time, an unidentified black stone.
Joseph examined it slowly. Nothing in particular radiated from the pitch-black rock. And yet there was something deeply unsettling about a blackness so complete it seemed to swallow the light itself.
Wait. I've seen this somewhere before......
Then it came to him — the Shaman's staff they had found in Malešov. That staff, so thoroughly steeped in Demonic Energy it had turned black as pitch. The stone looked uncannily like it.
Joseph flicked his staff, and a Mana Orb bloomed into the air. He guided it carefully toward the stone.
A thin hiss of smoke rose at once. That meant Demonic Energy was sealed inside.
"Ah—!"
The private soldiers scrambled back. Derik, who had found the stone first, tore off his leather gloves and inspected his hands over and over.
A stone filled with Demonic Energy......
Joseph lifted his gaze to the creature perched on a thick branch overhead. Its fur had gone pure white. It made a show of licking its forepaw, all indifference — but its eyes never left Joseph's Mana Orb.
"Are you trying to give this to me?"
Grrngh—
The creature let out a low rumble.
"So it really does understand......"
Joseph exhaled a small sigh. He couldn't make sense of any of it. Things had been peaceful for a while, and now this thing had shown up again out of nowhere.
Judging by its reactions, it seemed to understand his words — but that was as far as it went. Whatever the reason, one thing was clear: it had sought him out to deliver this stone. The Cry Peeper carcass dumped near the campsite had almost certainly been bait, a way to draw Joseph out this far.
......Is this thing a Sacred Beast?
Joseph recalled what the Combat Priest had told him just after he'd left Bari Village. After hearing Joseph's account, the priest had said it was likely a creature in the process of becoming a Sacred Beast.
Looking at it now, calling it a mere Demonic Beast did feel like a stretch.
"Take it. We're heading back."
"Sir? Th-this...... isn't this a bit dangerous?"
The soldiers recoiled at Joseph's order to collect the black stone. After everything they had been through, they knew well enough what that rising smoke meant.
"If this thing is the one handing it over, it shouldn't be too dangerous."
The Holy Relic it had given him last time still shone from within his staff, even now. That meant this stone, too, would likely prove useful somehow.
"Umm......"
The soldiers hemmed and hawed, then had no choice but to pull out a leather pouch. They pried the stone up from below with a hand axe and dropped it in.
Thud.
The moment Joseph took the stone, the creature that had been watching from the tree climbed down. The soldiers instinctively stepped between Joseph and the beast, though their faces were tinged with fear. Even they could tell that the thing before them was in a different league from ordinary Demonic Beasts.
Grrrrngh—
Unfazed by their wariness, the creature padded toward Joseph with light, easy steps — so naturally that the soldiers faltered. Then it simply plopped down in front of them.
"Is there something else you want?"
Grrngh.
The creature answered Joseph's question with a light rumble. Not that anyone could tell what it meant.
Derik, who had been watching, finally spoke up.
"......Is it possible it wants us to take it with us?"
"What?"
"The way it's acting...... it looks like a neighborhood dog."
Derik had originally been a village chief's slave in Doran Village, same as Joseph — except he had done it far longer. He had spent a great deal of time tending livestock, and to his eyes, the white beast's behavior looked just like the animals that used to greet him.
"Are you out of your mind? What are you even talking about?"
"Look, I know it sounds weird...... but think about it. Your family kept a dog too."
Derik pointed at the white beast.
"Didn't your dog sit just like that after it brought something back to its master?"
"Are you seriously comparing the thing that killed a Cry Peeper to a dog?"
Auk sounded incredulous. Derik glanced back at the beast, looking sheepish.
It was still sitting there with that same indifferent face, watching Joseph.
No way......
Truthfully, Joseph had been thinking something similar himself. Unlike their previous encounter, this creature had been almost unnervingly well-disposed toward him. But a possible Sacred Beast acting like some neighborhood cat? That didn't seem right.
"You...... do you actually want to come with us?"
Garrngh—
"......?"
A rumble that could have meant yes or no. Joseph and the soldiers all wore equally bewildered expressions. Then every gaze settled on Joseph. Whatever the situation, the choice was his.
Uh...... is this even okay?
He had no idea. He still didn't know what this thing even was. So he couldn't tell if taking it along was a good idea, or whether it even truly intended to follow......
Its abilities, at least, are the real deal.
This wasn't some random animal. This was a creature that had taken down a Cry Peeper alone without a scratch. If they could bring it along, it would be a massive help.
......Ah, to hell with it.
Joseph made up his mind.
"Do you eat livestock meat?"
As long as it didn't go around attacking people like before, it might not be so bad.
Grrngh.
The creature answered lightly.
"If you listen to what I say...... I could take you with us."
Garrlk!
"......Is that a yes?"
Garrk.
"......"
At the very least, it wasn't a dog. That much was obvious.
Then he noticed the soldiers staring at him with utterly dumbfounded faces. Watching Joseph hold a conversation with a beast, all manner of thoughts were clearly cycling through their heads — every one of them wearing a vaguely contorted expression.
"Ahem. Anyway...... let's head back. Sir Davie will be waiting."
Joseph and the soldiers slowly backed away, then turned. The creature that had been sitting quietly rose and fell in behind them without a sound.
"......How are we supposed to feed that thing?"
"......How should I know?"
Joseph, the private soldiers, and the white beast moved back out of the forest.
"They're in sight!"
The mercenary who had been watching the spot where Joseph disappeared shouted. Davie and the soldiers who had been resting all rose at once.
"Uh......? Hmm?"
The mercenary who had called out first immediately made a strange sound.
"What is it? Speak clearly."
"Well, it's just...... look at that, sir."
The mercenary pointed ahead, baffled. Joseph and his soldiers were emerging slowly from the darkness of the forest. And behind them, the white beast that had attacked them earlier was following.
"What in the—! Prepare for combat!"
Davie did not fully grasp the situation, but he formed a defensive line first. At his shout, the soldiers hurriedly grabbed their shields and clustered together. Like Davie, their faces froze at the sight of the beast trailing Joseph.
"M-Mage! Are you all right?"
Davie called out with a grim face, first confirming Joseph's safety.
"Yes. Nothing of note happened."
"Nothing of note—! What on earth is going on?! And what is that thing behind you?"
Joseph turned the question over in his head. He had no idea how to explain this. Telling the truth sounded absurd even to him.
Come to think of it, broadcasting the truth probably isn't a great idea either.
Trusting Davie as an individual was one thing. He was still a member of a noble house that governed an entire region. Having rumors about Sacred Beasts and Holy Relics spread through a noble's mouth would do Joseph no favors.
Joseph fabricated a lie on the spot.
"This one used to travel with my master."
"Your master?"
"Yes. It's a bit difficult to explain, but...... it shouldn't be particularly dangerous anymore."
Davie made a complicated face at that, but said nothing — Joseph's lie belonged to a realm he couldn't begin to understand anyway.
"......I would appreciate a more detailed explanation later."
"Yes. For now, let's head back."
The party turned and made for the campsite. As before, Joseph took the rearmost position — though this time it wasn't simply because Davie was in command. Nobody wanted to walk behind the white beast trailing Joseph.
Davie glanced back at the white beast from time to time. Naturally enough — no matter how much Joseph vouched for it, this was the same creature that had attacked them earlier. Even Joseph was only half-convinced; Davie could hardly be completely at ease.
Fortunately, the white beast followed at a steady, well-mannered distance. It seemed to feel Davie's gaze, but showed no particular reaction.
This isn't good......
Joseph bit his lip at the uneasy tension. Once they reached camp, far more eyes would be on them, and he had no idea what to do then.
Then Davie spoke first.
"You had a master, Mage?"
"......Yes. I don't usually talk about it."
Davie nodded. It made sense, when he thought about it — Joseph was still young, yet possessed such seasoned skill.
"Then is that also something your master gave you?"
He pointed at the tip of Joseph's staff. They had wrapped it in cloth again before setting out, but it was obvious he meant the Holy Relic inside.
"Yes. That's how I recognized it so quickly."
Joseph nodded with a shameless face. He had unwrapped the cloth because the creature had seemed to want to confirm it — but the statement wasn't technically a lie.
Davie's silence stretched longer than expected. Joseph glanced over. Davie was still scratching his chin, lost in thought.
"......Mage Joseph."
"Yes."
"Where is this master of yours now?"
Of course. The moment you started lying, the hard questions came. Joseph sighed inwardly.
"That...... I don't know exactly myself. We parted ways a long time ago."
"You parted long ago, and yet only the Familiar has appeared now?"
"......He's a recluse, so getting in contact is difficult. I believe he sent it to find me."
Davie nodded. He had encountered people claiming to be mages at House Fabidea a few times. Most had been frauds, but the genuine ones among them had told similar stories.
"Then why did it attack us at first?"
"Ah, that......"
Joseph paused.
"Even if it's a Familiar, it isn't fully tamed. I believe it was wary because I was with other people."
"And this same creature killed a Cry Peeper and left it near our camp?"
This bastard's sharper than I thought.
Joseph cursed inwardly. He hadn't expected Davie to press this hard.
"I believe that was also an attempt to find me. To catch my scent, perhaps."
"Your scent?"
"The scent of mana. Familiars remember their master's mana."
A plausible lie. Whether such Familiars actually existed, he had no idea.
Davie was silent for a moment, then asked something else.
"Then what manner of person is this master of yours? A mage capable of commanding a Familiar of this caliber......"
Now Joseph was truly in trouble. Dig any deeper and the lie risked falling apart.
"That's a matter among mages. I'm afraid I can't go into detail."
"A matter among mages?"
"Yes. The circumstances are... complicated."
Joseph answered vaguely on purpose, then tried to change the subject.
"The important thing is that this should be a great help in the dungeon subjugation, wouldn't you say? It did take down a Cry Peeper on its own."
Davie's eyebrow twitched slightly. He had clearly noticed Joseph was hiding something.
"Well. If you don't wish to say more, I won't press."
Fortunately, he didn't dig any further.
"I would, however, like one thing made certain. That creature will not harm us?"
"I'll guarantee that myself."
Joseph answered with a voice full of conviction. Of course he couldn't actually be sure — but based on its behavior so far, it seemed all right.
"Very well. I'll take you at your word, Mage."
Davie said this and turned his gaze forward. Honestly, it didn't seem all his suspicions had been resolved, but at least for now they could move on without incident.
Joseph let out a quiet sigh of relief. It seemed they had gotten past it.
"Ah, one more thing......"
Then Davie turned back, as if something had occurred to him.
"What is that creature's name?"
"......Rophen."