The Leaf Ornament Swaying on the Wall
The leaf ornament hanging on the wall swayed ever so slightly. When I opened my eyes, sunlight had already flooded deep into the room. I tossed and turned in bed for a good while before finally sitting up.
'Slept great.' The bed was so plush, I ended up sleeping longer than usual.
"Ughhh……."
I stretched once, and my body loosened right up. The Turaka hide in my nest was nice, but this fluffy bed wasn't half bad either.
I sat there blankly for a bit when I heard footsteps beyond the door. A cautious knock followed.
"……Are you awake, Divine Beast?"
"Yeah."
The door cracked open, and a servant bowed deeply. He didn't step inside, staying just beyond the threshold.
"His Majesty and the delegation have already finished breakfast. How would you like to take your meal, Divine Beast?"
'Overslept, huh.'
"I'll eat here. Bring it over."
"Understood. We'll prepare it right away."
The servant bowed deeply once more and withdrew. His footsteps faded quickly.
Soon after, two servants brought in the meal. On a silver tray sat a plate of that spiced meat from last night's banquet, soft bread, a whole roasted fish, a few fruit slices, and a cup of hot tea.
'Oh, that meat from yesterday.'
The two servants neatly arranged everything on the desk before stepping back and bowing their heads.
"We've prepared it separately for your comfort. Please let us know if anything is lacking."
"Yeah. Thanks."
The servants bowed again and left. I settled at the desk and cut off a piece, popping it into my mouth. The spices hit my tongue—exactly the same flavor as yesterday.
'These are yesterday's spices, alright.'
I tore off a chunk of bread; it crumbled softly. A sip of tea brought a warm aroma rising to my nose.
'……Gotta snag some to take back.'
Out the window, I could see the delegation's quarters. Things were already buzzing. A few knights were inspecting their weapons, and over on one side, a mage was tidying something up.
I finished the meal, downed the last of the tea, and stood. My stomach was full, but my mouth felt a little bored.
'……No sweets around?'
My mind flashed to those small cookies Walter had pulled out in the carriage yesterday. The way they crumbled softly, cream melting on my tongue with that sweetness.
'Oh, right. Walter.'
And he'd promised to show me his griffon.
'Time to go find Walter.'
Recalling the mana I'd sensed from him in the carriage yesterday, I lightly scanned the palace's flows. That thick, heavy mana laced with magic beast scent pinged from the eastern side.
'Found him. But he's kinda far?'
I opened the door and stepped into the corridor. It was quiet. Sunlight streamed long through the windows, patterning the stone floor. My first footstep echoed softly.
'Hmm, mornings feel different.'
Rounding a corner, I ran into two servants. They froze at the sight of me and bowed deeply right there.
I nodded back. They bowed once more and quietly pressed against the wall to let me pass.
I followed the mana trail for quite a while. The corridors were long, with a few branches. At one junction, a servant approached cautiously.
"Divine Beast. Where might you be headed……?"
"Just walking?"
The servant hesitated a moment before bowing again.
"If so, allow me to guide you to the exit."
"Nah, I like going solo. It's fun."
"……Understood."
The servant bowed deeply and stepped back. I resumed toward the mana.
Entering the eastern annex shifted the vibe. The floors were sturdier stone, lined with closed doors on both sides. Walter's mana sharpened from one of them.
'Oh, he's here.'
I walked right up. Voices leaked from inside—several people, including Walter's. Sounded like a meeting.
I pushed the door open. Five knights sat around a long table. A large map sprawled in the center, flanked by stacks of papers. Walter, at the far end, looked up at the sound.
The knights stiffened in unison. One nearly dropped his pen.
Walter drew a short breath and rose.
"……Lady Nox."
"Found you, Walter."
"Please, come in."
Walter gestured briefly to his subordinate knights. They swiftly cleared the table and stood, gathering papers into a line. They bowed as one before filing out the back door.
Just us two now. Walter offered a chair, so I sat. He took the seat across, adjusting his overcoat.
"I didn't expect you to come find me yourself."
"You promised yesterday. Said you'd show me the griffon."
Walter nodded curtly.
"I remember. But we're in the middle of a meeting, so if you could wait just an hour, I'll summon it right after."
"Sure. Where we watching?"
"I hear there's a wide clearing outside the palace grounds. Few eyes there—perfect spot."
"Sounds good. See you there."
Walter bowed his head briefly. As I left the meeting room, I spotted his subordinates waiting in the next room over. Back to business, I guess.
I walked the corridor. A large window overlooked the delegation's area. Knights training with weapons down below, mages redrawing yesterday's wrecked magic circle on one side.
'……Sorry about that one yesterday.'
I peeled away from the window and kept going. Rounding another corner, a familiar mana hit me—Kaiyel.
He was striding quickly from the other side but froze dead when he saw me.
"……D-D-Divine Beast?!"
"Hey, Kaiyel."
He placed a hand on his chest and bowed a beat late.
"What brings you here? If you need a guide……."
"Nah, just wandering."
"Understood."
"Busy?"
Kaiyel straightened his posture.
"I was inspecting the delegation's schedule on His Majesty's orders."
"Oh, working hard. Catch you later."
"Yes. Forgive my rudeness."
Kaiyel bowed deeply again and hurried off.
'He gets freshly shocked every time.'
Around another bend, I bumped into one of the beast contractor nobles from last night's banquet. The middle-aged one with black smoke-like mana—the drake guy.
He stopped and bowed deeply at the sight of me.
"Greetings, Divine Beast."
"Hey, hi."
The noble lifted his head, hesitating like he wanted to say more, but just bowed again and stepped aside.
'Everyone's so tense around me.'
I leaned against a corridor window. The sunlight was warm; my eyes started drooping. When I blinked them open, the hour had passed.
Off to the outer clearing. A servant guided the way. Past the main palace, across the garden, through a small gate—a wide grassy field opened up. Tall trees lined both sides, the center flat and open. Perfect for summoning a beast.
Walter was already there, waiting alone without guards.
"You've arrived."
"Yeah."
Walter stepped to the center. His overcoat fluttered lightly in the breeze. He raised one hand, drawing up his mana.
It poured out, thick and heavy, spreading through the air. The grass rippled; space warped like an invisible barrier, light refracting in a shimmering spot.
'……Whoa, this is how you call 'em out.'
First time seeing a proper beast summon. The rift was cool.
The shimmer split open, and a massive form emerged slowly. Golden. Eagle head, lion body. Short feathers packed from head to shoulders, thick mane-like plumes flowing down the back. Size like Kar's.
Its talons hit the grass with a heavy thud. A griffon.
'Whoa, what a weird-looking thing.'
The griffon planted its feet and locked eyes on me. Its beak clacked shut and open; golden eyes scanned top to bottom. Feathers bristled instantly, then it turned to Walter and settled.
They'd already chatted, probably. No bolting, but it was rigid.
Walter spoke from the side.
"This is Graip, the griffon contracted to me."
'Graip?'
"Graip, pay your respects."
Graip bowed its head reluctantly. One talon scraped the grass.
"Hey. You're Graip, huh."
Graip nodded curtly. That was it for greetings.
I circled closer, checking it out. The beak was hard and glossy; sunlight deepened the golden sheen on the feathers. Shoulder plumes aligned neat like Kar's scales. Lion body packed with muscle, short tuft at tail tip swaying.
I reached out, brushing the feathers by its beak. Soft. Like down.
Graip shuddered once. But it stayed put.
'……Wait a sec.'
My hand froze. Something familiar. This feather feel. The color. Head shape. I'd seen it before.
'Where've I seen this guy?'
Still touching the feathers, I tilted my head, digging through memories. Not just seen—something closer.
Graip was stiffening weirdly. Walter watched curiously from the side.
Memory surfaced slow. Before the World Tree. Right after reincarnating, flying on instinct, snagging a big bird in some mountains. Golden feathers, eagle head, lion body.
'……Oh.'
That was a griffon. And damn, it was tasty. Tender meat, faintly sweet chew. Saliva pooled in my mouth.
I looked at the griffon again. Memories of devouring that one overlaid this one. My gaze traced its shoulder and chest meat.
Graip started trembling.
Graip didn't know at first why it was shaking. It figured the sheer gap between itself and the being before it.
Then the gaze changed. Slow sweep top to bottom. Lingering on shoulder and chest. The corner of the mouth twitched.
A predator eyeing prey.
Feathers spiked all at once. Talons dug deep into grass; head whipped side to side. Couldn't flee thanks to the contract, but its body spasmed anyway.
Walter urgently drew mana beside it.
"Graip, calm yourself."
No calming. It finally realized what stood before it. Yesterday's carriage killing intent? That was nothing. This was real. The wild hunter's glare on prey.
This thing had eaten one of its kind before. And now it remembered.
For the first time, it opened its beak.
"That one's looking at me like prey!"
Out loud. Graip, who always used telepathy with Walter, spoke aloud for the first time.
Walter startled, turning to it.
"Can't you even sense that?!"
Graip clacked its beak again.
"I can't take it! I'm out!"
Graip severed the link forcibly. Walter's mana unraveled; Graip's form dissolved into light. Space rippled once more and vanished.
Silence settled over the grass.
Walter stared at the empty spot a while before turning back. His face was stiff.
"……Lady Nox."
"Yeah."
"Were you truly thinking that?"
Fear flickered in his eyes.
I scratched my head.
"……Yeah, sorry. It looks just like one I ate way back."
Walter exhaled shortly. Confusion crossed his face first, then dawning understanding.
"You mean you've eaten one before."
"Yeah. Before the World Tree. Caught one and it was tasty."
Walter shut his mouth. He stood there a long time, then pressed a hand to his forehead.
"……."
"Wasn't on purpose. Just touching it brought the memory up."
"……."
Walter lowered his hand and sighed deeply.
"I'll apologize to Graip on my own."
'Bet he's pissed.'
We turned back toward the palace. Walter followed silently beside me. After a stretch, I spoke up.
"Griffons are weirdly cool-looking, though."
"……."
"Won't eat the next one I see."
Walter halted. He drew a deep breath there and let it out long.
"……I beg you."
Walter resumed walking. Face back to normal, but his steps heavier than usual.
I glanced sideways.
'Sorry about that.'
But man, that one really was delicious.