After finishing the strenuous battle with Feri, which depleted my magic and left me physically exhausted, I suppressed the urge to immediately take a bath and go to bed, pushing myself to return home safely.
At the entrance, I introduced Feri to Sehas, who always greeted me there and who I sometimes thought waited right in front of the door before it was even opened.
“Is this child the Divine Beast?”
In appearance, Feri was completely a toy poodle.
My magic was also low.
Sehas questioned this with slight doubt, as both Evia and I had brought Feri back to the mansion, but his initial surprise lasted only for a moment.
Divine Beasts, being messengers of gods, held considerable prestige in this world.
Sehas was momentarily thrown off but quickly recovered.
“I am Sehas, the manager of this household. Please let me know if you require anything.”
He immediately straightened his posture and bowed.
Messengers of gods were beings of such authority.
Satisfied by his respectful demeanor, Feri responded with a “Woof!” and wagged her tail contentedly.
Feri exuded an air of having memorized my face.
“Please keep Feri’s status as a Divine Beast a strict secret from the servants. She usually spends her time looking like an ordinary dog, so please take care to not treat her excessively.”
I conveyed Feri’s existence, emphasizing that it was to be kept secret. However, I felt that if it was meant to be concealed, she should have been placed in a hidden location or a remote area.
But until the Dungeon is completed, I will have more opportunities to act with Feri.
Therefore, it would be better to secure some personnel who can cover me in areas I cannot reach.
I explained this to Sehas, who managed the house, with these considerations in mind.
However, Divine Beasts were fundamentally secret beings.
Concealment was the primary prerequisite.
“Understood.”
I felt I had asked something difficult, but Sehas nodded without any sign of displeasure, which made me think he was truly competent.
He handles everything flawlessly and never causes trouble.
I truly felt that Muil-san had provided excellent talent.
Sehas understood the general scope of support needed for this matter and nodded in agreement.
After all, we were not planning to inform Kaido and the others that Feri was a Divine Beast this time.
The fewer people who know, the lower the risk in case of an emergency.
However, we must prepare for any eventuality, so personnel like Sehas are invaluable.
Well, we should remain vigilant.
There are other individuals who should be aware of the situation, like Sehas, in case something happens.
“What about Suella and the others?”
These are Suella, Memoria, and Himik, who have deep relationships with me.
Then there are Muil-san and Keiri-san, who are my right and left hands.
First, it would be Suella and the residents of this mansion, followed by Muil-san and the others, as they would be living in the mansion.
Though exhausted from the battle with Feri, I understood that I still had the strength to move. I surveyed my surroundings, sensing for presences, assessing their general locations, and listening to Sehas’s information.
“Memoria-sama is at the shop, and Himik-sama, at this hour, is likely with Suella-sama, attending to Yukiera-sama and Sachiera-sama in the main hall.”
“Understood. Call me if anything happens.”
“Understood.”
From the direction of the presences, they were in their expected locations.
“Shall we go?”
“Woof!”
“Alright.”
I led Evia and Feri down the corridor of the spacious mansion. Feri, looking around with curiosity, caused the newly hired staff to stop and gaze at her adorable appearance. Each time, however, I would say she was my familiar, and they would nod in understanding and return to their duties.
“…Am I that conspicuous?”
“Indeed. Your familiar, being brought by someone of your rank, a General. They wouldn’t be fooled by mere appearance. Rather, it makes them wonder if there’s something more to it, which is natural.”
“Right.”
However, not far away, around a corner, I sensed hushed conversations. Bringing Feri here so suddenly had apparently attracted more attention than I had anticipated.
“This is a problem that time will solve. Adding anything more would only create more suspicion. We just need to wait patiently.”
“Right. If we let them get used to this sight, it won’t be much of a commotion.”
Rumors fade in about seventy-five days.
Once Feri’s presence in this mansion becomes commonplace, fewer people will pay attention.
Although, I suspect Kaido and Minami might make a fuss.
Believing that they will eventually calm down if left alone, we proceeded down the corridor and reached our destination.
As I reached for the door, it opened, revealing Himik in an apron, with a guarded expression.
“I sensed a divine presence, but was it you, Master?”
“A divine presence…?”
Himik had sensed the presence of the Divine Beast, whose magic was suppressed to an extreme, appearing as a small dog.
Was it because she was a Seraph, close to the gods?
“It’s this one, isn’t it?”
“Woof!”
While impressed by her sharp intuition, I immediately confirmed it without letting the anomaly linger. I picked up Feri, who was at my feet, and Himik’s gaze fell upon the source of the divine presence. Himik watched Feri, who raised her front paws as if to greet her.
“…Could it be, a Divine Beast?”
After staring for a few seconds, Himik’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Feri.
“Correct. You realized it quickly.”
“I’ve fought them several times in the past. I sensed a similar presence.”
When I confirmed her answer, Himik proudly stated the reason, chest puffed out.
Her black wings on her back trembled slightly, indicating her joy.
Himik made a dog-like gesture.
Perhaps sensing a kinship, Feri, demanding to be let down, squirmed.
“Woof! Woof!”
“Oh, hold on.”
When I placed Feri, who was struggling to be let down, on the floor, she sat in front of Himik and wagged her tail.
“Hmm, so this child is your partner, Master?”
“Ah, Himik, you accompanied me on a Dungeon raid before, didn’t you?”
“Yes, it was a long time ago, but I fought a Divine Beast within that Dungeon.”
She knows what a Divine Beast is.
It made sense that Himik knew the identity of the Dungeon Core from that context.
“Please take good care of her, Master.”
Himik, without any pretense, gently petted Feri’s head.
“Woof!”
Despite being treated like a pet, Feri showed no signs of displeasure and instead wagged her tail faster, as if asking for more pets.
“She’s quite adorable! Yes, Master, I was thinking of preparing some food for her. What would she like?”
“She seems to like meat and fruit.”
“I see. I’ll serve meat during dinner, so I’ll bring some fruit. Please wait a moment.”
Himik, clearly fond of her, headed to the kitchen after being satisfied with petting Feri.
“Himik has changed so much. When we fought, her face was like a Noh mask, yet she smiles so much in front of you.”
“Is that so?”
Seeing that, Evia spoke of Himik’s past self with a smile.
I only know of Himik’s current smiling self, so I couldn’t imagine the Noh mask-like Himik Evia described.
“Yes, it’s good to say she was focused only on fighting, but at the time, it seemed more emotional than a Golem.”
“Himik, huh.”
Even from behind, Himik seemed to be heading to the kitchen with delight, a stark contrast to how gently she petted Feri.
“She must have had a poor compatibility with heroes back then. Meeting you was her happiness.”
“Being told that so directly makes me a bit embarrassed.”
Hearing it from Evia, who knew her best, I felt embarrassed, even though I hadn’t done anything special.
“Woof!!”
“Oh, my apologies for making you wait.”
As we were talking, Feri tugged at the hem of my pants with her front paws, urging me to hurry. With a wry smile, I entered the slightly ajar hall.
Evia, Feri, and I entered in that order.
“Welcome back, Jiro-san.”
“I’m home, Suella.”
Suella stood beside Yukiera and Sachiera, who were asleep in their cribs.
“And welcome, Divine Beast. My name is Suella.”
Seeing Feri sitting beside me, Suella softly approached her and knelt to greet her.
“Woof!”
“Could you hear our conversation with Himik?”
“Yes. While Dark Elf ears aren’t as keen as Beastkin, they can hear well. At this distance, I can hear. However, unlike Himik, I cannot sense divine presences.”
Suella twitched her ears to demonstrate her superior hearing. It was clear from her actions that she had overheard the exchange between Himik and me near the entrance to the hall.
“I can tell you are suppressing some kind of power. Although your magic appears small, its purity is extremely high. Ordinary familiars do not possess such magic.”
“I see, so you noticed based on quality. One can’t really hide quality, can they?”
“Woofー.”
That might have been the trigger, but by observing Feri again, Suella noticed the exceptional quality of the minute magic within her.
“Most people wouldn’t notice. It’s like trying to determine the purity of water scooped up in your hand.”
“Indeed, that’s difficult to discern.”
Water scooped into one’s palm appears somewhat transparent.
As the amount of water increases, the difference in its transparency becomes more apparent.
Suella is a Spirit Master.
I recall hearing in the past that she pays great attention to the quality of magic she bestows upon spirits.
Therefore, it is understandable that she would focus on the quality of Feri’s magic.
“Feri will be living in this mansion for a while. I intend to only inform Himik, Sehas, Memoria, Muil-san, and Keiri-san about her being a Divine Beast.”
“Understood. In that case, I will also be mindful.”
Having belonged to the Demon Lord’s Army, Suella understood the importance of me bringing a Divine Beast and nodded without asking further questions.
There are circumstances involved.
She understood not to pry further, and instead, took a step back.
Curiosity killed the cat.
Suella understood and accepted that Feri was a Divine Beast.
However, she did not inquire further into the reasons for her presence here.
While acquiring information is often important, knowing too much can also lead to danger.
The fact that I didn’t elaborate meant she sensed it was better not to ask.
“I appreciate it.”
“No, if it means it will be for your benefit.”
Suella, who understood on a deeper level, made me feel happy, realizing she loved me.
I almost wished I could give her a hug.
“Woof?”
If Feri hadn’t shown interest in Yukiera and Sachiera in the crib, I would have embraced Suella with heartfelt thanks.
With tiny footsteps, Feri approached the cribs and stood on her hind legs, trying to peer inside.
“What is it, are you interested in my children?”
However, she was too short to see Yukiera and Sachiera.
Realizing this, I gently lifted Feri so she could peer inside.
Even without this, Feri’s physical abilities would have allowed her to easily jump onto the cribs, but this was a matter of preference.
“Woof.”
“Aren’t they cute? They’re my proud daughters.”
I’m probably the only one who would brag about his children to a Divine Beast.
Feri stared intently.
“The silver-haired child on the left is Yukiera, and the black-haired child on the right is Sachiera.”
“…”
While unable to introduce themselves, I relayed their names, but Feri remained silent, only gazing at my daughters.
“Feri?”
Noticing her unusual behavior, I called out the name of the Divine Beast I had just contracted.
“Aaaah~”
“Nnnngh!”
First, Yukiera began to fuss, and then Sachiera started crying as well.
“Oh dear, did we wake them?”
Suella, with practiced ease, moved to pick them up, but Feri gently nudged her way past and licked Yukiera and Sachiera’s cheeks. It was a gentle, reassuring lick, as if to say, “It’s okay.”
“Ah?”
“Un?”
Noticing the white-furred creature that wasn’t usually there, the two girls stopped crying and touched Feri’s fluffy fur.
“Kyakya!”
“Ah, kya!”
Delighted by the soft texture, they instantly became cheerful.
“Could it be, you…”
Did she remember what I said?
“You, do you like children?”
A question asked casually, just as a conversation starter.
It seemed Feri was now answering the question. She gently, so very gently, interacted with Yukiera and Sachiera.
“Fufu, it seems the two of them like you too, Feri-sama.”
“To be liked by a Divine Beast, they might become extraordinary prodigies in the future.”
“Did they inherit it from me, or from you, Suella?”
“Perhaps they inherited it from Grandmother and Grandfather.”
“Ah, that’s possible.”
And before I knew it, Feri had been pulled into the crib and was now sleeping with Yukiera and Sachiera.
Today’s word:
Work alone makes life dull.
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