Chapter 85
Lexion couldn’t believe it even when he saw this scene.
The monster he thought was only vicious was holding Elena’s hand and smiling.
“Nice to meet you.”
It even seemed to understand Elena’s words. Moreover, it apparently liked her.
After the cub and Elena greeted each other, the beast cub eagerly ate the jerky.
It has such a good appetite that it gobbled up every piece of jerky that Elena offered.
“Cute.”
Elena couldn’t help but enthusiastically stroke the cub’s fur.
Nevertheless, Lexion remained vigilant.
“Elena. Why is that monster being friendly to you?”
Lexion asked carefully, looking at the cub of the snow beast that enjoyed Elena’s touch.
Elena fell into deep thought.
“Well…”
Soon after, Elena retracted her hand and looked at Lexion.
“A little while ago, when it touched my hand. I felt a familiar energy from this child.”
“What kind of energy did you feel?”
“It is a force close to nature, which I only sensed with the spirits. It wasn’t the same power as the spirits, but it was similar in texture. Maybe that’s why it became friendly.”
“… How fascinating.”
The beast of the snowy mountain, an ancient race, the monster of Kurte.
The legendary creature, called by all sorts of names, was likened to those spirits.
How did Elena become friends with such a creature?
Lexion couldn’t help but admire the abilities of his lover.
*****
The day was bright.
Overnight, Elena and Lexion recovered their strength.
In fact, Lexion couldn’t sleep much for fear that the cub would change.
To protect Elena, he sat next to her and only slept a little.
Still, thanks to the anti-fatigue and nutritional supplements Elena gave him, he was hardly exhausted.
Also, the snow beast cub did not try to attack the two of them, contrary to his concerns.
Due to Elena’s request, the rope around the cub was reduced to a minimum. In addition, it appeared eager to cling to her rather than attack.
By the time they got out of the cave, they didn’t even need to restrain it.
The cub monster attached itself to Elena’s side, unwilling to be separated.
“Get away. Can’t you see you’re making her uncomfortable?”
In the end, Lexion – no longer able to stand it – came forward and separated the cub from Elena.
The cub fell on the ground.
“Lexion. Don’t be so hard on the cub, it’s just a kid.”
Elena said while holding the hand of the young monster.
“… But don’t you feel uncomfortable?”
“I’m okay. We have to take it to its parents anyway. It might as well stay with me until then.”
As Elena spoke with a smile, Lexion quietly grabbed her remaining free hand.
Elena grinned, walking between the young monster and Lexion.
When she collapsed suddenly yesterday, it was already dark when she woke up, so she couldn’t send the child back.
So today, she decided to send the cub back to its parents.
‘And maybe, this child’s parents will also become friends with me.’
Elena had that hope.
*****
Just when they got out of the cave and started again with their journey.
A snow mountain monster appeared before Elena and Lexion.
It was the monster they saw yesterday.
It was quickly discovered that it was searching for its lost child.
Roar—!
The monster was thrilled to know that its cub was with them.
Last night, Elena put up a barrier around the cave before going to sleep.
Not only that, she even used magic to erase any traces.
That was why even the monster with its keen sense of smell could not find them.
‘I didn’t use that magic to target the monster, but… I’m sorry.’
Since they were exhausted, she had no choice but to use her magic because if they were unexpectedly attacked by the beast, it was highly likely for them to be injured.
However, it just made the monster even more anxious.
Roar!!
The monster bellowed and rushed towards them.
But at that moment.
The cub monster, who was holding Elena’s hand, leaped away.
“Oh…!”
Unable for Elena to stop it, the child sprinted and blocked the monster.
And began to growl in a seemingly unknown language.
Roar!
At the cry of the young monster, the monster roared from time to time.
Astonishingly, there was no gesture to attack as before.
It seemed that the young beast had persuaded its parent.
And after quite a while, the monster sighed.
Elena doubted her ears.
“… Lexion… Did it look like the monster sighed to you?”
“Surprisingly, yes. That’s right.”
Holding each other’s hands, Elena and Lexion were left stupefied.
It was at that moment.
A pure white light emanated from the giant monster’s body.
Lexion reflexively pulled Elena into his arms.
The light quickly faded, yet the two were fine.
“Huh…?”
Slowly opening her eyes, Elena found herself stunned at the startling sight.
“Elena, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
Lexion asked as he examined her.
She then turned her body to face him.
The corners of Lexion’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“That….”
There was no longer a massive beast standing in front of them.
Instead, a beautiful woman was standing in the place where the monster had been a while ago.
Elena’s mouth partially dropped open.
The pale-skinned woman had cobalt hair and azure eyes.
She was wearing a sleeveless, pure white dress that made her look like a ghost.
‘But she’s so pretty…’
Meeting a gorgeous woman in an unexpected place made Elena very happy.
And then, between them, light also came out of the beast cub’s body.
Before long, the young monster also transformed into a human.
It was still a small child with pale skin, blue bobbed hair and blue eyes.
“Hehe.”
How cute!
The child swiftly ran to his mom, laughing and hugging her.
The sight made Elena feel warm.
While she was basking in this heartwarming scene, the woman – with her son in her arms – opened her mouth to the pair.
[Thank you.]
Elena and Lexion heard a clear voice in their ears.
*****
At the highest point of Kurte Mountains.
“Wow.”
Elena couldn’t stop admiring it.
The entrance to the cave was narrow, but the inside was not.
The interior was translucent and magnificent as if they entered a castle built on ice.
Additionally, it was quite spacious.
As they walked inside, glancing at their surroundings, they came to a room with chairs made of ice.
The woman gestured to them.
Elena and Lexion complied and sat down.
‘I thought it would be cold, but it’s better than I thought.’
Elena’s lips rose softly.
On the other hand, Lexion, who sat next to her, remained stiff.
Lexion had become warier since the monster revealed itself.
No matter how much the woman heard from the child’s story.
This was the lair of the Snow Mountain Beasts.
They were in the middle of enemy territory, so it was expected to be on guard.
But his lover, sitting next to him, didn’t seem to see it like that.
‘Is it because she’s a Spirit Master?’
Even if the monster’s cub was friendly to her, there was no guarantee that the monster would be friendly to him.
Thus, Lexion remained on edge.
[Thank you for saving my child.]
While the couple’s thoughts ran in different directions, the woman sitting across from them expressed her gratitude.
Her child was giggling in her arms.
“No need for that.”
Elena smiled brightly as she looked at the cute child.
Then the woman’s eyes turned to her.
She was facing Elena, but her eyes remained unfocused.
[I heard it from my child. You have the power of those we hate so much, but at the same time, you are the closest to us more than anyone else.]
Elena immediately understood what the woman meant.
“Yes, that’s right. I am a wizard and a Spirit Master.”
Hearing Elena’s words, the woman’s expression brightened.
Yesterday, the monster that attacked Lexion had a face that was hard to imagine.
[If you don’t mind, your hand.]
The woman reached out to Elena.
Lexion flinched and unconsciously tried to grab hold of Elena.
Elena smiled lightly at Lexion and took the woman’s hand.
[Also…]
Holding Elena’s hand, the woman showed a delightful smile.
[It is an honor to meet you, Spirit Master.]
“Nice to meet you too.”
[I am Kurhan of the ancient race, Kurte. Created by nature, similar to those spirits. It is a pleasure to meet you.]
Spirits were those who could control the forces of nature.
If they were a race created by the world, then it was a blessed moment to meet the spirits.
[Yesterday and a while ago, I was surprised by the sudden appearance of intruders; one of them being a wizard. So it was hard to recognize your true power. I’m sorry.]
Kurhan bowed her head in apology.
She also apologized for attacking Lexion yesterday.
When she realized that a wizard had entered the mountain range, she mistook Lexion for that wizard, prompting her to attack him immediately.
However, Elena, the real wizard, appeared so she fled in alarm.
[Besides, I was even more shocked by the disappearance of this child, Kurne. So I want to express my sincere gratitude for not only saving my child but for also bringing him back to me.]
To Kurhan, the supposed last member of their ancient race, Kurne was only a child born a few years ago.
The Kurte were a mysterious race that could conceive a child as long as a female was present.
They had been childless for many years, and the loss of their hard-earned child had driven them to despair.
Kurne was playing alone outside when Kurhan faced them.
And because he was playing on his own, he nearly fell off a cliff.
If he was a bit older, he would have easily escaped such a crisis. But for Kurne, who was only a small, young cub, it was an accident that almost took his life.
So Kurhan was especially grateful to the two.
[By the way, what is the Spirit Master here for?]
