Chapter: 13
An Ominous Sign
Ritain’s eyes wavered as he watched Jusi show off proudly.
“…It’s too soon.”
Jusi was puzzled by Ritain’s complicated expression.
She’d thought he would be pleased to see her awaken her supernatural ability, revealing the powerful side of a White Tiger.
“I must hurry.”
“Kyarreung?”
“You don’t need to strive so hard. I will protect you, no matter what, so don’t you worry.”
Hearing his words, which were completely out of context, Jusi was lost in thought.
But she soon understood.
Ritain, who had been on frequent inspections and deeply troubled by something.
The reason he’d gone on such a long inspection this time was because of her.
*‘No way. Could the reason Dad keeps going on these inspections to check on things… be related to that thing from my dream?’*
Nervous at the possibility, Jusi unconsciously gripped Ritain’s clothes tightly with her front paws.
Ritain patted her reassuringly and rose from his seat.
“Shall we go get something tasty to eat? Looking closely, I see your teeth have grown in quite a bit.”
Jusi nodded eagerly at his gentle voice and touch, which changed the subject.
After awakening her ability, her teeth, which had been mere specks like grains of rice, had now grown in bluntly.
Wanting to show this off, Jusi purposefully gave the back of Ritain’s hand a big bite.
It was still more cute than threatening, but Ritain feigned pain anyway.
“Ouch, that hurts. Good job, Jusi.”
Jusi wagged her tail and grinned broadly.
*‘That’s right. Just being scared won’t solve anything. The creature from my dream was just a dream. I just need to grow up and get stronger quickly.’*
Having made up her mind, Jusi decided she had to figure out how to use her supernatural ability, no matter what.
From then on, Jusi waited eagerly for Ijeten.
She thought he was the only beastman she had a high chance of communicating with, since he had recognized her expression.
She planned to ask Ijeten to teach her how to use her supernatural ability, since she couldn’t do it herself.
*‘I need to learn how to use my ability properly and get stronger fast so I can protect myself and others. Then Dad won’t have to worry so much.’*
The enemy she wasn’t yet sure of.
Though it was nowhere to be seen now, Jusi steeled her resolve as she recalled the creature that had threatened her in her dream.
***
A secret meeting hall, built deep underground beneath the imperial palace.
Immediately upon his return from the inspection, Emperor Ritain summoned the elder nobles.
The expressions of the elder nobles seated in the meeting hall were all grim.
Tension filled the vast, high-ceilinged hall.
When the Emperor summoned the elder nobles here, it was usually for bad news.
Their anxiety was heightened by the fact that they hadn’t been told why they were summoned.
Since it was right after his inspection, they could only guess it was related to that.
“Have you heard the news? They say the Princess has awakened her supernatural ability.”
“Of course, I have. For a beastman who hasn’t even reached her first birthday to awaken her ability… It’s extraordinary. The oracle must have been true.”
The nobles who had gathered early were deep in discussion, the topic being the White Tiger Princess’s awakening.
The princess herself was unaware, confined as she was, but public interest in her was immense.
One noble raised his voice, asserting,
“No, I’m telling you I’m right! There’s a high probability the Princess is the reincarnation of Anash!”
“But isn’t it too early to jump to conclusions?”
“Indeed. Besides, if the Princess is the reincarnation of Anash… it means ‘destruction’ is near, just as Lord Ganash said.”
“Why jump to the conclusion of destruction? We now have the Princess, the reincarnation of Lady Anash.”
“That’s right. Let’s not speak of such ominous things.”
But many nobles were already lost in sorrow, worrying about the future.
“So…”
Another noble, terrified, swallowed hard before speaking up.
“It means there’s a high probability that the ‘Dark Divine Beast’ will reappear, just as the scholars have been saying.”
“True, if Anash has been reincarnated, it’s highly likely the Dark Divine Beast’s seal has been broken as well.”
“Wait. Then what do we do? Let’s say Anash has been reincarnated. Do you think the Dark Divine Beast will fall for the same trick twice?”
“Well…”
Fear spread like wildfire across a dry field, consuming them.
Just as the atmosphere in the hall grew chaotic and anxiety was about to completely devour them.
“Announcing His Majesty the Emperor, ruler of the Empire, and His Highness the Crown Prince, protector of the Empire!”
At that moment, the Emperor and the Crown Prince entered the meeting hall together.
Emperor Ritain sat on the golden throne atop the high dais, and the Crown Prince took the seat prepared beside him.
The appearance of two members of the Penterin imperial family, who exuded an immense aura of authority just by their presence, instantly silenced the murmuring crowd.
Half of the nobles gathered here were predators, yet they couldn’t help but tremble before the overwhelmingly powerful Penterin royals.
Ritain slowly scanned the nobles of the elder council, their heads bowed.
“Since when,”
a cold smile touched his lips.
“have my vassals been such cowards? I have no need for such servants.”
*‘Gasp!’*
The nobles, who were bowing with their eyes fixed on the floor, felt a chill run down their spines.
They didn’t know since when, but the Emperor had heard everything.
Emperor Ritain rubbed his chin and continued slowly.
“To think that nobles would try to hide behind a young princess for protection. How pathetic.”
“Your, Your Majesty.”
“You are the weapons that defend the empire, my hands and feet. But if a weapon is not sharp enough for battle, it is nothing but a burden.”
The Emperor’s voice dropped even lower.
“I have no need for vassals who have no will to protect this land. Leave.”
Ritain looked down at the nobles and warned them sternly.
A heavy silence fell upon the hall, and it felt as if a chilly wind was blowing from somewhere.
The nobles trembled.
Where on earth were they supposed to go?
Besides, if they did leave, the Emperor’s army would surely hunt them down and kill them immediately.
“We are sorry, Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty, we are deeply sorry!”
“Please forgive us!”
The terrified nobles, who had tried to shift all responsibility onto the young princess and had spoken carelessly, fell to their knees and touched their heads to the floor.
Only after their wails had echoed for some time did the Emperor raise a hand to silence them.
“I will give you one chance.”
His golden eyes flashed. He warned them again.
“You would do well to never again think of cowering behind my daughter.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
The murderous atmosphere dissipated.
The nobles became much calmer than before, coming to their senses.
They had momentarily forgotten what kind of man their sovereign, Emperor Ritain, was.
A powerful tiger beastman who never backed down from any fight.
The Penterin imperial family was strong.
Not only were there two Golden Tigers, the Emperor and the Crown Prince, who had received Ganash’s deep blessing, but now a White Tiger, in the form of the strongest divine beast, Anash, had been born.
Their fear vanished in an instant.
If they trusted in the powerful Penterin imperial family and fought together, perhaps they could stand against the Dark Divine Beast.
“Things are certainly different from ancient times.”
“We have the Penterin army, which boasts a long history and tradition. We can fight the Dark Divine Beast.”
Their faces brightening, the nobles felt a sense of relief.
We won’t be defeated so easily, no sir.
“As expected of the strongest Penterin Empire, let’s show them what we’re made of!”
But the Emperor, who had been watching them in silence, spoke.
“However, I am uneasy.”
*‘Huh?’*
*‘Why is he changing his tune again?’*
The nobles broke out in a sweat.
Confused and unsure how to react, Duke Atasix raised his hand.
“Your Majesty, may I ask what you mean?”
He was the head of the Brown Bear family, blessed by the Brown Bear, one of the four great divine beasts.
In response to Duke Atasix’s question, Emperor Ritain answered cautiously.
“We are strong, but it may be difficult to fight back with the power of beastmen alone.”
“Pardon?”
*Thud.*
Ritain took something from his coat and tossed it onto the round table.
It was a birch branch, blackened, diseased, and withered.
Duke Atasix’s face turned pale as he examined the branch closely.
“This is…!”
“They say that when the divine beast Anash, who killed the Dark Divine Beast, shattered, her body fell across the continent. Where the pieces landed, the Anash birch trees grew.”
It was a story everyone knew.
“And what lies before you now, Duke, is a branch from one of those birch trees.”
Gasps erupted.
How could that pure white birch tree become like this?
Duke Atasix carefully picked up the blackened birch branch with a trembling hand and asked as he inspected it.
“Then, has the Dark Divine Beast already awakened?”
“I believe so.”
The hall was engulfed in silence.
