Vol 1 Chapter 29 – I Just Have a Constitution That Spirits Love【Vol 1: The Beastkin Hero Arc】

Having finished licking him from the mask to the nape of his neck, Raisel began playfully nibbling on Allen’s hair.

Even if it was just a playful nibble, the jaw strength of a high-ranking spirit beast was enough to crush a normal person’s skull. While Allen thought, Please stop, I’m going to go bald at this rate, he did not resist and simply gave himself over to her. Feeling her joy through her tears, he felt half guilty and half happy.

Allen, too, felt healed by the touch and warmth of the fluffy feathers after such a long time. However, he quickly came to his senses, realizing this was no time for such things.

“…Why the hell are you crying… what are you so sad about…?”

Stunned as she was, Leonhardt approached and wiped the tears spilling from Raisel with her hand.

“Kru-ru, Kru-ru-ru!”

No. It’s not sadness, it’s happiness. Raisel shook her head skillfully from side to side and cried out joyfully—all while continuing to munch on Allen’s hair.

“I don’t get it… The only people Raisel has ever taken to at first sight… are me and that person…”

This was bad. (…By “that person,” she absolutely means me.) Cold sweat ran down Allen’s back.

In the first place, Allen was the one who had originally met Raisel. Back during his World Knight days, while dealing with the Demon Lord’s army, Allen had been assigned a certain mission by the kings of various nations during a busy interval. To summarize the mission: he was to stop the overhunting of spirit beasts by an organization called 【Enigma】.

As a result of each country’s military and knight orders being mobilized against the Demon Lord’s army, there was no one left to crack down on criminals. Because of that, the surge in crime rates during the Great Human-Demon War was a serious problem.

Spirit beasts are sacred creatures, and in some countries, there are regions where they are worshipped. Upon receiving reports that poachers were entering and leaving a forest where these creatures lived in peace, Allen rushed to the scene and encountered a single wounded griffon. He treated it along with his disciple, Leonhardt, and after defeating the poacher hunters who were trying to capture the rare griffon, they forged a bond. That was precisely why Raisel only opened her heart to Allen and Leonhardt.

“…I am surprised. However, it is said that powerful spirit beasts only take a liking to heroes who possess both strength and a virtuous heart. Leonhardt-sama, perhaps you should believe in Noir-sama.”

Kohaku, his eyes wide with admiration and respect for Allen, spoke gently to Leonhardt.

“That’s… well…”

Hesitating, Leonhardt stroked Raisel’s lion-like body.

“…Don’t get so attached to a guy like this, Raisel… Why are you acting like… like you finally met that person again…?”

Leonhardt placed her other hand against her helmet. Her shoulders trembled. Was she crying? She was probably remembering that first mission they spent together—one beast and two people—just as Allen was.

He wasn’t busted yet. It was a precarious situation where she suspected him but was denying the possibility in her heart.

Just then, children came running out from among the townspeople who had gathered to catch a glimpse of Leonhardt after she landed in front of the chief’s estate.

“Leonhardt-sama, are you crying?”

“You’re covered in blood, does it hurt somewhere? Are you hurt?”

“Don’t bully Leonhardt-sama!”

“Masked Knight-sama, did you make Leonhardt-sama cry?”

The children surrounded Leonhardt. One of them stood with arms spread wide in front of Allen, as if to protect her.

“I-I’m not crying! As if I’d cry!!”

Leonhardt was terribly flustered and tried to act gruff, but she was completely overwhelmed by the children clinging to her.

“—Noir-sama. Please, look after Leonhardt-sama.”

“…She isn’t very honest, but she’s a kind person who protects us.”

The gathered adults also bowed deeply to him, and Allen returned the nod.

Leonhardt had been exuding quite a bit of bloodlust until moments ago, but now it was suppressed. Allen’s heart warmed at the sight of his disciple being so beloved by the people of the Beast Kingdom. The reason she, who had killed the Emperor, had come to the Beast Kingdom was because she believed this country would harbor her unconditionally. The people of this land protected Leonhardt, and Leonhardt, in turn, was doing her best to protect the people.

“Kru-ru?”

Nearby, Allen dodged Raisel’s attempt to pull off his mask and gave her neck a good, thorough scruffing. Raisel narrowed her eyes in pure bliss.

“—Anyway, we gotta go! Hey, hurry up and get on!”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

As he replied, Allen steeled his resolve. He swore in his heart to protect the people of this country from the Empire—and to protect Leonhardt to the very end. Even if, as a result, his true identity was revealed.

His second air journey of the day.

This time, it wasn’t with a little girl with violet-black hair, but with the hero of the beast-kin. The griffon, traveling at the speed of a falling star through the sky, wasn’t as large as the black dragon Geofried, but the ride was much more comfortable. It was only natural, given it was fluffy lion fur instead of hard scales.

However, it was awkward. Intensely awkward.

“…Hey, don’t huddle up so close! This boundary forward is where I sit, and the butt area is yours!”

“…No, it’s too narrow. I’m gonna fall off.”

Raisel was protected by a membrane of wind, so they didn’t feel much wind pressure. Even while flying at incredible speeds, conversation was perfectly possible. However, since there was no saddle, the riders had to rely on their own muscle strength and core to keep from falling. Naturally, seating position was vital.

“Kru-ru-ru-ru-ru!”

Don’t fight. Raisel let out a cry as if mediating between them.

“…Why does she like you so much…?”

Leonhardt grumbled, clearly unsatisfied. Under her helmet, she was likely puffing out her cheeks.

“…I’ve always had a constitution that spirit beasts like. I even keep a pet myself.”

Allen pulled the well-built frog spirit beast—Boyo-chan—out from his robe. Boyo-chan was a spirit beast he had made a pet surprisingly recently. While his partner Geofried was known not just to his comrades but to the whole world, even his fellow World Knights didn’t know about Boyo-chan’s existence.

“…Wh-What is this ugly-cute frog?!”

Confronted with Boyo-chan, Leonhardt’s excitement visibly spiked. She loved wild animals and spirit beasts. Sitting in front, Leonhardt turned her body around to face Allen.

“Geko.”

Leonhardt picked up Boyo-chan with both hands and began squishing his body. Boyo-chan looked annoyed, but Leonhardt didn’t care.

“He’s squishy on the butt and the belly! Is he a glutton?”

“Something like that. He’s a species called an Infinity Frog; his stomach is infinite. He can store all sorts of things.”

“Heh… what a handy guy. Or rather, this squishing is getting addictive.”

“Right?”

Leonhardt squished him for a while, then as if snapping out of it, she shoved Boyo-chan back and faced forward again.

“…You and I are just a one-time thing anyway. I have no intention of getting chummy with you.”

“…”

It’s a bit late for the tough-act after you spent all that time squishing him, Allen thought, smiling wryly under his mask. Still, thanks to Boyo-chan, they had become slightly closer. In terms of fighting together, he could at least be reasonably sure she wouldn’t attack him along with the enemies now.