Chapter: 116
The sight of the God of Beasts, born from beastmen, taking the form of a small puppy, licking the hands of a beastman and prancing around is truly a bizarre sight and leaves a peculiar impression.
No matter how low the intelligence of a beast god might be… Hmm. No, actually, thanks to the rumors I’ve spread, it’s probably gotten a bit smarter.
The fact that this beast god possessed the intelligence of a beast was a story from before I started spreading those rumors. After all, I’ve been busy spreading rumors during my travels, so its intelligence has probably gone up…
Could it be…
Is this little guy… pretending to act this way?
“Aha, it tickles! It’s all messy from drool now, so please don’t rub your head against it,” said the Queen of Makai, laughing lightly, while she kept petting the beast god.
“But it’s strange. I’ve never seen this animal before… yet it feels so incredibly familiar, like seeing family after a long time.”
“Oh…”
Feeling this friendly, like family. Hmm.
In all my travels, I’ve met many beastmen, but never have I found a beastman so comfortable with the primordial beast god.
The beast god climbed up onto the lap of the seated Queen, as if it claimed that as its rightful place.
Really? Is that how it is?
“I’ve never seen it follow anyone else but us,” the hero beside me whispered softly. Huh. So he’s never seen the beast god act that way towards someone else either.
It seems to see the hero as someone strong enough to put it in its place, while with me… when I showed a hint of sincerity, it quickly hid its fangs and claws, wagging its tail like crazy.
As a beast, it bows low to those stronger than itself but looks down on the weak. Yet here it is, being all cute and cuddly on the Queen’s lap.
There must be another reason for this!
I reached out to try to take the beast god off the Queen’s lap, but it looked at me with a sorrowful expression.
Hmm. Is the Queen’s lap really that comfortable? Does it not want to be taken away?
It doesn’t act like this with every beastman, so this is… Hmm.
Could it just be that it really likes the Queen? Or is there some deeper connection between them?
Or could it even be that the Queen is like a shrine maiden to the beast god?
“How unbelievably adorable. I can sense such great power in it, yet it’s so cute! How mysterious,” the Queen said, gently petting the beast god that was enjoying her attention.
Could it be that this Queen is actually the beast god’s shrine maiden?
Well, considering the beast god’s origins in primitive faith, it wouldn’t be so odd for there to be something like a shrine maiden.
“Now then, please relax while I prepare the meal.”
The Queen gently picked up the beast god from her lap and set it beside her before stepping out of the tent. The beast god followed her like a loyal pup.
Hmm, it really does seem like the Queen is some kind of shrine maiden for the beast god. I’ve never seen it follow anyone else like that, not even me!
“Looks like that little one has fallen head over paws for the Queen,” I said.
“It seems like the Queen holds a special place for the beast god. Since she’s a shrine maiden, she probably has some sensitivity to the powers of other gods,” said the hero.
If the Queen is really the beast god’s shrine maiden, then maybe it’s time to let the beast god go.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
After some time, the Queen returned with a few attendants, carrying several dishes to set on a low table.
They had a creamy white stew made with milk, veggies, and meat, some pretty rustic-looking bread, and slabs of salted meat.
These are some pretty hearty dishes for the Queen to bring in herself.
Hmm, it resembles home-cooked food from other towns, aside from the mountains of meat, of course.
“There may not be much on the table, but please enjoy your meal!” The Queen smiled, her horse-like ears twitching with each word.
Speaking of which, the beast god… is still snuggled up to the Queen. It really doesn’t want to let go.
Guess it’s truly time to part ways.
“That little one really seems to like you,” I remarked.
“Yes? Oh, this little one? It keeps chasing after me wherever I go. Isn’t it just the cutest?” she smiled.
“Yeah, it is.”
With that tiny puppy glued to her, how could it not be adorable?
But if that adorable pup is a god… Hmmm. It’s hard to put my feelings into words.
Where has all the godly dignity gone, huh?!
But…
“Since that little one wishes to stay with you, why not keep it by your side?” I suggested.
“This one? Well, I find it cute, but… it’s the guest’s pet, so I’m not sure if that feels right…”
“Nonsense! That little one seems to have finally found what it’s been looking for, so it doesn’t need to travel with us anymore.”
Sure, it’s a bit of a bummer to lose the means of transport for my long journey, but isn’t it time to wrap up this hero’s adventure, anyway?
I can’t just keep that little one by my side forever.
I can’t have it as just another pet god like Cloud Whale. It’s a god of a tribe, no less!
So…
“While it may look like a cute puppy now, it is actually an incredibly powerful beast. Keeping it by your side will only benefit you in time.”
The Queen looked down at the puppy circling her feet with a slightly puzzled expression. I guess she was thinking, “This little one?”
It may be hard for her to believe. After all, how many humans have seen a god face-to-face?
“If you’re willing to give it to me, I will graciously accept it!”
“Ah, I’m not giving it to you. You will be the one serving the needs of that little one from now on.”
“Huh?”
A role reversal… Is that what they call this?
Well, humans can’t stand above gods, so naturally, a god must be above a human.
“If you take care of it well, that little one will surely repay your kindness. And if you happen to end up with many kids, you should let one of them take care of that little one.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Even after you grow old and die, and then your children grow old and die, that little one will never age. In some time, you’ll figure out just how special it is.”
The Queen looked a bit skeptical.
By the way, this milk stew is tastier than I expected!
It may look like simple ingredients, but the seasoning seems like it’s a blend of something special, which makes it mysteriously delicious.
Hmm, what’s that subtle sweetness? Is it sugar? No, no sugar… maybe honey? Could it be honey?
Finding honey in this harsh land is quite the surprise.
Or wait, in spite of how barren it is, bees could probably live here just fine. They might not be able to farm, but there are plenty of flowers and trees that could grow.
How remarkable. Truly remarkable.
And so, our meal continued until a clearly excited-looking King entered the tent.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Once upon a time, in a far-off land, there lived a warm-hearted couple.
They were quite poor—almost completely without possessions—but they lived happily together.
One day, a wanderer showed up at their door, accompanied by a small dog.
The couple generously offered their scarce ingredients for a delicious meal for the wanderer.
Touched by the couple’s kindness, the wanderer devoured the feast in a blink and said with a satisfied grin,
“In all my travels, I’ve never been treated as generously as this!”
“It’s just a simple meal,” the wife replied.
“Nonsense! You didn’t merely serve a single meal; you’ve shared nearly everything you possess with me.”
And this was true. The husband lamented upon seeing his wife using up all their ingredients for the meal, remarking they’d probably go hungry the next day.
Seeing this couple, the wanderer smiled softly and said,
“Since you have given me everything, I, too, shall return the favor. I will give you this child.”
The wanderer handed the little dog to the wife.
The couple accepted the small, adorable puppy, but when they looked back to express their gratitude…
The wanderer had vanished, like he had never been there in the first place!
What remained for the couple was simply the tiny dog.
– Classic fairy tale. The Grateful Dog.
A tale passed down orally among the beastfolk, this fairy tale is drawn from that lore.
It’s not widely known that this tale’s origins tie back to the first beast god that the beastfolk worship.
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