Hmm… I realize it’s pretty absurd.
Sure, the Gryphon seems to be showing some manners. It always bows respectfully when greeting me.
But other than that, I don’t really feel respected.
Like when it snorts at what I say or pretends not to hear me. Or it tosses me aside like I’m a rag doll when it decides to give me a ride. It hasn’t dropped me yet, but that doesn’t make it exactly a pleasant experience.
On top of that, the Gryphon can’t talk.
The only sounds it makes are these phew phew noises like an eagle, which might be a form of language among Gryphons but just sounds like bird cries to my ears. Even if it contains some respectful language, I can’t tell the difference.
So, when we say we respect each other, I’m the only one using honorifics.
… I’m not even sure if it makes sense to feel like this about a creature that’s not even human, but whatever, it really annoys me.
And let’s not forget, after declaring mutual respect, the negotiations that followed were just a whole different story. If I wanted something, I needed to offer something first before I’d get a response.
If the Gryphon owed me a debt, I’d say it has been paid off. I saved it once, and it saved me back. After that, it just sticks around whenever it feels like it.
So I don’t hate it, but I can’t figure out why it sticks around.
Wait, what’s with the Gryphon being all excited in the parade, but acting like a grump now?
And why doesn’t it go back among its own kind? Have its comfy human companions made it completely soft?
“……”
“……”
After a staring contest with the Gryphon for a while, I sighed and got up.
“Well, for now, I understand you have no intention of responding to my words. If you just sit there and don’t say anything, I won’t be able to guess what you’re thinking. But if you happen to think of something—”
… if you think of something?
The Gryphon can’t exactly waltz into the Imperial Palace. It’s a place designed for humans to roam freely. The corridors, while wide and the doors big compared to other buildings, are still way too cramped for a Gryphon to stroll in confidently. It could come in squished up, but it would leave scratch marks all over the floor and knock over every decoration in the hall.
Besides, it would be awkward to tell others. If I, the one who communicates best among the humans, can’t figure out what the Gryphon wants, how could the palace staff do any better?
“—So if you ever think of something you want, please express it when I visit next.”
That was all I could come up with.
Hearing that, the Gryphon looked at me for a bit before nodding its head slightly.
*
“What were you thinking to accept that request?”
After what I can only call a conversation… or maybe just me mumbling to myself, I returned to the room, where Alice was already waiting.
The fact that she was waiting in the Imperial Palace, not the dorm, meant she was quite worried about my decision.
Even if it’s Alice, I figured I couldn’t tell her what I discussed with the Sword Saint. So, I racked my brain for an excuse.
Actually, I had already thought about it before coming here. I knew Alice would definitely ask me the reason.
“Do you know how much it costs to raise a Gryphon inside the Imperial Palace?”
“……”
Alice paused at my question, thinking.
Gryphons eat a lot.
I remember hearing that land turtles like the sulcata tortoise eat several heads of cabbage per day. If I adjusted that for a carnivore, it would be about how much a Gryphon eats.
No, thinking about it, maybe for its size, it doesn’t actually eat that much. But still, Gryphons are full carnivores. If it’s like it eats a whole pig at a time, that’s certainly not pocket change for the royal budget.
“… It’s quite a lot. But it’s still manageable.”
“However, just throwing money around won’t work. If we’re going to raise a Gryphon, we need to think about getting some return from it.”
“Most people don’t think about making a profit from their pets…”
“If you treat it as a pet, then there’s even more reason to say that. If it’s a pet, shouldn’t it follow its master’s orders? Can you really call something a pet if its owner can’t control it?”
Alice looked thoughtful for a moment but then nodded seriously.
“That’s true. If we can’t control it, then it really is a wild beast. Though, given the Gryphon’s attitude, I don’t think it’s quite like that.”
“You don’t have to worry about being polite. The staff who clean its space and bring it food don’t seem too scared, but I’ve heard those who handle its fur are scared out of their wits every time they enter to work. The Gryphon may not care, but it’s natural for people to be scared when touching it. For them, the Gryphon is as wild as it gets.”
“……”
“Of course, I don’t consider the Gryphon as a wild beast.”
Even in the palace, and including Alice and the people around me, everyone sees that Gryphon as a creature beneath me.
So, to put it another way, that means I’m the master. If the master goes around saying their pet is wild and dangerous, it’s not surprising that people would be shocked.
I sat down on the chair facing Alice and spoke.
“And truth be told, I don’t see that Gryphon as a ‘pet.’ From the moment it chose to follow me, that Gryphon hasn’t thought of itself as beneath me.”
“If it’s not a pet, then how do you see it?”
Alice tilted her head.
“It’s a guest.”
I said simply.
“Whether it will become part of our group in the future is uncertain, but as it stands now, the Gryphon is a ‘guest in the Imperial Palace.’ It’s treated with respect simply because it’s a symbol of the Empire and has done great deeds in battles.”
I exhaled lightly.
“I know that it isn’t that unusual for the royal family to host important guests every few years. But usually, such guests are just guests in name only. They often function as a direct line of communication with other countries or have some significant status.”
“So, you think the Gryphon should be treated that way?”
“Yes.”
“But… the Gryphon isn’t human.”
With slight hesitation, Alice said that, and I shrugged.
“Of course it’s not human. But it’s also a being that can understand and take in human speech perfectly. And that’s why it’s important to let it know that ‘hitching a ride without giving back is unwelcome.’”
If it were an unintelligent beast, I wouldn’t even have this worry. A dog or cat is kept for cuteness, and most people don’t need a deeper reason to own pets.
And such animals don’t need to understand their status so intricately. They lack the capability to do so. As long as a clear hierarchy exists between the human and the animal, that’s enough. Animals are not there because they chose to be with humans; it’s humans that want to have animals around them. The responsibility lies entirely with the owner.
But the Gryphon never intended to be beneath me from the start. And I certainly have no ability to put it fully under my control.
In that case, shouldn’t we at least find a way to exchange things as equals?
… Well, I admit the thoughts I’m sharing are because I didn’t want to reveal to Alice what I discussed with the Sword Saint, but at the same time, they are my genuine thoughts.
“So basically, you’re saying you’re asking for at least that kind of help?”
A glimmer of understanding crossed Alice’s eyes.
“Exactly. This will be the first step.”
Well, if I fail, it won’t matter much. I’ve already achieved about half my objective.
Of course, it would be lovely if I succeeded, though.
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