“Hm.” Fran winced at the mere mention of the Beast King. Their encounter had left a mark on her.
We’ve met.
“What?! Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”
Kind of. Fran got caught in the crossfire of his Intimidation. To be fair, the Beast King hadn’t seemed like he was targeting her on purpose.
“I’m fine now.”
“Are you sure?”
“Hm.”
“Even so, you mustn’t let your guard down as long as the Beast King is in town. You don’t know what he might do to you!”
Lumina hated the Beast King as much as Dias and Aurel did. The incident fifty-three years ago was still fresh in her mind. We asked her about Kiara, but she only knew what the other two had already told us, and could tell us even less because of the speech restrictions imposed on her by the goddess.
“You cannot trust anyone related to the Beast King!”
“Got it.”
“Awful rumors surround that man like thick smoke. You would do well to keep a safe distance,” Lumina warned with a grim look on her face.
She certainly hated him, but I wondered if her reasons were personal. There were rumors that the Beast Kings were to blame for the slavery of the Black Cats, and it might just be true. Lumina clearly knew more about it than we did, though she wasn’t allowed to tell us.
“Promise me you’ll be careful.”
We will.
“Hm.”
The day after Lumina learned of my existence, she sent us a personal invitation to come meet me. Lumina greeted us with a smile as we came out of the teleportation room.
Seeing her was enough to make Fran sigh with relief. “Good.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re back to normal.”
Her skin had returned to its normal color and there wasn’t a trace of malice left in her. I didn’t know what had happened over the course of the day, but she was back to the Lumina we knew and loved. However, despite her best efforts, she still looked a bit pale. She had yet to make a full recovery. “I’ve been busy,” said Lumina.
Fran tilted her head to one side, and Lumina smiled. Her familiar emerged from the back room and started gesturing towards us.
“It looks like everything’s ready.”
Ready for what?
“Come and see,” Lumina said as she guided us down the hallway.
We followed her, frantic with worry.
“What’s going on?”
“Wait…” Lumina said, evasive.
She was looking more than a little worse for wear, like she had just lost a huge amount of blood. We arrived at our destination just as her footsteps were beginning to waver. The room looked familiar—it was where Fran and Lumina had their mock fight. But it was different now, and that difference declared itself to us as we entered.
Is that a magic circle?
“It’s huge.”
The diagram was about a hundred meters in diameter. The pattern began in the middle and broke outwards, creating patterns within patterns. I’d never seen a magic circle of this scale before. What was she going to do with it?
“Huff…”
“Lumina, are you okay?”
Yeah, you don’t look so good.
“I really am all right. Don’t worry.”
A tall request, considering she practically collapsed into the chair her familiar brought out for her.
“The reason why I’ve called you here today is because I’ve prepared a test for you,” she said cryptically, pressing on through her pain. “Will you accept?”
A test?
“Yes,” she said. “What do you say?”
I wasn’t expecting a test…but refusing Lumina when she was in so much pain was difficult, if not impossible. Fran felt the same way.
“Hm.” She nodded.
Fran, we don’t even know what it’s going to be.
“Lumina prepared it. I’ll take it.”
“Thank you. But I warn you that it will be dangerous. You might lose your life if you are not prepared. I am giving you a chance to walk away.”
What?! We might die?! Now hang on just a second!
“We’ll take it.”
Fran!
“Teacher, please.”
Urgh… Fran’s kitty-cat eyes were the most powerful weapons in her arsenal. Still, I had to make sure. Are you sure about this?
“Of course.”
Lumina’s warned you about the dangers. You might die out there.
“That’s okay.” Her mind was made up.
All right…
“Thanks, Teacher.”
We would just have to give Lumina’s test our all. Besides, I knew she wouldn’t put Fran’s life in danger for nothing.
“Will you accept?”
“Hm!”
Whatever this test is, I assume Fran needs it.
“Yes.”
Essence of Falsehood did its thing. She was telling the truth. Well, we had to take it now.
Can Jet come with us?
“He may.”
“Grr!” Jet roared, showing us that he was ready.
“I’m going to summon a monster. Destroy it!”
“Hm. Got it.”
“Woof!”
Monster extermination. That was it? It seemed a little odd, but maybe we’d figure something out once we saw it…
“Get ready!” Lumina shouted.
The circle glowed as massive amounts of mana gathered in its center. Fran’s hair flapped about in the powerful gusts of wind. She squinted at the concentration of mana. When the light subsided, a lone monster stood there.
“Huff…huff…” Lumina was doubled over.
You okay, Lumina?
“I’m all right… Worry not…”
No time to check that against Essence of Falsehood. We had to focus on the monster. This was Lumina’s test.
The thing looked humanoid and was pitch-black from the top of its head to the tip of its toes. We couldn’t see its body past the black miasma, but we could make out the fur covering it. It looked like some kind of Kobold, if Kobolds were a hundred times fiercer and more terrifying. The thing was stronger than the pillbug. Fran had to control her breathing, and it was just standing there!
“Groooooar!”
“Ah…!”
The jet-black creature roared murderously, making Fran’s hair stand on end. Her reaction was similar to when she ran into the Beast King. This creature had a powerful aura—if she’d not had her chance encounter with the tyrant, she probably would have been overwhelmed. This beast was not to be trifled with.
Fran stood her ground in the midst of the pressure and looked the creature right in the eye. “Teacher, Jet… Let’s go!”
Right!
“Woof!”
“Grrrrr!”
“Haaaa!”
Fran charged, drawing me from my sheath as if to
