Chapter 45………………………………………
“Oh, I see.”
Looking down at Lin with admiration, Kaidan nearly bragged about how not just his hands but all his limbs were extraordinarily strong—but he wisely swallowed the words.
He wasn’t sure why such unnecessary thoughts had popped into his mind; they weren’t really needed.
Scurrying along, Lin poured some comforting hot chocolate for her benefactor.
According to the original story, the benefactor had already faced many trials and hardships even at his young boyish age.
Whatever it was, Lin intended to help him wholeheartedly if he confided in her.
With that kind, generous intent radiating from her gaze, Lin telepathically urged him: “Tell me! Tell me what I can do to help!”
Following tea-time etiquette, Kaidan took a sip from his cup. The intense sweetness froze him for a moment, but he regained his composure and finally spoke.
“I have a suggestion regarding what you said at the banquet.”
“What I said?”
“The thing you shouted during the ability ceremony.”
Ability ceremony? Lin’s eyes widened as she tried to recall what she had done.
“That time, you shouted that your grandfather and mother would come back, right?”
“!”
Realization hit Lin, and her jaw dropped.
“You… you understood that cry?”
Gripped by shock, Lin quickly regained her composure and fired off words like a machine gun.
“That cry… my words were understood even in beast form! Something only beast forms can understand! My benefactor! Wow! No way… my benefactor is my kind too? Then… then he could be a divine beast too! I’m so, so happy!”
“What? Wait. Wait, calm down.”
Lin, already standing, seemed ready to jump and bounce in excitement.
And indeed, she did.
Bang!
Overcome by emotion, Lin in her beast form dashed around the library like she intended to circle it at full speed.
“Kyu! Kyuuuu! Kyuuuung Kyu!”
“Oh my! This cry… he understands me, right? Kyaa!”
The deer-like figure darting madly out of sight had Kaidan raising both hands and shouting:
“Okay, okay, yes, he understands! Calm down!”
After running in circles until her breath was almost like a whistle, Lin twisted her thin legs and headed back to her seat.
Kaidan anxiously watched her unusually slender legs, worried that a wrong move might break them.
“Phew.”
Back in human form, Lin gulped down sweet iced tea instead of the thick hot chocolate.
After catching her breath from the extreme sprint, her face still flushed with excitement, Lin’s eyes sparkled, urging Kaidan to continue.
Although a bit hesitant to speak, Kaidan gathered his steel-like composure and shared what he knew.
“I’m not sure why I understand your beast form cries, but your assumption that I’m your kin is incorrect. I’m definitely a black tiger beastfolk.”
“That’s okay! You could still be like me.”
“?”
Kaidan was surprised that his correction didn’t seem to register at all with the girl’s glowing golden eyes.
Wondering why she had such a strange certainty, he even showed her his beast form.
Though not fully grown, a large black tiger appeared beside the table.
“Oh!”
It was Lin’s first time seeing a tiger up close, and she gasped in admiration.
“Wow! Its fur pattern is really beautiful!”
As Kaidan stomped, the black fur revealed distinct tiger stripes that rippled across his body.
Unconsciously, Kaidan paraded around Lin once to show her, then returned to his human form and sat down.
“See? I’m a black tiger beastfolk, so we can’t be kin.”
“Of course, that makes sense for beastfolk!”
“?”
Confused, Kaidan watched as Lin confidently pointed to both him and herself.
“What if we’re divine beasts?”
“Divine beasts? Numén family?”
Mention of the law king’s family in the Sacred Nation sharpened Kaidan’s gaze for a moment.
“No, not the Sacred Nation family—just divine beasts!”
“……What are you talking about?”
“This is a secret I haven’t told anyone. But I’ll tell you, my benefactor.”
Though Lin had repeatedly called him her benefactor, Kaidan relaxed slightly, intrigued by the promise of her secret.
“My friend Caligo told me.”
“Who’s Caligo?”
“Ah! Caligo is a divine beast too. He actually has a huge true form, but right now he’s inside my favorite doll looking at me. He’s gone temporarily to recognize my kin, but normally he moves around on his own in the doll body.”
“……”
Lin explained about Caligo as a divine beast, but Kaidan’s attention locked on the idea of an imaginary friend inside a doll.
‘An imaginary friend who believes he’s special… a six-year-old’s fantasy. Why was I ever suspicious of this kid?’
Watching Lin recount everything with innocent excitement made Kaidan feel a pang of self-reproach.
“So, once Caligo finds out what kind of divine beast I am, he’ll tell you too! We could be kin.”
“Ah… okay…”
Having finished her explanation, Lin noticed Kaidan’s expression had gone cold and tilted her head in puzzlement.
Kaidan sipped the intensely sweet hot chocolate, regained his composure, and reminded himself of the goal for visiting her.
“I said I have a suggestion.”
“Ah! Yes.”
“If you can bring back your grandfather, the Mercenary King Felrod, like you said back then… would you believe me?”
“!”
Lin’s eyes widened at the long-unheard name.
Kaidan, serious and confident, began to add reasoning to support his proposal—but Lin interrupted him quickly.
“Yes! I believe you.”
Seeing her wide smile and trusting gaze, Kaidan was momentarily at a loss for words.
‘Wait… what exactly am I supposed to have her believe?’
Before he could even persuade her, the girl had already placed her trust.
“You shouldn’t believe just anyone. There are so many bad people in the world.”
“I know! But it’s you, that’s why I trust you.”
‘Why me?’
Kaidan restrained himself from asking, reasoning that having her cooperate so willingly was beneficial.
“You haven’t known me long. You can’t blindly trust someone like that.”
“Oh! Heroes really are cautious!”
“……You called me that before too, didn’t you?”
“Ah.”
“Hero, benefactor… what makes you call me that?”
Even asking, Kaidan didn’t expect a remarkable answer.
From observing Lin closely, he realized she was just a normal six-year-old girl.
Believing in imaginary friends, taking storybook tales as truth.
Perhaps the hero in a novel illustration reminded her of him?
Just as he exhaled a faint sigh, feeling unexpectedly drained, she said:
“You’re my benefactor and everyone’s hero.”
Her words struck like a prophecy, beyond mere certainty.
Kaidan looked up into her unwavering golden eyes and felt strangely overwhelmed.
As his gaze met hers, a tiny streak of light shimmered through her bangs.
‘Wow… I can stay awake and endure this!’
With a new sense of foresight filling her, Lin relaxed and checked herself.
Thanks to all her hard work on her health, she wasn’t about to collapse despite the intense conversation and excitement.
