CHAPTER 97…………………………………
Early the next morning. I woke up early to check on the newborn divine beasts and Harisa’s condition.
Of course, Loren was with me.
“Ah… so sleepy… really sleepy…”
“Senpai, watch where you’re going. You’ll trip.”
“My eyes won’t open…”
Loren pressed down on her swollen eyelids as she moved forward.
“I could check on them myself, you know.”
“I want to go. How often do you get to see newborn divine beasts? I want to learn as much as I can!”
As expected of Loren. She was a budding talent with excellent qualities.
Feeling the cold air of the snow-capped mountain, we arrived at the birthing room and gently knocked on the door.
The door opened quietly, and a white thread-like figure shimmered dazzlingly in the dawn moonlight.
“Ahem. Come in.”
Lihasol greeted us, hiding her face with one hand. I tilted my head, trying to see her face, but she desperately avoided my gaze.
“Lihasol, is your face uncomfortable?”
“Ah, no.”
“I need to check your condition to examine you. Could you lower your hand for a moment?”
“I said I’m fine!”
Even if she said she was fine, I couldn’t compromise on matters directly related to her safety.
I took the opportunity when Lihasol let her guard down and gently lowered her hand.
Her swollen eyelids revealed her eyes underneath. Loren’s puffiness looked almost like a joke in comparison.
“Ahem! I was just so happy that the little ones were born safely…”
In short, she had cried too much out of joy. Lihasol had stayed by Harisa and the newborns all night without leaving the birthing room.
I took a leaf of Pannol from my bag and handed it to Lihasol.
“Place it on your eyes. The swelling will go down quickly.”
“…Thank you.”
Lihasol placed the leaf on her eyelid. Despite her prim manner, she looked incredibly cute.
“Has Mother woken up yet? She’s fine, right?”
“Yes. She’s fine. Her heartbeat is regular, and her pupils react normally. She’s just in a deep sleep.”
Lihasol exhaled softly.
Next, it was time to check on the newborn divine beasts.
The baby divine beasts, cleaned of the placenta, moved around Harisa in a fluffy, wiggly state. Their eyes hadn’t opened yet, but they seemed to recognize their mother.
“Luckily, they’re all healthy.”
I was especially relieved that the white one, which had been stuck in the birth canal, was healthy. Watching the baby divine beasts tumble over one another made me laugh. Lihasol, hesitating slightly, approached and spoke.
“…You, Linnegrim.”
“Yes?”
“We’ve decided to name this one ‘Rine’ after you. Consider it an honor.”
Lihasol, speaking bluntly, picked up the youngest white tiger at the bottom and gently cradled it like a treasure.
“But Rine’s claws… are they okay? They look pretty sharp.”
Even though the tiger was still young, Rine’s claws were needle-sharp, as expected for a tiger.
“Hmph, this is nothing. I even cut this one’s umbilical cord myself with a knife.”
Lihasol lifted her chin proudly. Watching her, I finally spoke the words that had been weighing on me.
“I’m sorry, Lihasol.”
“For what?”
“…I underestimated your pain and resolve. It was arrogance to think I could solve all problems. Still… I’ll do everything I can.”
There are things only I can do. Just as I brought great joy to the Aksion clan last night, there are surely more things only I can accomplish.
Lihasol, who had been quietly watching me, asked:
“Like how you saved my siblings?”
“Yes. To save even more lives.”
Around lunchtime, Harisa regained consciousness and called me over. In human form, she welcomed us with a faint smile on her haggard face.
“Thank you, Linnegrim. And Loren. Thanks to you, my children are safe… I don’t even know how to properly express my gratitude.”
“I only did what was my duty.”
“I never thought the day would come when Soli would touch a baby’s claws… Thank you…”
“There’s no need to thank me. It’s because you overcame your fear, Lihasol.”
“You did help, though. So I’d like to give you a small token of appreciation.”
“A small token…?”
I remembered receiving a small token of an island from Seran. Swallowing my nervousness, I cautiously asked again.
Harisa handed something over. A cold object fell into my carefully cupped hands.
It was a white crystal, reminiscent of the fang I had received from Tehinra.
I could feel divine power in it.
“This is…”
“It’s my decision. Eternal ice. It will never melt. You can keep anything precious to you inside it forever.”
In other words, it was a crystallized form of Harisa’s divine power. She freely offered it to me, even though making one required years of effort.
“I understand that crystallizing consumes a great deal of divine power. Are you sure it’s okay to give me something so precious?”
“Ah? You know about crystallization. Yes, it consumes much divine power. And if it weren’t for you, I would have had to use it last night.”
Harisa gently stroked Rine’s sleeping head, the fragile life that might have been lost.
“So it’s yours. Please, don’t refuse it.”
I held the crystal tightly and bowed.
“I will accept it gratefully, Harisa.”
“The thanks are mine. Thank you, Linnegrim.”
Harisa gestured to Loren behind me. Loren hurried forward, and Harisa extended her fist.
“Loren. I thank you as well. You helped Linnegrim save me and my children, didn’t you?”
Loren bowed gracefully, true to her noble upbringing.
“Y-You flatter me! I really didn’t do anything!”
Her voice trembled terribly.
Harisa swallowed a laugh and teased her gently:
“Really? Then can I take this back?”
“Well, now that I think about it, I did contribute a little!”
“See?”
“Yes! I will treasure it!”
The sound of delicate beads clinking echoed from Loren’s hands.
“This is…”
It was a necklace threaded with transparent beads, each etched with snowflake patterns. It looked like something that could fetch a high price.
“It’s a necklace made by solidifying pure snow from the mountains. It could sell for a high price.”
“I will never sell it! It’s a treasure from Harisa. I’ll pass it down as a family heirloom!”
Loren kept wiping her tears, overwhelmed with joy, eventually tilting her head to the sky.
“H-Hah… my tears won’t stop…”
“Well then, Harisa! We will take our leave now. Please rest comfortably.”
“Yes. I’m a bit tired.”
I took Loren’s sobbing arm and left the birthing room. Loren flapped her hands to dry her tears.
“I… I was recognized by a divine beast… Oh no. It’s a family honor. I wonder how proud Mother and Father would be…”
Even though I had never cried when receiving Tehinra’s fang, Seran’s island, or Harisa’s crystal, this was difficult to console.
I placed my chin on Loren’s shoulder after taking a moment to compose myself.
“Senpai. This is just one of the many praises you will receive. Save your tears for later.”
…Does it work? At least her tears seemed to have stopped.
Loren blinked her round eyes and ran at me.
“Linnegrim, you’re amazing! I’ll trust only you from now on!”
“I’ll be counting on you too, Senpai…”
I patted her back, ignoring the damp shoulder.
“…Thank you, human.”
Lira whispered, sniffling. Reed’s growl accompanied it sharply.
“You not going to say it properly?”
“Thank you, Linnegrim!”
“Truly, thank you. Thanks to you, my siblings and mother are safe.”
Ribel’s bow was so deep I had to bow further in response.
“No, I only did what was natural. I have received more than enough reward.”
Almost flat on the ground, I answered, but Lihasol’s clear laughter reached me.
“It’s still too soon to be satisfied. There’s more you’ll like.”
“More I’ll like?”
“Come here.”
Lihasol took my hand without hesitation. Before I could react, she pulled me with immense strength.
“Li-Lihasol! My arm’s going to be torn off!”
“Oh, sorry.”
Fortunately, she stopped just before my shoulder would have been ripped off.
She led me to a snowy field inside the divine tree. The wide, white field inside the room felt both unfamiliar and cozy.
“Wow… there’s a snowfield inside the divine tree…”
“This is where we cultivate Seolcho.”
“Seolcho?”
I had never heard of it. Lihasol plunged her hand into the snow without hesitation.
She pulled out a root with a yellow leaf and a red flower.
“This is Seolcho. A medicinal herb that only grows in the snowy mountains.”
Only in the snowy mountains.
Indeed, I had never encountered Seolcho before. I smelled the herb; its bitter scent tickled my nose.
“What’s Seolcho’s effect? How is it cultivated and harvested? How is it used?”
Lihasol blinked at my barrage of questions and laughed.
“One question at a time. I’ll tell you everything.”
“Ah, it’s just that I’ve never seen this herb…”
“Seolcho grows only at the highest parts of the snowy mountains, buried in snow, so you have to rely on your sense of smell to find it.”
I listened closely to her explanation.
“The leaves and flowers are discarded. The root is boiled and applied to wounds. It heals quickly.”
“To wounds?”
“Yes.”
I see. So this is what she meant by something I would like.
As Lihasol explained, Seolcho could act like Centella, aiding in skin regeneration and providing antioxidant and antibacterial effects. It was valuable enough to combine with other herbs.
“I’ll provide as much Seolcho as you need.”
“Lihasol, why give me such a rare herb…”
“You said you wanted to do what you could, right?”
[“…Still… I’ll do everything I can.”]
I nodded slowly.
“This will help with what only you can do, right?”
“…Yes.”
As expected. Lihasol smiled brightly.
“I thought it would be useful for you to save more lives. I’m ready and happy to help you.”
Her smile was clearer than the white snow.
