Chapter 137
One of Jet’s subordinates took charge of the transportation.
Disguised as a poacher, he headed toward the Marquis of Skya’s mansion, carrying a baby dragon, a long-tailed tit, a lizard, a snow leopard, a rabbit, and a winged snake.
“Ppiya-ppiya!”
“Chirp chirp!”
“Kkurururuk!”
“Kyareung!”
“Kkyuuuuu!”
“Kkuruk!”
The six animals—no, the four beastmen and two animals—chattered noisily throughout the carriage ride as if they were going on a picnic.
Having always remained in human form, they found it incredibly comfortable to transform back into their original shapes after such a long time.
However, the moment they crossed the main gate of the Marquis’s mansion.
They stopped their chattering and each put on an act of fury or despair, as if they had truly been captured.
“Ppiyaaaaaa……!”
In the midst of this, Asil shook the iron bars with all her might, accidentally bending them enough for everyone to walk out.
“Ppitt…….”
Asil broke into a cold sweat.
While the flustered long-tailed tit and lizard quickly hopped over to restore the bars to their original state, the subordinate—who didn’t suspect a thing—showed off his flowery speech the moment he saw Karon.
“These are animals I caught by risking my life in the Beastmen’s Forest. Especially that winged lizard there, it’s quite something. Do you see this wound? It’s a medal I earned after a life-and-death struggle with that lizard.”
A sword scar he had obtained while performing a different mission was instantly transformed into a scar from fighting Asil.
After hearing the explanation, Karon checked inside the cage with an expectant face.
Not long after, he turned back to the subordinate with a disappointed look in his eyes.
“They are all too small. Haven’t you just brought some small fry from somewhere?”
“Kkururuk!”
Arcian, who had reduced his size as usual because his original body was so large, flinched.
Come to think of it, he could have just reduced it a little, but he had habitually made himself too small.
The subordinate disguised as a poacher quickly made an excuse.
“Their size may be small, but their inner substance is very solid. Look here, didn’t they scratch up the whole cage trying to escape?”
“Hmm……. Well, fine. I was planning on purchasing only two today anyway.”
“Oh my, why not take more while you’re at it.”
“The Thanksgiving Festival is not far off, so this much is enough. It would be troublesome if the Basian were to get injured.”
Karon spoke arrogantly and circled the cage. He looked as if he were contemplating which fellow to take.
However, as if a decision didn’t come easily, he agonized for a long while with a narrowed brow, then muttered in a low voice.
“Maybe I should bring in a different poacher instead……”
“Oh my, what are you saying!”
To successfully carry out the mission, the subordinate grabbed Karon as if pleading.
“Things that are just big have no substance. Moreover, they take up so much space, whereas the ones I brought don’t take up much space but are fellows packed with substance, yes, indeed.”
“Hmm……”
At that, Karon once again scrutinized the inside of the cage.
Then, with an arrogant gesture, he pointed at the long-tailed tit grooming its feathers.
“This long-tailed tit—”
“Chirp!”
“—shall be excluded. It is far too unsightly.”
“Chirp chirp chirp chirp!”
That human!
An enraged Briana tried to lunge forward. However, it ended in failure thanks to Arcian and Snowa pinning her body down.
Karon then looked at Snowa.
“Exclude the snow leopard as well. There is no particular merit other than it being a rare animal to see.”
For the same reason, Todori, who was just a rabbit, was also excluded. Todori even heard the harsh criticism that he was just a common snow rabbit.
While the two beastmen and one animal—whose pride had been thoroughly scraped—glared fiercely at Karon, Karon’s gaze shifted to Baembaem this time.
“Hmm? Could that be……. A Basian offspring?”
“Yes, indeed. I really almost died trying to catch it alive!”
“Good, I’ll take that one. I’m curious to see how Basians fight among themselves, even if it is a hatchling. And the last one is……”
Karon looked at Asil and Arcian.
A lizard with wings and a lizard without wings. It was obvious to anyone which one to take.
Furthermore.
“That one resembles the former Divine Beast of the Monlepe ducal house?”
Karon never imagined that the lizard in front of him could be the Divine Beast of Monlepe, who was known to be dead.
The same went for the subordinate.
“Yes, yes. That’s why it’s more expensive. On top of that, its strength is so great that it bent the iron bars like this.”
The subordinate pointed to the spot Asil had bent earlier.
It was the part Arcian and Briana hadn’t managed to restore to its original state yet.
He had thrown the words out randomly just to promote Asil, but he had accidentally correctly identified the culprit.
Checking the bars, Karon nodded with satisfaction.
“Fine, I shall take the winged snake and the lizard.”
“Chirp chirp chirp chirp!”
“Kyareung!”
“Kkurururu!”
“Kkyuu!”
“……By any chance, would you be interested in taking four more for the price of two? Since I have to go back outside again, managing them is difficult, so I’ll give them all to you.”
Even though they couldn’t speak the same language, he somehow felt like something terrible would happen if he went back like this.
Pushed by the ominous atmosphere of the three beastmen and one rabbit, the subordinate quickly persuaded Karon.
Karon looked suspicious at the sudden proposal, but soon accepted it readily.
Who would refuse when someone is giving away expensive things for free?
In the end, Asil, the three beastmen, and the two animals successfully infiltrated the place.
However, only Asil and Baembaem ended up going down to the basement.
This was because Karon decided so, fearing the Basian might get injured.
“Even if I send them all together, it seems the other four would just end up as food……”
After the subordinate disguised as a poacher left, Karon looked at the long-tailed tit with eyes lacking expectation.
Then, at the piercing and fierce gaze of the long-tailed tit, he involuntarily flinched and trembled.
“In terms of gaze alone, it’s no different from a predator.”
“Chirp chirp!”
Briana glared at Karon with an expression that said, ‘Once this work is over, you are dead.’
However, Karon, who failed to read that meaning, soon turned his head and commanded those following him.
“Leave the rest in the waiting room, and move only this winged lizard and the Basian hatchling to the basement!”
The group was split into two cages.
Asil quickly said goodbye to her family while Karon wasn’t looking.
‘I’ll be back soon!’
‘Kkuruk!’
Baembaem also wagged his tail at Todori, who had an expression like a parent leaving a child at the water’s edge.
The basement was the same place where Bjorn and Lilibet had been imprisoned before.
“Shhhhhhh……”
An ominous sound came from inside the tightly closed door.
The scents were all mixed together, as if many animals had come and gone.
The knights opened the small door attached to the iron door and threw Asil and Baembaem inside.
As soon as they entered, they faced a giant Basian that was coiled up with its eyes shining fiercely.
“Ppitt!”
Whoa, what a surprise!
Asil reflexively hugged Baembaem tightly.
It was scary even when she saw it as a drawing in a bright place, but Baembaem’s mommy seen in the dark was much more overbearing.
“Kkuruk!” (Mommy!)
On the other hand, Baembaem, who recognized his mother at a glance, was delighted and tried to go closer.
However, Bang! Baembaem froze in place upon seeing the Basian on guard, striking its tail hard enough to gouge the floor.
“Kkuruk……?”
“Ppiyappi! Ppiya!” (Auntie! Baembaem is here!)
Just in case the Basian couldn’t understand human speech, she spoke in the beastman language.
But the Basian remained silent.
It even coiled itself tighter as if it were about to attack at any moment.
“Shhh……”
“Kkuruk!!” (Mommy!!)
“Ppiyappiya.” (She doesn’t seem to recognize Baembaem.)
Karon must have fed her something strange. Otherwise, there was no way she wouldn’t recognize her own son.
In times like this, there was only one thing to do.
Namely, hitting her until she regains her senses.
“Ppiya, ppiyappi?” (Baembaem, can I scold Auntie a little?)
“Kkuruk……”
Baembaem, rolling his eyes, slowly nodded his head.
At that same moment, the Basian lunged at Asil and Baembaem.
“Shik!”
“Ppiyat!”
A snake that was still young had a flight speed that was too slow. Asil quickly took flight while carrying Baembaem.
Then, the Basian’s long neck followed as if it were about to swallow the two of them at any moment.
Asil quickly took a deep breath and exhaled her breath.
Bang!
☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆
