Episode 182
The eagle looked down on Edenber significantly.
This was because Edenber was holding a sword.
Most beastmen did not learn the sword.
Since they had teeth and claws they could pull out and use at any time, there was no need to go out of their way to learn bladed tools.
So, when they collided head-on, he was internally quite surprised to feel that the sword was unexpectedly heavy.
However, thinking it must be an illusion, he flapped his wings strongly and pushed with even greater force.
He was somewhat confident in his strength.
“Why don’t you throw away that toy and return to your original form?”
“…….”
“What, is your original form something like a lugworm or a gnat?”
“…….”
Edenber did not answer.
The opponent continued to mock him, perhaps because he was quite angry that his dance had been interrupted, but Edenber felt no need to reply.
Thanks to the muffler made of Ion’s mane, the eagle did not seem to think he was a human at all.
The eagle’s attacks were powerful enough to tear the flesh off ordinary humans in one go.
However, Edenber blocked them without much trouble and even launched counterattacks.
In that way, three bouts passed, and they exchanged five rounds of offense and defense.
As both were sizing each other up, the victory was not decided quickly.
Displeased that the battle he thought would end quickly was dragging on, the eagle ground his beak.
Above all, he was heated up by the fact that the opponent he thought he could easily defeat was unexpectedly formidable.
When even his beak attack, which was a decisive blow, came to naught, he shouted out in a rage.
“Put away that toy-like thing and do it properly! Show me your real claws!”
Thanks to training hard after losing to Asil last year, he was confident that his physical ability alone could rival even Brianna, the King of Beastmen.
However, it was unbearably shameful to be toyed with by some unheard-of guy using a toy.
It was especially so because it was in front of Asil, the object of his courtship.
Edenber, noticing that the eagle’s temper had reached its limit, calmly provoked him.
“If you can’t even beat a toy, isn’t the match already over?”
Grind.
A sound loud enough to make one wonder if his beak was breaking rang out.
The eagle, enraged to the top of his head, lost his reason and shot forward like a cannonball.
“You! I’ll kill you!”
And then, he was knocked away just like that by the back of Edenber’s sword, which had been waiting.
Boom!
With a loud noise, the eagle flew through the window.
Watching him fall helplessly, Edenber whispered cautiously.
“Did he die, by any chance?”
If he killed a beastman while coming as part of a delegation, it could escalate into an issue between nations. That was why he had controlled his strength, but…….
“No, he won’t die from just that. By the way, where did that muffler—?”
Asil, who was answering while glancing at the rapidly falling eagle, shut her mouth.
Someone was coming this way.
Sure enough, from within the thick shadows cast in the passage, a massive tiger revealed itself while bathed in the moonlight.
“Grrr…….”
The tiger howled lowly toward Edenber.
Its gaze was persistent, as if observing the opponent. It was an aura where it wouldn’t be strange no matter when it pounced.
Edenber, readjusting his grip on his sword, whispered wonderingly, recalling the eagle’s words.
“Wasn’t it a rule not to intervene in the courtship dance?”
“That’s right. But it’s because Edenber broke it first.”
Asil answered quietly so the tiger wouldn’t hear.
“As it stands, Edenber becomes a strong beastman who defeated a rival and takes a step ahead. Everyone will try to take you down.”
“Then, they won’t go to you before they take me down.”
Edenber’s eyes softened for a moment. With just that, the purpose of coming here was achieved.
“That’s a relief.”
Then, as if he had never smiled, he rushed toward the tiger with a restrained expression.
The tiger, which had also kicked off the ground, roared loudly.
“Roaaaaar!”
Boom!
Sharp claws and a sword sharpened even more keenly collided fiercely.
It was the moment two men clashed over one woman.
* * *
After defeating the tiger, a wolf came, then a jaguar, and then a cheetah…… they flocked in endlessly.
Around the time the moon disappeared and the dim light of dawn began to turn.
The battle ended.
In the middle of the hallway where the losers lay fallen, Edenber stood tall alone, breathing heavily.
He was in a state of barely holding on with a body that wouldn’t be strange if it collapsed right now.
Not only was his entire body covered in wounds, but the muffler that had been hiding his identity was torn in places and had outlived its usefulness.
But thanks to that, he had dealt with all the male beastmen.
Asil, too, was not injured in the slightest.
That was enough.
“…….”
Asil looked up at Edenber with eyes full of a new sensation.
Whether it was him coming to the forest as the empire’s representative when the engagement occurred 8 years ago, or the stories of him being a war hero she had heard countless times since then.
She had heard well enough to know that Edenber was incredibly strong.
However, hearing it only through rumors and actually seeing that strength were entirely different stories.
There was not a single unnecessary movement, and his judgment was fast in urgent situations.
As his physical conditions were more disadvantageous than those of a beastman, there were countless times he was pushed into an inferior position, but he did not panic and continued like flowing water, quickly turning the tide.
It was a movement hard to see among beastmen who pushed forward like a straight bamboo, trusting only in their strong physical bodies.
Accordingly, Asil’s two eyes containing Edenber sparkled like stars in the night sky.
So, when Edenber sat down as if collapsing against the wall, saying, ‘Is it the end…….’, she quickly ran over and pulled his sleeve.
“No, there’s still one left. You have to dance with me.”
“……Dance?”
Edenber looked slightly flustered.
That was understandable, as he no longer had the energy to fight.
However, at Asil’s urging, he somehow gathered his strength and stood tall again.
Asil, who had been in dragon form until then, humanized.
“Because it would be hard to fight if I’m small.”
“…….”
“Will you come first?”
“……Yes.”
He was reluctant to attack Asil, but to respect the culture of the beastmen, he had no choice but to swing his sword.
It was a force so weak it couldn’t even be compared to when he dealt with other beastmen.
However, as soon as Asil was grazed by the sword, she went “Ugh!” and threw her body to the floor exaggeratedly.
Edenber ran over in a panic.
“A-Are you okay?”
“Where is ‘okay’ or not in a courtship dance? Attack quickly! If you don’t come, I’m going?”
Asil, who jumped up, threw a punch vigorously. Unlike the overflowing power, it was an attack where the accuracy was not very good.
Boom!
The wall behind Edenber crumbled down.
Why here……? Edenber looked back with a dumbfounded face.
“Are you going to keep paying attention elsewhere?”
“No…….”
He lunged with his sword in a daze. It was a position where it seemed likely to miss because he lacked strength.
But as Asil took a step back unnecessarily, it became a position where it hit perfectly.
Asil stumbled while clutching her arm where blood was seeping out.
“Ugh!”
“A-Asil!”
“Edenber is strong after all. Right?”
“…….”
Only then did he realize Asil’s true intention.
Asil was trying to lose to him.
Suddenly, his eyes grew hot.
Swallowing that emotion as it was, Edenber rushed toward Asil with all his might.
Asil fell obediently as Edenber pushed.
And looking up at him who cast a shadow over her, she spoke with all her heart.
“I lost.”
“…….”
“Asil, the daughter of Brianna and Arcian, lost in the courtship dance to an unidentified fox beastman.”
Since Edenber’s mother is a fox divine beast, she referred to him as a fox beastman.
Asil whispered while looking into Edenber’s eyes.
“A beastman who wins a courtship dance can propose.”
“…….”
“Will you propose to me?”
“……Yes.”
Edenber, who whispered lowly, breathed out a warm breath at a distance where their lips almost touched.
“Edenber, the son of Rune and Ikart, wants to marry you.”
Ahaha, Asil laughed in spite of herself. A human speaking about himself in the beastman way, what is that.
Because of that, their lips repeatedly separated and touched.
Edenber waited for Asil’s bright laughter to end, then asked in an anxious voice.
“The answer?”
Well, is there a need to answer?
You know what answer I will give, don’t you?
Asil’s sparkling pink eyes seemed to say so.
Asil kissed Edenber just like that.
☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆
