Chapter 116

Born from the beastmen, the god of beasts appeared in the form of a small puppy, playfully licking and entertaining the beastmen with antics that left one with quite a strange impression.

No matter how much the God of Beasts might have low intelligence as “the Beast God”… Hmm. Ugh… No, that’s not right. Thanks to various rumors spread around, his intellect must’ve improved somewhat.

This God of Beasts having the intelligence of an animal is a story from before I started spreading those rumors while traveling. Surely, with all the gossip consistently circulating, his intelligence should have risen by now…

Could it be…

Is this little guy deliberately acting like this?

“Haha, that tickles! Don’t make things messy by licking so much, and please don’t rub your head against me like that!”

Macaï’s queen, the wife of the King of Beasts, laughed with a troubled expression as she continuously petted the divine beast.

“Still, it’s mysterious. I’ve never seen an animal like this before… Yet for some reason, it feels very familiar. It’s like seeing a family member you’ve lived with for a long time…”

“Hooh…”

Feeling familiar like seeing family… Hmm.

Throughout my travels, I’ve met many people, including plenty of beastmen, but none of them have ever regarded this God of Beasts, the First Beast, with such familiarity.

The Divine Beast wasn’t content with just rubbing its face; it jumped onto the cushion where the queen was sitting, claimed her lap as if it were its rightful place, and settled down.

Indeed. Is that so?

“I’ve never seen it follow anyone other than us.”

A nearby hero whispered softly to me. Hmm. I’ve never seen this Divine Beast act like this toward anyone else either.

To the hero, it felt like recognition of someone strong enough to defeat him. As for me… Well, after showing a bit of sincerity, he quickly tucked away his fangs and claws and wagged his tail wildly.

Being an animal, he shows submission bordering on groveling to those stronger than himself but mercilessly despises the weak. And yet here he is, calmly taking up residence on the queen’s lap?

There must be some other reason for this!

When I subtly reached out to take the Divine Beast from the queen’s lap, it looked up at me with pitiful eyes.

Hmm. Does it really like the queen’s lap that much? Enough to refuse when I try to take it away?

It doesn’t act like this toward all beastmen, so… Hmm.

Could it simply be that the queen appeals to him? Or maybe they just have good compatibility?

Or could she possibly be something like a priestess of the Divine Beast?

“Truly adorable. Though I sense great power, it’s still so cute. It’s mysterious.”

The queen gently stroked the Divine Beast, who clearly enjoyed her touch.

Really, could she be some kind of priestess of the Divine Beast?

After all, since the God of Beasts originated from primitive faiths, it wouldn’t be strange for there to be priestesses around.

“Well then, please rest for a moment. I’ll prepare a meal shortly.”

With that, the queen lightly picked up the Divine Beast from her lap, placed it beside her, and exited the tent.

And the Divine Beast followed her outside too.

Hmm. She really does seem to be some sort of priestess of the Divine Beast, judging by how closely it follows her. I’ve never seen it act like this before.

Not even toward me!

“That little one seems to have fallen in love with Her Majesty at first sight.”

“It appears the queen is a special presence to the Divine Beast. Perhaps, being such an existence, she can faintly perceive my power.”

As a priestess of the gods, she’d naturally be sensitive to the powers of other deities. That explanation fits pretty well.

If she truly is some kind of priestess of the Divine Beast…

Perhaps it’s time to let him go.

—

After a while, the queen returned with several female attendants carrying a few bowls, setting them on a low table.

There was a pure white stew made with milk, vegetables, and meat, along with rather rough-looking bread and large slices of salted meat.

The dishes were a bit too rustic for the queen to serve directly.

Hmm. They resemble the common meals served in other cities. Just with a bit more meat.

“Though there isn’t much variety, please enjoy.”

The queen smiled faintly as she spoke. Her horse-ear-like appendages twitched cutely with every word.

By the way, the Divine Beast… is still clinging to the queen’s leg. Truly refusing to let go.

Indeed, it seems time for us to part ways.

“That child really likes the queen, doesn’t it?”

“Yes? Oh, this one? Indeed. Every time I moved, it kept following me. So cute, isn’t it?”

“Hmm.”

Of course it’s cute when a little puppy keeps sticking around like that.

But since it’s a god… Hmm. There’s an indescribable feeling about it.

Where did it throw its divine dignity?!

However…

“Since the child desires it so much, wouldn’t it be fine to leave it by your side?”

“This child? Well, it’s certainly cute, but… it’s the guest’s pet, so is it alright?”

“Nonsense. It seems the child has finally found what it truly wants, so there’s no need for it to continue traveling with us.”

Though it’s a little disappointing to lose our mode of transportation during long journeys, the hero’s adventures are nearing their end anyway.

We can’t keep this child by our side forever, can we?

It can’t be kept as a subordinate deity like Cloud Whale. After all, this is still the god of a race.

So…

“This little one may look like a cute puppy now, but it’s actually an incredibly powerful beast. If you keep it by your side, it will surely help you someday.”

The queen tilted her head slightly as she looked at the puppy moving around her feet. Can this little one really…?

Well, it’s hard to believe. How many humans have ever seen a god directly?

“If you’re willing to accept it, please do so gratefully.”

“Ho ho, it’s not a gift to you. From now on, you will be the one serving this child.”

“Huh?”

Master and servant reversal… Hmm, perhaps that phrase fits here.

Anyway, a human cannot stand above a god. The god must remain above the human.

“If you care for it sincerely, it will repay your kindness. Ah, and if you happen to have many children, assign one of them the role of caretaker.”

“What do you mean by that…”

“Even when you grow old and die, and your children grow old and die, this child will never age. In time, you’ll come to understand its true nature.”

The queen wore a skeptical expression as she listened to me.

Hmm, by the way. This milk-based stew tastes surprisingly good.

The ingredients looked quite simple, but the seasoning must’ve been mixed skillfully, as it tasted mysteriously delicious.

Hmm. This faint sweetness… Sugar? No, not sugar… Honey? Is it honey?

To obtain honey in such barren land is impressive.

Even in poor soil, bees can thrive since flowers and trees can grow here despite difficulties in farming.

How fascinating. Fascinating indeed.

Our meal continued until the king entered the tent with a slightly excited expression after some time had passed.

—

Long ago, in days of yore,

In a tiny country, there lived a kind-hearted couple.

They were so poor they barely owned anything, yet they lived happily together.

One day, a wanderer visited them.

The couple used their scarce ingredients to prepare a delicious meal for the wanderer and the small puppy accompanying them.

The wanderer, deeply moved by the couple’s generosity, finished the entire feast in no time and smiled contentedly, saying:

“Though I’ve wandered the world for many years, this is the first time I’ve been treated so generously.”

“But it was nothing special.”

“No, you didn’t just serve a meal. You gave almost everything you had.”

Indeed, the wife had used all their remaining ingredients, causing the husband to lament about going hungry the next day.

Seeing this, the wanderer chuckled softly and said:

“Since you’ve given me everything, allow me to give you everything as well. I shall leave this child with you.”

The wanderer handed the small puppy to the wife.

Before the couple could say anything, the wanderer had vanished into thin air,

Leaving behind only the small puppy.

—

An old fairy tale based on legends passed down among the beastmen.

What remains hidden is that the core of these legends is the First Beast, a deity worshipped by the beastmen.