Chapter 361

The fight with Porori didn’t last long. We both knew this battle was pointless.

At first, Porori was consumed by rage, but after taking a few hits, a bit of reason started creeping back in.

Had that reason not returned, I would have made sure to knock him back to his senses myself, but it wasn’t necessary.

“That jerk! He killed a kid who shouldn’t have been harmed! It’s been a hard time without offspring for a while now!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“So I even asked the heavens directly! If you were in my shoes, would you be angry or not?!”

“I’d be angry.”

So what’s happening now then? The anger had simmered down enough, so I decided to let Porori vent a little.

Normally, it would be Leo who should be taking the heat for this, but he was already carted off to the hospital.

Rather than brawling, it’s way better to just talk it out like this.

“How am I supposed to face the kids if I don’t get vengeance on that guy? If there’s nothing else I can do, I have to seek revenge!”

“Isn’t that up to the parents? At the very least, they received the blessings from the heavens.”

“Not yet. The acorns wasted this time were a huge amount. Ugh. What should I do? What should I…”

Porori buried his face in his hands and made a sound close to sobbing. Watching him, I casually reached out.

I wasn’t comforting him; I was reaching for the acorns lying between us. This was the snack Porori had brought as a peace offering.

*Crunch. Crunch.*

Popping an acorn into my mouth, I experienced that slight crunch along with its nutty flavor. Not exactly the kind of food you’d eat bare-handed.

Maybe later I should gather some acorns and make acorn jelly. Lee Yeon-joo would probably enjoy that.

While I’m at it, I need to snag some booze from Danyerin too. Eastern-style alcohol would probably suit this better than Western.

‘Is this what it feels like to think like a real person?’

I munched on the acorns while gazing at Porori, truly feeling sympathy for him.

Sure, his appearance is like a squirrel, but his actions are no different than a human’s. By now I was a bit curious.

Do the squirrels following him have intelligence too? If so, would they be considered spirits?

The concept of revenge is something animals can understand too, but asking someone else to do it is a whole different matter.

As far as I know, squirrels don’t have that kind of habit. They don’t even live in groups.

“But you guys do live in groups, right?”

“Oh dear…? What did you say?”

“I asked if you live in groups.”

“I do.”

“Isn’t that how it’s normally done?”

At my question, Porori raised an eyebrow, clearly at a loss for understanding.

But after a moment, realizing he was different from his kind, he nodded and opened his mouth.

“I’ve led all of them. There’s a reason for that.”

“A reason?”

“To find a female that can handle my seed.”

“…?”

Now it was my turn to tilt my head in confusion. What was that I just heard?

Porori, perhaps having guessed my reaction, slowly began to explain.

“I told you before, right? In a fit of excitement while mating, I burned a female with lightning.”

“I heard that. Are you still doing that?”

“Nope. Not anymore. But it turns out I can’t get a female pregnant at all.”

“Why? Is the gap too big?”

“Exactly.”

So that’s how it is. I’ve definitely heard something along those lines before.

Spirit creatures gain intellect and strength comparable to humans. Yet they end up being unable to function as normal living beings.

First off, considering Porori’s size versus a regular squirrel’s, the size mismatch is evident.

Furthermore, the ‘color’ difference would make it difficult for a female to accept Porori’s seed.

“The females can’t handle my seed. They just don’t have the energy to spare for the offspring.”

“Hmm.”

“So I resolved to find a female that could bear my seed. That’s how the group forms, you see.”

“…”

If you just look at it superficially, it sounds like a mix of ‘animal instincts’ and ‘human plans.’

What if a human devised such a plan? They’d be cursed and called a savage beast.

But Porori ain’t human. You could say even as a spirit creature, he’s at his core still a beast.

It’s actually surprising that such a long-term plan is coming from that tiny head.

“And additionally, I can prevent those damned demons from attacking. The forest’s kin serves as my eyes and ears.”

“Wow.”

I was sincerely impressed; I almost clapped without realizing it.

Porori’s plan catches two hares in one go. Truly remarkable.

As mentioned earlier, it’s too human-like to be a beast’s decision, and too beastly to be a human’s plan.

Perfect for a spirit creature. But still, due to his beastly nature, no one would criticize him.

‘Has being in the human world for so long affected this? Or is he just a smart one?’

Maybe he’s a mutant who evolved into a spirit creature. No, isn’t a mutant itself a spirit creature?

Regardless of Porori’s plan, there’s something even more important left: the situation Porori might encounter soon.

“You might not know, but do you know the guy you zapped with lightning? What do you think he is?”

“He looks to be high up, I assume? Perhaps like the brown-skinned humans or purple-skinned humans?”

The brown-skinned one refers to Kara, while the purple-skinned one describes Grace.

I guess he doesn’t not know their names but just calls them that for convenience. Hearing this, I responded.

“Much higher. So you might be in danger.”

“Let him come. I’ll wipe the floor with him. What, is he stronger than an old human or a muscle-bound human?”

Porori snorted, displaying his confident demeanor. The old human would be Rod, and the muscle-bound human likely refers to Rize.

He was probably bringing them up because they’re the strongest among the people he knows. And he’s not wrong there.

But Porori is mistaken. No matter how strong they are, they’d have a tough time against an army, the peak of human power.

Humans are animals that unleash extraordinary prowess in numbers, not individuals. That’s one of the critical differences from beastkind.

“Individuals are weak, but you’ll die. I can guarantee that.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I’d die too.”

“Oh. That’s a bit risky then.”

Upon hearing that I’d also die, Porori’s demeanor softened even more. Clearly an unexpected reaction.

This isn’t just about the Matra Empire. Rumors about spirits residing on the outskirts of the Chaos Forest will soon spread.

If that happens, all sorts of people will come flocking. Especially hunters who’ll come looking to snag spirit creatures.

Since I need Porori to manage the forest efficiently, it’d be best to stay quiet for now.

“So forget about Leo and stay quiet. There’ll be plenty of people coming to see you.”

“If it’s Leo, he’s the lightning jerk, right? I definitely want to kill that guy.”

“Hold on. I’ll give him a warning in your place.”

“Can I trust you?”

“Yep.”

“Sigh.”

With my short response, Porori sighed. It seems he’s given up on revenge.

This is also a testament to Porori’s growing patience. It’s tough for a beast with strong instincts to retain rationality.

Watching his progress was fascinating and made me wonder how much stronger he’ll become.

Just like the Gumiho turning into a human, I wondered if one day he might also become human.

“Oh, by the way. Hey.”

“What?”

“Can you spread your thumb?”

“No?”

Still a long way to go. Well, if he could spread his thumb, I’d suspect he might even wield a weapon.

Seeing this makes the racial differences painfully obvious. Even Neoburi can use his thumb with ease.

While some struggle to spread a single thumb, others do it naturally.

‘Even if he gets a thumb, I doubt he’d be better than Neoburi.’

Neoburi can peel fruits with a knife for his own consumption.

I waved a casual goodbye to Porori and headed straight back to the Academy. It felt a bit chaotic, maybe due to what just happened.

“What on earth happened in the forest?”

“Did you see that light earlier? Like some lightning struck.”

“Is it a monster? Or…?”

Not to mention, lightning fell from a clear sky. That can’t be a good omen.

Ignoring the chatter among passersby, I headed toward the hospital. I had to check on Leo’s condition first.

To be honest, I wouldn’t mind if he died. Who would use the fact that a beast killed him as a justification?

From the perspective of the Matra Empire’s royal family, it might even be a good thing that a rogue like Leo disappears.

‘Still, I hope he doesn’t die.’

It’s not that I’m worried about Porori. I just have something I want to do.

Just then, when I entered the Academy’s general hospital, I could tell it was quite busy from the moment I stepped in.

Being the Academy’s hospital, it’s naturally bustling every day, but today felt especially urgent.

“How’s that patient from earlier? Is he in stable condition?”

“The priest is desperately holding onto life! The heart isn’t beating yet!”

“Make it beat somehow!”

So that’s what’s going on. I stealthily moved towards where the doctors were rushing.

Thanks to the commotion, no one noticed my presence.

“Hm?”

Just as I arrived at a certain room, a familiar face was standing next to the door where doctors had entered.

It was Karas. Even though he may resent him, he seems to be worried about his sibling.

“Hey there.”

“Yeah. Nice to see you. What are you doing here?”

“Just came by. What about Leo?”

“He’s inside. They managed to fix his charred skin, but his heart still isn’t beating.”

“Is he dead?”

“Not dead, but his heart has stopped. The priest’s clinging to his life somehow.”

That’s practically dead, isn’t it? I tilted my head in confusion.

It seems there’s a slight difference between my understanding of death and that of this world’s concept of death.

Usually, when the heart stops, someone is declared dead, but here, ‘life’ is a clear concept.

As long as they don’t take away life, I guess they don’t declare someone dead. Quite fantastical indeed.

“What about my sister?”

“She’s in there. By the way…”

Karas lowered his gaze. Specifically at the Ragnarok I was holding.

I didn’t have anyone to entrust it to, so I just brought it along. I certainly had no intent of doing something sketchy.

“You seem to have some kind of plan.”

“Not at all.”

“No need to be shy. I’ll take care of everything.”

“No.”

I’d genuinely just come to ask how he was doing. I felt a bit flustered.

Still, Karas beckoned me to follow him into the room.

I couldn’t refuse, so I awkwardly followed him. Once I stepped inside, the loud sounds hit my ears.

“Keep massaging the heart! Get the blood flowing somehow!”

“The color isn’t returning!”

“Just make it happen somehow!”

Next to Leo, who was lying there as if dead, were doctors, nurses, and assistants all working hard.

Among them was also a priest, radiating a white aura, likely infusing him with divine power.

I peeked in to check Leo’s condition. His charcoal-blackened skin had somewhat returned to normal.

But it still appeared dark in a way that made it seem like blood wasn’t circulating. Basically, he was black in color.

“Oh, Brother? Who’s that…?”

“They’re trying to get Leo’s heart beating.”

“Really?”

I didn’t say that, you idiot. Diana looked at me after hearing Karas’s words.

After a puzzled expression, a look of distrust filled her eyes, and I was at a loss for what to do.

‘Should I just massage the heart?’

Anyway, he was practically a goner, so maybe giving it a shot wouldn’t be bad. Even if something went wrong, Karas would cover for me.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“Y-Your Highness?”

“Sivar, it’s your turn.”

“I won’t know if it doesn’t work.”

-Zap!

I lifted the Ragnarok, which flickered with red lightning. The doctors and others looked aghast.

I wasn’t about to strike down with Ragnarok; I planned to use it to produce effects like heart massage.

Of course, since the output is so powerful, there’s a chance the heart might explode.

‘Not my problem though…’

Surely it would work. I cautiously placed the Ragnarok against Leo’s sternum.

The sparks flickering on Ragnarok suddenly seemed to leap up…

-Thunk!

Leo’s body jolted like a fish out of water. It seemed just like he was alive.

But he really wasn’t alive. His heart still hadn’t resumed beating.

-Thunk!

So, I did it again. I was anxious he’d pop his heart.

“The color, it’s returning!”

“The heart is starting to beat!”

“Life is gradually stabilizing!”

“?”

Is this actually working? I stared at Leo with an expression of disbelief.

The pitch-black dead color was slowly returning to its original hue.

Alongside that, the sound of the heart, which had been silent, began to be audible bit by bit. Life had been restored.

And maybe responding to that revival action, or perhaps from just narrowly escaping death…

“Ugh!”

Leo’s eyes shot open, and he shot upright.

“Damn it! You scared me.”

-Bam!

I was startled enough to slap Leo’s chin with my left hand. Obviously, Leo collapsed back onto the bed.

Truthfully, that slap was intentional. It could be considered revenge for Porori.

“Th-The heart has stopped again!”

“… …”

I somehow brought him back to life. Today marks the second time Leo has been resurrected.

‘That’s something I can’t do, though?’

In a different sense, his life force was tenacious. But in any case, I guess getting him back was what mattered.

“Thank you. Our royal family owes you a great debt.”

“Well, that’s how it goes.”

“I wish to reward you later. Would it be alright to invite you to the royal family?”

“?”

Is this guy serious?

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