“C-Come on, everyone back up a little, will you…?!”
Unable to so much as open my eyes, I obviously couldn’t keep walking. All I could do was grip the emperor’s hand for dear life.
Hey, hey! Emperor Celiunos, stop laughing and help me!
“I know how happy you all must be, but we really need to meet with the elemental kings first…”
At Emperor Celiunos’s words, the elemental spirits snapped to attention, straightening not their posture but their wings.
I guess this means the elemental spirits recognize the elemental kings as their rulers?
“These elemental spirits have been watching over you all along, Lady Nefertima. They are very happy that you’re finally able to see them.”
“I see… Thank you for always looking out for me. Could you please show us the way to the elemental kings?”
All the elemental spirits nodded vigorously and flew ahead, gesturing, ‘This way!’ There were so many of them, it was almost like a fluttering mass of faerie lights marking our way.
As we walked along following the elemental spirits, we encountered our first animal.
I’ve seen one of these before!
Several purple creatures were bumbling along in a cluster of sorts. They seemed to be family because three of them were smaller than the others. As soon as the creatures caught sight of Sache’s legs, they stopped in their tracks and curled up into a ball.
I eagerly observed the little purple creatures, noticing a slightly unsettling pattern that looked like eyeballs around the center of each animal. The pattern of eyeballs only became apparent when they rolled up, fully extending their protective outer shell just so, which led me to believe that it was part of their natural defenses.
Even though they’d rolled up in self-preservation mode, once the creatures realized they weren’t in danger, they unrolled themselves and began walking again.
With these purple shells and mouse-like facial features, these creatures were an exact replica of the taxidermy I’d seen in Ardo’s—the guild master of the adventurers’ guild back in the Kingdom of Gaché—office.
Meaning that taxidermy was made from an animal that once lived here in the elemental forest? How did he come to possess such a thing?
The family of armadillo-like creatures moseyed off, and not long after, something black leapt out of the underbrush. It had four legs and looked a bit like a bear. A very small bear, but undeniably a bear.
The bear-like creature stood up on its back legs and spread its forelegs wide in the air.
“Grawr!”
I couldn’t help but grin at the adorable, baby-like sound it made.
The baby grawr seemed like a little toddler begging to be picked up and hugged. This animal had looked a bit scarier in the drawings I’d seen in the books in the imperial palace library. It was one of the only meat-eating animals in the elemental forest.
“Grawr!”
It gazed adorably up at us with its bright, round little eyes, still begging for a hug. It was almost enough to make a person walk right over to the precious little baby without even realizing they’d moved an inch.
I’d nearly done that very thing because I felt a quick tug on my arm and looked up to see the emperor shake his head at me.
“That is one of the fiercest and most violent species in the elemental forest. You mustn’t allow yourself to be deceived by its adorable appearance.”
This description of “cute but aggressive” called to mind a Tasmanian Devil.
Come to think of it, Tasmanian Devils are also black, aren’t they? I guess that’s a closer comparison to this creature than a bear, after all.
Only the mouth and talons were different. The creature had a protruding muzzle, more like a bear, and long, sharp talons. I assumed those features made it easier for them to scrounge in holes and under fallen trees for their favorite food—insects.
“Grawr?”
But just look at him! He’s so disappointed I won’t hug him! Doesn’t the way he’s trying to toddle over here unsteadily on two legs just make you want to praise him?!
“Your Majesty, I want to give him a hug!” I pleaded.
I couldn’t tell anyone about my special ability to be adored by animals, so I had no choice but to do my best to somehow convince the emperor that I wouldn’t be in danger without mentioning it.
Fortunately, the clothes I wore today were embroidered with so many protective written magic spells that it was borderline excessive. It was highly unlikely an animal’s claws or teeth would be able to get through all of that, even if it did attempt to attack me.
“But…”
Seeing that the emperor wasn’t about to budge, Haku and Gratia stepped out in front of him and tried to say something. According to Shinki-translate, they were saying that they would go with me and protect me from harm.
In the unlikely event that the baby grawr tried to attack, Haku could suck it into its body to prevent it from moving, and Gratia could use his poison to put it immediately to sleep.
“Don’t you think you’re a bit too lenient towards the mistress you’re supposed to protect?” the emperor asked with a raised eyebrow.
Shinki simply replied, “Perhaps…” neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the assessment. “In a situation like this, it’s best to let her do as she likes. Just as monsters cannot harm my mistress, animals also cannot harm her.”
“Because she’s a beloved child?”
“No… Just because she’s her.”
Does Shinki know about the ability I received from God?
He’d previously said that when he became my “knight,” he’d been endowed with all the knowledge he would need to fulfill this role, so it was possible he knew.
“In short, you’re saying we should let Lady Nefertima do as she likes?”
“Yes.”
“Who am I to argue, then? You’re lucky to have such a magnanimous knight serving you, Lady Nefertima.”
The emperor gave in!
He released my hand and gave me a little pat on the back as if saying, “Go on, then!”
“Thank you!”
After quickly thanking the emperor, I turned and cautiously approached the baby grawr with its hopefully shining little eyes.
“Come here, little guy!”
I copied the baby grawr’s earlier movement, raising both arms in invitation, and it toddled over to me. Then, moving almost too fast for my eyes to follow, he grabbed me in a tight hug. The baby grawr was stronger than I’d expected, but he was careful not to nick me with his sharp claws.
I carefully picked the tiny black furball up. It was just like holding a baby.
Considering he’s light enough for me to pick up, I’m assuming he’s not full-grown yet?
“Grawr!” the baby grawr cried in a decidedly joyous tone, and I patted his back affectionately in response. His fur was stiff and firm. He was a short-haired animal, so his coat was slick to the touch.
The baby grawr leaned forward and affectionately licked my cheek with a long and thin tongue.
How can a tongue of that length fit in his tiny little mouth?? I think I’ve heard of animals on Earth whose tongues retract into their throat when not in use; could that be it?
And, putting that aside for a moment, his saliva is super sticky! Huh?! Could it be that in addition to a bear and a Tasmanian Devil, this animal also has some features from an anteater?! That would explain his long, thin tongue and saliva’s adhesive properties.
Seemingly satisfied with licking my cheek, the baby grawr wiggled like he wanted to get down, so I set him on the ground. Then he let out a loud cry. Something instinctively told me this cry was directed not at us but at other members of his species.
A moment later, footsteps rustling through the underbrush could be heard, confirming my suspicion.
The face that peeked out from the underbrush was almost identical to the baby grawr I’d just been holding, only much larger.
“Is that your mother?”
She was still smaller than a bear but larger than a pig.
The mommy grawr nudged her baby, seeming to be saying, “There you are! I was looking all over for you!”
Then she glanced over at me and flicked out her long tongue, licking me once on the cheek. I was sure that was meant to say, “Thanks for watching out for him.”
The baby grawr scrambled onto his mother’s back and clung on tightly.
I think they really might be closest to anteaters, after all.
The mommy grawr checked to make sure her baby was settled safely on her back, then turned and lumbered off.
As we watched them walk away, the emperor clapped a hand on my shoulder, seeming to breathe a sigh of relief. “I’ve never seen them behave in such a friendly manner before.”
The emperor had encountered this species several times because, with a wry laugh, he recounted how they usually charged as soon as they caught sight of him and Euche.
Shinki helped me clean off my sticky cheeks, and the emperor urged us to continue.
“Let’s keep going.” He took my hand again, and we resumed pressing forward, making our way ever deeper into the forest.
A short while later, we came upon something hanging down from a tree overhead.
“How rare. These usually don’t show themselves…” he remarked.
This animal that the emperor seemed surprised to see was a species called garaima. I’d read about them in a book from the Kingdom of Gaché’s royal palace library. This book, written by the bonded partner of a holy beast approximately 200 years prior, was titled Creatures Living in the Elemental Forest. I’d read it cover to cover multiple times and all but memorized its contents.
However, since the images in the book were all drawings, they inevitably varied from the real thing a bit. In the drawing, this animal looked like a cross between a bird and a sloth, but in person, its face distinctly resembled a bat.