Chick 255

255

Eyes the color of sunset and gold shimmered, trembling with tears.

He had once loved seeing a single small flower quietly blooming on a featureless snowfield.

Though his father, Shea, called it corruption, Mephisto—still so new to the world—could feel nothing but delight, even at a flower born from negative emotions.

Once, he’d met a delegation of squirrel beastfolk who came to present acorns at the castle.

It was hard to accept that these cute, innocent squirrels would one day vanish forever.

He wished this world could last.

At the time, that was Mephisto’s answer.

But Shea could not understand.

He could not grasp why Mephisto insisted on calling him Father and binding them within the frame of family, nor the special affection Mephisto held for family and the world.

A teardrop slipped from the little chick’s eye.

Rrrr-rrr!

Yap!

It was Karmirak.

The black beast, with four legs, a black horn atop its head, and six jewel-like eyes set like snow on each side, was a bizarre sight.

Grrrr!

Karmirak’s body quivered with what could only be described as laughter.

• To think I’d get to devour the Monarch…

Creeeeeeak!

He opened his mouth wide.

“Pii…!”

Mephisto, bracing for a pain like flesh being torn, clenched his eyes shut.

But it was not pain—but a wholly unexpected voice—that made Mephisto’s eyes fly open.

“Hello, son.”

Pat-pat-pat—Mephisto’s tears cascaded down like rain.

Son?

There was hardly time to savor that word—

“Mephi!”

“…!”

Mephisto found himself embraced in a small arm full of the scent of warm bread.

Groo hugged his little chick so tightly Mephisto could hardly breathe.

“Piii!”

Mephisto chirped, rubbing his cheek against Groo’s chest, safe in his arms.

Bailach, satisfied Mephisto was safe, shook his head wryly, while Lucifer climbed off Groo’s head to pat Mephisto gently.

For a moment, all Mephisto felt was the joy of Groo coming to find him. But then, in his view, loomed the black beast.

Yip. Yelp.

Karmirak, the black beast, lay flat before Shea, gazing up in evident submission.

Mephisto snuffled.

“Pi-pi! Piii!”

All his pent-up fear burst forth. Flapping his wings, Mephisto pointed at Karmirak, telling Groo, “It tried to eat me!” “It was so scary!”

“Is that so?”

But it was Shea who answered.

Jolt!

Mephisto’s shoulders shook; Groo, sensing his tension, gently set him atop his head and stood up.

Yip. Yap-yip.

All the while, Karmirak circled around Shea, tail down in docile obedience.

Watching him, Groo puffed his cheeks in a pout.

After being so brutal to Mephisto, Karmirak now put on an act of meekness before Shea. How sly.

“Shea-ajusshi, punish the bad dog, please.”

Snorting indignantly, Groo made his request. Shea considered for a moment, humming thoughtfully, before speaking.

“Do as you wish, whatever you’d like.”

“Groo?”

Yelp!

Being left to Groo’s judgment made Karmirak jump.

Groo hesitated.

“But…”

“If you don’t want to—”

“It’s—it’s not that I don’t want to!”

Trembling, Groo gripped his fork in both hands, eyes darting nervously.

Why was this suddenly up to him? Was this…?

A test?!

Maybe Shea was testing whether Groo could use his power.

Then what? He had to do well!

Groo’s lips quivered with nerves—he hadn’t even trembled like this during his kindergarten interview.

“N-naughty dog… um…”

Dragging out the moment, Groo edged closer to Karmirak.

Would his skills work? What if Karmirak resisted? If he failed embarrassingly in front of Shea…

He pictured Shea scoffing, “You think such power can drive me out?”

No—that wouldn’t do!

First, Groo decided to see how well Karmirak obeyed commands.

“Paw.”

Karmirak, like a well-trained dog, held out one front paw.

“Sit. Lie down. Roll over. Bang! Stand on hind legs!”

Karmirak followed each command, finally standing on two legs, forepaws reaching for the sky.

“Oh…!”

Groo clapped his hands.

“Then… do the dog-leg dance!”

Karmirak wiggled his legs in a jig.

“Oooh!”

“Pii!”

“Kyu!”

Clap, clap, clap, clap!

Groo, Mephisto, and Lucifer applauded Karmirak’s show.

Suddenly emboldened, Groo gave a ringing cry.

“All right! Here we go! Open—Yorang!”

“Kyut!”

Lucifer bounced high, and a new, chilling air swept across the snowfield.

[Would you like to make ‘Karmirak Nognir’ your familiar?]

Karmirak looked briefly at Shea, then accepted his place as Familiar.

Phase one, success!

Groo mopped the sweat from his brow, heart pounding.

Unlike with Bailach, a large amount of mana suddenly drained away.

Dizzy, Groo steadied himself, shaking his head and clenching his fists.

He could still go on.

Now, it was time to use “Mold and Shape” to give Karmirak a new form.

“I’ll turn you into a little takoyaki…”

A drunken gleam lit Groo’s eyes as, his mana depleted, he giggled villainously.

Just then, Bailach tugged worriedly at Groo’s sleeve.

“Um?”

“Myu!”

Bailach pointed at Karmirak, then at Mephisto, then made a wide-mouthed eating motion.

“Ah, you mean I should feed Mephi, like with that takoyaki before?”

Groo caught on immediately, and Bailach nodded, making a big circle with his paw.

“Pit?”

Mephisto looked confused, but Bailach waved at him to eat it up.

“All right. Bad dog, you… become the takoyaki Mephi likes!”

Ka-gang!

[Skill ‘Mold and Shape’ activated.]

Karmirak’s lumpy form twisted like clay and soon became a round takoyaki ball.

“I—I did it!”

But the joy was short-lived.

Karmirak began to resist, swelling the takoyaki form larger and larger.

“Ah!”

Groo panicked as the takoyaki ballooned, but Mephisto flew over and gulped it down in one bite.

Without even chewing, Mephisto swallowed it whole.

“Whew—”

Groo’s legs gave way, and he nearly collapsed; Shea rushed over to lift him up into his arms.

“You pushed yourself too hard.”

“Hoonng…”

Groo’s head spun; he was seeing stars—he really had overdone it.

“That seems to be your limit for now.”

“T—that can’t be…”

Slumped over Shea’s shoulder like a wet rag, Groo mumbled unintelligibly.

If his father were here, the skill “Happiness of Togetherness” would have restored him to perfect condition…

He would need to restore Shea’s body in order to get Daddy back.

Blinking drowsily, Groo murmured,

“Dad…”

Shea patted his back soothingly in response to the slurred words.

“Groo… wants to see Dad…”

“Yes.”

Pat, pat, pat.

That gentle touch blurred Groo’s vision.

His heart was desperate, but his eyelids grew heavy with sleep.

What if he couldn’t get his dad back because he was too weak?

He wanted to burst out crying, but his body didn’t obey.

All he managed was a faint, breaking voice, calling endlessly for Joorim.

“Dad…”

Pat, pat.

“Give… him back…”

Pat, pat.

“Yes…”

Hearing Shea’s last reply echo in his ears, Groo drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile, Mephisto looked upon the sleeping Groo with resolute eyes.

As soon as the child’s eyes closed,

A halo of light enveloped Mephisto, who was digesting Karmirak’s power.

Holding the sleeping Groo, Shea turned to look at Mephisto.

Bailach watched the halo with heavy-lidded eyes. He had expected this outcome.

If it ever came to facing Shea, Mephisto would need power. That was why he’d urged Mephisto to eat Karmirak’s strength.

As the light around Mephisto faded, a flurry of white feathers whirled.

From between the feathers emerged a child with a mop of white curls.

On a face pale as snow, sunset gold eyes blinked.

Mephisto, now in the human form he had once imagined, spoke with difficulty.

“…Shea, sir.”

At his voice, Shea appeared genuinely stunned.