LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 76
Chapter
The society of Beastmen is one of the strong prevailing. Of course, there must be places in this world where it’s not the case, but the tendency is notably stronger among Beastmen.
In that sense, the Black Cat Tribe, where Tsukiyo was born, was no different than the lower class as a whole.
Unlike humans, Beastmen do not scorn or mock the lower class. Rather, the strong, belonging to the warrior class, see it as their duty to protect the weak.
One might wonder what kind of strong society that is, but one must not equate humans and Beastmen.
They are born with a combative nature. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call them a warrior race, and they feel humiliation in being protected by someone else.
In a way, the goodwill of the strong protecting the weak is, to them, the greatest form of disdain.
Tsukiyo was born and raised in such a society. Both her parents were Beastmen of the Black Cat Tribe, and naturally, Tsukiyo was born into the Black Cat Tribe as well.
They were weak. They had innate agility, but that was all.
However, Tsukiyo, born among them, was not weak from a certain point onward. She displayed such remarkable talent that it was almost embarrassing, rising to the position of the tribe’s strongest at the tender age of fifteen.
Her frail parents felt ashamed to face Tsukiyo. It was unbearable to think that a vigorous Beastman was weaker than their own child, despite not being old or sick.
Thus, her parents left to train, determined not to be a source of shame for their child.
Tsukiyo spent three lonely years like that. Though she was born a Beastman, she strangely lacked the aggressive temperament and anxiously awaited her parents’ return.
On the day her long-awaited parents came back, Tsukiyo collapsed in a flood of tears.
Did she spend three days holding the cold corpses of her parents without warmth? The elders of the tribe held a funeral for her parents and coaxed Tsukiyo back into the house.
Tsukiyo understood. In losing her parents at this moment, she was no longer the one to be protected.
She had to become the one who protects the tribe as its strongest member.
The warrior Tsukiyo silently fulfilled her duty. The adults around her were not overly worried about her.
Well, she’s a Beastman, after all. They thought she would soon shake off her sadness with her typical combative nature.
Tsukiyo herself understood that. She knew it was strange for her to have such a fragile heart.
So, she learned to hide it. She learned martial arts, learned magic, learned how to smoke, and learned to wear a mask.
That was how she lived her life.
*
“What’s the problem, meow! I’m saying I’ll call you dad!”
“How old is Choco?”
“Ah, not even eight hundred yet, meow!”
“Oh my. That’s about forty times my age.”
Tsukiyo clamped her mouth shut.
“Such harsh words…!”
[Ugh…]
Eri, exhausted, climbed over Enok’s head.
[So does that make Tsukiyo my little sister now?]
“What, what!?”
[You call me dad, and you call Tsukiyo dad too. So doesn’t that make latecomer Tsukiyo the little sister?]
“How can you say something so absurd at my age, meow!”
[…Where am I supposed to fit in?]
Eri sighed. Pouting Tsukiyo sulked and plopped to the ground in protest.
As she was momentarily stared at in disbelief, Enok turned his head at the gaze from beside him.
“What’s wrong, Rionne?”
“Huh? Hehe, it just looks like the kids are playing over there.”
“…Kids?”
As Tsukiyo stared hard at Rionne, she chuckled.
“I’ll exclude our Enok.”
“It feels like I’m bowing down to receive a greeting.”
[After all, he is the brain king! Know your place and bow…! Oof!]
Undine flew off after being hit by Enok’s palm. Rionne plopped down beside Enok, giggling as she made a lovely flower cradle with her hands and rested her chin atop.
“By the way, Enok. What suddenly happened? Honestly, I already knew your strength was at the Grandmaster level, but it seemed like you were quite far from it before.”
“Choco said so. Concentrate on just one thing.”
“Yeah, but it doesn’t feel like that at all?”
“Pooling them all together and lifting them up is concentrating on just one. It’s ultimately about convergence.”
Tsukiyo, who was listening, twisted her face in confusion.
“…What nonsense is this? Just because you hold four weights in one hand doesn’t mean they become one.”
“Anyway, it worked, didn’t it?”
“That’s…, true but….”
Tsukiyo’s head spun as if in a whirlwind of confusion over some common sense. Enok continued to explain.
“Anyway, I ended up creating a world within myself. Rather than harmonizing with nature, it’s about dominating it, building a small world independent of this one. Um…, should I call it a microcosm?”
“Microcosm?”
“Yeah. That’s also convergence.”
Rionne pouted and tapped her lips thoughtfully with her finger.
Is this something that could help? Though she had a level higher than mine, I’d be glad if it could help in some way.
“Ugh…”
As she stretched and yawned, the rangers who had been awkwardly watching us from afar cautiously approached.
“Choco.”
“What is it, meow? Are you feeling like becoming my dad now?”
“I’ll leave the rest to you.”
“……?”
Enok fainted right there.
*
Carrying the collapsed Enok in her arms, Rionne sank into thought.
“Microcosm. I feel like I’ve definitely heard something similar before.”
It seems that her father had mentioned it once in passing. To ascend beyond a demigod to become a true self-contained being, one needed to build their own world.
When that world grows to surpass the world they’re in, only then can they transcend their will and become an existence beyond.
“Hmm… this world, huh…”
[Why are you deep in thought? Anyway, isn’t that the kid’s realization? Would it help you at all?]
“Somehow, it feels like it might.”
[……!]
Undine’s eyes widened as she lowered her voice.
[Are you serious? Then…]
“Yeah. If things go really well, could I actually reach it?”
Undine clamped her mouth shut. However, after a moment, the spirit burst into laughter and patted Rionne’s shoulder.
[You better treat him well. If you’ve received a realization towards becoming a demigod, you’ll have to serve him for the rest of your life.]
“Of course. I always treat Enok well.”
If time passed and our relationship progressed, I’d be confident in treating him even better. Given how many years have built up, there’s a possibility I’d spoil him so much he could wither away….
“Ugh!”
Rionne tightened her grip on the now oversized Enok. Though he had grown too big to carry comfortably, the thought of letting someone else take him was still out of the question.
“Hehe.”
His sleeping face is just so cute. At heart, I wanted to hold him tightly and roll around right here.
“Do you think it’ll be uncomfortable? Should I carry you?”
So when a ranger dared to try to take Enok away, Rionne firmly shook her head.
“Not a chance. Let’s get some rest soon.”
*
Zzzzz- Zzzzz-
The sound of crickets woke Rionne from her slumber. She squinted against the faint moonlight filtering in through the window, and the dimly lit scenery in the room looked hazy.
“Ugh….”
A quiet mumble escaped her lips. Rionne seemed to be sleeping soundly, mumbling into her pillow.
Habitually, Rionne’s hand reached out to smooth the soft strands of hair, prompting her to sigh contentedly as she burrowed deeper into the pillow.
Suddenly-!
“Housekeeper!”
Tsukiyo’s sudden appearance nearly made Rionne scream. Enok, eyes wide open, took a moment to catch his breath and frowned.
“…What is it?”
“I’ll ask you seriously.”
“What kind of….”
Only now did she notice the familiar surroundings. That’s because it was Rionne’s home within the Elf Union.
“I know it might sound strange, but I’m not joking. I know this might be embarrassing for me to lay out the details, but please understand that I’m serious.”
As her calm voice drew Rionne’s gaze, the faint moonlight illuminated her eyes.
Those pitch-black eyes held golden pupils. They resembled a crescent moon hanging in the night sky, and without realizing it, Enok found himself nodding along to the atmosphere.
“What is it?”
“Be my dad…, oof!”
Enok pulled her close and buried her head in the blanket.
“I get it, so go to sleep.”
*
Enok opened his eyes to the faint morning light seeping in. It definitely felt tiring, as he had briefly woken up during the night but had soon fallen back asleep, and before he knew it, it was morning.
Rolling over, he noticed Tsukiyo sleeping with her back to him, softly snoring. Poor girl must be tired, too.
As he sat up, Rionne, sensing movement, opened her eyes.
“Hmm…? Did you wake up, Enok…?”
“Yeah. Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m all good…, wait, what’s this…!?”
Rionne gasped at the sight of Tsukiyo lying face down with her buttocks in the air, sleeping.
“Eeeek!?”
Tsukiyo, startled by the loud noise, jumped up from the bed.
“W-What is this, meow….”
“Why are you sleeping here! I gave you a separate room!”
“Is there something wrong with a daughter wanting to sleep next to her dad?”
“Ugh…! I just can’t understand!”
Ignoring the huffy Rionne, Tsukiyo rubbed at her eyes and waved at Enok.
“Ah, Dad… did you sleep well, meow? Hehe….”
She was sure she had acknowledged that last night, but it seemed she had taken it at face value. Enok, who was about to say something, bit his lip and sighed.
“Daughter.”
“Yeah!”
“Just go back to sleep.”
“Got it, meow!”
Tsukiyo jumped back into bed.
“Ugh.”
It’s not easy at all.
*
As Rionne stood up from bed, she declared,
“I shouldn’t use my strength for a while.”
She wasn’t sure how long that would be. So she mentioned that the duel they had planned would probably not happen, but Enok tilted his head in confusion.
“Why?”