INTERMISSION
Those Who Intuit It
1
The Castle Tower Seat.
Despite its rather ostentatious outward appearance, the fortification had little in the way of protection. Save for a small number of office workers and electricians, there was no staff, nor were there any guards. Instead, the building’s security was handled entirely by defensive mechanisms.
Other than the Saint Disciples, a very select few were allowed to come and go as they pleased. And as for who these exceptions were?
They were simply those the Lord had given permission to wander the building.
“You tricked meee!”
Rin’s angry voice echoed throughout the Lord’s chambers as she sprinted through them, her hair sopping wet. Small droplets of water dripped from her face and neck. For whatever reason, she was only in her underwear—a situation she would normally never be caught dead in. To cut to the chase, she had just come out of the bath.
“Hey, you beast! What was it you were saying about getting cleaned up?!”
“Weren’t you the one who said you wanted to wash off your sweat, witch?”
The silver-furred beastperson was lying on the tatami. Lord Yunmelngen glanced at Rin in her underwear.
“You’re the very first person from the Sovereignty I’ve ever allowed to wander through these halls. You should be happier.”
“Sure, I got to the bathing area, and even got to use the shower.”
“You see?”
“But why are there security cameras in there?!”
She had undressed and taken a quick rinse. Just as she’d been about to step out, Rin had realized a tiny camera was installed on the shower nozzle.
“Were you recording me naked?!”
“Well, you are a hostage. I need to watch all your movements, don’t I?”
Lord Yunmelngen rolled over. In their hand was a small security monitor that showed a feed of the shower room.
“Don’t worry. I’m the only one who saw you in the buff.”
“Oh, that makes it so much better!”
“Ha-ha. I must say, I wasn’t expecting to find your astral crest there.”
“Don’t laugh! What’s so wrong with having an astral crest on your butt?!”
Rin stomped firmly on the tatami. She knew that the beastperson she was talking to wouldn’t be easily intimidated by that.
“You Peeping Tom!”
“I am simply observing a human being.”
The Lord sat cross-legged on the tatami and stared at Rin from head to toe. She’d run here in her underwear because she’d scarcely given herself enough time to put on clothes.
“Huh.”
“Your ogling is creeping me out.”
“Then hurry up and put something on.”
Though Rin was being rather harsh, the beastperson was laughing. Their shoulders shook.
“I haven’t seen an undressed human in a while. I mean, look at me. I’m close to forgetting what I looked like as a human.”
“…”
She put on her housekeeping clothes.
Rin faced the monster in front of her again. She looked at the Lord’s fur-covered limbs and thick fox-like tail. From this distance, there was no mistaking them for a human.
“Will you tell me already what you are, beast?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t want to, but I’ll believe you are the Lord for the time being.”
But why would the Lord look like that? And what was this about ‘being human’?
“So you’re saying you used to be human?”
“Half, at least.”
Lord Yunmelngen pointed at his own temple.
“I’m mixture of human being and astral power.”
“What?”
“You asked whether I used to be human. The human part of me will answer yes, but the astral power inside will say I used to be an astral power. Anyhow, both aspects are now melded together in spirit.”
“How odd…”
“The same holds true for the Founder Nebulis.”
“What?!”
When she heard the Lord say that, it wasn’t the Founder, but the transcendental sorcerer Salinger whom she recalled.
“The tri-stage, the integration of humans with the astral powers.
“But only two have reached that state using their own power in the history of the world.”
The fusion of human and astral power. And the complete version of it was right before her eyes.
“So this is what that is!”
Cold sweat broke out on her forehead. How had she not realized it until now? That the words Salinger had so heedlessly spoken would come back into her life with such monumental meaning?
“…Lord Yunmelngen.” Rin struggled to say the words with her dry mouth. “So you used to be human, too. Then…did something turn you into this? Is the Revered Founder the same as you? Is that why she looks the same even a century later?!”
“…”
Sitting cross-legged, the Lord looked up at Rin. They then stared up at the ceiling.
“It’s not that I dislike my body or my soul. But…who wouldn’t feel irked at not knowing who made them this way?”
“……? You didn’t transform of your own volition?”
“I have my suspicions about who did this to me.”
The beast smiled. Sharp canines poked out from their mouth as the Lord sneered ferociously.
“That’s why I want the witch princess Sisbell. She has the power to revive the memories of the planet—and I need to find out who made me the way I am.”
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