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“I thought I had already grasped the current situation in Cres Kingdom, but to think you, who should be the ‘Beast King Successor,’ were listlessly hiding deep in the mountains like this. Don’t you have anything to do?”

Revan clenched his lips upon hearing my words.

“I know that… But, the title of ‘Beast King’ is too much for me. That’s why I am here to re-evaluate myself.”

“? ―Can you say that a bit more clearly?”

“Umm, what I mean…” Asmina started off in place of her brother, “ ‘Because the responsibilities and duties of being a Beast King are too tiresome, I prefer to stay here where I can play as I like without having to work’ is what my brother said.”

… Isn’t that just like a NEET desperately saying, “I don’t want to work! I absolutely don’t want to work!”

That can’t be true, right? I gave him a questioning gaze.

“… O-Of course that can’t be true. It’s for training.”

So he replied, but I didn’t miss that his eyes were swimming for a moment ―Heyyy!

Come to think of it, he has been receiving the meals that Asmina regularly brings, and it feels like he has gotten used to an environment where he just eats, sleeps, and plays. Is this man seriously a useless member of society?!

‘―Princess, should I eliminate him so that not even his soul is left behind?’

Utsuho was asking not with a questioning tone but rather a confirming one.

Ahh, I don’t think that will be an issue… (by the way, if the body is completely annihilated, even resurrection can’t bring him back).

However, a fragment of a second before I say ‘Alright,’ Asmina’s elbow precisely struck Revan’s side—around the liver—faster than the speed of sound.

“Guohhh—!!!!”

“Of course brother seriously thought about becoming the Beast King! In the near future he will become a Beast King that is respected, not only in the Cres Kingdom but also enough to stand before every beastman, and someone who is useful to Your Highness. After that he promised that he will marry me and provide me with a rose colored future—that’s what he’s always declared!”

Asmina asserted it in a single breath and glanced back at Revan who was fainting in agony.

“…I didn’t say…anything…about…wife…”

And then she grabbed Revan by his neck, while he was groaning and rejecting her statement, and forcibly raised him up, “Isn’t that right!? Brother Revan!”

She grabbed his head with all her might and made him nod like a ventriloquist’s puppet.

“… As you can see, I hope you understand, Lady Hiyuki.”

As if accomplishing an achievement, Asmina faced me with a big innocent smile, so there is nothing I can do but nod.

―This little sister is scary, really scary!!

‘……….’

Even Utsuho became speechless.

Rather, because you shocked his half-a̲s̲s̲e̲d̲ head so much, the drugs have started to drain from his head. His soul is starting to leave his body though.… Perhaps it’s not a problem. Well that’s fine, I am not going to retort.

“Alright, then is it fine if I assume that from now on the Kingdom of Cres will become independent from the federation and become the vassal of my country?”

I had a lot on my mind before coming here, but unexpectedly, it’s been easily resolved. …though I also feel that the leader (Revan) is out of the loop in this discussion.

Well, it should be fine considering their might.

“Well, it’s not for me to answer… if my brother agrees to that though…”

Asmina answered while casually resting the fainted Revan on her lap―I am not really envious about it, I wonder why?―but she was being a bit evasive.

“This is embarrassing to say, but actually, because of big brother’s retardation, many other tribes have raised concerns due to unease.”

She hit her brother’s head very hard at the ****** part.

“―Guwook!”

Looking at Revan, who raised a voice like a frog being crushed just now, I understood.

“However, in front of the grand-uncle who is the current Beast King, of course they won’t publicly raise an objection…”

“Grand-uncle?”

“Ah, yes. He is the elder brother of my grandfather.”

“Hou…” So that’s their relationship.

“Because of that relationship, when my brother, who is also my milk sibling, was little, his talent was discovered by grand-uncle and then was trained, so before we realized it, brother was called the “Beast King Successor,” but since some of them have biased tendencies, brother felt it was too troublesome and tried to run away by secluding himself here.”

‘What a disappointing man. As a beast-kin, if he didn’t show any will to fight, he would only be made fun of.’

Utsuho spat out those words in an annoyed voice.

“What stirred it even more is grand-uncle’s declaration the other day about our withdrawal from the Cres-Cent’luna Federation to become a vassal of Imperial Crimson. The clan leaders gathered and rushed to hold a meeting after that… Unfortunately, the end result was, ‘Let’s leave it to the judgment of the next generation’s Beast King.’ ”

“In other words, they left it… to this thing?”

I pointed at Revan, who was still unconscious in Asmina’s lap. He seemed to be having a bad dream and muttered something like ‘… stop, Asmina, my pants…’

“No, not this thing, but the ‘Beast King Successor.’”

“――? There are other candidates as well?”

Somehow in my head, there appeared a line up of—house head, next generation, legitimate, and reformist successors—those types of Beast Kings.

“There have been none up until now. Currently, not only do they doubt whether my brother has the qualifications or not, but they also believe that there’s someone from their own tribe who has better rights to hold the strongest title of ‘Beast King,’ and so, they decided to fight it out and decide once for all. Ah, of course the current Beast King, my grand-uncle also approved it.”

I didn’t hear anything about this! That damned old man, he must have kept silent because he thought it would be more interesting this way!

“—Then the reason he hides deep inside the mountains like this is because he lacks confidence and wants to abandon his responsibility huh?”

‘It seems we only wasted our time, Princess.’
‘Yeah, you’re right.’

“No, no. Of course not. For my brother, there’s no need to test it out. Even against grand-uncle it’s clear as day he will emerge victorious. That’s why he holds no interest towards it! However, he’s actually pretty pumped up! Isn’t that right, brother Revan!!”

‘–YeAh, I’lL beAt tHe otHer cAndidatEs intO a pUlp!—’

Asmina mimicked Revan’s voice using a falsetto and took his hand to force him to make a triumphant pose while supporting his corpse-like body.

I wonder how I should react in this situation.

“… See, his hidden fighting spirit caused his body to tremble in excitement.”

No, that’s a spasm of deadly agony because of the movements you forced him to make.

“… Well that’s fine I guess, in other words he has the confidence to win in the ‘Beast King Selection Match,’ right?”

I decided to ask Asmina while healing Revan.

Or rather, isn’t he completely a puppet? Though, I also feel as long as she is there for him, it doesn’t matter even if the person himself is completely garbage.

“Yes of course! –is what I would like to say but…”

Unexpectedly Asmina showed some hesitation.

“This is my intuition as a shrine maiden, but it seems the divine protection of the divine beast, the beast tribe’s guardian deity, is drifting away from my brother…”

‘Well, I guess it is natural looking at this simpleton.’

Utsuho gave her opinion in an extremely disinterested manner.

“And I also feel that, other than that, there is some kind of malice that will sweep this world in its vortex…”

Malice in the world huh. Now that I remember it, I think Lubbock said something about, ‘This is the order of God.’ If there’s an enemy who is pretending to be God… then perhaps this is a perfect chance?

Since, if someone under them becomes the Beast King, then they can take half of Cres Cent’luna Federation legally (Well, this also applies for me).

“Say, Asmina. Recently, did you hear anything about an unfamiliar and strong warrior suddenly appearing in one of the other tribes—specifically the Wolfkin, Catkin, or Rabbitkin tribes?”

By the way, the three tribes I mentioned are character races that could be selected by players in ‘Eternal Horizon Online.’

“About the Wolfkin and Catkin tribes, we don’t interact with them much, so I don’t know. As for the Rabbitkin tribe, they didn’t even send anyone as their representative. –Ah, but lately I’ve heard something about strong arms circulating amongst the other tribes.”

Hearing what Asmina said while tilting her head, I folded my arms and thought.

I see, so instead of directly sending a player, they are going to give them a powerful item and indirectly control them that way.

When I think about it, ‘Beast King’ is the beast tribe’s representative. No matter how they have a habit to abide by a strong person, abiding by someone with a doubtful origin would also cause opposition.

If that’s the case, I need to personally confirm what item they’re using.

“Actually, I want to watch the ‘Beast King Selection Match,’ is that possible?”

“… That’s a bit complicated. Generally only the members of participating tribes can come to watch, but since Lady Hiyuki might become the sovereign suzerain state that we’re a part of, if I consult with Jissie, perhaps he can bring it up at the patriarch’s meeting…”

“—I see, then may I leave it to you?”

“Yes, please leave it to me.”

Well if that’s impossible, I can just ask Utsuho to appear and use the divine beast’s influence to come and watch it.

‘I understand, princess. –However, if those fools don’t even grant your wish, please look forward to the time I get to strangle those simpleton clan leaders to death.’

Ummm, if possible, I would like this to end in a peaceful way.

Author’s Note:

Afterwards, Asmina returned to the village carrying the unconscious Revan, she cheerfully slept together with him in their futon.