Chapter 316 - 316. The Uneasy Client and the Village of the Phantom Beasts
Despite its shabby exterior, the interior of the hut we were led to was clean and well-maintained, revealing that its inhabitant cherished it dearly from the rich, aged luster of the wooden walls. A warm fire already crackled in the hearth, casting a cozy glow that dispelled the creeping chill of dusk. Outside cold seemed like a lie.
At the center of the room, a single girl leaned gracefully against a worn wooden table, its surface dulled by years of use. She watched me with bright, curious eyes. Her age seemed close to Yamase Mizuki’s. Yet her presence clashed oddly with the rustic farm scenery—she wore an opulent noble’s dress, far too extravagant for such a place.
What drew my attention most was her hairstyle. Her long, pale violet hair curled into perfect vertical ringlets, bouncing like springs with every slight movement. Though her ears were hidden beneath the locks, her demeanor clearly marked her as a human noblewoman.
She stared at me with sparkling, unrestrained curiosity, a refined yet mischievous smile playing on her lips.
"You must be Mash-sama. I am Stella Leoniass."
She rose smoothly, lifted the hem of her skirt with elegant fingers, and performed a graceful curtsey.
"Ah, uh…"
Before I could recover from the sudden greeting, she stepped closer, her gaze traveling slowly from the top of my head to the tips of my feet as if appraising me. When our eyes met, her smile softened into a bright, cheerful grin.
"It’s truly divine fortune that Mash-sama is in Heilong. Though I must say, taking shelter among the city’s ruffians rather than at the castle or guild… Well, at least I didn’t have to travel all the way to Migul after all."
She nodded to herself, seemingly satisfied with her own reasoning. I eyed her warily.
"You said your name is Stella?"
"Yes."
"Who exactly are you?"
She tilted her head slightly, regarding me with a puzzled expression.
"Surely you’ve heard of the name Leoniass?"
I shook my head. She let out an exaggerated, dramatic sigh.
"Leoniass is one of the city-states scattered far to the south of Heilong."
"...Are you under the demon kingdom?"
"Heavens, no!"
She vigorously shook her head, her ringlets swaying.
"We are not part of the Empire, unlike Migul or Heilong. We are a proud, independent nation. I am the fifth daughter of the king who rules Leoniass."
"So you’re a princess. Then why are you in Heilong?"
I thought it might be a joke, but no commoner could afford such an expensive dress. The gemstone at her throat also looked valuable. Even if Chairman was behind this, I couldn’t imagine his motive. And her demeanor showed no trace of hostility.
"I’m here for marriage."
"You came to this town to get married, yet you’re meeting me instead?"
She raised a finger to her chin, feigning deep thought. Every gesture felt theatrical, as if I were watching a stage performance.
"Let’s set that aside for now. More importantly, I’d like to give you a gift, Mash-sama, in honor of our meeting."
"Just call me Mash. And I don’t see any reason to accept gifts from someone I just met."
I scanned the room cautiously, but saw nothing resembling a present—no on the table, in the corners, or in her hands. Did she have storage magic like me?
Stella responded with a carefree, radiant smile.
"How lovely that we can call each other by name so quickly! Anyway, Mash, wouldn’t you like to tame a Phantom Beast?"
Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed a fine coat from the table and darted outside with a dancer’s light step.
Stella approached the Wyvern without hesitation, gently patting its thick neck. With practiced ease, she climbed onto its rugged back. From her elevated position, she extended a pale, translucent hand. I took it—and to my surprise, she pulled me up with a strength I wouldn’t have expected from such delicate arms.
"Sit behind me."
I climbed onto the Wyvern’s back as instructed. There was no saddle or stirrups—just the beast’s taut muscles beneath me. The mane acted as a natural cushion where I sat, and surprisingly, the ride felt stable.
"Please hold on tightly."
Following her words, I wrapped my arms around her waist.
"Eep! N-not me—hold onto the mane!"
"...Is that what you meant?"
Even as I said it, I pressed closer for stability, burying my face near the nape of her neck. Her soft hair tickled my nose, carrying a sweet floral scent—perhaps from perfume.
"I-i-i-it’s fine! I mean, if it’s easier to hold on, then… that’s acceptable!"
She stiffened her spine as if trying to escape, but didn’t push my hands away.
At that moment, the Wyvern rose onto its powerful hind legs. The world lurched, lifting me far higher than horseback ever had.
"…It’s high. Scary."
"You can’t be frightened by this height."
Then—whoosh—a massive sound echoed as the Wyvern spread its wings. The bat-like membranes caught the air, and the colossal body lifted gently into the sky.
"Hey! We’re flying!"
A surge of weightlessness hit me. Instinctively, I pulled Stella’s slender body tightly against mine.
"It has wings, of course it flies!"
Stella laughed, clearly enjoying my panic. The Wyvern flapped its wings powerfully, each stroke lifting us higher. The farm and fences below shrank rapidly, becoming tiny like matchboxes.
"Then let’s go before the sun sets!"
The upward pressure eased as we leveled into a smooth glide.
Below, the land stretched in twilight hues, the crimson landscape flowing steadily backward. Unlike when I flew on Racshell’s spear, this wasn’t a violent, jarring acceleration. Instead, there was a strange, serene stability—as if we were one with the wind. Each wingbeat carved through the air with force. The cold wind above bit mercilessly, stealing warmth from my body. Shivering from both the height and the cold, I clung even tighter to Stella’s warm back.
"Where exactly are we going?"
I shouted to be heard over the wind. Stella turned slightly, her long hair fluttering, and glanced back.
"Where? To the Village of the Phantom Beasts, of course!"
"And what are we doing there!?"
"Why, I’m going to introduce you to a Phantom Beast!"
She looked at me as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Introduce? Isn’t this Wyvern the one you mean?"
"You like this one? Unfortunately, she’s already bound to me by contract, so I can’t give her to you."
"…I don’t want her."
"Huh?"
"I said I don’t want this terrifying ride!"
"Don’t say such cowardly things, Hero of another world!"
Stella’s cry was swallowed by the horizon as the sun sank behind us.
Not even the fierce wind could silence her. During the flight, she chattered endlessly, her back still turned to me.
She spoke of her engagement. Her betrothed was the younger brother of Heilong’s king. She had come to the city to prepare for the marriage, and had met him for the first time at last night’s banquet.
"I was truly shocked. I’d been told he was slightly older than me… but he was as fat as a barrel. He couldn’t walk without a cane, and his face was covered in terrible scars."
His appearance was bad enough, but his personality was worse.
The prince was extremely shy, always locking himself deep within the mansion. Even the king and queen were denied audience—only a select few maids could approach him. Last night, he’d been dragged out for the banquet as a courtesy to Stella, but ended up throwing a tantrum, rampaging through the hall before fleeing back to his room.
I’d met Jolt, Heilong’s king, before. Back then, Aira had been mistaken for the otherworldly hero, and we’d let the misunderstanding stand to our advantage. I wasn’t sure if that misconception still held, but I’d never been told the royal family was harboring such a problematic liability.
"I was told he’s ill from worrying over the demon kingdom’s threat. I heard that when Migul’s Mami Mume Mo Star Union-sama visited, he wasn’t nearly this bad…"
Stella lowered her long lashes and glanced sideways at me.
I deepened the frown on my brow. Mami had never mentioned this prince to me. Not because she was hiding it, but because I’d never shown interest in noble gossip. But now, one piece clicked into place. Earlier that afternoon, Mami had proudly told Samueim she’d found him a ‘perfect marriage partner.’ That was almost certainly this prince.
A chill ran down my spine. Samueim had nearly been matched with that man. I could only hope Fam had stopped it in time.
"Anyway, I’d heard bad rumors before arriving, but after last night, the engagement is likely off."
Her voice carried a hint of melancholy, mixed with the wind.
"…Did you want to marry him?"
"Of course."
"From what you’ve said, it doesn’t sound like mutual affection. Wouldn’t you feel relieved it’s falling apart?"
She whipped her head around, eyes wide with offense.
"That kind of thinking won’t do! My country is small and weak. We can’t form alliances with neighboring states, and if the demon kingdom attacks in earnest, we won’t stand a chance. To survive, we must cling to a powerful city like Heilong."
The sunset in her eyes now carried sorrow. And finally, I understood her purpose.
With the engagement to Heilong in ruins, she had turned her sights to me—someone connected to Migul, and to influential figures like Merianne and Mami. She clearly already understood the political shift from two months prior.
The demon kingdom had conquered the Old Empire’s capital ten years ago, expanding its territory. Since then, large-scale military actions had quieted, but covert maneuvers to push westward had likely continued—targeting Heilong, Migul, and even peripheral nations like Leoniass. She was trying to protect her country by offering herself.
The sun was sinking behind a distant ridge. I squinted against the intense crimson light pouring in from the side.
"It’s pointless to expect anything from me. Even if you approach me, I can’t move Migul’s politics. And if war breaks out, my personal strength will be meaningless."
"I know. But I’ve heard that Mash works to prevent war. I wish to help you in that effort."
"…Wouldn’t it be easier to rely on this Wyvern instead of me? If you had a hundred of these monsters, you could crush the demon kingdom’s army."
"If it were that easy, we wouldn’t be in this situation. Only four people in my country can form contracts like mine. And…"
Stella lovingly stroked the Wyvern’s rugged neck.
"Phantom Beasts are gentle creatures by nature. They dislike conflict."
"Gentle, huh…"
I looked down at the Wyvern’s scales, glowing crimson in the sunset. I would never forget the killing intent it had directed at me when we first met.
Before long, the landscape below shifted—from green to rocky terrain, then to a world of silver snow. We were flying through a treacherous mountain range. Whether from the altitude or the icy air, a deep cold seeped into my bones. My breath came out in white puffs, trailing behind us—but they were growing slower. Our speed was decreasing.
"…We’re almost there."
Stella pointed ahead to a particularly steep peak.
The Wyvern continued gliding without slowing, wings fully spread.
A sheer, frozen cliff face loomed directly in front of us, filling my entire field of vision.
"We’re going to crash!"
"It’s alright. Please, be at ease."
Stella’s voice remained calm, but there was no way to change course in time. The Wyvern was being pulled straight toward the cliff, as if drawn to collide.
In terror, I reflexively wrapped my arms tightly around her fragile body.
"Eeek! I’ve never been embraced by a man like this—except during dances! Don’t scare me like that!"
"You’re the one scaring me! We’re about to smash into the wall!"
I shut my eyes, bracing for impact. But the expected crash and pain never came.
Instead, the biting cold softened, replaced by a strange, floating sensation enveloping my body. I opened my eyes cautiously.
The snow-capped ridge that had been rushing toward us had vanished like a mirage. Below, a lush, endless forest stretched in all directions. The sky, previously dyed crimson by the setting sun, had transformed into a clear, brilliant blue. Strangely, there was no sun—yet the world was bathed in an even, shadowless light, like eternal daylight.
At the center of the forest stood a massive stone structure, shaped like the top of a pyramid.
"This place… is it a dungeon?"
Stella let out a soft scoff, raised a finger, and wagged it side to side.
"No. This is a world known as the Phantom Beast World."
"Phantom Beast World…?"
"Yes. A dungeon would have a Guardian Room at its deepest point. This space has no such master."
I stared down again. The primeval forest stretched endlessly, split by a great river winding like a silver serpent. It was so vast I almost thought a master might simply be hidden. But there was no need to doubt her words.
The Wyvern circled slowly and landed silently atop the trapezoidal structure.
"Now, please dismount."
With Stella’s help, I stepped off the Wyvern’s back, legs wobbling. I nearly fell to my knees—my balance still thrown off from the long flight.
In contrast, Stella stepped down with graceful ease, then gently stroked the Wyvern’s neck in appreciation.
"Let’s go."
At her urging, we began descending a stone staircase leading into the structure.
"Long ago, in ancient times, my ancestor from the Leoniass family discovered the Village of the Phantom Beasts, hidden within this Phantom Beast World."
Her heels clicked against the stone as she spoke with solemn reverence.
"The details of how it happened are lost to time. But our clan formed a pact with the Phantom Beasts. In exchange for keeping the village’s location secret from human history, the Phantom Beasts became our protectors."
At the bottom of the stairs lay a space so vast it stole my breath.
The floor, walls, and thick pillars supporting the ceiling—all were made of a pale, ice-like crystal. It resembled Migul’s Crystal Palace, but the clarity here was on another level. It felt like a temple carved from a single giant ice block, yet strangely, there was no cold. A sacred stillness filled the air.
"Are you sure it’s alright to bring an outsider like me to such a secret place?"
Stella’s lips curled into a mischievous smile.
"It’s fine. Just as I guide you now, my ancestor once invited a Hero from another world here and gave them a trial."
"I see…"
So Okita Soji and Akizuki Uta must have walked these cold crystal floors too. Lost in that thought, I looked up—and my heart skipped a beat.
At the far end of the hall, atop a crystal pedestal, stood a single dragon.
"A Wyvern…?"
"No. That is an Ancient Dragon. Wyverns have clawed hands on their wings. This one has four legs."
Indeed, it stood on two powerful hind legs, forelimbs raised with sharp claws. But that detail seemed trivial.
Its scales were a deep, oceanic blue, so dense they seemed to warp the space around it. Its long neck stretched high, and I was pinned under its aquamarine gaze. My legs froze.
The moment its eyes locked onto me, I felt as if my entire body was bubbling, unable to move even a single finger. My very existence felt like it could be erased in an instant. Cold breath escaped its fanged maw, carrying a freezing aura that pressed down on me like a crushing weight.
"…"
My hand instinctively reached for my sword’s hilt.
"Stella. You mentioned a trial?"
My voice trembled. Stella turned to me and smiled—a beautiful, serene smile I’d never seen before.
"Yes. Mash, you must fight this Ancient Dragon. And you must win."