chapter 86
The next day.
As usual, I had tea time with Lord Ferdinand.
Sitting together in the garden of the Black Dragon Castle, staring blankly at the sky, had become our routine.
“Little one.”
“Chuit?”
I looked up at Lord Ferdinand as I nibbled on finely sliced figs at the table.
Ever since I found Lady Solania’s treasure for him, he had been calling me “little one.”
He told me to comfortably call him “grandfather,” but…
‘I can only do that if I could speak human words.’
As you know, I am a squirrel. All I can make are sounds like “chuu” and “chyu.”
It had been nearly two months since I came to the Black Dragon Castle.
Surprisingly, the people here had begun to understand what I was saying.
Whether it was because our bond had grown stronger or for another reason, I had no idea.
“Today, your mana’s scent is stronger than usual.”
“Chuit?”
Cherry scent?
I stared blankly at the cherries on the table for a moment.
According to König, my mana smelled like the sweet scent of ripe cherries.
He said it seeped out stealthily in the evening and disappeared by morning.
Based on a book Erjin found for me, it seemed I had a peculiar constitution where my mana circuits did not function.
Because the circuits that circulate mana weren’t working, my mana evaporated by the next day.
But how was it still here past noon today?
Sniff sniff.
As I alternated raising my arms to smell them—
I still only smelled the usual luxurious rosewater scent.
“I believe it’s because of this,” Lord Ferdinand said.
He pointed carefully at my arm.
My left wrist—where the crystal bracelet was.
It was a crystal containing König’s mana, processed through a special method.
‘Has this influenced me?’
I began to think seriously.
After all, until now, I always borrowed König’s mana.
That method apparently required physical contact with him.
‘When I first met König, I had to put my hand in his mouth for healing, and then on Volken Bridge…’
I had bitten König’s finger.
If a certain amount of mana entered my body, I transformed into a human.
‘Then… with this crystal, could I transform without König?’
As soon as I stood up with sparkling eyes, Lord Ferdinand’s voice fell from above.
“So it wasn’t that you wouldn’t transform, but that you couldn’t?”
“Chuit.”
I nodded simply.
‘But I don’t know why.’
When I shrugged, Lord Ferdinand slowly nodded.
“You mean you used to be able to transform but suddenly couldn’t anymore?”
‘Yes, that’s exactly it!’
Three years ago—after fleeing the marquisate—I could no longer become human.
“Hm…”
Lord Ferdinand looked briefly into empty space, then slowly opened his mouth.
“By any chance, did something… happen back then?”
‘Something?’
“Meaning… did someone die?”
His voice was lower and more serious than usual.
His quiet golden eyes gazed directly at me.
But he wasn’t finished.
“Your parents, or a close family member, I assume.”
“Chyu… Chyuut…”
His expression wasn’t a guess—it was certainty.
I bowed my head slowly.
‘How could he know?’
A ripple spread inside my once-still heart.
He didn’t even know I was from House Aymond.
And during the attack on my family and the other herbivore beast clans, he had been far away in the south, drowning in gambling.
Like most gamblers, worldly affairs surely mattered less to him than the cards in front of him.
So clearly—he had known something for a long time.
As proof, he repeatedly let out heavy sighs.
“Chuut?”
How did you know?
I stepped closer to him.
I focused my gaze on him.
Others may not need to know, but I did.
Who attacked House Aymond, for what purpose, and why my mother had to die.
“Well…”
Lord Ferdinand let out a troubled sigh, then slowly began speaking.
“When beastfolk die, their power sometimes flows to their closest kin.”
“Chuut?”
I tilted my head blankly.
I had never heard such a thing at the academy—even before I dropped out.
Not even in the ancient texts of the library.
“Long ago—about five hundred years—it was widely known. Even though it was rare, if a family member died, their abilities could pass down the bloodline. But because crimes exploiting that became too common, all records were erased.”
“Chyu… Chyut…”
Meaning… people killed family members for power?
Lord Ferdinand did not answer.
He simply looked at me with a bitter smile.
“Most likely, the abilities of the family member who died… have seeped into you.”
If it was the ability of a family member who died…
‘Mother’s ability… inside me?’
My mouth fell open, but no sound came out.
My mother had been the last surviving member of a lineage capable of prophecy.
She usually saw the future through dreams.
Though she lost most of her strength after losing her family and falling ill, she could still foresee nearby events.
For example—like the attack on House Aymond three years ago.
But I had never once had such a dream.
Not even glimpsed the near future.
“It seems your ability grew far too large for the mana you possess, so you cannot return to human form.”
In other words, the mana I needed was like the ocean—but my body was like sand.
Unable to hold even a trickle of water… my original form collapsed entirely.
But that wasn’t the only issue.
“Besides inheriting mana through blood… there is another method.”
Lord Ferdinand fell silent for quite a long moment.
As if deciding whether he should continue.
I swallowed hard and looked at him with a firm expression.
I was ready for whatever came next.
Finally—
“One can also absorb a beastfolk’s power… by killing them.”
He said it was another knowledge erased from history.
In the era where dozens of kingdoms existed on the continent—
While most beastfolk fought loyally for the Empire, some… did not.
They were like packs of blood-crazed hyenas, killing indiscriminately—friend or foe—for pleasure.
Gaining strength, then seizing more strength.
Eventually, the Duke of Kreutz intervened and ended the chaos.
But even afterward, disorder continued for a long time.
“Erase every record of this incident. Remove the memories of all involved.”
The emperor at the time ordered complete concealment.
“And yet somehow, this has resurfaced…”
Lord Ferdinand rubbed his dry face in dismay.
So…
My mother died simply because someone wanted more power?
As I recalled the past, someone’s face filled my mind.
Three years ago—the man with blue eyes who drove me to the cliff.
Though he hid his face under a hood, I remembered those murderous eyes perfectly.
And just a few days ago in Gelende Village, I saw him again—guarding the acting duke of Astrachan.
Pavel Astrachan.
He was undoubtedly connected to all of this.
The question that haunted me every day had finally been answered, yet the knot inside my heart didn’t loosen—not even a little.
If anything, the pressure grew, rising to my throat.
“Little one… your family was House Aymond, wasn’t it?”
Lord Ferdinand gently patted my trembling back and met my eyes.
“Chuit…”
I nodded weakly.
His expression collapsed in sorrow.
“They will never give up on you.”
