She Who Became Immortal

"Hey, what's with this little girl? And that fox person over there too. What's going on, Asuka?," Scratching his head vigorously, Lion King Randall slowly turned his gaze towards Lex Asuka.

In the presence of this king, Luche Rubia had to desperately control her long rabbit ears from falling down, which she hated to do. She despised the atmosphere around Randall, which felt like sharp blades scattered about, and the tension that could make one feel like they could be killed in the next moment. The air demanded caution even in a single breath, which Luche truly loathed.

There was no way not to be afraid.

As a living being—more so, as a beast—it was an inevitable instinct.

Because she couldn't rival this Lion King.

Because she was stepping into the territory of an unbeatable opponent.

And yet.

The female lioness who faced Randall's displeasure could reply calmly without a drop of sweat, without changing her expression, remaining composed.

"She introduced herself as Euphemia Grimwood. She was driven out of the human territory, crossed the border into the realm of beastmen, helped an orc settlement, and now leads it."

"And what about that fox person?"

Ignoring Lex's words entirely, Randall, after having his attendant dress him in clothes prepared for him—as he never dressed himself—stood up and yawned again. He wore short trousers down to his shins and a large outer garment made from tiger fur directly over his skin. His hands and feet were exposed, and the rough fingertips revealed lion-like claws. Although retracted now, those claws would surely come out in battle to tear apart enemies.

Yes—just putting on clothes and standing up.

Yet Luche already wanted to flee from this place.

"That fox person, Serena? She's one of the fox people who were dispersed by the king over a decade ago. It seems she was the first to meet Euphemia Grimwood."

"Oh? I forgot... Oh well, was there something like that? So, why did you bring that girl here in front of me?"

"Even though she's a human girl managing a beastmen settlement, for the sake of the king—"

"Hey Lex, shut up for a moment."

The one who spoke unpleasantly was Euphemia Grimwood.

She had been smiling proudly just a moment ago... that alone astonished Luche, but now she was bored, playing with her long golden hair with her fingertips.

Wasn't there any tension?

Luche couldn't understand.

How could she act so ordinary in front of the Lion King?

"Randall Kruger. Let me say it again, I came to greet you. If you're a beastman who can't understand words, then I'll just give up. It's my fault for talking to a dumb beast that can't even talk. Can you hear me, King of the Beasts? Nice to meet you, hello, I'm Euphemia Grimwood. See, did you hear?"

With a truly disillusioned tone, Euphemia said.

To this, Randall raised the corners of his mouth in a sneer and returned mockery.

"Hey, little girl. I don't know what made you think you could talk to me, but I'm not interested in you. An orc settlement? I don't care about that. Whether it's managed by humans or maggots, it's none of my concern. Asuka, hey, what's the point of bringing such a boring little girl—"

"Hah! Just a bunch of beasts. Making useless groups, building useless castles, and just acting all high and mighty. The only things they're capable of are the same as beasts: eating, killing, and mating. Honestly, what's the point of living if that's all they do?"

Why?

Luche couldn't understand at all. She could only stare into nothingness, awaiting the inevitability. Every time Euphemia spoke, a dense aura of hostility overflowed to the point where she felt unsteady just standing like a statue. The three women attending the king were already trembling, and even Lex had a slight furrow in her brow.

"Oh my, truly ridiculous. So ridiculous that even a *yawn*—"

Euphemia exaggeratedly stretched out her arms and pretended to yawn.

In the next moment, various things happened.

With light footsteps, Garland—son of the Beast King, Garland Kruger—approached Euphemia and tried to swing down his curved sword. The start of the movement, the drawing of the curved sword from his waist, none of it was visible to Luche. The movement itself was smooth, swift, and too abrupt.

In the next instant, Luche envisioned Euphemia's body being cut in half.

However,

—Boom!

With a bursting sound, the swinging curved sword was snapped. It was difficult to understand what had happened. Luche couldn't grasp the fact that Garland's attack had been deflected.

Furthermore, just like Garland's attack, Luche couldn't perceive Serena's defense either.

The broken curved sword danced in the air, spinning around before falling to the ground.

"It seems the son can't speak either."

Chuckling, Serena, the fox spirit, flicked her tail. Among her six tails, one of them, covered in fluffy silver fur, for some reason had transformed into a black, rigid whip.

She had countered Garland's blow with that whip.

"It seems the beastfolk can't speak properly either. Oh, Euphemia. Is there really a need to bother with such people? I doubt it. I couldn't understand before, but now I do. They're just small-time leaders of little hills. Leave them alone, and they'll self-destruct, pitiful beasts."

Chuckling—her throat rang.

Simultaneously, blue will-o'-the-wisps flickered around the fox spirit and began to float around her. Presumably, that was her fox magic. The fox people whom Randall had dispersed before Luche joined the royal guard.

The fox spirits persecuted by the king for possessing fangs that could harm him.

"Ah!"

Finally, Luche realized she also needed to draw her curved sword from her waist. She had been dumbfounded, but she was still a member of the "Royal Guard" for now. She would eventually betray and make Brandon the king, and she intended for Randall to die, but that wasn't for now.

Because Lex was wearing a bitter expression. It was the first time Luche had seen this lioness show such an expression.

And then.

"Well, hold on. Hold on. So, you're the Lion King's son? You too. Well, just wait a moment. I'm not really keen on dragging out this boring time either."

Ignoring Garland glaring at her, not even glancing at Serena in her combat stance, and of course, not even sparing a glance for Luche.

Just straight at the Lion King.

The golden-haired girl said defiantly,

"Hey, King of Beasts. I've come up with a little game."

---

The dense aura of hostility that filled the air slightly dissipated.

Randall, lifting his thick eyebrows ever so slightly, smoothly descended from the platform where he stood, silently pushing aside his son, Garland. He stood in front of Euphemia Grimwood, leaned his face close to her small, beautiful face, and said,

"So you mentioned game? Not from that fox over there, but from you, to amuse me?"

"You don't need to come so close, King," Euphemia said, squinting her eyes with displeasure.

Luche couldn't understand why she was so relaxed—probably Lex, Garland, and the other guard, Oren, couldn't either.

The Beast King was within arm's reach.

That alone was reason enough to feel intimidated.

Was there anything else as terrifying as this?

"Hmph, alright then. Tell me, human girl. What have you thought up?"

Stepping back just a bit, Randall asked with amusement.

But the hostility only slightly lessened, still lingering.

"You're not interested in me. I'm not that interested in you either. Well, that's fine. But I'm a little interested in you guys. Like Lex Asuka. I'm interested enough to want to take her back with me."

"No way. She's mine."

"I figured. So, I'll give up on taking her back. Instead, let me stay here for a while. Give permission for Euphemia Grimwood to stay, Lion King Randall. Oh, I know. You want to hear about the game, right?"

"If you know, then get on with it."

They were having a conversation.

That was something to be surprised about.

The opponent Randall had dismissed as "not worth talking to," the discarded Euphemia, was still managing to converse. Since Luche joined the guard, this was the first such instance. Those dismissed by the king had either resigned or died.

Euphemia smiled smugly and said,

"It's an game befitting the proud Beast King. From now on, I'll walk out the door step by step. Randall, try to kill me before I reach the door. That's the game."

"...You're going to walk out from here?"

"That's right. If you kill me before I step outside, you win. If I step outside alive, I win. If I win, acknowledge Euphemia Grimwood's stay here with the same treatment as you. The details can be decided by Lex Asuka."

"And then? What happens if I win? You'll be dead by then, that's it. There's no point in this game."

"You can do as you please with Serena, the fox spirit. I'm willing to swear it. If I can't walk out alive, I won't resist anything you do—even if it's to kill me. Can you swear to that, Serena?"

As if it were just casual conversation.

Euphemia asked about others' fates.

And the fox spirit Serena—

"Of course. Shall I swear it aloud, King of Beasts? I, the fox spirit Serena, will obey whatever you all do if Euphemia Grimwood loses the game without any resistance. ...Is that satisfactory? If I resist after this, it would disgrace my pride."

"―Is this alright?"

The one who voiced the question was Lex.

Yes, losing a collaborator in such a situation was way beyond Lex Asuka's intentions. She hadn't brought Euphemia here with this in mind. If Euphemia had kept silent, Lex would have persuaded the king with her eloquence. That future, Luche could imagine.

But it didn't happen.

"Of course it is. I've been changed by that girl. I'm willing to gamble with my life, pride, and destiny—"

N-no. That's not a gamble.

The fox said, showing a smile that could tear through red lips.

Enticed by that smile, Randall smiled too, took a few steps back from Euphemia, and turned his gaze to Lex.

"Alright then. I'll play along. Asuka, give the signal to start."

Lex, when told, showed a slight hesitation.

But it quickly disappeared, replaced by a deliberate sweep of the room's occupants with his gaze. Luche, who hadn't drawn her curved sword yet, Garland, standing still in the place where he had been pushed by the Lion King, Oren, the snake-man guard who hadn't moved from the beginning, Serena, who had somehow put out the will-o'-the-wisps and returned her tail to its original state, the strangely cheerful Lion King Randall— and Euphemia Grimwood, smiling confidently.

Ah—then, Luche realized.

The terrifying atmosphere filling the room hadn't changed.

But now, the fear within herself was dissipating.

Despite the unchanged strong animal scent in the air.

A vivid light pierced through her chest.

"―Then, let's begin," Lex said in her usual emotionless tone.

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