She Who Became Immortal

Euphemia Grimwood has a strikingly cheerful and vibrant appearance. Her long, wavy hair is a rich, golden blonde, cascading down past her shoulders and nearly reaching her waist. Her hair is full and voluminous, with some strands playfully framing her face.

She has expressive, large eyes that are a captivating shade of golden yellow, matching the hue of her hair and adding to her lively look. Her eyes are detailed with a reflective, almost glowing that makes them appear particularly vivid.

"Hehe..."

She has a bright, enthusiastic smile, revealing her teeth and giving her an overall joyful and welcoming expression. Her eyebrows are gently arched, complementing her upbeat demeanor.

"I can't wait to see those guys~"

Her outfit is a modest yet charming black dress with a white collar, evoking a classic and somewhat vintage style. The dress has short, puffed sleeves that add a touch of elegance and a slight retro feel. The collar is a soft white, providing a pleasant contrast to the deep black of her dress.

"The times has shifted, isn't it?"

She murmured as she walked alongside the others after hearing the bad news.

---

About ten days had passed since they left the enchanted forest.

During that time, Katarina Grimoire had been restlessly swaying in the carriage, her heart burning with anticipation. Kirina, the daughter of the fox spirit Serena, who sat beside her, wore a similar expression. The seemingly endless journey across the peaceful plains felt unusually long.

She was eager to meet someone. To see that fearless smile.

Shimmering golden hair. Sparkling eyes. A small, mischievous smile.

A stature not much different from Katarina’s as a child. Yet, with such confidence, standing tall without any shame or fear, as if they could take on the world.

That was—our legendary book "Grimoire". That’s how we want to be.

She longed to see that light soon.

Even with such thoughts, Katarina was not foolish enough to neglect the realities of their situation. And even if she had been, her companions were not. Pushing the horses day and night would only delay their arrival in the end. Patience was necessary for the journey, and everyone understood that.

Under clear skies and gentle breezes, the journey without pushing the horses too hard might have seemed a symbol of peace to any onlooker.

Morning, noon, and night. While eating their provisions, hunting the occasional wild animal they encountered, skinning it, or cooking the meat, Katarina’s yearning never faded.

Later, she would reflect that she had been like a child waiting for the night to pass.

---

They passed through several villages and eventually came upon a rather large town or settlement. It was situated in such a way that anyone passing through the area would inevitably come across it. While it seemed possible to avoid it, their guide, Pookie Shamal, indicated that passing through this settlement would relay a message to the capital of the Beast King.

Thus, they stopped by the settlement and were soon surrounded by beastmen.

“Who are you people?!”

An obviously wary canine beastman confronted them, but they remained calm. Junos was the one to handle such situations. There was no formal agreement, but ever since they parted ways with the Yunofeliza tribe in the demon forest or rather, the demon realm, Junos had become their representative. Katarina had no objections, nor did the others.

Simply, he was the most capable, trustworthy and the strongest.

Junos explained their identity and purpose. There was no room for disagreement.

We are— Grimoire.

With Junos calmly handling the beastmen, they were soon led further into the settlement.

“We’re being watched.”

As the carriage moved forward, Kirina’s fox ears twitched as she whispered to Katarina. Katarina nodded, having noticed it too.

“This place seems like a checkpoint. The road is wide enough for carriages, and the layout of the buildings separates the main street from the back alleys. This is the main street; there are probably more beastmen in the back.”

Some beastmen watched the carriage with undisguised suspicion, and there was a sense that even more were in the back alleys. This awareness came from their training and experience in real combat.

Under Junos’s guidance, all Grimoire combatant members had become keenly aware of their surroundings and the manipulation of magical energy, honed through numerous dungeon explorations.

Although the beastmen watching the carriage were suspicious, there was no hostility—this much Katarina could sense intuitively.

It was natural to be viewed with suspicion. They were demons, riding in a carriage with beastmen.

They were led to a large plaza that seemed capable of accommodating several carriages. The plaza was disproportionately large compared to the settlement itself. They were told to wait there, and the guiding beastman stood at a distance, now serving as a guard.

“Didn’t Euphemia inform them about us?”

Maya shrugged, exasperated.

“Who knows? It’s possible she chose not to or that the message didn’t get through. Either way, we weren’t attacked outright.”

Though Maya’s question seemed rhetorical, Junos answered. The two, being childhood friends, often interacted this way.

“It doesn’t look like they’re welcoming us either.”

“Of course not. Just seeing us would be enough to make them cautious. And we were worried about the possibility of an attack ourselves.”

“We can’t exactly slaughter all the beastmen.”

Maya laughed lightly and shrugged again, finding the reaction of the startled guard amusing.

“Anyway…we don’t know who you are. We’ve only seen Euphemia Grimwood once or twice. We’ve heard she’s recognized by the Beast King, but we don’t know about you. We’re currently verifying.”

Sensing the unspoken plea to stay calm, Maya and Junos exhaled with slight, amused smiles.

Of course, Katarina had no desire to cause trouble either.

However, if necessary, she wouldn't hesitate.

This was the consensus among all of them, including Junos.

In the end, they were left waiting for a while.

Smoked meat? No condiments at all?

At some point, the beastmen, in a show of consideration, brought them food, though the majority of it was smoked meat, which left them somewhat exasperated. As Lex Asuka had lamented, it seemed that the concept of cooking was not very developed in the beastmen's domain.

As the sun set and bonfires were lit in the square, the fox spirit Serena appeared.

She came alone, without any attendants, as if on a casual stroll, and waved at Katarina and Junos.

“—Serena!”

Kirina, unable to hide her joy, dashed forward. Demonstrating the speed honed through her training, she ran straight into Serena's arms.

If it had been Euphemia, she probably would have dodged quickly. But Serena didn't avoid her. She caught Kirina in her ample bosom and ruffled her hair affectionately.

“Oh, what's this? You've become quite the little spoiled child in the short time we've been apart, haven't you, Kirina?”

Serena chuckled seductively before shifting her gaze to Junos and the others, her smile fading.

“You've come at a good time, Junos. And the rest of you as well.”

“We came because you called, Serena. Where is Euphemia?”

“She is attending a meeting with the Beast King. I do not know what Euphemia intends to do. She called you because it was necessary. You can ask her the rest yourself. I am only here to take custody of you.”

“A meeting with the Beast King?”

According to Pookie, they knew that Euphemia had been recognized by Beast King Randall. However, they were unaware that she held a position where she could participate in such an important meeting.

Serena explained.

“Be surprised—no, don't be surprised. A human army attacked a beastman village. The Beast King is holding a meeting because of this. Whether the Beast King himself will go, or if not, who will go in his stead, that’s probably what they're discussing. Whether the Beast King will act or not, that is likely the issue.”

---

They spent the night there and welcomed the morning.

For Katarina and her companions, it was merely an extension of their journey, so they had no particular complaints. They had become accustomed to setting up night watches over the past ten days.

Speaking quietly so the guarding beastmen wouldn't hear, Serena spoke of the schemes of Lex Asuka and Brandon Kruger. The Beast King's son plotting to kill the Beast King. The royal guards betraying the Beast King to make Brandon the ruler.

Serena didn’t seem to know the specific details of the plot. The female lioness hadn't shared any details with her. However, Euphemia seemed to be aware of her schemes.

— I can pretty much guess —

— The anti-lion faction is in your hands —

That’s what Euphemia had said.

Lex hadn't denied it.

“Anyway, Euphemia will tell us what she wants. She must have called us here for a reason. We’ll just do as she says,” Junos said decisively, and everyone agreed.

They hadn't come to participate in intrigues.

They were here as a force.

They had come to be used by Euphemia Grimwood.

That night, Serena and Kirina slept together, while the curved sword-wielding Jade and the lizard beastman Astra took the night watch. The fox spirit and her daughter whispered to each other in voices that no one else could hear, but Katarina didn't pay much attention and quickly fell asleep.

She felt no jealousy or longing.

This fact made her a little happy.

At dawn, after finishing the meal brought by the beastmen, the Beast King's forces arrived.

Among them was Euphemia Grimwood.