Chapter 24 - The General Watches a Moon Panther

  Nathan Evenhart:

  A few days had passed since Cyl had transformed, evolving from a small hawk inter bird, now sp what seemed to be a feathered tail or something simir. Her wings had grer too, and the previously dull red had beore vibrant and alive.

  My aunt and mother said I had to teach ot to burn things anymore, and I reassured them it was ‘involuntary.’ The phoenix had unicated through ‘yes’ and ‘no’ that she couldn't trol it, but she assured me her fire wouldn't burn me.

  The problem isn't the fire but the scolding and ear-pulling I get...

  How do I know her fire wouldn't burn me? When I argued with her, saying I could have been burned, she sneezed fire onto my hand to show me I wouldn't be harmed. I had to ask if it would be the same with others, and she firmed it was only with me. Not even my clothes were burned.

  ‘Knock, knock, knock.’

  Someone knocked on my door, and by the sound a of the knock, I already knew who it was.

  Here es the little brat again...

  “I don't want to py anymore, I didn't enjoy the experience...”

  Chloe entered my room.

  “I didn't give you permission to enter,” I said to her.

  “Let's py again. I know the cold ke game doesn't seem fun, but it gets better once you get used to it,” she said, sitting on the bed.

  I y down, ign her.

  “Nathan, e on... now's the best time. Soon there will be that ‘celebration’ dinner, and we'll miss a rare moment.”

  I looked at Chloe and sighed, tinuing to ignore her.

  “We camp there another day together. I'll bring some things, and we even try to make a campfire. Once, I even took raw fish and cooked it for myself there.”

  “You don't seem to py with other kids much...”

  She looked at me, ughing.

  “There’s no one else to py with here, so I have to i my own games. There are those two sisters, but they're weird. When you meet them, you'll uand what I mean.”

  Unfortunately, the situation hadn't been resolved yet, and since she was born in the middle of all this... she's been alone in these corridors for five years, uo go outside.

  “Alright, I'll join you this time.”

  She smiled.

  “It’ll be fun, you just 't make any noise,” she said.

  As I got up to go, the phoenix flew doerched on the bed. ow slept high up on a piece of furniture that looked like a wardrobe in the room.

  “What’s this? This cute little thing.”

  I looked at the girl and the phoenix.

  “That looks like a hawk; there’s nothing cute about it.”

  Once I met a guy who had a hawk e every day to eat his liver. Poor Prometheus... he was the first Titan I saved.

  “I think it’s cute. Is this the animal mom said is now part of the family?” she asked.

  I looked at the phoenix.

  “I guess she is part of the family now.”

  “She?”

  “Yes. It seems this bird is a girl, and I named her Cyl.”

  Chloe tried to get closer, but the phoenix moved away.

  One of the promises my aunt and mother made me agree to was o refer to Cyl as a phoenix but rather as a domesticated magical bird. They told me there would still be people ied in buying or stealing Cyl, but it would be better than revealing she hoenix.

  If they knew she hoenix, it would attract the attention of the royal family ied iinct bird, aually, the information might reach the Human Empire. No one discover that I have a phoenix, nor should the kingdom ever know the true size a phoenix reach.

  “She’s still getting used to people; it seems she had a terrible experieh humans,” I said.

  “She’s so cute, I wish I could touch her feathers.”

  ‘Squaak,’ the phoenix said, flying away again.

  Chloe tugged at my hand.

  “e on! We have to be quiet; we’ll do this and then go to dinner.”

  I looked at the phoenix, atg me.

  “Stay here, I’ll be back ter…” I said.

  I was forcefully pulled by the rough Chloe.

  She urgently needs tact with other kids; no one likes to be dragged around.

  ***

  We were walking through the dark corridors silently. Chloe knew how to navigate this pce even ich bck. In this world, there were things called 'Light Crystals.' They were small orbs that, when infused with mana, could light up and illuminate well. But feions in the mansion, we only used dles and torches because of ellian. Our panther was a defense system that patrolled the p the dark, so we didn't use the light crystals because he didn't like them and to keep him invisible to any intruder who might try their luck at invading.

  Outside the mansion, in the castle, they used the crystals and ical lighting devices; it was only in our mansion that other types of light weren't allowed.

  “We’re almost there,” she whispered to me.

  Chloe wao show me elliaing.

  Walking through the corridors quietly, we reached the garden area. She dragged me behind a tree, aarted spying on the fountain.

  A silence fell as we stared at a rge pieeat thrown on the ground a few meters ahead, he fountain.

  “How long will we have to wait…” I began to say, but she put her fio my lips.

  “Shh…” she said, returning her gaze forward.

  We stayed there for a while until we saw something in the darkness ahead.

  He appeared!

  The Moon Panther cautiously approached the fountain, looking around suspiciously. He she meat to e wasn't poisoned. Just as the panther was about to eat, someone shouted.

  “LOOK AT THE SPOILED KITTY!” Chloe yelled.

  ellian jumped at the sound, bolted away into the darkness, crashing into trees, and disappeared.

  “Hahahahahaha,” she fell to the ground, ughing untrolbly.

  “You’re crazy,” I said seriously, but uo hold back a ugh.

  “It was funny, you have to admit,” she said, still ughing."You got me, that was funny," I began to ugh, remembering the paumbling away.

  "That's how he is, now he'll be too embarrassed to eat and won't e back out today."

  I sighed, watg the little girl ugh.

  "I imagine you came up with this game."

  "Of course, I did. My mom told me o bother ellian while he's eating, so I decided to test what would happen."

  "I 't believe what I'm hearing from you... your mom tells you not to disturb a pahe size of a grown man, and you do exactly that?"

  "Hey! The important thing is that it's fun," she said, giggling at the memory of the clumsy panther.

  It must be tough growing up fined within these walls. I never felt this trapped at her age... although I didn't have a roof or a pce to call home. I slept on the ground and ate from the trash... then that Psychopath Goddess appeared a me to Agoge...

  "There you are, kids," a voice called out to us.

  "Mom!?" Chloe said, startled.

  "Are you b ellian again?" my aunt asked.

  Chloe lowered her head. "Just a little..."

  Aunt Margaery sighed and then looked at me.

  "It was a bit fun..." I admitted.

  "I know... I've do too. But you shouldn't do it again, we need him alert," she said, taking our hands.

  "Dinner is served, and it will be outside these walls ihrone room of the castle."

  Chloe looked at her with a smile I could see in the moonlit darkness.

  "I get to go out?" she asked.

  "You get to go out, Chloe. problem is almost resolved. Tomorrow, an envoy from the Capital will e to firm some things and will mediate with those troublesome people, and everything will calm down. Their excuse to cause us trouble no longer exists."

  Chloe hugged my aunt. "Thank you, Mom! I finally get to go outside!"

  My aunt patted her head. "Not yet. For a while, you'll only be able to go as far as the castle grounds, and then you and Nathan will be free to go wherever you want."

  My aunt ruffled my hair. "Now go to the mairance of the mansion. You take this," she handed us a light crystal.

  "I've put my mana into it; just tap it a few times to light it up. Go to the door ahem know you're there, and a guard will open it and guide you to the throne room."

  "What are you going to do, Mom?" Chloe asked.

  "I'll catch up with you shortly; I just o have a quick versation with someone," she said, walking away and disappearing into the darkness.

  They know how to navigate this p the dark... just by toug the walls. They've memorized all the routes and paths... is this how an assassin moves? Moving in the darkness without being seen or noticed must be cool.

  "e on, Nathan! I want to go!" she pulled my hand and dragged me along.

  The other kids will have a hard time if she decides to visit the vilge.

  Margaery Evenhart:

  Watg the two disappear down that dark corridor, I sigh deeply.

  I'm sorry for what I've doo you, children… I know I've taken away yht to choose whom you will love, but I hope you'll five me. I did this for your own good. You have a long road ahead, but I promise I will make things easier.

  I will pave this difficult road for you. I'll ehat when the day es for you to share that throhis territory will be back at its peak.

  I will eliminate our adversaries and strehis Duchy. I have a lot to do, but I will work day and night, even if it drains my very soul, to put things ba their rightful pce.

  I took away yht to choose your marriage partners, but I will ehat you have a peaceful life with minimal problems. By the time you take on leadership, there will be no more obstacles.

  I walk towards my destination and open the door.

  As soon as I ehe phoenix, lying on the bed, lifts her head and looks at me.

  "We o have a talk. Sifu told me that you are one of the most intelligent creatures to ever exist, so I know you uand my nguage. I will speak to you as an equal because I want to discuss the future."

  She tilts her head slightly and stares at me.

  "I o know if you will stand with me as part of my family or if you will be a coward and run away. I o know if I t on you or not if things get worse."

  I close the door and begin to have a versation with the phoenix.