Liger and Cougar returned out of breath.
'We...we're back. They started bickering on the way back...'
"Hey, where are we? You never told us where you're taking us! And this is in the opposite direction that Temi's fortunes said."
"Sh-shut up! In the end both directions lined up. But your attitude is just causing problems for everyone! This is important for Lord Zew! Everyone, gag Lepe!!"
"Hey, let me go! Ghghghhhhhhh?!"
Hobah picked up Lepe and carried him over his shoulder like a bag of rice, while the Ten Heroic Beasts rushed in to tie a rope around Lepe's fox snout.
"B-brother..."
"Shea..."
While everyone worked on Lepe, Shea and Zew saw each other.
Shea had been searching for Gushara in the Gyariat Continent while Zew and Allen were in the S Rank Dungeon. And then when Allen fought the Evil God's servants with Shea, Zew went to Rosenheim to fight the Demon King's Army.
After that Shea joined Allen's party, and she saw Zew multiple times, but they never got to talk.
'So you're the descendant of Albahar, Zew. Welcome. What do you desire from me?'
"I want Princess Rena to become Beast Queen."
Zew said what he wanted. The Beast God Garm had brought Zew to his Shrine.
And when Shea heard that, her eyes moved around nervously, but her expression remained still.
'Are you joking? What's that supposed to mean?'
"I'm not joking."
Zew remained composed, even though the highest deity of all beastmen looked baffled.
He loved Princess Rena, who came from the Beast Kingdom of Brysen.
That was the reason why he spent many years in the dangerous S Rank Dungeon, all for her.
'So one lives for an empire, the other for love. What should I do?'
Garm tilted his head in an exaggerated manner and asked the two behind everyone.
'This would go against the rules of this world. Lord Garm can only give the trial to one.'
'I believe you'll have to choose one of them, Lord Garm.'
Liger and Cougar, who were a head taller than Zew, replied to Garm.
'That settles it then. You heard them, I'll help one of you, Shea and Zew.'
Garm said he would give a trial to either Shea or Zew.
"Lord Garm, I was never told that..."Ne/w novel chapters are p/u/blished on no/vel(/bin(.)c/o/m
'What? So you came here without any resolve then?!'
"That's not what I meant."
Zew had only gotten there with the help of Shea, so he could not understand what was happening. Cougar had told him something else before he got there.
But Garm's reaction was so overwhelming that he recoiled.
"Lord Zew, we'll always follow you!! Please, accept Lord Garm's trial!! We'll give our lives if that's what it takes!!"
Hobah had given everything to serve Zew, and he reaffirmed his decision.
"Mghhhhh! Mghhhhhhhhh?!"
Luvanka could help Shea with her trial.
'Let's begin then. Liger, Cougar, you two get ready too.'
'Yes!'
'Yes!'
"Wait, why should I go along with such unfair terms?"
'What?!!'
'What did you just say about Lord Garm?!!'
Shea complained to Garm, one of the Higher Gods and the deity of all beastmen.
The two gatekeepers seemed offended hearing that, and bared their fangs at her.
'Ohhhh, now that's a good one. That earned you 1 Garm Point.'
"Garm Point..."
For some reason Garm praised her and gave her some Point.
But Shea did not feel like she had received anything, and her stats remained the same.
In the end, it only seemed to be one of Garm's jokes.
'Anyway, what is this unfairness you've found? Lupto and Elmea will come after me if I don't clarify everything after all.'
There were only about ten Higher Gods like Garm, and he was well aware of how severe Lupto's inquisitions were.
"I only have 1 companion, but I'm up against 10. That feels like an unfair advantage."
Zew had 9 of the Ten Heroic Beasts with him, since Temi was somewhere else.
"What are you saying, Lady Shea?! You're accompanied by one of Allen's summons, and he's the guardian of beastmen Luvanka!!"
One of Zew's men was enraged by Shea's attempt to negotiate.
Hobah was convinced that both groups were equal.
The strongest warriors of Albahar were known as the Ten Heroic Beasts, picked during their yearly tournament, and Allen had met them in the S Rank Dungeon.
That tournament had been delayed after that thanks to the Demon King's Army's attacks, so the members were still the same since then.
"Hobah, are you really in a position to say that when you used the Talent Change Points Allen gained, and are currently wearing the weapons and armor he procured?!"
"Hnrgh!"
Hobah grunted hearing Shea's response. All of the Ten Heroic Beasts had undergone Talent Changes to 5 Star Talents, and were wearing weapons and armor made of Isiris' orichalcum.
It was possible for anyone to gain a 4 Star Talent on their own, but they needed Talent Change Points to gain 5 Star Talents.
Talent Change Points could only be gained by defeating Demon General and Demigod Rank enemies, and the Talent Points used by the Ten Heroic Beasts had all come from Allen.
'Enough, I'm the one who made that decision. So what are you suggesting, Shea? Do you want to complete this challenge with you and Zew alone?'
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound that way. But I want a suitable reward in case I manage to complete the trial under these conditions."
'Oh? And what would that be?'
"Apart from your promised rewards, I want a Fragment of the Moon and your tail, Lord Garm."
'My...My precious tail? Nyoo?!'
Garm embraced his tail and twisted his body like an embarrassed schoolgirl.