CH 267

「… I smell something unpleasant」

When I returned to my room in the mansion, Mashiro who jumped into my arms grimaced.

Eh? What? Do I stink??

When I sniffed my own scent in panic, Kurogane who approached also grimaced.

「… Certainly. What an unpleasant scent… I remember it」

Ehh!? Even Kurogane!? Do I stink that much??

「… Lord, have you met him?」

「Him? … Ah」

Perhaps, nope, no need for guessing, he’s surely talking about Sacred Beast Leon-sama, right?

「… If it’s Prince Ray then I have met him? I mean, it was a New Year’s party held in the royal palace」

「No, not that one…!」

I exchanged a look with Miria and signaled her to clear the room out of people.

「… I understand. Please, give us a moment」

Saying such, Miria took the other maids out of the room.

Now then, a barrier… would be noticed by Oniisama… so let’s go with a soundproof magic… alright.

「… That “him” Kurogane was talking about, did you mean Leon-sama?」

「No idea what his name is, but he’s a lion Sacred Beast」

「… I feel extremely self-asserted and strong fellow. Gross」

「Umu. In spite of having us, the contracted beasts, he left his presence behind on purpose, what a daring fellow…」

Kurogane said in frustration.

「Wai, waiwaiwait? You can tell that easily that I was in a contact with another Sacred Beast?」

Come to think of it, Leon-sama was also talking about scent or something, didn’t he?

「Naturally. Moreover, Lord is possessing our marks to let everyone knows that we are yours」

「Cristea, is our Lord, not letting others claim you, is only natural!」

Ehh~… the hell is that, I wasn’t aware.

To think I have been marked by Mashiro and Kurogane without my knowing…

「You mean that other Sacred Beasts and Magic Beasts understand that, right?」

「Umu」

「No meaning if they didn’t」

Uwaa… then, when I enter the academy, won’t I immediately get exposed to contractors and their contracted beasts…

If not, there’s a possibility that I will get exposed during a summoning class if a Sacred Beast or monster gets summoned, right?

Was this what Otousama and Oniisama meant when they said that it will quickly get exposed when I enter the academy??

「… And yet, leaving his own stench on Lord, how daring of him…」

「Unpleasant guy!」

Unpleasant expressions floated on the two’s faces.

「Leon-sama… ah, that lion Sacred Beast, okay? He also said that he smelled a familiar scent. He said that he smelled other beasts too…」

「In that case, this must be his way of trying to provocate us… he’s insolent as ever…」

… N? As ever?

「Does Kurogane know Leon-sama?」

「I’m not sure whether that Leon is him, but I have competed over a territory with a lion in the past」

… An unexpected acquaintance? … Rather, enemies??

「Competed, you say… why?」

「It’s a thing of the past. I have been wandering around the area and his contractor instigated him to remove me. We were similarly strong at that time, so we couldn’t come to a settlement…」

… Is this a story from Kurogane’s mischievous days?

「So, what was the conclusion?」

「We came to an agreement via telepathy that I won’t make a move on this land. He was obsessed with this land to the point of risking his life after all」

… Withdrawing or compromising… if you could settle it by talking you should have done it right from the beginning.

「Since the town was built on this land afterward, his contractor must have wanted to expulse all that would be a threat to people living there…」

Contractor… the Founding King? … How many hundreds of years ago was that? Kurogane must have lived for a considerably long, huh?

「However, for that fellow to still be on this land… but, the times are different. If he intends to land his hands on our Lord, then I won’t show any mercy」

W, wait a moment!?

A great war of phantoms… or not. A great war of Sacred Beasts would be too scary, so please stop it, alright!?