The huge beast's claws rose high, and the cute girl before it was struck hard and flew away, landing deep in the forest outside the valley.
"Lisanna!!!"
Elfman watched in agony.
He rushed into the forest like a madman. Thorns scratched his body, opening wounds one after another, but he barely felt them. He simply searched desperately for the petite figure.
No... no... still... no!
He searched the entire forest, even its outer reaches, but could not find his sister.
A terrible thought crept in.
His beloved sister had died without a trace.
The sky turned leaden and rain fell, soaking Elfman as he knelt in despair.
He felt as if his heart were being torn apart.
"It's all my fault…"
"It's my incompetence that made Lisanna—"
A huge demonic shadow tens of meters tall suddenly enveloped Elfman, and each of its steps made the ground tremble.
Dong~ Dong~ Dong~
The dull footfalls seemed to crush Elfman's heartbeat.
Looking up, he saw a terrifying creature with two devilish horns on its head.
Long snow-white hair fell to its calves, ferocious fangs protruded from its lower jaw, muscles bulged across its body, and a few drops of blood glinted on the tip of its right claw.
The Beast King.
Facing the monstrous form, fear left Elfman and only anger remained.
Kill it, even if it means we both die!
Elfman charged recklessly, swinging his fists.
But then something strange happened.
The massive Beast King shrank in Elfman's eyes until it transformed into a familiar human figure — a terrified "Elfman."
He is me?!
Then... who am I?
Elfman looked at his own body. Long white hair fell to his waist. Two huge devil horns crowned his forehead, and his arms were covered in red fur.
The huge figure froze.
How could this be... The monster who killed Lisanna with my own hands... was me...
It's my fault!
Sharp claws with a cold gleam pressed under his chin, able to pierce his skull with little force.
Below, the terrified "Elfman"'s expression stilled, and something like satisfaction flared.
That's right, go to hell.
Then let me inherit your body!
Just as the massive form prepared to end his life, a voice sounded at an inopportune moment.
"Elfman, isn't it time for you to wake up? It's time to eat."
It was Lisanna!
The huge figure hesitated. If he died irresponsibly, what would happen to Sister Mira?
"Brother Elfman, wake up quickly!"
Another familiar voice came, and the giant figure's eyes filled with tears. It was Lisanna's voice.
In a trance, he saw a scene: a handsome young man with white hair rescued Lisanna from "his" clutches at the critical moment. Then the young man treated "him" like a ball and easily got rid of "him."
So Lisanna wasn't dead!
"You tricked me, Beast King!"
As Elfman roared, his monstrous body vanished, leaving only a strong human form.
Opposite him, the impostor "Elfman" could no longer maintain the disguise and reverted back into a monster, though not the massive beast from before.
This was Elfman's spiritual world. As his will grew clearer, the Beast King's presence weakened.
With a leap, Elfman knocked the Beast King to the ground and pummeled it, his fists like mallets pounding the monster's head into the mud.
Unable to howl, the Beast King stared resentfully at the human riding him, trying to use his last consciousness to block the heart of the one receiving his power.
"Brother Elfman, if you don't wake up, I'm going to lose my temper. Don't sleep!"
Lisanna's voice sounded again. Her cute tone made Elfman shudder. He understood the meaning: Sister Mira would be angry.
Startled, Elfman gave the Beast King an opening; the monster gathered strength and struck between his brows.
Bang!
Elfman shattered the Beast King's sneak attack. In his own spiritual world, sober Elfman was invincible.
He said nothing. He grabbed the Beast King's two horns and snapped them, then shoved one into its eye while it struggled.
After a great effort, Elfman sat up, startling Lisanna.
"Brother Elfman, you finally woke up."
Seeing Lisanna's sweet smile, tears welled in Elfman's eyes and he hugged his sister tightly.
"Lisanna, I'm so glad you're okay... so glad..."
His words turned to sobs. Lisanna felt his emotion and clung to him, comforting him.
Mira stood, touched her siblings' heads, and could not hold back her tears.
"It's okay, Elfman."
It was a truly touching scene, though Noah paid little attention to their affection.
[Otherworld Request Completed]
[Reward: A pot of Century Soup]
[Client comment: This is the first time I've seen this kind of meat. It's a pity the butcher handled it rather roughly.]
A steaming casserole appeared within the pure white magic.
Noah caught it and dispersed the light.
Feeling the pot's warmth, it seemed freshly taken from the stove.
Whether Noah had offered the Beast King's meat or had simply received Alu's reward, it manifested instantly through his Prayer magic.
It was as if there were no barrier between worlds.
The smell of cooked meat sizzled. Noah glanced at the fire-grilled meat and his stomach growled at the perfect moment.
The aroma stopped Mira's siblings from crying. Mira glanced at Noah as he arranged the food.
Now that things had settled, they might as well eat first.
Lisanna watched Noah move the grilled meat to the side and set the casserole on the fire. "Hey? Where did you get that pot, Noah?"
"Don't worry about magic," Noah replied casually, then asked, "Did you bring bowls or spoons?"
Mira looked embarrassed. They had come to complete a mission, not to camp; who would think to bring utensils?
This Mr. Noah seemed very relaxed.
Though they had no bowls or spoons, there was time to make them.
Mira glanced at Elfman, who understood and activated his receiving magic, turning his arms into brute-force beast claws.
Elfman ripped down a nearby tree, his claws working in a practiced rhythm to carve wood and form a dense net; a shower of wood chips fell.
In less than three minutes, four wooden bowls and a soup spoon were ready.
Elfman respectfully handed a wooden bowl to Noah, showing his gratitude. If not for this sudden savior, tragedy would have haunted them forever.
Noah nodded at Elfman. After all, he admired a man who risked himself for family.
Turning to lift the pot lid, Noah couldn't wait to taste this otherworldly dish.
The broth was clear and transparent.
Like air itself — if not for the pot's rippling surface, Noah might have thought it empty.
But a rainbow-colored aurora rose above the pot and an intoxicating aroma proved the maker's skill.
[Century Soup: A natural delicacy from this extremely cold land. After drying, it was miraculously recreated by a chef using relatively common ingredients.]
[Effect: On first consumption, deeply repairs and purifies the consumer's body.]
[Side effects: Delicious satisfaction; forces the eater to smile uncontrollably for 30–60 minutes.]
Noah frowned at the Prayer magic's note. A smile that lasted an hour? Could that be a side effect…
Each of them received a bowl of Century Soup.
The rich flavor spread across the tongue.
Calling it merely "delicious" felt inadequate; no better word came to mind.
Lisanna and Elfman felt an unparalleled satisfaction, one they had never experienced.
Beyond the taste, Mira noticed the injuries and hidden scars in her body healing rapidly from the soup.
It felt like being reborn.
Noah noticed subtle changes too. Magic and blood flowed more smoothly; his energy circulation became more efficient.
A clarity from within.
Before long, the four of them were smiling broadly, enraptured by the Century Soup's deliciousness.