Capítulo 59: Chapter 3.30 - Monday, July 18th, 11.19am
"My, if it's isn't the weak little boy who fainted two days ago." The Snow Leopard Queen said to me. "Did you come here to bother my lady again?"
Getting into the White Snake's territory is easier now ever since the last time. At least, we let the Snow Leopards know that Dómr's daughter is not here to play this time.
Under their custody, they bring us directly to their queen.
"Well, it's just as what you guess, haha," I replied.
"…?"
Seeming confused, the Snow Leopard Queen tilted her head and stared at me.
"…Your face is the same, but your tone and speech… who on earth are you?"
"Erm… what are you talking about?" I replied with an innocent look.
"Don't try to play dumb." She uttered. "You are not the little boy I talked to two days ago."
She's not buying it.
"Ah, fine." I heaved a sigh. "The person that you see and talk to that day is merely my second half. Does this make it easy for you to understand?"
“Hann er imposter— dreptu hann!” (He's an imposter— kill him!)
"Growl…!"
Under the Snow Leopard Queen's order, her bodyguards immediately switch to battle mode.
Even if Dómr's daughter and the snow leopards were playmates, the Queen's order is absolute?
"Big brother…!"
Restia was surprised by the sudden turn of the situation. She clings onto me as hard as she could.
"A-Arf…!"
“Þögn, litli hvolpur. Mér er alveg sama hvort þú ert dóttir kennarans míns eða ekki.”
(Silence, little puppy. I do not care whether you are my teacher's daughter or not.)
Looks like Dómr's daughter tried to persuade her, but it failed.
I don't understand. Why are they making such a big fuss about this?
"Róaðu þig." (Calm down.)
I said to Dómr's daughter while patting Restia's head. Dómr's daughter immediately realizes her rudeness and sat down on all fours.
"…!" Snow Leopard Queen inadvertently stands up with a surprised look. "You are… speaking our language…!?"
"Hissa? Ég læri þetta bara í gær.” (Surprised? I just learned this yesterday.)
"Really now… This all the more proves that you are just an imposter, little boy."
She's quite obsessed with the term 'imposter'; I wondered why.
"Even if I really am an imposter, I don't think I could pose a threat to your lady." I leapt down from Dómr's daughter back while approaching the Snow Leopard Queen. "Aren't you being a little too tensed up?"
"Tensed up?" She uttered. "You don't understand the harm that you had brought to my lady, don't you?"
Harm?
The only harm I could think of— is my persuasive tongue.
"Don't tell me she had insomnia…" I said.
"Be prepared if you want to meet my lady." Snow Leopard Queen uttered. "She's been… in a rather bad mood ever since you told her about the cat. Not even I could calm her now."
"Oh, don't worry. A certain someone is on his way just as we speak. He would definitely be a great help."
"Stop trying to act mysterious. It's my teacher— that little puppy's father, isn't it? I believe he told you everything about us."
"Eh… you are no fun. At least try to act dumb."
"…Tsk."
As if recalling something bitter, Snow Leopard Queen clicked her tongue.
… It's probably about the cat.
"If you continue to act this way, you and your lady's situation will worsen," I warned her.
"Worsen? It's impossible as long as I am here."
Looks like I won't be getting through her stubbornness. The ones who could persuade her is probably the White Snake or Dómr.
…I should perhaps, observe for a little bit more.
"Anyways, take me to your lady. If there's anything dangerous, I will leave it to you."
"Very well— what did you just say!?" She immediately looks at me with an unbelievable look. "Weren't you supposed to say 'Please leave it to me if there is anything dangerous'?"
"Erm, well, I mean, if she slams either any of her body on me— I'd probably die, you know? I'm really just as weak as what you said."
CLINK.
She suddenly places her right paw near my neck with her claws out.
"ARE YOU SAYING THAT MY LADY IS FAT?" Snow Leopard Queen uttered with bloodcurdling anger.
Ah, I forgot. Even if they are magical beast, they are still girls at heart.
This is just like when I inadvertently say that my mom had a little— extra fat on her tummy. If it's not for dad, the diet with nothing but fruits and vegetables plus intensive training, which lasted for a week, would've been a month instead.
"Big— doesn't mean fat," I said while grabbing onto her big paw, pressing it down. "Your lady looks pretty to me— just like a pearl."
"Do you really think I would pardon this lie?"
"Have I ever told a lie to you?"
Well, her doubtful expression is as expected— but I had never told her a single lie.
"Well, personally, I think you are spoiling your lady a little too much," I added.
"Nonsense."
"What will your lady do all day other than eating and sleeping?" I said. "It doesn't seem like she would even go for the hunting herself."
"……………"
She's panicking to find an answer.
"…No wonder she would get fat," I added.
Ah, crap.
CLINK.
"MY LADY IS NOT FAT."
"C-Careful with the claws— Hmm?"
"I was here because of my daughter. What is this utter nonsense am I looking at?"
Reacting towards the voice coming from behind Restia, the Snow Leopard Queen immediately retreated her claw and sat down on all fours, lowering her head with fear and respect.
Dómr came just right on time.
"T… Teacher…"
"It's been a while." He said to the Snow Leopard Queen. "Now lead us to her."
"B-But my lady…"
"She had sleep deprivation again? It's alright; she won't dare to hurt me." Dómr murmured with a grin.
Then, Dómr's gaze turns to me afterwards.
"Get on, young master." He said while reaching his paw to me.
What on earth are you thinking, Dómr!?
""""!?""""
"Teacher— why are you—"
"Pay respect. He will be the master you will serve later— just like how I served his father."
"Hold it, Dómr. I want them to serve me with their free will— not under your orders. I never asked for your help either."
"How dare you—"
"Stop it."
Seconds before the Snow Leopard Queen lands her paw on my face— on second thought, maybe my upper body— she stopped.
I'd better stay on his paw first before she hits me for real.
"Cease your rudeness," Dómr said to Snow Leopard Queen while letting me hop to his back from his paw. "He's an important guest to us."
"Us?" Snow Leopard Queen tilts her head as she asks.
"That's right. I want you girls to listen to every word he's going to say later. Let's go."
With that, Snow Leopard Queen takes the lead with full speed forward.
"Eh, hold it— WAHHHHHH!!?"
Without any warnings, Dómr easily followed her behind, leaving his own daughter way behind us.
…………………………………
"… What's taking your daughter so long?"
As soon as we reached the destination, Snow Leopard Queen muttered those pricking words while licking her paws.
"No one ever won against you in speed," Dómr replied.
Hearing that, Snow Leopard Queen then returns a glare.
"…Very well, except me," Dómr added.
"You had never let me win even once, teacher."
"…You do not like it anyways if I lose on purpose."
"That's because you never let me win."
"Ehem, I hate to break it to you two, but would you mind waking your lady while you were waiting?" I interjected.
"GRAW—"
Just when Snow Leopard Queen is about to roar, Dómr reached out his paw in front of her mouth.
"I want to give her a surprise," Dómr murmured, then he took a deep breath.
"OWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"
I closed my ears just in time. Dómr's deafening howl swayed the trees and the grass under his feet.
“HISSSSSSSSSSSSSS…!!!”
A déjà vu.
BAM!
“HVERSU MÖRG SKIPTI HEF ÉG SAGT ÞÉR AÐ TRUFLA EKKI BLUNDINN MINN…!!?”
(HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU NOT TO DISTURB MY NAP……!!?)
After the White Snake grumbles with an unenergetic look, her white scale became visible. Her head came slamming down from above and landed just right in front of Dómr.
"Jafnvel ég?" (Even me?)
"T…"
Without finishing her word, she approaches closer to Dómr, as if to get a look at him clearly.
"Dearest teacher~! It's been a while! I missed you so much…!"
Her body curls onto Dómr with her head snuggling to him, looking happy.
I notice that Snow Leopard Queen is heaving a relieved sigh.
"Hmm…" Dómr is making a somewhat unwilling look. "Your scales are rough, as usual…"
Hearing Dómr's remark, White Snake quickly retreated. It was then she noticed that I'm sitting on top of Dómr's head.
"…Dearest teacher?"
She's obviously asking why am I here, just like what Snow Leopard Queen wanted to know.
"HUFF— HUFF—"
Dómr's daughter made it just in time.
“Sitja, elskurnar mínar.” (Sit, my dears.)
"""…………"""
Realizing that Dómr had something important to announce, his daughter and foster daughters sat where his blood-related daughter is on his left, Snow Leopard Queen on the middle, and White Snake on the right, facing him.
When Dómr sat down, all three of them are staring at me. Seems like he's going to leave everything to me.
But before that…
"Do you know who am I?"
"…You are not the boy that I met two days ago. Who are you?"
Actually, I was talking to Dómr. But since she answered…
"Well, I will remind you once again— I'm not an imposter."
"I know everything about you— you are your father's actual son, and you don't have much time left." Dómr interrupted.
Somehow, I had a feeling that 'you don't have much time left that Dómr said is referring to my lifespan.
"…Yes, I had only about a few hours left before I'm going to split again."
"…Is that so," Dómr murmured while staring at Snow Leopard Queen. "I know the three of you might not like it, but I need everyone to listen to what he's about to say, and every of it that he said is nothing but the truth. You may not like it, but I hope you will remain patient till the bitter end."
"…I had Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)," I said. "In simpler terms, I had two persons sharing my body— and they are all me."
"Two persons…?" Snow Leopard Queen murmured. "Then does this means you are the unification of those two persons?"
"Exactly!"
"When he's in such a state, you could definitely put your hopes on him," Dómr said to them. Then, he stares at Restia. "I believe no one other than the young mistress knows that clearly enough."
With Dómr's remark, everyone turns their gazes on Restia— even me included, where she was surprised for a moment when everyone stared at her.
As her dear brother, I'm curious what she would say.
"Please… believe in my dear big brother…!"
Her answer is well within my predictions.
But for some reason, Restia's words alone is enough to convince them.
I guess it's my turn to speak now.
"I'm sure everyone knew about the test given to me by my father, without the details yet," I said. "To be honest, I really wished this test never existed— but what's done been done, the only choice I had is to make through this with everything I could."
"… It's just a test. How bad could it possibly be?"
"I thought I told you, leopard." I reminded her. "If you continued to act this way, you and your lady's situation will worsen."
"…In what way?" She said, as if it's to provoke me.
"Your arrogance," I remarked.
Doesn't look like she's buying any of it. If it isn't Dómr below me pressuring her with his glare, my upper half would have gotten crushed by her paw.
"My dad placed a spell on Dómr. In a day or two, I need to make a choice to Dómr to kill either the cat, or lady White Snake." I added.
"Such a foolish joke…!"
Surprisingly, the first one to act is the White Snake— where she was stopped by a powerful ice magic spell wrapping most of her body except her head.
"WHY DID YOU STOP ME— LEOPARD…!!?"
"Calm down, my lady. That weak little boy is not dumb enough to spout such a lie."
Good. Snow Leopard Queen is on my side now. However, her arrogance is still there.
"What he's saying is nonsense!"
"I too want it to be a nonsense— but— but— teacher has not uttered a single word…!"
White Snake may be superior compared to her, but she's smart enough to convince White Snake.
"……!"
After looking at Snow Leopard Queen in the eye, White Snake shifted her gaze to Dómr.
"F-Faðir…!" (F-Father…!)
It seems his daughter refuses to believe it as well.
"… It's true." Dómr added.
"HISSSSS--- WHYYYYY…!!? Why would you agree to do this with that boy's father!?" White Snake uttered desperately.
"Each and every time my spouse went on a rampage— none of you showed up to stop her, not even once," Dómr uttered. "…Including her very own daughter."
Though Dómr never mentions this to me, but I already knew it right from the beginning.
"""""!"""""
Everyone was shocked.
"Dómr, you…!" I inadvertently uttered.
I went silent afterwards because I don't know what should I say.
Because I know Dómr is going to crush Snow Leopard Queen's confidence to pieces so that she would listen. However, I don't like this. Those harsh words are too unbearable even for an outsider like me.
"Teacher, I…!"
White Snake went silent afterwards with a remorseful look.
"Every time my life drops to the bottom of the valley… the person who always came for me is none other than this child's father. He took me in as a contracted beast when I became an orphan and took me to see the world. We had been through on the verge of life and death so many times… tell me—"
Dómr heaved a sigh afterwards.
"—is there a reason for me NOT to agree?"
…He overdid it.
"…There aren't," I answered to break the ice. "Dómr, I understand you are something like an examiner, but they don't have a reason to agree with me."
"Indeed, we don't." Snow Leopard Queen added. "But, please, teacher— allow us to repay our debt."
"Debt?" Dómr uttered to her. "It seems like you had no idea how serious your situation is. Among the three of you whom I raised like my own daughters— Black Cat is the strongest. Not only you need to defend your lady snake from her, you even need to make sure that they would survive from an all-out attack by me."
"Growl…!" Snow Leopard Queen could only leak out a terrified and frustrated look.
Because she understands that she will be facing extreme choices that could decide their life and death.
Well, apparently, I had a gist of what she's thinking, though. She wants them to fight till they'd get exhausted and have me choose the Black Cat, but—
"I know what you are thinking, leopard— DON'T YOU DARE MAKE THAT DECISION…!!!" White Snake uttered.
—I know White Snake would never agree with it.
"But lady, that's our only choice—"
"I agree with Lady White Snake." I interrupted Snow Leopard Queen before she could finish. "…There always ought to be a better choice."
Snow Leopard Queen immediately looks at me with an intense glare.
"…ANYTHING REGARDING MY TEACHER, DON'T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT IT."
No wonder Dómr told me that she's the smartest. She'd even considered the possibility to eliminate Dómr— however, between her benefactor, childhood friend and her 'not-so-friendly' childhood friend… the choice is obvious.
That's why she would stop me from picking the safest choice where all three of them would survive. She thought I would choose to eliminate Dómr.
However, right from the beginning…
"You must be mistaken— I never planned for anyone to die."
"How…!? Is it even possible not to make a sacrifice!?"
Good, she caught the bait.
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