Ch.147Beast-kin (2)

Crunch! Crunch! Crack!

There’s a common expression about being dumbfounded. It’s generally used when facing absurd or ridiculous situations, similar in context to being speechless.

My current situation is quite like that. Why? Because of the beastwoman, Leona Lions, who’s deliciously eating a steak right in front of me.

The steak Leona ordered is a T-bone steak, with meat attached to a T-shaped bone. Normally, people leave the bone and eat the remaining parts using a knife and fork.

But look at this beastwoman—no, this beast-woman. She’s creating her own new dining method.

Eating with a fork without even cutting with a knife is just the beginning. What follows is so dumbfounding it’s almost awe-inspiring.

She cuts the bone with the knife that was meant for slicing the meat, then uses the fork like a spoon to put it in her mouth. And then she chews it up.

This is not a metaphor—she’s literally chewing the bone whole. If she were an ordinary human, not only her teeth but even her jaw wouldn’t survive, yet she’s eating it like it’s a snack.

‘…Is she not a lion but a hyena?’

Hyenas, famous as scavengers, have tremendous bite force that allows them to chew not only bones but even ostrich eggs, from what I’ve heard.

Of course, Leona has identified herself as a lion beastperson, so she’s definitely not a hyena, but I can’t help but be suspicious. Lions eat meat, not bones.

Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!

“Mmm. Mmm. The bones are delicious too. The sauce seeps into the marrow, creating a subtle flavor.”

“…Doesn’t your jaw hurt?”

“This much is nothing. Crunch.”

The sight of her genuinely enjoying her meal is impressive. I don’t think I could use the expression “sucking the marrow” in front of Leona. She’s not just sucking the marrow—she’s chewing the entire bone.

I silently watched until Leona finished her meal(?), then looked down. Perhaps because I’d been staring too intently, there was still a lot of steak left on my plate.

Feeling like Leona might steal it, I immediately resumed eating. Although it was a bit noisy with the crunching sounds from across the table, I managed to continue without much trouble.

“Ahh. It’s been so long since I’ve had such a delicious meal… Thank you so much.”

“…I’m glad you enjoyed it. Are you sure your jaw doesn’t hurt?”

“I told you it doesn’t hurt.”

Leona waved her hand dismissively at my question. At the same time, she wiped around her mouth with a napkin and grinned.

Though her expression was clearly one of happiness, I still felt uneasy. I carefully asked while putting a neatly cut piece of steak in my mouth:

“Leona, you said you’re a lion beastperson, right?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Not a hyena?”

“Oh come on… Sigh.”

Leona started to flare up at my question but then took a deep breath. She seemed to be trying to regain her composure.

After a moment, she crossed her arms with a slightly grumpy expression and spoke in a voice that brooked no argument.

“There are questions you can ask and questions you shouldn’t ask. You’re lucky it’s me—if you had said something like that in front of another lion beastperson, you’d immediately receive a Holmgang challenge. Hyenas don’t have a good image among us.”

“Holmgang?”

I’d heard of this once before, not in this world but in my previous life. It’s one of the important cultural practices of the Vikings—the epitome of manliness and the first people who come to mind when you think of “barbarians.”

Holmgang is not just a simple duel; it gives the winner power over the loser’s life. If one refuses the challenge or begs shamefully for their life, they lose all honor and are no longer treated as a person.

‘First Yggdrasil, now this—there seem to be traces of Norse mythology scattered throughout this world.’

Yggdrasil, the capital of Alfheim, is originally the world tree in Norse mythology. Perhaps this world has deep connections with Earth.

Of course, only the gods know the true answer, so it’s not something I need to worry about right now. I’m just an ordinary human living in this world.

What’s more important now is the content I need to write for the Biography of Xenon.

“Is that what I think it is? A duel where the winner has power over the loser’s life?”

“Something like that. And the winner can take everything from the loser. Not just their body, but their power, wealth, and finally their life. It’s considered extremely sacred since both honor and life are at stake. However, it’s not something you can request recklessly—you need a clear justification and the approval of the Great Chief.”

“Can you explain in more detail?”

Leona gladly accepted my request. First, she explained the conditions needed to request a Holmgang.

First: Witnesses are required.

This prevents people from recklessly challenging others to Holmgang and taking their possessions. The witnesses must not tell even the slightest lie.

However, if there are no witnesses, direct approval from the Great Chief is required. The Great Chief acts as a kind of judge, but in this case, one must go through quite a rigorous process.

Second: A clear justification and motive are needed.

Holmgang isn’t granted simply because you dislike someone. Whether it’s for defiling honor, accumulated grievances, or grudges—a justification that anyone would find convincing is necessary.

This rule was created to prevent the strong from arbitrarily exploiting the weak, but conversely, if the weak accept the Holmgang, the duel proceeds.

Third: At least a chief-level authority figure must observe.

Holmgang is believed to take place under the protection of Hart, the god of nature—not just a simple duel. Therefore, a chief must absolutely observe so that the honor of both the challenger and the challenged can be preserved even after death.

Fourth: If one gives up during Holmgang, they are branded on the forehead.

They are treated not simply as losers but as cowards who have betrayed even the protection of the gods—a disgrace to the tribe. Because of this, those who give up midway are not only expelled from the tribe but often end their lives out of shame.

Even their funerals aren’t properly conducted. This means they are despised even in death and cannot go to Valhalla, the home of warriors.

“Finally, warriors who have participated in Holmgang cannot challenge or be challenged for one year. As proof, the winner receives a bone necklace, and the loser receives a bone ring.”

“I understand the winner, but wouldn’t it be mentally tough for the loser?”

“They transform that anger and sadness into strength, using it as fuel. Besides, we don’t mock or insult the loser. Someone who was close to the loser might challenge you to Holmgang.”

“Hmm.”

It’s more complicated than I thought. I slowly organized what Leona had explained.

I understand that one can take everything from the opponent, but the process of establishing the duel is quite intricate.

“So the Great Chief is… like a king to us humans?”

“Yes.”

“Can Holmgang be challenged against the Great Chief too?”

“Initially—yes. Whether it’s for the greater good or personal grudges, Holmgang is equal for everyone. Even if you desire power, that’s fine. Power is strength after all, so you can challenge with the justification of craving strength. But there would be strong opposition. The likelihood of receiving a Holmgang challenge immediately after the one-year period is very high.”

“Has that ever happened before?”

“Historically, quite often. As you know, we revered strength, and strength was everything in our ideology. Before we established our own civilization, challenges for the position of chief were commonplace. However, since chiefs were inherently strong, changes were rare.”

“History…”

I took notes as Leona explained and pondered the history of beastpeople. Until now, beastpeople hadn’t established a separate civilization and lived in scattered tribes, but after the racial war 300 years ago, they founded Animus.

If they hadn’t been massacred by humans, perhaps their population would have been larger, though not as large as humans. Even now, there are beastpeople around the world who haven’t joined Animus.

So, is Animus well-unified currently? During the time of the first Great Chief and founding father, Hick, all beastpeople were united as one, but there must be political issues.

‘Didn’t she just mention that they’re divided into factions—those who believe in interacting with humans and those who don’t?’

Checking my notes again, I confirmed I had written it down correctly. I nodded and moved on to the next question.

“Can you tell me about the structure of Animus? I’m curious about how beastpeople are divided, like how humans are divided into royalty, nobility, and commoners. Oh, and if there are terms used among beastpeople, please tell me those too.”

“Well, the Great Chief is like a king, chiefs are like nobles, and below them are officials and warriors. In the past, chiefs were called ‘jarls,’ but that’s rarely used now. As for warrior ranks… apart from the chief and the elite units below them, there’s hardly any distinction. Anyone would fight bravely for achievements and honor.”

“Is this completely normal for beastpeople? Risking your life for honor?”

“Of course. That’s who we beastpeople are. Humans might see it as ignorant or barbaric, but we can unite under the name of honor.”

Leona spoke with gravity, not in her typically cynical and fierce voice. Her voice was already deep, but it became even deeper, giving off a strange sense of power.

I looked at her eyes, which had somehow turned golden. They were definitely dark brown earlier, so the change must reflect her emotional state.

I don’t know why she enrolled at Halo Academy, but I plan to avoid asking about personal circumstances as much as possible.

“So to summarize everything you’ve told me so far, beastpeople are a warrior group that values honor, even if they’re few in number. Is that right?”

“Exactly. Well, occasionally there are tyrants consumed by greed, but most issues are resolved among ourselves.”

“Hmm…”

A very interesting story forms in my mind—a story related to one of the Seven Deadly Sins, a beastperson, and Satan.

If Lilith became a demon after losing someone she loved, Satan turned to demonhood after being betrayed by his homeland. With the sacred duel of Holmgang, at the end, Xenon challenges…

‘No, it should be the younger sibling who challenges.’

There’s someone who will become Xenon’s friend and ease the conflict between humans and beastpeople. The child of the Great Chief, who has a weak body but a strong heart.

Furthermore, this character, who will play a very important role in the future, is Satan’s sibling. The story goes that this sibling challenges Satan to Holmgang, and Satan reluctantly accepts, leading to a fight between them.

Satan was exhausted from his fierce battle with Xenon at that time, but the sibling was inherently weak, so they were defeated. However, Holmgang doesn’t end unless one side declares surrender.

The sibling, with their weak body, continues to fight desperately, and Satan squeezes out his remaining strength to preserve the sibling’s honor.

‘And then say that his anger has been appeased. This is good!’

Perhaps this could shatter the beastpeople’s mindset that only values strength. From Leona’s story, beastpeople seem to prioritize physical strength in many ways.

But if it can be shown that one can become Great Chief through a different kind of strength, not just brute force, wouldn’t that be interesting? Furthermore, through Satan’s circumstances, pointing out the internal issues of beastpeople one by one.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I’ve gained valuable information. Indeed, there’s a limit to the knowledge one can gain from books.”

“It’s nothing. I’m the one who got to enjoy a delicious meal. But…”

“Yes?”

Leona trailed off and began to hesitate. She couldn’t meet my eyes and fidgeted, seeming embarrassed to speak.

While I tilted my head in confusion, Leona twitched her perked-up ears and quietly opened her mouth.

“…That.”

“This?”

What she pointed to was none other than the steak on my plate. I had also ordered a T-bone steak, and only the bone remained.

Following that, Leona, as if suppressing her embarrassment, closed her eyes tightly and expressed what she wanted.

“If you’re not going to eat the bone… can I have it?”

“…”

“It would be a waste to leave it, don’t you think?”

That’s normally left uneaten. I can’t help but laugh at how absurd this is.

“At that rate, why don’t I just order another one? That much is fine.”

“Who are you calling a pig?! Even if I’m shameless, that’s too much…!”

“Wipe the drool from your mouth before you speak.”

“Ah!”

That was a lie. I chuckled as Leona hurriedly wiped her mouth with a napkin.

Growl~

“…”

As a bonus, her stomach growled, demanding more food. Being a beastperson, she probably eats much more than humans, so it’s natural that one steak wouldn’t fill her up.

I stared at Leona’s tomato-red face and silently moved my hand. It was the bell to call the waiter.

Ding-

“I’ll order one more. Medium again?”

“…Yes.”

Leona answered while covering her face with both hands. Her ears were drooping with embarrassment.

As I called the waiter, Leona looked at me through the gaps between her fingers and called out softly.

“…Hey.”

“Yes?”

“If you have more questions later… feel free to ask anytime.”

“That would be great for me. I still have a mountain of things I want to ask.”

“But in return…”

“In return?”

She moved her lips and then spoke with difficulty, her voice full of embarrassment.

“If you buy me something delicious…”

“…”

“…would that be okay?”

Why does it feel both cute and pathetic when she reveals her desires while being embarrassed?

I chuckled and then answered as if to say do as you please.

“Do as you wish.”

“…Thank you.”

Leona expressed her gratitude sincerely.

And then…

“Excuse me, sir? I’m sorry, but could you tell me where the bone is?”

“…”

I was at a loss for how to answer the waiter’s question. I silently looked at Leona…

Crunch-

She was watching cautiously while crunching on the bone.