This is machine translated and all copyrights belong to the author. Please note that the translator might take creative liberties for better readability. Thank you for reading.
The next day, when Kuuga awoke, he found himself in an unfamiliar place.
Despite feeling uneasy the night before, he had gone to bed in his own room as usual. Could he have been taken away while sleeping?
He was in a stone-built place resembling a temple.
To his right, the sound of flowing water drew his attention. Beyond, water overflowed from a relief resembling a flower, forming a fountain where Kuuga had been lying, almost like an altar.
To his left was a vast open space, its depths shrouded in darkness, but a large door was visible.
Why was he sleeping in such a place?
No one else was around. Perhaps he was locked in here? His first thought was to check if the large door would open.
As Kuuga tried to sit up, he caught sight of his hand and was shocked.
It wasn’t the familiar large hand of Kuuga. Instead, it was covered in black fur, resembling a dog’s paw.
[What is… this?]
His attempt to speak turned into a plaintive whine.
With a growing sense of unease, Kuuga rose and peered into the fountain. His reflection, faintly mirrored in the water, revealed his current form.
[…]
He looked like a dog, or rather, a large one, possibly a wolf, given the bushy mane-like fur. The size suggested it was neither a dog nor a wolf, but some canine creature. His forehead was marked with white fur in a pattern, and the tips of his ears, mane, and tail were also faintly white.
This was his new form. What on earth was happening?
Kuuga had indeed sensed something was about to happen, but this was beyond anything he could have anticipated. His mind struggled to process it.
[Where am I, exactly? And… what have I become?]
His words again transformed into a “Gauu” sound. It was clear that even if he found someone, he wouldn’t be able to ask questions in this state.
He decided he needed to leave this place. But there was no guarantee that it was safe outside. However, staying put didn’t guarantee a change in his situation either.
[I should see if I can get out…]
As he muttered, preparing to descend from the altar-like place, Kuuga’s ears picked up a sound.
Footsteps, perhaps? Growing louder, approaching his location. Realizing someone was coming, Kuuga sat down. It was best to wait and see.
After about 30 seconds, the footsteps halted outside the hall, followed by the creaking of the rusted hinges as the door opened. Someone entered, light brightening around the door, likely from a lamp.
…however, Kuuga realized he had heard the footsteps from a considerable distance. He had waited longer than expected. Perhaps his hearing had improved in this new form.
As the person’s footsteps drew nearer, Kuuga waited patiently. The moment they caught sight of him, they dropped their lamp in shock, making a loud crashing noise.
The loud painful sound echoed through Kuuga’s ears, but he didn’t mind. They gaped at him, stunned, but Kuuga remained still, wary of a potential attack.
“Divine Beast-sama!?”
[What?]
“Wh-wh-wha! The prophecy from 30 years ago was true! I must report this…!”
[Hey!]
The panicked person, leaving the lamp on the floor, hurriedly ran out of the hall.
Kuuga watched them leave, bewildered, then sighed deeply and stepped down from the altar. They had mentioned reporting, so someone would likely come, but he felt no obligation to wait. If they wanted him to wait, they should have explained first. Their failure to do so was their own fault.
From their reaction, it seemed he was some sort of astonishing being, called a “Divine Beast.” Perhaps he was considered a god’s creature. Given the respectful title, he probably wouldn’t be hunted even if he roamed around freely.
The sensation of his paw pads touching the floor felt oddly novel. This body, given its size, must be adult, yet it seemed newly formed. The pads were soft. He’d have to be careful not to injure them by running recklessly before they toughened up.
Then, Kuuga realized something.
Although he hadn’t noticed at first, the language spoken by the person earlier was not Japanese, English, or any language he recognized.
This place wasn’t Japan, or even remotely familiar. It seemed more like something out of a fantasy movie, and the stranger’s attire only added to his uneasy premonition.
As Kuuga tapped his claws on the floor, heading towards the door the human had exited from, it suddenly opened again. Two people entered hurriedly.
One was the young man who had dropped the lamp earlier, and the other, was a man in his fifties wearing a high-end white robe. Both were startled to see Kuuga right in front of them.
“Whoa! Divine Beast-sama, you shouldn’t be moving around…!”
“Keiry, don’t speak to Divine Beast-sama in such a reproachful manner. You’re the one who ran off without saying anything, aren’t you?”
“Ah…!”
Had the other man not reprimanded him, Kuuga might have growled in response. The young man, Keiry, stiffened and repeatedly bowed to Kuuga.
Yet, his face seemed to express a sense of injustice as if he had something to say, making Kuuga tilt his head in curiosity.
The other man then gave Kuuga an apologetic look and bowed deeply.
“I am Ada Reiss, the Chief Priest. I apologize for the rudeness of my subordinate. You will be staying in this ceremonial room until the ritual. It might be confining, but we ask for your patience.”
Kuuga wondered what this ritual was, but he had no way to ask.
At least he understood there was a purpose and a time limit to his stay, which was better than being clueless and helpless. He decided to comply with Ada’s request for the time being.
Grateful for Ada’s albeit insufficient explanation, Kuuga nodded in acknowledgment. The inability to speak was inconvenient.
However, Keiry seemed surprised by Kuuga’s reaction, as if he hadn’t expected a response. Perhaps he thought that communicating with a dog was futile. It appeared he hadn’t neglected to explain but rather assumed it would be pointless.
Noticing this, Ada’s eyebrows shot up, and he turned back to Keiry.
“You don’t deserve to be here. Leave now. Call for Kurone instead.”
“I’m very sorry!”
Keiry, his face turning pale, bowed quickly and left, looking almost tearful.
After the door closed, Ada bowed deeply again towards Kuuga.
“Please forgive the discourtesy of my subordinate. He won’t be allowed to enter here again.”
[No, it’s not that serious…]
While Kuuga was annoyed at being treated like a mere dog, he wondered if it really warranted such a severe reprimand. He had to admit, his current appearance was indeed that of a beast. Remembering Keiry’s distraught face, Kuuga felt he might have been too harsh.
Ada’s behavior suggested that Divine Beasts being able to understand language was known. However, Keiry seemed skeptical.
This likely meant that Divine Beasts were rare, and Keiry was seeing one for the first time.
Kuuga was tired of guessing but wished someone would explain things to him. Where was he, exactly?
Following Ada’s lead, Kuuga returned to the altar and lay down, waiting for further explanation.
Ada kneeled in front of the altar, looking up at him.
“The ‘candidates’ will be gathered soon, but they are busy people… Please wait for about 10 days until the ritual.”
[Ten days!? I can’t leave for that long!?]
Although Kuuga’s words couldn’t be understood, Ada seemed to guess the sentiment. He looked apologetic and slightly downtrodden.
“We will ensure you are properly fed, so please be patient.”
[…seriously…]
He glanced around the room. It was spacious, but only had one high window, dimly lit.
Without the ability to speak, he couldn’t even ask for someone to talk to, let alone expect a TV. If only there were books, he could pass the time and gather information.
[Any chance of getting some books?]
“I’ll have Kurone come to you shortly. I must excuse myself for now.”
His request fell on deaf ears. Kuuga’s ears drooped in disappointment, and Ada, looking puzzled, bowed and left.
Kuuga realized that although he could understand human speech, communication was limited to what could be achieved between an animal and a human. He could nod or shake his head in response to questions, but he had many questions of his own.
Ada seemed to recognize Kuuga’s intelligence but didn’t provide a detailed explanation, perhaps assuming Kuuga already had some knowledge.
What was this ritual? The initial surprise suggested these people hadn’t brought Kuuga here. Yet, despite their astonishment, they didn’t seem to question the situation.
Kuuga surmised he had been secretly brought here by someone else for some ritual.
[I’m completely lost…]
As Kuuga let out a low growl and rested his chin on his front paws, he sensed an unusual scent approaching. Focusing on the door, he waited.
After a short while, the door opened again, and a young man with a kind face entered, carrying something in his arms.
This is machine translated and all copyrights belong to the author. Please note that the translator might take creative liberties for better readability. Thank you for reading.
Edited: December 15, 2023 at 10:25 pm
Thank you for picking this up ❤️❤️❤️ I can’t wait to read this
Dude, they might sacrifice you…