Chapter 22: Loyalty

15 Years Old Arc: The Subhuman Beast Girl

Loyalty

"..."

The study of the head of the Bernstein family.

Rüdiger von Bernstein looked up at the ceiling.

The source of his headaches was his youngest son, Maximilian. Reports had come in from Daniel Weiss, one of the capable butlers, and from people at the academy, that Maximilian had been engaging in vulgar acts with his attendant, Celica Ahrenheim, in various places.

Putting a collar on her was clearly going too far.

Trying to reason with Maximilian only made him furious, his eyes, already narrowed from his mother's slanted shape, becoming even more rigid.

He became especially unreasonable when it came to Celica, and his vision narrowed.

"...Is it time for an arranged marriage?"

Maximilian was already fifteen years old.

It was probably time to consider an arranged marriage.

As for Celica Ahrenheim, honestly, he couldn't bring himself to worry.

After all, she was so beautiful. Even if she had become Maximilian's "mistress," the man wouldn't leave her alone.

Rüdiger also owed her a debt of gratitude for helping his son recover from his incapacity, and he had already paid for her tuition at the Bellandenburg Academy of Magic.

Rüdiger von Bernstein reached for his cell phone, hoping to find a contact.

★★★

It happened on my way home from the academy, while Max was away, busy with student council work.

I was walking down Friedrichstrasse towards Landen Station.

A little boy fell in front of me, clutching his scraped knee and crying loudly.

The boy looked about twelve years old.

He had large, silver animal ears and a tail, and his hair was silver with yellow streaks.

He was also a Korsak. It was the first time I'd seen one other than my mother.

I couldn't just leave him there, so I rushed over to him.

"It's okay. Go away, pain, go away!"

I placed my hand over his knee and cast a healing spell.

The scrape healed almost instantly.

["Thank you, my fellow Korsak! I'd like to thank you properly, would you come with me?"]

I was taken aback for a moment when he spoke in Korsak, a language I hadn't used in a long time.

Perhaps interpreting my silence as an affirmation, the boy took my hand and led me somewhere.

★

I was led to the old town, a ten-minute walk from Landen station, a place filled with a jumble of stone buildings.

The boy stopped in front of one of the buildings and took my hand, leading me down the stairs to the basement.

When we reached the basement, the boy opened a door with a small sign that read "New World"

"Uncle Baden! I've brought her!"

The boy, a member of my own kind, shouted in a bright voice, completely different from when he had been crying.

He led me halfway into what appeared to be a dimly lit bar, where a tall, solidly built man, probably around 190 centimeters tall, blocked the entrance.

The man's skin was tinged with reddish-brown, and he had brown animal ears and a tail.

'Damn it! It was a trap!'

I quickly looked around the bar. There seemed to be no other entrance or exit besides the one we came in through.

"Don't be so wary, little girl with the collar."

From the dimly lit back of the shop, a slightly hoarse, somewhat high-pitched voice for a man could be heard.

Following the Korsak boy's urging, we proceeded to the back of the shop, where a man was sprawled on a long sofa.

He had dark skin. Black hair with golden streaks. A fierce face. A slender but toned body, like bundles of iron wire.

On top of his head were rounded, triangular ears with the same golden and black coloring as his hair, and a white tail peeked out from behind his rear.

"I'm Baden, from the Lycaon tribe. I'm in charge of this bar. Welcome, 'Healing Beast Princess,' Celica Ahrenheim. Let me introduce you to my other companions as well."

Baden flashed his characteristic smile, raising only one corner of his mouth, and pointed to the right from my perspective with his open hand.

"This is Mia, from the Munchkin tribe. She works as a server at the bar, and she's also a great singer."

"Nice to meet you. Let's be friends, fellow beastkin girls."

From behind the counter emerged a charming, pretty woman in her mid-twenties.

On her head were small, light brown animal ears, unusual for a beastkin.

Baden then raised his hand to the left.

A long-eared man sitting at a table in the bar, typing on a computer keyboard, glared at me.

"This is Lightmeyer of the Long-Eared Tribe. I leave all the difficult tasks to him."

"I've heard so much about you, Celica Ahrenheim."

"And behind him is Kentaro, the Dingo Tribe cook. He's the best at making Yashima cuisine."

"I'm Minamino Kentaro. You can forget that if you want."

Kentaro gave me a slight bow.

"And finally, there's Finn, the Korsak Tribe, the same as you, the young lady, who does odd jobs."

"Thank you for earlier, Big Sis. I'm sorry for deceiving you."

"These are the members here. ...Welcome, Celica Ahrenheim, the princess with the collar. And welcome, to the Outsiders Mutual Aid Organization."

Baden remained seated on the sofa, spreading his arms wide with the same cynical smile as before.

★

I was seated at a table, and as I sipped the lemon squash Mia had served me, Mr. Lightmeyer, a member of the Long-Eared Tribe, sat down in the seat opposite me, facing me.

He began speaking, glaring at me and sizing me up.

"Your contributions to the Fallen Angel Incident are well-known. ....Among the victims of that incident were members of the Long-Eared Tribe. First, let me express my gratitude for your role in resolving the case."

"No, I couldn't do anything."

"Don't be so modest. Saving a human life is something to be proud of."

After admonishing me, Mr. Lightmeyer continued.

"Let's get to the main point. ...Let me get straight to the point. Are you aware that the Bernstein family, who put that collar on you, cooperated with Operation Reinhold?"

"What...? What does the Bernstein family have to do with Operation Reinhold?"

Operation Reinhold.

This was a policy of extermination against Eastern peoples implemented during the Great War under the regime of the Mad Emperor Walhelm III and Imperial Chancellor Rudolf Hister.

This plan was conceived and directed by Reinhold von Gaidrich, a member of the royal family and the national leader of the secret police.

To expand the territory where the Albanians, who were densely populated within the country, lived, the local inhabitants were massacred after the conquest of the East.

The victims were mainly the Suryaag people, but the Long-Eared people and the "inferior races," the Beastmen, were also included.

However, the execution was supposedly carried out by a "killing squad" established by Gaidrich, comprised of secret police officers and local Albanian Empire collaborators.

'What does this have to do with the Bernstein family? Honestly, I didn't quite understand what the Long-Eared man in front of me was saying.'

"The Wehrmacht is pure and upright. You completely believe this narrative, don't you? ....Well, perhaps it's understandable since you were under Bernstein's control.

Field Marshal Friedrich von Bernstein... I believe he was a general at the time, but while engaged in the Eastern Campaign, he cooperated with the killing squads by transporting victims and looting their property."

"....Such a thing..."

...I couldn't say it was impossible.

It was the Great World War. Anything could happen.

"But General Bernstein did work hard to instigate an armed revolution against Walhelm III and Hister, didn't he? Didn't he save many beastmen and long-eared people as a result? Besides, soldiers can't disobey orders, right?"

"...So you're still taking Bernstein's side, or rather, Maximilian's, right?"

Mr. Lightmeyer sighed softly, then spoke to me as if speaking to a child.

"You owe a debt of gratitude to the Bernstein family. Certainly, you feel indebted. However, please consider the beastmen as a whole. Don't you have any pride as a beastman? Don't you have any feelings of mourning for the sacrifices of your comrades in the past?"

"...Mr. Lightmeyer, even if what you say is true, my loyalty to Maximilian-sama remains unchanged."

"You're blind to little Maximilian! Calm down a bit."

"That's enough, Lightmeyer. You shouldn't be too harsh on such a beautiful woman."

Baden stopped Mr. Lightmeyer from continuing.

Lightmeyer looked displeased but complied.

"Besides, it seems your ride has arrived."

"Celica! Where have you been wandering off to!"

The shop door was roughly thrown open, and my beloved Master called my name.

Three members of the Bernstein faction were also accompanying him.

★

"You'd love me just the way I am~♪ But I'm always just making deals~♪"

With Mia's pleasant soprano voice as background music, Maximilian and I sat diagonally across from each other at the same table.

The other three were cautiously sipping their drinks, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.

Maximilian spoke.

"Did they say something strange to you?"

"Don't you have any pride as a beastman? Don't you have any feelings of mourning for the sacrifices of your comrades in the past?"

Lightmeyer's question crossed my mind.

But to me, Maximilian was everything.

I shook my head and replied.

"No, I was just invited to join a mutual aid organization between beastkin and long-eared tribes."

★

While we waited as Mr. Baden instructed, Kentaro brought the food to the table.

It was a set meal of grilled Atka mackerel and fried horse mackerel.

The other three were served their respective set meals a little later.

"Wow!"

I could feel my tail wagging from side to side.

"Itadakimasu."

I picked up my chopsticks.

As I tried to remove the backbone, I could feel the texture of the oily flesh.

Carefully removing the small bones, I brought the white flesh to my mouth, and a flaky texture spread throughout my mouth.

I also started eating the rice in the bowl.

The fish oil coated the soft rice, creating a delightful texture in my mouth.

I picked up the lightly pickled cucumber and pickled radish with my chopsticks and chewed.

The oiliness of the fish is reset by the refreshing flavor of the crunchy vegetables.

I drink the miso soup. It contains fried tofu and bean sprouts.

It's not just a salty miso soup; the flavor of the broth, which I think is made from dried sardines, is quite prominent.

A set meal is definitely the way to go.

I've been taken to a kaiseki restaurant before, but the constant clearing of plates makes me feel self-conscious.

Maximilian-sama seemed surprised to see me eating the set meal with chopsticks, wagging my tail.

He hadn't touched his food.

He might be wary.

I take small bites of the food served to him, just to taste for poison.

The fried horse mackerel was delicious; the plump fish was encased in a crispy batter.

Mr. Lightmeyer watched us eating together with a slightly exasperated expression.

★

The next day, Maximilian and I were summoned to the conference room by a teacher during lunchtime.

The teacher, sitting in a chair with documents spread out on a large table, offered us chairs before beginning his explanation.

"I've brought you two here today to discuss Ahrenheim's future. You know that a new Magic Support Department will be established next year, specifically to support Aerial Mages, right?"

"Yes, I am aware of that."

I nodded in confirmation.

"I would like you to transfer to that Magic Support Department. Those students, constantly suffering injuries, will need the power of the Healing Beast Princess."

"Wait a minute, sir!"

Just as I was seriously considering the proposal, thinking that I might be needed, Maximilian stopped me.

"Celica would be troubled if she were suddenly told to transfer departments when she's enrolled in the Magic Practice Department. Besides, she's my attendant."

"...This is also your father's wish, Bernstein."

"My father's?"

Maximilian looked surprised and confirmed with the teacher.

My transfer to the Magic Support Department is also the wish of the head of the family, Mr. Rüdiger.

".... I understand. I accept that."

"Celica!"

"I cannot go against the head of the family's wishes. And it's alright, Maximilian-sama. Except for departmental classes, we'll continue to be together as before."

"....."

It seemed that the complicated procedures had already been completed, and all that remained was for me to sign one document.

From next year, I might be spending more time with Mergen and the other Aerial Mages.

★

That afternoon after school, I was grabbed by the arm and dragged to a hotel in the entertainment district, where I was violently loved by Maximilian-sama.

I writhed in ecstasy.

TL Note:

Operation Reinhold: It is a direct reference to Operation Reinhard, Nazi Germany's secret code name for the mass extermination plan for Jews in the General Government (Nazi-occupied Poland) during World War II. Or you might be more familiar with the term "Holocaust"?

Reinhold von Gaidrich: Its direct reference is Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich, a high-ranking SS and police official in Nazi Germany as well as one of the principal architects of the Holocaust.