216 Clavis

It was Mom who unexpectedly broke the silent.

"All right, Cyan. Why don't you try trusting the kids and let them try?"

"But, Cassie. If danger were to befall them again, I..."

"It will be all right. They're much stronger than they were before. Besides... It's not like I'm saying they will go without taking any precautionary item."

Mom then went inside for a while before approaching us with the items she held in her palm.

"Here you go."

What Mom handed over to us—No, what Mom tied each to our hands was a red string with a small bell attached. When I tried moving the bell in order to make it ring, it didn't give any kind of voice.

"Huh...?" I tilted my head.

"It's a bracelet imbued with my magical power. It's made in pair, so if you were to be separated and one of you were to encounter a danger, it would ring and notify the other holder of the bracelet—and me, as the one casting a magic on them."

I observed the bracelet that seemed like an ordinary string and bell. To think that this would have that kind of function...

"So, don't worry about it and go," Mom smiled at us before turning her gaze to Dad.

"We can't keep our kids close by and keep protecting them forever, Cyan. Look at the Fumitsuna clan, for example. They already let their kids experience real battles with stray monsters from an early age. If they didn't do it, their kids might not be able to survive protecting the harsh border area in the long run. In this case, it's only a forest that Altaire's used to and it will be fine."

Dad closed his eyes for a while before opening them again.

"Fine, then. Be careful, Lyra, Altaire. Now, time is ticking. The further we delay our search, the farther Clavis might be gone to, and the harder it is for us."

Dad finally gave his permission!

With that, Alt-nii and I looked at each other and nodded as we prepared to go out along with Mom and Niina. We were wearing just enough clothes to keep us warm and easy to move.

However, at the time we were about to depart...

"Onee-chan, Onii-chan! We'll go, too!" Freyja quickly followed us.

"We want to help!" Freyr also followed suit.

"Freyja, Freyr, no! It's dangerous, you two are still so small!" I quickly denied their request.

"But, but...!" Freyja wanted to protest, but she couldn't seem to find any argument to back her protest up.

"I can help with any investigative work!" Freyr tried to argue.

Just when Alt-nii and I were about to be confused over how to make the twins gave up...

"Freyr, Freyja. I'll be staying here while trying to find more information about it. Will you two assist me? I need your help," Dad smiled as he held both of the twins in his arms.

"You need...," Freyr muttered.

"...our help?" Freyja tilted her head.

"Yes, so will you stay and help me?"

"...Yes!!" The twins looked so happy that their help was required, so they completely gave up the idea of going with me and Alt-nii.

With that, Alt-nii and I could go without any hesitation.

"Rurune!" Alt-nii called out to his Familiar who flew alongside him happily.

"Ruru!" Rurune growled.

"Let's find Clavis together!"

"Ru, rururu~!"

"Alt-niichan, Lyra-neechan! Remember to not overlook any smallest possibility if you're stuck or unsure about something!"

Freyr unexpectedly gave an advice before we went away from home.

I smiled at this little brother of mine. He wasn't that much of a talker, and he never really raised his voice. Yet, he still wanted to be of help to us and raised his voice, giving such a long line (for his standard).

"Got it, thanks, Freyr!" I waved my hand at him before running after Alt-nii and Rurune.

***

After running for quite a while, we entered the small forest that Alt-nii mentioned. I've been to this forest a few times before, too. However, the forest gave off a different vibe since the sun wasn't there to light the way for us, and snow was still falling down along with the wind.

It was quite hard for us to see the way and advance, so we decided to walk slowly instead of running from hereon.

"Alt-nii, why did you back me up when I tried asking to follow you along?" I suddenly asked.

"Eh? Hmmm... I'm not sure myself, but when I looked at you when you requested that, I felt like I had to take you along or you won't yield."

"Or I won't yield... huh?" I repeated his words and pondered.

Mmm, maybe he's right. I wasn't planning on yielding no matter what.

Acting on my intuition wasn't really a good thing to do if there was no logic to it, but for some reason... it felt as if I wouldn't be calm unless I did that.

Maybe I will be able to find out why soon.

"Thanks, then! Anyway, where do you think he's headed to?" I asked Alt-nii.

"Hmm, let see... I have several places in mind, so let's go through them one by one."

After that, we visited several key places like the biggest tree in the middle of the forest, the small dungeon in the forest, and so on.

As we tried to look in the key places like that, I noticed that the snow and the wind started to become milder—in other words, the snowstorm was called off and it was only snowing mildly.

It was also starting to get darker. Perhaps Clavis was really not here and we should probably go back soon?

"Alt-nii, should we head back soon?" I voiced my thought to Alt-nii.

"Hmm... You're right. But let's try just one last place I've got in my mind. It's around this way," Alt-nii said as he led the way.

I nodded and followed him obediently.

By this time, Rurune seemed to be tired of floating, so she was nesting on Alt-nii's shoulders.

"Still, it's really a safe forest like you said. The monsters we encountered so far weren't that strong. Moreover, the forest is so quiet..."

"Well, it's winter. Perhaps most of the monsters are hibernating. But you're right. There's never a strong or scary monster identified here. Oh, we're here."

The trees started to get thinner as we proceeded, and when I looked forward, there was a small lake ahead.

"Beautiful lake...," I muttered as I saw the moon being reflected on the clear surface of the lake.

The moon was at its fullest and it was so bright—I guess we had searched for quite a long time. But then again, night arrived earlier during winter.

"Ru...?!"

Suddenly, Rurune stood up and floated again. She slowly moved to approach the lake and to the other side and...

I halted.

Alt-nii also stopped his feet.

Rurune was floating right in front of Alt-nii while looking in front.

There was never a strong and intimidating beast found here, huh?

Yeah, right, a flag was raised now.

After all, we stopped since we felt an overwhelming aura from the monster standing on the opposite side of us, near the beautiful lake.

The monster was actually beautiful—its silver fur glowed the same as the moon's reflection on the lake. However, its fangs were long and sharp. It seemed to be growling at us in... fury?

Furthermore, its claws were also sharp. Its body size was also... quite big. The monster looked like a wolf, but their sizes differed.

Also, there was a certain red marking on the wolf's face. The glowing red eyes also looked menacing...

Alright, that was certainly a unique monster, and not like your ordinary wolf or beast.

"This, Alt-nii, we should...," I tugged Alt-nii's arm, but Alt-nii was too focused on the monster. His eyes were opened wide, as if he was hit with a surprising revelation.

I wonder what surprised him to this extent?

"Rururuu!!" Rurune's voice was suddenly heard, as if calling out to the monster.

Uhh... Ruru, why are you calling out to the monster...

At that time, oddly enough, Freyr's words resounded in my mind.

[Remember to not overlook any smallest possibility if you're stuck or unsure about something.]

And at that time, a sudden train of thoughts hit my mind.

Wolf-like monster.

Silver fur.

When you take a good look at its eyes, although the irises were red, the pupils were grey...

Those descriptions alone...

It can't be...

When I was about to shake this absurd conclusion forming inside my head, I could hear Alt-nii's surprised and unsure voice, calling out to a certain someone.

"...Clavis?"

With that, my head went blank.

I mean, beastmen had the beasts' blood flowing inside them, but as far as transforming goes...

Beastmen who could transform...

That would be the feared werebeasts... Right?

And Clavis was only a beastman, but, but, but...

"Clavis... Is that you?"

Alt-nii repeated his words again as he slowly took a step forward.

Only to be greeted by the wolf's seemingly angry growl.

"Grrr..."

That... wasn't the Clavis I knew.

The wolf monster in front of us, it was surely not Clavis, right?

It doesn't make any sense at all.

Though my head was screaming like that, I couldn't stop my mouth from forming this one name.

"...Clavis...?"

"Grrrroooarrr!!"

The intimidating roar echoed, and I felt a shiver running through my spine.

What is wrong? What is right?

What should we do?

It was a total blank inside my head at this time.