MTFBMP Chapter 17

It wasn’t as bright as the torches, but I could tell where the stair treads were.

 

‘So I’ve been given permission to come down.’

 

I slowly descended the stairs, one foot at a time.

 

Suddenly, I saw something. The last step leading to the ground was exceptionally shiny.

 

When I reached the edge, there was a pile of feathers. They were all glowing golden.

 

I thought to myself, ‘Did he prepare this for me?’

 

The next corridor was dotted with feathers, too, like guiding lights. On the surface, it looked like I was about to receive a confession, but the content was gruesome.

 

Creak—

 

I don’t think I’ve ever walked so heavily in my life. This was the hardest moment in all my life.

 

Screech—

 

The last of the feathers, I deliberately trod on it and stood, then turned to face the cage.

 

— There you are.

 

“Huh?”

 

I had expected Adelaine in human form, with the only difference being that I was worried about whether he was clothed or naked.

 

But what I saw was, unexpectedly, the form of a beast.

 

“Today, why did you appear like this…”

 

In his flying form, Adelaine crouched in the corner, cowering to the best of his ability. If it weren’t for the glow of his feathers, I wouldn’t have known where he was.

 

— You came too late.

 

It’s my fault again, he said, and there was something pitifully pathetic about saying it in the form of a helpless beast.

 

‘Just a while ago, I was so scared and trembling.’

 

She was more horrified when he was in his beautiful human form, and pitied him when he was in his beastly form.

 

But in the vision, Adelaine did not hesitate to pierce my heart with a sword. That fact must not be forgotten.

 

“I want my coin back.”

 

‘Hmm’. Adelaine snorted as a beast. The mere gust of wind from the snort was enough to push the feathers piled in front of him to my feet.

 

He meant to say this.

 

Adelaine lifted one of his clawed front paws, revealing the still-gleaming coin underneath.

 

“Yes! That one. Give it back.”

 

— Come and take it.

 

The beast was not amenable.

 

‘Are you sulking?’

 

He didn’t look angry enough to say he was upset. It didn’t seem to want to take it out on me right away, even though it had been grumpy at the door.

 

“Excuse me, are you not going to change into your human form today?”

 

Trying to figure out if he wasn’t angry, I pushed a little harder.

 

— You didn’t seem to like the looks of it.

 

“Of course not.”

 

Against my will, I quickly denied Adelaine’s words.

 

There’s no way I, and no one else, could dislike one of my greatest masterpieces, one of my finest creations!

 

Even if you took away all personal opinions and judged Adelaine’s appearance, there would be no human being in the world who would dislike him.

 

“Last time, I was just, like, a little flustered…”

 

Adelaine’s appearance and low self-esteem. That interpretation was completely unacceptable to me. Apart from the horror I felt at the sight of him, he was objectively perfect in appearance.

 

— Well-spoken for someone who just ran away.

 

“No, I mean…”

 

— I just don’t have the strength to change now.

 

It sounded weaker than last time, somehow. At times, it moaned. It didn’t seem to want to hurt me. Rather, it seemed to be holding in the pain.

 

Was I being too optimistic?

 

My sympathies kept rising. I kept forgetting that it was Adelaine in front of me.

 

— When my strength is exhausted, I will lose myself again, losing the human form.

 

It was the first time I’d ever heard those words. I didn’t remember giving him this setting.

 

“I…, I don’t know what you mean.”

 

— When the beast’s instincts take over, and it eats my mind, I will see you as nothing more than tasty prey.

 

Finishing his statement, Adelaine growled and made an unmistakably bestial sound. The devastating force of it, combined with the content of his words, was immense.

 

— It still is. Strangely, looking at you makes me hungry. You taste better than anyone else, and I want to eat you.

 

If you speak so frankly, how do I simply walk into a cage?

 

— So, shining human, come on in while I still have my wits about me. I won’t hurt you now.

 

Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but sounds like a ‘please get in here before I kill you!’ kinda thing.

 

Even though it sounds like he’s being considerate, when it comes down to it, he’s being completely selfish.

 

After he finished speaking, Adelaine slowly raised his head and stared directly at me. I could clearly see the light of the feathers reflected in those eyes.

 

For a moment, they shrunk vertically, then slowly expanded into a round shape.

 

I could tell he was watching me without blinking.

 

It was the last thing I wanted to think about at this point, but I did. 

 

‘Beasts can be beautiful,’ I thought.

 

“How can I trust you not to hurt me?”

 

— What do I need to promise?

 

“Give me proof that you won’t hurt me.”

 

— Human, all I can give you now is a promise. And that requires no proof.

 

When I asked again, his answer was the same.

 

Soon after, Adelaine nudged the coin forward using only one claw. If I reached out, I wouldn’t be able to touch it, but it was out of his reach.

 

— Take it if you want. As fast as you can.

 

‘Until I retain enough sanity in this body not to eat you.’ Adelaine thought.

 

That was all Adelaine said, and then he just stared at me.

 

‘That’s weird.’

 

I blurted out a promise, but there was no written contract like Dion’s, and I felt like I had to honor it.

 

I wonder if this is the same sense of responsibility Simon feels.

 

At least he had sworn an oath on his sword, but there was nothing tangible between me and Adelaine.

 

‘And yet, it’s strange,’ I thought, ‘I feel strangely obligated to keep my word.’

 

Maybe I was just fooling myself, hoping to make myself feel better about the situation, but on second thought, it wasn’t my choice.

 

I walked a little further inside and stood in front of the cage door. The lock was still open and rattling, so I decided to remove it first.

 

Underneath the lock were layers and layers of chains, and undoing them one by one felt like a workout.

 

Finally, after removing all the obstacles blocking the door. 

 

Without hesitation, I opened the gate to the cage that held the beast. 

 

“It’s done.”

 

Squeak—

 

Screech—

 

With that single step, the last boss was inside the cage.

 

The beast didn’t immediately pounce on me once I entered the cage, and I realized that maybe he was keeping his promise to himself.

 

It was a small, comforting thought.

 

“The door, you can’t close it. That’s another promise.”

 

Adelaine didn’t answer. I took the silence as an affirmation.

 

I took one more step and the prison grounds came into view.

 

In the last cell, Adelaine’s prison had a wooden wall on one side. It was wood, but it was also the exterior wall of a ship, so it had to be pretty thick, and it was riddled with dents and gouges.

 

The floor was even worse. There were countless claw marks from the beast, and not a single plank was intact.

 

If I made a mistake, this could have been me.

 

Or straight into the beast’s stomach.

 

Creak—

 

With only a few steps, I quickly closed the distance between myself and the crouching beast. Now it was within reach.

 

“Can I…, take that coin?”

 

I asked for permission, at least sort of.

 

The beast remained still, crouched, watching me. I don’t know if it was the atmosphere, but for some reason, it didn’t seem to blink.

 

As our eyes met, the beast scratched the floor with its hidden claws, but its fur muffled the sound.

 

It was a gesture that seemed to conceal its still raging insides.

 

“Don’t you dare move from there!”

 

I exclaimed, and then quickly picked up the coin.

 

It was indeed Simon’s coin, as it was shining magnificently. I quickly tucked the coin back into my bag. This time, I made sure not to lose it.

 

“I’ve got the coin, I’m leaving!”

 

It was one thing to break in, but running to the cage door was another.

 

One step out, and I was free from this prison.

 

“…”

 

That was strange. Somehow, I felt like I shouldn’t have left him behind.