The cool breeze carried the fragrance of the blue flowers on the edge of a certain prairie…-.
On that hill outside of Besmar, Land of Beastmen, there was not a single soul. But a dubious voice rang out.
Vim: “…so, there’s no forest in this ‘desert’ or ‘oasis’?”
Azalee: “That’s right, there’s nothing like a forest with it’s mass of plants and vegetation. Most of it is sand. It’s not an unusual site in my kingdom.”
Beul: “That means there’s no fruits or vegetables to gather… if it’s mostly sand like you said, that means there’s no fish either~?”
Vim: “Does that mean you don’t eat meat then? How can you even live like that?”
Azalee: “Hm, well we get it through trade. My kingdom of Salusha is overflowing with high-quality golden sand. In exchange for that, we get goods from the various neighboring kingdoms.”
Azalee, in the middle of his journey, had coincidentally run into Vim and Beul, and from the moment they’d met, the two beast princes had been wrapped up in Azalee’s pace for doing things…-.
While surprised, they remained detained there, captivated by his stories.
Azalee: “In one country, there are birds that can speak like humans! It is a very interesting place.”
Vim: “Hey, birds obviously can’t talk.”
Azalee: “They can! With their shrill voices, they can recite the words I’m speaking now.”
Vim: “Really…?”
Even though his expression was dubious, Vim’s eyes sparkled with curiosity…
Seeing him like that, Beul hid a smile.
Beul: “You’re pretty interested in that, huh Vim.”
Vim: “Huh? No, I’m not…”
Beul: “…your tail is wagging.”
Vim: “!?”
Vim noticed his own tail wagging then and frantically held it down.
Azalee: “Haha, your tail is lovely, so full of emotion!”
Vim: “Hey… your tone is all weird. Aren’t you scared or anything? Most humans that don’t really know about beastmen act that way…”
Azalee: “Is there anything I should be afraid of? You two are my charming and considerate friends for listening to my stories like this!”
Vim: “Who are you calling charming!?!”
Beul: “Hehe, it’d be nice if everyone thought that way.”
Vim: “…”
The beastmen don’t have much trade with other countries, and humans regard them as dangerous due to misunderstandings.
Thinking of that unpleasant relation, Vim slightly turned away…
Azalee: “Then you two need to get out more and tell everyone how wonderful the beastmen are! Once people see how kind you two are, I’m sure they’ll understand right away! If nothing else, the outside world is fascinating! Ah, maybe I should be the one telling everyone how wonderful the beastmen are!”
Azalee’s smile sparkled, and Beul and Vim sat there dumbfounded…
Eventually, the two chuckled together.
Vim: “Give me a break, saying something so weird like that.”
Beul: “But you know… I want to see more of the outside world myself.”
Azalee: “It would be great if you could. There is no greater treasure than the experience gained on a journey! Ah, I know! That reminds me of this other thing…-“
Azalee’s adventure wasn’t over yet.
The two beast princes listened to his unbelievable experiences even as their hearts turned towards an unfamiliar world.
END