The Principle of a Philosopher by Eternal Fool “Asley”

Gathered in the south of Eddo, where Betty and Belia, Idéa, and Midors had just departed, were the colossal Beasts: Haiko, the Ashen Tiger; Kokki, the Black Tortoise; Kohryu, the Yellow Dragon; Shi’shichou, the Violet Phoenix; and Weldhun, the Crimson King Ox.

“It seems that we are all of the same mind…”

Kokki, the Black Tortoise, muttered as he looked at everyone.

“Hey, I was just out for a walk! Really!”

Weldhun, trying to conceal his embarrassment, declared in a hurried manner.

“Oh, but I’m out on a stroll as well.”

Kohryu said, cracking a joke to start the bandwagon that Weldhun had inspired.

“I’m looking for Miss Pochi.”

Haiko’s excuse took an unexpected yet expected turn.

Shi’shichou heaved a sigh as if looking down on the four.

And then, while gazing up at the sky, it murmured,

“Tomorrow… No, it’s already today.”

Everyone gazed up at the same sky as the Violet Phoenix.

“Our destinies… rest on that youngling.”

“Well… I don’t particularly dislike that notion. He has already saved us once, after all.”

Hearing Kohryu’s words, Kokki shifted his attention to the former.

“What’s this? Feeling indebted now?”

“Yes. Is there a problem with that?”

Kohryu turned his head toward Kokki.

Then, Kokki slowly shakes his head.

“I didn’t sense that from your actions until now, that’s all. I’m the same…”

“I’m not all-powerful, you see. Much like determination, gratitude is something I can’t easily express unless pressured by the flow of time.”

Kokki cracked a dry smile at Kohryu’s explanation.

“…Something’s coming.”

Weldhun said, still looking at the sky.

Then, Haiko twitched his nose.

“A young Dragon.”

Everyone looked up at the sky again. There, they saw a small four-winged Dragon swimming through the air.

“Ah! I see the Heavenly Beasts!”

“Well, well, if it isn’t Baladd!”

Appearing before the Heavenly Beasts was Lina’s familiar, Baladd.

Baladd landed in the center of the five, folding its long neck neatly.

“Good evening!”

“”Good evening.””

As if everyone had rehearsed the timing, they returned the greeting to Baladd.

“Wow! As expected of the Heavenly Beasts! You’re all in sync!”

In an instant, the faces of all the Heavenly Beasts darkened.

“Indeed! All of them followed me without question. After all, I’m the leader of the Heavenly Beasts–“

“–You shouldn’t listen to the old man’s nonsense. Of course, they followed me, the real leader.”

Kokki spoke first, and interrupting him was Haiko — and then Yellow Dragon extended his neck.

“No, everyone came together because I, as the coordinator, was here.”

Weldhun stepped to his side to hold Kohryu’s neck down.

“No, no, no! It’s because I, the familiar of the former Holy Warrior, am here that they are all united.”

Weldhun proceeded to say, but then Shi’shichou perched on his head and said something for himself,

“……Actually, it’s thanks to me.”

With just a short statement, speaking with his back turned to Baladd, Shi’shichou caused all the other Heavenly Beasts to react aggressively.

“What are you saying!? You’re the biggest brat of all!”

“Know your place! Your contributions aren’t even that big!”

“Oh, NOW you think you’re above the rest of us!?”

“I’mma smash you, little bird!”

While under the intense gaze of eight eyes, Shi’shichou remained composed.

Despite the overwhelming pressure from these five, Baladd repeated what had been said earlier,

“Wow… As expected of the Heavenly Beasts… You’re all in sync…”

Upon hearing this, Kokki, Haiko, Kohryu, and Weldhun turned to look at one another then averted their faces in embarrassment.

Finally, a moment of silence ensued. Then, after a sigh of exasperation from Shi’shichou, he asked Baladd,

“Do you need something?”

“I was just out for a stroll! Would you all like to join me?”

“Oh-ho…?”

It was Haiko who responded with interest.

“The wind feels great up there!”

“We don’t mind, but… Weldhun can’t fly.”

While saying this, Haiko looked at Weldhun.

“Huh? You can’t?”

“Hmph! What’s so good about being able to fly, anyway!?”

“He may be a Heavenly Beast, but he’s still relatively young. That ability will come in due time. Oh, I have an idea, Weldhun. Would you like to ride on Kokki’s back?”

“”No.””

It was a swift rejection from both Kokki and Weldhun.

Kokki did not want Weldhun on his back, nor did Weldhun want to ride on the Tortoise’s back.

Baladd blinked in confusion, and Kohryu, seeing that, chuckled.

“Hehehe, young Dragons always bring about enjoyable events.”

“More importantly, aren’t you concerned about your Master… that girl, Lina, was it? How is she?”

Haiko asked.

“Master Lina is currently watching over Master Asley with Miss Pochi! Secretly! From the shadows!”

The proud tone in Baladd’s voice prompted Haiko and Kohryu to exchange glances.

“But… why? Surely the Wielder of a Thousand Tricks would notice them…”

“Indeed. His ability to sense arcane energy is likely the best of his kind, second in this world only to Devil King Lucifer…”

As they spoke, Baladd’s expression darkened slightly.

“Well… So far, Master Asley has NOT noticed them.”

“……An acute case of obliviousness?”

Kokki asked, one eye opened wide.

“I DID get noticed, so I wouldn’t say it’s that bad…”

Baladd’s words did not seem enough as an answer to Kokki.

Still, the Black Tortoise chose not to ask any further. It was a judgment that, for Baladd and everyone present, it was the best course of action.

“All right.”

Kokki opted to say just that and proceeded to seal his lips tightly.

“B-by the way, why can’t you fly, Weldhun? When everyone else can?”

Baladd, eager to dispel the tense atmosphere, hurriedly redirected the conversation.

Kohryu then explained to Baladd,

“It’s simply because he’s young. None of us could fly when we were at Weldhun’s age. Well, except for Shi’shichou, who is naturally an Avian.”

“Hmph, that light… it just gets in the way. I could produce it too if I wanted.”

“Oh-ho… so you intentionally suppressed the light during flight?” Haiko remarked, astonished by Shi’shichou’s growth.

In response, the Violet Phoenix briefly spread his wings.

“Hmph.”

And with that little movement, Baladd’s eyes sparkled like a little boy’s.

“Ooh! You’re shining!”

“Weldhun has only lived for a few hundred years, while I have lived for five thousand. They say Kokki over there has lived for ten thousand.”

“Ah, I see! So, you’re still quite young because you were sealed together with Miss Lylia!”

“That’s right. Which means this is a gathering of old geezers.”

Kohryu’s eyes narrowed at Weldhun’s blunt statement.

“Calling me an old geezer? That takes some nerve.”

“O-oh yeah? And what are you gonna do about it, huh!?”

Under Kohryu’s cold gaze and emanating fighting spirit, even the composed Weldhun began to show signs of panic.

“Including Kohryu in a statement about age is a taboo. Once, Kokki almost got strangled for making that mistake.”

Haiko remarked, surprising Weldhun.

“I-I didn’t know about that! Dammit!”

Weldhun’s playful tease had no effect on the serious Kohryu — or rather, it had too much of an effect.

As Weldhun struggled to come up with an excuse, Kohryu smoothly approached and effortlessly entangled Weldhun.

“Come now, it’s the last night before the final battle! You ought to enjoy the refreshing wind high up in the sky!”

Holding Weldhun in his grasp, Yellow Dragon soared.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”

The Yellow Dragon, swimming through the air, carried Weldhun against his will.

“Well, I suppose I’ll join them. Come the final battle, I shall put my life on the line… for Miss Pochi!”

With a wry smile, Haiko took flight, following Kohryu into the sky.

“Hmph, I would rather spend my time in peace and quiet, but it seems that is not an option… the era dictates it. They’ve gone quite far ahead. Let us give chase, young Dragon.”

“Yes!”

Kokki moved at a leisurely pace, following the trio.

Baladd, before taking flight, turned around upon realizing that one still remained motionless.

“Shi’shichou…?”

The Violet Phoenix gazed into the sky, not towards the southern sky where everyone had flown, nor the western sky where Lucifer awaited… but towards the north.

“Um, is something wrong…?”

In response to Baladd’s question, Shi’shichou finally turned to the Dragon.

“Being young… hmm…”

“Huh?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Since you’ve kindly invited me, I’ll show you my nightly stroll route.”

“Wow! Really!?”

“Don’t get too far behind.”

“Yes!”

The two spread their wings and danced into the vast sky of the final night.

A few moments later, echoes of laughter from the five Heavenly Beasts and the Dragon resounded from Kamiyama, the sacred mountain of Eddo.

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