Chapter 24

The griffins are heading towards the imperial palace where Aleksey and the others are. There are three of them in total.

Soon, knights carrying bows gathered around Aleksey, kneeling as if waiting for his instructions.

"I can handle this alone. Stand down!"

Aleksey said this and used magic to push the knights against the wall. The knights' armor clanged loudly as it hit the wall.

(His Majesty has a short temper. He's scary. I wonder if the knights are okay? That was a huge noise!)

Eleonora observed the knights and frowned.

"...Your Majesty, did the knights intend to shoot arrows at the magical beasts?"

She asked, looking at the scattered arrows and bows that fell when the knights were pushed against the wall.

(They didn't do anything wrong. Why would they try to shoot arrows?)

Aleksey looked puzzled at her question.

"You don't seem to be afraid of magical beasts..."

Aleksey looked into Eleonora's purple eyes and remembered that Pai's eyes were almost completely covered by skin, making them barely visible.

Curious about what her eyes looked like, he asked, and she lifted the soft, fleshy skin, saying, "Hey, I don't know the color of my own eyes, so Ham-chan, you tell me."

Her eyes were the same purple as Eleonora's.

"...Rather, why should they be afraid? Magical beasts never leave the Forest of Magic."

"Why do you say that? Before the Holy Maiden exterminated the magical beasts, there were knight garrisons in all directions around the Forest of Magic to deal with them. It was because the magical beasts came out of the forest. To humans, magical beasts were nothing but a threat."

She nodded.

"...I am aware of that. However, magical beasts do not leave the Forest of Magic on their own."

Aleksey's eyes widened at her answer.

"You seem to know a lot about magical beasts."

(Darn. I do know about magical beasts. They are my friends, the children. But if I tell him I have memories from my previous life, he won't believe me. After all, the gods of this country teach that when people die, their souls go to heaven. There's no one like me.)

As she struggled to answer, the knights shouted that the magical beasts were approaching, and she looked up at the sky.

The griffins were getting closer.

(That griffin is Guri-chan!)

The knights were trying to draw their bows, but Aleksey had immobilized them.

(His Majesty is good at magic! Ham-chan said my magic power was sealed. If my body can't handle the immense magic power, it will be overwhelmed. I'm small, but I can make fire now! I want to show Ham-chan.)

The three griffins landed on the rooftop where Aleksey and the others were.

The next moment.

"Guri-chan!"

Eleonora stood up from her chair, spread her arms, and ran to hug one of the griffins.

"Guri-chan, who are these? Did you get married and have children?"

The griffin called Guri-chan responded with a chirp.

"Right, right! So this one is your husband and this one is your son? Oh, how cute! You brought them to show me. You found me, didn't you?"

The griffin chirped again, and Eleonora nodded.

"Right, you can find me by the smell of my soul, can you? Amazing, Guri-chan. You're cute, handsome, and smart."

Aleksey was certain.

Eleonora was Pai. The reincarnation of Pai.

"Pai!"

Aleksey called Eleonora by the name Pai. She turned around.

"Why do you know my name..."

Eleonora finally realized she had been speaking with a dialect and fell silent.

(Darn. I spoke. This isn't how a lady should talk! I messed up!)

"Are you Pai?"

Aleksey asked Eleonora, his eyes welling up with tears.

(Why does His Majesty know my old name? Maybe Ham-chan told him about me? Ham-chan must be close to His Majesty! Maybe I can meet Ham-chan!)

"...You might not believe me, but I have memories from my previous life."

Aleksey approached Eleonora and reached out his hand.

"You are Pai, aren't you?"

When asked this, she nodded quietly.

The area was in an uproar, and the bells were still ringing loudly.

Eleonora, surrounded by the three griffins, was beaming.

Indeed, Eleonora was Pai.