Chapter 33

"Could you explain what this is all about?"

A fragment of the wind wanted everyone to hear, so in the garden, the members of the Turquise family, the servants, and the members of the [Earth Giants] had gathered. Not all the servants could come, as two were left to guard the gate, but John, who was off duty today, was present.

"Hmm..."

Everyone faced the fragment of the wind.

"First, what is this?"

Shiro pointed to where three puppies were playing between them and the fragment of the wind. They were not ordinary puppies; all three had green fur. The children watched the three playful puppies with shining eyes.

"They are mine," the wind wolf answered casually.

Shiro glared at him with a squint.

"When did you have time to make puppies?"

"Last night."

"What, speed breeding?"

"Chimeras don't give birth like ordinary creatures."

The fragment of the wind sighed, exasperated. Indeed, they were newborns, but their size was about that of a one-month-old puppy.

"Are they familiars? I thought you couldn't create familiars?"

"By my power alone, no..."

"Then how?"

"I had help from a higher wind spirit."

"Huh? What's that? Did you get married?"

"Last night."

The fragment of the wind nudged the puppies—no, the wolf pups—into a line with his nose.

"These are my children, but they are newborns and don't have much power yet. They will grow stronger in time, but for now, they can only enhance your magic power."

The fragment of the wind looked up at Shiro seriously. Seeing his expression, Shiro sighed deeply, understanding what the wind wolf was thinking.

"Shiro, I want to give my children to your children."

Everyone except Shiro murmured in surprise. This meant the chimera had acknowledged the children.

"Master Chimaera, isn't this a bit too soon?"

Tomason asked on behalf of everyone, but the fragment of the wind shook his head.

"Perhaps, if it were a powerful chimera, but my children don't have much power. It would be easy to form a contract now. As the children grow, my children will grow with them. They will be helpful, not harmful."

"But, Master Chimaera? While Master Will has some affinity, Lady Selena and Lady Nina don't have any wind attributes yet..."

Elise continued, and the fragment of the wind glanced at Shiro.

"Without going into details, Shiro and I are bound by a blood contract. It's not a weak blessing that will disappear after one generation. The affinity will develop in time."

In other words, Selena and the others were born with the blessing of the wind chimera. The blessing of spirits and chimeras is more powerful than human affinity, and it's not difficult to form a contract with a weak chimera.

"Is it not too soon, then?"

Rin, who had just been revived, asked timidly. She still seemed to be affected by her recent mistake, and her usual composed demeanor was nowhere to be seen.

"Now is a good opportunity to train the children while they play..."

The fragment of the wind looked back and forth between Shiro and Cecilia. Shiro turned to Cecilia, who nodded with a smile.

"I will follow Master Shiro's decision."

Cecilia didn't understand much about chimeras, but she trusted Shiro and the fragment of the wind. If they had made a decision for the children, she had nothing to say.

"Yes... Eventually, we would have to talk about the blessing. It will be safer for the children to have chimeras with them..."

"Indeed."

With Shiro's approval, the fragment of the wind turned to the children.

"Children, would you take my children's hands?"

At the fragment's urging, the wolf pups trotted forward and stood in front of the children, who looked at them with shining eyes.

"What? What is this?"

"Magic circles..."

Magic circles spread at the children's feet, and Nina and Selena exclaimed in surprise. Similar magic circles also appeared under the wolf pups' feet.

"Amazing..."

"Beautiful..."

"Really beautiful..."

Mina, Aika, and Misha whispered, captivated by the light of the magic circles. Everyone let out a sigh of wonder at the gentle, sparkling light.

"Come on."

Will, who had experienced this before, reached out to a wolf pup, and the flowing, cord-like magic power intertwined and stretched toward the wolf pup. The sisters followed suit, and their magic power also intertwined and stretched toward the wolf pups.

"It feels so mysterious..."

Selena whispered as the magic circles illuminated them, and Nina nodded. Soon, the children's magic power connected with the wolf pups' magic power. When the connections were firmly established, the magic circles disappeared, and the light of the magic power faded.

"Amazing..."

"This is a contract with a chimera..."

Tomason and John, who had been watching the children form the contracts, murmured in amazement. It was rare to witness a contract with a spirit or a chimera. Everyone present had experienced something precious. The children, still excited, each picked up a wolf pup, which nestled comfortably in their arms as if they had found their place.

"These wind chimeras will be your partners from today on."

"Are you giving them to us?"

Will tilted his head, and the fragment of the wind nodded.

"Yes. Take good care of them."

"Yay♪"

Will, Selena, and Nina were delighted, showing off their new wind chimeras to each other.

"That's great."

Shiro patted the children's heads.

"Make sure to thank the fragment of the wind."

"Thank you, Fragment!"

The children bowed together at Shiro's urging, and the fragment of the wind nodded in satisfaction.

"Yes, the next step is to give names to these chimeras. Give them good names."

"Names?"

Will looked at the chimera he was holding.

"Names..."

"Names, huh..."

Selena and Nina gazed at the adorable wolf pups and murmured.

"What kind of names would be good?"

Selena couldn't think of anything right away. She wanted to give a satisfying name to the cute chimera she had received. Nina, standing next to her, nodded contentedly and raised her chimera to exchange glances.

"Strong names would be good!"

"Huh...?"

Nina's suggestion made Selena look at her sister in confusion. She looked at the wolf pups again, unable to understand why strong names would be appropriate for such cute creatures. Unaware of her sister's thoughts, Nina started listing names.

"Gomez, Goliath, Gonzalez. Hmm, and Boom, Volcano, Dorriguez. Then Ponce, Destler, and Pachoretz. Oh, right! Voldemort."

"Wait, Nina?"

Shiro hastily intervened, and Nina looked at him curiously. When Shiro turned to everyone, they all had wry smiles.

"Um, Nina..."

Shiro looked back at Nina. The wolf pup in his arms seemed to be trembling. Letting Nina name them might not be a good idea, he thought.

"What is it, Father?"

"Well, since we received these chimeras, why don't we hear everyone's opinions?"

Shiro suggested tentatively. Nina looked puzzled but nodded with a smile.

"That's a good idea! There might be even stronger names!"

Shiro sighed and smiled wryly, wishing she would reconsider.

"Shall we prepare some drinks? It might be tiring to stand and think."

"Good idea. Stella, please."

Cecilia nodded at Stella's suggestion.

In the end, they decided to move to the living room to name the wolf pups.