Chapter 38: Choosing a Beast

Their destination? The most famous beast trader in the entire capital—Eldrun Beastmark. Though few had seen him in person, his name was well-known among nobles. It was said he had contracts with everything from elemental wyverns to shadow hounds. His shop was not for commoners, and only those with high status or rare qualifications could even enter. Unlike the usual merchant areas, the shop was hidden between two noble districts, protected by a large, warded gate. Strange runes carved into the iron shimmered faintly with mana. As they approached, Roman glanced sideways at Fenric. "Your Highness... what are we doing here?" Fenric gave a small smile. "Getting a beast." Roman paused, then asked, "...When did you receive a blessing?" It was widely known in the palace that Fenric, due to his weak body, had never been granted a proper blessing. The idea that he could now tame a beast strong enough to match royal standards genuinely surprised Roman. Fenric didn’t answer the question. He simply kept walking, calm and steady—his steps carrying the quiet confidence of someone wearing half a mystical armor set gifted by the Emperor himself. When they reached the gate, the ancient runes pulsed as if recognizing him. With a low creak, the gate opened. Roman looked impressed, but Fenric walked through the gate without saying a word. "I haven’t received any blessing," Fenric said casually. It was a lie—but a necessary one. Thanks to Duserdis’s unique blessing, granted by a living Supreme, no one could sense whether Fenric was truly blessed or not. It cloaked his presence perfectly, allowing him to move unseen by the usual divine senses. So he hid the truth, choosing silence over revelation. "...It’s just a beast," he added with a shrug. "Nothing more than a pet." Roman nodded, accepting the explanation. He quietly probed Fenric’s aura, and as expected, found no sign of divine blessing. That seemed to settle the matter for him. Perhaps, he thought, the prince really was just here to get a pet. Nothing more. But deep within Fenric’s Mana Sea, where legends stirred and ancient power pulsed, another truth quietly burned. The moment they passed through the warded gate, the air changed. It was thicker—charged with wild mana and the scent of fur, feathers, smoke, and something more primal. Magical lanterns floated above the path, casting soft light across a courtyard filled with reinforced pens, shifting cages, and habitats far more elaborate than anything in a noble’s zoo. Creatures both familiar and arcane stirred behind magically bound walls—scaled lizards with ember tongues, translucent wolf-like beasts with flickering eyes, even a silver-plated hawk that shimmered in and out of reality. Roman whistled low under his breath. "This place is... serious." Fenric didn’t reply. His focus was forward, toward the central pavilion where a wide platform rested beneath a canopy of glowing beastwood. At its center stood a man with silver hair, draped in long robes made from stitched wyvern-hide and star moth silk. His right eye glowed with an artificial lens, and his left arm was clearly a grafted limb—sinewed with dragonbone and spiritwood. He looked up as they approached. "You must be Fenric," the man said, voice low but resonant. "I felt your mana the moment you passed the threshold." Fenric stopped a few paces away. "And you must be Eldrun Beastmark." The man smiled faintly. "That’s what they call me. So, Prince... what are you here for?" Roman subtly stepped behind Fenric, eyes sharp and scanning every movement. Fenric replied calmly, "I’m here for a beast. Nothing more." Eldrun chuckled and stepped down from the platform, his footsteps echoing like slow drumbeats on the warded stone floor. "Then let’s not waste time." With a snap of his fingers, the courtyard transformed. Runes embedded in the floor glowed to life. Cages shifted and realigned. Illusions peeled away like layers of smoke, revealing dozens of majestic and powerful creatures—each one exuding a unique aura: fire, lightning, silence, shadow, radiant light, and even raw void essence. "These," Eldrun said with the pride of a master showman, "are not tamed. They’re bound only by temporary contracts—just enough to keep them civil. If you want one... you’ll have to earn it." Fenric’s gaze swept across the array, his eyes narrowing with focus. "I’m not looking for something ordinary." Eldrun smirked. "Good. Because nothing in this yard is." Roman leaned slightly toward him. "Do you even know what kind of beast you want?" Fenric didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stepped forward, mana pulsing softly from his body like a rhythmic tide. The reaction was immediate—some beasts flinched, others bowed their heads instinctively, and a few lifted theirs, drawn by his presence. "I’ll know it... when I see it," he said quietly. Eldrun raised a brow at that. "Very well. You’re free to examine my entire collection. Just call if something catches your eye." Fenric nodded in acknowledgment. He exhaled once, then slowly closed his eyes. A thin golden ring formed around his pupils as shimmering lines of Soul mana etched across his irises. Soul Projection—his own version—began to manifest. From deep within his consciousness, Duserdis stirred. {Hmm? You’re already here? Good timing. Very well—since you’re serious, I’ll lend you my full Talent Appraisal version of Soul Projection. Max-level clarity. You’ve got 24 hours. Use it well.} The voice echoed in his mind like an ancient gong ringing across mountains. Fenric’s breath deepened as his Soul Projection activated at full strength—his spiritual presence shimmering into the air like a golden veil. A platinum hue briefly crossed over his eyes, tinged with streaks of divine fire as Duserdis’ power synchronized with his. One by one, he turned toward the beasts—not with his eyes, but with his soul. He wasn’t just looking anymore. He was seeing. Not with the eyes of a prince, but through the lens of divine perception—through Soul Projection empowered by a Supreme. He was peering into the core of each beast. Their temperament. Their spirit resonance. Their potential—the dormant greatness they didn’t even realize they possessed. ’Let’s see if I can find a hidden gem... or else I’ll just go with the strongest one available.’