Cleveland stared blankly at the mysterious and elegant being before him.
He had never seen such a creature.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but no words could describe it.
Was it a beast?
No… that noble presence, that overwhelming power that froze even the air itself—calling it a beast felt inadequate. To him, "god" was far more fitting.
Suddenly, Cleveland heard a sound, melodious and ethereal like the song of heaven.
"Boo-shee-ee!"
The mysterious being spread its wings of ice and snow, turned gracefully, and flew toward a certain direction.
Its flowing, ice-blue tail traced an elegant arc across the sky.
Instantly, the snowflakes that had been suspended in midair began to fall again—yet the blizzard parted, leaving behind a clear path where no snow fell.
Witnessing this miracle, a shocking thought surfaced in Cleveland's heart.
—This being… was guiding him!
At that moment, his desire to survive flared stronger than ever.
That faith drove him to his feet, staggering toward the "snowless road."
One step, two steps, three steps…
Closer. He could see the territory in the distance.
But hunger and thirst had drained him too far. Cleveland finally collapsed into the snow.
The mysterious being had already vanished into the storm.
"Not enough after all?" he murmured weakly.
Closing his eyes, he felt his strength slipping away.
Then—something landed nearby.
Snow crunched softly under claws.
"Deli?"
A wild beast!
Cleveland's eyes snapped open, only to see a red bird-like beast with a hollow tail standing over him.
Its face and chest were covered with white feathers, and most striking of all, its claws clutched a small white sack.
It looked almost like the Santa Claus of old stories.
Delibird tapped him lightly with its wing, but he didn't react.
The bird's expression turned troubled.
It had set out today to gather more food to store away.
But halfway, it saw this lone human trudging across the snowy mountain.
The human carried no food. Delibird worried he might starve to death, so it followed him.
When it saw him collapse, it immediately rushed down to check.
"Deli…" This person looked a little dead…
Then, Cleveland's eyes opened.
"Deli!"
Delibird jumped in surprise. But when it realized he wasn't dead, joy filled its face.
"Deli! Deli!"
It tapped him again, then pulled two berries from its sack and placed them before him.
"Deli!" Eat! Eat and you'll have strength again!
After sharing its food, Delibird happily flapped its wings and turned to leave—it still needed to search for more to store.
Cleveland stared at its fading figure, stunned.
Too hungry to hesitate, he grabbed the berries and devoured them.
Warmth and strength returned, if only a little.
He gazed after the bird beast with a complex look.
Had a beast just… helped him?
But he couldn't linger. He hadn't made it back yet.
With renewed strength, Cleveland staggered forward again.
He didn't know how long he walked. Long enough for his limbs to go numb with cold, his body moving only on instinct.
"Cleveland!"
"Uncle!"
Voices rang out—Lyon and Christina's voices.
He looked up to see people rushing toward him.
Finally… he had reached them.
Cleveland collapsed into the snow, unconscious.
…
He dreamed again.
In the dream, he saw once more the mysterious being that had guided his path.
"Whoosh!"
Cleveland's eyes flew open.
He was lying inside a wooden hut, fire blazing warmly in the hearth.
Lyon and Christina were by his side. When they saw him stir, both faces lit with joy.
"You're awake!"
Cleveland blinked in confusion.
"You've been missing for three days!" Christina let out a long sigh of relief. "Thank goodness, Uncle—you're safe!"
Looking down at his bandaged arm, Cleveland murmured, "What on earth happened…?"
Lyon folded his arms and explained:"That day, Christina and I made it back to the territory safely. When Lord Raven learned you'd stayed behind to face the beast, he immediately sent the knights into the mountain to search. They found you unconscious in the snow."
Lord Raven…
Cleveland's memories stirred. He immediately swung his legs off the bed."Did you report our findings to Lord Raven?"
"Not yet." Christina flushed with guilt. "We rushed back into the mountains to find you. I hope His Lordship won't blame us…"
Cleveland: "…"
He stood up. "I'm fine now. Let's go. We must deliver our report to Lord Raven."
…
Inside the tent, Raven and the steward Aelif were tallying the territory's remaining supplies.
When Lyon and Christina entered, Raven looked up."Cleveland hasn't woken yet?"
Before they could reply, Cleveland himself stepped in."Your Lordship, I've awakened."
Raven glanced at his bandaged arm. "How do you feel?"
"Much better. Please don't worry, my lord."
"Good. Then rest for now. Heal first; everything else can wait."
"Yes, sir!"
Christina, nervous, handed over a book filled with sketches of beasts and maps."This is the task you gave us. Please forgive us for the delay—we're terribly sorry!"
"No need to be so tense." Raven smiled as he accepted it. "I know you were worried about Cleveland. As long as you're safe, that's what matters."
Christina finally relaxed. His Lordship truly is merciful.
Raven opened the book.
On the very first page was a beast he recognized well.
A small turtle-like creature, its red shell dotted with hollow holes.
—Shuckle.
Beneath it, Christina had written notes:
[Unknown beast. Timid by nature. Hides under rocks. No aggression. When approached, it retracts fully into its shell.]
"A real Shuckle, huh?" Raven's eyes lit up. With Shuckle, by spring, they could ferment berries into juice that restored stamina far better than ordinary fruit.
Satisfied, he nodded—only to hear Cleveland's steady voice:
"Lord Raven, there is something important I must report to you."
(End of Chapter)