Chapter 48: Lyra’s Gift Part Two

Arthur stared at the massive creature.

The tiger slowly turned its glowing eyes toward him.

Silence.

Arthur stared back.

The tiger stared at Arthur.

Then—

Lyra proudly gestured toward it.

"This is a Celestial Frostfang Tiger."

"They’re closely related to the Verdant Twin-Tail Spirit Lynx, although Frostfang Tigers are considerably larger and far more suited for combat."

The massive tiger calmly sat beside her.

Lyra looked toward Arthur.

"...Do you like him?"

Arthur remained silent for a couple of moments.

Lyra immediately became nervous.

And as she waited for his answer—

Her thoughts drifted elsewhere.

....

A few days earlier...

"Mother!"

Lyra rushed into the room.

Her emerald-green hair was slightly messy, and panic was clearly written across her face.

Her mother slowly looked up.

"What happened?"

Lyra placed both hands on the table.

"I couldn’t get one for him!"

Her mother blinked.

"...One what?"

"The Verdant Twin-Tail Spirit Lynx!"

Lyra looked absolutely devastated.

"I told Young Master Arthur that I would get one for him!"

Her mother remained silent.

"But they’re all gone!"

Lyra grabbed her hair.

"What am I supposed to do now?!"

Her mother calmly stood up.

Then she walked toward her daughter.

Lyra looked toward her nervously.

"Mother...?"

Her mother gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Lyra, my child."

The young woman looked up.

"What matters is that you let him know you tried your best."

Lyra blinked.

"...So all I have to do is apologize?"

Her mother smiled.

"Perhaps..."

She sounded somewhat disappointed, as if she expected a better response from her daughter.

Lyra’s shoulders immediately relaxed.

"So he’ll forgive me?"

Then—

BAM!

Her mother suddenly placed both hands on Lyra’s shoulders.

Lyra jumped.

"Mother?!"

Her mother’s expression became incredibly serious.

Her emerald eyes stared directly into Lyra’s.

"I didn’t imply that you should show up empty-handed, my dear daughter."

Lyra froze.

Her mother leaned closer.

"Never, and I mean NEVER... promise a gift to a man..."

Her grip tightened slightly.

"...and then show up empty-handed."

Silence.

Her mother stared deeply into her eyes.

"Never."

Lyra slowly swallowed.

"...Do you understand?"

There was a long pause.

Then—

"...I understand."

Her mother immediately released her.

"Good."

Lyra blinked.

Her mother’s expression immediately returned to normal.

"Now then."

She turned around.

"I have a suggestion."

Lyra tilted her head.

"What is it?"

Her mother pointed toward a large Spirit Beast resting outside the enormous window.

"The Celestial Frostfang Tiger."

Lyra’s eyes widened.

"...That one?!"

Her mother nodded.

"It’s one of the few exotic combat Spirit Beasts currently owned by our family."

Lyra stared at her.

"But Mother..."

She pointed toward the tiger.

"Isn’t that species incredibly expensive?"

Her mother slowly turned toward her.

Then—

She gave Lyra another intense look.

Lyra immediately straightened.

"...Mother?"

Her mother crossed her arms.

"Anything."

Lyra blinked.

"Anything?"

Her mother nodded seriously.

"Anything to make sure you secure his love, my dear daughter."

Lyra stared at her.

Her mother dramatically placed a hand against her chest.

"When playing the game of love..."

She pointed toward Lyra.

"...you’d better be prepared to play like a fool!"

Lyra stared at her mother with a deeply exasperated expression.

"...You don’t say."

Her mother smiled proudly.

Lyra remained silent for several seconds.

Then—

Her expression slowly became determined.

"...Then I won’t let you down, Mother."

Her mother’s eyes immediately lit up.

"That’s the spirit!"

She began laughing.

"If you keep making progress like this, it might not be too long now!"

Lyra blinked.

"...Too long before what?"

Her mother suddenly smiled.

"Too long before you give me grandchildren!"

Lyra froze.

Her mother continued.

"I expect you to bring one home at least a year after graduation."

Lyra’s entire face immediately turned red.

"M-Mother!"

She covered her face.

"Knock it off!"

Her mother’s laughter echoed throughout the room.

Back in the cafeteria...

Lyra’s face had become completely red.

...Motherrrrrrr. Why did I even remember that now?!

She quickly looked away.

Her fingers nervously tightened together.

...I really hope Young Master Arthur likes him.

Otherwise...

The moment the Verdant Twin-Tail Spirit Lynxes reproduce, I’m going to—

"He looks cute."

Lyra froze.

Arthur smiled.

"I like him."

Silence.

Lyra slowly turned toward him.

"...You do?"

Arthur nodded.

The massive Celestial Frostfang Tiger slowly tilted its head.

Arthur smiled slightly.

"Yeah."

He looked at the enormous white tiger.

"He’s basically a big cat."

The tiger stared at him.

Arthur stared back.

The cafeteria fell strangely silent.

Several cadets stared at Arthur.

"...Did he just call a five-foot-tall combat Spirit Beast a big cat?"

Another cadet slowly nodded.

"I think he did."

Arthur didn’t seem to care.

The Celestial Frostfang Tiger slowly walked toward him.

Several cadets immediately tensed.

"Hey..."

"Is that thing getting aggressive?"

Arthur remained seated.

The tiger stopped directly beside him.

Then—

It lowered its massive head.

Arthur raised his hand.

And gently rubbed its head.

The enormous beast immediately closed its glowing eyes.

A deep rumbling sound escaped its throat.

Prrrrrrrrr.

Silence.

Arthur blinked.

"...Did it just purr?"

Lyra stared at the tiger in disbelief.

The Celestial Frostfang Tiger pressed its head further against Arthur’s hand.

Arthur smiled.

"See?"

He looked toward Lyra.

"I told you."

Arthur continued rubbing the massive tiger.

"Just a big cat."

Lyra stared at him for several seconds.

Then—

A brilliant smile slowly appeared on her face.

He liked it.

He actually liked it.

Lyra’s heart immediately relaxed.

...Thank goodness.

Her thoughts briefly returned to her mother.

Anything to make sure you secure his love, my dear daughter.

Lyra’s face immediately turned red again.

...Mother!

Meanwhile—

Arthur continued petting the massive tiger.

Completely unaware of the terrifying thoughts currently going through Lyra’s head.

And somewhere far away...

Lyra’s mother would probably have been very proud.

Arthur looked at the tiger again.

"...What’s his name?"

Lyra blinked.

Then she smiled.

"He doesn’t have one yet."

Arthur paused.

"...Really?"

Lyra nodded.

"I thought perhaps you could name him."

Arthur stared at the enormous white tiger.

The tiger stared back.

Arthur slowly smiled.

"...Now that’s going to be difficult."