The battlefield was finally quiet. Smoke still clung to the air like an unwelcome guest, and patches of frozen ground glittered with the remnants of black ice. Knights of Emerald Duchy stood scattered, panting, armor dented, cloaks shredded, and expressions torn somewhere between exhaustion and disbelief. They had fought alongside Shellia, and now they were waiting, unsure if what they had just witnessed was truly over.
At the center of the ruined courtyard, Shellia Emerald stood with her hair loose around her shoulders, eyes locked on the massive beast that had been the terror of their night—the Black Frost Stag. Only… it wasn't black anymore. The once menacing creature, whose very breath had spread corruption across the land, now radiated a faint, bluish-white glow. Its antlers, once jagged with shadows, shimmered like carved crystal.
And then, just when everyone thought the world would let them catch a breath, the air rippled and—ding!—a translucent panel appeared right above the stag's head.
Shellia froze. Her three spirits froze. Even the knights, though they couldn't see the window itself, knew something odd was happening because Shellia's expression screamed why me.
The floating text blinked cheerfully as if it were a street vendor forcing a sample onto her:
[Please Enter Name for Your Newly Tamed Beast]
Shellia blinked once. Twice. She could practically hear her sanity trying to flee. "You've got to be kidding me."
Yuki, perched daintily on her shoulder in his hamster form, tilted his tiny head. [Oh, this is new. Look, Shellia, the system's asking you to name it.] His squeaky little voice carried way too much amusement for the situation.
Orielle crossed her arms, flames flickering faintly around her like she had been born to make commentary. [Well, of course it needs a name. That's the mark of ownership, isn't it? We spirits had to go through the same thing, remember?]
Sylas, who stood coolly at Shellia's side, his icy aura mixing with the stag's, smiled faintly as though this were the most natural turn of events. [Go on. Just name him. We could use another teammate.]
Shellia turned her head so slowly that her hair swished across her cheek. "Another teammate? I didn't sign up to run an orphanage for stray mystical beings."
[Technically, you did,] Orielle said, sipping tea that wasn't even there. She always acted like she had tea on hand.
The Emerald Knights, meanwhile, were still standing stiffly in formation, watching their Lady with suspicion and awe. The commander, a tall man with fire-imbued armor, leaned to his second-in-command and muttered, "Is she… talking to herself?"
The knight shifted uneasily. "M-Milady Emerald has her ways, Commander. Perhaps it's… strategy?"
If Shellia had heard them, she might have screamed. But at that exact moment, the floating panel pulsed impatiently, as though it would time out and assign the beast the default name of 'Frosty Boy 001'. And the last thing Shellia needed was to travel around the continent introducing Sir Frosty Boy as her companion.
So she blurted the first thing that came to mind. "Orryn!"
The panel blinked once, twice, then vanished with a cheerful sparkle. The stag's body suddenly shuddered, light streaming from every crack in its antlers. For a heartbeat, it was majestic—towering antlers glowing like beacons, fur glistening as if woven from moonlight, breath curling into spirals of crystalline mist.
And then, poof.
Where the towering beast once stood, a chibi-sized Frost Stag, no taller than Shellia's knees, blinked up at her. Its massive antlers had shrunk into tiny polished stubs. Its huge crystalline eyes shimmered like two innocent lakes, and it bleated—actually bleated—like some kind of spoiled pet goat.
Shellia stared. Blinked. Stared again. Her mind could not compute. "...You've got to be kidding me."
The tiny stag wasted no time. With all the energy of a cat that had just discovered a warm lap, it pranced over and rubbed its head against Shellia's leg, antlers clinking softly against her armor. Its little body glowed faintly, as if every touch it gave was an affection-powered purification spell.
[Ah, look at him,] Yuki said, tail wiggling happily. [He loves you already!]
[Pathetic,] Orielle muttered, though the faint smile on her lips betrayed her amusement. [A beast this proud reduced to a lap-pet. But I must admit, it suits you.]
Sylas chuckled, his pale blue eyes sharp. [Perfect. He'll be useful. And if nothing else, he adds to our intimidation factor. Who would expect a chibi stag to be dangerous?]
"I don't want intimidation," Shellia hissed through her teeth, trying to gently push Orryn away. It didn't work. The little stag pressed harder, practically purring. "I just want—peace. For five minutes. Is that so hard?!"
The Emerald Knights had no clue what they were witnessing. All they saw was the once-terrifying beast reduced to a pocket-sized stag now rubbing itself lovingly against their Lady's leg. The soldiers who had been moments away from despair looked at one another in shock.
"Is… is that it?" one whispered.
"I think… she tamed it?" another said, voice trembling. "With kindness?"
The commander, however, kept his gaze sharp on Shellia. Fire still smoldered faintly along his gauntlets, but his jaw tightened as if to keep from smiling. This was no ordinary adventurer. No ordinary noble's daughter. What she had just done wasn't only combat; it was something legendary. Still, she chose her words carefully.
"Lady Emerald," the commander said, stepping forward. "...That was impressive. Unexpected, but impressive."
Shellia looked up, Orryn still plastered to her shin like glue. She tried for dignity, but the tiny stag was busy chewing her cloak string. "...Yes. Very… impressive." She winced as the thread snapped. "Please ignore this."
The commander cleared his throat and looked away, mercifully pretending not to see. The knights, however, were less professional. They began whispering in hushed voices, a ripple of awe spreading through them. To them, Shellia hadn't just defeated a corrupted beast. She had purified it, named it, and turned it into… whatever this was. And though the reality was comedic, the story would not be. Rumors spread like fire, and this one would tell of Shellia Emerald, the Spirit Beloved who could even tame the nightmare beasts of the land.
Shellia knew it. She could already feel the headache forming. Legends were not supposed to start with her tripping over a chibi deer that refused to leave her side.
Orielle leaned in with a mischievous grin. [Congratulations, Shellia. Your family just got bigger.]
[Oh, I'm so happy!] Yuki squeaked, clapping his little paws together. [Welcome to the team, Orryn!]
Sylas only smirked, arms crossed, clearly entertained. [He'll be a strong ally when he grows. For now, though… try not to trip over him.]
"Don't encourage this!" Shellia snapped. But her words fell flat, drowned out by Orryn's cheerful bleating and the sudden, almost comical way the Emerald Knights began cheering. For them, the battle was truly over.
For Shellia, it had just gotten infinitely more complicated.
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