Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 163 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 13

”And Iʼm not interested in kidnapping princesses either,” Ren continued. ”Not you, nor Luna when I see her with her blue hair spying on me sometimes...”

”Oh,” Larissa interrupted, a small smile playing on her lips. ”Actually, Liora is the one who always spies on you. Luna only watches you during classes.”

”My lady!” the guards protested. ”You shouldnʼt reveal…!”

”Heʼs telling the truth,” Larissa cut them off. ”About everything.” She turned to Ren, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. ”Why are you here then?”

”Like I said, I wanted to explore. I felt strange energy coming from down here and...” Ren shrugged, his mushrooms pulsing softly. ”Guess Iʼm curious.”

”And you attacked the princess because...?” one of the guards pressed, though her tone had lost some of its hostility.

”I didnʼt attack her!” Ren defended himself, throwing his hands up. ”I just wanted to negotiate before she jumped away after maybe confirming it was us, probably to accuse us or something. Since she was spying on us, and I thought... well, I thought if she kept the secret about me coming down here, Iʼd keep hers about her beast. I didnʼt know she was a princess or that she thought I was a spy!”

”Thatʼs true too,” Larissa confirmed, then frowned. ”But how did you know I had a mineral fairy if I was hiding my beast?”

”Are you kidding?” Ren raised an eyebrow. ”A jump beast, white glow in your hair and eyes, anyone who saw you jump would know. Though now that I think about it, being constantly guarded and with that beast... It was obvious you were important. Like Luna when they tried to kidnap her. Maybe I should have known earlier because you do look like Jul… His Highness Julius.”

The guards exchanged glances. Seen that way, his actions made more sense, though they remained reckless.

”So,” Larissa smiled slightly, ”this was all a misunderstanding?”

”A misunderstanding we could have avoided if someone,” Ren cast a significant look at the guards, ”had let me explain before attacking.”

Larissa burst into laughter, the musical sound resonating through the metallic structure. Ren took a step back, blushing at the princessʼs joyful expression. Her laughter was contagious, and her face lit up in a way that...

A penetrating stare made him quickly avert his eyes. One of the guards was watching him as if she wanted to skewer him with her gaze. Ren cleared his throat, grateful that the situation seemed to be calming down.

”I like him,” Larissa declared cheerfully, still laughing.

”My lady,” the guard with the bruised stomach protested, her voice tight with pain. ”Donʼt trust so easily. It could be a trick.” She winced slightly. ”No normal child has such strength. That hit still... everything about him is suspicious.”

”Heʼs telling the truth,” Larissa insisted firmly. ”You can deceive the body, but not mana.” Her eyes gleamed with determination. ”The essence that rules over magic always paints liars black. If it werenʼt for those foolish ancient rules about ʼrespect for noblesʼ, I would do a purge with my mana sight myself, so donʼt underestimate my ability.”

”But Truth in his words doesnʼt change that heʼs a brute,” the guard complained, tears welling in her eyes. ”He even hugged you and…!”

Larissa visibly blushed, some memory crossing her mind. ”It was just self-defense,” she mumbled. ”I saw myself how he retracted his claws at the last moment before hitting you so he meant no harm.”

”But I probably have internal bleeding!” the guard whined dramatically.

Ren scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable. ”Min,” he called to his friend. ”Could you heal her with your snake?”

While Min approached the injured guard, Ren turned back to Larissa. ”Whatʼs this about ʼrespect for noblesʼ? Why canʼt you use your detection ability for this ʼpurgeʼ?”

Larissa let out an exasperated sigh. ”Itʼs ridiculous. The mana beast lie detection method was proven just a few years ago. But since itʼs ʼnewʼ and there arenʼt enough ʼtrustworthyʼ users”, she skilfully made air quotes with her eyebrows since her arms were still trapped, ”itʼs not considered valid evidence in court yet.”

”So you have to get other proof?” Ren asked, genuinely interested.

”Exactly. And meanwhile, the government is full of traitors who know exactly how to hide physical evidence, the corrupt lot.” Larissa frowned. ”We all know who they are, but without ʼtraditionalʼ proof, we canʼt do anything.”

Min, meanwhile, had begun treating the injured guard. ”The damage isnʼt that bad,” he diagnosed. ”Ren was quite precise with the hit.”

”Precise?” The guard looked at him incredulously. ”I feel like I was charged by a rhinoceros!”

”So who are the traitors?” Ren asked, avoiding the guardʼs accusatory glare and genuinely curious.

Larissa considered him for a moment, her eyes studying his face. Finally, she seemed to reach a decision.

”The Goldcrests,” she answered. ”Not all of them, but... the highest ranks of the family are involved.”

”I see...” Ren touched his chin thoughtfully.

The guard tried to protest but Larissa continued: ”We know theyʼre conspiring with Yino, but we must wait for my fatherʼs return to act. Or find evidence that not even they can dismiss.”

”Okay I understand, so…” Ren tried to cut her off but Larissa didnʼt stop.

The girl sighed heavily. ”The problem is that the Starweavers are too weakened since the last horde. For some reason, the attack in their defense sector was unusually intense a year ago... Luna is practically alone now because her father has been ignoring her with the excuse of work and recovering losses...”

”Wait shouldnʼt you stop telling me these things...?” Ren insisted but Larissa wouldnʼt quiet down.

”The Ashenways, Lioraʼs family, insist on maintaining their neutrality. They have their own internal problems.” She grimaced. ”And we, the Dravenholms, arenʼt any better. My fatherʼs absence has caused... uncertainty. Some of my siblings have started fighting among themselves and…”

”My lady!” the guard scolded. ”You shouldnʼt reveal such sensitive information!”

”For once I agree with your guard,” Ren nodded vigorously. ”I donʼt want to know so much!”

”We donʼt either!” Min and Taro exclaimed in unison, waving their hands in denial.

Larissa giggled. ”Itʼs too late for that, but I have a feeling it will be good if you know... Besides, youʼre in the ancestral ruins. Whether by luck, good or bad,” she gave them a meaningful look, ”youʼre now owners of the artifacts. And by law, that means youʼll be made nobles, so itʼll be your problem too...”

”WHAT?!” Ren and Taro shouted simultaneously.

Min, however, just scratched his head with a confused expression. ”But... Iʼm already noble.”

”Youʼll be a new noble,” Larissa explained patiently. ”Of your own house, not as a secondary branch of…”

Min processed the information for a moment before his eyes widened like saucers. ”WAIT, WHAT?!”

”I donʼt want to be noble!” Taro flailed his hands frantically. ”I can barely remember which fork to use for each dish at my auntʼs house!”