Chimera of Batius - Chapter 1

A band of black horses emerged from the northern forest’s edge. Despite the raging blizzard, the horses’ formation never wavered. The white breath of the armed riders and their mounts drifted away like mist.

“Captain, we’ve arrived,” one knight called out cheerfully, gazing toward the distant castle.

At the head of the column, Ruzerolt reined in his horse and halted. He turned and looked back at the carriage. A silent knight watching nearby asked, “Wouldn’t it be better to burn them?”

Beneath the tarp covering the wagon, the lumpy silhouette of a massive beast was visible.

“We must inform the crown prince first,” Ruzerolt replied.

Nearly a year had passed since people began vanishing in the northern Yakli Forest. Believing bears were to blame, the fief’s residents sent hunters again and again, yet the disappearances continued. When even the hunters started to vanish, the Heinsley Grand Duchy—convinced this was no ordinary matter—dispatched a cavalry unit into the woods. What they found were the very creatures now loaded onto that wagon.

“If we bring this inside the fief, it’ll cause trouble. They were declared extinct. If people see this, the rumors will never die down.”

It was a chimera, a creature that once threw the entire empire into an uproar. The great “chimera hunt” had ended long ago. Yet the supposedly extinct chimeras still lingered in the northern forest.

Ruzerolt stared at the castle, lost in thought. The driving snow obscured his view. Pulling his cloak’s hood farther forward, he finally made out the imposing Heinsley Castle in the distance, and the smoke rising from its tower chimneys. Ruzerolt frowned.

“What a blaze!” a knight beside him exclaimed excitedly. Ruzerolt glanced at him, then looked ahead again. Sensing the disapproval, the knight’s voice faded.

“Wasn’t Lord Dexler planning a grand banquet before the last expedition?”

“He throws a feast every day on any excuse.”

Ruzerolt looked thoroughly displeased, yet the knights behind him couldn’t hide their excitement.

He sighed.

“Burn all the corpses. Reym, don’t forget to record the monsters’ appearance in detail first.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Hein, ride ahead and announce our return.”

“Yes, Captain.”

At Ruzerolt’s signal, several horses galloped toward the castle. Watching their tracks sink into the snow-and-ice-covered road, he exhaled deeply.

***

The Duchy of Heinsley lay at the northernmost edge of the Catanel Empire; a frigid land where icy winds raged nine months of the year. The duke’s cavalry, hardened by extreme cold, was braver and stronger than any soldiers in the empire, and the army’s prestige was equally renowned. Yet the Heinsley ducal house held many secrets.

“Sir Ruzerolt.”

The castle gates opened, and Nesiem, the steward, stepped forward to greet him.

“Nesiem. Is everything well?”

An awkward smile crossed Nesiem’s face.

“Yes, all is well… but…”

“But?”

Ruzerolt raised an eyebrow, and Nesiem lowered his gaze.

“To reward the knights for their hard work-”

“Dexler threw a banquet?”

“Exactly.”

Nesiem’s resignation was plain.

“He said since the expedition lasted a full month, we should celebrate more lavishly than usual.”

Ruzerolt nodded, glancing at the knights behind him.

“Very well. Take them to the banquet hall.”

After giving the order, Ruzerolt strode toward the central staircase. He gently waved off a servant who tried to follow too closely. As he climbed toward his room, he gazed through a window at the snow-covered garden and fell into thought.

Five long years had passed since his father fell ill. On the physician’s advice that the northern cold might be the cause, the duke had moved south two years ago to recuperate. Without its lord, Heinsley Castle had become a lonely place. Perhaps that was why the north was sliding into chaos.

Reaching the upper floor, Ruzerolt looked away from the window. Never before had knee-deep snow and biting wind felt so oppressive. The thought of the banquet he would soon face made the weight on his shoulders grow heavier.

***

With the duke and duchess absent, their heirs filled the void. In particular, Dexler, Ruzerolt’s younger brother, oversaw the duchess’s affairs. In other words, this banquet had been arranged entirely to Dexler’s taste.

The moment Ruzerolt stepped into the hall, the sharp scent of northern alpha grass struck him.

“Dear brother. We’ve all been waiting for you.”

Dexler, seated at the head of the table, opened his arms to welcome Ruzerolt. With dark brown hair and a robust build, Dexler, typical of northerners, was Ruzerolt’s half-brother. Ruzerolt scanned the room with a low gaze.

“Everyone seems quite drunk. I doubt they’ve been waiting for me.”

Despite claims they’d been waiting, few in the banquet hall could still stand.

“I don’t understand who this banquet is for.”

Without so much as a nod, Ruzerolt watched Dexler rise and approach, resting his cheek on his brother’s shoulder. A mocking whisper brushed Ruzerolt’s ear.

“Relax and sit, dear Captain. Noble Ruze. My beloved brother…”

A laugh reeking of alcohol escaped his lips. Ignoring him, Ruzerolt took his seat. Dexler answered Ruzerolt’s indifference with an ironic smile and sat down.

“All of this is just a small gesture for you, brother. Since you’re one of those who won’t step on stage unless someone leads you by the hand.”

Ruzerolt said nothing more. He simply raised his cup and drank.

A luxurious chandelier illuminated the ceiling, and the sparkling lights adorned the hall. On the long tables of the spacious banquet hall, there was an abundance of food. When Ruzerolt sat down, Dexler staggered to his feet and raised his glass.

“Thanks to everyone, we can enjoy this bountiful feast today. Thanks to my dear brother and captain of the knights, Ruzerolt, the fief and name of Heinsley are always safe and protected. Let us toast to the safe return of the knights and to the eternal peace of the north.”

Dexler lifted his cup, and all the knights and nobles present did the same, raising their glasses toward the ceiling.

“We’ve also prepared a special performance for you, so enjoy it to the fullest.”

When Dexler sat down, the banquet officially began. Servants waiting behind the tables bustled about, refilling empty cups. Amid the clamor of the banquet hall, Ruzerolt took a quiet sip of his drink. Though he was the center of attention, he seemed out of place in that atmosphere.

“We’ll have a performance by a theater troupe from the south.”

The doors creaked open, and a group of richly dressed dancers and musicians entered the banquet hall. Ruzerolt sat with his back straight, watching the guests without a thought in his head.

The people of the north were rough and wild, yet at the same time possessed a free spirit. Whether because of their temperament or the independent nature of their duchy, they were liberal about sexuality, enjoyed music and dance, and had a relaxed morality.

Some had flushed faces; others lounged in their chairs in careless positions, and still others laughed loudly. Ruzerolt, upright by nature, had not yet grown used to this atmosphere. He sighed and shook his head. His silver hair stirred.

When he looked up after drinking several cups, a dancer dressed in red stood alone in the center of the banquet hall. Tall and slender, yet strong, the dancer’s flowing attire was far from revealing.

…It’s a man.

Until now, every dancer Dexler had brought had been a nearly naked woman. But today was different. The clothes covering his slender body were far from revealing, and his loosely tied black hair was soft as silk. Soft, blurred lips could be seen behind a red mask. A beautiful metal jewel adorned his forehead and hair like a collar, but it couldn’t hide his striking facial features. He was a man who captured every gaze.

A harp sounded. People looked toward the center while eating meat.

Between the harp notes, a percussion instrument marked the rhythm. The dancer extended a long finger and bowed. It was a gesture signaling the start of the performance.

The music began in earnest, a mix of strings and percussion. Ruzerolt, without emotion, pushed his empty cup aside. A servant refilled it at once.

The dancer began his dance. He performed exotic movements no one in the hall had seen before. He stretched his arms like an elegant bird, and his long clothes fluttered as he moved. Embracing the air as if it were a lover and spinning repeatedly, his loose hair rose and fell with each motion. Each time his bangs and sideburns fluttered, his large ears became more visible.

Were his ears so prominent because he had a small face?

Ruzerolt couldn’t help but look. The foreign dancer seemed like a creature from another world, like an elf from a fairy tale.

But in the end, he was nothing more than a dancer wrapped in worldly pleasures.

Ruzerolt emptied his cup in one gulp. He reached out to the side, and the cup was filled again. To the rhythm of the liquid being poured, the dancer approached the seat of honor step by step.

From the dark-skinned dancer emanated a soft, delicate fragrance.

It wasn’t the characteristic scent of an alpha or an omega. As he tried to identify the fragrance, the dancer stopped in front of Dexler. Ruzerolt frowned. At every celebration his younger brother organized, or rather, at every banquet under the pretext of cheering the northern folk, sexual innuendo was inevitable. Providing stimulation that made everyone feel alive was a tradition passed down through generations in the north.

At Dexler’s gesture, the dancer leaped nimbly. Dexler, as if he’d been waiting, pushed his chair back. The dancer placed his feet gracefully on the armrests. Standing on the chair with his long legs, the dancer’s crotch brushed Dexler’s face. He undulated his body gracefully, grasped Dexler’s chin, and lifted his head. He caressed his cheek and brushed back his hair. Though he normally wouldn’t have allowed such an action, Dexler simply licked his lips and accepted the caress.

The dancer stepped down from the seat and stood. Then he took a few steps back, spread his arms as if to embrace Dexler, and began to caress his chest with elegant hands.

On Dexler’s face, which moments ago had been devouring meat, a lascivious intoxication was now visible. The dancer unbuttoned Dexler’s shirt without difficulty and slowly slipped his hand inside to caress his chest. He stroked in circular motions, then squeezed firmly and pinched a n1pple before bringing his lips to his neck. As he bit and licked, Dexler let out a deep sigh.

“Haa…”

The dancer lowered his hand and began to caress Dexler’s crotch. With a teasing touch that hinted at slipping beneath the fabric, Dexler furrowed his brow. Grabbing the dancer’s wrist, he guided it toward his legs. With a slight smile, the dancer repositioned himself before Dexler.

Instead of continuing to touch Dexler’s legs, the dancer grabbed him by the neck. He slid his hands over his chest and abdomen but stopped just before reaching his center. Dexler rose toward the dancer with an expression of dissatisfaction. Sitting on the edge of the table, the dancer parted his legs in a sensual, inviting gesture. The red fabric billowed like a wave, urging him closer. As if possessed, Dexler grabbed the dancer’s waist and buried his head between his legs.

“Hmm. Ah…”

Dexler inhaled the scent of the dancer’s clothes deeply. In response, the dancer extended his long legs and wrapped them around Dexler’s back. Leaning one hand on the table, he arched his chest toward the sky in a sensual dance. As he exhaled, he pressed his buttocks against the table, heightening Dexler’s excitement. His movements simulated oral s3x.

Music echoed through the banquet hall. Yet in Ruzerolt’s ears, there was no melody—only Dexler’s ragged breathing and the clink of the dancer’s jewels with each movement. Every gaze, from the meat-devouring knights to the servants, was fixed on the pair.

“Ah… Damn it!”

Dexler shoved the dancer backward and grabbed his thighs. Impatiently, he began stripping away the layers of the dancer’s flamboyant costume. As the thin fabric came off, a prominent bulge stretching down to the thigh was revealed. The sound of the guests chewing stopped completely. Dexler was about to remove the last garment.

He couldn’t keep watching any longer.

Just as Ruzerolt tried to look away from the sordid scene, his eyes met the dancer’s cold gaze. Beneath long lashes, those amber eyes stared straight at him.

“…”

The stag who drew everyone’s attention in the banquet hall seemed to whisper to him.

“Filthy nobles. Disloyal knights. Vile Heinsley. You, who are here, are no exception.”

The dancer’s hollow eyes told Ruzerolt he was no different from anyone else present.

Dexler finally slipped his hand between the dancer’s legs and let out a bitter laugh.

“Undressing a male dancer isn’t a common spectacle even here. Let everyone see clearly.”

The yellow eyes remained fixed on Ruzerolt. In that instant, he lost his breath, and his throat, soaked in alcohol, went completely dry.

Smack!

Ruzerolt slammed his cup onto the table.

Every gaze turned to him at once. Even Dexler, lost in lust, did the same. Wetting his thick lower lip with his tongue, he sneered.

“That noble and holy character of yours is trying to ruin the banquet again.”

Dexler stepped away from the dancer and grabbed Ruzerolt’s wrist.

“Brother.”

With a tug, he pulled Ruzerolt halfway to his feet. He could break free at any moment if he wanted, yet he didn’t, because countless eyes were watching them.

This gathering preserved the northern tradition in its purest form. It wasn’t easy for Ruzerolt, who held a leadership position in the north, to openly refuse.

The eldest son who protected Heinsley and the second son who preserved northern traditions; the two had temperaments far too different.

Dexler guided Ruzerolt’s hand to his own chest.

“If it weren’t for you, this north would not have stood.”

Dexler’s hand tightened. Slowly, he rubbed his chest with Ruzerolt’s palm, as if using it to pleasure himself.

“Dexler.”

Ruzerolt tensed his arm to resist. Then Dexler shifted his torso, forcing Ruzerolt to caress him. It was a threat. If he didn’t loosen his grip, if he didn’t do as Dexler wanted, harsher methods would follow.

He didn’t want to do anything more shameful in front of everyone. Finally, Ruzerolt relaxed his tensed arm. The hand that had been stroking his brother’s chest and abdomen was moved toward the table. More precisely, toward the firm abdomen of the dancer lying on the table.

Dexler pulled Ruzerolt close and placed him in front of himself. Dexler had never wielded a sword. With soft, weak hands, he manipulated Ruzerolt’s arm.

“But brother, you must know” Dexler whispered in Ruzerolt’s ear. “What we defend is the tradition and glory of the north, not nobility, brother. Do you find northern customs repulsive?”

Ruzerolt’s captured hand began to circle the dancer’s abdomen.

“…Dexler. Enough.”

The dancer looked at Ruzerolt with half-lidded eyes. He gently lifted his hips in a rolling motion. Dexler kept forcing Ruzerolt’s hand. He slid it in circles over the dancer’s abdomen, then to his side, and finally guided it to his hip. Just as the manipulated hand was about to touch the center…

Thud!

Ruzerolt struck Dexler’s hand away. The blow knocked over a glass that rolled across the floor. Wine stained the tablecloth. The musicians kept playing, even weaving the sound of the shattering glass into their rhythm.

“Stop. That’s enough.”

“Haha! With so much shame, I don’t know how you lead the knights.”

Dexler burst into laughter and relaxed. Seizing the moment, the dancer spun on one long leg and slid aside. Leaning on the table, he rose gracefully and moved away from both of them.

The dancer began to dance again. Fixing his bright golden eyes on Ruzerolt, he twirled around a chair and headed to the center of the stage.

“Vile slave.”

Ruzerolt thought he heard the dancer’s voice. He turned sharply. Dexler, rigid with arousal and eyes half-closed, asked:

“Are you leaving already, brother?”

The lingering image of the red fabric made his head spin. The knights, their lips greasy, devoured the dancer with their eyes. They tore him apart like a piece of meat, squeezed him like fruit. The primal lust reflected in their eyes made him uncomfortable.

“I’m tired. I’ll leave early.”

Ruzerolt stood at once and left his seat of honor. He couldn’t bear to stay another second. Servants opened the door. Through the closing gap, the dancer’s golden eyes followed him. The red fabric still fluttered, captivating everyone in the banquet hall.