Fiya's small hand was soft, but Riku had no odd thoughts about it. He shook it lightly, then let go, collapsing onto the ground without a care for how he looked. Exhausted, he closed his eyes briefly, taking in a deep breath.
'What a strange human being,' Fiya thought as she watched him. Curious, she glanced at her hand before shaking her head and sitting down next to Riku. She was just as tired as he was. Although using BloodBreak didn't have the usual side effects for her, it still took a serious toll on her body.
"Princess! Are you alright?!" Minutes later, dozens of Beasts came rushing over, their voices filled with worry.
But what they saw left them speechless. Fiya Hatsuse, their princess, was sitting calmly beside Riku. The battlefield, marked by the collapsed mountains, left no doubt that a fierce fight had just occurred. Yet here they were, sitting side by side in complete peace. The Beasts exchanged confused glances, the scene making no sense.
"Uh... Fiya, did you win?" the leader of the Beasts asked, his eyes nervously darting between her and Riku. The tension was thick. They all hoped their princess had triumphed and captured the human.
"No," Fiya said quietly, her gaze sweeping over her clan. "I lost. Completely."
Her words sent shockwaves through the group. The Beasts looked at each other, stunned. Had they heard wrong? How could their invincible princess lose to a human?
"Fiya, did you really lose? Were you... captured by this human?" the leader asked, his voice tight. A dangerous energy started to surge from his body, a telltale sign that he was preparing to use BloodBreak. The other Beasts, their faces grim, followed suit, all of them ready to unleash their power.
"Wait!" Fiya stood up quickly, waving her hands. "Don't misunderstand. Yes, I lost, but I wasn't captured. Let's talk about the details later, but for now, you need to respect Mr. Riku!"
The tension broke, replaced by a collective confusion. The Beasts exchanged puzzled looks. Respect a human? It was the last thing they had expected to hear.
Riku got to his feet, dusting himself off before patting Fiya on the head. "Fiya, could you arrange for some hot water later? I'm filthy, and it's making me uncomfortable."
"Don't touch this princess's head!" Fiya protested, glaring at him. "I'll never grow if you keep doing that! Also, your hands are dirty!"
"Okay, okay, no need to be so serious," Riku said, grinning as he ignored her protests and ruffled her hair again.
Fiya's cheeks puffed up in annoyance, but there was a faint blush creeping across her face. Beneath her frustration, she looked oddly content. The combination made her appear unexpectedly cute, something that didn't escape Riku's notice.
'She really is like Izuna from 6,000 years later,' Riku mused, smiling to himself. Izuna Hatsuse had also enjoyed being petted like this, even though she would protest in the same way.
The Beasts watched this interaction in stunned silence. Their princess, the pride of their race, was being treated like a child by a human... and she was letting him. It was a sight none of them could have imagined.
But despite their shock, none of them said a word. They had witnessed Riku's strength firsthand, and even though he was human, no one dared underestimate him. After all, he had defeated their princess, and from the looks of it, she had accepted her loss.
"Mr. Riku, please come with us," the leader of the Beasts said, his tone much more respectful now. There was no point in hostility anymore. If Riku had meant them harm, he would have caused far more damage by now.
Riku nodded and followed the group, walking beside Fiya. He couldn't resist the urge to pat her head again, much to her continued annoyance. Her protests only made her seem cuter, and Riku couldn't help but chuckle.
As they walked, the other Beasts stared in disbelief. The man who had invaded their land and fought their princess was now walking back with her, chatting and laughing as if they were friends. The scene was so absurd that none of them dared to ask questions.
Once they reached their destination, Riku was shown to a hot spring, where he could finally clean himself up. It was only after he left that the Beasts felt brave enough to question their leader. But when they asked what had happened, the old patriarch could only shake his head.
"I don't know," was all he said, leaving them more baffled than ever.
Meanwhile, Riku leaned back against the rocks of the hot spring, the warm water soothing his aching muscles. He glanced over at Fiya, who was soaking in the opposite corner. "I didn't expect the Beasts to have hot springs," he said, closing his eyes in contentment. "It's a nice place you've got here."
Fiya glared at him from across the steam, but she didn't reply. Instead, she leaned back into the water, letting the warmth melt away her exhaustion.
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