SSS-Ranked Awakening: I Can Only Summon Mythical Beasts

Damien followed the assigned guard through the corridors of the palace, his footsteps echoing softly against the polished stone floors.

Despite the lavish interior, there was an unusual calmness to the place—a quiet, almost expectant atmosphere, as though something unspoken hung in the air.

The queen had summoned him for a private discussion.

And Damien had a feeling that whatever she wanted to say was important.

As they neared their destination, the guard finally stopped before a set of grand double doors, pushing them open without hesitation.

"Enter," the guard said simply, stepping aside.

Damien did as instructed, walking inside—

And immediately, his sharp blue eyes took in the scene before him.

Seated at the far end of the room was Lizella, dressed in a stunning, fur-lined gown that draped elegantly around her figure.

The fabric shimmered faintly in the candlelight, its deep midnight blue color accentuating her strikingly beautiful eyes.

Beside her, seated in quiet grace, was Queen Lareen.

Unlike earlier, when she had been adorned in regal attire suited for formal court, her current outfit was far simpler—yet it did nothing to diminish her authority.

Both women sat poised, composed, and waiting.

For him.

As Damien stepped forward, Queen Lareen rose from her seat, offering him a warm, welcoming smile.

There was something about her expression—a mixture of gratitude and familiarity—that made her seem more human than the untouchable ruler she had been before.

Damien didn't hesitate to compliment her smile.

"It suits you," he said casually. "You should smile more often, Queen Lareen."

Queen Lareen chuckled lightly, shaking her head. "If only it were that simple."

Then, his gaze flicked to Lizella, taking in her transformed appearance.

"You clean up well," he remarked, his smirk teasing yet genuine. "It's hard to believe you were once tied up in a cage."

Lizella rolled her eyes, but the slight redness in her cheeks betrayed her amusement.

"Try bringing that up one more time, Damien," she muttered, "and I'll personally throw you in a cage next time."

Damien grinned. 'She's still the same Lizella.'

Even dressed like royalty, she hadn't lost her edge.

And yet—seeing her like this, it was almost impossible to believe she had once been a prisoner.

After their brief exchange, Queen Lareen and Lizella resumed their seats, gesturing for Damien to take the chair directly across from them.

Damien nodded in appreciation and sat down, his posture relaxed yet attentive.

"Your Majesty, what's the occasion for my summoning?" As he addressed Queen Lareen formally once more, calling her "Your Majesty", her brow twitched slightly—a flash of discomfort in her otherwise composed expression.

She sighed softly before speaking.

"If you must address me by title, then call me Lady Lareen," she said. "Hearing 'Your Majesty' from you feels… distant."

Damien raised an eyebrow.

"You speak as though we're familiar."

Queen Lareen smiled knowingly. "Aren't we?"

Damien studied her for a moment, then gave a slight nod.

"Lady Lareen it is," he agreed.

Somehow, the way he said it made their interaction feel more personal.

Queen Lareen seemed pleased with his compliance, her expression softening as she leaned forward slightly.

"Now," she said, her voice more serious this time, "I need to say this again—thank you, Damien."

Her tone carried weight, the depth of her gratitude undeniable.

She wasn't thanking him simply because it was expected of her as a queen.

She meant it.

And she wanted to be sure he understood just how much his actions had mattered.

Damien exhaled lightly, shaking his head.

"You don't need to keep thanking me," he said simply. "Your daughter fought for her own survival too."

Queen Lareen smiled at his response but didn't argue further.

Instead, she shifted topics.

"I imagine you have questions," she said smoothly. "Ask them. I will answer whatever I can."

Damien didn't hesitate.

He had already decided on his first question before he even entered the room.

"Are you really Lizella's biological mother?" he asked, his gaze sharp.

The question made Lizella shift slightly in her seat, but Queen Lareen's expression remained unchanged.

She had expected this.

A moment of silence passed before she finally answered.

"Yes," she said. "I gave birth to Lizella myself."

Damien observed her carefully.

She was telling the truth.

But there was more to it.

Before he could press further, Queen Lareen continued speaking.

"But I understand why you ask," she admitted. "My position, my status, the secrecy surrounding our town—it all makes it seem like she might not have been born to me."

Damien nodded. "Not just that. You never sent anyone after her. If she really was your daughter, why didn't you—"

"—search for her?" Queen Lareen finished, her silver eyes meeting his directly.

Damien fell silent.

The question hung in the air.

Lizella, who had remained quiet up until now, looked away, as though already knowing the answer but unwilling to voice it herself.

Finally, Queen Lareen sighed.

"Because I couldn't," she admitted.

Damien tilted his head slightly, waiting for her to elaborate.

Queen Lareen folded her hands neatly in her lap, her silver eyes thoughtful as she prepared to reveal the truth behind Lizella's upbringing.

Damien sat across from her, his expression unreadable, while Lizella sat beside her mother, looking slightly uneasy—as if she had already predicted what was coming.

Finally, Queen Lareen spoke.

"I left Lizella in the care of two average humans when she was twelve," she admitted.

Damien raised a brow slightly, waiting for her to continue.

"They were ordinary people," she explained. "They had no magic essence, no ability to tame or control mana beasts. They lived a simple life away from war, politics, and conflict."

She paused, looking at Lizella with a mixture of sadness and warmth.

"I did it because I wanted her to experience a normal childhood—one free from the responsibilities of nobility and the dangers of being a Beast Tamer."

Damien remained silent, processing her words.

"Obviously," Queen Lareen continued, her voice tightening, "things did not go as I had hoped."

Lizella's hands clenched in her lap.

"The people you left me with," she muttered, "they became my family. I—"

Her voice faltered, but she swallowed hard and pressed on.

"I was happy with them. They cared for me as their own."

Queen Lareen reached out and gently patted her daughter's head, a small, proud smile on her lips.

"And yet, despite everything," she said softly, "you still found your way home."

Lizella's throat tightened, but she nodded.

"It wasn't easy," she admitted. "But… after they were murdered, I had nowhere else to go."

A heavy silence filled the room.

Queen Lareen took a deep breath, steeling herself, before turning back to Damien.

"Without you," she said seriously, "my daughter wouldn't have made it back. And for that, I owe you more than words can express."

Damien waved a hand dismissively. "You've thanked me enough already."

But Queen Lareen shook her head.

"I will still honor my word," she said. "The rescued captives will be given shelter, care, and resources to return to their respective homes."

Damien nodded in appreciation.

"That's more than enough," he said simply.

Queen Lareen leaned back in her seat, studying Damien with newfound curiosity.

"Earlier," she said, "I noticed something about you."

Damien tilted his head slightly. "And what's that?"

"You have an affinity for mana beasts."

Lizella stiffened slightly, her eyes flickering toward Damien.

Damien sighed, already guessing where this was going.

"It's not what you're thinking," he said casually. "I'm a Beast Summoner, not a Beast Tamer like all of you."

There was a brief silence.

Then—Queen Lareen's eyes widened slightly.

At the same time, Lizella's expression turned into one of horror.

"Oops," Lizella mumbled under her breath.

Damien frowned.

Lizella immediately looked away, pretending to study the farthest corner of the room.

Queen Lareen's gaze slowly turned toward her daughter.

"Lizella," she said, her voice dangerously smooth. "How, exactly, does he know we're Beast Tamers?"

Lizella winced.

"Um. Well. You see…"

She scratched the back of her head, awkwardly avoiding eye contact.

Damien sighed again, shaking his head.

"You don't need to blame her," he said, stepping in. "I figured it out on my own."

Queen Lareen raised a skeptical brow.

"And how, exactly, did you do that?"

Damien shrugged.

"The dozens of mana beasts freely roaming the streets were a big hint," he said dryly. "You don't see that kind of thing anywhere else."

Lizella let out a deep breath of relief, as if grateful Damien had bailed her out.

Queen Lareen, however, still seemed slightly displeased.

But instead of scolding Lizella, she simply sighed and nodded.

"I suppose it was inevitable," she admitted.

Now that the awkward moment had passed, Damien decided to ask something that had been nagging at him since he arrived.

"Has your town ever had issues with rebellious mana beasts?" he asked.

Queen Lareen's face darkened slightly.

"It has happened before," she admitted.

Lizella visibly tensed.

"The last recorded incidents were long before my reign," Queen Lareen continued, "but they resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people."

Damien absorbed the information, his fingers tapping lightly against the armrest of his chair.

"But under my rule," Queen Lareen added, "it has never happened. And I intend to keep it that way."

Damien nodded thoughtfully.

"A dangerous system," he mused. "But if it works, it works."

Queen Lareen gave a small smile. "I appreciate your understanding."

Damien didn't comment further. This was their way of life.

Nothing he said would change that.

Now that they had cleared those topics, Damien moved to his next question.

"What do you plan to do about the Stray Hounds?" he asked bluntly.

Queen Lareen remained silent for a moment, then responded calmly.

"Nothing."

Damien's gaze sharpened.

"As long as they do not repeat this mistake," she clarified, "I will not bring war to their doorstep."

Damien tilted his head slightly.

"You mean to tell me you'll just let them go?"

Queen Lareen's eyes narrowed slightly.

"They are dangerous," she admitted. "But exposing our town for the sake of revenge is a mistake I will not make."

Damien smirked.

"Smart move," he said. "It's a waste of resources and risks drawing attention."

Queen Lareen nodded. "Precisely."

Damien leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp and cold.

"But you should know," he said smoothly, "just because you won't move against them doesn't mean I won't."

Lizella glanced at him sharply.

Queen Lareen merely studied him.

"And what," she asked, "do you intend to do?"

Damien smiled.

"I'll clear them all up," he said. "Every last one of them."

Lizella inhaled sharply.

Queen Lareen, however, simply nodded.

"You are not bound by the same restrictions that hold me," she acknowledged. "And I will not stop you."

Damien smirked, resting back in his seat.

"Good," he said. "I intend to wipe out the full organisation as a side job."