The beast tamer exiled from the hero’s party and the cat eared girl from the strongest race meet

Chapter 416: Healing Flame

(TL:By Rafael,valhallatls.blogspot.com)

"Ah..."

I, battered and broken, was gently embraced by Finia.

Flames rose from her body, enveloping me.

But those flames weren’t hot.

Their gentle warmth strangely calmed my heart.

"Rain-san... p-please stay with me!"

"Fi...nia?"

"I’ll do my best... just like you!"

Finia’s flames flared up even more, layering and wrapping around me as if forming a cocoon.

Then, something miraculous happened.

My battered body, which was on the brink of collapse, started to heal little by little.

The wounds disappeared.

The pain subsided.

As if nothing had happened, all my injuries vanished...

And I was brought back from the brink of death, fully restored to normal.

Finia, clad in her gentle flames, gazed intently at my face.

"A-are you alright!?"

"Ah, yeah... I’m fine. But what... what just happened?"

"Um, well... I healed you."

"Healed me? Then, could it be...?"

"Yes. This is... um... the true power of the Phoenix Tribe: the Flame of Healing."

"...The Flame of Healing..."

"Flames don’t just destroy; um, they also govern regeneration... So I used that power to heal you, Rain-san. Because otherwise... um... I think you might have died."

Her expression seemed to ask, "Was I being too forward?" as she hesitantly observed my reaction.

When she was healing me, she looked so dignified...

But now, she seemed to have returned to the usual Finia.

No,

That’s not quite it.

At first glance, she looked the same—still a bit unsure of herself.

But the light in her eyes was different.

Until now, to be honest, she seemed unreliable.

But now, I could feel a definite strength within her.

"Somehow... Finia, you seem like a different person."

"Huh?"

"Oh, no, sorry. I didn’t mean it in a bad way. You just seem... stronger."

"That’s... if that’s true, it’s because of you, Rain-san."

"Because of me?"

"Um, Rain-san, you kept working so, so hard... And watching you made me feel like I needed to do my best, too... That’s why!"

I haven’t done anything extraordinary.

I couldn’t think of any better way, so I gave up trying to persuade with words...

And just charged forward recklessly.

There’s nothing worth emulating in that...

But even someone like me, if I could inspire someone, that makes me happy.

"Ah, right."

"Huh?"

"I almost forgot, Finia."

"Y-yes!?"

"Thank you for saving me."

"Ah..."

For a moment, she looked blank...

"Yes!"

Then, with a bright and delighted smile, she gave a small nod.

That smile was truly beautiful.

This must be her true smile.

"Woof!"

"Oh!"

I was momentarily at ease, but Sakura’s bark brought me back to reality.

Although Finia had saved me, the core problem—stopping Elfin-san—had yet to be resolved.

I have to find a way to make her understand!

"......"

When I turned around, I saw Elfin-san frozen in place with a surprised expression.

Her gaze wasn’t directed at me... it was on Finia.

Elfin-san then slowly shifted her eyes.

Her gaze landed on the collar lying on the floor—the one Finia had been wearing.

"…I must admit, I’m surprised."

Finally, she spoke softly.

Her voice carried disbelief as her expression remained one of astonishment.

"To think that Finia could control her power on her own..."

"Ah... I-I’m sorry I couldn’t do it before..."

"No, I’m not blaming you for that. It’s just that after so many failed attempts during practice, I can’t help but wonder why now... It’s truly puzzling."

"Um, well, that’s, um..."

Finia, though hesitant, was trying her best to articulate her thoughts.

Seeing this, Elfin-san didn’t rush her and waited patiently for her daughter to speak.

"I, um... I saw Rain-san, and it made me think I needed to pull myself together..."

"You’re saying you were influenced by that human...?"

"Y-yes! Because Rain-san... even though he was so battered, he kept moving forward. And it wasn’t for himself; it was for someone else. He didn’t seem at all like the humans you’ve spoken of, Mother."

"…Continue."

"Seeing Rain-san like that made me feel like I had to try harder, too... I wanted to do something—something I could do, something I wanted to do. And what I wanted... was to help Rain-san..."

"…I see. I understand most of it now."

The overwhelming killing intent that had been emanating from Elfin-san earlier was gone.

Her stern expression remained, but it seemed she no longer intended to continue fighting.

"To be honest... I thought of you as a child still."

"Ah..."

"It wasn’t just about your inability to control your power. You were often swept along by those around you and struggled to express your own will. I believed that you, who must one day succeed me, would need extensive and lengthy training to overcome these obstacles..."

"I-I'm sorry for being such a disappointing daughter..."

"No."

Elfin-san softened her expression slightly.

Quietly, she walked over to Finia and, wearing the face of a mother, embraced her daughter.

"You’ve grown stronger without my noticing."

"…Mother…"

"No... not ‘without my noticing.’ I suppose I must admit... this is thanks to that human."

Elfin-san turned her gaze toward me.

There was no longer any trace of hostility or murderous intent in her eyes.

"To think there would come a day when I would learn something from a human... It’s a rather humiliating thought."

"M-Mother… saying something like that…"

"…I understand. At the very least, I have no intention of continuing to fight this human."

"Mother…!"

Hearing Elfin-san’s words, Finia’s face lit up with happiness.

Elfin-san averted her gaze from her daughter.

It seemed as though she was embarrassed, though I might have been imagining it.

"Human."

"Yes."

"For now, let’s put an end to this conflict. Explain to me what is happening and what has brought us to this point, in your own words."

TL Note- Is the Arc over?

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