"I will not harm you."
"So act as usual."
Lian's smile immediately turned painfully stiff.
"…Act as usual…"
The boy stood frozen beside the wooden house while the small white lizard rested silently atop his head beneath complete concealment.
He could feel it.
Not physically heavy—
but its presence alone felt overwhelming.
Terrifying.
His thoughts spiraled chaotically.
*How is this normal?!*
*A terrifying spirit beast is literally sitting on my head!*
The white lizard's calm voice sounded again beside his ear.
"You speak too loudly."
Lian nearly jumped out of fright.
"S-Sorry!"
Then he immediately froze afterward.
Why was he apologizing?!
The white lizard remained silent.
Lian swallowed nervously before slowly forcing himself to walk forward along the village path.
One stiff step at a time.
Trying desperately to appear normal.
It failed completely.
His posture remained rigid.
His movements awkward.
Anyone paying close attention would immediately notice something strange.
The concealed white lizard quietly observed him.
Then calmly spoke again.
"If you continue behaving strangely, others will notice."
Lian's face twitched slightly.
*Whose fault do you think that is?!*
But naturally—
he did not dare say that aloud.
Instead—
he forced himself to breathe slowly.
Relax.
Act normal.
Nothing terrifying is currently sitting invisibly atop your head.
Impossible.
Absolutely impossible.
Meanwhile—
villagers passed nearby carrying baskets, farming tools, and bundles of wood while casually greeting him along the way.
"Lian."
"You're out again already?"
"How are your injuries?"
Lian forced out a shaky laugh.
"I-I'm fine now."
His voice cracked halfway through the sentence.
The villagers looked at him strangely.
"…Are you sick?"
"N-No!"
Lian immediately denied while waving his hands rapidly.
Far too rapidly.
The white lizard's golden eyes watched calmly beneath concealment.
Interesting.
Humans truly became amusing under pressure.
Eventually—
after several painfully awkward encounters—
Lian finally escaped toward the quieter outskirts of the village.
Only then did he exhale heavily in relief.
"…This is impossible."
The white lizard remained resting silently atop his head.
Lian hesitated briefly afterward.
Then carefully asked in a much lower voice,
"…Are you really going to keep following me around?"
"For now."
Lian nearly choked.
"…Why?"
"Curiosity."
The answer came immediately.
Simple.
Direct.
Lian stared blankly ahead while continuing slowly down the dirt path.
Curiosity.
Just because of curiosity—
a terrifying spirit beast capable of speech was now following him around?
Somehow—
that explanation felt even scarier.
Several more moments passed.
Then Lian cautiously spoke again.
"…Then…"
"…What should I call you?"
The village path became quiet afterward.
Even the white lizard seemed faintly still for a brief moment.
Call him?
Interesting question.
The lizard had never truly considered such a thing before.
Names.
Titles.
Identities.
None of those things had ever mattered.
Several moments passed before he finally answered calmly.
"I do not possess one."
Lian blinked.
"…Huh?"
"No name?"
Lian became thoughtful afterward while continuing slowly along the dirt path.
Then awkwardly muttered,
"…That feels strange."
The white lizard did not respond.
The village path remained quiet beneath the warm late-afternoon sunlight.
Dry leaves drifted softly across the ground while distant villagers continued their daily work further down the road.
Lian walked stiffly along the edge of the path.
Still painfully aware of the terrifying invisible existence currently resting atop his head.
Meanwhile—
the white lizard remained silent externally.
But inwardly—
his thoughts moved calmly.
A name.
Strange.
The fox had once called him White.
But that was not truly a name.
Merely a description.
And honestly—
he saw very little purpose in names at all.
Beasts fought.
Consumed.
Survived.
Names changed nothing.
Still—
the child had asked.
So inwardly—
the lizard calmly spoke toward the system.
*Give me one.*
The system responded almost instantly.
[Suggested Designation: Lizarius]
The white lizard listened silently.
The system continued.
[Reasoning: Derived from reptilian classification and adjusted into higher-form naming structure suitable for evolved draconic-type existence.]
The white lizard considered it briefly.
No emotional reaction surfaced.
No attachment.
No dislike.
It was merely…
acceptable.
So—
without much thought—
he repeated it aloud.
"Lizarius."
Lian blinked mid-step.
"…Huh?"
"My name."
The boy froze briefly afterward.
Then slowly repeated it under his breath.
"…Lizarius…"
The name sounded strange.
Unfamiliar.
Yet somehow—
oddly fitting.
Lian swallowed lightly before forcing a small nervous smile.
"That… actually sounds pretty impressive."
The invisible white lizard did not respond.
Lian rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly while continuing forward.
"…So you really just came up with one right now…"
Silence.
That silence itself became the answer.
Lian's expression became complicated afterward.
What kind of existence casually creates its own name on the spot?
Then again—
everything about this creature was abnormal.
Several more moments passed quietly afterward.
Then Lian cautiously spoke once more.
"…Then…"
"…I can really call you that?"
"Yes."
Simple.
Direct.
Lian relaxed slightly afterward.
Only slightly.
At the very least—
calling him "terrifying mysterious spirit beast" repeatedly inside his head had become difficult.
Now—
the creature had a name.
Lizarius.
The village breeze drifted softly through the trees afterward.
And for the first time since the terrifying creature revealed itself—
the tension surrounding Lian eased ever so slightly.
Lian continued walking slowly along the dirt path leading away from the village center.
The afternoon sun hung low overhead now, while a faint wind stirred the surrounding trees.
For a while—
neither of them spoke.
Lian's thoughts remained chaotic even now.
A talking spirit beast.
An invisible existence capable of killing powerful spiritual beasts instantly.
And now—
it had a name.
Lizarius.
The more he thought about it—
the stranger everything became.
Eventually—
his curiosity overcame part of his fear.
"…So…"
He hesitated briefly.
"…What exactly are you?"
The invisible lizard resting atop his head remained quiet for several moments.
Then calmly answered.
"A beast."
Lian's mouth twitched slightly.
"…That's not what I meant."
"I am aware."
The reply came immediately.
Lian exhaled helplessly.
Of course it knew.
The boy glanced around carefully before lowering his voice further.
"I mean… what kind of spirit beast speaks human language?"
"And turns invisible?"
"And kills Rank Two beasts instantly?"
The lizard answered calmly.
"I do."
Lian almost choked.
"…You're doing that on purpose."
Silence.
Then—
Lian's expression became complicated again.
Somehow—
this terrifying creature was oddly difficult to talk to.
Not because it was evasive.
But because it spoke so… plainly.
As though everything obvious to it should also be obvious to everyone else.
The two continued forward in silence afterward.
Soon—
they reached the edge of the village, where fewer people passed by.
Fields stretched into the distance, while forested mountains loomed far beyond.
Lian relaxed slightly.
Then another thought surfaced.
"…You said my talent is terrible."
The invisible lizard remained silent.
Lian lowered his gaze while walking.
"…Is it really that bad?"
"Yes."
Direct.
Brutal.
Lian winced immediately.