SSS-Ranked Awakening: I Can Only Summon Mythical Beasts-Chapter 253: The Beast Tamer Town

Damien walked through the town's winding streets, following Lizella and the guards toward the heart of the settlement.

The town was vast—far larger than he had anticipated. Well-built stone houses lined the streets, and vendors called out to passersby as they peddled goods ranging from weapons and armor to rare herbs and magical trinkets.

At first glance, it seemed normal, like any other well-established town.

But as Damien observed more closely, he noticed three key things.

The first was that everything felt oddly peaceful.

Despite being hidden behind an advanced essence barrier, there was no real sense of paranoia or tension among the people.

The few merchants in town laughed as they bartered with customers, children ran through the streets playing, and warriors trained in open courtyards.

It was as if the outside world's chaos hadn't touched them.

But Damien knew better.

A hidden place like this didn't stay hidden for no reason.

It was clear they had faced threats before.

And it was even clearer that they were prepared to face them again.

The second thing he noticed was the barrier itself—or rather, its absence.

From inside, it didn't seem to exist at all.

The sky was clear, the sunlight warm, and even the red tinge in the clouds—a sign of the approaching war—was fully visible.

The illusion was perfect. From outside, the town was hidden from sight.

From inside, it looked no different from any other place in the world.

The third and most obvious thing?

The mana beasts.

There were hundreds of them.

Large ones, small ones, winged, scaled, furred, horned.

They walked freely through the streets, some lounging in front of buildings, others curled up inside homes like domesticated pets.

A massive serpent-like beast coiled itself around a rooftop, watching the streets lazily. A pair of griffins rested on the balcony of an inn, their sharp golden eyes observing the people below.

This wasn't just a town. It seemed like it was a sanctuary for mana beasts.

Damien raised a brow as he turned to Lizella.

"You're going to tell me what this place really is, aren't you?"

Lizella sighed, already anticipating the question.

"You've probably figured it out by now," she admitted. "This is a town for Beast Tamers."

Damien crossed his arms. "And I assume that means they were very selective about who gets to live here?"

Lizella nodded. "Extremely. Normally, the only people granted entry are Beast Tamers."

That made sense.

Beast Tamers were rare, and those with high-level affinities were even rarer.

A town like this would be a safe haven for them.

She continued, "But the beasts here aren't just pets or tools of war. They are our companions. They are bonded to us under a pact that is almost… equal."

Damien's eyes flickered with understanding.

A system like that was both beneficial and dangerous.

On one hand, it meant the bonds between Beast Tamers and their summons were likely stronger than normal contracts.

On the other hand—it also meant that if a beast betrayed its tamer, the consequences would be severe.

Damien remained silent, choosing not to comment.

Nothing he said would change their way of life, and honestly?

It wasn't his business.

As they walked, Lizella fidgeted slightly, her expression troubled.

After a few moments, she finally exhaled sharply and turned to Damien.

"I… I should have told you the truth about my background earlier."

Damien glanced at her. "You were afraid to."

She nodded. "Not just afraid—cautious. There are people hunting this place down, and when I first saw you, I thought…"

"You thought I might be one of them," he finished.

Lizella gave him a guilty nod.

Damien smirked faintly. "Can't blame you. I did show up with summons and a battle aura."

Lizella chuckled nervously, scratching the back of her head. "Yeah… that didn't help."

There was a brief silence before Damien asked something more pressing.

"You told me your parents were dead," he said.

Lizella's face fell slightly.

"I wasn't entirely lying," she admitted. "I'll explain properly soon."

Damien said nothing, but his curiosity deepened.

Before he could question her further, they arrived at their destination—a grand but relatively small palace, built from white stone with golden rooftops.

It was elegant, but not extravagant, showing wealth without arrogance.

The guards at the entrance stepped aside, allowing them inside.

Damien and the others were led through the halls, past intricate carvings of beasts and warriors, until they reached a massive throne room.

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At the far end of the hall sat an ornate golden throne, positioned before a wide stained-glass window depicting a woman with outstretched hands, surrounded by beasts of all kinds.

A figure entered from a side door.

Lizella's mother.

Queen Lareen.

She was the exact image of Lizella—only older, her features more refined, her long hair flowing like silk.

She carried herself with calm authority, her piercing eyes scanning the newcomers with quiet calculation.

The moment she stepped forward, everyone bowed in an oddly synchronized manner.

Everyone except Damien.

He remained standing, arms crossed, observing her like an equal.

The guards immediately reacted.

Two of them stepped forward aggressively, ready to force him into submission.

But before they could—

"Enough."

Queen Lareen raised her hand, stopping them in their tracks.

"He is foreign to our traditions," she said simply. "There is no need for him to indulge in them like the rest of us."

The guards hesitated, then stepped back. "Apologies, our Lady."

Lizella exhaled in relief.

Damien, on the other hand, remained completely unbothered.

Then, something surprising happened.

Instead of demanding respect, Queen Lareen did something unexpected.

She bowed—a graceful, polite gesture.

"Thank you," she said, her voice gentle but strong.

Damien raised an eyebrow.

She straightened, her silver eyes locking onto his.

"I have already received news of what you have done," she continued. "You have saved my daughter. And for that, you have my gratitude."

For the first time since entering the town, Damien was truly caught off guard.

A queen bowing to him?

Now that was unexpected. "Uhm... It wasn't anything serious." Damien said, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.