Talk Before Dinner & Introductions

  After getting Kathe’s palace back from the dark ones, Kathe had taken us back to the city.

  It was just at the break of dawn, and we had not slept all night.

  And so it was decided that Kathe would stay and rest with us before returning home.

  Eric went to his palace and Goran returned to his own mansion.

  They would probably sleep for a short while before going back to work. I had nothing but respect for them.

  I decided to take a nap with Grulf.

  When I woke up, it was already evening. I had slept much longer than I planned.

  The fighting and traveling must have been very tiring.

  When Grulf and I went to the drawing room, everyone was there.

  Even Kathe had gotten up before me.

  “This was the first time I have stayed at a human’s house.”


  “That’s nice. I hope you will stay for dinner as well?”


  “Do you mean it?”


  “Of course.

  Kathe looked very happy. Her thick tail swayed up and down.

  “Is there anything you don’t like to eat, Miss Kathe?”


  “Don’t like to eat……”


  Milka asked. Kathe thought hard on this question.

  Milka was the apprentice who was in charge of the kitchen.

  Then Philly looked very serious as she said, “According to books that I have read……dragons are very fond of meat.”


  “Oh, I see. Master Philly, that is very useful information!”


  Milka seemed to like calling Philly that.

  Philly was a genius who knew more than just alchemy.

  In fact, she was a private tutor for Milka, Luchila and Nia.

  “Ah, there certainly are many delicious kinds of meat.”


  Kathe had eaten at a street stall serving meat when she first arrived in the capital.

  So she must really like meat.

  “Yes, I do eat meat the most. Normally, I catch a nearby monster and eat it.”


  Kathe said as she petted Grulf’s belly.

  Grulf whimpered.

  “Do not worry. I will not eat you, Grulf.”


  “Do you like anything that isn’t meat, Miss Kathe?”


  “I also love sweet snacks!”


  “And she eats a lot of them. You should prepare more than usual.”


  “Understood!”


  Nia and Luchila followed Milka as she ran to the kitchen.

  “I will help too!”


  “Let me help.”


  “Thank you!”


  While Luchila went to the kitchen, Lord Gerberga stayed.

  “Cluck-cluck.”


  He clucked as he ran towards me and jumped on my lap.

  Lord Gerberga had white wings and a red crest that made him look like an ordinary chicken.

  But he was actually the God Fowl.

  Stronger than any spirit beast, he was practically half a god.

  Luchila’s tribe had worshipped him and his cry had special powers.

  “Lord Gerberga. What is it?”


  “Cluck.”


  Lord Gerberga pressed into me like a spoiled child.

  And so I petted him gently.

  “Woof.”


  “You want to be petted too, Tama?”


  “Woof!”


  Tama had been sleeping by Philly’s feet, but now came over to me.

  I held Lord Gerberga with my left arm and petted Tama.

  Tama was a large dog but quite small compared to Grulf.

  And he was very skinny.

  “Tama, have you been putting on some weight?”


  “Woof.”


  “He definitely looks better than before……but still has a way to go.”


  Philly was also worried.

  Tama was a loyal dog.

  Even when he wasn’t being fed and was not allowed to see his family, he stayed by the mansion.

  And this was when the mansion was overrun by dark ones.

  He was worried about Philly, and had stayed out in the rain in the garden.

  He was a dog that deserved respect.

  As I petted Tama, Kathe approached me.

  Kathe was carrying Grulf with both arms.

  She was incredibly strong.

  “.……Grr……”


  Grulf looked at me with pleading eyes.

  Kathe ignored his cry for help and said, “You sure have a lot of dogs here, Locke.”


  “.……Well, they are in the same family, I guess.”


  “Grulf is a wolf.”


  “Huh?”


  Shia said. Kathe tilted her head to the side in puzzlement.

  To Kathe, there was hardly a distinguishing difference between a wolf and a dog.

  “Grulf is a spirit beast wolf. So he is like a distant, distant relative for us.”


  Shia was a fifteen year-old B-Rank Adventurer and vampire hunter.

  “It might be better to not carry him so much, as Grulf is so big.”


  “Is that so?”


  Kathe put Grulf down on the floor and started to pet Tama.

  “Grulf is cute for an adult, but this Tama puppy is also cute.”


  “But Tama is not a puppy?”


  I said. Kathe looked very surprised.

  Though, it was understandable that she might think that.

  “Is that so?”


  “Yes. Grulf is a wolf pup and Tama in an adult dog.”


  “Oh, how strange.”


  She said as she petted him.

  “That bird is also quite cute.”


  “Lord Gerberga is the God Fowl.”


  And so I told Kathe of Lord Gerberga’s greatness.

  “So Lord Gerberga is very important!”


  “Cluck-cluck.”


  Lord Gerberga hopped onto my shoulder and fluttered his wings.

  This was his way of hiding his embarrassment.

  “Lord Gerberga, you sure are energetic today.”


  Said Serulis as she picked him up.

  Serulis was a new Adventurer who had the combat ability of a B-Ranker.

  “Cluck.”


  Lord Gerberga became quiet when Serulis held him.

  “Dinner is ready!”


  Just then, Milka’s voice rang through the door.