Chapter 11

< Flame Horned Lion (2) >

“Eat mana stones? That kitten?”

“Precisely, it needs to eat powdered mana stones mixed with meat. It won’t eat raw meat alone.”

This kitten is so picky, even its mouth is too good to dirty. If it eats just one mana stone a day, that’s 300 million won a month and 3.66 billion won a year.

If we consider it as one meal, and it eats three meals a day, the annual food cost would exceed 10 billion won.

“...Can you lend me some money for the feed?”

Even if I grow it to adulthood in half a year, which is the fastest, I don’t have tens of billions of won. Once it reaches adulthood, it won’t be just tens of billions but hundreds of billions. It’s worth investing in.

Yuhyun laughed at my words.

“Alright. Don’t worry, it’s not a big deal for me.”

Not being burdened by a meal costing 10 million won a day. I envy you, S-class Awakened.

I have five L-class skills, but I can’t even enter an S-class dungeon. A Dragon Slayer should have both offensive and defensive skills, like Dragon Breath or Dragon Scale.

Am I just that unlucky?

“Tamed monsters can be handled by anyone who has the owner’s emblem. However, when the owner changes, they might rebel due to confusion, especially if the new owner is of a lower rank.”

Yuhyun took out a pendant with a blue flat stone from his inventory.

Come to think of it, what is my real rank? My stats are F-class, but with multiple L-class skills, I should be S-class or higher.

However, even if I’m S-class in the system, if I can’t enter an S-class dungeon, my real rank drops to A or lower. Saint Emily Spence is a good example.

So, my real rank is probably A-class.

I took the pendant, the owner’s emblem, and headed back to the greenhouse. The Flame Horned Lion was still pressed against the glass, growling angrily.

“Hey, kid. The owner has changed.”

I approached the glass, shaking the pendant. The Flame Horned Lion tilted its head, looking back and forth between me and Yuhyun.

*Hrum*

Oh, it’s calmer now. It didn’t show affection, but it stopped growling and lunging.

“It’s small, but it’s still a monster, so don’t go in alone for a while. It should fully recognize you as its owner in about two days.”

Yuhyun said this while unlocking the greenhouse door. If it can contain a C-class monster, it’s not just any glass.

“Are there any other monsters in the greenhouse besides the horned lion?”

“I’ve filled it with plants and animals from the dungeon’s ecosystem, but there are no monster-level creatures. Well, there is one.”

“What is it?”

“A 5th-class Magic Tree, Gilothine. It’s rare for a 5th-class, but its fruit is useful, so I planted a few.”

...Isn’t that the carnivorous tree that catches and dissolves people with its tentacles? Carnivorous plants are weak, but a 5th-class is at the upper D-class level. For me, an F-class Level 1, even with A-class equipment, it’s hard to handle.

“Don’t worry, I’ve pruned it. It’s safe as long as you keep it trimmed regularly.”

Yuhyun opened the door, telling me not to worry. A warm wave of air rushed out. It must be heated due to the Flame Horned Lion.

“By the way, isn’t it illegal to leak dungeon flora and fauna?”

“There are no laws yet. Since domestic dungeons are considered domestic territory, it’s not smuggling. They just ask us to be careful about the ecosystem being disturbed and not let them spread in the wild.”

It’s before the law was enacted. When did it become illegal... after the Signal Group Snow Butterfly incident?

I put on the greenhouse slippers and went inside. Among the mostly unfamiliar plants, a few familiar ones caught my eye. That’s a vine often seen in E-class dungeons.

*Rustle*

The Flame Horned Lion kitten appeared, rustling through the leaves. It’s really cute now that it’s not acting up. It’s about the size of a full-grown cat but has the round, baby-like face. Its large golden eyes are beautiful like jewels.

“Do you have a name for it?”

“No.”

You didn’t even name it. What a heartless guy.

The horned lion was hiding half its body under a broad leaf, watching us. It seems confused by the sudden change in ownership.

“Good boy, kitten.”

I squatted down, lowering my eye level, and called the horned lion.

“Come here, little one.”

I’ll take good care of you. The horned lion hesitated but approached me. Right then, a message window appeared.

[The title 'Perfect Caretaker' enhances the effect of the item 'Owner’s Emblem.'

The tamed subject shows affection towards the caretaker.]

What, it has this effect?

*Chirp*

The horned lion opened its mouth slightly and chirped cutely. Wow, it’s really cute. Then it rubbed its cheek against my hand and flopped over.

Oh my, what a cute little thing! It’s kicking its chubby, golden-socked feet and purring. Its thick tail is wagging too. The fur is so soft. It’s warm, cute, crazy cute!

“How can you think of killing such a cute baby?”

I stroked the kitten clinging to my arm. It already knows how to hide its claws. Good, good, I’ll hug you. *Coos*

“It didn’t act that cute with me.”

“Even after two months of feeding it?”

“Yeah. It followed me obediently after being tamed, but it never rubbed against me or clung to me.”

The Perfect Caretaker effect seems stronger than I thought. Is it because it’s a baby? If I can successfully raise the horned lion, I can collaborate with a tamer to produce high-level mounts.

If I can raise one or two a year, it would be a fortune. People would come from all over the world.

“I hope you’ll do well, little one.”

Imagining a bright future, the Flame Horned Lion in my arms seemed even cuter.

‘If I say I got a monster raising skill a couple of months after applying the skill, it will sound natural. By then, I should have a few A to S-class protectors. Or I could raise several capable baby monsters to keep around me.’

Would I become known as a Monster Handler? That sounds pretty cool, hmm.

“Can I take it outside?”

“Not outside the guild building. It’s still illegal to bring tamed monsters outside except during dungeon raids. Don’t bring it to the 1st to 3rd floors where non-awakened people can enter.”

In five years, people will bring their cool-looking monsters to TV shows. When did the law change?

I carried the Flame Horned Lion out of the greenhouse. Yuhyun suggested waiting a day, but I ignored him.

My rank is at least S-class, and with the L-class skill effects, what could go wrong? It will continue to follow me obediently.

What should I name it?

“By the way, brother. Don’t drink orange juice or anything given to you.”

“...What?”

Orange juice? What’s with the sudden orange... Hunter Mall.

I looked at my brother with a puzzled expression. I can understand the poison, but how does he know what I drank?

“Do you have spies in the Hunter Mall?”

“Yeah.”

A calm answer came back.

“What? Really?”

“Other guilds probably have a few spies in the 6th floor too. Since B-class and above hunters are the main customers, knowing what they buy can help in understanding their goals and schedules.”

...The guild rivalry is more intense than I thought. But even public institutions like the Hunter Association need to be cautious? Isn’t that too much?

“So, even the Hunter Association can’t be trusted. It’s even more dangerous to accept things from others, and you shouldn’t go out alone again. It’s better not to go to external restaurants near the Association. Oh, vending machine drinks are fine.”

“But, isn’t it too much to do such things even within the Association? If they get caught, it would cause a big scandal.”

Moreover, if Awakened people lose trust in the Association, it will ultimately harm the guilds too.

“Of course, accidents won’t happen inside the Association. But they can send their targets to ambulances or police cars.”

“...And those ambulances or police cars would disappear?”

“I know.”

Yuhyun laughed. How can he laugh?

I’m starting to think I should have just lived on my own without getting involved with Yuhyun. But if I don’t give up the Perfect Caretaker title, I’ll eventually get entangled with other A and S-class people, so interference is inevitable.

In that case, maybe it’s better to entrust my back to a trustworthy brother.

“The world of hunters is tough.”

“Relatively peaceful below C-class.”

No, that’s not always true. The bottom is a war in its own way. It’s just a difference between sending spies and openly fighting.

“Is there anything else I should be careful about?”

“Just follow the basics. Don’t accept things from strangers, avoid dark and deserted places, and don’t follow if an elderly person asks for help.”

“Ah, yes. I’ll be home by nine, send the taxi number, and call if I’m going to be late. Should I get a lost child prevention necklace?”

“A location tracker would be better.”

...What a joke. People of the world, please get along. It makes my life easier.

I looked down at the purring Flame Horned Lion in my arms.

“Your name from now on is Peace.”

The world is indeed about love and peace.

< Flame Horned Lion (2) > End

ⓒ Geunseo

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