Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 180 - Taming Nobility - 4

”Fascinating,” Selphira murmured. ”You know? I think you should pay more attention to that boy.”

”More attention?”

”Yes,” Selphira smiled. ”In fact, Iʼd like you to report directly to me about him from now on.”

Liora blinked in surprise. ”You too want me to watch him?”

”Yes,” Selphira nodded. ”But be... subtle. We donʼt need others getting territorial, do we?”

”Grandmother,” Liora narrowed her eyes. ”What are you planning?”

”Oh, nothing special,” Selphira laughed softly. ”Just making sure I donʼt miss the show.”

”You think heʼll do important things?”

”Dear,” Selphira smiled, wisdom gleaming in her aged eyes. ”He already is. The question is: who will be better positioned to capture him when he rises? Now take me to the main door...”

As they walked down the hallway, Selphira added almost to herself: ”I didnʼt expect so much from this visit, and... It will be fun imagining Siriusʼs face when he learns I used coming here as an excuse to escape his boring petitions.”

”Grandmother...” Liora sighed, though a small smile formed on her lips.

”What? An old woman needs her entertainment,” Selphira laughed. ”And something tells me that boy is going to provide me with plenty.”

♢♢♢♢

While walking away from Larissaʼs room, Julius observed his brother from the corner of his eye.

”Youʼre not as unpleasant when giving orders anymore... Youʼve changed,” he commented casually.

Victor snorted. ”Youʼre the unpleasant one.”

”Iʼm serious,” Julius smiled. ”Before, you wouldnʼt have let Larissa get away with it. You would have tripled her surveillance just on principle.”

”Tch,” Victor looked away. ”Itʼs not a bad idea for her to keep an eye on that strange boy anyway. Thereʼs something about him that doesnʼt quite add up to me.”

”So youʼre not worried about her interest in him?”

”I just hope Larissa matures and understands her role on her own,” Victor evaded the question. ”Sheʼs a princess, she canʼt go around being fascinated by any commoner who shows unusual tricks.”

Julius laughed softly. ”Youʼve matured.”

”I donʼt know whether to take that as a compliment,” Victor growled, but after a moment added in a lower voice: ”After going to look for father in that... madhouse in the platinum ring, I realized some things.”

”Oh?”

”The world is too big to think youʼre strong,” Victor shook his head. ”I was like a frog in a well, thinking the sky was only what I could see from below.”

”Zhao said something similar when he returned from looking for you,” Julius nodded. ”Though I suppose it was worse for him… and he didnʼt even have to enter the platinum ring.”

”His beast is good at hiding,” Victor acknowledged. ”But he probably saw enough from the shadows and at the edge of the platinum 1 ring when he found me.”

They walked in silence for a moment before Victor spoke again.

”Speaking of Zhao,” his expression turned thoughtful. ”Now that heʼll be a double tamer, maybe we should find him a good complement for his beast. Heʼs an excellent soldier.”

”Thinking about the Goldcrests?”

”With things as they are,” Victor nodded gravely, ”weʼll need all the support possible when the time comes to punish them.”

”Do you think father will arrive in time...?”

”Father is still trying to understand that thing,” Victor interrupted. ”As I told you when I arrived, I donʼt know when heʼll return... but when he does, the evidence will be undeniable. The Goldcrests have crossed too many lines.”

”Experimenting on children,” Julius murmured. ”Helping abyssal spies enter here...”

”Betraying the kingdom,” Victor completed. ”The question is: how many more are involved?”

”Do you already suspect someone specific?”

”Just suspicions,” Victor smiled humorlessly. ”Nothing concrete. But I trust my gut... Itʼs what kept me alive in the platinum ring.”

Julius studied his brother with new appreciation. The old Victor would have declared open war on the Goldcrests at the first hint of betrayal. This more mature Victor... was more dangerous to their enemies.

”You know?” Julius smiled. ”I think I understand why you let Larissa keep her little spy game with the mushroom boy.”

”Oh?”

”Itʼs better to have friendly eyes on him than make him more cautious,” Julius winked. ”Youʼve definitely matured.”

”Shut up,” Victor growled, but a small smile formed on his lips. ”I just hope Zhao knows how to choose his second beast well. Itʼs not every day you get the chance to be a double tamer.”

”With luck,” Julius laughed, ”heʼll choose better than a certain prince who ended up with an eagle when he could have had something with better synergy for the Qilin.”

”My golden eagle is perfectly capable,” Victor defended. ”Not everyone needs 2 boring earth beasts.”

”Boring? My beasts have perfect synergy!”

”Your beasts are pretentious,” Victor corrected. ”Like their tamer.”

As the brothers continued their way between jokes and more serious plans, the echo of their voices was lost in the academyʼs hallways. The storm brewing with the Goldcrests was still on the horizon, but preparations had already begun.

♢♢♢♢

Larissa watched through the window, lost in her thoughts.

Things hadnʼt gone as badly as she feared.

Her brothers hadnʼt discovered her most important secret: that she was now a double tamer.

A sigh escaped her lips as she thought about Lioraʼs family. The Ashenways were different. Not only did they allow women to lead, but their own matriarch, Selphira, was a respected and feared double tamer.

ʼIt must be nice,ʼ she thought while her mineral fairy glowed softly beneath her skin. ʼNot having to hide your desire for power.ʼ

Her thoughts drifted to Luna. Would her situation be similar? Were the Starweavers like the Dravenholms, bound to antiquated traditions? Or like the Ashenways, more progressive?

But Luna never talked about her family…

As if her thoughts had summoned her, Luna entered the room. Her head was down, her usual elegance tarnished by something that seemed to weigh on her shoulders.

”Luna?” Larissa called softly. ”Are you alright?”

There was no response. Luna simply sat on her bed, her gaze fixed on the floor.

Larissa approached, extending a hand to touch her cousinʼs shoulder. But before she could, something emerged from Lunaʼs shadow.

A black snake, its scaly skin gleaming with a dark luster, materialized holding an envelope in its fangs. Larissa recognized it instantly, it was the most common beast from the random black egg, the one everyone had expected Luna to get in the first place.

Its abilities were similar to the shadow wolfʼs, though it lacked elemental control and its potential was limited to silver rank 3. It was a respectable beast, but not exceptional.

ʼUncle Siriusʼs second beast,ʼ Larissa realized as the snake deposited the envelope in Lunaʼs hands.