Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

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Not exaggerated at all.

It was the kind of brightness that flared up in an instant—ZING!

"Awoo! Awoo!"

'Eat!'

The little white snake's message was a bit messy, and its cries were just as chaotic.

Asher didn't mind. He took out another delicious dragon stick—something no real dragon-type beast had ever tasted.

This time, he squeezed the dragon stick directly into his palm and held it out toward the little white snake.

"Be a little gentler.",Asher guided,"Slowly, carefully."

"Awo!!"

The little white snake stared unblinkingly at Asher's palm, nodded slightly, and stuck out its tongue to give a gentle lick—this time, it didn't hurt at all. Asher only felt something smooth and damp gliding over his palm. The barbs on its tongue didn't even make an appearance.

Asher smiled.

It seemed the little white snake was quite cooperative.

Patience was essential for dealing with pets.

After all, the little white snake wasn't a true dragon-type beast. It wouldn't have a natural attachment to the first being it saw after hatching.

So, Asher continued the process—feeding, giving commands, feeding again… repeating the cycle over and over.

The little white snake's gaze toward Asher became increasingly trusting and affectionate.

Its initial wariness had completely disappeared.

It didn't even resist when Asher patted its head.

However, whenever Asher tried to stroke down its back, it would immediately meet his hand with wary little eyes.

Little White Snake: "Awo!"

'No!'

Denied!

The little white snake squirmed, trying to find a place to rest.

Then, an embarrassing situation unfolded…

Squirm! Squirm!

With its belly stuffed round and full, the little white snake couldn't move at all. Its long, slender body simply froze in place.

The little white snake, less than an hour from birth to being stuffed full: "…"

Silence.

Awkwardness.

It had just experienced the first social death moment of its snake life.

The little white snake blinked its eerie golden eyes. At this moment, all of its supposed majesty had vanished. It was just shy of having two big teardrops streaming down its face—swoosh—like a cartoon.

Asher chuckled.

"Ahem.",He clenched his fist and pressed it against his lips, forcibly suppressing the upward curve of his mouth.

"Awo!"

The little white snake, furious, opened its mouth wide at Asher, its long, pink tongue flickering out. Its golden eyes, fueled by anger, shone extra bright.

'Angry!'

'Bad!'

The little white snake lay stiffly on the ground, completely motionless. Despair beyond anger.

Though young, it had already grasped what it meant to have no will to live.

"It's nothing serious, just a full belly.",Saying this, Asher reached out toward the little white snake again. It didn't resist at all, allowing itself to be scooped up like a soft, limp spicy strip.

Little White Snake: *Playing dead*

Its body drooped naturally over Asher's palm, limp at both ends, with only a small section in the middle supported.

Asher sat cross-legged on the bed, placing the little white snake on his lap and rubbing its belly.

Round and plump, soft and squishy—like kneading a water-filled balloon.

Little White Snake: =_=

Still playing dead, the Jade-Silver Snake instinctively squinted its eyes—releasing another round of meaningless, babyish squeaks.

'Pleasurable!'

'More!'

Its body remained still, but the tip of its tail twitched twice.

Little Raven and the Cat-Worm: *Stare—*

(個_个)

'Want to pinch it!'

Little Raven: 'The new little bro looks kinda delicious!'

Cat-Worm: 'The new little bro looks perfect for claw sharpening!'

Asher: "…"

With a firm grip, he took turns pressing down on both their heads,"Reel in those looks. You're practically drooling."

Little Raven looked up.

╭(╯^╰)╮

'Liar! Beastmaster lies!'

'Bird's not dumb!'

'Bird would never!'

The Cat-Worm licked its lips noisily, then tilted its head toward its boss.

Cat-Worm: "Meow?"

Little Raven: "…"

Little Raven turned its head away.

It refused to acknowledge that it had such a dumb little bro.

Meanwhile, the little white snake, nestled on Asher's lap, had already relaxed to the point of dozing off.

Wariness?

Sorry.

Its entire body felt soft and warm. It was impossible to stay alert.

'And this human's scent… it smells really nice…'

Nestled up against Asher, the little white snake felt completely surrounded by his scent. Its body relaxed… then relaxed even more…

Like a mother's embrace.

'Hmm…?'

'What's a mother?'

The little white snake's mind grew fuzzy. Eventually, it lifted its head slightly and gave a sleepy sway.

'Well… in any case… this person won't hurt me, right?'

Jade-Silver Snake instincts: 'Correct! Absolutely right!'

The little white snake surrendered completely.

Resist?

Struggle?

Stay alert?

Hah!

Why bother?

Full belly.

Safe surroundings.

Super comfortable… Might as well stay like this.

Before long, the little white snake instinctively coiled around Asher's wrist. Since its body was long, it looped around several times before finally resting its not-too-big, not-too-small head in the crook of Asher's thumb.

Asher: "…"

His emotions were… slightly complicated.

Sure, the Cat-Worm was also cool to the touch, with the same smooth, almost scaly texture, but compared to a long, slender Jade-Silver Snake… there was a subtle difference.

Still, Asher held back.

'Sleep, sleep!'

For newly hatched cubs, depending on their physical constitution, the first ten to forty days were just about eating and sleeping.

The contract bond could be formed as soon as the second day after hatching.

The pet beast egg had hatched.

The little white snake had fallen asleep.

Tomorrow, he could head to the Rothschild Family without worries.

Asher was about to pack his things when he turned around—only to face the complete chaos of his room.

Asher fell silent for a moment.

He glanced at the little white snake dozing on his wrist, then at Little Raven and the Cat-Worm.

Little Raven and the Cat-Worm, who had completely forgotten their earlier fight: "!"

'Ah!'

'Uh…'

They immediately bounced onto Asher, wiggling furiously, pouring on the affectionate gestures.

'Beastmaster, don't be mad!'

'Getting angry isn't worth it!'

'The bird didn't mean to!'

'Neither did the dragon!'

'Just a teeny tiny accident!'

They snuggled up desperately, occasionally sneaking glances at the little white snake wrapped around Asher's wrist, as if saying:

'Even if we're wrong, it's wrong too!'

'Punishment should be shared!'

"I'm calling housekeeping," Asher said helplessly.

Little Raven and the Cat-Worm let out a sigh of relief.

Then, Asher turned and knocked them on the head,"You two, reflect on your mistakes, got it?"

Little Raven and the Cat-Worm: 'Understood! Absolutely!'

'Reflect deeply!'

As for whether they'd actually change… eh-heh~

That was out of their control once they got excited.

Facing this mess of a room, the hotel housekeeping remained calm and composed, their main strength being their broad experience.

Messy?

Just a little scuffle between pet beasts.

It's nothing compared to the shocking scenes they've seen before—scenes so intense they could be censored at any moment if spoken aloud.

Cleaning up the room would take some time.

Hearing the commotion, June, Ivy, and Vicky all poked their heads in.

"Wait, what? Your room… did a tornado hit? Why didn't we hear anything?"

"Did Little Crow and Cat-Worm fight again? What happened this time?"

"Wait, wait—Ash, where's your pet beast egg? And what's that sticky mess on your bed…"

In the end, Vicky turned to Asher with a look of doubt and shock.

Asher: "..."

He had no idea what Vicky was thinking.

"The pet beast egg hatched.",Asher raised his left wrist, revealing the Jade Silver Snake coiled around it,"That should be the remains from when it broke out of its shell."

'Hmm?'

The three of them immediately crowded around Asher.

Ivy excitedly clasped her hands together,"It finally hatched! We've been waiting for days."

"What kind of beast is this? Why doesn't it look like a dragon at all? It looks more like a snake.",Vicky stroked his chin as he examined the Jade Silver Snake wrapped around Asher's wrist,"But it does look pretty good. If this were an ordinary snake species, it'd be worth a lot of money."

"Still, even if a transcendent beast with dragon attributes ends up looking like a snake, it's still unique in its own way."

"Hmm… if I'm not mistaken, this isn't a dragon-attribute beast at all.",Only June frowned slightly and looked up at Asher,"This should be… a water-attribute Jade Silver Snake? If I remember correctly."

Ivy and Vicky: "?"

"But Flood Dragon University said the pet beast egg they tested showed dragon-attribute energy fluctuations."

"Jade Silver Snakes are water-attribute, but they are indeed a dragon species. If you say it had dragon-attribute energy fluctuations… it's not impossible.",June said, but then shook his head,"But that doesn't add up. There are plenty of dragon species among beasts, and we've never seen any of them show dragon-attribute energy fluctuations during testing."

Dragon species refer to a certain type of beast group—born from one parent that is a dragon-attribute beast, but the offspring do not resemble either parent. Instead, they form an entirely new species.

This species has its own reproductive capabilities and can pass down dragon-attribute bloodlines for generations—able to independently learn and comprehend one or two dragon-attribute skills. Such beasts are classified as dragon species.

They have the bloodline of dragon-attribute beasts, but they did not inherit the dragon attribute.

If energy fluctuations were detected, it should have been the fluctuation of their own attribute.

Vicky: "Ash, what do you plan to do?"

He looked at the Jade Silver Snake coiled on Asher's wrist, sleeping soundly, completely trusting Asher. Lowering his voice, he asked,"Are you going to ask Flood Dragon University for an explanation?"

"They promised a rare pet beast egg, but it hatched into a water-attribute Jade Silver Snake… tsk! This is a bit too much on Flood Dragon's part."

"Wasn't Flood Dragon supposed to be the best pet beast incubation center in the country? How could they make such a basic mistake?"

If it weren't for Flood Dragon's previously good attitude toward Asher, Vicky would already be jumping to conspiracy theories.

"Ah… an explanation would be reasonable.",Asher nodded.

June waved his hand,"Contact that teacher Daryll from Flood Dragon right now. Tell him to replace it with a dragon-attribute pet beast."

"Yeah!",Ivy nodded firmly,"This is just unfair!"

With just one nod from Asher, the three of them were instantly filled with righteous indignation.

Seeing this, Asher chuckled… To be honest, he wasn't that angry.

But still… this was indeed Flood Dragon's mistake. Asking them for an explanation and some compensation wasn't unreasonable, right?

Asher smiled at the thought.

It wasn't that he wasn't considerate of Flood Dragon University. It's just that evolving the little white snake into a true dragon-attribute creature… required way too many resources.

Even though Asher wasn't short on money anymore, any extra benefits he could squeeze out would be worth it.

No need to hold back or be polite.

———

Evening.

Just as Daryll was about to go out for dinner, his phone suddenly vibrated. He received a message from Asher.

At this moment, Daryll wasn't mentally prepared at all. He clicked on the message directly.

A photo.

A slender, pearl-colored little white snake coiled around a wrist.

Daryll: "?"

[Asher: It hatched.]

Immediately, Asher sent another message.

Daryll: "!"

*Pupil earthquake*

'It hatched?'

'What hatched?'

'Oh!'

'The pet beast egg that was awarded to Asher had hatched.'

'And what kind of pet beast was inside?'

Daryll lowered his head, his eyes falling on the photo on his phone—

It was obvious. The beast that hatched was a Jade Silver Snake.

A high-tier, low-rank beast.

Not exactly common, but definitely not considered rare.

Daryll clutched his chest, once again experiencing the feeling of cardiac arrest.

Wait a minute—

Did Flood Dragon University… offend the gods today?

Otherwise, how could they be so… unlucky? Well, not exactly unlucky.

It was just that kind of… indescribable feeling of helplessness. Too tired to complain. No words left to say.

[Daryll: Professor Asher, we will definitely give you a response and a solution as soon as possible.]

Daryll's fingers flew across the keyboard as he replied to Asher. Then, he immediately reported the issue to the university leadership group.

There was no other choice.

As an ordinary teacher, this kind of situation…

Daryll: QAQ

Was way beyond what he could handle.

He had to get someone who could solve this problem.

Flood Dragon University leadership: "?"

Wait.

A pet beast egg with detected dragon-attribute energy fluctuations… hatched into a Jade Silver Snake?

In an instant, the entire university felt the same cardiac arrest.

The only ones still able to laugh… were the spies from Jade Dragon University lurking in Flood Dragon's leadership group.

"Hahaha—Flood Dragon really embarrassed themselves this time.",Jade Dragon's teachers laughed toward the sky, just short of throwing a party.

They were delighted.

Absolutely delighted.

At first, they thought Asher and Jade Dragon weren't a good match. Otherwise, why did Asher keep running into Jade Dragon's competitors, knocking out Jade Dragon's students in the quarterfinals, and then defeating them again to win the championship?

The whole time, Asher never once went up against Flood Dragon's students.

Jade Dragon: *Internally unstable*

And then…

After the competition ended, the relationship between Asher and Flood Dragon started taking an odd turn.

Jade Dragon: "Hahahaha!"

The more Flood Dragon suffered, the happier they were.

The worse Flood Dragon had it, the more they celebrated.

As long as it wasn't a national-level issue, these little spats were fair game.

"Spread the word! Let all our Jade Dragon students come watch the drama."

"Watching Flood Dragon make a scene—so satisfying! See, this is why I always say money is the best; it rarely lets you down!"

"Didn't Flood Dragon just have a scandal a few days ago? They probably compensated Professor Asher a lot in private. But now, another mess? Suddenly, I feel lucky that it wasn't Felter and Dexter who won the championship. Otherwise, when this pet beast egg hatched, what was supposed to be a dragon-type beast would suddenly turn into a mere high-rank beast. And even if it evolved into a Twin-Headed Jade Coil, it would just be a mid-tier, mid-rank species at best…"

Saying this, the teacher shook his head.

The other teachers imagined the situation for themselves… Yes, they were already getting angry in advance.

"We have to demand an explanation from Flood Dragon for Professor Asher. This doesn't just affect them; if they don't handle it properly, it will impact the overall reputation and public trust of our TOP2 universities.'

"That makes sense… If this isn't handled well, what Beast Master would ever trust our TOP2's credibility again? No way! This is no longer just Flood Dragon's problem! Jade Dragon must step in!"

Flood Dragon: ???

"Are you sure you're not just here to enjoy the show, take notes on our dark history, and then nail it onto the pillar of shame?",Daryll, who was unfortunately put in charge of handling this mess, rolled his eyes dramatically at the Jade Dragon representatives.

'Like hell I'd believe you!'

'Yes, this situation is serious, but it's nowhere near as catastrophic as Jade Dragon is making it out to be.'

'Jade Dragon just came to watch the fun!'

"Hehe.",The teachers from Jade Dragon grinned maliciously,"You can't blame us. You handed us the leverage yourselves."

"Tell me, if something like this happened to us, wouldn't you all come and watch?"

Daryll: "…"

No rebuttal.

Not watch the drama?

Impossible.

Even if they weren't in Star City, they'd find a way to rush back at the first sign of trouble—just to get a fresh scoop on the gossip.

The Jade Dragon teachers gave Daryll a look.

'You get it, right?'

"So where's Professor Asher?",The Jade Dragon University teachers craned their necks, looking around like a group of hungry geese waiting for feed, making an endless stream of honking sounds as they searched for the event's main character.

"Heh., Daryll let out a cold chuckle,"Sorry to disappoint you all, but Professor Asher is already gone."

Jade Dragon University teachers: "!!!"

"We settled this online last night. We agreed to the compensation terms Professor Asher requested.",Daryll spoke with a calm expression.

Jade Dragon University teachers: ?

"What compensation did you give him?"

"We're all from brother schools, just tell us—how did you settle it in the end?"

"Yeah, yeah, spill the details, don't keep it to yourself! Did you compensate him with another pet beast?"

Daryll sneered.

'Now they're calling us brother schools?'

'Weren't they just here for the drama a moment ago?'

He rolled his eyes again.

As for the compensation Professor Asher asked for…

Honestly, even Flood Dragon was a bit surprised when they heard it.

At first, they thought, just like Jade Dragon suggested, they'd replace the pet beast for him. But a dragon-type… that was tricky.

After all, Flood Dragon didn't have any dragon-type beast cubs.

Adult dragons? Those were wild, untamed, and powerful, almost all above Rank Seven.

Forget Asher.

Even among Flood Dragon's annual graduates, it wasn't guaranteed that a single Beast Master would successfully form a contract with an adult dragon-type beast.

But that didn't mean Flood Dragon had nothing to offer.

They had rare pet beasts of other attributes available for exchange.

But Asher refused—

"I think this Jade Silver Snake is special. Logically, its energy fluctuations should indicate a water attribute, but your tests detected a dragon attribute. I trust Flood Dragon University's detection standards. I believe you genuinely thought it was a dragon attribute at the time, rather than deliberately deceiving contestants."

Hearing Asher's words, Daryll nodded repeatedly, his goodwill for the professor skyrocketing.

'Yes, yes, exactly!'

'A pet beast's attribute is what it is. No matter how fancy the words, once it hatches, the truth is plain to see. There's no covering it up.'

If they hadn't truly detected dragon energy fluctuations, they wouldn't have dared to claim it was a dragon-type pet egg.

"As for compensation… First, I hope Flood Dragon investigates this pet egg's situation. I'm curious about the source of its unusual energy fluctuations."

"Alright.",Daryll agreed immediately,"But we'll need some time."

It had already been a while since they brought this pet egg back, so tracing the Jade Silver Snake's origins wouldn't be easy.

Asher nodded and continued,"And also… does Flood Dragon have any spare dragon-attribute energy crystals?"

Daryll: "?"

"Uh… Professor Asher, didn't we already compensate you with 24 energy crystals?",Daryll was puzzled,"We do have more, but the Jade Silver Snake is a water-type beast—it wouldn't need them, right?"

"Consuming energy crystals of a different attribute isn't good for a Jade Silver Snake. Without a matching attribute, it likely wouldn't be able to absorb and digest the energy properly. And since dragon energy is so violent, it could even trigger adverse stress reactions—"

Before Daryll could finish explaining, Asher lifted a finger and gently scratched the soft chin of the Jade Silver Snake coiled around his wrist.

The little snake, rudely disturbed from its nap, flicked its tail in irritation. It opened its mouth wide, revealing two sharp fangs.

Daryll felt his heart jump.

But before the Jade Silver Snake could bite Asher, he swiftly pulled out a dragon-attribute energy crystal from his compensation stash and placed it in front of the snake's descending fangs.

CRUNCH—

Daryll clearly heard a crisp sound from the other end of the video call.

A quarter of the dragon-attribute energy crystal was gone—just like that.

The Jade Silver Snake wriggled, swallowing the piece whole.

At first, a small bulge could be seen traveling down its slender body.

Then, visibly shrinking, the dragon-attribute energy crystal dissolved at a speed discernible to the naked eye.

Moments later, the Jade Silver Snake returned to its original slender form.

Daryll was stunned.

Daryll was speechless.

This was the first time he had ever seen, so vividly, how an beast digested an energy crystal.

It was shockingly direct and convincing.

"This Jade Silver Snake really is unusual…",Daryll murmured, still in a daze.

Forget about the fangs that could bite through a dragon-attribute energy crystal in one go.

Just the fact that a water-type beast could absorb and digest dragon-attribute energy was enough to shock him.

And it didn't just stop at one bite—Asher's Jade Silver Snake continued munching away until it finished the entire energy crystal.

"Arrr~",The little snake let out a satisfied burp, then rested its head in Asher's palm and fell fast asleep.

Daryll: "…"

"…Alright, Professor Asher, how many dragon-attribute energy crystals do you need?"

"Two hundred."

"???",Daryll's expression went blank for a moment,"How many?"

He was so shocked his tone changed.

Asher coughed. Two hundred did sound a bit ridiculous. But considering that evolving the Jade Silver Snake into a Silver Dragon King required 210 dragon-attribute energy crystals, he felt his request was perfectly reasonable.

Unreasonable?

The promised dragon-attribute pet beast had turned into a water-attribute one. He even had to painstakingly nurture the little white snake into a dragon-attribute beast himself.

Was it unreasonable to ask Flood Dragon University for the difference in cost?

Not to mention, Asher also had to collect other things on his own.

Daryll reached out and pinched his own brow.

Headache.

Dragon-attribute energy crystals weren't exactly cheap cabbages… Though, to be fair, Flood Dragon University could afford that many.

After all, they hadn't spent four hundred years in Star City for nothing.

Just because they didn't have dragon-attribute pet beast eggs didn't mean they couldn't hunt dragon-attribute beasts.

It was difficult.

But not impossible.

"Two hundred pieces—it can be slightly reduced.",Asher said with a calm expression. He firmly believed that Flood Dragon University's inventory of dragon-attribute energy crystals was definitely more than that,"I suspect the Jade Silver Snake has a new evolution path, possibly related to dragon attributes. Otherwise, there's no way to explain why the Jade Silver Snake can absorb and digest the energy from dragon-attribute crystals."

Daryll was once again shocked.

'Ah… if that's the case… then Asher's request is actually quite reasonable.'

'Moreover…'

If the Jade Silver Snake really had a new evolution route tied to dragon attributes… Flood Dragon University would fully support this research.

They were already incubating Jade Silver Snake eggs.

"I need to ask the higher-ups.",Daryll couldn't make the decision himself, and Asher didn't mind waiting for his response.

After repeated negotiations, Flood Dragon University admitted their mistake. Adding to the fact that Asher held the title of Pet Beast Evolution Professor…

In the end, they still agreed to Asher's compensation request.

It was just a tenth of their inventory, after all…

'Fine, fine! Take it!'

Consider it a goodwill gesture toward Asher. They had already given him all those precious potions, so a few crystals wouldn't make much of a difference…

Alright, fine, it was actually quite a lot.

Thinking back to last night's discussions with Asher, Daryll's expression turned a bit more serious.

Should they inform their brother school?

No way.

Knowing the research Asher was conducting and considering his past achievements…

Flood Dragon University: 'We're taking the lead on this!'

'Prepare the Jade Silver Snakes!'

'Stock up on dragon-attribute energy stones!'

Once the evolution route was announced, Flood Dragon University could overshadow Jade Dragon University in dragon-attribute beasts.

Jade Dragon University professors: "?"

'Something's off.'

'Very off.'

'There's definitely something fishy going on here.'

'Investigate immediately!'

———

While Jade Dragon and Flood Dragon were busy scheming against each other, Asher had already arrived in Clove City with June, Ivy, and Vicky.

From here, they would board separate flights to different destinations.

"What a pity. The Highschool results are coming out in just a few days. Otherwise, I'd have gone with you to check out that Rothschild family place…",Vicky sighed deeply, his face full of regret.

June glanced at him with a speechless expression,"How do you come up with such ridiculous ideas?"

"The Rothschild family is a prestigious clan, you know? It's fine for Asher to visit alone, but bringing us along as freeloaders? What would that even look like?"

Ivy sighed at those words, her eyes flickering with a different kind of light,'Asher's world… I hope we can get a little closer to it.'

"Let's just forget it this time. It's for business, after all.",Asher said with a smile,"There'll be plenty of chances to hang out together in the future. We can plan something next time."

Vicky nodded and stepped forward to pat Asher's shoulder,"Alright, alright, you should get going. Didn't you already make plans with someone?"

"We'll contact you once the results are out."

"Who knows? Maybe we'll even end up at the same university?"

"Heh!", June crossed her arms and let out a cold laugh,"No matter how you look at it, I'm the one with the highest chance of that happening."

Bluewind University's Combat Department… She had already made up her mind.

Asher: "…"

'Is it just me, or does this atmosphere feel kind of weird?'

'A love rivalry scene?'

'Wait… but the parties involved don't seem right…?'

Seeing that his flight was about to take off, Asher quickly waved goodbye to the three of them and boarded the plane heading to Clearview City, home of the Rothschild family.

———

The southwest region was full of towering mountains and deep valleys.

Even high above the clouds, when Asher lowered his head, he could see lush green mountain peaks and valleys stretching out below.

If someone told him that Dragon Valley was located in such a place… he wouldn't find it hard to believe.

He had set off early in the morning.

Yet, he only arrived in the afternoon. The moment he stepped off the plane, he saw Aeron jumping up and down, waving at him with a wooden sign in hand—extremely eye-catching.

Asher's footsteps halted for a moment at the airport exit. He had a strong urge to turn around and walk away, pretending not to know this guy.

Unfortunately.

Aeron had sharp eyes and immediately spotted Asher emerging from the crowd. He became even more excited and started waving his arms wildly.

"Over here! Over here!"

"Asher!"

"Look this way!"

Aeron's voice was ridiculously loud. Many passengers from the same flight turned to look at Asher and Aeron, their expressions showing a look of sudden understanding.

Asher: "?"

'Wait—'

'What exactly are you guys understanding?'

Asher really wanted to turn back and leave. But when he thought about his two hungry pet beasts waiting for him to feed them dragon-attribute skills…

He sighed. The struggles of a responsible father.

Supporting the whole family on his own was just too hard.

Asher turned around, face expressionless, and strode over to Aeron. Before Aeron could flash his signature goofy grin, Asher smacked him on the back of the head.

"Move."

"Oh, oh, okay, okay!",Seemingly startled by Asher's serious demeanor, Aeron scratched his head and hurriedly led the way, carrying the wooden sign.

Asher glanced at the sign, which had large, crooked words written in blinding neon pink marker:"WELCOME, GENIUS PROFESSOR, TO OUR CITY!"

His expression twisted slightly.

"…Who came up with this sign?",Asher asked in a low voice.

"Huh? You mean this sign?",Aeron turned back to look at Asher. Seeing that Asher had returned to his usual calm expression, he grinned,"Heh, I was thinking about making a sign so you'd spot me easily."

"Then my dad gave me some suggestions!"

"I thought it was pretty good. It's the first time I felt like my dad actually had a good idea for wording.",Aeron spoke sincerely.

Asher was speechless.

'Alright.'

'Confirmed.'

'Aeron is definitely his father's biological son.'

'Because if it were anyone else with a normal brain, how could they possibly think this sign was fine?'

Asher: …Not even going to comment.

He decisively changed the topic,"How is Old Rothschild's Ancestral Dragon?"

"What's the specific situation?"

The description in the premium marketplace post wasn't very detailed. All Asher knew was that Old Master Rothschild's Ancestral Dragon had exhibited some unusual behavior, refusing to obey its beastmaster's commands or return to the old man's mental sea beast space.

For more detailed information… he would have to ask in person.

"Ah… still the same.",Aeron followed Asher's lead as the topic shifted to the Ancestral Dragon. He looked genuinely concerned about the dragon,"We don't really know the exact reason… but basically, Dragon Dad just won't leave Dragon Valley. Grandpa's orders don't work either. But Dragon Dad isn't showing any aggression—he's just staying there."

"Dragon Dad?",Asher was a little curious about Aeron's nickname for the Ancestral Dragon.

Aeron rubbed his forehead with an embarrassed smile,"Ah… it's just a habit."

"You know how my dad is—his specialty is being unreliable."

Asher wasn't sure whether to nod or just pretend to understand, but Greg Rothschild's legendary unreliability was definitely reflected in his name.

"When I was little, my grandpa took care of me. But my grandpa often had his pet beasts look after me instead. Among them, the one who spent the most time taking care of me was Ancestral Dragon.",As Aeron spoke, they arrived outside, and he led Asher into the car,"There was even a period when I genuinely thought I was a baby dragon and that Ancestral Dragon was my Dragon Dad."

"…Eventually, my understanding was corrected, but the nickname stuck."

Asher nodded,'Got it.'

In this chaotic family, facing the only reliable Ancestral Dragon, it wasn't surprising that Aeron experienced some identity confusion—or that he might have wanted to switch species and guardians altogether.

As for how Old Master Rothschild and Greg had corrected his thinking… judging from Aeron's expression, it probably wasn't a pleasant experience.

Asher didn't ask further and instead looked at the car.

In the driver's seat sat a middle-aged man he didn't recognize. The man smiled and nodded at Asher before turning to Aeron, who was stuffing the sign into the back seat,"Young Master, are we heading back now?"

"Yes, we've picked him up. Let's head back.",Aeron clapped his hands and grinned,"But let's take a lap around the main house first. I can give Asher a little tour."

Then he turned to Asher,"Later, a pet beast professor and a breeder will be arriving too. Grandpa will explain the Ancestral Dragon's situation to everyone together."

Makes sense.

Waiting for everyone to arrive and discussing everything at once was more efficient and practical.

And then…

Asher finally understood what it meant to be a wealthy family.

"This mountain is ours. That mountain is also ours.",Sitting in the car, Aeron pointed at the vast, rolling mountains around them,"Managing them every year is a real hassle, but we don't have a choice. Baby Dragons and Julie Dragons love running around between the peaks. The bigger the forest, the more comfortable they feel."

"We have to maintain it properly.",Aeron shook his head,"Sigh, I guess this is the trouble of having an Ancestral Dragon as a king. You also have to take care of its subjects."

"You know, saying that could get you punched.",Asher, hit with a wave of unintentional flexing, clasped his hands together and wobbled them side to side, looking like he was about to test it himself.

Aeron immediately raised his hands,"Okay, okay, I'll stop! I'll take you to see my grandpa now."

Asher calmly let go, as if nothing had just happened.

Meanwhile, Aeron, who had just felt a "life-threatening" danger,"…"

"Hm?",Aeron suddenly noticed something. He hopped closer to Asher and looked down at Asher's left wrist. Curiously, he asked,"Brother Asher, is that a bracelet on your wrist? The white color looks really nice. It doesn't look feminine on a guy at all…"

Before he could finish speaking, the small white snake on Asher's wrist suddenly raised its head, bared its fangs, flicked its tongue, and lunged toward Aeron's nose.

Aeron: "!!!"

"AH—!!!"

Startled, Aeron stumbled backward, landing straight on his butt on a dirt slope.

"You! …You you you…!"

Aeron pointed a trembling finger at the little white snake on Asher's wrist,"You… you're raising a spicy stick? That scared me to death!"

Aeron patted his chest, trying to calm himself down.

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