Chapter 8: Fruit

To all magical beasts, the Dragon Clan was an absolutely dominant presence, one that suppressed them through pure bloodline.

Different magical beasts perceived this differently. Some were too dull to notice, while others simply felt instinctive fear.

Higher-ranked and more intelligent ones would actively show goodwill toward the Dragon Clan and submit.

Even after being tamed by humans and forming a beast contract, the Golden Crow’s instincts remained intact.

The Beast Tamer at its side sensed all of this, his expression a mix of shock and uncertainty.

He couldn’t fully grasp the Golden Crow’s thoughts, so he remained unaware of Ming Shuang’s true race. This only deepened his confusion over the Golden Crow’s reaction.

The Golden Crow had never behaved like this before…

To show such emotions toward a strange magical beast.

Was that person’s beast so extraordinary?

Yet Xuzhi appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary town resident, his clothes even somewhat ragged.

Was he deliberately concealing something? The Beast Tamer’s hand drifted toward the communication device at his waist, but he hesitated.

From the Golden Crow’s emotions, he keenly detected that the beast was far too special. It was best… not to let anyone else know.

He still felt the urge to track Xuzhi and uncover the truth, but duty called. The fire-type magical beast was just as crucial to their mission.

Besides the Golden Crow, no other beast in their group could track or conceal itself.

As the Beast Tamer wavered, the Golden Crow’s state had largely recovered. It signaled another development behind them.

The Beast Tamer swiftly retreated farther with the Golden Crow, hiding in a more distant spot. From its scouting, he learned that the fire-type magical beast—which had been still all morning—had finally stirred.

It was following the path Xuzhi had taken earlier, heading in the same direction.

The Beast Tamer realized the implication at once, shock rippling through him.

Could it be… that the fire-type magical beast had sensed that other beast’s presence, just like the Golden Crow?

It was tracking them. But why?

The Beast Tamer’s curiosity intensified, though this development made his task easier. He simply needed to tail the fire-type magical beast now.

After a moment’s thought, he pulled out his communication device and messaged his companions: everything was proceeding smoothly for the time being, but they needed to hold position and wait.

~~~

Xuzhi quickened his steps, cradling Ming Shuang in his arms. He glanced casually over his shoulder, as if by accident.

Ever since gaining magic, his senses had sharpened. He couldn’t shake the feeling that, on a certain stretch of road earlier, someone—or something—had been watching him.

Was he just being paranoid?

Xuzhi reflected on the past few days. He’d been cautious every step of the way, save for that one impulsive strike against Husi the night before.

But without the labor contract, the mining district held no sway over him anymore.

He’d used thunder magic, the same as the giant scorpion behind the accident. So what? Thunder scorpion packs roamed the valley region anyway.

Ming Shuang saw Xuzhi fall silent for a long stretch and nuzzled his hand, giving his fingertip a gentle nip.

Xuzhi snapped back to the present and stroked the little dragon hatchling’s chin. “Still hungry? What do you want for lunch?”

Ming Shuang flicked the tip of his tail. “Mmm…”

Anything would do.

The fruit from the green-furred hedgehog had tasted wonderful, and he’d even nibbled a small chunk of magic stone.

Right after consuming the magic stone, Ming Shuang felt the shift within him.

His magic power had recovered a measure, and the ceiling imposed by his juvenile body had lifted slightly.

It was as if he were finally beginning to “grow,” even if only by the tiniest amount.

The magic stone had been too meager… Ming Shuang regretted holding back. He should have devoured the whole thing instead of being polite to the green-furred hedgehog.

He had no idea where to find more magic stones. If he consumed enough, he might restore himself fully to adulthood without a hitch.

Ming Shuang mulled it over, resolving to convey this to Xuzhi in tonight’s dream.

Nestled in that warm embrace, he found himself eagerly awaiting the fall of night.

As they drew nearer to town, the roadside grew busier with passersby.

Ming Shuang tucked himself back into Xuzhi’s jacket. Before entering the town proper, Xuzhi swept another glance behind them.

He skirted the densest crowds and made for the back door of the medical clinic.

He’d gathered a decent haul of materials that morning. Tuji’s assistant had mentioned his return, so Tuji came by to appraise a few unknown herbs.

In the private compartment, Tuji donned his glasses and gloves for a close inspection. “Mm, not bad. The roots are mostly intact—this one’s worth a silver coin.”

Ming Shuang quietly poked half his head out from Xuzhi’s arms, peering about with curiosity.

Tuji glanced up and locked eyes with the little dragon hatchling.

Blue pupils? A water-type magical beast? That would align with those scales…

As Tuji pondered, Ming Shuang edged out farther, revealing the golden pupil on his other side.

Golden…?

Tuji froze, a vague intuition stirring unbidden in his chest.

He leaned in for a better look, but Xuzhi’s hand shot up, shielding Ming Shuang completely. He clearly had no intention of letting anyone else get a closer glance.

“…”

Who wants to gawk at your beast anyway? Tuji rolled his eyes and resumed tallying the materials.

In the end, he handed Xuzhi a full thirty silver coins, then reclaimed ten—the balance from yesterday’s medicine.

The tonic to restore Ming Shuang’s magic power wasn’t cheap, and they still owed a portion.

Xuzhi pocketed the money pouch. “I’d like to buy a few more things.”

Ming Shuang was awake now, but far from fully recovered. His energy remained low.

From morning until then, the little dragon hatchling had eaten only a meat pie and some fruit. And there wouldn’t be another Husi today.

Ming Shuang had depleted his magic to protect him, on top of his innate frailty. Xuzhi hadn’t forgotten Tuji’s advice: even day-to-day care required diligence.

Tuji’s medical clinic handled patients and herb trades, but it also stocked nourishing foods.

The items on Tuji’s medicine list weren’t easy to source elsewhere on short notice, leaving Xuzhi no choice but to buy here.

Tuji nodded and led Xuzhi up to the third floor of the medical clinic.

Ming Shuang watched quietly as Tuji pulled out various items, set some aside, and finalized the sale: a small cut of venison and several slices of medicinal herbs.

Tuji fetched the venison from the ice chest and passed it along with the herbs to his assistant, explaining precisely how to stew it into soup. Xuzhi would collect it that evening.

On top of that, Xuzhi took a liking to Tuji’s lunch and asked to buy a small bowl of fish soup outright.

Xuzhi had spent freely at the clinic over the past couple of days. Tuji didn’t object—in fact, he invited him to eat right there in the compartment.

Once the payment was settled, Ming Shuang quietly pawed at the money pouch.

It had only just plumped up, and now it sagged again…

Money was a vague notion to him, but he grasped that it bought things. Xuzhi had scoured the woods all morning for these very materials.

With the assistant and Tuji gone, Xuzhi settled by the compartment’s window and picked the bones from the fish.

The aroma drew Ming Shuang over despite the fruit he’d eaten earlier. Xuzhi fed him a generous bite of succulent white fish meat.

But the little dragon hatchling remembered that Xuzhi hadn’t eaten lunch yet.

He hovered close by, refusing another morsel until Xuzhi took a bite himself.

A single small bowl of fish soup didn’t go far. Tuji took pity and had a plate of flatbreads sent over—leftovers from breakfast, he said.

Xuzhi accepted without protest. In the end, he polished off the flatbreads while Ming Shuang slurped down the soup.

That afternoon, Xuzhi and Ming Shuang left the medical clinic and made for the town’s sole bookstore.

The bookstore welcomed all comers. Patrons could browse freely, though borrowing or purchasing required coin.

In this backwater town starved for resources, the shop was modest, its selection limited—but more than enough for Xuzhi.

Tucked in a corner bookshelf, he found a Basic Magic Book.

The corner stood empty. As Xuzhi leafed through it, Ming Shuang poked his head out to read along.

Basic magic worked across most elements, irrespective of system: standard magic arrays, elemental strikes, and the like, with only subtle variations.

The volume covered fire, metal, earth, water, wood… as well as wind and thunder systems.

Ice appeared only at the very end.

Ming Shuang craned his neck to check. Basic ice magic spanned a mere half-page.

He skimmed it quickly. Utter drivel.

Xuzhi ruffled the little dragon hatchling’s head and murmured, “You can read, too?”

There was a fond casualness to his tone, as if he didn’t truly believe Ming Shuang understood.

The Little Dragon hatchling huffed softly and retreated into the jacket pocket.

Xuzhi had no intention of buying the book. He committed key passages to memory, shelved it, and departed.

Some twenty minutes later, a figure entered the bookstore and made straight for that corner.

The seldom-visited shelf bore a thick layer of dust on many volumes; the proprietor hadn’t bothered with a thorough cleaning.

Xuzhi had been thorough, though. He’d disturbed a wide swath of books nearby, leaving no trace of which one he’d truly wanted.

The Beast Tamer from earlier had donned a disguise and stashed the Golden Crow outside town for the time being.

He scanned the area swiftly, committing every title to memory, then slipped away.

One volume in particular piqued his interest.

Basic Magic?

This remote town held no draw for beast tamers from afar. Perhaps Xuzhi was a local who’d only recently awakened, fortunate enough to bond his own beast—but green when it came to experience, combat especially.

The Beast Tamer had mulled it over through the entire lunch hour.

He couldn’t shake the memory of the Golden Crow’s turmoil. If he could claim that beast… or even just identify its type.

He’d strike solo first, relay the fire-type magical beast’s position to his team, and wrap both matters swiftly.

Might made right on this continent. Killing for a beast wasn’t unheard of—especially if its element matched one’s own.

Even those with exceptional innate talent could form contracts with at most three beasts.

If he secured it, he could always sell the beast to someone else.

The Beast Tamer tugged his hat brim low as he left the bookstore and strode off in a particular direction.

~~~

Later that afternoon, Xuzhi returned once more to the medical clinic.

The venison soup was nearly ready. Xuzhi had no intention of heading to an inn that night. Instead, he hoped to crash in the medical clinic’s backyard. Even a storage room would suffice.

Tuji stared at him with bulging eyes. “What do you take this place for?”

First he’d eyed Tuji’s lunch, and now he was after his courtyard!

Xuzhi lowered his gaze meekly. “I don’t have anywhere else to go right now.”

Ever since returning from Red Coral Lake, he’d been deeply restless.

In the entire town, the medical clinic had to be the safest spot. Tuji kept a 3rd Tier wood-type magic beast, and though the man himself wasn’t much of a fighter, he had several assistants at his side.

Tuji’s beard bristled. He waved a hand, on the verge of refusing, when Xuzhi’s coat twitched.

The Little Dragon hatchling poked his head out. A pair of watery blue-gold heterochromia eyes gazed up at Tuji, his expression utterly heart-melting.

The refusal reached Tuji’s lips, only to be swallowed back down.

He could tell Ming Shuang was special. At his age, he’d never seen a magical beast like this.

Come to think of it, this kid Xuzhi was pretty special too.

In the end, Tuji relented. “There’s an empty room in the backyard, just as it happens. Go tidy it up yourself.”

The Little Dragon hatchling looked even happier than Xuzhi. He let out an excited “Awoo!”, and the tip of his tail poked out to wag furiously.

Tuji had business to attend to. He instructed an assistant to show Xuzhi to the backyard, then took his leave.

As he passed through the corridor, those extraordinary blue-gold heterochromia eyes lingered in his mind. Suddenly, his footsteps halted.

Tuji’s hand trembled slightly as he pinched his beard. He turned and hurried toward the Scripture Pavilion on the third floor, desperate to confirm his suspicions.

No… it couldn’t be. How could this possibly…

By then, Xuzhi had reached the backyard room and begun cleaning.

He kept his coat pulled tight. Ming Shuang had been ordered to stay hidden inside, allowed only to peek out with half a claw from the collar.

Once the room was spotless, Xuzhi unrolled the mattress and bedding the assistant had brought and laid them out on the floor. The venison soup arrived soon after, accompanied by a plate of complimentary flatbreads.

Dusk settled in. Xuzhi sat on the ground, feeding Ming Shuang.

The soup contained medicinal herbs but wasn’t bitter at all. Ming Shuang’s appetite had improved that evening; he devoured a good portion in one go.

That afternoon, Xuzhi had bought a spare set of clothes for convenience. The room was even more spartan than his inn accommodations, but thankfully the backyard had a washroom for bathing.

Lacking a flame stone, Xuzhi tried—and failed—to heat the cold water with his thunder magic. As usual, he warmed a towel against his palm instead, then gently wiped down the little dragon hatchling.

Afterward, he gave himself a quick rinse, washed his dirty clothes while he was at it, and hung them along the courtyard wall. Scooping up the patiently waiting Ming Shuang, he returned to the room.

Ming Shuang yawned, his eyes already drifting shut. With practiced ease, he nudged open Xuzhi’s collar and curled against the warm skin, falling asleep in moments.

The courtyard fell silent, the entire medical clinic cloaked in night.

Not long after, Xuzhi slipped into a dream.

“Master, I loved tonight’s dinner…” Ming Shuang murmured from the crook of his arms. “Where can I find more of those stones from lunch?”

Xuzhi held him close. “What stones?”

“The ones the green hedgehog gave me.” Ming Shuang gestured with his tiny paws. “If I eat them, I can grow big.”

He went on. “Once I’m grown, I can shapeshift. Otherwise, Master can’t understand dragon language and won’t know what I’m saying.”

Xuzhi stroked his silver hair. “What do you want to say?”

“So much…” Ming Shuang paused, then perked up. “Right! Coal Ball!”

A couple of days earlier, he’d told Xuzhi he wanted to search the jungle for Coal Ball. He wondered if Xuzhi even remembered.

Xuzhi appeared to have forgotten. “What’s Coal Ball?”

“It’s one of your card beasts too, just like me,” Ming Shuang said. “Does Master remember it?”

Xuzhi fell silent for a moment before murmuring, “It’s not the same as you.”

Ming Shuang pouted in dissatisfaction. “How is it different?”

He figured Xuzhi just didn’t like Coal Ball as much—or maybe, back then, Ming Shuang had been the only one who was truly special, the only one so deeply cherished.

Meanwhile, somewhere beyond the town…

The black-furred magical beast confirmed Xuzhi’s aura had stopped moving. It seized the chance to make a quick detour elsewhere before rushing back.

Clutched in its arms were two fruits, their shells a vibrant orange-red and perfectly fresh.

The black-furred magical beast remembered how the little dragon used to adore their flavor, devouring several in a single sitting.

When they reunited, it would offer these fruits to the little dragon.

Nerves jangling once more, the black-furred magical beast paced restlessly back and forth. Unwittingly, it drew closer to the town until the medical clinic’s roof came into distant view.

Suddenly, it caught a faint unfamiliar scent—heading straight for the medical clinic.

That smell… The black-furred magical beast remembered it well. It belonged to the beast tamer who had once hunted it down.