Chapter 17: Pet Care

With the feeding timer still ticking, Rangar decided to lend Martin a hand. He led him out of the Level One Dungeon and deeper into the Forest Hidden Monster Hunter Academy.

The scoreboard could wait. Ao Tenshin couldn’t.

Fewer and fewer players appeared as they walked down the paved road.

At last, they arrived at a restaurant carved into a massive tree. At night, the trunk looked like a huge lantern, light spilling through carved slits, beautiful and eerie at the same time.

Only a handful of players were inside, not as guests, but as workers learning recipes for food buffs.

Overseeing them was a middle-aged man around Rangar’s age. He slapped hands now and then and shouted at every wrong move.

Martin had expected players like that, the kind who wanted something other than combat. He didn’t pay them much attention.

His eyes stayed on a peculiar dog that kept staring at him.

The dog looked like a black version of a Golden Retriever, its tail wagging furiously at the sight of Ao Tenshin resting on Martin’s palm.

"Is that dog a beast?" Martin asked.

Rangar nodded. "Haha, yeah! His name’s Buracchu, and he’s this restaurant’s co-owner. He’s in charge of finances. If you don’t tip the chef, he’ll stare you down with that adorable face and squeeze out every penny. Haha!"

Buracchu barked as if calling him a liar.

The chef seemed to recognize that bark. He turned around, noticed Rangar at once, and stepped out from the kitchen.

He tugged off his apron as he called out. "Shouldn’t you be running around the Light Tree like a fool by now? The scoreboard’s about to lock in, yeah?"

After just a few steps, he spotted Ao Tenshin too. The little one’s sapphire-sky shell was a clear sign of a prominent beast lineage.

And she was in a player’s hands, no less.

"I should be, but I’m still doing my job," Rangar said with a chuckle. "This is Emperoar. He defeated the Baby Kraken and got himself a beast companion. It’s feeding time!"

[Pet Bond Quest: First Feeding]

[Target: Ao Tenshin (Lv. 1) - Female]

[Time Remaining: 00:13:31]

[Failure: Quest resets; bond growth stalls.]

"That’s huge!" the chef exclaimed. "That’s a boss from the Level One Dungeon, right? Not an easy one to take down. If that means we’ll finally get kraken meat from the Light Tree, even better!"

Martin tilted his head. "Is that how it works? Players defeat monsters in the Light Tree dungeon, and then the tree rewards the academy with resources?"

"Exactly," the chef said. "I’m Samu. Pleasure’s on my plate to meet you! You didn’t just beat a tough monster. You bonded with a beast too. Come on. I’ll make sure you feed her right."

Martin smiled. "Thanks. I’m Emperoar, but I guess... I’m Martin for you, Rangar, and of course Buracchu."

The two men nodded with wide smiles, and Buracchu wagged his tail.

Samu brought Martin to the kitchen’s back storage, where all kinds of ingredients sat frozen in neat stacks.

"Species?" Samu asked.

"Dragon Turtle."

Samu whistled. "You got yourself one hell of a huge beast, Martin. She might grow into a small island one day. That’s dragon blood for you."

He gestured like he was outlining her future size in the air.

"Her turtle half means a tough shell and natural defenses," Samu continued. "The dragon half needs protein and fat. The turtle half needs calcium."

Samu grabbed ingredients quickly. "Fish, crushed shell, and bone broth. I’ll make your girl feel like she’s devouring a raw beast."

Martin could only nod at Samu’s enthusiasm.

Samu carried everything back inside and began casting magic. The process was smooth and practiced, pulling the best out of each ingredient without wasting a single motion.

When he set the bowl down, he nodded, satisfied. "Spring Kitchen: Bonefire Fish Porridge."

A thick, pale broth swirled around strips of fish, glossy with a thin sheen of rendered fat. Crushed shell sparkled across the surface like fine salt, and the steam carried a rich, savory scent with a clean ocean bite and something mineral underneath.

The scent drew Ao Tenshin out of her shell. Her baby face and sapphire eyes sparkled as she stared at the bowl.

Then she turned to Martin, looking up as if asking if it was for her.

Martin nodded. "Yeah. It’s your first meal."

Ao Tenshin let out a soft squeal and tucked back into her shell.

A moment later, her head popped out again, then the tiny legs too. She was ready to go eat by herself.

Martin chuckled. "That was cute. It’s like you went back to put on shoes."

Even Martin started to salivate.

I hadn’t expected that in a game.

Leveling up usually dulled hunger and handled the body’s needs. Still, Ao Tenshin didn’t have that luxury.

Her little head was already buried in the bowl.

"A proper meal every day," Samu said. "That’s how she grows properly. Leveling alone won’t do it. If you try to brute-force it, she’ll gain fewer raw stats than she should."

He grinned. "So, wanna learn how to cook from me?"

Beside him, Rangar laughed. "I knew you wouldn’t miss this chance!"

"Who says that, you sly bastard?" Samu shot back, still smiling.

Martin considered it.

This was basically a subclass. Not for me. For her. If Ao Tenshin’s growth depended on real feeding, then cooking wasn’t a hobby. It was part of my build.

And I hadn’t eaten anything truly good in years besides my mother’s cooking. Maybe it was time I learned how to do it myself, even if it started here.

Maybe it would carry over to the real world somehow.

"I could try learning cooking," Martin said.

Samu nodded with satisfaction. "Great. Welcome to the Spring Kitchen!"

[You have obtained a new quest: Become The First Star Chef!]

Martin accepted the quest.

"What star are you, Samu?" he asked.

"I’m a Five Star Chef, of course!"

By the time Samu finished boasting, Ao Tenshin had scraped the bowl clean.

[Pet Bond Quest Update: First Feeding - Completed]

[Bond Progress: Increased]

[New Tab Unlocked: Pet Care]

[Pet Care: Ao Tenshin]

[Traits: Dragon Bloodline; Turtle Shell]

[Last Meal Impact: Fat increased; Shell Durability increased]