"Ester, could you bring Plow to take her with us. Tell Tula I will somehow make it up to her." Vincent didn't feel too great going against his words. Right after asking Tula to spend more time with Plow when they go out.
"What? But I thought you only needed me!" Lupa didn't like how Plow was going to accompany them. Even if Plow is still very young, Lupa didn't want her mate to get swayed by another female animal. Moreover, a fox at that.
[Might Lupa have met her match? A rival in attention, perhaps? This is starting to get interesting. Gosh, I wish I had hands, a mouth, and a bag of popcorn in front of me.]
-Thank you for telling me. Now I know the last thing ever to give you.-
[Ahh... don't be like that. Ohh, look. Ester has returned with Plow in her arms. Let's see what will happen.]
Vincent didn't want Kazumi to enjoy the show as she pleases. He quickly tussled Lupa's hair and said, "Come, let's go for a ride."
Lupa slyly winked at Plow and raised a grin for gaining the attention of Vincent. The rival in attention Plow frowned a bit in response. Then she licked Ester's arm and acted cutely.
"Oh, you like being with me?" Ester asked Plow while caressing the soft blur fur.
"Ester Ester. Plow likes you, *pho*" Plow slyly answered, acting cute and cuddly.
The butler noticed the interaction of the three people and little fox following him without missing a second. 'My master will be happy to meet a rare familiar tamer.' He thought.
A few moments later, Vincent, Lupa, and Ester, with Plow between her arms, entered the luxurious carriage and sat on soft cushioned seats. There they met with young noble Vopor. He looked in high spirits and pretty excited as he greeted every passenger with a smile.
Vopor finished his greetings, and the cart soon started to move. He informed them about what happened after asking his father.
At first, his father didn't like the idea one bit. Similar to many noble families, the Sunrise family has a method of taming passed down through multiple generations. A method to tame a familiar with certain successful results.
However, it's currently not going so great for Vopor. The gray wolf seems to be resistant to the Sunrise family taming method, and time is against him.
After a lengthy discussion, Vopor mentioned Vincent's name and his success of taming Plow to his father. In the blink of an eye, his father changed his refusal one-eighty and agreed to invite Vincent.
It seemed that after his father heard of a talking familiar and a man named Vincent covered in bandages with green eyes, his father accepted immediately. The Vice Captain Plavin that interrogated Vincent had informed his sponsor previously.
Vopor then gazed at Vincent's arms and asked, "Are your wounds hurting? I asked my father to procure a healing balm, and he agreed to get one for you."
"I appreciate the gesture. To be honest, it's not that painful. But I'm not in fighting condition either." To Vincent, the pain wasn't at the same level as being melted alive. It was just a scratch.
Vopor nodded and decided to reassure him by saying, "Don't worry Vincent, we are only going to talk. Everyone will be treated as guests. In the name of the Sunrise family, I promise not to let you do strenuous things as well."
"Then I will promise you and your father to help with taming a gray wolf. It is great news to hear your father accepts our help. Also, the previous condition of not getting paid upon failure is still in effect." Vincent promised, hoping for some juicy stat boosts.
[Promised Quest: Help Vopor Sunrise tame a familiar]
[Complete the agreed promise by helping Vopor Sunrise tame a gray wolf with a magic core as familiar.]
[Quest conditions to be met.]
*Vopor Sunrise familiar tamed (Not Met)
*Vopor Sunrise satisfied (Not Met)
[Rewards]
*40 silver coins
*Reputation - Sunrise Family +10
*Reputation - Vopor Sunrise +60
*Reputation - Byron Sunrise +20
Vincent's smile soon lowered and froze in place. He became shocked and unhappy, yet showing a disappointed expression would be wrong. Vopor would think his welcoming reception is lacking, and as the host, he would feel distressed.
Almost two hours later, the luxurious carriage arrived at a mansion about five times larger than the Viscount Demel Blackheart. The private guards secretly following them for protection watched the carriage enter the property. After the carriage went out of their sight, they left for their following jobs.
'Such a large property... I could have milked Vopor for more money, could I?' Vincent considered with a frown.
The luxurious carriage entered the property from a large entrance gate guarded by four soldiers. After a few minutes of enjoying the vast entrance passage filled with bush sculptures of many shapes and colorful flower beds, the luxurious carriage arrived at its destination and stopped beside a large fountain.
Vopor exited first, and a line of maids and butlers quickly greeted their young lord. After the greeting, only two maids and a butler remained beside Vopor. The rest went to continue with their duties and inform their lord of his son's arrival.
"This place looks huge! I bet many packs can live here!" Lupa curiously looked in all directions, amazed by the appearance and the abundance of greenery.
"Remember to only talk when asked. Don't bring us trouble, you hear?" Ester warned the overjoyed Lupa before she makes a powerful noble hate them.
"Big wolf is not as good as me *Pho* " Plow boasted, trying to show how she is better than Lupa.
'The head pat will be mine!' Plow slyly thought.
Vincent was the last one to exit the luxurious carriage. He looked around, and the imposing nature of the property began giving him doubts of success. The larger and extravagant the property was, the nervous he grew.
'What happens if I fail? Did I talk confidently around Vopor so much that I'm treated like a VIP guest?' Vincent was about to start nervously sweating.
[Don't lose your courage now, Vincent. It's only a well-kept garden with varieties of flowers, trees, and even stylized trimmed bushes. Think of it as the garden of a park on Earth.]
Vincent relaxed his breath and focused his gaze. 'Eyes on the prize Vincent. Eye on the money. You can do it.' He encouraged himself.
"It's a pleasure to escort esteemed guests of our young lord. Would you mind following me to the training area? " The butler respectfully said to Vincent, Ester, and Lupa.
Vincent, Ester, and Lupa followed the butler while Vopor, followed by two maids, went inside the large mansion. Most probably to prepare and meet with his father.
After a couple of minutes following the butler, a vast area with trimmed grass like a soccer field entered their sight. In the middle of this large short grassy area was a wooden gazebo.
It appeared to have been created by professional carpenters because the small wooden building gave the impression of luxury at first glance.
"Please wait here. Let me bring a maid with refreshments. You can sit in the wooden gazebo and enjoy the view while waiting." The butler bowed and left to bring a maid to serve their guests well.
Sometime later, Vopor walking beside a man with many similar features, arrived. Behind them was a young gray wolf getting forcefully pulled by a leash. It appeared the gray wolf wanted to escape and not get tamed.
Vincent focused his gaze on the middle-aged-looking man with black hair and a few gray ones poking here and there. He used Inspection as they approached.
[Name] Byron Sunrise
[Race] Human
[Age] 55
[Condition] Healthy
[Traits] Mana Tempered Body Stage Four
[Class] Wizard
[Stats] Strength 45 || Agility 18 || Perception 33 || Mana 4703
[Class Wizard]
*Wind Wall
*Wind Dome
*Wind Cannon
*Wind Arrow
*Wind Manipulation
*Fire Ball
*Fire Wall
-He looks strong...-
[Yes, he can break your bones and then melt whatever remains. You better get the hang of Overflow to fight against magic users.]
"Vincent, this is my father, Marquis Byron Sunrise." Vopor introduced his father with an impactful noble rank.
"So, you must be the Vincent Plavin told me about. Yes, you don't look weakened from what happened one bit." Byron smirked and then added, "You can start at any time, but as you agreed with my son, no payment upon failure."
"Yes, Marquis Byron Sunrise, we will begin now..." Vincent respectfully said before he got interrupted.
"Call me Byron since I find it annoying to hear my title and name on every sentence. Only if you fail shall I take that right from you." Byron suddenly wanted Vincent to stop calling him with his noble rank.
"But..." Vincent felt more nervous than ever.
"Don't worry, Vincent. My father only allows those that catch his eye to address him with his name instead of his noble rank." Vopor experienced watching a few people getting confused and nervous because his father decided to address each other at an equal level, even if the recipient isn't a noble.
[This is unexpected. I wonder how many nobles with unique personalities are in this kingdom. A Marquis rank is higher than Viscount, yet this one is much more friendly than the other. No wonder his surname is Blackheart.]
*Growl...* The gray wolf glared at everyone and showed its fangs.
"My mate, can I hit that wolf?" Lupa asked with an angry expression and her fists clenched, dead set to punch the gray wolf. She seemed to be preparing to beat the gray wolf with a lot of strength.
"Why?" Vincent asked. However, his heart began racing from the trouble her words might cause next.