A massive flatbed cart slowly trundled forward, transporting numerous iron cages deep into the dense forest.

Passing through waves of mist and following the firelight, they entered the most mysterious part of the woodland.

The lead dark guard pushed aside some branches, allowing a ray of moonlight to filter through the gaps in the dense foliage, illuminating their faces.

"We've arrived," the beastkin dark guard said calmly, parting another leafy branch to reveal a towering green structure that came into view of the animal-eared beastkin.

The enormous green building seemed to blend seamlessly with its surroundings. The dim moonlight bathed its roof, giving it an exceptionally serene appearance.

It was as if they had entered a field of flowers, gently swaying in the slight breeze.

This place was the Kravina family's beastkin reception center.

After rescuing the beastkin, Lia wouldn't abandon them irresponsibly.

All rescued beastkin would be brought here for training.

They would also learn to read and write, and study culture to improve their understanding of the world.

This ensured that all rescued beastkin could develop their own thoughts and have the ability to survive even if they left the Kravina family.

A beastkin with white animal ears, wearing an instructor's cap, slowly walked out of the training facility.

She looked at the cat-eared and dog-eared girls curiously observing their surroundings, and nodded to the dark guards.

These instructors were responsible for training and educating the beastkin.

Instructors like her had typically retired from their work as dark guards and returned here to become trainers, continuing to provide fresh beastkin guards for the Kravina family.

Among the group, there were many types of beastkin, but the majority were cat people and dog people.

And most of them were female.

For humans, female beastkin were easier to capture.

Female cat people were even smaller in stature than average human women, while female dog people had gentle temperaments and wouldn't fight back.

They were the primary targets for slave traders.

The instructor greeted the newly arrived beastkin compatriots and took out wooden tags.

The newcomers seemed uneasy, their ears twitching nervously, with a hint of fear in their eyes.

Beastkin naturally had less rational thinking than humans, and those who had lived in the wild had thoughts closer to animals.

But here, they would overcome their primitive impulses and undergo a complete transformation.

The iron cages were opened, and the imprisoned beast girls walked out one by one, forming a long line.

The beastkin instructors held wooden tags with numbers, hanging one around each beastkin's neck as they exited.

After this, the instructors would lead these new companions into the camp.

They would be provided with ample water and food, as well as their new accommodations.

The next day, they would begin a life different from what they had known before.

Through training, they would be reborn.

Leon stood outside the reception center, watching batch after batch of rescued beastkin.

By now, she had removed her hood, exposing her slender ears to the moonlight.

As Lia's most trusted subordinate, she was specifically in charge of this beastkin training camp.

Every time they intercepted ships transporting beastkin slaves, she personally took responsibility for bringing the newcomers here.

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Although she was the only elf among the beastkin, Leon's personality and strength had earned her the respect of countless beastkin.

"Lady Leon."

A dark guard removed her black mask and cloak, revealing a white fluffy tail and drooping ears. She approached Leon with light steps.

"I apologize for disturbing you at this hour, but I think you should come and see this."

Leon snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the guard's nervous expression with curiosity.

...

A group of instructors gathered around an iron cage covered with a black cloth, seemingly very curious about what was inside.

This cage was enormous, larger than any of the previous ones.

The black cloth was lifted, revealing the true appearance of the iron cage.

The cage was incredibly luxurious, with golden patterns seemingly carved on the bars. Inside, there were many flowers and plants for decoration.

Although "luxurious" didn't quite fit with the word "cage."

But inside this cage, there was also a bed.

This made them somewhat confused.

On the bed lay a person whose appearance was unclear, sleeping soundly.

Even with all the commotion outside, the 'beastkin' in the cage continued to sleep deeply.

At this moment, Leon approached.

The beastkin instructors respectfully stepped aside, making room for Leon.

Her emerald green pupils carefully examined the person inside.

Seeing the long, pointed ears not much different from her own, Leon was slightly taken aback.

"This... should be reported to Miss Lia, right?" suggested a nearby beastkin.

Because.

Lying in the iron cage was neither human nor beastkin.

But an elf.

...

It was too late, and the sky was too dark.

So Viktor didn't return to the royal capital, choosing instead to stay with Lia at the Kravina family's old mansion for a day.

At this moment, Viktor was in his bedroom.

He sat in a chair by the window, one hand supporting his head, looking somewhat troubled.

In front of him was a cat girl, dressed neatly and elegantly.

Her body seemed to emit a faint fragrance, her two cat ears drooping down, and her tail standing upright behind her.

Viktor: "..."

This cat girl seemed still somewhat unaccustomed. She didn't dare to look up at Viktor, her eyes showing a bit of timidity.

But her gaze would occasionally steal glances at Viktor, mixed with a strange expectation beneath the fear.

Viktor had a good memory, and he immediately recognized this cat girl as the one whose head he had patted before.

Beside him, a mocking voice sounded in his ear.

"Well, your sister is good to you, knowing that you like the young ones."

Vega stood on the armrest of the chair, giggling, with an indescribable teasing tone in its voice.

Viktor just coldly replied to Vega:

"Are you joking with me?"

In the human perception of this world, beastkin were just uncivilized animals.

No matter how human-like the cat girl in front of him appeared, it couldn't change humans' stereotypical impression of them.

If one were to have any thoughts about such creatures, it would be like suddenly developing an interest in one's own cats and dogs.

Some people might like this type, but in noble circles, if someone did such a thing and it got out, it would be tantamount to completely ruining their reputation.

Lia wouldn't be ignorant of this, so her reason for sending this child to him was simple.

"Wanting to try if beastkin can learn magic? Your sister really sees you as a suitable tool."

"Perhaps she believes that her elder brother is omnipotent."

Viktor's confident voice sounded calmly, but it was met with Vega's disdainful gaze.

It just sneered:

"What made your face so thick?"

Viktor didn't respond to Vega, just fixing his gaze on the cat girl in front of him.

Her hair was very long, groomed neat and clean.

A cascade of white hair fell to the floor, with a hint of white fur in her beast ears.

When her eyes met Viktor's, she would instinctively avoid his gaze.

"What's your name?"

Viktor's voice sounded softly, but the cat girl in front of him seemed not to understand.

Her brain was constantly thinking, trying to comprehend Viktor's language.

However, having never received any education, she couldn't understand what "name" meant.

Only those non-standard pronunciations slowly emerged from her throat:

"Wo... wo..."

"Can barely understand human speech, huh."

Viktor beckoned to her, gesturing for the cat girl to come closer.

The cat girl understood Viktor's gesture and obediently walked towards him.

She wasn't wearing shoes, white little socks on her feet, walking very quietly.

Just like a real cat, stepping on the wooden floor, she didn't make even the slightest sound.

Her body was very petite, even standing next to Viktor, she could only manage to be at eye level with the seated Viktor.

Viktor reached out a hand, as if expecting something, and the cat-eared girl very obediently crouched down.

Raising her head, she leaned against Viktor's leg, like a cat, quietly waiting for her master's caress.

So Viktor, as he wished, placed his hand on top of her head.

Slowly stroking back and forth.

While also rubbing those soft ears.

The fluffy sensation transmitted through his fingertips.

Viktor couldn't help but feel some emotion.

It was a pity that most people in this world discriminated against beastkin.

They simply didn't understand the wonder of beast ears.

The cute little cat girl was also very comfortable being petted, softly purring with a "hoo-hoo" sound.

The moment he touched the cat girl, a health bar and level appeared above her head.

Lv5.

A very ordinary level, but it also told Viktor that the physical foundation of beastkin was indeed much higher compared to humans.

Before having a formal profession, ordinary people could reach a maximum of level ten.

Once reaching level ten, they would need to choose a profession to continue leveling up.

[Professions] were mainly divided into four categories.

Agility-type rogues, strength-type warriors.

Tanky knights, and mages who use the magic system.

Other types of professions were basically derived from these four main professions.

[Rangers], which were more common among elves, and [Assassins], which focused on agility, were branches of the rogue profession.

For example, [Magus] was also a branch of the mage profession.

If they were players, after level ten, they would only need to choose a profession to continue leveling up.

But NPCs couldn't do that.

For example, the cat girl in front of him.

To become a mage, one must possess corresponding wisdom.

And for beastkin, who had little wisdom and acted only on instinct, wanting to become a mage was...

Difficult.

Of course, there was another path to take.

"Vega."

Viktor's voice sounded calmly, and the crow rolled its eyes, flying to the top of the cat girl's head.

"In the end, you still have to rely on me."

As the words fell, a black feather shook off its body.

The feather slowly fell to the floor, seeming to turn into ink, gradually spreading out and drawing a pitch-black magic array.

Without any extra runes or patterns, just pure black, emitting an ominous light.

At the edge of the huge array, two circles formed, connected by a long black ink line.

The cat girl and Vega each stood in one circle, and at the same time, a strange light flashed in Vega's eyes.

Suddenly, the cat girl's body trembled violently, her upright tail drooping as if losing control, and she knelt on the floor in a daze.

Knowledge, vast as an ocean, instantly poured into her brain.

The immense pressure made the cat girl's eyes turn white, her brain feeling as if it was about to burst, incredibly painful.

The black array gradually began to glow, and ink-like shadows waved in the room like tentacles.

The sole weak candlelight illuminated the ink shadows, moonlight pouring into the room, making it appear eerily mysterious.

Vega's single eye flickered with blue light, as if a thread-like line connected it to the cat girl's forehead.

Soon, the candle in the room stopped flickering, and the black array became quiet again, slowly dissipating.

The cat girl was still kneeling on the ground, not even raising her head.

But in her eyes, a flash of pitch-black faith passed through.

Viktor looked at this white-haired cat girl and slowly said:

"I like the vanilla scent on you."

"From today on, you'll be called."

"Vanilla."

She didn't raise her head, just continued to prostrate on the ground, her forehead touching the floor, her attitude very respectful.

A soft yet steady voice sounded from beneath Viktor.

"I obey your will."

"My master."