Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

Now there was only one last question lingering in Asher's mind: how could Little Raven cultivate its Refined Fire?

Little Raven gazed at Asher with its dark, beady eyes, a look of innocence and confusion written all over its face: 'The bird doesn't know either, the bird is trying very hard.'

Asher patted the little tuft of fur on top of Little Raven's head, which swayed left and right: "No worries, we still have more than half a year. If we put in the effort, we'll definitely make it."

If this were before, Asher might have entertained the thought of switching to the "Radiant Peacock" evolution route if the "Three-Legged Golden Crow" route failed.

But after striving for this goal for over half a year, Asher had abandoned such thoughts of leaving himself a backup plan.

As a man, one should forge ahead without hesitation, not always thinking about retreat.

That is the mindset of a coward.

Since he had chosen this path, he must do his best and fight to the utmost. Only then could he live up to his own heart and Little Raven.

Having packed his luggage, Asher prepared to take Little Raven to the volcano for a few days of training.

Although the weather had not yet warmed up, missing out on this two-month window would make future breakthroughs even more difficult.

Just as everything was packed and ready for departure, a message from Iris disrupted Asher's plans.

[Iris: I knew it, you brat won't obediently return to school to be my assistant this semester.]

[Asher: Hehe~]

[Asher: Professor Iris, don't be mad. I'm busy helping Little Raven evolve. Classroom stuff is such a waste of time.]

Thinking back to his days at Bluewind University, when Iris would disappear every couple of days and dump all her work on him, Asher—if he had even a little intelligence—knew she was doing it on purpose.

Last year was one thing.

But this year, there was no way he would volunteer to be exploited again, right?

[Iris: Little Raven hasn't cultivated its Refined Fire yet? Cultivating a Refined Fire isn't easy. There's an opportunity now to meet a senior with experience in this area. Interested?]

Asher: "..."

Moments ago, he had firmly declared he wouldn't offer himself up to Iris as free labor. Now, rolling up his sleeves, he furiously typed back with passion.

[Asher: Professor Iris, is there anything you need my help with? Just say the word.]

[Iris: Hmph.]

[Iris: Alright, stop teasing. Actually, I'm inviting you to this year's offline academic conference for professors, PhDs, and breeders in the southern region specializing in beast taming. As the most talented rookie in our province, you can't not attend, right?]

[Asher: …Huh? There's such a thing?]

[Iris: Of course. These events don't happen every year. Typically, it's once every three to five years. It hasn't happened for three years now. But this year, with Professor Damien's breakthrough in ultra-defense Beasts, everyone wants to get together to discuss it.]

[Iris: Don't even think about refusing. You contributed to this too, so you have to come.]

[Asher: …]

[Asher: I wasn't planning on refusing. Just wanted to ask—does what you said earlier still stand?]

A senior with experience in cultivating Refined Fires… still on the table?

Asher nearly wanted to print out this sentence, enlarge it, and shove it in Iris's face.

Iris found it both amusing and exasperating.

[Iris: Yes, yes! I wasn't lying about that.]

With that assurance, everything was negotiable.

Asher agreed decisively.

There was no way to avoid this event. Might as well get some benefits out of it.

The sudden change in plans didn't trouble Asher much. The training continued as planned; it just required a brief trip out of the province, which was slightly inconvenient.

Even reimbursed travel costs couldn't mitigate Asher's motion sickness.

Upon arriving at the designated location, Asher dragged his half-full suitcase and stood at the entrance of a massive rural mountain resort villa, his expression tinged with hesitation and bewilderment.

His head spun slightly.

Was he still out of it?

Otherwise, why did he see a farm estate?

Indeed, according to Iris's directions, he had arrived at a large resort halfway up a mountain. It spanned an area as big as half a village.

Standing at the entrance, Asher hesitated—should he go in? If so, how should he proceed? These were all pressing questions.

Just as he sent Iris a message, Asher heard a rumbling sound not far away. Looking up and squinting, he took a few steps forward and saw a small pet-beast battle arena.

It resembled the ubiquitous basketball courts.

The resort, designed to better accommodate beastmasters, was dotted with battle arenas of varying sizes everywhere.

In the small lawn battle arena near the entrance, two people were engaged in combat.

Facing Asher was a slightly handsome, white-haired short girl. Her beast companion was a Rock Turtle, resembling a sea turtle but with a more powerful, medium-length tail. It was a mid-level extraordinary low-tier beast with excellent defensive capabilities.

As for the other beast…

"Aw—awoo, awoo~"

Obstructed by the beastmaster's back, Asher could only hear a cute, familiar cry.

Asher froze for a moment.

Could it be… a baby dragon?

The next second, Asher saw a small creature with deep orange skin, two short, stubby legs, a round belly, tiny wings that flapped uselessly, and a plump, heavy tail. It resembled a Western dragon, baring its "fearsome" maw while making cutesy noises as it lunged at the Rock Turtle.

Asher fell silent for three seconds.

Um… if he wasn't mistaken… this beast should be a baby dragon, a low-tier dragon-type beast, right?

Yes.

Unlike Vicky's "dragon lizard," which had "dragon" in its name but no actual dragon attributes, the baby dragon was a genuine dragon-type Beast. It had a singular dragon attribute.

Once evolved, its back wings would grow to support its heavy body, gaining the secondary flying attribute: dragon first, flying second.

Contracting a baby dragon as a beast companion… Asher's gaze toward the beastmaster shifted.

This person's family was either rich or powerful.

Because of the rarity of dragon-type Beasts, dragon-type juveniles were even rarer. Contracting one at the right age was almost impossible without significant resources or connections.

While he knew the baby dragon's evolution route was singular and linear, encountering such a rare creature prompted Asher to activate his innate skill:

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

[Beast: Baby Dragon]

[Species: Advanced Extraordinary (Low Tier)]

[Level: Third Tier, Low]

[Skills: Dragon Roar, Dragon's Wrath, Bite, Consecutive Slaps]

[Evolution Route: Ancestral Dragon → Mutated Dragon → Jargon Dragon King]

[Evolution prerequisites not yet met.]

[Awoo~ Evil dragon roar—roar roar roar—!]

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Asher: "…"

Wait—what?

'Where did this Jargon Dragon King come from?'

Asher: 'Not only are there unknown evolution paths, but even unknown ultimate evolution forms?'

To date, humans haven't discovered the evolved form of the Baby Dragon into the Jargon Dragon King. But... do these dragons themselves know about it?

While Asher was lost in thought, the battle between the two in the arena had come to an end.

The result was unsurprising to Asher... The Baby Dragon and the Rock Turtle ended in a draw.

"Hmph!" The short-haired girl with white hair snorted coldly, "Air, your Baby Dragon's strength is just so-so. And yet you dared to claim it was the strongest?"

"Shut up!" The boy called Air jumped in anger, pointing his finger at the short-haired girl opposite him before hesitating. Remembering his upbringing, he managed to hold back and instead shouted loudly, "My Baby Dragon is the strongest. It's just that the growth period for Baby Dragons is unusually long, alright? Jessica, you dare to call yourself a genius breeder? Ridiculous!"

Hmm... Watching these two starting to argue, with no intention of continuing the fight, Asher pulled out his phone to check the message Iris had sent. He then turned to leave and meet up with her.

The slight sound of his suitcase rolling on the grass immediately caught the two's attention. They turned their heads sharply toward Asher's direction.

"Uh, hello there?" Since they had already noticed him, leaving right away would seem awkward. Asher greeted them, "I just got here, saw a battle going on, and came over out of curiosity to watch. I hope I didn't disturb you? Mr. Ai... R and Miss Jessica?"

Asher instantly recognized this Air fellow.

'Isn't he the boy Asher had encountered earlier in the buffer zone, who was caught by poachers?'

'Ah, no wonder!'

No wonder the Baby Dragon seemed somewhat familiar. Back then, the poacher had said that given time, he could sever the contract between the Baby Dragon and the boy.

'Hmm... That name is really something.'

Air—no, actually Aeron—jumped in anger again, "My name is Aeron! Don't listen to that crazy girl's nonsense."

"Hehe!" Jessica chuckled on the side. "Bro, you've got a sharp eye!"

She gave Asher a thumbs up, clearly taking the stance of "if you're against Aeron, we're buddies."

Asher shook his head in amusement internally.

'What is this? Elementary school-level squabbling?'

Asher didn't sense any real hostility or tension between these two, only an odd sense of familiarity.

Asher: 'Not getting involved in this.'

"What's your name?" Thinking that Asher was on her side, Jessica took the initiative to greet him, "The Hot Springs Resort has been fully booked by the South China Beastmaster Alliance and Breeder Association this week. Since you're here at this time, you must be here for the New Year's event, right? Let's get acquainted."

Jessica extended her hand with a smile, "Let me introduce myself first. I'm Jessica Homer, a rookie breeder from the Toshiba Province Breeder Association this year."

"Are you related to Mr. Harvey Homer?" Asher asked bluntly.

The main reason was... the surname Homer wasn't very common, and in the breeding community, even less so.

The most famous one was undoubtedly the top-tier breeder, Old Master Harvey Homer.

"You really ask directly," Jessica was initially stunned but then smiled more sincerely.

"Most people think the same when they hear my surname, but you're the first to ask me so straightforwardly." She flicked her short white hair slightly, then added with a smile, "There's some blood relation, but it's quite distant—probably something like a grandparent generation, maybe even further removed."

Jessica frowned and struggled to explain for a while before giving up, decisively changing the subject. "I've said so much, but you haven't introduced yourself yet."

"Speaking of which..." Jessica rubbed her chin, her large cat-like eyes scanning Asher up and down. "For some reason, I feel like you look a bit familiar?"

Asher could guess why.

Over the past few days, he had appeared in countless friends' social media posts and viral videos. Jessica didn't recognize him immediately because most of his face was covered by a black mask.

"What, you feel familiar with everyone today? Are all the guests your acquaintances?" Ai... Aeron clearly spoke up just to argue.

When asked why—well, arguing was a habit.

But halfway through, Aeron also rubbed his chin. "I think your eyes seem familiar too."

He wore a contemplative expression.

"Hah! Don't tell me you're going to say those eyes look like your goddess's eyes." Jessica immediately pounced on the opportunity, "You've said that line to how many people now? And now you won't even spare a guy? What, your goddess's eyes could look like a man's?"

Once again, Aeron was so furious that he jumped on the spot.

Meanwhile, Asher felt a chill down his spine.

What goddess? What eyes? He didn't know anything about that.

This place wasn't safe; he really needed to leave.

"My name's Asher—just an ordinary student," Asher introduced himself briefly. Seeing Iris approaching from a distance, he waved to the two of them, "That's my teacher coming to pick me up. I'll head off now."

Without waiting for a response, Asher grabbed his suitcase and hurried away as if Godzilla were chasing him.

"Hey, wait, we weren't done talking." Jessica jumped up and waved at his retreating figure, "I wanted to exchange contact info..."

Midway through her sentence, Jessica froze, her eyes widening.

"Asher? Which Asher? Could it be that Asher?"

The one publicly thanked by Professor Damien.

The one who introduced the "Affinity Concept," which went viral online in just a few days—Asher.

Jessica: "!"

'No way!'

She replayed Asher's self-introduction in her mind.

'Just an ordinary student?'

Jessica's excitement cooled into indifference. Oh, if someone like Asher could only call himself an "ordinary student," then what on earth was she, a so-called genius rookie breeder?

Recyclable trash?

Just as she was about to complain to Aeron, she turned to see him with a lovestruck expression, seemingly lost in some romantic fantasy.

"Hehe... my goddess. My goddess is here. I can be near her."

The next second, his face twisted with jealousy and darkness. "That guy! How dare he stand so openly by my goddess's side."

"Damn it! I'll take his place."

Jessica: "..."

'Hopeless. Carry him out; next one, please.'

———

Far away, Asher shivered instinctively.

'Hmm. Must have been a coincidence.'

"You didn't tell me you were on your way. I could've sent someone to pick you up," Iris said as she walked beside Asher, hands in her pockets.

Even though school had started for their senior year, the weather hadn't completely warmed up yet. Iris wore an oversized down coat, and underneath it, a white bathrobe, clearly having been indoors before Asher arrived.

"Anyone would think this was a vacation, not a conference," Asher said helplessly.

Iris shrugged, unbothered. "Why not? It's rare to gather everyone together. It's better to have the meeting in comfort."

"After all, both the Beastmaster Alliance and the Breeder Association have money to burn. Compared to their yearly resource expenses, renting out a resort is nothing."

Asher: "..."

Clearly, he was the one with a limited perspective.

Thinking about the high-level resources provided by the Beastmaster Alliance for professors in the pet evolution field, and then about the apparently well-funded Breeders' Association... Asher instantly had no further thoughts.

"What's next?"

"First, I'll take you to your room. Professors and doctors specializing in pet evolution from various provinces in the South China region haven't all arrived yet. Some breeders are still on their way," Iris explained, leading Asher through a long corridor to a small courtyard. The setting was beautiful, harmoniously blending rustic charm with elegance.

"I'm temporarily staying here. You'll be in the room next to mine. Just head over yourself."

After bringing him to the spot, Iris swiftly disappeared.

Asher wasn't surprised at all; he was more than familiar with Iris's style and habits.

Dragging his suitcase, he walked into the house.

The sight immediately brightened Asher's eyes.

Though it looked like a typical countryside house from the outside, as a resort, the interior was more refined. Cement floors, whitewashed walls with a distressed look, a redwood bed, and bright windows created a clean and cozy rural vibe that put one at ease.

After setting down his suitcase, Asher released Little Raven.

Having been confined for most of the day, Little Raven excitedly hopped about, finally perching on Asher's head. Its tiny head swiveled back and forth as it surveyed the surroundings.

Asher calmly unpacked his suitcase.

He wasn't sure exactly when Little Raven started preferring his head over his shoulder as a perch, but since the bird was small and lightweight, he didn't mind.

Little Raven: 'A new place. A bird must assess the safety first.'

As it continued its inspection, a puzzled expression appeared in Little Raven's black, bead-like eyes.

Little Raven: 'This looks familiar.'

'Has the bird been here before?'

'No, no, no.'

'It's the Beastmaster's old home.'

Little Raven: (ΩДΩ)

'Could it be... the bird ate them out of house and home?'

Little Raven still remembered the time right after contracting with Asher and staying in the Aspengrove Village dormitory. Thanks to a year's supply of food provided by the breeding base, Little Raven's living standards hadn't suffered much. But Asher himself had been as frugal as possible.

Only after leaving Aspengrove Village did Asher gradually loosen his spending habits.

Little Raven was intelligent, but its understanding and memory were quirky. For instance: 'The Beastmaster is living here again. He must be broke.'

The logic chain was flawless.

Little Raven stared tearfully at Asher.

QAQ

'The bird won't eat anymore.'

'Please don't scrimp and save to feed the bird, Beastmaster.'

After a lengthy back-and-forth, Asher finally deciphered Little Raven's peculiar reasoning. His expression was one of helpless amusement. "What are you thinking? How can this place be compared to the dormitory we lived in back then?"

"Take a closer look, Little Raven."

Prompted by Asher, Little Raven finally noticed: 'Oh! They are indeed different!'

'This place is cleaner!'

'Prettier!'

At first glance, it seemed similar, but on closer inspection, the differences were stark.

"Want to join me in the hot spring?" With no meetings scheduled for the day, Asher smiled, pulling out a bathrobe provided by the resort from the wardrobe. He waved it toward the bird perched on his head. "I think the hot springs here allow Beasts."

After all...

Many professors and scholars researching pet evolution were Beastmasters themselves.

The same went for breeders. If they couldn't properly raise their own pets, how could they convince others they could handle Beasts?

With such a group gathered here, the facilities had to accommodate Beasts.

Hearing about hot springs for the first time, Little Raven's face lit up with excitement and curiosity.

Little Raven: 'Yes!'

'The bird wants to go!'

———

[Hotspring]

After a quick inspection, Asher was impressed.

No wonder this was a hot spring resort; the Beastmaster Alliance and Breeders' Association had spared no expense.

In addition to the outdoor communal hot springs, every room had its own private hot spring bath. Each was large enough—around 40 to 50 square meters—to accommodate most Beasts.

Unless someone brought an enormous creature, everyone could enjoy the comfort of the springs.

For Little Raven, the private bath was more than spacious enough to swim a few laps.

Faced with the choice between wearing a bathrobe and... not, Asher opted for... well... cough.

It's a private bath; no need to overthink.

Besides, Little Raven was young and didn't understand such things.

Smiling.

Little Raven: (◇)?

Leaning against the edge of the hot spring, Asher chuckled as he observed Little Raven.

Since it was the bird's first time encountering a hot spring, it was extremely cautious. The bubbling, steaming water, with its faint sulfuric smell, made Little Raven wary.

It glanced at Asher.

He looked comfortable.

Back to the water... Little Raven tentatively dipped a foot, then another. Feeling the warm water flow around its claws, its black bead eyes widened in astonishment.

'So soothing!'

With a loud "plop," Little Raven dove in, resembling a round, black sesame dumpling.

What shocked Asher next was...

'Chotto Matte!' [T/N: 'Chotto Matte' means 'Wait!' in english.]

'Why isn't Little Raven floating?'

Asher was stunned.

'Given its weight and unique feathers, shouldn't Little Raven float?'

After 30 seconds of no sign of Little Raven resurfacing, Asher didn't hesitate. He dived in, fished out the bird, then, with a blackened face, donned his bathrobe and returned to the spring.

No more incidents followed.

Little Raven: *Quiet and obedient.*

———

At dinner, Iris noticed something strange. Glancing at Asher and the unusually well-behaved Little Raven on his shoulder, she chuckled.

"What's up with you and Little Raven? Did it cause trouble again?"

She wasn't unfamiliar with Asher's care for Little Raven. If it hadn't been spoiled rotten, it was a testament to its good nature.

Recalling the day's events, Asher sighed helplessly. "It's not a big deal."

Given what had happened earlier, Asher felt it was time to educate Little Raven: "I think it's time to not only focus on its training but also strengthen its basic education."

Iris: "?"

Little Raven: "?"

Both wore equally baffled expressions, unable to follow Asher's sudden change of topic.

But seeing that Asher wasn't upset anymore, Little Raven happily nuzzled him.

'Beastmaster hugs!'

Rubbing its head affectionately, Asher sighed.

'Ah! Raising a pet properly and healthily is just too hard.'

"Fine, whatever, come join me for dinner." Unable to figure it out, Iris decided to stop thinking: "The dishes here are pretty decent—original flavors, and they even have a specialty dish."

Asher curiously glanced at the food on the table.

They were all simple farmhouse dishes: fresh green vegetables, a fragrant old hen soup… the emphasis was clearly on healthy and delicious meals.

But there were two dishes that Asher didn't recognize at first glance.

"What are these two dishes?" Asher pointed to a meat dish and a vegetarian dish on the table.

The vegetarian dish looked like a plate of pink flowers, lightly stir-fried. The pink hue hadn't dulled or yellowed, and the simplicity of the plating couldn't diminish its aesthetic appeal.

The meat dish, upon closer inspection, looked like crispy, stir-fried silver fish, but they didn't quite resemble ordinary silver fish.

After a moment of observation, Asher gave up on identifying them.

"Both dishes are made from parts of Beasts," Iris said slowly.

She thought she'd scare Asher.

Unexpectedly, Asher's expression was calm—too calm.

Iris clicked her tongue lightly.

Asher: "…"

'Seriously, did I just hear her tsk?'

'Does she really want to see me scared out of my wits that badly?'

Asher rolled his eyes.

Sure, he'd never eaten pork, but he'd at least seen pigs run.

Creatures that came pre-seasoned and were nearly eaten to extinction… he'd heard of them.

"But if I remember correctly, most Beasts' meat is toxic, right? And most plant-based ones too."

Asher recalled some knowledge he'd read in books.

If the meat of Beasts were safe to eat… a new lucrative industry would've already emerged.

After all, humans—especially Chinese people—had an instinct deeply ingrained in their bones: if it's edible and tastes good, they'll eat it.

Overpopulation of a species?

Doesn't exist.

They'll eat it straight into endangerment.

"This flower comes from a low-tier, low-grade Beast called the Ten-Thousand Purple Blossoms. It is indeed toxic," Iris said, instantly leaving Asher with a face full of question marks.

Iris couldn't help but chuckle a little. "When cooked over high heat for ten minutes, 90% of the toxin is neutralized. The texture becomes quite peculiar, and the flavor is delightful."

"As long as you don't sneak a bite early, poisoning is unlikely."

Asher: '… Is this some fantasy version of poisonous mushrooms?'

"And this fish?" Asher pointed at the other meat dish. If even the vegetarian dish was toxic, there's no way this meat dish was harmless.

"Oh, this," Iris glanced at it, "is made from the eggs of male Transparent Fish, a low-tier, low-grade Beast. No toxins, and the flavor is exceptional. It's very popular."

"Male fish… lay eggs?" The confusion on Asher's face was almost visible.

Overhead, Little Raven, who'd been eavesdropping, was just as stunned as she stared at the plate of fish.

Little Raven: 'Amazing! Truly amazing!'

Iris laughed again. "Not the kind of eggs you're thinking of. These are… sort of a manifestation of the male Transparent Fish's strength, used to court females. The more eggs they produce, the stronger their physique, and the more attractive they are to females. But in essence, these 'eggs' are a crystallization of their energy, so they're completely non-toxic."

Yet another day marveling at the wonders of nature.

Asher shook his head and ultimately decided to try both dishes.

He had to admit, these two dishes—signature offerings of the resort—were something special.

The Ten-Thousand Purple Blossoms were crisp and refreshing, with a hint of sweetness and incredible umami. As it slid down his throat, there was even a slight numbing sensation at the base of his tongue.

The male Transparent Fish eggs melted in his mouth, bursting with flavor. They were so delicious that it felt like his whole body relaxed after swallowing them.

While the other dishes remained unfinished, these two were polished off entirely by Iris, Asher, and Little Raven. The plates were left spotless, as if brand new.

"Little Raven, you've licked this plate way too clean." Asher leaned back in his chair, laughing as he teased Little Raven.

Little Raven: "!"

'Slander! Utter slander!'

'A dignified young lady like me wouldn't eat so crudely.'

'It is clearly the Beast Tamer.'

"Oh? Little Raven, are you saying you'll be more careful in the future? Great." Asher pretended not to understand Little Raven's accusing gaze and reached out to pat her little tuft of hair.

Little Raven: ￣へ￣

'Angry! Very angry!'

'No petting!'

'Beast Tamer, you're bad!'

Watching Asher banter with his pet beast, Iris smirked mischievously. "Get a good night's rest. Tomorrow, it's your turn to take the stage!"

With a wave, Iris turned and left.

Asher: "???"

'Wait.'

'Why would there be something for me tomorrow?'

'Aren't all the big shots coming?'

'How could this have anything to do with a regular guy like me?'

Iris: 'Heh.'

Jessica: 'Heh.'

Aeron: 'Goddess!'

———

The next day.

Asher thought he'd have trouble falling asleep that night.

Instead, he slept soundly and woke up refreshed.

When he was about to head out, Asher hesitated for a moment but decided not to wear a mask. After all, the place was filled with renowned pet evolution professors and breeders; a mask felt unnecessary.

The meeting venue, which Iris had pointed out to him the day before, was the grand hall at the resort's center—its most prominent building, visible from anywhere. Getting lost was impossible.

Asher strode confidently in that direction.

Before long, he ran into Aeron and Jessica, who were also heading to the hall.

Jessica's distinct hair color made her stand out in the crowd.

She and Aeron were walking behind a tall, imposing man over six feet tall. His stride was steady, and he exuded authority.

As Asher noticed them, Jessica and Aeron also spotted him.

Jessica waved enthusiastically. "Asher!"

"Asher!"

To Asher's surprise, even Aeron—who hadn't seemed to get along with him yesterday—was waving at him with excitement.

Asher was puzzled.

Had something happened that he wasn't aware of?

The tall man in front of them turned his head upon hearing Asher's name. Seeing how young Asher was, a flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes, quickly replaced by a wary look.

Asher: "?"

'What?'

'Why would this man—clearly Aeron's father or uncle—look at me with such caution?'

Before Asher could figure it out, Jessica and Aeron ran up to him, one in front and one behind. The tall man didn't try to stop them.

"Yesterday, you left without exchanging contact info. I thought I'd have to wait until the meeting to see you again. Who'd have thought we'd bump into each other so soon?" Jessica said cheerfully, her large, cat-like eyes full of curiosity.

She clasped her hands behind her back and leaned closer. "Asher, Asher, you're the one Professor Damien thanked, right?"

Asher nodded.

"I knew it!" Jessica beamed. Although she'd already guessed, hearing it directly from Asher still filled her with excitement.

"I'm grateful my discovery helped Professor Damien," Asher began modestly, "but it's not really anything worth—"

"Wait." Jessica held up a hand, stopping Asher mid-sentence.

Her clear, cat-like eyes fixed on him. "Are you being modest, or do you really think that? Why isn't it worth being proud of?"

"If it were me, I'd be over the moon." Jessica said, raising her hands triumphantly. Her energy was infectious.

Aeron nodded vigorously. "Excessive modesty is arrogance!"

"But… I'm really not being modest," Asher said earnestly.

For once, Jessica and Aeron, usually at odds, found themselves in rare agreement.

Exchanging a glance, they both had the same thought: 'This guy is so punchable.'

Sensing their feelings, Asher chuckled. "Alright, alright, I get it. I'll be more careful about what I say in front of others in the future."

Well… his special talent was his innate ability, so it was just part of who he was.

When others compliment him, he accepts it gladly.

Asher: *Instantly proud and inflated!* (just kidding)

After hearing Asher's words, Aeron and Jessica both looked a little surprised. Then, simultaneously, they placed their hands on Asher's shoulders from either side.

"Since you said that, we're good friends from now on."

"Even though you being with my goddess makes me uncomfortable, I accept you as my brother."

The two spoke in unison.

Before Asher could say anything, Aeron and Jessica had already started arguing.

"I was here first! Asher and I have a better relationship."

"Hah! Asher is my goddess's student, so he's my… brother. How is that the same as you?"

"Nonsense! Your goddess doesn't even know you."

"I'll catch up to my goddess's footsteps sooner or later."

Stuck between them, Asher: Wants to escape, but can't.

Listening to their constant "friend," "brother," and "goddess" talk...

Asher's mental state fluctuated wildly—up, down, and all around.

And also...

"What did I say? You two can't just decide I'm your brother, alright? At least ask my—" Before Asher could finish, the two cut him off.

"I get you! Brother, you're just that kind of person."

"You're not used to being proactive? No problem, I'll take the lead."

Asher sighed.

Yesterday, he'd been mentally exhausted all day.

He thought today, with the meeting starting, it would be a serious and proper day. But turning to look at Aeron, then again at Jessica… Asher gave up.

He resigned himself to it. Whatever.

The three of them walked through the warm corridor, which wasn't particularly narrow but still felt crowded. Asher, sandwiched between them, had to keep pushing the two apart so he wouldn't feel uncomfortable being squished.

═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═

patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator

🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.

https://discord.gg/bYAfGyp98y