However...
What Asher didn't know was that just as he rolled up his sleeves, ready to find his pet beasts before they could scatter away, inside the research institute, the few people who usually didn't cooperate with him—actually, everyone except Julian—were all showing sneaky expressions.
Julian, who had yet to leave and happened to catch sight of these expressions: "?"
Even if Julian was usually oblivious, he should have realized something was off by now.
Not to mention, Julian was actually a very perceptive person, even more so than Lucy.
"You all... know something?", Julian's gaze swept over Abella, Lucy, and the other four researchers, "You share a common secret."
Julian had originally thought that if he put on a serious expression, these people would surely spill some information.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, everyone turned to look at him with astonished eyes.
"What? You actually don't know anything?", Lucy, in particular, looked utterly shocked, her round eyes wide open.
Upon seeing Julian's clearly bewildered expression, she couldn't help but click her tongue.
Abella also looked at Julian with an expression of pity and sympathy, as if he were some poor soul forced to eat plain gruel.
Julian: "..."
The vein on his forehead throbbed.
"So, what exactly are you all being so cryptic about?", Realizing that intimidation wouldn't work, Julian gave up. These people all loved to watch the fun, and seeing him at a loss clearly delighted them, "If you don't tell me, I might have to go find someone who's likely just as clueless as I am—Professor Asher."
"Little Wyvern hold him down!"
What Julian hadn't expected was that as soon as he finished speaking, the Little Wyvern suddenly emerged from behind and pressed a firm claw onto his shoulder.
Leave?
Go find Asher?
"You want to tip off Professor Asher?", Lucy crossed her arms, and as Julian was forcibly bent over by the Little Wyvern, she achieved the perfect vantage point to look down on him. A cold, mischievous smile appeared on her already striking face, "In that case, we'll have to get rid of you first!"
As she spoke, she made a slashing gesture across her neck.
"Quit joking," Julian was still trying to struggle free.
Then, by accident, he met the eyes of Abella, Chase, Sarah, and the others.
They looked thoughtful.
They considered.
They agreed.
Julian: "..."
'Wait, wait, wait?'
'Are these people actually serious?'
Julian: [Shocked Pikachu face gif]
———
Asher was still unaware of what was happening inside the research institute.
After searching high and low, he finally found a tiny white snake hanging under the eaves, its body stretched long, eyes closed. Apart from its pearly white color, it had no other markings and looked like a piece of rope swaying in the wind.
"Why are you the only one here?", Asher chuckled as he reached up and plucked the little white snake off the eaves.
The little white snake smoothly slithered along his arm and burrowed into his sleeve, finally poking its head out from his collar and striking a pose on his shoulder.
Without even turning his head, Asher could meet the half-awake golden eyes of the little snake.
Seeing this, he reached out to gently rub the little snake's head and then under its chin, "You look sleepy. Didn't sleep well?"
His fingers tickled the little snake, making it squirm.
"Don't sleep yet. Tell me where those two ran off to first," Asher persistently teased the little snake, annoying it so much that it finally opened its mouth wide and…
Bit down—gently—on Asher's finger.
Even though it had sharp fangs, under Asher's "careful" training, the little white snake had long learned to be obedient and restrained.
So it didn't bite down hard, only holding onto Asher's finger like a teething toy.
Asher flicked the little snake's head as it gnawed on his finger, looking helplessly amused.
Alright, alright.
The little snake really did seem exhausted.
For now, he'd let it sleep.
But Asher was deeply curious—what had it been up to that made it so tired?
Had it snuck out last night to steal something?
He couldn't figure it out.
In the end, he suspected that the real culprit was Little Raven.
Unfortunately.
Not only could he not find Little Raven, but even the Cat-Worm was missing.
Asher: *Reflecting*
He was seriously reflecting now. What divine law had he violated for all his pet beasts to vanish together?
———
Meanwhile, a previously empty room inside the research institute was now packed to an almost ridiculous degree.
A long table was covered with various kitchen utensils.
And four people, along with a group of pet beasts.
"So, this is what you've been busy with?", Julian looked at the cake-making machines, ingredients, and other cooking tools scattered across the table, his mouth twitching violently.
Great.
Fantastic.
Absolutely wonderful.
He had almost been silenced—for this?
"Hmm," Lucy, now wearing a carefully chosen apron with a chubby Fortune Dragon printed on it, was meticulously carving flowers into a carrot.
Abella: "It's a surprise for Asher. Of course, he can't know in advance."
Sarah chimed in, "More importantly, this is something Little Raven, Cat-Worm, and Little White Snake wanted to do for Professor Asher. We can't crush their enthusiasm."
She then gave Julian a meaningful look.
'Yeah, you.'
'The guy who almost ruined our plan.'
Suddenly cast as the enemy of the entire room, Julian: "..."
"Okay, okay, I was wrong," Julian quickly raised his hands in surrender. He was definitely not afraid. Nope. It was just that Little Raven's piercing gold-red eyes made his skin tingle uncomfortably.
Just to be clear.
This absolutely wasn't fear.
He simply didn't want to ruin the heartfelt birthday surprise these adorable pet beasts had prepared for their Beast Tamer.
That was all.
Adjusting his mindset, Julian decided to take a closer look at what everyone was doing. His gaze swept over their projects, and a deep, pained expression crossed his face.
"Wait—so you've been working on this for days?"
The three humans and two pet beasts, busy at work, all raised three fingers simultaneously.
Julian ignored the Cat-Worm's three raised feet and the tiny wisp of flame Little Raven puffed out in the shape of a "3."
Pushing up his glasses, he said solemnly, "You've spent three whole days... and haven't even managed to make a single intact cake base?"
His gaze drifted over the disaster zone that was the workstation.
Everyone's hands were occupied with various odd creations.
For example.
The Cat-Worm, using all six feet, was struggling to hold a whisk, stirring a bizarre liquid that was supposedly egg batter but had hints of red, blue, and unmixed white.
Or Little Raven, breathing fire to heat a bubbling, thick green goo that defied identification.
Compared to these, Abella's half-burnt cake base seemed almost normal.
And Lucy's delicate carrot carvings? The most reasonable thing in the room.
Of course.
Among the group, the one who produced the most perfect work was undoubtedly Sarah, who had years of cooking experience and an abundance of everyday knowledge.
Her dough-kneading movements were clean and swift. The dough on the chopping board was effortlessly rolled round and flattened under her hands, her motions as smooth and pleasing as flowing water.
She was the only one among this chaotic bunch who was actually doing real work.
"Sister Sarah," Because Sarah was slightly older than Julian, and out of respect for her identity as a researcher at Asher's institute, Julian chose to address her this way, "Have you ever thought about..."
Julian wasn't sure how to phrase it, so he simply gestured toward the group of misfits surrounding Sarah.
It was an eyesore.
Especially when their creations were placed next to Sarah, a kitchen master—it was unbearably blinding.
"It's fine," Sarah smiled kindly, "These are all heartfelt efforts, especially Little Raven and Cat-Dragon. They practiced diligently for two whole days to get things looking this decent."
"Look at this! The cream and egg mixture is blended so well," Cat-Worm puffed out its chest with pride, its dragon horns gleaming.
Sarah then pointed at the bubbling, thick paste in Little Raven's pot, "And this fruit jam for the cake filling—it's made perfectly!"
Abella and Lucy?
Sigh.
Can humans even compete with pet beasts?
Julian's glasses slipped down his ears.
Cream-egg mixture?
Cake filling jam?
If Sarah hadn't said it, Julian would have never figured out that whatever Cat-Worm and Little Raven were making was supposed to be those things—not even if he strained his eyes until he went blind.
Julian was impressed.
Being able to lie with a straight face—this was truly a profound skill.
Just looking at it made his eyes sting. And when he thought about Asher, who, as the main character of this event, would likely have to taste this bizarre and horrifying cake combination, Julian couldn't help but feel a mix of sympathy and admiration.
"Hmm?", As he was thinking, Julian suddenly remembered something and looked around, "Professor Asher has another pet beast, doesn't he?"
Julian had a deep impression of Asher's Jade Silver Snake.
Mostly because the young Lightyear Dragon Rider had a peculiar fondness for it.
If it were any other dragon-type beast, it wouldn't be unusual. But coming from a rebellious, proud, and unruly young Lightyear Dragon Rider, it just felt off.
"Little White Snake...", At the mention, Sarah showed a complicated expression before finally sighing, "Forget it, some things just can't be achieved through effort alone. Anyway, Professor Asher seemed to have discovered something today, so we had the little white snake keep him occupied. He absolutely cannot find out about the surprise we've prepared for him ahead of time."
"Victory is tonight!"
With a few words, Sarah diverted the topic.
Julian grew even more curious about Little White Snake's "cooking skills."
Even Little Raven and Cat-Worm, who looked like they were either poisoning someone or brewing a witch's potion, could still receive Sarah's praise. Just how bad did Little White Snake's cooking have to be for her to show such a speechless, let's-not-talk-about-it expression?
Unfortunately—
There was no way to find out.
Looking at the three busy women, the equally busy Little Raven and Cat-Worm, and even the Lightyear Dragon Rider, Miss Flying Flower, and Miss Wood Spirit, who were running errands for Lucy from time to time, Julian felt like he was a little unnecessary just standing there doing nothing.
Maybe... he should do something too?
Glancing around at the mysterious and questionable dishes being prepared, Julian figured that no matter what he contributed, it couldn't turn out any worse than what was already there.
After all, there was a baseline standard—right?
With that thought, Julian enthusiastically joined the cooking army.
When Asher returned inside the institute with Little White Snake, he only saw three people.
Asher didn't think much of it.
Abella was training with her Sky-Shaking Bear and other pet beasts, and she had been focusing on meditation recently. Not seeing her was normal.
Same with Lucy, who had to train and communicate with Miss Flying Flower and Miss Wood Spirit on a daily basis.
As for the four researchers, Asher never really inquired about their exact duties. As long as their work was done on time, a capitalist like him had no strict demands or rigid requirements.
"Little Raven and Cat-Worm aren't here either," Asher took a lap around the institute, still not spotting them. His expression turned into a mix of headache and helplessness.
"Oh, right," Asher looked toward Chase and the other two researchers, "If you see Little Raven and the others, let me know."
"Uh... Uh-huh!", Chase's body stiffened for a moment before he quickly responded, "Got it!"
Chase's startled reaction immediately caught Asher's attention.
Asher's gaze lingered on Chase for a few seconds.
Chase: "..."
Swoosh!
Cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.
Just the thought that, because of him, all the effort and secrecy of the past few days could be exposed was enough to make Chase imagine the storm of fury he'd have to face afterward.
And among that storm—his wife's share would definitely be included.
'Little White Snake!'
'What are you doing, Little White Snake?'
Using the corner of his eye, Chase glanced at the little white snake snoozing soundly on Asher's shoulder, his expression filled with frustration.
'Isn't it supposed to keep Asher occupied?'
'Is this what it meant to keep him occupied—by sleeping?'
Little White Snake: 'Snake knows nothing! Snake is sleeping!'
As if sensing a growing chill in the air, Little White Snake curled itself twice more around Asher's neck, absorbing his body heat for warmth.
Asher, suddenly feeling strangled and struggling to speak: "..."
After giving Chase a glance, Asher still chose to leave the room.
It wasn't that he hadn't noticed Chase's odd behavior—or that the other two researchers seemed a bit stiff as well.
And considering how Little Raven and Cat-Worm had been missing all day… Asher had a vague feeling—
They were definitely planning something big.
Asher sighed.
Asher was helpless.
Asher grabbed Little White Snake and gave it a firm rub.
"You're just a decoy, aren't you? A distraction so Little Raven and Cat-Worm can sneak off?", He pretended to sound fierce, but of course, it had no effect on Little White Snake.
Being personally hatched by Asher, raised by his side, and having bathed in Dragon King blood and swum through his spiritual sea, Little White Snake was extremely attached to him.
Compared to Little Raven, who always wanted to be the real pillar of the household, and Cat-Worm, who constantly challenged their hierarchy, Little White Snake never said it aloud—but deep down, it genuinely saw Asher as its mother.
Different species, same mom.
A male mom was still a mom.
Asher: '...Well, thanks, I guess.'
Just like that.
Asher struggled through the whole day from morning till evening.
He deliberately refrained from using the contract link to locate Little Raven and Cat-Worm. Knowing Little Raven's personality well, Asher understood that if he did that, Cat-Worm might not mind, but Little Raven would definitely throw a fit.
Respecting the diversity of pet beasts' personalities and determined not to be an annoying beast tamer, Asher chose to respect Little Raven.
Besides...
"I'm really curious about what Little Raven and Cat-Worm are up to, to make everyone cooperate with them like this," Yes, everyone.
Sometimes, once you find a loose thread, pulling on it can reveal more secrets.
Although Asher hadn't figured out exactly what Little Raven and Cat-Worm were doing, one thing was certain—besides that brief morning encounter, he hadn't seen Abella, Lucy, or Julian for the entire day.
It was as if they had vanished.
Normally, that was impossible.
So they must be together, plotting something.
.
.
.
Night fell.
Usually, even if the entire place wasn't brightly lit, there would be some lights here and there. But tonight, everything was pitch black—except for a single brightly lit research room.
Seeing this, Asher's face showed an expression of "Just as I thought."
It was both a sign and a trap.
Placed there so obviously, the question was—would Asher take the bait or not?
Asher: "..."
He really wanted to ignore it and see their reactions tomorrow.
But the little white snake, who had slept enough during the day and was now fully awake, wasn't going to let Asher escape so easily.
"Awoo!"
"Awoo!"
'Go!'
'Go go go!'
'Take Snake Snake there!'
'Snake Snake wants to go!'
The little white snake, who rarely acted spoiled toward Asher, was now coiling around his neck, twisting its body into all sorts of odd shapes, with only one goal: Go!
Go to that one and only brightly lit room, which was clearly a trap.
Asher gave the little white snake a meaningful look.
The little white snake blinked its golden eyes, which stood out even in the darkness.
'What does that look mean?'
'Snake Snake doesn't get it!'
Asher: 'You little troublemaker!'
"Fine, fine, I'll go, alright?", Though his words sounded tough, Asher, in the end, couldn't resist the little white snake's pleading. Plus, he was indeed very curious about what Little Raven and Cat-Worm had been so busy with.
So, he took a step forward.
Heading toward the only lit room.
He carefully pushed open the door.
Before he could even take in the room's layout, something small and fast, like a little cannonball, came hurtling toward his chest.
In that instant—
Asher's hands moved faster than his brain.
He quickly grabbed the little white snake from around his neck and threw it straight at the incoming cannonball.
Jade Silver Snake: "?"
'Snake Snake is flying?'
Immediately, the little white snake and the charging Cat-Worm became entangled in a chaotic mess, looking like a kitten caught in a ball of yarn.
"Meow! Meow!"
"Meow-ao!"
'Le-let go of this dragon!'
'This dragon is suffocating!'
Laughter erupted from the side, along with the sound of flapping wings.
Little Raven flapped its wings and, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, landed in Asher's now-empty arms.
Before Asher could react, a large, fluffy creature was suddenly nestled in his embrace.
"This is...", Blinking, Asher adjusted to the room's lighting and immediately took in the decorations brimming with a birthday atmosphere and the oddly shaped, lopsided birthday cake on the table.
For a moment, Asher was at a loss for words.
A birthday cake...
He blinked, making sure he hadn't remembered the date wrong.
December 28th was his birthday—but it wasn't the birthday recorded on his ID in this world.
Perhaps because he was an orphan, the exact birthdate of this world's Asher was unknown.
The orphanage recorded the day each child entered as their official birthday, a day marking their new birth.
Asher's ID listed January 1st—the first day of the new year—as his birthday.
Last year, he had subconsciously ignored his birthday altogether.
With no one to remind him, he simply forgot about it. It wasn't until June and Vicky later gave him a belated birthday gift that he even remembered he had a birthday at all.
But he never expected...
That someone else would know his real birthday—oh, well, not necessarily someone.
Asher's gaze locked onto Little Raven.
"It was you, wasn't it?", He gently smoothed down Little Raven's feathers.
Little Raven cooperatively lifted its neck and slightly spread its wings, enjoying the service.
Little Raven: ╭(╯^╰)╮
'Of course!'
'Bird is no ordinary bird!'
'Beastmaster must have the best birthday ever!'
Then, with a sharp flap of its wings, Little Raven gestured toward the people in the room and the prepared food.
'Look!'
'This is the empire Bird has built for its Beastmaster!'
Asher couldn't help but laugh, feeling a strange mix of warmth and sadness in his heart.
He was already so grown up—his past self had long stopped celebrating birthdays.
Yet, now, this seemingly insignificant birthday suddenly felt... different.
"Professor Asher, don't just stand at the door," Sarah waved him over with a warm smile.
She had noticed Asher zoning out, and her heart softened at the sight.
'Ah...'
'Professor Asher must not have felt this kind of warmth for a long time, right?'
'Looking at him now, he really is just a kid in some ways.'
As a woman approaching fifty, Sarah saw Asher almost like a child of her own.
Of course—
She was well aware that even if she had a kid, they wouldn't be as smart as Asher.
His talent and intelligence were one of a kind.
But that didn't stop her from wanting to take care of him in daily life.
As Asher walked in, he picked up the little white snake and Cat-Worm, who had become increasingly tangled, practically knotted together.
Little Raven, having enjoyed an exclusive spot in Asher's arms, reluctantly made space but still followed close behind, flying slowly in sync with Asher's pace.
Meanwhile, Asher worked on untangling Cat-Worm and the little white snake as he approached the table.
"This is the birthday cake, made by me, Little Raven, and Cat-Dragon," Abella crossed his arms and lifted his chin slightly, his face filled with pride, "I made the cake base, Little Raven made the jam filling, and Cat-Dragon whipped the cream by hand—guaranteed to taste amazing."
As he spoke, he gave a thumbs-up.
"This longevity noodles dish was made by me and Sister Sarah," Lucy added, smiling as she gestured to the steaming white porcelain bowl on the table, still being heated by a small flame beneath, "Sister Sarah kneaded the dough, I carved the carrot flowers, and Little Raven cooked the noodles."
Asher: "?"
'Little Raven cooked the noodles?'
'How?'
Instinctively, his gaze drifted to the still-burning flame.
"Yep, exactly how you're thinking," Julian, as if reading Asher's thoughts, sighed.
Little Raven, using its flames—its refined, powerful flames—to cook the noodles.
And conveniently keep them warm.
The kitchen nearly exploded twice today. It had to be said that Little Raven played a significant role in that.
Fortunately, Sarah, the veteran, was there to take control of the situation. Otherwise, they might not have been able to serve this bowl of noodles or the birthday cake beside it.
Then Julian couldn't help but think—
'Maybe not being able to eat this bowl of noodles and the birthday cake would be the greatest blessing for Asher's birthday today.'
But then again...
Now that it was already served, what else could Julian say?
He could only subtly give Asher a good luck look. Whether Asher got the hint or not had nothing to do with him.
Asher: "..."
He got it.
Mainly because... just the way this bowl of noodles was cooked already sounded extremely hardcore. So hardcore that Asher started to suspect—was the birthday cake made by Little Raven and the Cat-Worm also filled with similarly hardcore ingredients?
Asher: *Sweating, but here goes....*
Lucy and Abella were sitting on either side of Asher, their eyes sparkling with anticipation as they looked at him.
Little Raven and the Cat-Worm were about the same.
The Little White Snake even rubbed against Asher.
"Awoo! Awoo!"
'Even though the food isn't made by the snake-snake, snake-snake still contributed its strength!'
'Eat up, Beastmaster!'
Little Raven's big golden-red eyes.
The Cat-Worm's messy, simplistic cartoonish eyes.
The Little White Snake's pure and beautiful golden pupils.
Three pairs of large, bright eyes stared at Asher intently.
Eat or not eat... Well, there really wasn't a choice. With a face of grim determination, Asher picked up the chopsticks, lifted a strand of longevity noodles, and took a light sip...
Asher's expression went blank.
Little Raven: (灬°v°灬)
'Hehehe!'
'Isn't it super delicious?"
'This is personally cooked by the bird!'
Seeing this, the Cat-Worm immediately protested.
"Meow! Meow!!"
"Meow!"
"Meow! Meow!"
'Cake! Cake!'
'Beastmaster, hurry up and eat the cake!'
'The cake must taste even better!'
Little Raven didn't mind.
Because it had contributed to the cake as well.
Ask why? Because it was the big sister of this household.
Ask why again? Because today's birthday party for the Beastmaster was planned by it.
Little Raven and the Cat-Worm stared at Asher with sparkling, expectant eyes. The Little White Snake coiled around Asher's neck, flicking its long tongue in a prompting manner.
Julian's gaze toward Asher was overflowing with sympathy.
Look at those large beads of sweat on Asher's forehead.
Clearly, this was difficult for him.
The longevity noodles, due to the refined fire, might have a slightly odd taste, but if he endured it and ate it in one go, it wasn't entirely impossible. After all, the noodles were kneaded by Sister Sarah herself, so aside from the taste, the texture should still be decent.
But that cake…
Only a legendary warrior could finish it, right?
Asher took a deep breath and downed the noodles in one go. Then, he picked up the knife and fork—"swish, swish, swish"—his hands moved incredibly fast, swiftly dividing the cake into multiple portions and distributing them onto plates.
Everyone suddenly had a piece of cake in front of them.
"Come on, come on, the cake is here. Let's eat together," Asher smiled.
Asher completely ignored the thick, gooey, unmoving jam that oozed out when the cake was cut.
Touched?
Tonight, he was very touched.
So he was going to share this feeling with everyone.
That way, everyone could experience this feeling together.
Everyone: ...Not moving, not moving at all. Seeing the bizarre color combination and the cake that, when cut open, looked like something a witch made, none of them dared to move.
"Ahem!"
Abella had made a massive cake base. She didn't feel anything when making it, but now that she was given a slice… suddenly, something felt very wrong.
If she actually ate this whole piece of cake…
Abella felt like she would see her great-grandmother across the River Styx tonight.
She needed to think of another way.
She raised a fist to her lips and coughed twice, "This cake looks really delicious. Can I let my beasts share it with me?"
Such a big slice!
Power Bear, Violent Bear, Sky-Shaking Bear—if they all shared, it'd be gone in no time, right?
Hearing this, Lucy's eyes lit up.
Hmm? Hmm? Hmm?
This works too?
She was in.
"Swish—"
Six beasts were summoned by Lucy. Then, with incredible speed, she divided her cake into six equal parts and placed them before each of her beasts, "Come, come, everyone eat together! It's Professor Asher's birthday. Let's all enjoy the happy atmosphere!"
Eighth-tier Tentacle Monster: "..."
Thunderstorm Flash: "..."
Little Dragon: "..."
Island Turtle: "..."
Miss Flying Flower and Miss Wood Spirit: "..."
Thanks, but they all had eyes and working vision, okay?
And why was there nothing left in front of their Beastmaster?
The beasts silently stared at Lucy with accusing eyes.
Lucy smiled sheepishly and hadn't even had a chance to speak when—whoosh—Julian dropped a huge chunk of cake onto her plate.
"Look at you, getting carried away and giving all your cake to the beasts. Fine, fine, I'll share mine with you," Julian spoke with an expression full of concern for Lucy.
Lucy's eyes widened in shock.
The other four researchers: "..."
So, they were just going to be bullied like this for not being Beastmasters? They had no beasts to share their suffering with?
It was time for everyone to use their own tricks.
There was no way they were letting this cake go into their stomachs. They weren't ready to meet their great-grandmothers yet.
At some point, the cake battle began.
From indoors, it spread to the outdoors.
Eventually, it turned into an all-out war.
Everyone was laughing happily.
And then… just as they were laughing the hardest, a chunk of cake would fly from an unknown direction and land perfectly in their wide-open mouths.
The person laughing the loudest would suddenly go silent.
Their expression contorted in pain, like a goose being strangled.
Fair.
Just.
Everyone got an equal share of this experience.
When they discovered it was Asher's doing…
"Focus fire on Asher! He has to taste this overwhelming love today."
With a grand wave, all aggro was pulled onto Asher. Asher bolted, trying to get Little Raven, the Cat-Worm, and the Little White Snake to help him escape.
And then… Asher was pinned down and force-fed cake with a tortured expression.
Little Raven, Cat-Worm, and Little White Snake: *Innocent*
They just wanted their Beastmaster to taste their love!
Just one small bite!
Asher's 19th birthday ended… perfectly. Absolutely perfectly, amid chaos, shrieks, and frenzied running.
———
The next day.
Without a doubt.
Everyone overslept.
It was nearly noon when they dragged themselves out of bed, looking utterly drained.
"Horrifying… absolutely horrifying…", Lucy's eyes were lifeless, with dark circles beneath them, "I only had one bite of that cake, but for the entire night. The entire night, my mouth was filled with that taste."
"I brushed my teeth for ten minutes last night and this morning, and I can still faintly taste it on my tongue."
Horrifying!
Absolutely horrifying!
Julian rolled his eyes, "It's not just you. We're all the same."
Julian paused for a moment and said, "Professor Asher should have felt it even more, after all, he ate an extra bowl of longevity noodles last night compared to us."
"Are you dissatisfied with the longevity noodles I helped make?", Lucy huffed angrily, "The carved carrot flowers I made can't possibly taste bad. Sister Sarah's kneading skills are also amazing, okay. The cake was an accident, but the longevity noodles must have been delicious."
Julian chuckled, "How about this? Today, I'll ask Sister Sarah and Little Raven to make noodles again, without your carved carrot flowers. Would you eat it?"
By the end of his sentence, Julian wasn't even using a question tone anymore.
Hearing this, Lucy obediently fell silent.
Eat…? Better not.
Last night, after accidentally eating two bites of the cake, she ended up chatting with her great-grandmother in her dreams all night. If she ate a whole bowl of noodles today… Lucy felt she might just follow her great-grandmother away.
She couldn't afford to eat it.
Such a grand feast was simply beyond her ability to stomach.
"Alright, stop complaining here. Clean up and hurry to training."
Julian had more than once felt that he wasn't just Lucy's agent—he was probably her nanny, or even her dad.
Otherwise, why did he not only have to consider Lucy's work but also oversee the training of her beasts?
"Didn't Miss Flying Flower and Miss Wood Spirit eat quite a lot of cake last night too? Check if they're alright," Julian reminded.
Lucy waved her hand as she turned to walk outside, "Alright, alright, I got it!"
Training!
Training!
And after training, they had to consume resources.
The materials that Asher applied for from the alliance to be used for Miss Flying Flower and Miss Wood Spirit's evolution had all been approved. The speed of approval was far beyond Asher's expectations.
But Asher didn't pay much attention to it.
After all—
Once Ancestral Dragon evolved, he became a Tier-3 researcher.
Although the evolution path of the Sky-Shaking Bear wasn't publicly disclosed and hadn't brought him any explicit benefits, the accelerated approval process and increased attention were, in Asher's mind, a form of invisible recognition and benefit.
Of course, he knew this wasn't the only reason.
Meanwhile, still stuck at Star City Headquarters and unable to return to President Robb: "…"
Forget it.
If Asher wanted to think that way, that was fine too.
Lucy didn't know any of this.
She summoned Miss Flying Flower and Miss Wood Spirit, only to be met with two pairs of eyes filled with reproach, gazing at her eerily.
Lucy: "…"
Cough! Cough!
Thinking about last night's events, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty.
Lucy looked at the sky, looked at the ground, skipped over the topic entirely, and decided to pretend nothing had happened, "Let's not talk about that. What's more important is your training."
"After playing all day yesterday, today we need to train properly," Lucy clenched her fist with an expression of extreme enthusiasm.
Unfortunately—
Miss Flying Flower and Miss Wood Spirit weren't buying it. The two beasts continued to stare at Lucy with those eerie, accusatory eyes.
"And also, Professor Asher has already applied for resources for you two, and they've all arrived. Do you want to eat first and then train, or train first and then eat?", Lucy asked with a very democratic tone.
At the mention of the word eat, Miss Flying Flower and Miss Wood Spirit's expressions changed drastically.
Eat?
Eat what?
Right now, they didn't want to eat anything.
The two beasts exchanged glances, reached an unspoken agreement, their eyes filled with resolve—then turned around… and ran.
"Eh?", Lucy, left behind, finally reacted, "Eh, eh, eh! Don't run! It's not bad! Whether you eat it early or late, you still have to eat it!"
Asher had just woken up, still groggy, when he was suddenly crashed into by the charging Miss Flying Flower and Miss Wood Spirit.
Caught off balance, Asher was knocked over and rolled on the ground.
Before he could get up, Lucy came rushing over—her foot slipped, and she tripped, falling right onto Asher.
Feeling the soft body pressed against him, Asher's eyes went blank.
"Are you guys teaming up to scam me?"
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