A minute passed.
Mother's voice was slightly louder than usual, but her expression remained calm. "I'm going to the restroom."
The staff member replied, "Just turn left at the front and go straight to the end, then turn right."
Mother nodded and stepped towards the right.
"Ma'am, it's actually to the left," the staff member reminded her.
Mother's back stiffened for a moment, then she pretended as if nothing had happened, turning to the left instead.
This left Qiao Sang feeling a mix of amusement and pity, and she controlled her rising smile.
Mom, your image as a strong, independent woman just shattered.
She turned her attention back to the Firefang Dogs, her thoughts returning to them.
Qiao Sang noticed that the Firefang Dogs were full of energy, none of them were quietly staying still.
It was not without reason that new Beast Masters chose Plump Doves as their first contract beast...
Unable to hold back, Qiao Sang asked, "Is there a Firefang Dog with a quieter temperament?"
The staff replied tactfully, "Actually, we have many other types of companion beasts at our base."
Qiao Sang understood immediately.
After all, she was an adult at heart, and even without experience as a Beast Master, she didn't think she would be clueless like a 15-year-old child when faced with a temperamental companion beast.
So, it made sense to pick a Firefang Dog purely based on their looks.
"Can I take a look at that one?"
Qiao Sang noticed that one particular Firefang Dog was repeatedly bumping against a tree—not in a wild and reckless way, but with a sort of purposeful intent.
To her, it seemed like the target wasn’t the tree itself, but rather an exercise for itself.
After all, who would be silly enough to hit a tree without a reason?
"Of course," the staff member answered.
"Toot!" She held up a metal whistle hanging from her neck and blew sharply.
All the Firefang Dogs stopped their actions, focusing their gazes on her, no longer causing chaos.
A few tilted their heads in confusion.
"Is it time for food?"
With the flames no longer blocking the way, the staff member approached the chosen Firefang Dog and picked it up.
The Firefang Dog blinked its eyes in bewilderment, its flame-like ears moving slightly.
It was placed in front of Qiao Sang.
The Firefang Dog was a small breed of companion beast, sporting fiery red fur with several black stripes and a tuft of orange fuzz on its head.
This particular one stood about 60 centimeters tall, noticeably smaller than the others, with a fresh scar on its forehead from its earlier impact with the tree. Its black, glistening eyes looked up at her, evoking a strong desire to touch it.
It didn’t seem violent like the other Firefang Dogs, but rather had a somewhat pitiful appearance.
Qiao Sang's imagination conjured up a story of a small, weak Firefang Dog that had been bullied, having its food stolen, ending up malnourished, and finally trying hard to train itself.
It must have been practicing some skill, like the Flame Impact.
The staff member then introduced, "This Firefang Dog is the youngest in our base, born less than a month ago."
Ah, so it wasn’t weak; it was just young…
But young was good. Many Beast Masters would choose to nurture their companion beasts from egg stage, making it easier to build a bond and understanding.
Qiao Sang considered getting a young beast egg earlier but quickly dismissed the thought.
After all, she still had to attend school, and taking an egg along would draw too much attention and be unsafe.
If she left it at home, her mother would be out working, and no one would be there to look after it. Qiao Sang crouched down, reaching out to pet the Firefang Dog's head.
The Firefang Dog closed its eyes in comfort, its red tail swaying in delight.
It seemed quite obedient.
As she felt the soft fur in her hand, satisfaction grew inside her.
She looked into the Firefang Dog’s eyes and smiled. “Do you want to come with me?”
The staff member had a strange expression. This Firefang Dog had quite the temper, and it often got into fights with other dogs, feeling emboldened by its youth.
The older Firefang Dogs would let it have its fun, knowing it was still a pup without any real abilities, and would humor it by pretending to lose.
The fiery youth believed itself invincible, growing even more arrogant.
As a professional staff member, she could see that this girl was clearly looking for a calmer Firefang Dog.
Should she say something?
This base had no gentle Firefang Dogs.
She thought about the commission she would earn from selling a Firefang Dog, then considered her child’s school district housing, and ultimately decided to keep quiet.
Leave?
The Firefang Dog understood exactly what that meant.
Would it leave?
Of course! It had no rivals here, and this human's touch felt really nice...
It seemed like it was time to find a new challenger!
"Ya!"
The Firefang Dog nodded solemnly, extending its chubby paw.
Qiao Sang was a bit surprised but soon grasped it.
This went much smoother than she'd imagined...
And just like that, a bond was formed between the girl and the dog.
The contract between humans and extraordinary beings is established through the Beastmaster Codex.
The Beastmaster Codex serves as a medium that intimately connects the two, and generally, a successful contract requires the consent of both parties.
However, one could also form a contract by fully defeating the extraordinary being when it is not on guard.
The latter comes with considerable risks; without sufficient closeness, the companion beast can easily become disobedient. Only high-level Beast Masters need not worry about such matters.
As long as the Beast Master's Brain Domain is sufficiently developed and the Beastmaster Codex is strong enough, even if a companion beast tries to rebel, the contract cannot be broken.
At this moment, Qiao Sang was aware of the connection to her own Brain Domain.
Inside her Brain Domain, the Beastmaster Codex lay quietly, not stirring. Though it bore the name Beastmaster Codex, it was as thin as an envelope, and inside was just a blank page.
Qiao Sang had read that when the Beastmaster Codex first awakens, it’s white, with only one contracting space available for a companion beast.
When the Brain Domain develops to 10%, the Codex awakens to gray, allowing it to hold two contracting spaces.
With the gesture for awakening from her memories of the Codex, Qiao Sang formed a seal in front of her.
Soon, the Beastmaster Codex activated in her Brain Domain, slowly opening to its one and only page.
A white light began to gather from all around, forming a small circular star formation above the Firefang Dog's head.
In fact, there is a simple method to determine a Beast Master's level; whether contracting or summoning, one can tell by observing the light surrounding the summoned companion beast.
Just like the Codex, the color of the star formation matches the color of the Codex.
However, this is merely a reference, as an ordinary person cannot pass the Beastmaster Alliance's exams for Beast Master levels without a companion beast of sufficient strength, even if their Codex awakens.
As the star formation's light enveloped the Firefang Dog's head, it curiously looked up at the formation without showing any signs of resistance.
(End of chapter)