Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

"Why hasn't my friends woken up yet? What did you do to them?"

"If you don't tell the truth..." Asher narrowed his eyes as he spoke and gave Little Raven a look.

Little Raven: 'Got it!'

'If it doesn't speak the truth, the bird will deal with it!'

'Beastmasters don't need useless creatures!'

Cat-worm: (ΩДΩ)

'Wait, wait, wait! Listen to the dragon... uh, no, explanation!'

'The dragon isn't a bad dragon!'

'It was just here to sneak some food!'

'Really!'

'Believe it!'

Asher: "..."

'Ridiculous!'

From noticing the missing Waving Verdant Grass earlier to discovering his backpack had been tampered with tonight, everything pointed to this little guy coming here to snack... But who sneaks snacks and causes such a big commotion?

Oh.

Cat-worm isn't human.

And Cat-worm certainly isn't a "good" person either.

Asher conveniently ignored the fact that he himself had contributed to the chaos tonight and promptly shoved all the blame onto Cat-worm.

Cat-worm: *Wronged, but too scared to speak.*

"And what's with your ability?" Asher tried to steer the conversation back on track. "Why are my friends still asleep?"

"Meow!"

"Meow~"

'Trust the dragon!'

'Nothing happened!'

'I only nudged them... just a tiny nudge!'

'Really, nothing serious!'

Dangling mid-air, Cat-worm wiggled all seven of its stubby little legs, each pointing in different directions as it made gestures Asher couldn't decipher.

Asher: '...This scene is slightly sanity-draining.'

Especially in this setting, at this time, and with this completely baffling beast in front of him.

He raised one hand to cover his face and gestured a "pause" signal with the other. "This ability of yours... is it a proper skill?"

After staring at Cat-worm's skill list for a long while, Asher confirmed that it was most likely the [Psychic Guidance] skill that had deepened everyone's sleep.

But Asher couldn't wrap his head around something—

'Normally, [Psychic Guidance] isn't this overpowered, is it?'

It's a skill with a minor hypnotic effect that sometimes applies a negative status effect to the target—nothing more.

But in Cat-worm's hands... no matter how he thought about it, something felt off.

Sleeping so soundly?

Even with the commotion outside, they didn't wake up?

What if someone took advantage of this and did something? Uh... cough.

Whether or not the skill was proper, Asher didn't know, but he was sure that the real problem lay with this Cat-worm.

In less than half an hour, Asher had already pinned two major accusations on this unfamiliar Cat-worm.

Cat-worm: "Meow!"

'What's improper about it?'

'It's perfectly proper!'

'The dragon only saw you all sleeping, so it just followed your wishes and made you sleep a little deeper.'

'By sunrise, the effect will naturally wear off.'

'It won't have any impact on your health.'

'Isn't the dragon super considerate?'

'Doesn't the dragon deserve a tiny reward?'

Although Asher couldn't fully understand Cat-worm's exact meaning, he grasped bits and pieces—and his forehead veins were already twitching.

"Putting aside your so-called 'thoughtfulness'... you made us sleep so deeply just to sneak some food. Did you even consider what would happen if an beast attacked us in the middle of the night?" Asher asked sternly. "We were lucky last time, but what if something really happened?"

"Would you take responsibility? Could you drive off those beasts?"

Cat-worm... Cat-worm's guilty eyes darted everywhere—looking at the sky, the ground, Little Raven—just avoiding Asher's gaze.

Clearly, this little creature hadn't thought about any of that while sneaking food.

Asher rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. His meticulously planned safe route had almost been jeopardized by this greedy little thief.

Reaching the last day safely, he couldn't help but feel their luck had been exceptionally good.

But anyway, as long as everyone was fine, that was what mattered.

"One last question—why did you only steal my stash when they picked way more?" Asher's tone carried a hint of grievance, and the moment Little Raven heard this, its grip on Cat-worm tightened.

Cat-worm: Stiff.

"Me-Meo... Meow..."

'Uh... because... yours is...'

'Clean and pretty!'

'Crisp and refreshing!'

'Rich in energy!'

'You picked the tastiest ones!'

Asher wasn't imagining things—he perfectly understood what Cat-worm was trying to say this time.

He didn't rush to investigate further.

Instead, he mulled over Cat-worm's descriptive words.

Clean and pretty? That was easy to understand—Asher had meticulously selected every piece of Waving Verdant Grass he picked: no bugs, vibrant colors.

Crisp and refreshing? Probably because they looked better... so they tasted better?

A bit far-fetched, but not important.

Rich in energy... This one Asher didn't quite get.

"Is there a difference?" When in doubt, ask. "They're all Waving Verdant Grass. Is there a difference between one and another?"

Cat-worm nodded furiously.

'Totally different, completely different—it's just different! Yours is the tastiest!'

'The best the dragon has ever eaten!'

'So... can the rest be for the dragon?'

Looking at Asher's backpack and the Waving Verdant Grass inside, which constantly emitted an enticing aroma, Cat-worm's drool almost reached the ground.

Asher murmured, "If this is true, what causes the energy difference?"

Was it that he had genuinely selected the best ones, or something else?

It probably wasn't the former.

If it were, Cat-worm itself should've been able to pick the best ones and wouldn't have needed to steal.

After a brief moment of thought, Asher formed a hypothesis.

Interesting.

That's what Asher thought.

"Alright." After asking his questions, Asher nodded and motioned for Little Raven to let go of Cat-worm.

Although Little Raven didn't quite understand, it released Cat-worm after glancing at Asher's gesture. Before letting go, however, it gave Cat-worm a harsh peck for good measure.

Cat-worm: *Whimper*

"You can leave now."

Cat-worm, who was just about to play the pity card, froze when it heard Asher's cold, heartless words.

Cat-worm: (;д;)

This time, it wasn't pretending.

It was real.

And no one knew how this bizarre creature's chaotic eyes managed to produce tears.

Cat-worm not only cried but cried loudly, as if Asher was some heartless scumbag discarding it after use.

Even Little Raven, startled by the ferocity of the tears, dove into Asher's arms, rubbing itself against him for reassurance.

Cat-worm, seeing this, wailed even louder!

"Meow!"

"Meow! Meow!"

"Meow! Meow! Meow!"

'Does the dragon lack cuteness?'

'Why treat the dragon like this?'

Amid its sobbing, Cat-worm wriggled, somehow managing to shuffle its seven stubby legs forward and cling to Asher's shoe. It tightly hugged his leg, wiping all its tears onto Asher's pants.

In less than a minute, Asher could feel his pants thoroughly soaked.

Asher looked down.

Asher's expression remained blank.

"You, thief."

"Me, victim."

"I'm not crying, so what are you crying for?"

Thinking about how hard he'd worked for days gathering Waving Verdant Grass—did Cat-worm know how tough and exhausting it had been?

What was supposed to be his painstakingly perfect collection had nearly been completely devoured. If he hadn't discovered it in time and taken measures, Asher doubted this creature would've left him anything.

Greedy and insatiable.

That perfectly described this little creature.

Cat-worm: QAQ

Seeing Asher's determination, Cat-worm immediately shifted its strategy, casting its gaze at Little Raven in Asher's arms.

Little Raven: "?"

A chill ran down its back.

Somebody was plotting against the king.

Lowering its head, Little Raven's gaze met Cat-worm's.

Cat-worm: *Aggrieved*

"Meow!"

"Meow! Meow! Meow!"

'Boss!'

'Bird Boss!'

'The best boss in the world.'

'The dragon is your most loyal underling.'

Cat-worm's eyes sparkled. Although it hadn't explicitly mentioned Asher's name, the meaning between the lines was crystal clear...

Little Raven: "!"

Little Raven's eyes widened abruptly.

'Oh… oh my~'

'What it said… made the bird a little happy!'

Little Raven, raised so purely by Asher's doting, didn't notice Cat-worm's subtle scheming.

Little Raven was that kind of easily-flattered bird. Compliment its looks, its personality, and its strength as unrivaled under the heavens, and a stream of sweet flattery could instantly make Little Raven burst with joy.

Asher, in his interactions with Little Raven, had long mastered this bird-pampering routine.

But what Asher didn't expect was that this Cat-worm, meeting Little Raven for the first time and even fighting it twice, could so effortlessly deduce Little Raven's "weak spot."

Then again, recalling the dragon lizard swindled Vicky's house, Asher found it somewhat understandable.

This Cat-worm might not excel in other abilities, but its knack for seeing through the personalities of beasts was undoubtedly top-tier.

Thinking this through, Asher didn't interrupt Cat-worm's ongoing flattery toward Little Raven.

He could see what this Cat-worm was up to and didn't mind contracting this slightly deranged creature. Judging from its stats, this Cat-worm was undeniably mysterious.

Despite being only a high-level Tier 2 creature, it could stand its ground against Little Raven—bolstered by its bloodline aura and regal domain—without instantly fainting, even engaging in a shadow-skirmish skill.

Asher found it hard to reject such an enigmatic little creature. Who knows? It might just be one of those hidden, super-powerful, unbeatable cosmic extraordinary beings.

Contracting it wouldn't be a loss—never a scam.

The prerequisite, of course, was that Cat-worm could convince the household boss—Little Raven.

As Asher's first contracted beast, Little Raven harbored significant dependence on and possessiveness toward him.

Asher hadn't yet found the right opportunity to gently broach the subject of contracting a second, third, or even more beasts.

He believed that if he brought it up and reasoned properly, Little Raven would ultimately accept it.

Still, a bit of sulking in the process was inevitable.

...But wasn't there a scapegoat who came knocking?

"Meow!"

"Meow! Meow!"

Cat-worm was still hopping around, oblivious to Asher's full grasp of its intentions, fully engrossed in winning over its new boss.

'Bird Boss is so beautiful!'

'

'The Beastmaster treats Boss so well!

Hearing this, Little Raven puffed out its chest proudly.

o(^' )o

'Yes! That's right!'

'The Beastmaster absolutely adores the bird.'

"Meow! Meow!"

"Meow! Meow!"

'Yes, yes! The Beastmaster is so good to Boss.'

'Even gathered all these lovely, love-filled Waving Verdant Grass for Boss.'

'So envious of Boss.'

'Boss, Boss… can the dragon be your underling?'

Little Raven… Little Raven was so overjoyed by the flattery that its little bird brain felt dizzy.

'Oh my~ Such a rare chance to show off how much the Beastmaster dotes on the bird in front of another beast. This Cat-worm… is actually quite perceptive.'.

'Taking it as an underling… doesn't seem like such a big deal?'

Little Raven shifted its gaze to Asher.

Its golden-red eyes sparkled with joy as it rubbed affectionately against Asher.

'The bird listens to the Beastmaster!'

'Although Cat-worm spoke sweetly, Little Raven is an obedient bird~'

Seeing this, Asher couldn't help but chuckle and rub the silly tuft on Little Raven's head. Then, he glanced at Cat-worm, clinging to his leg and no longer sobbing uncontrollably.

In a gentle voice, he asked, "Little Raven, do you want it as your underling?"

Little Raven tilted its head.

'Still possible?'

"If so, I'll contract it as the second member of our family."

Little Raven: "!"

Hearing this, Little Raven instantly snapped out of Cat-worm's sugary words, glaring at it with golden-red eyes.

'How dare you!'

'So, that's what you were up to!'

'The bird was showing off its Beastmaster, and you're trying to snatch the Beastmaster away!'

Little Raven angrily stared down Cat-worm, flapping its wings to break free from Asher's arms, ready to fight Cat-worm again.

Asher stopped Little Raven. "Don't be angry, don't be angry. If Little Raven doesn't want this underling, we won't take it."

Hearing this, Little Raven finally calmed down.

╭(╯^╰)╮

It knew it—Beastmaster loves it the most.

"Eventually, there will be other new partners. They'll be Little Raven's younger siblings. Little Raven can be their boss or their big sister." Seizing the opportunity, Asher brought up the inevitable reality of contracting more beasts.

The timing was just right.

Little Raven bristled instantly.

'What?'

'Even if the Beastmaster doesn't contract this one, he'll contract others in the future?'

Little Raven couldn't fathom it.

Since following Asher, it had always been the sole beast at his side. The thought of Asher treating others the same way as it was unbearable.

Seeing Little Raven's jealous expression, Asher couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Little Raven: 'Hmph!'

'Even angrier now!'

'The Beastmaster isn't comforting the bird!'

'Comfort, comfort—he must comfort me!'

"You know how Abella has three bears? I'll also have other pet beasts in the future. They'll all be part of our family, new partners, but it won't diminish my love for Little Raven." Asher hit the nail on the head, soothing Little Raven's worries with precision.

'Oh!'

Raising pet beasts was so hard. It was like raising a child—jealous, possessive, wanting to be the only one. If not handled properly, it could develop strong resentment toward second and third "siblings."

...It was tough.

Fortunately, he'd picked the right moment to convey this concept to Little Raven.

He wasn't expecting Little Raven to accept it immediately but recognized it as the beginning of a process—a journey for Little Raven to come to terms with it.

That way, when he eventually contracted other beasts, Little Raven wouldn't be so opposed or hostile.

If managing the relationships among a few pets was this challenging, Asher couldn't imagine… how "Casanovas" managed time and avoided conflicts among multiple girlfriends.

Just as Asher's thoughts wandered into space...

A light slap on his arm brought him back.

He looked down to see Little Raven, staring up with its big golden-red eyes.

(o◇o)

'The bird figured it out!'

'It's okay!'

'Even if the Beastmaster contracts a second—or even more—beasts, the bird can accept it!'

'But the bird must remain the Beastmaster's favorite!'

'Because the bird loves the Beastmaster so much!'

Due to their high bond and mutual understanding, Asher immediately grasped Little Raven's sentiments.

"Our Little Raven is so obedient." Asher couldn't resist stroking its head again, his voice filled with warmth.

So good.

So, so good.

So good that Asher even wondered if he'd been treating Little Raven well enough.

Love often came with feelings of inadequacy.

At that moment, Asher felt a stirring from his leg.

It was Cat-worm. After overhearing the conversation between Asher and Little Raven, it began stamping its chubby seven little legs on Asher's leg, seemingly to attract his attention. But its strength… well, it felt more like a futile massage.

Seeing Asher and Little Raven look down at it, Cat-worm's eyes immediately lit up.

'So?'

'The dragon, right? Look at the dragon!'

'Isn't the dragon the perfect choice for your second contracted beast?'

Cat-worm didn't say a word, but its chaotic eyes conveyed everything it wanted to express.

Asher glanced at Cat-worm, then at Little Raven. "Don't you think we should carefully choose the next member of our family?"

Little Raven nodded.

'Exactly! The Beastmaster is always right!'

Cat-worm: QAQ

Seeing that the Cat-worm was about to start crying uncontrollably again, Asher bent down with a smile and lifted the little creature that was clinging to his calf.

Hiss—

The texture felt a bit strange.

The dim evening light, coupled with the Cat-worm's appearance, had made Asher unconsciously associate it with meme-like cat expressions. He hadn't thought much of it—until his hand touched its body. Only then did he fully realize—

No matter how much this little thing resembled a meme cat, it definitely wasn't a cat.

Horns on its head.

Seven legs.

Both could be explained as evolutionary changes from its abilities.

But this texture... was nothing like the soft, fluffy feel of an ordinary cat. The moment he touched it, it felt icy cold. Upon closer inspection, he could feel tiny scales neatly distributed beneath his fingers.

The scales were a mix of icy hardness and the soft flesh underneath... difficult to describe.

Truly indescribable.

If he had to sum it up, Asher could only use one term: sanity-draining.

Its appearance drained sanity.

Its texture drained sanity too.

"I might as well stop calling you Cat-worm and just call you Sanity Bug," Asher quipped.

The Cat-worm, held aloft in Asher's hand, tilted its head adorably, mimicking Little Raven's earlier move.

"Meow!"

'It's Cat-Dragon!'

'Sanity Dragon works too!'

Asher: "…"

"You're really stuck on this 'dragon' title, huh?" Asher said, amused.

The Cat-worm puffed out its chest.

"Meow!"

'Because a dragon is a dragon!'

'The most beautiful baby dragon!'

Saying this, the Cat-worm glanced at Little Raven nearby and quickly added another fawning remark.

"Meow! Meow!"

'Boss Bird is also the prettiest bird!'

Only then did Little Raven show a satisfied expression.

Asher sat on his sleeping bag with a chuckle, holding Little Raven in his arms and placing the Cat-worm on his lap.

It wasn't that Asher was treating the Cat-worm differently and didn't want to hold it. It was simply because the nights were too cold, and the Cat-worm's icy scales drew away the warmth from Asher's skin at the slightest touch.

During this season, holding Little Raven in his arms was more comfortable. Come summer, he'd cuddle the Cat-worm more.

"Do you want to form a contract with me?"

Despite the laughter and jokes, after all the chaos of stealing food, fighting, interrogations, and the earlier pandemonium, Asher gazed seriously at the Cat-worm's chaotic eyes. His brown-black pupils reflected the firelight behind him, radiating a hint of warmth as he asked sincerely:

"I don't know why you want to become my pet beast, but I'm formally inviting you now. Have you truly decided to be my partner and fight by my side?"

"If so, I'll treat you as I do Little Raven."

"If not, or if it's for reasons I don't yet understand, you still have the choice to leave now."

The choice between Beast Masters and beasts was always mutual.

Asher laid it all out honestly: "I recognize your strength. What do you see in me?"

The Cat-worm, seemingly caught off guard by Asher's formality and sincerity, froze entirely, lying motionless on his lap.

What did it see in Asher? What did it want from him?

Its gaze shifted to the large bundle of Waving Verdant Grass in the backpack nearby. Sensing the abundant and deliciously tempting power of love radiating from it, the Cat-worm moved forward, nudging Asher's palm gently.

"Meow!"

'Love!'

'The dragon wants love too!'

'The Beast Master's affection!'

'Loves the Beast Master!'

"Ah... so that's it, huh?" Asher rubbed the Cat-worm's head, softening his tone. "Alright. My pet beasts are my family, my friends, and my partners. I'll give you as much love as I can—that's something I should do anyway."

"So…" Asher leaned closer to the Cat-worm with a smile, using his other hand to lift it, holding it just as he did Little Raven. "That doesn't count. Is there anything else you want from me?"

The Cat-worm froze.

Feeling the warmth of Asher's embrace, its mind went blank.

Little Raven, perched nearby, shot the Cat-worm a disdainful look.

'Hmph!'

'Pathetic!'

'Birds can get even sweeter words from the Beast Master!'

'This proves the Beast Master loves birds the most!'

Little Raven no longer felt jealous and even started to feel smug.

The Cat-worm caught sight of Little Raven's movements from the corner of its eye.

Immediately.

Its frozen brain restarted, and it leaned in to nuzzle and cuddle Asher proactively.

'Beast Master!'

'Mine!'

'The dragon also wants some!'

Little Raven: "!"

'But you're not yet!'

The Cat-worm quickly lifted its head from Asher's chest, staring intently at him with its chaotic eyes, conveying one clear message:

'Contract!'

'Hurry up and make the contract!'

'Right now!'

'Not a second more to waste!'

Seeing this, Asher couldn't help but show an exasperated smile.

He had wanted to be serious, emotional, and moving—maybe even help this wild, unknown little creature uncover its true desires. But before he could begin, Little Raven had ruined everything.

What could Asher do?

Little Raven was spoiled by him.

The Cat-worm was about to join their family and be spoiled too.

Asher spread his hands, helpless.

"Alright." Asher patted the Cat-worm on its head and began their second contract ceremony.

His first contract with Little Raven had been very smooth.

Asher cooperated.

Little Raven cooperated.

It was easy for the two of them to succeed.

This time... as Asher slowly connected his spiritual power with the Cat-worm, he felt no resistance at all. To his surprise, the Cat-worm vanished from his embrace.

In his spiritual sea, within his Beast Space, a small figure appeared.

Its position didn't interfere with where Little Raven originally resided.

The contract was a success.

This was the kind of success that would astonish others.

Unlike beasts bred in pet-raising facilities or hatcheries, wild beasts, especially those captured in forbidden zones, often resisted, hesitated, or caused repeated failures before a contract succeeded.

Typically.

Contracting a wild beast took three to four attempts.

For Asher and the Cat-worm to succeed on the first try was rare.

After all, a creature with a docile temperament wouldn't have survived in a place like the forbidden zone.

One try.

Both Asher and the Cat-worm felt an unspoken trust between them.

Holding Little Raven, Asher's face lit up with joy. "Little Raven, our family has a new member now."

Little Raven rubbed against Asher.

'Yes, yes!'

'The bird has a little sibling now!'

Then Asher released the Cat-worm from his spiritual sea into reality.

What Asher hadn't expected was—

What happened to Little Raven before was repeating itself with the Cat-worm.

When the light from his spiritual sea condensed into the Cat-worm's form, Asher suddenly found himself locking eyes with a pair of immense, wild, powerful black eyes within his spiritual space.

In that instant.

Asher's whole body froze.

It was an instinctive self-preservation response from his body, making him appear harmless in the presence of something far stronger.

Then, as if watching a movie, the scene zoomed out. Asher finally saw the full form of the owner of those black eyes in his spiritual sea.

A massive dragon, seemingly sculpted from ice and snow. Each scale was half the size of Asher, shimmering with a hard, icy, and beautiful gleam. Ice-white mane flowed around it, and the majestic, elegant horns on its head spoke silently of its true identity—

A dragon.

Not a drake.

Not a sub-dragon.

Not a Western dragon.

But the kind of dragon that Asher truly understood—the legendary Eastern divine dragon.

Watching this enormous dragon soar through his spiritual sea, Asher was so stunned he couldn't speak for a long time.

At the same time, Asher felt as if his entire body were filled with power. Just as contracting Little Raven had enhanced his vision, he now felt as though he could take on ten of his past selves.

But all those beautiful fantasies evaporated the moment he opened his eyes.

He looked down.

And saw the Cat-worm, once again in his arms… or perhaps he should call it the Cat-Dragon now?

Asher couldn't help but wonder.

"Hmm… that dragon I saw in the spiritual space, is that what you'll look like after you evolve?" Asher asked after a moment's thought.

He couldn't help it.

That dragon was just too stunning.

The perfect combination of power and beauty.

No child of the Flower Nation could resist the allure of having a divine dragon.

None!

"Meow!"

"Meow! Meow!"

"Meow! Meow! Meow!"

'Yes!'

'That's what this dragon will look like after evolving.'

'Super beautiful, right?'

'The cutest dragon is this dragon.'

The Cat-worm raised its head proudly, looking at Asher with its chaotic eyes filled with uncontainable pride.

Asher felt both happy and faintly uneasy, as though something wasn't quite right.

"Are you sure?" Asher asked again, confirming, "Is that really what you'll look like after evolving?"

He paused and added, "First of all, let me clarify—I'm not shallow. I won't treat you better just because you turn into a dragon."

"But if your evolved form isn't what you claimed…" Asher narrowed his eyes, showing a smile that even made the Cat-worm's scales bristle.

Cat-worm: "!"

'My life is over!'

Cat-worm: *Hesitant*

"Meow…"

"Meow-howl…"

'That… that's what this dragon imagines it'll look like after evolving.'

'But… unless something unexpected happens, this dragon's evolved form will look like that.'

Initially feeling a bit guilty, the Cat-worm grew more confident as it spoke.

'Yes!'

'That's right!'

Asher: "…"

Good.

He had tricked the little creature into revealing its true thoughts.

Just as Asher had said:

He didn't actually care whether the Cat-worm evolved into a dragon or not. But if it gave him false expectations now, only to evolve into something completely unrelated in the end…

Asher would absolutely, absolutely, absolutely get angry.

Very angry!

Knowing in advance that it was just the Cat-worm's imagination, Asher's mood immediately became much more peaceful.

It's fine, it's fine.

Really, it's fine.

He wasn't mad at all.

———

The next morning.

Aeron was the last to wake up. When he stepped out of the tent, he saw that besides Little Raven, there was another creature by Asher's side—a plump, round, indistinguishable being that resembled an inflated rolling cylinder.

Aeron: "?"

"No, Asher, what is that thing?" Aeron crouched down curiously as he spoke, reaching out to poke it. "Did you make this out of paper this morning…?"

Before he could finish his sentence, a massive abyssal mouth suddenly opened wide and bit down hard on his finger.

Aeron: "!!!"

Aeron scrambled back in panic, shaking his wrist wildly and letting out a piercing scream:

"Ahhh—call 911, call 911—!"

"Little Dragon, let go," Asher said casually. The Cat-worm immediately released its bite.

It wriggled its overly plump body and looked at Asher with pitiful eyes.

'Why treat a dragon like this?'

'What did the dragon do wrong?'

Asher smiled.

"Asher, what the heck is that thing?" Aeron shouted, his expression filled with an indescribable mix of emotions as he looked at the Cat-worm.

"You think it's scary too, right?" Jessica, who had already been frightened by the Cat-worm earlier, stepped forward and patted Aeron on the shoulder. For once, he didn't respond to him with sarcasm. "I was shocked by it this morning too."

Abella stood silently nearby, but her lifeless eyes made it clear that she hadn't escaped Asher's "ordeal" either.

"That appearance… really drains Sanity," Aeron muttered as he glanced at the strange creature called "Little Dragon" again, his lips twitching uncontrollably.

'Weird.'

'Too weird.'

It had no tail, its eyes looked like messy scribbles from a stick figure drawing, its round light-blue body was oddly smooth to the touch, and the abyssal mouth that had just bitten his finger… Ew!

Aeron vigorously wiped his finger on his clothes.

'Dirty!'

Asher chuckled, "Little Dragon and Little Raven fought a few extra rounds last night. Its body looks… uh, a bit swollen, but it's not that scary, is it?"

As he spoke, Asher picked up the overly round Cat-worm, examining it left and right with an amused look. After getting used to it at night, he now found the Cat-worm quite cute in the daylight.

'Not scary at all!'

Its chubby appearance made it even more like a Cat-worm.

Abella, Jessica, and Aeron: "…"

The three of them stared at Asher with expressions of sheer disbelief. They couldn't even tell if Asher was being serious or not.

Or perhaps… Asher's sense of aesthetics really was like this?

It wasn't impossible.

They tried to see the same cuteness Asher saw in the Cat-worm cradled in his arms. After less than a minute, they gave up and averted their eyes.

They really couldn't do it.

This was straight-up torture for their sensibilities.

"So… what exactly happened last night that warped your aesthetics and worldview so much?" Aeron finally broke the silence, taking on the role of the group's commentator.

Jessica nodded repeatedly, keeping a rare and deliberate distance from Asher instead of standing close as usual.

She glanced at the Cat-worm in Asher's arms and remarked, "It looks so strange—neither a cat nor a bug, and it even has a pair of horns on its head… Is it trying to pass itself off as a dragon?"

"And how do you know… it's not a dragon?" Asher replied with a smile.

Abella: "?"

Abella: "I refuse."

Her refusal was firm and resolute.

"Please don't casually ruin the image of dragons in my heart, okay?" Abella stared at Asher with determined eyes, trying to get him to take back his words.

Asher smiled faintly. "No, no, no, I'm not joking. Little Dragon is indeed a dragon—a new species of beast, the Cat-Dragon."

Mm-hmm.

It was fine for him to call Little Dragon a Cat-worm in private, but he had to save some face for it in public. Cat-Dragon it was.

Hearing this, Little Dragon's messy eyes instantly lit up with excitement.

"Meow!"

Dragons know their Beastmasters love them.

Little Raven yawned, standing on Asher's shoulder and repeatedly lifting and lowering its now-sharpened claws. From the side, it looked like it was kneading milk.

Asher: "…"

'Fine, fine.'

With the second child just born yesterday, he needed to give the firstborn more love and reassurance.

But the posture and weight were really too much for Asher to bear, so before long, he adjusted his position, holding Little Raven in one arm and the Cat-worm in the other.

Seeing Asher's practiced movements, as though he'd done this ten times over, Jessica couldn't help but step forward. Driven by her curiosity as a cultivator about beasts, she cautiously reached out to touch the Cat-worm's plump body while muttering softly:

"Cat-Dragon… I don't even know where to start criticizing. You owe both cats and dragons an apology."

Calling this thing a cat… It didn't have fluffy fur, a long tail, or soft paw pads. Aside from vaguely resembling a cat in shape, it was nothing like one.

As for a dragon.

Heh.

Apart from those immature horns, there was absolutely nothing about it that said "dragon".

Perhaps because Asher was holding it, the Cat-worm didn't resist Jessica's touch.

Feeling the strange sensation under her fingers, Jessica's expression gradually became peculiar, then subtly addicted.

"I suspect this Cat-Dragon… touching it might be hallucinogenic," Aeron commented, his eyelid twitching as he watched.

Otherwise, how could he explain Jessica, who had been just as repelled as they were earlier, suddenly wearing such a strange expression?

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