?Fenric clapped a heavy hand on Kuro’s shoulder, his laugh booming through the bustling street. "You’re truly a god’s gifted child, aren't you? First, you somehow stumble upon a Mosrel’s horn, and now, before you’ve even completed a single quest, you’ve been promoted from pebble to a nuisance! And here I thought you were the type to keep your head down." He wiped a tear of mirth from his eye. "But then you go and help her—and by extension, me. I don’t think life around you will ever be boring."

  ?As the two of them walked through the town, Kuro felt the physical weight of countless gazes. It felt as though the entire population had stopped to stare. The whispers were audible, a hive of buzzing curiosity.

  ?"Are they looking at you, or...?" Kuro asked, keeping his eyes forward.

  ?"Definitely you. Not everybody treats me like dirt, but I’m certainly not a spectacle," Fenric muttered, his tone shifting. He chuckled again, but this time it was a darker, hollow sound. "It seems word travels faster than light itself."

  ?Dammit, Kuro thought, gritting his teeth. I spun all those lies to blend in, to stay invisible. And here I am, making matters worse. I almost killed that ugly bastard, Dora. Whatever low profile I had is gone.

  ?"So..." Fenric started, tilting his head.

  ?"What?"

  ?"Why did you save her? Unless..." Fenric paused, a playful glint in his eyes. "Were you trying to save me?"

  He leaned back, crossing his arms. "Go on, be honest. I can handle the rejection, despite the fact that I feed you, house you, and wash your clothes." He waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about sparing my feelings. It won't faze me. I promise."

  ?"Shhh, it’s nothing," Kuro deflected. "I just talked to him. Made him understand."

  ?"Hu-huh. Talked, eh?" Fenric grinned, sharp teeth flashing. "That must have been one hell of a 'talk' to make a man nearly piss himself."

  ?"Tch."

  ?"You’ve got the hots for Lovia, don’t you?"

  ?Kuro frowned, genuinely confused. "Hots? What do you mean? Heat... fire... does she have a fever?"

  ?"Never mind," Fenric sighed, shaking his head. "You’re a good guy, man. I’m rarely wrong when it comes to people, but it seems I made a mistake judging you initially."

  ?"Judging me? What did you think of me?"

  ?"Hmm, you know... bad?" Fenric shrugged. "Like most humans. But don't worry, I don't think like that anymore."

  ?"Bad, huh?" Kuro looked at his hands. "I don’t care what type of person I am. I just do what I want. If others think it's bad, then maybe it is. But if you think I saved Lovia out of the kindness of my heart, you're wrong. Major reason: I just didn't like that guy's face. Second reason: she smashed the bastard who grabbed me earlier. It was just returning the favor."

  ?They continued walking, the atmosphere around them heavy with gossip. The "Mosrel-Hunter," the stranger, the human named Kuro—he was the topic on everyone's lips, the whispers apparently reaching even the second city, Euniem.

  ?"You said not everybody treats you like dirt," Kuro said, trying to steer the conversation back to information gathering. "Like today, Lovia helped you. She treats you well. Are there others? People who are against the rules, the system?" He tested the waters carefully. "Is there... a rebellion?"

  ?Fenric laughed, but it was a nervous sound. "I don't know if they are 'against' it, strictly speaking. But there are those who don't discriminate against our people." His face hardened. "But rebellion? No. Rebellion means waging war against the Gods. Against the Elves. Let me tell you, man, we would die before even taking a single step. I can't even try to picture it."

  ?"Why?" Kuro pressed. "You want people to stick to the system? To the rules?"

  ?Fenric didn’t answer. As they walked, Kuro began to notice the subtle distinctions in the crowd—other half-beasts in the market, keeping their heads down, the invisible caste system of Aethelgard in full effect.

  ?"By the way," Kuro said, breaking the silence. "It never crossed my mind that you’re a guild member too. What is your rank?"

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  ?"Oh, B," Fenric said, as casually as if he were mentioning the weather.

  ?Kuro stopped walking. "B? You're a B-Rank?"

  ?Disbelief flooded him. He recalled the quest board; the B-Rank missions involved hunting monstrosities that could level villages. Fenric, this goofball dog-man?

  ?"Did you bribe Lovia to promote yourself? Is that a thing?" Kuro’s mind raced. Wait, I have the stolen money, maybe I can—

  ?"No, no way, that's not a thing and I didn't bribe anyone," Fenric sighed, looking weary. "That was long ago. I only do mundane quests now. Gathering herbs, Rank E and D type stuff. Anyway, why exactly are we aimlessly walking around?"

  ?"I’m looking for a knife. Sharp and durable."

  ?"Well, you could have asked. I can show you a good shop."

  ?"For sure," Kuro agreed. "But I also wanted a chance to see the town properly."

  ?"Hmm, fine," Fenric conceded. "But we could get around much more conveniently on my Beretta."

  ?"I’d rather walk a hundred kilometers barefoot than sit on your 'Batrutta'," Kuro scoffed, recalling the odd beast Fenric rode.

  ?"Her name is Beretta, and she doesn't deserve your mockery," Fenric said with dramatic sincerity, placing a hand over his heart. "One day you will see her potential. One day."

  ?"Yeah, yeah." Kuro rolled his eyes.

  ?Later that evening, the soft, warm glow of a magical display—a crystal screen acting much like a television—illuminated Fenric's living room. It bathed the figures of Kuro and Fenric in shifting colors. Kuro sat on the couch in relaxed attire, watching a man on the screen dramatically pouring out his troubles in a melodic wail. Kuro would later learn this was something called "opera," but for now, he just found it loud.

  ?In his hands, he spun his newly acquired knife. The blade was dark steel, its polished edge catching the magical light. He flipped it rhythmically, familiarizing himself with its balance and weight.

  ?"Is the knife up to your standard?" Fenric asked. He was sitting in an armchair, holding a hand lightly over the left side of his face.

  ?"Yes. It’s sharper than I expected," Kuro replied without looking up.

  ?"Of course it is. You even tested it out... on my face." Fenric lowered his hand, revealing a fresh, clean cut tracing his cheekbone. A thin line of dried blood marked the skin.

  ?Kuro merely shrugged. "Don’t blame me. I was testing the swing, and you suddenly inserted your big dog head into the trajectory. That’s a design flaw on your part."

  ?"Uh-huh," Fenric drawled, unconvinced. He shifted his posture, leaning forward, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "So, you were looking at the quest board earlier. Did any quest catch your eye for your first official mission?" He emphasized official mission with a knowing look.

  ?"Some did. I’m still trying to choose," Kuro admitted.

  ?"If you're having trouble, I have the perfect quest for your debut. It’s super easy," Fenric proposed, a conspiratorial glint in his eyes. "What do you say?"

  ?"Tell me about the quest first."

  ?"It’s nothing major," Fenric began, waving a hand dismissively. "A traveling merchant, heading to the main town Normain, was passing through our town. He got knocked out and had his money stolen by some dirty-looking ruffian."

  ?Kuro froze.

  ?Fenric continued, animated. "According to the merchant, the thief smelled like shit, was mad ugly, and... and..."

  ?Kuro’s eye twitched. I think that's enough description.

  ?"Right, an ugly guy standing right at the town entrance to ambush travelers, it seems," Fenric went on. "A face only a mother could slap. Seriously, the merchant said the thief looked like a gargoyle’s reject."

  ?How many times is he going to say that? Kuro gripped the knife handle tighter. Is he doing this on purpose?

  ?"Poor guy," Fenric continued, gesturing expansively. "He couldn't even afford a room. Had to sleep in his narrow vehicle with a big lump on his head. Thankfully, he made enough sales here to continue his journey. He was so furious he posted a quest at the guild, and the pay is surprisingly good." Fenric grinned wide. "So, what do you say? Easy money."

  ?"And how exactly do you plan to find the culprit?" Kuro asked, his voice flat, already dreading the answer.

  ?"With my nose, of course! See? Easy job." Fenric tapped his snout proudly.

  ?Kuro stared blankly. The idea of Fenric’s nose tracking him down was a disaster waiting to happen.

  ?"No," Kuro stated firmly. "It’s too easy. It’s my first hunt; I need a challenge." He tried to steer away from the topic, his heart hammering slightly. "I need to test my skills. Better myself."

  ?"Yeah, but didn't you want to reach Rank A fast?" Fenric countered, tilting his head. "You get stars for completing quests. Twenty stars gets you promoted. It’s better to do many small quests than one big, dangerous one." He paused, looking at Kuro closely. "Unless... you’re worried about something?"

  ?Kuro let out a slight, involuntary jerk. "No," he said, the word final. He deeply regretted robbing that idiot merchant. He had done it to get starting funds, but he hadn't spent a dime of it, and now there was a bounty on his head.

  ?"Fine, then. Let's do some other quest with a challenge, like you said," Fenric conceded, his demeanor brightening immediately. It seemed he had his suspicions, but he chose not to voice them. "By the way, since when did we agree to do quests together?"

  ?"Ah, come on! I thought we were a team!" Fenric whined, giving Kuro his most effective, pathetic puppy-dog eyes. "I even bought you the knife! And the shelter! And the food!"

  ?"I don't remember asking you to pay," Kuro grumbled. I robbed that merchant specifically so I wouldn't be in debt to anyone, but I can't exactly pull out stolen gold now.

  ?Fenric maintained the pitiful stare until Kuro sighed, the breath leaving him in a defeated rush.

  ?"Fiiine. Whatever."

  ?Triumphant, Fenric reached under the couch and pulled out two frosted bottles of beer. "Ta-da! Let's cheer for the new team: The Dog Brothers!"

  ?"Nope. No way in hell. Not in a million years."

  ?"Fine," Fenric grumbled, popping the caps. "Cheers."

  ?They clinked bottles.

  ?"How about the Two Horns of—"

  ?"Shut up."