Everyone Knows (Part 1)

Silence and darkness enveloped the surroundings, filled with eerie quietness.

A black figure suddenly drew near, emitting a sinister laughter.

It had no limbs, just a body roughly the size of a human head, floating in the air. Its dark red eyes fixed on the white-clad young girl like a predator.

The next moment, the limbless body grew two fingers on a hand and reached for the girl's heart.

The hand passed through the girl's body, leaving her hollow.

The black figure stared in disbelief.

The girl lifted her head, a face without facial features slowly appearing in the frame...

"Bark!"

Fire Dog leaped into Riley's arms.

It didn't want to watch anymore!

Riley gently stroked its head, feeling a bit regretful...

...

...

The next two days happened to be the weekend. Riley declined Samson's invitation to go out and chose to study at home alone.

Besides registering his identity as a Beast Tamer and Fire Dog's Spirit Beast registration at the Beast Tamer Center, most of his time was spent in his books.

Perhaps due to his awakened Brain Domain, his memory had improved significantly compared to his previous life, and he could remember most of what he read after just one glanced.

It was soon time to go back to school.

"Fire Dog, be good. I'll let you out after school," Riley coaxed Fire Dog.

Since Fire Dog got tired of the playing game entering the Beast Tamer Codex, it hadn't gone in there again.

This time, Riley wanted it to go in, and it seemed a bit reluctant.

Compared to being inside the Codex, it preferred staying outside.

"Bark."

Fire Dog shook its head, indicating it didn't want to go in.

Riley was a bit helpless. The school didn't have a clear rule against bringing Spirit Beasts to school, but leaving Fire Dog outside while no one forming contracts with their Spirit Beasts yet would made him draw too much attention.

Riley didn't want to attract a crowd.

"If you come in, I'll buy you some Inca Berry to eat," Riley tempted.

Fire Dog arrogantly turned its head aside.

It still didn't want that.

Riley twitched the corner of his mouth.

Last time, his mother bought six Inca Berry. He fed four to Fire Dog on the first day, then one each on the following two days.

Had it gotten tired of them already?

"If you don't come in, I'll have to leave on my own."

"I'm leaving."

"I'm really leaving."

Riley crouched down in the hallway, pretending to put on his shoes as if he were about to go out.

"Bark!"

Fire Dog jumped into Riley's arms, lifting its moist eyes, looking pitifully at him.

"If you want to come with me, you'll have to go in first. I promise I'll let you out as soon as school is over," Riley said.

"Bark." Fire Dog hung its head and responded weakly.

Riley's heart melted.

After all, it's just a child.

Grand Weaver Resident was located within the school district of Aspertia Middle School, its only 9 kilometers away. You could take buses and subway lines directly for five and seven minutes to get there.

Today, Riley didn't choose the subway like he usually did.

On the bus.

Fire Dog happily stretched its head out of the window in Riley's arms, the wind blowing in its face and messing up its fur.

It excitedly looked at the outside world.

"Remember to go inside and behave when we get to school, okay?" Riley smiled.

"Bark!"

Fire Dog responded energetically.

Riley couldn't help but pat its head.

Once they reached their stop, Fire Dog obediently allowed Riley to store it in the Beast Tamer Codex, even wagging its tail happily.

...