Chapter 11: The wolf with a cold heart

-This chapter's title sounds a bit metaphorical, doesn't it?-

-Yes- Dabria answered

-Yeah, it kinda does- Ace replied

| Guy's please, you're embarrassing me, I really tried hard this time|

-We need to at least get him to trust us enough to bring him to Artia, we'll be riding in a carriage, it will probably bring back bad memories, so I will leave it to you to at get him to go to Artia Ace, he seems to at least trust you more than us-

-You don't want him as our companion?- Ace asked

-I'd love to, but he doesn't trust me, it will be a liability in battle, but if it progress like any light novel, he will trust me and become our companion, we have probably a week to get him to at least trust me-

-Well use your novel knowledge or whatever to win him over- Dabria suggested

-I would but it involves him following us to see our training, but he's still not used to use his 3 legs yet. Or maybe we can stay here and keep on treating him nice even if he chase us away-

-Yeah the second option sounds good- Dabria said while mind nodding

So that's what I did for the next 3 days, even when he growled and snarled at me, I just sat around with Ace to make sure he's not lonely.

-He asked you why you keep staying around him and feeding him despite him not trusting you, he also asked me why me who is a magic beast is so friendly with a human- Ace said as he conveyed the wolf's message

-Well tell him that I'm here to make sure he's okay until we find someone to heal his missing limb and to make sure he's not lonely, you should already know how to answer his other question-

3rd person view

Ace then headed to have another conversation with the wolf and relayed the message and started talking.

"He is a strange human" the wolf said

"He is an interesting one"

"Why would you follow him?"

"He saved my life, well more like his parents did that time, but he gave me a home, so I bonded with him"

"A regular bond?"

"No me and him already shared our past memories with each other through the last bonding ritual"

"I can see why you like him at least. He is strong, he defeated those other humans who were larger than him, so in a few days you want me to go with you to somewhere that will heal my missing limb and take me back to my home?" the wolf asked

"Yes, besides you should consider to be our companion by bonding with him, we can give you a new home"

"You know a wolf's bond is different than others right?"

"Yes, you guys due to your loyal nature, you have only one stage of the bond, which is the last one where you both share your memories"

"Yes, if I bond with him, it would mean that we will both our trust on the line and I don't trust humans, my parents tried to save me but they got killed by humans while I got caught by the same cruel ones"

"You have at least one thing in common, you both don't trust humans"

"He doesn't trust his own kind, what about his parents?"

"His family is an exception, outside of it? None"

"May I ask why?"

"You have to see his memories to know, it's very interesting"

"I'll consider it, doing a bond ritual would mean that I have to accompany him and help him achieve his goals while him doing the same for me, what did he ask of you and vice versa?"

"He asked for me to be his companion for his future adventures and I just wanted a home and to get away from those coyotes who chased me, he also promise me to help me with my revenge"

"I see, well I'll tell you my decision right before we leave for this 'Artia' you speak of"

1st person view

Ace walked back with a smile.

-Well how did it go?-

-He'll consider it- Ace answered

-So it worked, he did warm up to me-

-Well it's not like he has a home to go back to, his parents were kill by the same bandits that caught him-

-Well we'll wait for his decision then, we'll release him home if he doesn't want to do the bonding ritual, we can't force him-

-You are unusually considerate today- Dabria commented

-Thank you, but what's the difference between the first stage and the last stage of the bond?- I asked

-The first stage is just that you both show trust with one another, with that bond which is symbolize by a grey tattoo, with that tattoo you guys will not be able to betray one another or you will receive the same suffering as the betrayed did, whether it is a painful death or great emotional pain, and in the last stage, you will both gain a bigger mana capacity, faster learning speed for your magic and some cases, you gain another one abilities like Ace gaining your ability that you called 'Ferocity' or other cases gaining an additional magic attribute, but before you can even do the last goal, you have to help each other achieve something first, like Ace needing a home and you needing a companion"

"When we share our memories in the future, will I get one of your abilities too?"

"There's a small chance that you will, even I won't know which one it is"

"Since I'm the protagonist, with a goddess of death by my side, maybe I'll be like those guys in the novel and summon up some undead or something"

"We will see, but you need to be much stronger and older first"

The night before our trip, the wolf wobble up to me. Ace went to to talk to him

-Promise him a home and to heal his missing leg, he is also asking what you need of him-

-For him to be my companion-

-One last question, Are you a good person?-

-No, I am a selfish person who dreams of being a wealthy slacker-

Ace relayed it to him to which the wolf nodded

-He likes your honesty, now pick him up and put him on the bed-

I did what Ace asked and put him on the bed.

-Place your hand on his forehead and he will begin the process-

The moment I placed my hand on his forehead, I got drowsy and feel like my energy got drained.

"I'm going to need a big breakfast again. Good night you two." I said out loud

-Good night, I'll get my beauty sleep- Dabria said before going silent

-Good night Perseus- Ace said before moving closer to me and falling asleep.

I then fell asleep and his memories began.