Chapter 1 - First Familiar

Humans and the Beastkins were at war for as long as anyone could remember. The Humans were disadvantaged due to the innate physical strength of the Beastkins, but it all changed six years ago. The magic that Humans used to control their own was modified to be able to enfamiliar the Beastkins as well.

By pouring a magic ink called Tamer's Seal, an individual would be forced to be a familiar and obey the master at all times. The Tamer's Seal was used on the captured Beastkins so they could be commanded to fight against their own.

The capture of Beastkins was prioritized until their country fell into ruins and its inhabitants went into hiding. Due to the increase in Beastkin familiars, enslaving Humans was banned and being a tamer became a way of living, as well as a sport.

A tamer was one who commanded familiars to fight other tamers, or to complete requests for others to earn rewards. Due to the strength of their familiars at their finger tips, they were respected for their power. That is one of the reasons why I wanted to be a tamer.

I just turned eighteen a few days ago. According to the rules, I must leave the shelter and had to live life on my own. I was able to save up some money by working as a helper at the inn and the blacksmith. I used some of it to buy an old house at the edge of the city and the rest was reserved for buying a familiar, and daily necessities.

I was on a restaurant with my friend Kai who was like a brother figure to me when I was still in the shelter. He was a tall cheerful guy with dark short hair. He was wearing a steel breastplate with a quiver of arrows slung on his back with his bow.

He became a tamer after leaving the shelter a few years ago and was able to rise to C rank. Since he was experienced in the trade, I asked him to accompany me to benefit from his guidance.

"So so, how was everyone back at the orphanage?" Kai cheerfully asked.

"Okay, I guess? The small kids were a pain though. They tried to stop me from going and had all their tears and snot all over me."

"Just like how you were when I left!" Kai pointed at me then grinned.

"I was sad but I did not cry!"

"Sure sure! I was just teasing you a bit! But hey, you sure grow up really fast!"

Kai leaned towards me across the table then ruffled my hair.

"You do know I am too old for that, right?" I removed his hand off my head.

I always hated it when he treated me like a kid. I thought it was great that he saw me as a younger brother but doing that to an adult felt more than inappropriate.

"I know, but are you really sure you want to be a tamer, Mest?" Kai gave me a serious look.

"I already told you a couple of times already that I am." I replied.

"After buying a familiar, it will be hard to turn back. Well… It's just that, you know?" Kai scratched the back of his head.

"It is the past already. If you do not want to accompany me then I'll figure it out myself." I stood up.

"No no! Forget I said anything, okay?" He shook his palms as if erasing something in the air.

"Fine" I returned back to my seat.

"So, how much is your budget?" Kai wore his serious face as he tapped on the table with his fingers.

"I am planning to not go more than thirty silvers"

"Hm… That is quite low. I am not sure if you can get a nice familiar with that."

"That is what I set but I can go until fifty if I see a red."

I only had sixty silvers in total. Using all that money could get me a decent familiar but I needed to allot some for living expenses, as well as equipment for the familiar.

"Red? Oh, your ability! Say, is that even reliable?"

"I guess we'll find out in a few weeks after I buy one." I smiled.

I had the ability to see an aura around any individual if I focus. This aura varies in color depending on the individual's potential growth. The colors were white, green, blue, red, and gold, with white being the weakest.

Aside from me, only Kai knew of my ability since he was with me when I had it appraised. But given that it only allowed me to see an estimate on how strong an individual could be in the future, I had no proof if it really was true.

"By the way, how much did you spend on your first one, Kai?"

"Forty silvers, he was useful at first but started to lag behind after I reached C rank so I had to dispose of him."

"I see."

"How about you help me pick a new one as well? With the aid of the mysterious ability of yours, I'm sure it will be awesome!"

"How much will you be paying for my services, then?" I smirked.

"What? You are going to charge your brother?"

"You are not my brother," I sighed. "Giving you a hand might help me verify the effectiveness of my ability so I guess I could do it for free."

"All right! Let's go then!" Kai quickly stood up and pumped his arm.

The two of us went out of the establishment and made our way to the marketplace. The city of Gehorsam, the capital city of Gronnstadt, was covered with stone tiles and dust. The surrounding area was cloaked by dense forests but the city itself was bustling. Buildings were built with wood and sometimes paved with bricks. Passersby were often seen with company, either with another Human or a familiar in tow.

The closer we got to the market, the more crowded it got. It was because a new shipment of familiars just arrived that many must have wanted to check it out.

We went inside a store to take a look. There really were a lot of familiars on display compared to the other days. All of them had the Tamer's Seal visible on their bodies. Their necks and feet were chained to the walls. Their eyes filled with either anger or sorrow, and skin full of scars.

"Hello! Looking for a familiar?" A fat man with a moustache greeted.

I looked around then used my ability to check the potential of all his merchandise. The highest was a blue. It was a Bullkin also known as a Minotaur, a bull like man with huge horns and a muscular body. Because of their natural strength, they cost a lot. I just left the store without saying a word then Kai followed me.

"Wait wait! None of them were good?" Kai asked.

"The huge one was a blue but the rest were white and green."

"Oh the Minotaur? Dang, those cost around a gold!"

We went to the next store yet they were all whites. We went to another and a red was there, but an expensive type. We visited more shops but none of them had a product appropriate for me.

"Hey hey, Mest! There are only a few stores left, you know!" Kai worriedly said.

"I know, hopefully I can see a good one soon."

We went inside a relatively big store and were greeted by a bulky bald guy wearing a leather apron.

"Welcome, boys! What are you looking for?"

I ignored the man then used my ability to check on the familiars. Finally, I found something even above the minimum standards I set. It was a gold that I haven't even seen over ten times in my life.

"Mister, how much is that one over there?" I pointed at the girl chained in the corner.

She had white hair and light pink eyes. Her feet and ears were of a sheep's and atop of her head were small horns. Her skin of a pale complexion stood out due to her rugged clothing. Her hair was cut above shoulder length yet it looked really thick and fluffy.

"That cute one there? That's one gold, boy!" The man replied with his loud voice.

"One g-gold?" I was surprised.

A hundred coppers was equal to one silver and a hundred silvers was equal to one gold. Obviously, I did not have enough to buy her.

"Hey Mest! That's clearly not suited for combat! Sheepkins are weak!" Kai said.

"Oh you are looking for a combat familiar? The ones I have at the other side are more suited for that!"

"I believe that girl has more potential than the others you have here." I replied.

"Potential? Are your eyes broken, boy? That's a Sheepkin! What's more, her horns are small and her arms are of a Human! The only reason her price is high is because she's a female!"

I looked at the man seriously without blinking. Even if I did want her though, I couldn't afford her. It was such a dilemma.

"Hey Kai, can you lend me some money?"

"Are you really serious? You are just going to get yourself killed if you use that!" The man interjected.

"Do I look like I am joking?"

The man laughed with abandon. It was so loud that I had to cover my ears.

"What an interesting foolish kid! Say, how about I give her to you for fifty silvers?"

"I would be quite happy with that but wouldn't it be bad for your business?"

"Don't worry! I got her at the same price. Consider it as a gift for amusing me. Just don't blame me later if you die young!" The man cackled.

It was irritating how he thought of me as an amusement. As far as I was concerned, I was not travelling entertainer. Nevertheless, it worked for me so there was no reason to turn down his offer.

"It's a deal then." I said.

I handed him the payment then he transferred the ownership to me through magic. A glow appeared from the girl's seal. After it was done, he removed the chains off her neck and legs.

"Now that you're his Master, she cannot harm you or even escape from you. You are now linked by magic hence she cannot disobey your commands no matter how far the distance between you two becomes." The shopkeeper explained.

"Why don't you try giving her a command?" Kai suggested.

I crouched in front of my newly brought familiar and looked straight into her face. She looked back at me with her large scared eyes.

"Tell me your name."

"…"

She just averted her eyes without responding.

"I command you, tell me your name."

The seal on her shoulder radiated with a red light. Her face slowly turned towards me and then she began to speak.

"M-my name is O-ovis, master."

Her voice was quiet and weak. That was when I understood why the shopkeeper thought that I was fooling around. She did not look like someone who could even harm an insect.

"Ovis, you will be my familiar now, understood?"

"Yes, master." She replied without the command but it was clear the she was not happy about it.

"Hey hey, Mest! Now that you had yours, do you have one that you can recommend here?" Kai asked.

I did promise him that I would help him pick one. Since he did accompany me while we were looking tirelessly, I decided to go with my word.

"If I remember correctly, the blonde bunny girl at the other store is a red."

"A bunny girl? Let's go!"

Kai rushed out excitedly. I was unsure whether his vigor came from me seeing a red, or the red being a girl.

I gave my wholehearted gratitude to the shop owner before I chased after Kai. Without the discount, I would not have been able to buy Ovis.

We went to the other store. Kai bought the familiar that I suggested for one gold and twenty silvers without any questions. It was a beautiful girl with bunny feet, ears, arms, and tail named Orya. Rabbikin was also a race that was rarely used for combat but was expensive due to their popularity with old folks.

"So what do we do next?" I asked.

"Let's have their magic affinities checked first."

"Do Beastkins also use magic?"

"Most of them don't since they are already physically strong but there are rare ones who can use magic quite nicely."

"I see, I guess it is worth the shot."

"Do you have enough money? You spent almost double your budget on Ovis a while ago."

"That was definitely unexpected but I guess I'll still be able to manage." I gave a nervous laugh.

"I-I'm s-sorry, master." Ovis who was behind me said while fidgeting.

"Don't worry. it's not your fault." I patted her on the head.

I was the one who decided to buy her in order to use her for combat. It is not her place to feel sorry for that.

I did not like these cry baby types but I decided to act as nicely as I could to gain her trust. Her head was very fluffy though, it felt really nice.

"Um… m-master?" Ovis looked embarrassed.

"Oh, sorry." I quickly removed my hands off her after I noticed that I got too engrossed by her fluffiness.

"Hey Mest, let's get going!" Kai called out who was already a few meters away from me.

I quickly ran with Ovis to catch up. We then walked for a few more minutes until we arrived at the magic store.

Inside were old looking books and vials with different colored liquid inside. Black curtains were also blocking the windows which gave the room a gloomy atmosphere.

"How may I help you?" The old lady in dark robes asked as we entered.

"We would like our familiars to have their magic affinities checked." Kai replied.

"Sure, it would be one silver per head."

I only had ten silvers left. I was unsure if I could afford to spend another silver for that.

"Sure sure, here you go." Kai produced two silvers from his pouch and paid it to the woman.

"You are going to pay for me as well?" I asked as my eyes widened.

"Consider it as thanks for helping me pick a familiar earlier." He smiled and gave me a thumb signal.

"Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it." I bowed with my palms touching one another to show my gratitude.

"H-hey hey! You don't have to be so formal!"

"Sorry, I was just too happy."

"Who shall I check first?" The old woman interrupted.

"You go first, Orya. I bet Ovis' will be amazing so it is just right to save the best for last!" Kai uttered.

His statement put unnecessary pressure on me. I felt really nervous for the possible mediocre outcome of her assessment.

Orya sat at the chair in front of the desk. The old woman took her hand and closed her eyes. A soft white glow surrounded the room until the magic was over.

"She has a strong affinity with wind magic and an average magic reservoir."

"Strong affinity? Seriously? Alright!" Kai punched up in the air.

"Is that amazing?" I asked.

"Out of all my familiars, I do not have one that has a strong affinity! She will certainly be a great addition to my team!"

"Strong affinity is definitely rare. With enough training, she will be able to use advanced wind magic." The woman explained.

"Now it's Ovis' turn!" Kai excitedly announced.

Ovis went closer to the table and the woman did the same thing she did with Orya.

"Woah!" The woman seemed like she saw a beast.

"Um… is it… bad?" Ovis worriedly inquired.

"I never saw a familiar this gifted before! A medium affinity with earth magic as well as a very strong affinity with light magic!"

Ovis' jaws dropped, looking even more bewildered than the old woman. Instead of being happy, it looked like her world broke into two.

"That's sick!" Kai exclaimed.

"The only problem is that she has the minimal magic reservoir."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"You can imagine magic reservoir as a glass and magic as the water. The larger the glass, the more water you can store. Casting spells use up that magic."

"Does that mean her use of magic is very limited?"

"Yes, for now. But unlike elemental affinities which are permanent from birth, the magical reservoir can grow the more you meditate and use magic. With time, she can be a very powerful magic user."

"Alright! Your ability really is the real deal!" Kai happily uttered as he shook my shoulders forwards and backwards.

It really was great that she turned out to be amazing. I felt relieved more than happy though. I spent almost all of my money on her so it would have devastated me if she turned out to be like me.

"I was too impressed with the girl that I took the initiative to give her some basic light magic spells; Glow, and Recover."

"You can learn magic just like that?" I asked.

I thought learning magic should be done with a grimoire or something.

"Basic to intermediate spells can be learned in a simple way like this for a fee. On the other hand, advanced magic will require some time and training."

"H-how much is it for the spells?" I nervously reached for my pouch.

"Consider it as a bonus from me for this talented lady. Would you try casting Glow, young lady?"

"I-I don't know h-how to." Ovis responded.

"Just imagine a light popping out around you then chant the spell in your head."

Ovis nodded then closed her eyes as she concentrated.

"Thy light be by my side, Glow."

A huge ball of light appeared in front of Ovis, emitting a blinding light which then disappeared after a second.

"The spell was supposed to emit a small light that lasts for several minutes, useful in caves and other dark places. Her magical affinity enhanced the effect of the spell but her very small magic reservoir was not able to support it. That is the reason why the light disappeared instantly."

"Ovis! Are you alright?" I went closer to her after I saw her gasping for air.

"I-I'm f-fine. I j-just feel a little t-tired."

"That's the effect when you exhaust your magic reservoir. Now I want you to close your eyes then imagine magic coming back inside your body."

Ovis did what the woman instructed. After a few seconds, her breathing became stable again.

"That is called meditating, a process to restore magic without using any potions."

"Are you feeling alright now, Ovis?"

"Yes, m-master."

"Ma'am, can you give Orya some basic magic as well? Don't worry, I'll pay." Kai said.

"Sure, come here."

The bunny girl came closer to the old woman. She did the same thing as when she was checking her magic affinity.

"Done, she can now use the spell Tailwind. Don't worry about the fee. I'll give it for free as well."

"Isn't this a bit too much?" Kai asked.

"Don't worry about it. I don't see great talent nowadays! It's enough for me if you'll just continue your patronage." She smiled.

The expression of the old woman made me a bit irritated. Although I was glad she did give us a free service, it was pretty obvious that she just did that to establish a stronger and longer business relationship.

"Yes Ma'am! Thank you very much!" Kai and I said at the same time with a bow.

After the magic store, we went to the weapon and armor shop to buy some equipment for the two.

"What should I buy for her?" I asked Kai.

"Just go with anything!"

"Wow, what a helpful advice." I responded in a dry tone.

"You just have to see if it works for her. If they perform poorly then just have them try another."

"I see, you do have a point."

"I'll be looking over there, just call me if you have any questions!" Kai walked away with Orya to look for some weapons.

"So Ovis, have you used a weapon before?"

"N-no."

"Do you have any weapon you prefer?"

"N-none."

"Do you have armor or equipment you prefer?"

"None."

I wonder what weapon would be fitting for her. I stared at her for a while to think.

"M-master?" Ovis said looking all embarrassed.

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about what would look good on you."

Ovis was able to use light magic so she was kind of like a cleric. I thought arming her with that in mind felt right.

"Sir, can you recommend me a mace, a small shield, and an armor for her? Just keep the cost at not more than five silvers." I asked the shopkeeper.

"Sure! Just wait a second. I think I have a perfect set for her."

The guy went away for a few minutes before he came back.

"I had the equipment ready at the fitting room."

"Go Ovis, try it out," I said.

She just nodded in return then she made her way to the back of the shop.

It took a few minutes before she finally came out. Her armor and round shield were white with blue linings. Under her armor were a tight pink shirt and a skirt which was long at the back and short at the front. She was also wearing a belt where her steel winged mace and shield could hang unto when not in use.

"It really suits you," I uttered.

"..." Ovis just looked at the ground.

"Don't worry, young girl! You look really good in it!" The shopkeeper smiled.

"How much is it for all of that?" I asked.

"Five silvers, discounts already included!"

The price took me off guard. I did say not to exceed five silvers but I did not expect that he'd get the exact amount! Ovis looked great in it though, I just decided to see it through.

"Here's your payment, sir." I handed the five silvers with a slight bitterness in my heart.

"Hey hey! You guys are also done too?" Kai appeared with Orya in tow.

Orya was wearing a green light armor with two daggers hanging on her hips. She looked quite pretty but I think Ovis still looked better.

"Wow! Ovis looks pretty but I think Orya looks a lot better!" Kai stole the words from me.

"No way, Ovis looks a lot better." I replied.

"Maybe you should buy eyeglasses then if that is what you think!"

"I have clear enough eyes to see who has a deranged sense for style"

"How about we settle it with a duel then?" Kai challenged.

"Sure, but shouldn't I register as a tamer first?" I replied.

"Oh oh! I completely forgot about that!" Kai pounded his fist on his palm.

I couldn't believe my guide let the most important thing slip off his mind. We went to the tamer's office where the registration could be done.

The guild hall was quite spacious. The clerk's counter was right in front of the door and beside it was the bulletin board where quests could be seen. Near the bulletin board were chairs and tables where tamers seem to hang out. There was also a bar where the tamers could grab some drinks.

"Welcome!" The mature beautiful woman on the counter greeted. She had a long black hair and was wearing round eyeglasses.

"Hello, I'd like to register as a tamer."

"Sure, may I see your familiar please?"

"Here she is." I pointed at Ovis.

"Wow! She is quite a pretty one!"

Ovis blushed and fidgeted due to the compliment.

"All you need is to carefully read the guild's rules, fill up this document and pay a silver for the registration fee to become an official tamer."

Hearing that I had to spend another silver got me sweating. I would only have four silvers left with me after if I went on with it. If I budget it correctly, I could still have enough for food for more than a month. Yet that was with me and Ovis living at minimum expenses.

Despite my reluctance to spend another silver, I had no choice since that was the most important part of the process.

According to the form, the guild had three major rules that all tamers must put into heart:

Rule 1: Always act with the guild's reputation in mind,

Rule 2: Never attempt to hurt a fellow tamer unless it is a duel or otherwise issued by the guild,

Rule 3: Be the best you can be with your familiar.

After reading the rules, I completed the form then paid the necessary fee.

"Congratulations, you are now officially a rank F tamer. Here is your tamer's badge. Make sure to come here if you plan to take a quest or when you have a new familiar to be registered."

The woman handed me a bronze badge which looks like a lion's head and below it was the letter F.

I officially became a tamer. F was the lowest rank and the highest rank was S. One's privileges as well as the difficulty of requests he could take would increase with his rank. To be an S rank was the goal of most tamers.

Kai also registered Orya as his official familiar. If I was not mistaken, familiar registration was done for security purposes. If ever the familiar stirs up some trouble, they would know the tamer who would take responsibility for it.

"Now that we're done, let's fight!" Kai challenged.

"Can we do it elsewhere? I don't want my first one to have a huge crowd."

"Let's go at your place then! It has a lot of space right?"

"I guess that will do."

We made our way to my house which was a long walk from the city so I could have my very first duel with my very first familiar.