Chapter 12 - Celebration

It was a long evening. Fae was uncompromising about her lesson and only let me go when she was sure I had remembered all the necessary information about what a link was. In short, it's really just what the name says: a link. Even by coating it and putting a complex definition ...

It allows me to know at all times a lot of information about my animals such as their state of mind, their sensations and feelings, but it can also allow me to convey ideas according to the quality of the link. The ideas are of course clear instructions to follow most of the time. The more complicated the task, the more fluid the link must be or the animal intelligent . Of course, the link works both ways, but other than telling me that she's hungry wherever she's tired I haven't received any other mouse thought yet.

Fae also took time to give me information about mice and how to take care of them properly and I didn't realize that I had so much to know about their diet.

Fae didn't stop there. She continued her lesson by having me do a "simple" exercise, according to her, to get me used to the bond. She made me sit on the floor and started playing with my mouse as I had to get used to the information coming from the link. I had to ask her several times to stop so as not to feel unwell. It was only after an extremely painful half hour that she decided that it was enough.

Her last instruction before letting me go was to find a name for the mouse so that we could sign the contract. Of course, I don't know anything about the contract and Fae didn't leave me any information about it. So I left there with a bag of mouse food and a few other things like that. It's easy to guess that I'm taking her home, I think? Fae explained to me that from now on I had to keep her close to me since I am her Tamer. It is therefore installed on my left shoulder hanging from the factory of my clothes.

I exit the wing waving goodbye to Fae and return to the tower lobby. It is much calmer than earlier. There are always guards and rangers or whatever passing through the different floors, but the tower is strangely quiet.

If I am to believe my internal clock, it is around 1 or 2 a.m. and I decide to head for the exit. Out there, the sea spray passes over my face and because of that or the cold wind, my mouse decides to take refuge inside one of the pockets of my sweatshirt.

I won't talk about the few moments I need to successfully stabilize the feeling of dizziness. I really need to find myself a piece of clothing with a location where she won't move. I just hope the link stabilizes quickly.

This is where of course I find Cyrus waiting for me in the same position as when I entered the tower, both hands behind his back and he stares at me.

- I'm here to make sure you come home without worries since you're not used to your bond.

- I thought you didn't know much about Tamers?

- Either I lied to you, or I had time to find out during the day, it's up to you. The night will be cold, let's go, okay?

Strangely, Cyrus seems a lot less… motherly tonight. The trees pass us as we walk the road in silence. I don't have much to ask him about the tower. Now that I think about it.

- I saw a woman in the rangers tower, she came to greet a group, you know who she was ?

- Of course. She is a guardian. It is her who decides the rules to follow and the proper functioning of things in the rangers tower. She is one of the people who control the secondary towers. She was called to this position like the rest of the people of the tower.

- And you know the group of rangers that I saw?

- No, they are probably part of a guild, but I can find you the names tomorrow if you wish.

The more it goes, the less I have the impression that Cyrus is listening to me. He seems lost in his thoughts and since I don't want to disturb him I say nothing about the rest of the way until we get to the mansion.

"I'm sorry that I'm not very talkative, but I need to think about something. I'll see you tomorrow. "

With these words, he goes in the direction of the tallest tower, leaving me alone in front of the door. It's very strange to see him like that. Even my mouse seems to agree with me and watches him go.

I do not intend to follow him and decide to go in and head for the refectory. Emy is seated at a table apparently waiting for her meal and she nods to me to come. Come to think of it, I haven't eaten anything for a while.

"So, how was your day? Are you a Tamer? "

Without saying a word, I use the link to pull the mouse out of my sweatshirt pocket and set it up on the table. She really manages to listen to my instructions, it's quite a strange feeling. Now I would really like to make progress on the nausea from my link. I think I'll just give her some kibble and hope she falls asleep quickly to leave me alone, but I don't think that will happen. For her part, Emy takes a bottle of alcohol from her bag and places it violently on the table.

- It's your welcome party so tonight you're drinking.

- I, with the link I have with the mouse, it could cause problems ...

- You just arrived and you are already going to play the coward ? Falco, bring back something to eat and come too. And since when do Tamers not drink alcohol?

- I'm coming, I'm coming. What are you celebrating tonight?

- The arrival of the new guy and ESPECIALLY my win today against my instructor.

- Ah ... Well, let me finish cooking and I'll be there. I'll bring you something too newbie, don't worry.

While Falco brings back some food, Emy pours three tall glasses of clear alcohol and hands me one. I put it down and my mouse approaches it for a few seconds to smell it before stepping back and taking refuge behind the few croquettes that I placed on the table.

Knowing that there are only the three of us in the dining room, I wonder if the others have already gone to bed and if they have ever had to do this kind of celebration, but since Falco looks used to it I imagine so.

- Oh, by the way, it was Cyrus who brought you back, you know where he went? I was planning to give him a drink too.

- He didn't seem to be well and he walked towards the tower.

- Ah. I imagine another member of the mansion died inside a floor. It always puts his morale at zero.

- It happens often ?

- Sometimes. But today we have other things to think about, you have become a Tamer, I am on my way to becoming a real paladin and rangers have passed the fifteenth floor.

- Is it that important? I mean it's been fifteen years. I would have expected that more floors were conquered ...

- I told you about it this morning, but do you remember the "Dragons"? They all disappeared one by one and no one knows where they are. As far as we know, they could very well be on the first floor or on the sixtieth. In any case, there is little chance that they are dead. And since no one is obligated to say their position in the tower, the rangers are the only real reference we have regarding the floors of the tower. Now, drink !

The glasses get emptied and filled again, and the evening apparently begins.