KinoMori: Rany, The Loyal Familiar

"Rany. Just a question.. do you wanna train with swords?" I asked her, her mood lit up. "Swords? I would love to, Master!" Ahh.. I still feel my face heating up when she calls me Master... I'm not used to that... I softly smiled at Rany.

"Okay, but. Can you fight with your human form, or you can fight with your fox form." I said, but her expression was somewhat, sad. Her ears went down..

"I'm... Sorry, Master... But average ranking animals cannot change back to their original form once they require their humanoid form, and, I'm not used to fighting in this form..."

"But... If I was a low ranking animal, I can! But... Of course I'm not..." She took a deep breath, "I'm sorry that I have to be burden to you, Master..." She apologize, I walked up to her and caressed her head. I smiled.

"Don't worry, Rany! If you can't fight, then I'll protect you!—", "No! I-it's my job to do... I... Wanna protect you–! I wanna protect you more than anyone else! More than the Usteria itself!"

Woah... I was shock, but I quickly recovered. No one was determined to protect that much... If anything... No words can explain how much I'm grateful for Rany.

"Alrighty then! If we're going to make you a sword, we better get materials after we sleep!" I saw her nod... What a cutie.

I took off my cloak and placed it on the ground, I lay down.

Rany laid down also, but hugging me too, "!!!... Is something wrong?" She seems like she doesn't wanna let go off, I spot little tears, "it's okay, you can tell me.", "N-No! It's nothing!" She smiled to reassure me. I sighed...

"Alright, let's go to sleep, shall we?" She nodded... She is like my daughter.

— # —

"AHHHHHHH!!!" I quickly woke up as soon was Ranyllia yelled. I noticed she already sat, and she was tearing up while looking traumatized. "Nightmare?" I asked but there was no answer, she was breathing heavily.

I sighed and put her head on my chest while rubbing her head, attempting to comfort you. "It's okay.. it's okay.. remember, I'll always be with you." Was she having a dream where I died?

Most likely.

"M-master... I... I'm sorry for waking you up..." She apologized, "It's nothing. How about we go back to sleep?"

She nodded, Rany hugged me while laying her head on my arm... Ahh, she really is like my daughter!! I hummed a lullaby my mother(past one) used to hum to me.

Now that I mentioned that... I wonder how they're doing right now.

—

"Alright Rany! Let's go find the materials!", "yes, Master~!!" I don't even know why we're this energetic when we didn't even eat anything yet. "But! We have more than one goal here!" Rany nodded her head excitedly.

"Goal One: Find materials, Goal Two: Train, Goal Three: Fight Monsters!!" I said energetically!

Yeah that's right! I figure out I will become Rany's sword combat instructor! And since Rany will become a swordswoman, I can finally use magic!! Speaking off magic, can't Ranyllia use magic now? Oh well.

"Now let's see... I already have the crystals... How am I supposed to get high carbon steel?", "M-master.. I feel like I can fight with regular steel.."

"Okay.. then we just need iron and carbon.. or coal. Coal should be easily spo– and we already one. There's really alot coal here..."

"So how do we dig it out, Master? We don't have a pickaxe–... Master what are you doing."

I tried to pull harder "Ngh!!"

Fine! "[Deux Fireball]!" I chanted a fireball and it hit the coal. I coughed due to the smoke, I crouched down and picked up the coal.

"Now! Iron!"

It had been more than 10 damn hours and finally got the supplied we needed.. it took us 9 hours to find iron...

"Let's h-.. hah.. head back?" I was heavily breathing. "Since you've been doing all this for me, Master!", "huh?!"

Is she planning to go all the way back to our little cave while while carrying me on her back?! She literally giving me a piggyback...

"Ready–" I cut her off, "Rany, I don't want you exhaust yourself that much, so please, don't run." She nodded and smiled..

I've been searching 9 hours for iron.. I've search many places... But I didn't even see a hint of a teleportation circle... That means... I sighed...

Ranyllia's tail is really soft.. I'm sleepy...

—

"...." I woke up feeling warm.. I looked at my side and saw that Rany was hugging me... She feels so warm.

I sat up and started to [Craft]

(Will explain how it works in Author's thoughts)

I decided make her baldric.. not the shoulder one.. the belt kinda one. The baldric was easy to craft... But the damn buckle wasn't, or it's easy and I'm just stupid.

I crafted her scabbard next. After I was done with it. I place it next to the baldric.

"[Combine]" I chanted, glowing light was shown..

Now, the scabbard was actually attached to the baldric. Now.. the sword.

Now! Time to craft that bad boy!

—

"Ngh.. master?" Ranyllia whispered, "Hey.. Rany..." Ranyllia looked at me with concern in her eyes, "Why do you look tired, what happened?" Ranyllia worriedly asked, "oh uh... Just making your sword, baldric and scabbard... I'm finished!" Ranyllia's face even more worried, but a hint of excitement too, "oh, really? I'm excited but... I'm sorry that you have to go through trouble for me.."

"No, no! It's okay, really!" Her ears went down but it quickly went up, "I know!" She ran towards and puts both her hands on both my shoulder, "[Heal]" I heard her chant, green light was glowing. I feel my physical exhaustion slowly going away... She can use Magic?

"You can use magic?" I asked her, "I can! I've always been able to use magic, but it's difficult to use magic on my fox form. But now I can use it properly!" That make sense... I guess.

"That's good news, Rany." I smiled at her. Now, let's put this to the test, aye?" She nodded, I see that her tail is wagging in excitement.

"But first, let's train yo—", "actually Master! I'm quite skilled now! Because of my previous fights!"...

Aww, Rany... That makes no sense at all. You use to bite to kill off monsters, not slash them. But I'm not going to tell her that because she's my daughter.(Not biologically)

"O-.. okay..." I said, she wore her.. I forgot what it is... Baldwin? Bald? Baldrik— baldric.

She unleashed her sword. Her eyes sparkling. "Ahh!!"

I sighed, "Rany... I changed my mind. I'm going to be train you." She looked down "Awhhh... Okay."

I grabbed my daggers, and started to dash towards her, "huh?!" I heard her, I was quick, but she managed to block my attack. I jumped back, then she thrusted towards me, I dodged but she wasn't done yet. Once I dodged, she swayed her blade to me, in which I jumped back. That caught me off guard.

After hours of training, she became more skilled then me... Even more skilled. Wow. I'm not bitter or anything...

But I was proud of her. "Let's rest–", "Master, I wanna fight off the monsters... Alone."

Huh. "What if you need my help?", "please?" She gave me a look that is one of a kicked puppy.

".....mhmmm..... Fine!" I exclaimed, "Yay! Thank you master!!"

Ranyllia

I continue to wander, hoping any monsters to encounter.

"Huh..." I sighed. I wanna fight off monsters alone too so I can prove myself worthy for Master Maphina...

I'm not gonna let her die. "Nugh!" I hit something..

I opened my eyes, and saw a black bear. I used [Scan] to check it's status.

Level 15. Huh... No need cowering now. I've fought monsters before.

It roared and in the direction, I'm in.

I ran to it and jumped high enough to stand on his shoulders, I stabbed it's arm and it roared in pain as it pushed me away it's shoulders, I fell on my butt.

"Ugh!" That hurts... I stood up, "[illusion]" I chanted. Illusion was the affinity I have that is on shown on my status box.

The bare looks stupid right now. I giggled, but enough. I threw my sword to it's direction as it roared really loudly. I bet Master's expression if she saw this is 'That's a sword, not a spear...' hehehe! I can imagine it already!

I walked to the bear and grabbed my sword back, "Looks like you couldn't bare that much.. pfft."

Wow. I'm laughing at my own jokes...

Maybe Master Maphina can cook this. Mmm!!! I wonder how it will taste!