Using food to sway a wolf's heart

"Then may I ask. If you know Vice Captain Plavin, can I ask if the appearance of the Royal Soldiers had anything to do with the identification card?" Vincent decided to ask. He felt comfortable talking with Marquis Byron Sunrise.

"To be honest with you, I don't know. Plavin also told me he wasn't informed. He mentioned how a messager suddenly brought him the orders to interrogate you privately, and that's all he knows about what happened." Byron rubbed his chin while pondering if he should continue.

A short silence followed before Byron decided to say, "The person who ordered them must be of a Marquis rank or above to command Royal Soldiers so suddenly. Also, the person shouldn't be with the Aristocrat Faction since one of my sponsored people was urgently called."

[Could it be Feng Mengli's friend then? Furthermore, just who is Byron's friend? What does that person know to say that anyone holding the sect card Feng Mengli gave us makes us trustable people?]

-I had the same thought. The Hawkeyes person is the only one in my thoughts. Might he be lord Byron's friend? But I wonder, does that person know about my identity? Or did Feng Mengli keep our secret safe?-

[I wonder if it would be a great opportunity to meet such an influential person? Maybe he can make you a noble of the lowest rank. You would be able to complete Ester's marriage Promised Quest.]

-That's a positive thought.-

[You know what's positive?]

-What?-

[When you finally bang...]

-AHEM! I'm doing business here. Don't make this gentleman have dirty thoughts.-

[Is that a blush I see? Hahaha!]

"My lords, honored guests, lunch is prepared. We are sorry for preparing lunch for our lords and our guests past the preferred lunchtime." A butler approached and respectfully informed.

"Look at how time flies. Hmm, thirteen bell rings, one hour late. There is nothing to do, food preparation must not be hurried, or it might taste inadequate. Vincent, Ester, and Lupa, please join us for lunch. " Byron stood up and asked to be followed.

Vincent respectfully accepted to offer to eat high class food after eating to survive without seasoning or condiments. Vincent then approachedLupa and said, "How is it going? Any progress yet?"

"My mate, my head hurts, and I'm hungry. Working as a wolf tran... translater is hard. This stupid wolf doesn't know how to speak a sentence without mixing words." Lupa complained.

"But, did you at least understand the problem?" Vincent began to worry. 'We won't get paid, won't we?' He doubted his luck.

"This gray wolf didn't say much. He only talked about being very hungry since the food doesn't suit his taste. It seems he lived in a cage his entire life without his parents. He also heard a lot about the violence humans do to force animals with a magic core to submit." Lupa explained a short version.

It was challenging to make sense of the rambling and jumbled sentences made from an animal. Even if they have higher intelligence than the average animal because of the magic core.

Lupa stopped speaking in her wolf language, causing the difficulty to increase because of the sentence structure. Furthermore, the first time she met Vincent, they could communicate and understand each other because their soul did the talking and understanding.

Lupa thought it was going to be easy with this thought. 'I will ask for comp... compensation, yes. Sister Kazumi said I could ask when doing something hard.' She cheerfully thought, feeling slightly better.

[Hmm... So the gray wolf wants tastier food and freedom to a certain degree. I think we can work with that. ]

-Yes, at least it wanted to kill us because it was hungry. Also, it was afraid of the person about to tame it. It would've been challenging if the gray wolf wanted revenge for being mistreated.-

"May I ask what kinds of food my lords fed the gray wolf?" Vincent asked.

"Meat. The freshest raw meat money can buy." Byron answered.

'Don't all animals and familiars like to eat the same things? My Prego Bird familiar never complains... but it likes to eat seeds and not meat...' Byron pondered.

*Grr...*

The gray wolf told Lupa something to make her slightly confused.

"You are a weird wolf. How were you going to kill and eat us if you only like to eat cooked meat prepared by humans?" Lupa then looked at Vincent and translated, "He said how he was fed the scrap food of the humans keeping him in a cage all his life. The taste of cooked food and the daily different taste change doesn't compare to untasty bloody and raw meat."

"Ohh... " Vincent looked at Vopor and smirked. "Looks like we have a sophisticated gray wolf on our hands. Vopor, why don't you start making a friendly bond by feeding the wolf yourself? He will be a trustable partner in the future, even at the worst times."

Vopor looked at the gray wolf and then looked at Plow, who acted cute after receiving multiple petting and attention. He wanted to pet Plow once, but he tried to act like a noble and refrain from making a blunder. His father is beside him, after all.

"Could you tell the gray wolf that we will feed him high-quality cooked meat by humans? But I hope it will obediently follow us without attacking someone." Byron asked Lupa to translate and hope no one gets hurt.

Lupa nodded and told the gray wolf, "You will eat the freshest cooked meat you desire if you obey us. My mate wishes you to become friends with the young human."

The gray wolf quickly nodded, and his stomach immediately grumbled. A river of drool descended on the ground upon the thought of delicious food. Performing a hunger strike for two days in a row made the river of drool unstoppable.

[Yup, this wolf almost reminds me of Lupa. She was so hungry that she was about to die in probably less than a week. At least the Retainer Bond restored her to the most optimal condition, including to...]

[Ahem, the cringy term is, fill her belly with food magically. But let's call this condition "The Mutation Blessing Reincarnation By Retainer Bond Of The Seventh Hero, Even An Empty Belly Gets Full."]

-Heh... it's too long. Are you planning to write a novel with the description as a title? How does "Rebirth" sound?-

[Humph, whatever floats your boat then... ]

Vincent gave Lupa a head pat and praised, "Well said, Lupa, haha. The gray wolf seems to like the idea. I will need you to translate what I say on the way, so let's go to eat."

"You see how my mate treats me, hehe." Lupa gloated. She secretly winked at Plow as well.

"I bet no one wants to touch your filthy fur... unlike that darn sly fox hogging all attention. " Lupa stated in a low voice, yet loud enough for the gray wolf to hear her.

*Grr...*

Marquis Byron Sunrise, his son Vopor Sunrise and the servants beside them walked to the main hall where the food was prepared to be served. Vincent, Ester with Plow in her arms, and Lupa with the gray wolf walking beside her followed the Sunrise family.

Lupa translated what Vincent said along the way. It was mostly about how the gray wolf should spend a day to reflect on its wishes and how it wants to be treated in the future.

Vincent offered a few suggestions, such as getting cleaned and taken care of, eating delicious food, and train with Vopor to become stronger.

Vincent even slyly suggested that only as the gray wolf and his human partner become more powerful and famous, any female gray wolf would want to be its mate. Vincent also didn't forget to add how the gray wolf could become a famous Alpha Wolf.

Not long after, they entered a luxurious large dining hall where a long table with plates and utensils were delicately placed, displaying refined noble etiquette.

Vincent sat on a chair and immediately apologized, "I hope my lords don't feel offended by how we eat. Eating with our hands became a habit while living in the forest."

"Haha, heed no mind to the utensils. My servants always prepare in a manner to uphold our reputation. Don't worry about making a mess, but I hope it's going to be lively, hahaha." Byron spoke in a happy mood. Even by a little, the gray wolf stopped being aggressive. It felt like a win to him.

Lupa can now eat with her hands if she so desires after the head of the Sunrise family gave them the go-ahead to eat in any way or form.

Soon, a delicious aroma entered the dining hall. Lupa quickly sat on the right seat beside Vincent while Ester sat on the left side and placed Plow on the seat beside her.

Plow used her eight tails to form a tail cushion and elevate her body. Next, her one small blue and one small emerald front foot reached the table. Plow then waited in anticipation while looking at the maids bringing the food.

"Bring two plates with the best meat the chef prepared. Give them to the blue fox looking at you for food and the other plate for..." Byron was ordering before his son interrupted.

"Father, I wish to feed the gray wolf myself. I heard what Vincent asked along the way. I also want to think about what kind of bond I wish to ask for tomorrow. I want to try and become closer with my future familiar. " Vopor interrupted in high spirits. He possessed a burning flame in his determined eyes.