At the central square of Lugnana, the streets bustled with people, surrounded by grand European-style mansions built around flower gardens and fountains.
A bard sang ballads to passersby in the middle of the road. Townsfolk shopped in and out of high-end stores, bustling about. Street peddlers weren't allowed to set up here, so only well-dressed wealthy folk came to buy.
Adventurers emerged from the Zanda family's weapon forge, while another group carried potions out from the Forster family's apothecary. Meanwhile, beast tamers streamed into the Falerian family's shop for beast equipment.
Ray and Aria strolled casually toward the front of the Falerian trading hall.
Ray had passed this way many times before, but never imagined he would one day enter this luxurious store. It was a large, four-story white mansion, decorated with pink roses, and bearing the Falerian family's emblem: a beautifully carved unicorn above the entrance.
"You really live here sometimes, Aria?" Ray's eyes sparkled as he tilted his head up at the magnificent architecture.
"Sometimes. But most of the time, I stay at our quieter home on the outskirts. It's much more peaceful there," she replied calmly. After the ice cream, neither of them felt the heat of the day anymore.
"Wait, don't tell me—that mansion with the lake behind it… that's your house too?!" Ray exclaimed, eyes wide. She gave a small nod.
Aria didn't bother to explain further that this was only her father's residence as the middle son, and that there were still her grandfather's, uncles', and over thirty other family estates spread throughout the kingdom.
When Ray pushed open the door, excitement mixed with nervousness made his steps stiff. He had never set foot in such a luxurious place before. Just stepping onto the plush pink animal-skin carpet made him tense. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, sparkling with magic light that bathed the shop in brilliance.
Inside, everything was spotless—gleaming white, neat, glittering. The interior was far grander than the exterior suggested. Customers browsed rows of display cases, gazing in fascination at the items inside.
The shop carried equipment for every kind of beast—but only in B-grade to A-grade. Nothing cheaper was sold. There was also a lounge with a small café, and even a sparring zone where people could test beast gear in the distance.
The Falerian shop was a one-stop luxury destination for beast tamers—though prices were steep for most apprentices or students.
At the large front counter, three male attendants in white tuxedos were serving customers. When they noticed Aria step inside, they immediately bowed politely.
"Good day, Lady Aria."
She gave a small nod.
One of them, a handsome blond named Newt, added, "Lord Arthur is upstairs, just finished a business meeting. Would you like me to call him?"
Aria shook her head.
"No need, Newt. I only brought a friend to buy some things. Once we finish placing an order, we'll be leaving."
The moment Newt heard the word friend from the young lady's lips, he froze slightly—he had never heard her use that word before. But he quickly composed himself, maintaining his professional demeanor while extending the same respect to Ray.
"This way, please, friend of Lady Aria." He stepped out from behind the glass counter and gestured. Ray, awkward and nervous amid the luxury, shuffled forward. Aria patted him lightly on the back, encouraging him not to be so stiff.
But just then, a voice boomed from afar.
"So you've come home, my precious darling! Why didn't you call out for your father?!"
The moment she heard the sweet tone, Aria knew she was doomed.
A tall man with flowing silver hair—dressed in a frilly white gown—hurried toward them, skirts swishing, before leaping in to embrace his daughter so tightly she nearly toppled. He rubbed his face against hers with unabashed affection.
Aria tried to push him away, embarrassed by all the onlookers.
"Enough, father." Her face was weary.
"Father?!" Ray gawked. Her father was nearly as beautiful as she was—only broader in build, and male. Aria gave a small nod to confirm.
"Yes, this is my father, Arthur Falerian. And, Father, this is Ray Landroll. My close friend." She gestured quickly, introducing them.
The gentleman in women's clothing and the boy with ash-brown hair locked eyes.
And in that instant, the refined nobleman transformed into something fierce. His gaze sharpened as if Aria had just brought home a kidnapper.
"You! Did you seduce my daughter? Was it a love potion? Are you planning to toy with her like the others? I won't believe that my one and only daughter would bring a male friend here of her own accord!" He strode toward Ray, emerald eyes blazing, long white hair whipping as he crossed his arms and loomed menacingly.
"N-no! That's not it at all! Aria just wanted to be friends with me, and I'm just being her friend, that's all!" Ray stammered, panicked and helpless.
Aria sighed, pressing her fingers to her temple, exasperated. She grabbed her father's arm.
"Stop it, Father. If you treat my friend like this again, I'll run away from home just like Mother did."
"W-wait! Don't say that! Not like your mother—it hurts!" Arthur wailed, clinging to his daughter and rubbing his head against her once more, stroking her hair as though she were his greatest treasure. Awkward as it was, Aria didn't resist too hard. She knew he had been trying to give up his promiscuous habits—hoping for reconciliation with her mother, even though they'd been divorced for eight years.
Ray just scratched his neck, smiling weakly, bewildered by the bizarre father-daughter scene. He didn't dare intrude on their family matters, though curiosity tugged at him.
"Master Ray, this way please," Newt, the attendant, called him over. Ray turned quickly and followed, leaving behind the chaotic fatherly antics resounding in the hall.
…
Later, in the lounge, Ray asked Newt earnestly about the process of ordering custom beast gear.
The attendant explained that they would record the customer's requests, then design equipment accordingly. He remembered Lady Aria had already mentioned that her friend's gear would be entirely custom-made.
Newt thought to himself that this boy across the tea table must be someone very important to the young lady. After all, she had used the word friend—a word she had never spoken since her mother left.
He decided to treat this boy with the utmost care. Meanwhile, Ray, oblivious to any of this, munched on cookies while his mind spun only on beasts and battle strategy.
Ray already had plans: each of his beasts would specialize in different roles so he could handle any situation. If he could equip them with gear that fit his strategies, it would be perfect.
For Geed, his High-Fluffy, speed was his strength. But his weakness was wide-area magic and his fragile HP. Ray requested something to extend Hyper Mode's duration and help resist magic attacks.
Newt noted it down and recommended an A-rank item:
[Bracelet of Whirling Winds]
Increases HP by 10%.
Special Ability: Movement generates restorative wind, healing HP each time the wearer moves. The faster and more often they move, the greater the regeneration.
Ray's eyes lit up. With this bracelet, Hyper Mode's drawback—losing HP while active—would be canceled out. Geed could fight at quadruple speed indefinitely, dominating physical fighters completely. In the future, with even greater speed, Geed could become nearly unstoppable.
However, it required rare materials—especially Chimera fangs, which had been out of circulation for over a year. Even the Falerians couldn't acquire them easily. Customers could supply their own materials to lower the cost, though the crafting fee remained high.
Ray quickly jotted down "Chimera Fang" in his notebook.
Next was Rogue, the Shadowprowler cat. Ray wasn't sure whether to make him a full assassin or a mage. Rogue's stats were balanced—half speed, half magic power—but his unique Copycat skill gave him incredible versatility, though at reduced power.
Ray decided boosting Rogue's offense would offset his inability to finish battles decisively.
Newt suggested an A-rank item:
[Golden Bell]
Increases max mana by 20%.
Special Ability: 25% chance to automatically duplicate a spell when cast.
Ray's eyes sparkled. With this, Rogue's copied spells could strike twice, making him unpredictable and overwhelming. But again, rare material was needed—Golden Silkworm thread. Ray quickly noted it down.
For Mond, his Diamond Dragon, Ray initially planned to raise him as a tank. But after watching Karua's Draeger, he wanted Mond to be a fighter—both enduring and attacking.
Newt recommended:
[Necklace of Frosthorn] (A-rank)
Increases all stats by 10%.
Special Ability: Attackers' speed is reduced by 20% per hit, up to 50%.
Perfect for a Diamond Dragon, already renowned for its tough scales. With this, Mond would be unstoppable—both resilient and capable of hitting even faster foes. Required material: Frosthorn.
For Ulga, the Ancient Orca, Ray only wanted to counter poison and status effects. But its size was too great—no one had ever crafted equipment for such a beast. Newt promised to consult Lord Arthur personally.
Finally, for Nixie, the Phoenix. She was already powerful, with no clear weaknesses except perhaps against darkness. Ray decided to push her offense to the extreme.
Newt proposed:
[Necklace of the Sunburst] (A-rank)
Increases fire and light attack power by 150%.
Ray nearly jumped up. With that, Nixie could obliterate opponents in a single blast. Required material: Sunstone.
Ray diligently recorded each rare material in his quest notebook—Chimera Fang, Golden Silkworm Thread, Frosthorn, and Sunstone—imagining the day his beasts wielded them. He envisioned himself one day surpassing even the strongest, perhaps even challenging Headmistress Lumilen Witzany herself.
One day, he swore, he would fight her.
…