["I'm thinking, I'm thinking…",] Clyde sighed and groaned with a headache. But to ask Clyde to not care at all, Clyde couldn't do it.
Even if Freya wasn't inside, there was still Professor Asher.
'Professor Asher, now that's—'
["You really gave me a tough one here,"] Clyde, who was currently carrying out a mission, also had a headache.
And by the way, he also felt a shallow hint of regret.
If only he'd gone in together in the first place.
No matter what, two Tier 8 Beast Tamers working together could exert much more power than just one person.
Especially since the one inside was Prince, that unreliable guy. Clyde had thought there wasn't much danger, which was why he'd handed the man over so confidently.
But now…
"No matter what, we've already done what we could on our end."
"What comes next, we leave it to you," Professor Hubert spoke politely while also going, hanging up the phone.
And then promptly blocked Clyde.
What? Afraid this guy would come knocking and drag them into problem-solving? No. Not to mention, they were just ordinary pet professors.
They were getting old. They really couldn't handle so much anymore. Things are just fine this way.
Clyde, who'd been forcibly hung up on: "..."
'Tsk! A step too slow.'
———
Asher communicated with the Double-Body Box Jellyfish for a long while.
He nodded continuously.
"Mm… Mirage Jellyfish… putting it that way, really is a very practical Beast."
"There really aren't any mirage jellyfish left in this secret realm?"
The Double-Body Box Jellyfish knew a lot.
But when it came to expressing itself, it was stuttering and awkward.
If Asher didn't have an excellent ability to understand implications, they probably wouldn't even be able to communicate properly.
Fortunately, there was plenty of time. And the Double-Body Box Jellyfish was extremely cooperative.
Asher still obtained quite a bit of useful information.
Hearing Asher's question, the Double-Body Box Jellyfish shook its body to indicate a "no."
'Gone.'
'Mirage jellyfish.'
'The last one.'
Asher sighed.
'What a pity.'
"Thank you," Still, Asher seriously looked at the Double-Body Box Jellyfish in front of him.
The jellyfish stared in Asher's direction for a long while.
Even though it had no eyes.
Asher could tell that the jellyfish's gaze was definitely fixed on him.
"Thank you for answering my questions," Asher said earnestly, "So…"
He thought for a moment and decided this was something they really had to talk about.
"What are you going to do next?"
Double-Body Box Jellyfish: "?"
At that moment, Asher saw the same dumb-cute aura from the Double-Body Box Jellyfish as from the little jellyfish.
Little jellyfish: "?"
'What is the Beastmaster thinking?'
'So rude!'
'And that smile, totally looks like a human trafficker! Hmph! Beastmaster, bad!'
Asher: "Ahem!"
'You can't say it like that.'
Even though he did, admittedly, have a little bit of… a certain thought.
"Gulu—"
The Double-Body Box Jellyfish also looked very conflicted.
Don't ask Asher how he could tell from a jellyfish cap with no eyes or face.
Ask, and the answer is: even its tentacles were tying themselves into knots.
'What to do next? Good question.'
That really was something the Double-Body Box Jellyfish had never thought about.
Unlike other Box Jellyfish, the Double-Body one was born with a responsibility. To guard the king. To guard this space. To guard the human world in reverse.
And all this was done alongside the king.
The previous king had never left this place.
'But my king…'
The Double-Body Box Jellyfish was torn.
"Do you want to leave with me?", Asher sneakily swapped concepts.
Leave the little jellyfish behind? Nope, impossible. Better to coax the Double-Body jellyfish into leaving.
"Gulu…"
'Want to follow the king.'
'But this space is also very important… it's a responsibility…'
The jellyfish's tentacle-knotting got worse.
'Can't think of anything.'
'Just can't figure out what to do.'
Asher suddenly felt like he was a bit of a bad guy, "..."
"Alright, alright," Asher laughed.
It would be great to convince a strong helper to come along.
But Asher definitely wouldn't contract this Tier 8 Box Jellyfish. That'd be like placing a radiating, nuclear weapon-level danger source into human society. That could easily cause some violent aftermath. That wasn't a wise decision.
Comparatively, if the Tier 8 Box Jellyfish was willing to stay here, it would actually be the better outcome.
"Little jellyfish, do you want to stay behind?", After thinking, Asher still looked toward the little jellyfish.
The little jellyfish had assumed it was just spectating, but upon hearing Asher's words, its tentacles instantly stiffened.
'Stay behind? What do you mean, stay behind?'
'There's no such option, okay? The Beastmaster doesn't want me anymore?'
Little jellyfish didn't care anymore about whether it was overstepping.
It waved its eight long tentacles, practically wrapping Asher up from head to toe.
'Beastmaster, don't even think of ditching me!'
"Okay!", Asher saw this and quickly raised his hands.
Asher finally felt it, 'This little jellyfish is really strong.'
"Alright, alright, I was just asking. Even if you wanted to stay, I might not agree," Asher chuckled lightly.
The little jellyfish kept whining and grumbling.
'Hmph～ Doesn't believe the Beastmaster one bit!'
'Beastmaster definitely wants to abandon me!'
'Unforgivable!'
'Don't even think about it. No way I'll give the Beastmaster the chance! Beastmaster can dream!'
Asher enjoyed this sweet burden and turned to look at the Double-Body Box Jellyfish not far away, "You saw what little jellyfish meant."
"The current situation is, you don't want to leave, it doesn't want to stay," Asher briefly summarized the issue.
"Suggestion: separate temporarily?"
Double-Body Box Jellyfish: "..."
It stared straight at Asher.
Asher suddenly felt a chill down his back.
'Hiss—'
'Why do I feel like this guy is considering whether to just take me out?'
'Must be an illusion,' or maybe not, Asher wasn't so sure now.
"My lifespan is limited," Asher said again.
Even though this world's medical tech was very advanced.
Ordinary human lifespan hadn't improved that much.
What should be, still was.
At most, medicine made life more convenient, seemingly extending lifespan a bit.
For awakened Beast Tamers, people with extraordinary power, their lifespan… did get a bit better, living almost half as long again. Asher remembered the longest-lived Beast Tamer was the one with the Flame Dragon King.
'Maybe the pet's power breakthrough also gave him a bunch of energy boosts.'
But even so, he only lived to 181.
That's the human limit.
Impressive compared to normal humans.
But to long-lived Beasts, not even 200 years meant nothing.
"Actually, if you don't mind, you could wait a little longer," Asher looked seriously at the Double-Body Box Jellyfish.
"I won't live that long."
"When I die, maybe the little jellyfish will…"
"Mmmph!"
Asher hadn't finished when the little jellyfish stuffed his mouth tightly with its tentacle.
Little jellyfish: "Gulu!"
'Don't want to hear it. Forcibly shutting the Beastmaster up!'
In the spiritual sea's beast space, Little Raven, Cat-Worm, and Little White Snake: 'Nice!'
'Well done!'
No idea if little jellyfish felt its family's encouragement, but it pressed harder over Asher's mouth.
In short: refusing to let the Beast Tamer speak.
'Perfect!'
Asher: "..."
'Alright, alright. As long as you're happy.'
But Asher still winked at the Double-Body Box Jellyfish.
'Understood~'
Double-Body Box Jellyfish: "..."
It stared at Asher for a while longer.
This time, Asher no longer felt the cold chill down his back.
He finally let out a long breath.
'Whoo! Thank goodness.'
'I dodged that bullet.'
'My life was spared.'
'Probably?', Asher thought, a bit uncertainly.
He nodded again, 'Definitely safe!'
The next second.
They were lifted by the Tier 8 Box Jellyfish's tentacle and sent out of there.
"Gulu!"
The Box Jellyfish let out a long, drawn-out cry again.
'Then it's settled, I'll wait till you're dead.'
Asher: "..."
'Alright. Let's call this… a beautiful promise.'
Asher: 'I am definitely not just trying to comfort myself.'
They were placed back on the island.
In the blink of an eye, the massive Box Jellyfish that had covered the sky had disappeared into the sea.
"Eh?", Freya and Felter looked up to find the sky clear, suddenly realizing something had happened.
"It's gone?"
"Asher should be fine, right?"
Freya and Felter said.
Only Prince suddenly slapped his thigh, "Damn it!"
"Why'd it leave so fast?"
'We were supposed to battle! I still want a fight that jellyfish!'
Freya shot him an exasperated look.
All she could say was: 'People who aren't afraid of dying really aren't afraid of anything.'
'Even now, this guy is still thinking of sparring with a Tier 8 jellyfish.'
'Does he really think a slight mishap won't instantly kill him?'
Prince: "Worth the risk!"
Freya: "..."
Her hand itched, 'Really want to slap him.'
"Stop dreaming. You missed your chance this time. Maybe next time," Freya said impatiently, but with practiced casualness.
"Let's go meet up with Professor Asher," Freya said expressionlessly.
Worried? Sorry, nt even a little bit worried about this guy.
Very quickly, they returned to the place they'd left.
"Where did you all go?", Asher, just out, didn't see the others.
If he didn't know the jellyfish wouldn't casually harm his teammates, Asher might've suspected… ahem.
Not that bad, at most, the Tier 8 jellyfish just wanted his life. His teammates' lives weren't that important in its eyes.
Freya: "Back to that cave from yesterday, wanted to see what was inside."
Asher instantly understood, "Did you find anything?"
Felter nodded, showing a disgusted expression, and said beside Asher, "A black slime."
As he said this, his eyes were on the little jellyfish beside Asher.
Almost like he was openly comparing the two.
Because the little jellyfish really did look like a soft, pink slime blob.
Asher: "..."
"You really aren't afraid of dying," Asher said helplessly.
"But you didn't touch that thing, right?"
At that, Felter quickly waved his hands, "I'm not that suici*al, okay!"
"We're at least that cautious."
Freya rolled her eyes, "Heh, as if I hadn't stopped you earlier, you…"
"Big sis! You're my one and only big sis! Is it really that hard to let me save some face?", With one leap, Felter dashed over, reaching out to cover Freya's mouth.
But under her gaze, he slowly and cautiously withdrew his hand.
'Yeah, not my real sister. Can't mess with her like that.'
Or he'd really get payback.
Freya understood what Felter meant and chuckled inwardly.
"Alright, being tempted isn't entirely your fault," She gave a fair assessment.
Felter's eyes went dead.
He just didn't want to talk to Asher about this. It made him sound so weak.
"Tempted?", Asher caught that word.
"That black slime thing has that kind of power?", Asher was surprised.
Freya crossed her arms, "Right? Bet you didn't expect that either."
Good thing all three of them went.
If even one of them had gone alone… encountering that black mud-like, but not quite, thing, they'd be done for.
You'd be compelled to approach it. And get controlled into touching it.
"But when there are multiple people, that dark blob seems to choose the weakest to try controlling," Freya offered her analysis, "After all, controlling strong ones takes more energy and might fail."
A Beast Tamer with all six contract slots open had a perfected beast-space. Six pets contracted, with close bonds. That also strengthened the beast-space.
After all, weaker Beast Tamers might never open all six slots in their whole life.
"So out of the three of us, Little Sterling was the lucky target," Freya laughed.
Felter completely shut down.
Black marks. All black marks on him.
'MY IMAGE!! Can't I just leave a good impression on Asher once?'
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