Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Shopkeeper! Shopkeeper! You finally opened up!"

As soon as Lorant pushed open the door of the Animal Pet Shop, he was startled by the crowd gathered at the entrance.

Led by Green, a group of people had blocked the shop's entrance, and the young knights squatting under the shade of trees by the roadside all raised their heads to look at Lorant as soon as they heard the commotion.

The young men didn't seem too old; most were dressed in knightly attire, while a few wore the elaborate, layered short coats characteristic of nobility.

Lorant quickly counted over thirty people.

"Hmm, you are... yes, Green, right?" Seeing the enthusiastic Green approaching, Lorant was momentarily stunned before matching this somewhat handsome face with his memory.

"Yes, Green." Green nodded vigorously. "Shopkeeper, these are all my friends. They've come here to learn about animal pets."

"Oh, of course, welcome. Please come in." Lorant stepped aside to let the long-awaited guests enter.

Watching more than thirty people file in one after another, Lorant was grateful that his Animal Pet Shop was exceptionally spacious.

Especially the large door that could be fully opened, allowing thirty people to move freely in and out.

At the time, Peter had questioned such a design, suggesting that Lorant switch to the single-door and multi-wooden window structure popular in Mauplan.

Such houses provided better insulation during the winter, which is crucial for the long winters in Mauplan.

A building like the Animal Pet Shop would undoubtedly be considered substandard by any long-term resident of Mauplan.

However, Lorant didn't care. For him, the primary function of the Animal Pet Shop was to serve customers well, and everything else was secondary.

Especially now that he had enough money to back him up, Lorant was seriously considering taking a long break at home during the winter.

Green and his group entered the Animal Pet Shop, greeted by a simple marble counter, shelves filled with odd items, and expensive magic introduction boards that clearly cost a fortune.

Everything in the Animal Pet Shop was different from what they usually saw.

Even this simple marble counter gave off an air of luxury.

People in this world hadn't yet grasped the concept of unified style or attention to detail, but they were already experiencing it.

The unique decor of the Animal Pet Shop didn't hold their attention for long. Soon, the group surrounded Lorant, asking questions one after another.

"Shopkeeper, is what Green told us about animal pets true?"

"Of course. Although I don't know how Mr. Green described them, animal pets do exist," Lorant smiled. "Strictly speaking, the only existing 'animal pet' breed is the Lapis Ice Flame Dog."

"Our shop currently sells only the Lapis Ice Flame Dog. You can find detailed information on the counter."

"However, all the Lapis Ice Flame Dogs have been sold out, and we only accept pre-orders now."

While explaining, Lorant pointed to the guidebook on the counter. After William left last night, he had updated the latest information about the Lapis Ice Flame Dogs.

"That's the thing, Shopkeeper. Compared to Green's description and the guidebook, we'd rather see your products in person," a brown-haired youth stepped forward and said to Lorant.

He seemed to be the leader of the group, and many others nodded in agreement after he spoke.

"Oh, of course." Lorant readily agreed. He had thought about having the Lapis Ice Flame Dogs stay in the shop when it opened, so customers could see them.

However, the naturally energetic little creatures wouldn't stay inside unless they were tired.

He had to let them play freely and call them when needed.

"Please wait a moment. Little Eight, come here!"

Lorant told the customers and then turned to open the back door and called out loudly.

The Lapis Ice Flame Dogs had extremely sensitive hearing. Lorant had tested it; no matter where they were in the backyard, they could hear his voice.

If they didn't come after one call, they were probably running around in the Ice and Fire Land.

That area was special and seemed to have some soundproofing properties, but Lorant couldn't step into it to confirm.

Fortunately, it was breakfast time for the Lapis Ice Flame Dogs, and they were all in the area closest to the Animal Pet Shop.

Hearing Lorant's voice, Little Eight rushed over after finishing its meal.

With its massive paws landing on the wooden corridor, it suddenly braked to avoid crashing into the fragile bipedal creature.

The Lapis Ice Flame Dogs were quite intelligent. As they grew, Little Eight realized that only Silem could withstand its weight.

When playing with Silem, the Lapis Ice Flame Dogs would excitedly jump on him.

But with Ruth and Lorant, they had learned to be cautious.

Especially when Ruth fed them daily, these energetic little creatures wouldn't dare push her too hard.

Although they weren't as cautious with Lorant, they still treated him gently most of the time.

Stabilizing itself, Little Eight trotted over happily.

"Good boy, come here." Lorant opened the door to let Little Eight into the shop.

The Lapis Ice Flame Dog rubbing against Lorant's waist made the entire shop fall silent for a moment.

Everyone's attention was drawn to it.

Unaccustomed to such intense gazes, Lorant cleared his throat lightly, dragged his chair out from behind the counter, and patted the seat cushion, saying, "Come up, Little Eight."

The Luli Ice Flame Hound leapt lightly and squatted down on the chair.

Lorant patted Little Eight's thick neck fur and turned to address the guests in the room: "This is the Luli Ice Flame Hound. It looks different from the guidebook because it hasn't reached adulthood yet. It will take at least two and a half months for it to grow to the size depicted in the guidebook."

Little Eight didn't bother much with these unfamiliar bipeds whose auras weren't particularly strong.

After shifting into a comfortable position on the somewhat narrow chair, it faced Lorant and softly whimpered.

It was impatient; either stroke its head again or let it go back!

The young Luli Ice Flame Hound's meaning was clear, and Lorant knew it all too well.

Lorant helplessly stroked the big dog's soft fur: "As for authenticity, Mr. William from the Congress of Magic is currently conducting research on the Luli Ice Flame Hound. I expect that other reports about the Luli Ice Flame Hound will be available soon."

"The 'certification' for the Luli Ice Flame Hound will also be processed shortly."

"Currently, I only have the intellectual property rights for 'Beast Pets.' Here, this certificate on the wall, everyone can take a look."

"If anyone has any doubts, please come back in a while. By then, there should be more information available for your understanding."

Lorant said as he continued to rub the dog's head. He wasn't in a hurry; with the order from The Knights of the Thorns, the Animal Pet Shop would be financially secure for years.

"Shopkeeper, I want to know if this beast pet can only be approached and raised by you?" The gaze of the brown-haired student had been fixed on Little Eight since it entered.

The enthusiasm and surprise in their eyes were common reactions after seeing a beast pet.

Lorant was used to such reactions.

Hearing the question, Lorant shook his head: "Of course not. You can rest assured about this aspect. Currently, nine puppies have already been officially sold. Within these three months, although the puppies will stay in my beast pet house for unified growth, we will arrange regular meetings between them and their future owners."

"Of course, the choice is mutual. If your bond with a beast pet isn't good and none of the puppies in this batch catch your eye, you can wait for the next batch."

"After all, once chosen, they become companions for a long time. If you really don't click, it's better not to force it."

Lorant gently held Little Eight's neck and said to them: "Actually, most Luli Ice Flame Hounds have quite good temperaments. As long as you show them respect, they will accept you."

Little Eight responded seriously with a couple of barks in agreement.

The atmosphere in the shop was instantly heightened by Little Eight's human-like actions.

The crowd, who had been hesitant just a moment ago, suddenly burst into excitement.

"Shopkeeper, I want to make a reservation!"

"When will the certification from the Congress of Magic be ready?"

"Shopkeeper, can the reservation period be shortened? I can't wait that long!"

"Shopkeeper, can I pay extra to get a Luli Ice Flame Hound sooner than others?"

"Shopkeeper..."

All the customers in the shop became excited, their faces flushed red, and they rushed towards the counter.

Lorant calmly reached under the counter and pulled out a piece of meat jerky he had made that morning, giving it to Little Eight as a reward before letting it out through the back door. Then he turned around with a smile to face his customers.

"Everyone, don't rush. Please line up one by one and register your reservations."

Having dealt with ordinary professionals' reactions to beast pets before, Lorant was now much calmer.

Green pushed forward eagerly and slapped a crystal card on the counter: "Shopkeeper, I want to reserve a Luli Ice Flame Hound!"

Lorant had just opened the registration book and looked up at him: "Green? If I'm not mistaken, you've already reserved one."

"Yes, shopkeeper. This time, it's for my mother. After thinking about it, having a Luli Ice Flame Hound by her side makes me feel more at ease than any bodyguard."

The classmates who came with Green nodded in agreement. Seeing Little Eight standing guard in front of Lorant, they had similar thoughts.

After all, according to the guidebook, the Luli Ice Flame Hound could eventually reach the strength of a fifth to seventh-level beast.

Whether a fifth-level professional or a seventh-level professional, both are esteemed guests for ordinary noble families.

Some of these individuals hold positions higher than certain unfavored noble children.

Unless an ancient super-noble family secretly cultivates their own loyal guards, for other nobles, having a high-level professional for personal protection is a luxury.

Putting aside whether high-level professionals would give up promising careers to become private guards, even if someone was willing, most nobles wouldn't dare to let them get close without a blood relationship or a life-saving bond.

Otherwise, it would be uncertain whether they would be protected or threatened.

But the Luli Ice Flame Hound is different. They are not humans and lack complex thoughts, making them ideal guardians.

Hearing Green's explanation, those who hadn't considered this idea suddenly saw the light.

"Shopkeeper, I want to reserve two!"

"I want to reserve three!"

"What do you need so many for, Lawrence?"

"My parents and grandparents need them too."

"Then I'll take three as well!"

"I don't have enough money right now, still a bit short. Damn it, I'm going to hunt in the Black Forest. Anyone want to join me?"

One of the burly knights felt his pockets and realized the amount on his crystal card was still short of ten thousand gold coins. With determination, he decided to enter the Black Forest directly from the Fifth Outpost to hunt.

Immediately, someone responded: "Let's go. I could use some money too. We'll take on some tasks right now!"

The group turned and left, disappearing in a short while.

Moreover, apart from these few knights who seemed to be of ordinary birth, everyone else had paid the deposit in full before departing.

After seeing off all the satisfied customers who had paid up, Lorant felt momentarily as if he wasn't taking their money at all.

He was helping them pursue the true meaning of life...

Checking the time, it was already noon, so Lorant decided to close the shop temporarily for a peaceful rest, waiting for the Blue Lavender Clothing Store to visit in the afternoon.