Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"Hey, little guy, do you remember me?" Lancelot looked down at Little Seven, who had shuffled over to his leg in small steps, and smiled as he stroked its head.

Little Seven affectionately rubbed against him, its fluffy tail wagging incessantly.

It lifted its head, its glass-like eyes glistening with moisture as it looked up at him.

Lancelot was pleasantly surprised and immediately squatted down to hug the affectionate Little Seven, gently stroking its fur.

Seeing this, Lorant, standing nearby, raised the corners of his mouth slightly. "Perfect timing. Today is the Animal Pet Shop's open day. All customers who purchased the Crystal Iceflame Dogs can come to the shop to get acquainted with their pets early."

"You can play with Little Seven too."

"I've prepared some snacks that we can use to train Little Seven with some commands later."

As they spoke, the back door of the shop opened, and a group of people emerged.

"Young Master! You're back!"

Steward Peter led about ten neatly dressed servants carrying various items. Upon seeing Lancelot, he exclaimed with great delight.

"Uncle Peter." Lancelot nodded at the steward. "What's going on here?"

"Oh, I'm here to help Little Lorant set up for today's banquet."

Peter looked around and asked Lorant for advice. "Where should we place the tables, Little Lorant?"

Lorant glanced around and pointed to an area near the pavilion where several streams converged.

"Over there would be good. It's not far from the Icefire Grounds, perfect for showcasing the Crystal Iceflame Dogs' hard-to-spot resistance skill today."

Lancelot followed his gaze, showing clear interest in the area.

The group arranged three wooden tables by the stream, and three chefs each carried large platters of food out.

Along with wine, a blend of fruit juice, and large platters of fruits, the tables were soon filled to the brim. One of the maids even arranged the brought flowers in vases, decorating the tables elegantly.

Such refined taste left Ruth and Silem impressed.

In addition to the picnic tables, Peter also brought many chairs and placed them around the area.

Under his arrangement, the space quickly transformed into something resembling the banquet area of a count's residence.

By around ten o'clock, guests began arriving one after another.

The servants waiting at the entrance of the Animal Pet Shop led families inside.

Hai Li entered the backyard of the shop with her parents and younger brother.

"Mom, just wait and see. I promise you, this is the best money I've spent in years!" Hai Li held her mother's arm, wearing a delicate white dress, looking nothing like the disheveled figure she had been when she emerged from the Black Forest.

"You silly girl," Hai Li's mother tapped her daughter's forehead affectionately.

"Hehe, no way!"

A few days ago, her daughter had insisted on buying some pet, claiming it was both affectionate and powerful, a valuable companion on her knightly journey. And she had managed to secure a purchase slot through sheer luck; missing it would mean someone else would benefit.

So, despite the considerable sum of fifty thousand gold coins, which was not a small amount even for their family, they couldn't resist their daughter's pleading and paid the amount right away.

Though they had paid, her parents had been worried that their daughter might have been tricked, given the significant amount involved and the unfamiliarity of what she had bought.

After some inquiries, they learned that there indeed were rumors circulating among the upper echelons of the Knight Regiment about a new research breakthrough. Only then did they feel relieved.

Two days ago, their daughter excitedly announced that today was the Animal Pet Shop's open day, and the whole family could visit to see the pet she had purchased.

"It's super cute! Really!" Hai Li confidently held her mother's arm. "You'll love it!"

Her mother remained skeptical about whether she would actually like it.

To be honest, the couple had always been somewhat critical of the Animal Pet Shop's practice of taking payment without immediate delivery.

If not for their daughter's insistence, they would have already demanded an explanation.

Moreover, even though neither of them were professionals, they understood the terrifying nature of exotic beasts.

Given how highly their daughter praised the pet, they wanted to see if the merchants were exaggerating or not.

"Hmm, the banquet looks decent." Stepping into the backyard, Hai Li's mother nodded slightly, her demeanor becoming less haughty.

With her discerning eye, she could tell that this Animal Pet Shop likely had a distinguished background. Such a high-standard banquet reminded her of a countess's invitation she had once received.

Her husband, Baron Raine, gently patted her arm. "Maria, be friendly. This is Hai Li's friend; we need to maintain our composure."

"Of course, dear. I know what to do." Hai Li's mother maintained a smile, her voice strained.

Even a fool could tell that this shop, if fraudulent, was not one with simple backing, thus requiring extra caution.

"Hi, Hai Li." Seeing Hai Li approach, Silem greeted her warmly.

"Silem, good morning." Hai Li released her mother's arm and bowed to Silem in a knightly manner.

"Can I go see my Little Nine?" Hai Li looked at Silem expectantly.

"Of course, let me see where they are." Silem first bowed to the parents behind Hai Li, then looked around for the Luli Ice Flame Dogs.

"Just as you can see, my brother created a half-ice, half-fire area in the backyard. The little ones love it and always hide there, making them hard to find," Silem explained.

"Wow, they actually like that kind of environment?" Hai Li looked curiously at the formation half-lava, half-ice on the other side, which seemed quite terrifying.

Silem shook his head; he had been curious about this too, so he specifically studied the Luli Ice Flame Dogs.

"It's not that they particularly like it; they just enjoy being able to move around in such an environment. Since setting up this place in the yard, one that only they can enter, they might be drawn to it out of curiosity," Silem said with a helpless shake of his head.

The Luli Ice Flame Dogs were like children, always seeking their own special territory.

"Oh, there they are." Silem found several Luli Ice Flame Dogs playing among a group of Slimes.

"Little Nine, come here!" Silem called out loudly.

Hai Li looked curiously at the large group of Slimes. "Silem, what are those? Are they Slimes? Why do they look different from the ones we saw in class?"

She had noticed the new things in the Animal Pet Shop upon entering but assumed they were there for the Luli Ice Flame Dogs to play with.

Only now did she realize these Slimes looked somewhat different.

"Those are Beast Pet Slimes, a new breed cultivated by the Animal Pet Shop. Today is their first day out," Silem explained. "They are also beast pets and won't hurt people casually. You can go closer and take a look later."

"Oh? New beast pets?" Hai Li immediately became interested and asked, "Do these Slimes have any special abilities? Are they powerful?"

Silem shook his head. "Fluffy Slimes and Thick Feather Slimes aren't combat-oriented beast pets. They have other abilities, like producing feathers and fur, but they feel nice and can be kept as pets at home for fun."

Hai Li sighed. "Okay, but I'm more interested in battle pets. These Slimes are not for me."

A moment later, not only Little Nine but also Little Eight ran over.

As they approached, Little Eight pushed aside Little Nine and rubbed against Silem's leg first.

Luli Ice Flame Dogs are social animals, enjoying the time they spend playing with their companions.

But they are also extremely affectionate beast pets, with a strong sense of jealousy.

Lorant had specifically mentioned this to Silem. Usually, Lorant or Ruth took care of the twelve puppies.

Silem would only interact with Little Eight individually.

Over time, Little Eight naturally understood that Silem was its owner and developed a high level of obedience and possessiveness towards him.

Seeing Silem call Little Nine, Little Eight naturally followed.

It wouldn't allow any other dog to be more favored than itself in front of Silem.

Silem held Little Eight by the neck to prevent it from causing trouble and said to Hai Li, "Hai Li, my brother left some snacks for the Luli Ice Flame Dogs in the pavilion. They really like them, though we don't give them much usually. You can fetch some and use them to build a bond."

Lorant also came over and greeted Hai Li's family. "Good afternoon, welcome here. We've prepared some food for you to help yourselves."

"There are snacks for the Luli Ice Flame Dogs in the pavilion. You can get some yourself; Little Nine will love those jerky treats."

"But be careful not to give it too much jerky, or it might affect its appetite for dinner. Also, giving too much jerky at once will reduce its appeal."

"Training will become harder then."

"You can teach it simple actions and commands, rewarding it with jerky after it completes them."

Lorant demonstrated with a piece of jerky. "Like this. Sit, Little Nine."

Little Nine obediently ran to Lorant and sat down properly.

"Shake hands."

Little Nine glanced at the jerky in Lorant's hand and extended its paw, touching Lorant's hand.

"Good boy." Lorant patted Little Nine's head as a reward and fed the jerky directly into its mouth.

Beside them, Little Eight also came over, nudging Lorant's hand with its head and trying to reach his arm to get a piece of jerky through 'shaking hands.'

Lorant broke off a small piece of jerky and handed it to Little Eight.

Little Eight cautiously approached, careful not to bite Lorant's fingers, and slowly took its snack.

Hai Li and her parents watched with stars in their eyes.

Her mother, who had been skeptical about beast pets before, was instantly charmed. Who could resist a tall exotic beast that listens to every command?

"Mr. Shopkeeper, will it listen to my commands too?" Hai Li asked worriedly, taking the jerky from Lorant.

"Of course. It may be difficult at first, but with more interaction, Little Nine will understand your relationship."

"Luli Ice Flame Dogs are very intelligent. They can clearly sense your kindness."

"Give it a try."

Lorant encouraged Hai Li as she tentatively approached Little Nine and offered the jerky.

"Got it, Mr. Shopkeeper!" Hai Li was thrilled when she successfully shook Little Nine's paw.

Seeing Hai Li's eager family members, Lorant tactfully stepped back to give them space.

By noon, all nine customers and their families had arrived.

After greeting each one, Lorant retreated to the pavilion to rest and guard the snack bucket from sneaky little creatures trying to steal treats.

Ruth, dressed in an elegant gown, was chatting animatedally with a group of enthusiastic ladies by the buffet table, and the ladies would burst into laughter from time to time.

Many others who couldn't get a chance to interact with the Crystal Ice Flame Dogs chose to head towards the Slime area after learning that the Slimes wouldn't attack people.

Hai Li's brother, Ike, was playing around with several other boys in the pile of Slimes.

The boys quickly figured out how to play with the Slimes, stacking them up to see who could build the tallest tower.

Or they would hold the Slimes high up and let them drop to see whose Slime would bounce the farthest.

Lorant observed for a while and noticed that the Slimes didn't mind these activities; instead, they were moving closer to the children. So he decided to let it be.

The girls showed even more interest in the Slimes, whether they were fluffy or feathery; their textures felt wonderful to touch.

Several girls held onto their favorite colored Slimes, unwilling to let go.

The guests were thoroughly engaged, and Peter's meticulously prepared banquet didn't receive much attention. Clearly, the pet animals were more captivating than the 'delicious' black pudding.

The open day was progressing more smoothly than Lorant had anticipated, with everything going on in an orderly manner.

Just as he was sitting in the pavilion, cushioned by a Slime on his waist and holding another one in his arms, dozing off, Lancelot came over and gently lifted the Slime from his lap.

The freed Slime hopped away happily, and Lorant woke up.

"Hmm? What is it, Lancelot? Is there something you need?"

Lancelot pointed towards the distant gate, where two tall knights with golden heads could be seen above the tightly closed wooden doors.

"Lennart has arrived. Do you want to go greet them and accept the gift personally?"