Chapter 104

Chapter 104

Lorant and Lancelot stood beside each other, observing the riders with satisfaction for a while before walking towards the flower car procession.

For Silem, from birth until now, this was the first time he had been solely responsible for such an important task. Since Lorant told him about it, Silem had been continuously refining his plan in his mind.

He constantly adjusted his plans.

He wanted to show his brother through this celebration that he could share his burdens, that he had grown up and was no longer just a child hiding behind his brother's protection.

With this thought in mind, Silem personally handled almost every detail of the event, from choosing the route for the flower cars to positioning the Windbreaker horses and setting the angles of the display flags. He was involved in every aspect.

Once everything began, the event went much smoother than Silem had anticipated, allowing him to finally relax and ease the tension that had been building up.

Silem, who hadn't eaten all day, waited until the flower car parade ended and the festivities were winding down, leaving only the Windbreaker horse team to worry about. Only then did he find a moment to catch his breath, hiding under a flower car to eat some cold lunch.

"Silem." Lorant found his brother huddled next to a flower car wheel, feeling both heartache and pride as he gently patted his head. "You've worked hard. You did well."

Silem lifted his face happily, not caring about his brother's way of patting him like a Crystal Ice Flame Dog.

"Really? Hehe, it's okay." If Lorant had argued with him, Silem would have protested vigorously, but facing his brother's rare praise, the boy felt a bit embarrassed.

"Of course it's good." Lorant raised an eyebrow, not hesitating to praise his brother.

Kids need strictness when necessary, but also praise when deserved.

"Alright, seeing how well you've done, I'm relieved. So, I'll leave everything here to you. Make sure to handle the next few days properly." Lorant patted his brother's head again, smiling warmly.

Seeing Silem's progress truly surprised Lorant, but it also filled him with pride at how his little brother had grown.

He felt it was time to let go more and give Silem opportunities to develop further.

Flowers in a greenhouse will never possess the resilience of thorns in the wild.

Silem, squatting on the ground with bright eyes, looked even more like a puppy than Little Eight. He nodded seriously upon hearing this.

"Don't worry!"

He sensed the change in his brother's attitude towards him, his face beaming with joy at being recognized.

Lancelot was also pleased with his disciple, who, despite lacking formal recognition, was indeed his actual student. This was the first time Silem had arranged so many things alone, and doing it so smoothly exceeded his expectations.

"You've done well indeed. Keep it up. After this event ends successfully, I'll reward you with that gemstone sword you like so much." Lancelot mimicked Lorant's gesture, patting Silem's head.

Silem was overjoyed, completely unaware that his teacher had become as fond of patting his head as his brother: "Really! It's a deal!"

"Of course, would I lie to you?" Lancelot raised an eyebrow.

The gemstone sword he mentioned was a knight's sword from Lancelot's personal collection, adorned with eighteen different gems, making it incredibly attractive.

Silem fell in love with the sword at first sight and had always adored it.

However, since it was Lancelot's prized possession, Silem never asked for it outright. Instead, he obtained the contact information of the craftsman who made the sword and quietly saved money to buy one himself.

Now, hearing Lancelot's promise, Silem was thrilled.

After all, the sword crafted by a dwarven master was not only expensive but also required a long wait to purchase. When Silem last checked, the waiting list was two years long...

It was comparable to their own animal pet shop.

Lorant glanced at the two of them and didn't object.

In the past, he wouldn't have allowed Silem to receive such an expensive gift.

But now,

Lorant playfully tapped Silem's forehead, smiling as Silem pretended to be pushed back and forth by his finger.

"All you care about are those flashy things!"

Silem chuckled foolishly.

This meant his brother didn't oppose it! His gemstone sword was practically guaranteed!

On one hand, the once exorbitantly priced gemstone sword was no longer a significant burden for Lorant. On the other hand,

since it was Lancelot giving the gift, given their current relationship, Lorant was quite comfortable with this level of exchange.

Holland, as the central city, was indeed bustling. The festive atmosphere brought by the Flower Festival added even more luster to this brightest jewel in the human realm.

Unfortunately, Lorant didn't have much time to appreciate it.

He quickly checked around and, seeing no issues, left with Lancelot via the teleportation array.

In Sakuren's main district, a similar scene was unfolding. The flower car procession organized by Tang En, the chief steward of the Beast Tower, was even grander than in Holland.

Not only did they have the flower car parade and trial rides like in Holland,

but Tang En also secured all the commercial screens throughout Sakuren, broadcasting the event non-stop.

The entire city echoed with the sounds of beast pets. On this day, under the power of gold, the headquarters of the Congress of Magic transformed into a beast pet city.

When Lorant and Lancelot arrived, they saw images of beast pets everywhere.

Tang En's arrangements for various activities were more mature than Silem's.

Most notably, the Windbreaker horse trial rides in Sakuren ended with guests being conveniently dropped off at the Animal Pet Shop's shopping points, providing a seamless service experience.

Here, the "Liuli Bingyan Quan" who stayed behind is Xiao Wu. Upon hearing that a "Liuli Bingyan Quan" was needed, the red-haired witch promptly brought her Xiao Wu to the location.

In Sakuren, the fervor for the Colored Glaze Ice Flame Hounds surpasses that in Holland.

Given the assembly of professionals present and the recent remarkable display by the Liuli Bingyan Quan, comprehension is not a challenge.

Even when the Animal Pet Shop was far away in Mauplan, many mages traveled long distances with their tents to make reservations. Now that the shop has come to Sakuren, there is no reason not to visit.

If one had any doubts before, the current atmosphere might now spur them to make an impulsive purchase without hesitation.

When Lorant and Lancelot arrived in Mauplan, they found it even more bustling. The students from the Knights Academy contributed significantly to the excitement.

As the city of knights, Mauplan's enthusiasm for Windbreaker Horses far surpasses that of the other two cities.

Whether they were apprentice knights or senior knights with their own mounts, all showed immense welcome for these agile creature pets.

The knights maintaining order here were different from those in the other two places.

These knights were specially dispatched by The Knights of the Thorns to assist the Animal Pet Shop. Each rode their own Windbreaker Horse, presenting a magnificent sight as living advertisements.

After shuttling back and forth, Lorant and Lancelot, seeing everything proceeding smoothly, finally returned to the Animal Pet Shop, satisfied.

After a busy day, Lorant returned to the Animal Pet Shop, took a comfortable bath, and fell into a peaceful sleep with the help of the Dream Weaver.

However, the mages in Sakuren did not have such comfort.

The Flower Festival celebration indeed provided them with a completely different experience. The flower parades and various unique creature pets they had never seen before opened their eyes wide.

These self-proclaimed seekers of truth could not resist being drawn in.

Despite their reluctance to queue, they had no choice but to follow others, holding their wide-brimmed mage hats, waiting for a chance to experience the Windbreaker Horses.

The long queues never ceased, and many discovered new curiosities while waiting.

For example, the Flower Root attracted considerable attention.

Given that this was Sakuren, it did not take long for observant mages to notice the unusual "bamboo tubes" tied around the flower carts. Upon reaching the Animal Pet Shop's display area and seeing the Flower Root's guidebook, everyone realized its nature.

It was another creature pet!

Many curious mages picked up some petals spat out by the Flower Roots, holding them for inspection.

Various magical lights flickered among the queue waiting to ride the Windbreaker Horses.

Mages' curiosity knows no bounds, regardless of where they are or what they are doing.

By nightfall, the area around the flower carts became even livelier.

Bamboo lanterns emitted a soft glow, and although tethered to the carts, they freely danced within the length of their ropes, colliding with each other.

These creatures, though not very intelligent, enjoyed their kind and sought to touch each other upon seeing them.

But when two hard bamboos collided, they would bounce off due to mutual force, sometimes giving the illusion that they wanted to shatter each other.

Still, these E-grade creature pets, which Lorant despised, were quite fascinating to those who had never seen creature pets before.

Even watching them collide entertained the mages for hours.

As night deepened, most mages lost their senses under the influence of wine and food at the Flower Festival.

Those who usually cared about their appearance now discarded their pointed hats, ignoring the creases in their once-pristine robes, happily shouting and dancing around the flower carts.

One must commend the dedication of the dance troupe Lorant hired. They maintained high spirits throughout the day, never showing any negativity, smiling warmly and responding enthusiastically whenever someone approached them.

This genuine enthusiasm, amplified by the festive atmosphere, was infectious.

Under their influence, the mages shed their reserve and joined in the dance.

Of course, unnoticed by many, the crowds on the streets gradually thinned.

The sorcerers who had procured Windbreaker Steeds, booked the Lurid Ice Flame Hounds, and taken away the Dream Weavers from the Animal Pet Shop had all made their way back to Sakuren.

These individuals were the ones who had borne witness to the awe-inspiring display of the Liuli Bingyan Quan during the selection event in Sakuren, and had made their home outside the Animal Pet Shop.

Moreover, thanks to the presence of the Dream Weavers, even the most frugal mages chose direct teleportation today, fearing any mishaps during travel.

After all, the Animal Pet Shop had distributed manuals on caring for Dream Weavers, clearly stating that they dislike environmental changes and may become stressed if such changes occur too abruptly, leading to refusal to eat.

Refusal to eat means refusing to weave dreams, an outcome no mage wants.

Therefore, the best approach was to bring them directly home from the Animal Pet Shop and provide a stable environment.

Unless absolutely necessary, they should not be moved even within rooms.

If one wished to travel with a Dream Weaver, there were options.

Either buy an expensive magic tent that can support life even when folded, or risk potential issues due to unstable environments.

At worst, a Dream Weaver might lose its life.

If a Dream Weaver dies because its owner violated any guideline in the care manual, that mage would never again buy anything from the Animal Pet Shop, not even a can of food.

Anyone with a sound mind understands the gravity of this situation.

So by nightfall, Sakuren secretly stirred up a wave of chaos.

Nuo Yi rode his Windbreaker Horse out of Sakuren's town and back to his Mage Tower.

After soothing his Windbreaker Horse and tethering it in the small shed he had prepared beside the Mage Tower, he hurriedly carried his Dream Weaver back to his quarters within the Mage Tower.

Placing his precious Dream Weaver and its exorbitantly priced sleeping nest on his bedside table, Nuo Yi contentedly kissed his fluffy little pet before leaving the room.

Casually calling over an apprentice mage who was left behind to do chores at the Mage Tower, he asked him to fetch his two friends from the street. With a pleasant mood, Nuo Yi returned to tend to his beloved Windbreaker Horse before heading to the rest area of the Mage Tower for a glass of red wine.

Before long, his two friends arrived at the Mage Tower.

Although Nuo Yi didn't give a reason, and although they were reluctant to leave the lively Huazhao Festival, they chose to return to the Mage Tower due to their mutual trust.

"What's up, Nuo Yi? You better have something important, or I'll make you pay for interrupting such an awesome celebration!" As soon as she entered, the female mage Claire, whose robe looked dirty from all the fun she had at the festival, shouted loudly.

"Agreed!" A chubby man beside her smiled and said, "I think that precision magic detection instrument in your lab is pretty good. Nuo Yi, how about lending it to me for a couple of days as compensation?"

The three had been close friends since they first stepped into the realm of mystery, always discussing matters together, truly caring for each other.

Nuo Yi didn't mind; he raised an eyebrow sarcastically. "Huh, compensation? For what?"

"Of course, for ruining our perfect Huazhao Festival celebration!" Claire cast a simple cleaning spell on her robe, making herself look fresh again, then elegantly sat opposite Nuo Yi.

"Exactly! You should have seen it. This year, at the Huazhao Festival, that Blue Star Pet Shop really made things exciting. That float! I absolutely loved it!" The chubby mage Tom nodded in agreement.

"But don't worry, they're supposed to continue the float parade tomorrow. Don't miss it!"

"The Wild Grass Dance Troupe performed all day on the float. My goodness, you must see it. Lady Lawgrass's voice and beauty are gifts from the God of Truth!" Tom clasped his hands together, looking devout.

He looked like a die-hard fan.

"Hearing you talk so enthusiastically, I'm actually intrigued. I'll check it out tomorrow!" Nuo Yi also became interested, mainly because he heard the words 'Blue Star Pet Shop,' which piqued his curiosity.

Definitely not because of the Wild Grass Dance Troupe!

Definitely not!

"But, speaking of which, Tom, if I really do have something important, would you compensate me? And you, Claire? Right?" Nuo Yi shifted the conversation back to the earlier topic.

These two had been eyeing his precision magic detection instrument for quite some time, always looking for any opportunity to use it.

It wasn't that Nuo Yi was stingy about giving his friends some convenience; he just knew them too well. His device had been used extensively in experiments and couldn't be spared. While one or two uses wouldn't hurt, he knew that once he let them have it, he might never see it again.

Everyone was a mad experimenter; who didn't know who?

Claire and Tom exchanged glances, sensing something unusual in Nuo Yi's tone. They chuckled nervously and quickly acted as if nothing was amiss. "Oh, we were just saying. No need to take it seriously."

"Yeah, yeah, tell us what you need now."

Nuo Yi rolled his eyes at his friends. "You two... Anyway, remember when I told you I was going to that pet shop?"

"Oh! Right! I saw the name on the float today and thought it sounded familiar!" Tom suddenly realized. "It was from you!"

"Don't interrupt him, Tom! Go on, Nuo Yi." Claire gave Tom an elbow.

From Nuo Yi's opening remarks, Claire sensed something different. Considering everything she saw today, she felt Nuo Yi might share something important.

"Yes, that 'Blue Star Pet Shop.' Today's float parade was their event, right? You must have seen the Windbreaker Horses too!" Nuo Yi spoke excitedly. "Today, I saw so many Windbreaker Horses in their shop! Some were even top-grade, stunningly beautiful! No one could resist them!"

"Those creatures are a combination of power and beauty..." Talking about the top-grade Windbreaker Horses, Nuo Yi became animated, describing the allure of the pets he saw.

"Finally, I bought a Windbreaker Horse, not top-grade but still beautiful! It's under the Mage Tower. I'll show you later." Nuo Yi licked his dry lips and downed the remaining wine. "I recommend you buy one too!"

Though Nuo Yi rambled, Claire and Tom listened attentively.

Earlier, Claire and Tom had waited in long lines to experience riding a beast pet. Oh, no, a pet, not a beast.

The young knight guiding them repeatedly emphasized that these were not beasts but pets, entirely different entities.

Regardless, Claire was captivated by the feeling of not having to walk or summon skeletons, which drained her mana. These pets were comfortable to ride, unlike her bony carriage, which always felt uncomfortable.

More importantly, they were living beings!

Claire glanced at her Windbreaker Horse and was deeply drawn to its gentle blue eyes.

"Yes! I tried it today, and it was indeed great. It's not too expensive either. I do plan to buy one!" Claire nodded.

"But that's not the main point!" Nuo Yi circled around and finally got to the heart of the matter: "The main point is! That pet shop has another amazing pet!"

He paused dramatically, looking at his friends and gesturing towards his empty wine glass with a smug look.