"Heek, heek."
"Not now…" Logan mumbled.
"Heek."
"Just a little more…" he pleaded.
"HeeeeeK!"
Dragging the pillow over his head, Logan tried to muffle the noise of the persistent creature pecking at his forehead.
Beside the bed, a small falcon stood proudly, fixing its sharp gaze on its master.
[Food. More bugs. More!] the bird's mental voice demanded.
"Alright, alright! Let me get up first, Zephyr…" Logan sighed, pushing himself upright. He rubbed his eyes and let out a loud yawn.
Glancing around the room in mild confusion, the memories of yesterday returned. "Oh yeah… I stayed at the Rosengard mansion."
His eyes shifted to his majestic Everwind Falcon Zephyr who, like his former Scorchwyrm, had undergone a dramatic transformation. The events of the previous day played vividly in his mind.
When they returned from shopping the day before, they were greeted by the Earl, eager to see Logan's newest tame. Fortunately, Chloe chose to head back to the castle soon after their arrival at the Rosengard Estate, sparing them the trouble of hiding Logan's taming abilities.
The sun was already setting, giving Rubina, Logan, and the Earl just enough time to feed the small chick the same way they had with the Scorchwyrm. Battle Ants were brought out to help him gain levels. Being a few days older than Logan's other tamed creatures seemed to give the young falcon an edge he used small wind blades with surprising ease, flapping his wings to slice the insects into pieces before eating them.
In less than half an hour, the chick had evolved into his adult form a magnificent bird that radiated both regal beauty and the commanding presence of one of the sky's apex predators.
Logan could still recall Earl Victor's words about his new tamed beast.
His sleek build was designed for unmatched speed in the skies. Large wings and an aerodynamic frame let him slice through the air with ease, and when channeling wind magic, he could fly even faster cutting down any prey or foe he set his sights on.
Logan couldn't remember everything else the Earl had said, but he was grateful for being allowed to keep this new tame without cost. The boy was genuinely happy with his new companion.
At only fifteen centimeters tall, the falcon was still small, but his cheerful temperament, unchanged from his chickhood, made Logan like him all the more.
He still wished his fiery, hot-blooded salamander had the same attitude.
Sadly, that seemed impossible.
Shaking off his thoughts, Logan began planning how to start his morning, only to notice that his personal maid, Ruri, had arrived at the Rosengard mansion from the castle inn.
The bird had beaten her at waking him, but she entered moments later, the door swinging open as she stepped in with her arms full of freshly made clothes.
"Master Logan, I've brought you some clothes, made especially for you. This is one of several sets I had the castle's tailors prepare," she said, her tone edged with a trace of anger. "Oh, and I've already thanked the Earl for notifying me about your… absence," she added, her voice carrying a thin layer of sarcasm.
"I'm sorry, Ruri. Everything happened so fast," Logan said, guilt creeping into his voice as he realized he had completely forgotten about her in all the chaos.
"It's fine, Master. Just… at least send word that you're safe," she replied, her voice softening though the frustration lingered. "The Earl said it would be fine for me to come along whenever you plan to stay over."
Logan considered his mistake and how he might make it up to her.
He slowly began to value Ruri's dedication, a pang of guilt settling in as he thought about the worry he had caused. Just a few days ago, no one relied on him enough or cared enough to trouble themselves by coming to a stranger's home just to check on him.
The morning passed quickly. He changed into clothes that finally fit: a dark tunic with gold accents, a black cloak he appreciated, and matching dark pants with the same silk-like texture as the tunic.
It was a comfortable set, and he silently thanked Ruri for it. She had even brought him a new handmade beanie, which he immediately liked.
Joining Rubina and the Earl for a quick breakfast, he could sense everyone's eagerness to get started.
With only a few days to train his tames before his instructor arrived, Logan would need to make use of the castle's training facilities like the others.
"So, let's go over today's plan again," the Earl began. "You'll be heading to Beastclaw Forest, north of here. There should be a good number of small beasts to fight. Remember, everything there is fair game, so store whatever you hunt. The pelts and meat will sell well in town; fresh game is always in demand."
"If I remember right, that forest is only for nobles or royalty. Don't you have to pay quite a bit to hunt there?" Rubina asked her father.
"That's correct," the Earl said with a nod. "Beastclaw Forest is indeed reserved for nobles and royalty, and the hunting fees are steep. However, Logan is a hero, and the castle knows we're backing him. Besides, the young lady from the Amberstone family will most likely be accompanying you both."
"Now then, you should both get ready. Remember, you'll need to be fully armored there's nowhere to change once you get there. Logan, let your monsters handle the fighting for now. Keep them at range and prioritize their safety. That should be all. Go on now," the Earl said, wiping his mouth while still enjoying his dessert.
The two youths had finished their meal long before and had only been waiting for his final instructions.
Thankful to have his maid's help in putting on his new armor, Logan soon set out with Rubina, who wore a dark, fitted combat outfit. The sleek design offered both protection and ease of movement.
Logan's gaze lingered briefly on her attire before he forced his eyes upward. "So… where should we meet Chloe?"
"She should be here any moment—" Rubina began, but stopped in surprise when Chloe appeared just as her name was mentioned. "As if on cue… don't tell me you were waiting for us to say your name."
"Well, I've been out here for a while already. I didn't want to be late like yesterday and get left behind," Chloe admitted.
"You know… You could have knocked, and we would have received you like any other guest," Rubina said, her tone edged with exasperation.
"It seems you didn't take to my presence yesterday, so I tried not to intrude on your time with the hero… Anyway, greetings to you, Hero Logan, and Miss Rubina," the brown-haired girl said. Her knightly stance and serious expression made it clear she wanted to be seen purely as a bodyguard.
Logan noticed Chloe was even more dutiful today, taking her role seriously and keeping her emotions out of her work. She maintained the same distance as yesterday, showing she still didn't fully trust either Rubina or him. It didn't bother Logan much; he just wanted to leave, as midday was fast approaching.
"Oh, and don't worry about me disturbing you both in the carriage. I've brought my mount today." Chloe gestured toward a large, chicken-like creature that shook its body to settle its feathers. It looked harmless enough, but Logan had no intention of getting too close.
"That's a nice Breeze Roc. We have a few, but yours looks more agile, must be military-bred," Rubina remarked, admiring the bird's sleek frame and impressive plumage.
"Yeah, she's one of my family's best. Now then, I've heard we'll be heading into Beastclaw Forest. Just remember, we shouldn't cross the river that's Stone Grizzel territory," Chloe warned, her tone sharp with caution.
Logan nodded, taking the warning to heart. "Got it. We'll steer clear of the river and stick to safe hunting grounds."
Rubina added, "Good. Grizzel territory is nothing to take lightly; those beasts usually attack in groups."
With the group ready, they set out in a lighter, standard carriage, knowing it would handle the rough terrain better than a heavier one. The bumpy ride was, as always, to Logan's distaste; his only relief came from the pink potions he'd brought along to steady himself.
Two hours into the journey, the carriage halted at a patrol checkpoint.
A brief exchange from Chloe was all it took to get them waved through without question.
Another thirty minutes later, they reached a point where the road ended entirely; vines, thick tree trunks, and dense undergrowth made it impossible for either the carriage or Chloe's large feathered mount to continue.
With unsteady steps, Logan climbed down, earning a laugh from Rubina.
Ignoring her amusement, he took a long, deep breath, letting the fresh forest air clear his lungs.
"I really need to request suspension systems…" he muttered, reaching under a cloak to pull out the feathered beast that had been napping there.
The small falcon perked up instantly at the sight of the open sky and launched into the air with a burst of energy.
Watching Zephyr's joy in flight, Logan's thoughts drifted to his Scorchwyrm, left behind for secrecy's sake.
He had been warned that tamers could only have a maximum of ten tamed beasts in their lifetime, yet at level two, he already had four. From the looks of it, he could probably increase that limit by one with each level gained.
[Master, master prey! Food!]
Before Logan could call his ball of feathers back, Zephyr had already begun his day's hunt, diving at incredible speed toward small creatures darting through the underbrush.