Outside the southern walls of Appletown, Martha's cottage.

Martha was no longer wearing the spring dress as her jet-black hair cascaded down her pauldron-covered shoulders. She was clad in full-plated armor that was fitted to perfection. It wasn’t too tight on her chest, as her curves were artistically outlined with obsidian engravings.

She slid a two-meter longsword off its sheath, observing its design along with the reflection of her auburn eyes and beautifully curved brows. Her pupils turned hollow for a split second before shining with a dangerous glint. With a sigh, her expression eased as she slid her longsword back before fastening the scabbard around her waist.

As a woman and garrison commander, her responsibilities are second only to those of the town mayor, but this does not mean she lacks privileges. One of which is that she can choose when to clock in or out as long as there is nothing threatening going on that damages the town or its people.

This was a new labor law that the mayor passed on to its townspeople, as it was proven to increase work satisfaction with only minor repercussions. For instance, all might be tardy; that's why the improved version of the law can only be applied to the best in their fields.

Knowing that the bandits might become active again soon, she hired recruits, whose training was already assigned to her vice commander. She was a little guilty about leaving all the menial work to him, but as long as she could guard this part of the forest, she could still fulfill her job.

There was another guardian who was slightly weaker than her, stationed on the eastern side of the town, who was positioned to deter a few animal stragglers if they managed to reach this far behind the Balintuwang trees.

Even she, the garrison commander, couldn't understand what was so magical about those, but she welcomed it as long as the town would be safer.

Lucy already had a spare key with her, but she always forgets it sometimes. After discovering Lucy’s key was safe inside the house, Martha sighed internally.

I’ll just have to hide it under the rug again, she thought as she eyed the forgotten key.

She quickly checked the different windows and back door to make sure they were all locked, and with a nod, she went out to the front.

With her body clad in armor, she came out of the front door and finished locking up. She was turning around but stopped halfway as her head slowly looked behind her as if she were listening intently.

Her expression gradually morphed, creasing her brow as she quickly went around the cottage, jumped across the three-meter-wide river, and sprinted towards the forest, vanishing behind the sea of trees.

…

Lucy and Ash were about to reach the hunter's encampment. Apart from Bert and the old man, they didn’t encounter another hunter on their way back.

They must be hunting deeper into the woods, Ash thought as he overtook Lucy to ask her something.

Hey, Lucy! Didn’t you just hear those trees falling near the mountain?

Arf! Arf! Woof? Ash was being rowdy as they were finally out of the dangerous part of town. He couldn’t risk barking deeper in the forest.

The young woman wasn’t fazed and just smiled in return as she replied, “Ash, you know, sometimes I wish I could just understand you. I always wonder what it’s like to talk to you, and maybe we can argue about a lot of things.”

“And we would have competition, and I know that I’ll win.”

Yeah, right. Keep dreaming, he replied while making sure his paws wouldn’t bump into each other. He has almost mastered the walking with four feet thing.

Arf. Arf!

“I know, right?”

Despite their enthusiasm about conversing, he knows that Lucy will never understand him. It was better than how others had treated him, and honestly, he couldn’t blame them.

He was an introvert in his previous life, but being forced into the body of a canine, it wasn’t that hard for him to adjust. If he were alone while being subjected to another body, he wouldn’t survive alone in that place.

If it wasn’t for her, maybe I could’ve gone crazy or died when I couldn't get a grip, he thought as he gazed at her intently, but suddenly, he squinted his eyes.

Or maybe I have already attained my first class of advancement.

Despite his reluctance to stay, she does somehow get his thoughts sometimes, which means a lot for Ash.

The old Ash would’ve been delighted to be with her now. Tsk, I don’t want to carry this burden, Ash thought as he gazed to the front. He could already see the encampment as white smoke billowed behind the last tree before the tents became visible.

Suddenly, the leaves in the canopy over them rattled as the ground shook.

Rumble…

Both of them stopped in their tracks as they felt a slight tremor. The leaves rustled around them as a few birds took flight in the distance. The tremor quickly subsided as everything gradually became still.

Suddenly, away from their vision, something had fallen overhead and bumped into Ash's small head.

Oof!

Arf!

Lucy turned around to see what was going on, only to see Ash almost stumbling down to regain balance as he shook his head.

Brrr! What did I get hit by!? He thought as he darted his eyes on the ground.

A few inches away from him, a small mushroom with a blue and white cap was lying on the ground. It appeared to be plucked from the ground.

Did I just get hit with a mushroom? Ash thought as he glanced upwards and saw the canopy.

He couldn't find any possible origin the mushroom might have fallen from.

When he lowered his eyes, he found Lucy looking at the mushroom. She was about to pick it up, but Ash blocked her way, unwilling to let her take the risk.

Let me.

Arf. Ash barked with a matter-of-factly tone.

“Heh heh. Okay,” Lucy just chuckled as she retracted her hand.

Ash turned around and scrutinized the little thing. His snout approached inch by inch, instinctually smelling it first.

Sniff-sniff.

Kyuu! It immediately emitted a quiet yet high-pitched squeak as it latched itself into Ash’s snout!

What the!? Get off you!

Arf!? Woof! Woof!”

Kyuu!

Ash thrashed around, trying to take the mushroom off. Lucy laughed as she witnessed Ash’s antics.

"Now, Ash, be nice to each other," she said amidst chuckles.

Ash stopped for a moment before gaining his cool. He gazed at the mushroom stuck in front of him and used 'Identify.'

_____________________

Blue Mushroom

Level 9 Fae

Health: 30/30

_____________________

A mushroom monster!? Ash was bewildered as to why such a thing could fall off from above. As he was debating what to do with it, Lucy reached out.

“Hey there, little guy. Can you let go of my friend for a moment?” Lucy said in a soft tone.

Kyu! But the tiny mushroom didn’t let go as it sprouted tiny arms and stubby little legs and held on even tighter as Ash tried to wiggle it off somehow.

_____________________

Mushroom Fae wants to be your pet. Do you want to accept him as your pet? [Y/N]

_____________________

What? Is this your strategy to survive? You're my exp!

Arf! Arf! Arf! Ash shook his head wildly as he continued barking.

Brrrr! Nothing’s working! He exclaimed internally as he began to plow his snout into the grassy terrain.

His eyes teared for a bit because of all the friction he was experiencing and finally stopped when he was about to bump into a tree.

His eyes were focused on his nose, and he found that there was no longer a mushroom there.

He turned around and darted his eyes, looking for the small mushroom.

Where is it? Where is it!?

“Haha.” Lucy chuckled for a moment until Ash noticed where she was looking. He turned his body around but found nothing. That’s when he finally noticed he felt a tad heavier.

This time he tilted his head around and found the mushroom with small hands and feet, gripping on his white fur tightly.

It saw him looking at it. Its black and beady eyes sparked as one of its hands released the grip and waved at him, Kyuu!

Ash’s eyes sparked back, but they said something entirely different.

Free Exp!!!

Awoo!

Arkf! He tried to gobble it, but he missed.

His tongue came out as he was about to bite it a second time, but Lucy immediately took it off Ash’s back and held it gently inside her palms. With her fingers acting as prison bars, it was reaching its hand out, attempting to hold on to Ash.

Kyuuu~

Lucy held it up to her eye level and found the little creature adorable. She made sure she wasn’t hurting it and said, “Hey there little guy. Let’s wait for him to calm down a bit, shall we? I'm not the bad guy here.”

She hid it around her body halfway as she looked at the dog below.

Hey, Lucy! Give that back to me! It’s my free exp!

Arf! Arf! Arf! Ash barked with his tail wagging in full throttle behind him. He was worried for a bit about where he could find weak monsters to farm, but it came raining down on him. The only thing left to do is to find the rest of it.

“Hmmm, I don’t know Ash. You don’t look like you’re responsible enough to take care of a pet,” Lucy stated as she slowly started to walk again, passing the now-deserted hunter encampment.

Ash was frozen for a moment, looking offended, before quickly following behind Lucy.

What do you mean by a pet? That’s going to be my ticket to a class change! Now give it to me!

Oof!

Arf!

Ash bumped behind the young woman’s leather shoes as she stopped abruptly.

A woman was standing—blocking their path with a determined gaze. She has auburn eyes and beautiful jet-black hair cascading down her armored chest. She was three to four inches taller than Lucy, making her the tall woman that some might want.

Martha, clad in her full armor, was standing in front of them.

“Teacher! What are you doing here? I already gathered enough herbs for Doctor Kolver, see? ” Lucy turned her hip towards Martha, showing the full capacity of the container she brought.

Martha glanced at it for a moment, then gazed at the mushroom Lucy was holding and said, “What’s that?”

“Ugh… this? This is Ash’s pet. Right Ash?” Lucy turned to him for confirmation.

You’re taking advantage of me because I can’t talk!?

Arf! Martha gazed at him with spite and flinched for a second. Now that he could take a look at her behind Lucy's legs, he was amazed by how majestic Martha looked. She was like a war general read for battle.

“See!?” Which Lucy had mistaken for nodding. Or she could just be winging it to have her way.

Martha was silent for a moment before pressing, giving them a direction. “Just head towards Dr. Kolver for the day. Wait for me there. Or you could go and visit Sarah if you want. Go. Now.”

Without another word, Martha immediately dashed away as she blurred from the duo’s vision.

The small white dog looked conflicted for some reason.

I don't know if I would be in awe of how well she looked in armor or irritated by how she thought so little of me. Ash thought internally as he was lost in thought.

Lucy turned her body around and found out that Martha was nowhere in sight before lifting a leg for a kick and saying, “Yes! Ash. Let’s go!” She quickly tiptoed out of the scene.

What!? How did that work? Hey, don’t keep that thing. That’s my EXP! Ash was still in a daze about how cool Martha looked in her garrison commander armor and was baffled at how Lucy got away so easily.

Even I wouldn’t have been allowed to have a pet that easily back then. Hey! Where are you going to come back here with my exp!

Arf! Arf! Arf! Ash berated her as he struggled to catch up.

“Hahaha!” Lucy just laughed at his expense.

Kyuu!!! The tiny mushroom doesn’t know what’s going on but is happy to cheer them on. It smiled up until the three of them reached Dr. Kolver’s front door.

On the way, they could see a few guards converging towards the southern walls.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Dr. Kolver, we're here!” Lucy screamed.

Meanwhile…

Ash was gasping for air just a couple of meters behind her. He took a couple more steps before being completely out of gas and toppling over.

Flop.

While waiting for the door to answer, Lucy turned back and found Ash sprawled behind her. Her eyes curled, and she released a friendly but mocking glint.

“You’re out of shape, you should train more!”

Kyuu, the tiny mushroom squeakily backed Lucy.

Urgh! This world-gasp! is too big-gasp! for me... Sigh. You win this time. That is all Ash could say internally.

[Mushroom Fae is accepted as a pet. Would you like to give it a name? __I_________ ]

A translucent screen popped up in front of him, and it was even reoriented to suit his current perspective. Ash looked shocked while gazing at the blinking “I” icon.

I don't think that it's cute, or I would like to have it! That’s not what I meant, stupid system!