THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

We go outside the smithy and then take the road right beside it. the building next to it is really wide. The other end of it is nearly fifty meters away. There are several entrances and most of them are big enough to let even four horses enter at the same time.

"Let's go."

"Okay."

We enter the building, and there are several boxes aligned inside. The boces are really big. Each of them is slightly bigger than a bedroom. Even for K'nor, it should be enough. At our right, there is a small cabin with a door..

"Wait here." Anriette goes and knocks at the door of the cabin. A man with a fat belly, sweating like a fountain, opens the door. He talks to Anriette while refreshing himself with a fan then I see her handing him some wellis.

She then comes back smiling happily, throttling a bit.

"He is at the end. Box Z3."

"Wait, there is so much space here?"

"Yeah. The pet's house is normally smaller because they are handled by the guild but in Mercuria, it is the eternal academy that uses it for its students so it is way bigger."

"I see." Encyclopedia Anriette has come back for sure.

We walk along the boxes but most of them have horses inside. Though some of them look really impressive, there is a gragora as well. A white one. Wait, K'nor brought back one of those once. Are they possibly rare?

At the end, we find the right box.

"Z3. That's the one." Unlike the other boxes which are opened from everywhere. This one is closed, with no opening anywhere. Why?

"This box is different."

"Yes. Because you haven't registered him as your pet yet. They had to make sure there could be no incident."

"I see."

We open the door of the box and enter it.

"K'n-"

I thought my big guy would be jumping on me as soon as I enter but no, nothing of the sort. The betrayer is instead sleeping. With those two of all people.

"W-w-why a-a-are the he…The heroes here?"

Anriette falls on her butt, her legs shaking. Farner and Excia are gracefully and naively sleeping on K'nor. Like they knew each other for all their life.

"K'nor, you traitor."

***

"And so…what were you doing here?"

"Well…" Five minutes later, the sleepy fairies finally all woke up. I wanted to kick their asses but Anriette prevented me from doing so. She has way too much respect for those thieves.

Farner and Excia are also wearing their uniform. So, I guess they skipped classes.

"We wanted to surprise you?..."

"Ah ah ah, I am so surprised right now."

"What's the problem, anyway? It's not like he is yours alone."

"Excia, you better not open your mouth. I don't even know what you are doing here."

"I am watching out for my sister, and it's none of your business." You just told me, though.

"Yeah, exactly. And I was watching out for your beast. It's a rare beast so people might be interested in it."

"Right. I didn't know heroes could lie as well."

"We aren't lying!!"

"I see that."

"Grr!!! You!!"

"Anyway…" I look at K'nor and he stands up. He silently comes to me, without a sound, his head lowered. So at least, you know.

"I haven't seen you in a few days and you have grown again." I touch his head and indeed, it seems a bit larger. Did he grow or did he just get fatter?

"Woof!!" He raises his head and bark at me, his tail starts waving as well. I knew it, you are the best.

K'nor jumps on me and starts licking my face.

"Yes! Yes!! I know! I missed you too!" When this guy is happy, I don't think even I can handle him.

"Wow."

"So, you can smile after all."

"Hm…I want him to lick me too."

You guys are annoying.

After a minute or two, I stand back up but K'nor's saliva is all over my face. It even wet my uniform a bit.

"So, now that your reunion is over. I can leave, right?" Anriette seems both afraid and frustrated. Why?

"No, wait. You talked about registering K'nor as my pet. How can I do that?"

"Ah, just go to the guild. They will handle it."

"But aren't you part of the guild? Can't you do that?"

"I…I will see what I can do."

"Hm…Okay." What is wrong with her?

Anriette leaves, she looks gloomy. Oh, well, not my problem.

"You are a bigger idiot than I thought."

"Yeah, AN insensitive one at that."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. You find out yourself."

Farner and Excia get angry as well and leave. K'nor and I are alone now.

"You understood anything, K'nor?"

K'nor just whines while looking at me with an interrogative expression.

"Excafol did say that women were impossible to understand."