"Achoo—"
Asher let out a big sneeze.
The Little Raven, Cat-Worm, Little White Snake, and Little Jellyfish that had been around him scattered in an instant.
Especially the Little Raven.
As if it feared it wouldn't fly fast enough, Asher's spit was about to land on its feathers.
When Asher recovered, he squinted his eyes.
"Disgusted by me?", Asher looked at the Little Raven and the others with an unfriendly gaze.
The Little Jellyfish contracted a few times and quickly landed on Asher's head.
As if what just happened was just a dream.
The other three pet beasts looked at the Little Jellyfish with eyes full of shock.
As if saying: 'You traitor!'
The Cat-Worm and the Little White Snake looked at each other.
Two pairs of completely different styles of golden and messy eyes met, and they instantly understood each other's thoughts.
'It's okay!'
'We don't have fur!'
'Scales aren't that easy to get dirty!'
So…
In the blink of an eye, the Little Raven realized it had become the only one left alone.
Little Raven: "?"
Little Raven: "!"
Little Raven was shocked.
Its pair of golden-red pupils widened as if they were about to shoot flames.
Asher didn't let the Little Raven go, continuing to stare at it with an unfriendly gaze.
Unwilling to surrender, the Little Raven paused for a second.
And then decisively made a decision, without looking back, it flew straight toward the Angel.
'Angel, save me!'
'This is my last hope!'
Metal sphere Angel: "..."
Just as the Little Raven was about to hide behind it, the Angel mercilessly moved its body away under the Little Raven's shocked and disbelieving gaze.
Letting Asher's evil big hand grab the Little Raven.
Held in his palm, he ravaged it back and forth.
The Little Raven's wings drooped, looking very depressed.
From time to time, it cast a look at Angel, as if looking at some special breed of heartbreaker.
Asher, who just meant it as a joke, couldn't help but want to laugh even louder seeing this.
The Little Raven like this really was amusing.
Asher smiled and rubbed the little tuft of hair on top of the Little Raven's head.
"The weather's nice today, let's all take a bath together," Asher made the decision.
The Little Raven's previously disappointed eyes instantly lit up.
'A bath?'
'Great!'
'Bird loves bathing the most!'
What?
Didn't you just say you didn't like the Beastmaster?
Bah!
That was bird talk lies.
Bird loves Beastmaster the most.
Asher wasn't surprised at all by the Little Raven's face-turn speed.
'Hmm, my bird is just such a pragmatic pet.'
Compared to the happy Little Raven, the Cat-Worm on the side had already raised its six little legs, trying to sneak away tiptoedly.
"Little Raven, go," Asher immediately let go of the Little Raven and commanded it to launch an attack on the Cat-Worm.
Cat-Worm: !!!
Cat-Worm flared its scales.
'Run! Run!'
'I must run now!'
'Or I really won't be able to escape!'
Unfortunately, the Cat-Worm was one step too slow, pinned by the Little Raven's claw on the scruff of its neck, and rubbed hard on the ground.
Little Raven: 'Feeling great!'
All the gloom disappeared completely.
The Little White Snake and Little Jellyfish clapped happily on the side… well, not really, neither of them has the function to clap.
Anyway, they looked very pleased watching it.
Then Asher's gaze swept across the Angel.
He noticed the Angel's eyes seemed to be shining with an especially peculiar light.
Asher: "?"
A not-so-good association suddenly popped into Asher's mind.
'Uh… doing this shouldn't be corrupting the Angel, right?'
'No way.'
'Definitely not.'
The Angel's personality is still quite decent.
Asher subconsciously brushed aside the little dark quirks the Angel had resumed after getting a body.
He took the few pet beasts and began the not-so-hard, not-so-easy bath time journey.
Even the Angel was included.
As long as it would eventually live in Asher's mental sea beast space, none could escape.
When Charlotte arrived, she saw just such a scene.
Inside the institute's semi-open sunroom, Asher's pet beasts, some looked like they were enjoying it, some soaking in water as if back in their happy hometowns, others were struggling and jumping to dodge.
"Hmm?"
Even while bathing the pets, Asher wasn't completely inattentive.
For instance, he noticed the person standing not far away.
With sleeves rolled to the upper arms, pant legs rolled high, holding a hose, Asher, whose expression didn't look gentle at all, looked toward the doorway.
"Ms. Charlotte?"
"What brings you here?"
Seeing it was Charlotte, Asher looked surprised.
'What business does Charlotte have coming to me now?'
The recent events flashed through Asher's mind.
In the end, he figured it was most likely about the Heart of Machinery.
Before Asher could speak.
He suddenly sensed the Cat-Worm he had finally caught was trying to escape again.
Asher quickly increased the strength of his grip.
"My matter's not urgent, it's a private commission," Charlotte folded her arms, her face wore a lazy expression, rare for her to appear this relaxed.
Asher understood, "Double Glory Festival break?"
"Mhm-hmm," Charlotte let out a soft hum.
"That's right."
"Double Glory Festival is a glorious holiday, even the Beast Tamer Alliance has to take a break."
"Thank the ancestors, thank the martyrs."
If Charlotte had a religion, Asher felt he'd have heard an "Amen" just now.
'Ahem!'
Asher glanced around beside Charlotte, curious, "Miss Jasmine? Why didn't she come with you?"
Charlotte raised her brows and looked at Asher with a gossiping gaze and tone.
"Hehehe."
"I knew it."
"You kid definitely have a thing for—"
"Stop," Before Charlotte could finish, Asher put down the hose and made a pause gesture at her.
Charlotte: "?"
"I see Miss Jasmine as a friend, just like you," As he spoke, Asher picked up the hose again.
In the Cat-Worm's eyes, which quickly changed from joy to horror, he heartlessly turned on the water.
"Eek—"
The Cat-Worm's shrill scream echoed endlessly.
Resounded through the rafters.
Asher showed no emotion.
Unmoved.
He paused the conversation with Charlotte, lowered his head to look at the little creature.
"Scream all you want. Even if you scream yourself hoarse, no one or beast will come to save you," The sinister look on Asher's face made him look like a supervillain.
Desperate Cat-Worm: o(╥﹏╥)o
'Waaaah!"
It was about to cry its eyes dry.
But though Asher's actions looked rough, they were actually very gentle.
He paid full attention to the Cat-Worm's comfort and experience.
Aside from the Cat-Worm screaming without honor, Asher's actions didn't make it uncomfortable.
Carefully rinsing the scales on the Cat-Worm's body.
Especially the gaps between the scales.
Usually tightly closed, wind couldn't even get through.
But today, Asher forcibly pried them open and gave them a deep clean.
Didn't know when it wasn't cleaned.
Once cleaned…
Asher's face darkened.
It wasn't his illusion.
The scales on the Cat-Worm's body were now several shades brighter.
Which meant, before this, the Cat-Worm had been filthy.
"Suddenly I feel, having such a dirty pet living in my mental sea beast space, yet I didn't get sick, my body is seriously amazing."
Charlotte, still standing nearby, couldn't help laughing.
"Beast Tamers usually have great physical fitness."
"Like me, working overtime day and night, have you ever seen me get sick?", Charlotte spread her hands.
Using herself as a live example.
Asher: "…"
No comeback.
Because damn, that's really the truth.
Just like Charlotte said.
During her holiday private commission, not urgent at all, she folded her arms and comfortably watched Asher scrub all his pet beasts.
Among them, the Cat-Worm put up the most resistance.
Asher's other pets were pretty well-behaved.
The Little White Snake and Little Jellyfish, one a water-type, one a marine species, weren't averse to water flow.
Though the Little Raven was a bit resistant.
But once it thought it could look pretty after bathing, it stopped complaining.
Temporary tolerance and minor discomfort.
In exchange for beauty boost.
'Totally worth it!'
'Bird's doing it!'
———
After the bath.
Asher wiped each of them dry one by one.
Then applied oils that made feathers and scales more vibrant and glossy.
From Little Raven to Cat-Worm, then to Little White Snake.
All went smoothly.
The three pet beasts were now glittering under the sunlight.
Facing the Little Jellyfish… Asher and it stared at each other.
Asher: O.o
Little jellyfish: o.O
"I'll apply some moisturizer for you," Finally, Asher pounded his left fist on his right palm and made a decision.
Little jellyfish: "Gulu!"
'No problem!'
Seeing Asher had tidied up all the pet beasts.
Charlotte was just about to approach.
But caught the exact moment Asher rubbed his palms and reached toward the nearby Angel with devilish hands.
Charlotte: "?"
Charlotte: "!"
Understanding what Asher wanted to do, Charlotte's eyes widened in shock.
'…No way?'
'Can mechanical-type pet beasts take baths?'
'Won't water cause them to crash?'
Charlotte's previously relaxed brain began spinning at high speed, countless consequences and impacts flashed through her mind.
"Though… I think you misunderstood me," Asher glanced at the almost-smoking Charlotte and said helplessly.
Charlotte, serious expression, "I don't think I misunderstood."
"I think you did," Asher replied grumpily.
No further explanation.
Right in front of Charlotte, Asher quickly moved his hands.
Operation-wise, Charlotte only felt like it happened in a blink.
She didn't even see how Asher did it.
She only saw a bunch of parts big and small suddenly dismantled from what had been a seamless Angel.
Charlotte: "?"
A giant row of question marks floated above Charlotte's head.
"No?", Charlotte's beautiful eyes widened, and her trembling finger pointed at Asher, "Are you performing magic?"
How else could he produce so many weird-shaped parts?
Charlotte even began to doubt.
Did Asher really have the skill to reassemble these parts?
A very serious question.
But since Asher dared to act, it showed he was confident in himself.
After cleaning the parts and areas a bit, Asher performed an oil-maintenance.
Finally reassembled the Angel.
The whole process seemed effortless for Asher.
Charlotte sighed in relief.
It was then she realized, her back was soaked in sweat.
"This really is…", Charlotte sighed, "I'm not sure I still want to entrust you with something."
"Your style is just…"
'Shocking.'
Charlotte doubted her decision again.
After the bath situation was resolved.
Asher didn't take Charlotte back indoors. Instead, he tidied the semi-open sunroom.
Put away the bath and maintenance stuff.
Directed the Angel to help move out a small round table and two chairs.
Asher sat down with a bunch of pet beasts.
Charlotte sat across without hesitation.
"Jasmine originally wanted to come with me, but…", Charlotte picked up the cup on the table.
Took a sip and was surprised.
'Not tea?'
'It is sweet and sour juice?'
Although she'd never encountered such a host before, offering juice instead of tea. But thinking of Asher's age, Charlotte nodded.
'Alright, it's understandable.'
Besides, the juice tasted pretty good, probably made with specially bred fruits.
Thinking this, Charlotte took another sip and looked more relaxed.
"Her younger brother just got back on break from abroad, clingy as hell, so she didn't have time to come with me," Charlotte said while giving Asher a strange look.
Asher: "?"
Asher didn't think too much.
Directly brought the conversation back on track.
"What private commission?"
"Tell me about it."
"Given our relationship, I might give you a discount."
This time it was Charlotte's turn to roll her eyes at Asher.
"I haven't even said anything yet and you already think I want something?"
"What happened to trust between people?"
Asher looked at Charlotte with a soulful gaze.
And continued staring.
Charlotte: "…"
Finally, under Charlotte's almost buckling gaze, Asher retracted his stare.
And said, "What do you think?"
From the moment Charlotte called him "Omnipotent Asher", their already fragile trust was shattered completely.
Gone.
Guilty Charlotte: "…"
Looked everywhere but at Asher.
"Ahem, let's not talk about that, not important."
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