House of Acrex.
They were one of the prominent nobles of the Kingdom of Lecratia. And considered to be among the four major noblemen that was to be the backbone of the kingdom itself.
In ages past, the Acrex Household always produced an exceptional heir and talent in swordsmanship. Even the household itself is renowned, and the land that the Acrex Household owned was called the land of the holy warriors because of its reputation for producing talented knights and warriors.
Nowadays, it still manages to produce talented swordsmen, but the most proud achievement of the Acrex Household was in their own household. The head of the household would always create their feat in the Kingdom's history, achieving something that would make the kingdom proud.
Thus, the Acrex Household has become stricter in training its descendants as they had a legacy to uphold.
Yet the second son, Keiz Acrex, isn't worthy of that family legacy. A stern-looking man was sitting on a chair while looking through some important documents. Erion Acrex, the current head of the Acrex Household and father of Keiz Acrex, had finished looking through the document and replied in a disappointed voice.
"I see that you've successfully attained your blessing skills. And it's monster tame skill according to the priest that initiates your blessings."
"Yes, Father, it is indeed a monster-taming skill and-"
"What an utter disappointment you are, not only is your swordsmanship lacking… your blessing skill is not something to be proud of either."
"...It might not look like something, but with this skill, I think I could tame a mighty beast and become a knight who uses it. A beast knight."
"Even if you say so, my child, you're not able to become a beast knight... Let alone tame a mighty beast or monster. According to what I read from the priest's detailed description of your blessing skills, your taming mana would only let you contract one lowly tier-rank monster or beast."
After remembering the priest's words, Keiz remembered that the priest mentioned one low-ranking monster. As he was blessed with Low Grade Monster Taming Skill.
"... But still! Low-rank monster or beast means I could tame something like a wolf or-"
"Do you even understand what a low-rank monster is?" Erion paused as he looked with disappointment as he uttered what it meant, "It's equal to nothing, monster like slime and beast? Certainly not a beast but more to anime like a rabbit."
Keiz was too startled to even say anything after hearing what his father just said.
He had thought that a low-ranking monster meant something that could be used in a fight. But it was wrong because he always heard the soldier mentioning goblins or wolves to be low-rank monsters, weak monsters.
"Was that true? Even you mention that wolf is a low-rank monster to us when I was still a child… so why suddenly you said it wasn't?" Keiz asked his father.
"There's nothing wrong with what I said, a wolf indeed is a low-rank monster, but that only applies when you're fighting with it. Monster taming has a rather different tier of measuring monster ranking… but I supposed you don't know about it."
Erion sighed as he explained the difference between a low-rank monster in a fight and a low-rank monster for a person who has monster taming skills.
"A wolf, for example is a low-rank monster in a fight, but in terms of tamer perspective, the wolf is a middle-tier monster. As the wolf itself have a potential to grow and evolved into something stronger. But a low-rank monster wouldn't do that, as they wouldn't be able to get any stronger. Thus, making them the lowest tier-rank."
"I see..."
Keiz felt like his future had turned bleak as he didn't know that there was a difference in ranking a monster based on a tamer perspective and a fighter perspective.
His father seemed to be able to tell how Keiz felt, and he told his son some good news.
"But even so, you're still my son, and as such I will give you a test to see if your beast-taming skill is worthy to be called a part of the Acrex family."
Keiz smiled after hearing what his father said. His father was going to give him a chance.
"What should I do father?"
"Simple, tame a monster and you will stay a part of this household, but fail to do that and I would kick you out of this house."
"...."
"You have two days to do it, I'll prepare you some money, and you can leave now."
Keiz couldn't help but feel disappointed in his father's test. The test itself was simple, but for someone like him, who didn't have any friends and acquaintances, it was going to be difficult. As he was always train and rarely go outside to meet people.
But he remembered that his father did give him some advice before he left his father room. That was to visit the adventurer guild as they have more knowledge about monsters around the area.
It didn't take long for Keiz to decide what to do. With the money that his father gave, he decided to hire some adventurer to protect him and to find out a good monster to tame. As adventurer are the one who often went into the forest and know some places where monster live.
The next day, Keiz went to the Adventure Guild. The place was bustling with adventurers talking or looking at some request that was being posted. With a well equip armor and weapon that he had just recently bought. everyone be looking at him as the things that he had equip is rather new and expensive.
After spending 1/3 of his money to buy some high-quality sword, and a good quality armor that made out of silver wolfs skin.
As he walked toward the receptionist desk, all eyes were on him.
"I want to hire someone to guide me in the forest to find a good monster."
Keiz said after reaching the receptionist table.
"Hmmm... Do you have any adventurer license?"
"No I don't and I am not planning on registering, I am here to hire some adventurer as a guide to help me find a perfect monster."
"I see, so its a request? But I am a little bit confuse, finding a perfect monster? You mean finding a monster to tame?"
"Yes, that's what I meant. Is that even possible?"
"Well it is not impossible. But for that you would need an adventurer who knows some area where monster live, and I believe there are some people who fit that requirement. Let me check the adventurer profile."
But before the receptionist could even do that. Three men approach the front desk and decided to volunteer themselves for that job.
"Yo boss, we heard what you just say, we have a good ear to hear that you're hiring someone to guide you in the forest to find a good monster. You could hire us for that."
The one who was talking was a man with brown hair, the man himself was rather tall, with his muscle that bulge up and down, and with that muscle alone, Keiz knew the man in front of him was a warrior.
The receptionist looked at Keiz and said, "They are the one that I am thinking about, they often went into the forest and they know some area where monster live."
Keiz nodded and look at the three men in front of him, "Who are you exactly?"
"I'm sorry for not introducing ourselves, I'm Avin, a warrior. And those two are my friend, Cian, a thief and Keska, a wizard. And together we formed a party called the 'Red Lion'.
"I see, and do you know some place where I could find some good monster?"
"Of course, boss, we know some places, but it would depend on what kind of monster that you are looking for."
"I want a monster that could grow stronger, but it seems like I could only tame a low-rank monster."
After hearing what Keiz said, the three men were stunned for a while, and then they laughed loudly.
"Ho ho ho, so you're a monster tamer? I'm sorry for laughing just now, it's just I didn't expect that we would get such an interesting quest."
"Why did you think so?"
"Well, it is because your equipment, I don't see any equipment that a monster tamer usually wears."
Keiz smiled wryly after hearing what Avin said. The reason why he didn't wear any monster tamer accessories was that he didn't know anything about them, and thus, he didn't even bother asking.
"Well, it's up to you to believe me or not, I just need someone who could take me to some place where I could find a good monster."
"No, no, we believe you, and we don't mind guiding you, but this quest will be quite expensive; we need 50 silver coins per day. If you are okay with that, then we can go right now."
"Alright, I'm fine with that price, let's go right now."
Keiz handed the money to the receptionist to submit the quest officially, and then he followed behind Avin and his team as they walked toward the door.