Chapter 77
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Leon was able to mount the Baku a little easier this time, but as he was still unable to ride by himself, he once again took position behind Tor and placed his hands upon his waist to help stabilise himself. Maimai beside them, had mounted her Piku, who looked back with large, pitiful eyes and a downcast trunk. Maimai's heart instantly weeped for her 'poor' Baku.
"Can we go slowly for a bit," Maimai asked Tor, "my Piku isn't feeling too good."
"No good will come of spoiling the beast," Tor chided, almost coldly.
"I have no idea what you are talking about!" Maimai grumbled and turned her face away from the other with a pout.
"Is it n-not okay?" Leon asked, trying to keep the peace between them. "N-n-not in a hurry n-now, are we?" It was late afternoon, but the Food Hall would not be serving their evening meal for at least another hour and would continue to serve for a short while after that.
"Fine," Tor replied and patted the mane of their mount, who he felt was not happy that he was due to be slowed down again, because of the overweight, pink creature plodding along beside him. Leon watched the gesture and felt the Baku settle somewhat beneath them.
"You are r-really g-g-good with the B-Baku," Leon pointed out as they began to lead the beasts out of the compound. Tor glanced back, slightly startled by Leon's comment, but a slight curve of his lips showed he was not displeased by it.
"I would have liked to have been a beast tamer," Tor admitted, with a slight sigh. Why had he put up with Caprian's unruly behaviour for so long? While it was true that he was a retainer in the other's care, he was also meant to have guided Caprian upon the correct path. That was the expectation placed upon him. But he did not.
"C-could you n-not enrol?" Leon asked. Leo's skills or therefore lack of meant that he was only suitable for the alchemist school, which was not very popular with students, so tended to gather those who were still with some talent, but bottom of the pool regardless. Was Tor's situation the same? Seeing him interact with the Baku, Leon had doubts.
Tor said nothing for a moment, more due to his own thoughts, but ultimately deciding that he owed Caprian nothing at this time. "My family is in the care of Caprian's family, which is an alchemist family," Tor explained. Leon visibly flinched when the name was mentioned, but kept quiet and let Tor continue. "I was expected to serve as an advisor to him in the school. My family are normally martial artists and beast tamers, but Caprian needed more... guidance, so I was forced to learn beside him. Only I did not do well." Leon knew he was speaking of the issue surrounding the bullying, with Caprian throwing his weight around the outer school. "Caprian promised to help me transfer to the beast taming school once he moved to the inner school. He thought being in the inner school would be to gain more comfort and less work. He did not keep his promise."
Maimai could only listen quietly to what they spoke of, she had not enrolled in the same year as these seniors, could not relate. But she felt some sympathy for Tor. She was not suited for alchemy like her sister had proved to be, but as a daughter born of a concubine, even a favoured one, she was expected to stand a step behind her sister and ensure her sister's fortunes.
"I am sorry," Tor blurted out the words he had meant to part with sometime ago. Leo glanced up and glanced into sparkling eyes. "I should have stopped Caprian from near beating you to death, I should have not allowed him to steal yours or any others pills. I should have put my duties before my desires, then maybe..."
"C-c-cooshee."
"What?" Tor spluttered out the questioning word.
Maimai also turned to look and was surprised to see the small pup wagging its cute indigo and white tail and panting happily as it sat in the hood of Tor's cloak. Leon reached out a finger and it nuzzled it and barked. "Aw!" Maimai cooed. "So cute! Can I hold it?" The pup looked at her with piercing eyes, before disdaining her. Leon tried not to snigger over the little one's proud stance.
"Could it be that the pup wants Leo as it's Master?" Tor wondered aloud, unable to see what was occurring behind him, but pulling his mount to a halt. Leon reached up into the hood and carefully scooped the pup from it's nest. The pup instantly turned in Leon's hold and yapped, it's full attention upon Tor.
"N-n-not m-me," Leon replied, cheerfully and Tor finally was able to see the pup with his own two eyes. The pup instantly began wagging its tail hopefully. "Seems it w-wants you."
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Leon was able to mount the Baku a little easier this time, but as he was still unable to ride by himself, he once again took position behind Tor and placed his hands upon his waist to help stabilise himself. Maimai beside them, had mounted her Piku, who looked back with large, pitiful eyes and a downcast trunk. Maimai's heart instantly weeped for her 'poor' Baku.
"Can we go slowly for a bit," Maimai asked Tor, "my Piku isn't feeling too good."
"No good will come of spoiling the beast," Tor chided, almost coldly.
"I have no idea what you are talking about!" Maimai grumbled and turned her face away from the other with a pout.
"Is it n-not okay?" Leon asked, trying to keep the peace between them. "N-n-not in a hurry n-now, are we?" It was late afternoon, but the Food Hall would not be serving their evening meal for at least another hour and would continue to serve for a short while after that.
"Fine," Tor replied and patted the mane of their mount, who he felt was not happy that he was due to be slowed down again, because of the overweight, pink creature plodding along beside him. Leon watched the gesture and felt the Baku settle somewhat beneath them.
"You are r-really g-g-good with the B-Baku," Leon pointed out as they began to lead the beasts out of the compound. Tor glanced back, slightly startled by Leon's comment, but a slight curve of his lips showed he was not displeased by it.
"I would have liked to have been a beast tamer," Tor admitted, with a slight sigh. Why had he put up with Caprian's unruly behaviour for so long? While it was true that he was a retainer in the other's care, he was also meant to have guided Caprian upon the correct path. That was the expectation placed upon him. But he did not.
"C-could you n-not enrol?" Leon asked. Leo's skills or therefore lack of meant that he was only suitable for the alchemist school, which was not very popular with students, so tended to gather those who were still with some talent, but bottom of the pool regardless. Was Tor's situation the same? Seeing him interact with the Baku, Leon had doubts.
Tor said nothing for a moment, more due to his own thoughts, but ultimately deciding that he owed Caprian nothing at this time. "My family is in the care of Caprian's family, which is an alchemist family," Tor explained. Leon visibly flinched when the name was mentioned, but kept quiet and let Tor continue. "I was expected to serve as an advisor to him in the school. My family are normally martial artists and beast tamers, but Caprian needed more... guidance, so I was forced to learn beside him. Only I did not do well." Leon knew he was speaking of the issue surrounding the bullying, with Caprian throwing his weight around the outer school. "Caprian promised to help me transfer to the beast taming school once he moved to the inner school. He thought being in the inner school would be to gain more comfort and less work. He did not keep his promise."
Maimai could only listen quietly to what they spoke of, she had not enrolled in the same year as these seniors, could not relate. But she felt some sympathy for Tor. She was not suited for alchemy like her sister had proved to be, but as a daughter born of a concubine, even a favoured one, she was expected to stand a step behind her sister and ensure her sister's fortunes.
"I am sorry," Tor blurted out the words he had meant to part with sometime ago. Leo glanced up and glanced into sparkling eyes. "I should have stopped Caprian from near beating you to death, I should have not allowed him to steal yours or any others pills. I should have put my duties before my desires, then maybe..."
"C-c-cooshee."
"What?" Tor spluttered out the questioning word.
Maimai also turned to look and was surprised to see the small pup wagging its cute indigo and white tail and panting happily as it sat in the hood of Tor's cloak. Leon reached out a finger and it nuzzled it and barked. "Aw!" Maimai cooed. "So cute! Can I hold it?" The pup looked at her with piercing eyes, before disdaining her. Leon tried not to snigger over the little one's proud stance.
"Could it be that the pup wants Leo as it's Master?" Tor wondered aloud, unable to see what was occurring behind him, but pulling his mount to a halt. Leon reached up into the hood and carefully scooped the pup from it's nest. The pup instantly turned in Leon's hold and yapped, it's full attention upon Tor.
"N-n-not m-me," Leon replied, cheerfully and Tor finally was able to see the pup with his own two eyes. The pup instantly began wagging its tail hopefully. "Seems it w-wants you."
Leon was able to mount the Baku a little easier this time, but as he was still unable to ride by himself, he once again took position behind Tor and placed his hands upon his waist to help stabilise himself. Maimai beside them, had mounted her Piku, who looked back with large, pitiful eyes and a downcast trunk. Maimai's heart instantly weeped for her 'poor' Baku."Can we go slowly for a bit," Maimai asked Tor, "my Piku isn't feeling too good.""No good will come of spoiling the beast," Tor chided, almost coldly."I have no idea what you are talking about!" Maimai grumbled and turned her face away from the other with a pout."Is it n-not okay?" Leon asked, trying to keep the peace between them. "N-n-not in a hurry n-now, are we?" It was late afternoon, but the Food Hall would not be serving their evening meal for at least another hour and would continue to serve for a short while after that."Fine," Tor replied and patted the mane of their mount, who he felt was not happy that he was due to be slowed down again, because of the overweight, pink creature plodding along beside him. Leon watched the gesture and felt the Baku settle somewhat beneath them."You are r-really g-g-good with the B-Baku," Leon pointed out as they began to lead the beasts out of the compound. Tor glanced back, slightly startled by Leon's comment, but a slight curve of his lips showed he was not displeased by it."I would have liked to have been a beast tamer," Tor admitted, with a slight sigh. Why had he put up with Caprian's unruly behaviour for so long? While it was true that he was a retainer in the other's care, he was also meant to have guided Caprian upon the correct path. That was the expectation placed upon him. But he did not."C-could you n-not enrol?" Leon asked. Leo's skills or therefore lack of meant that he was only suitable for the alchemist school, which was not very popular with students, so tended to gather those who were still with some talent, but bottom of the pool regardless. Was Tor's situation the same? Seeing him interact with the Baku, Leon had doubts.Tor said nothing for a moment, more due to his own thoughts, but ultimately deciding that he owed Caprian nothing at this time. "My family is in the care of Caprian's family, which is an alchemist family," Tor explained. Leon visibly flinched when the name was mentioned, but kept quiet and let Tor continue. "I was expected to serve as an advisor to him in the school. My family are normally martial artists and beast tamers, but Caprian needed more... guidance, so I was forced to learn beside him. Only I did not do well." Leon knew he was speaking of the issue surrounding the bullying, with Caprian throwing his weight around the outer school. "Caprian promised to help me transfer to the beast taming school once he moved to the inner school. He thought being in the inner school would be to gain more comfort and less work. He did not keep his promise."Maimai could only listen quietly to what they spoke of, she had not enrolled in the same year as these seniors, could not relate. But she felt some sympathy for Tor. She was not suited for alchemy like her sister had proved to be, but as a daughter born of a concubine, even a favoured one, she was expected to stand a step behind her sister and ensure her sister's fortunes."I am sorry," Tor blurted out the words he had meant to part with sometime ago. Leo glanced up and glanced into sparkling eyes. "I should have stopped Caprian from near beating you to death, I should have not allowed him to steal yours or any others pills. I should have put my duties before my desires, then maybe...""C-c-cooshee.""What?" Tor spluttered out the questioning word.Maimai also turned to look and was surprised to see the small pup wagging its cute indigo and white tail and panting happily as it sat in the hood of Tor's cloak. Leon reached out a finger and it nuzzled it and barked. "Aw!" Maimai cooed. "So cute! Can I hold it?" The pup looked at her with piercing eyes, before disdaining her. Leon tried not to snigger over the little one's proud stance."Could it be that the pup wants Leo as it's Master?" Tor wondered aloud, unable to see what was occurring behind him, but pulling his mount to a halt. Leon reached up into the hood and carefully scooped the pup from it's nest. The pup instantly turned in Leon's hold and yapped, it's full attention upon Tor."N-n-not m-me," Leon replied, cheerfully and Tor finally was able to see the pup with his own two eyes. The pup instantly began wagging its tail hopefully. "Seems it w-wants you."
