Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix wasn't in good mood.

Around the office, his subjects wore nervous expressions as they avoided looking directly at his brooding form seated on the lounge. As much as he tried to maintain a cool, nonchalant appearance, the purplish bags underneath his eyes and the heavy scowl engraved deep on his forehead were a clear giveaway of his terrible mood.

Added to the fact that he has not been sleeping well as of late, an incident popped up not too long ago that caused him to wake up earlier than the sun. The commoners at the Central Market had been caught in a wave of sleep magic, heavy enough that his elite-trained magic casters weren't able to investigate without succumbing to its prowess. Even his Imperial Court Wizard, Fluder Paradyne, was not able to stay for long before he was forced to leave the area, lest he succumbed to the abnormal spell that put everyone to sleep.

Jircniv had been unsure if this was a terrorist attack done by another nation or a magical disease of some kind, but he wouldn't and couldn't rest until he manages to dispel the abnormal state his people were in. In his hands were the investigation papers. He had read through it enough to memorize the entire text, but he still continued to scan it to see if he could spot anything he had previously missed.

To sum up the content, the Central Market's residents have been put to sleep due to something nefarious and were unable to wake on their own. The magic seems to have an area of effect of 100 yards and the primary evidence that it was magic and not a simple disease was due to the otherworldly smell in the air. His people described the smell as something pleasant yet unpleasant, and it hasn't dissipated despite having been hours since they've discovered this incident.

Ironic enough, due to being very sleep-deprived, Jircniv somewhat wished that he could make the smell into a candle to cure his insomnia. But that was just wishful thinking. For now, his only solution to this issue was to move the people out of the area of effect and allow Fluder to find a cure.

Jircniv, after many hours of pondering, finally nodded his consent to the old wizard. It took time for them to brainstorm precautions in case this was a magical disease they were facing, one that could be spread by skin contact or droplets. Hence, he did not allow his subjects to move until now. With a bow, the wizard scuttled off to his tower.

Jircniv, the emperor of the Baharuth Empire, gave a rueful look at the setting sun before he dismissed the people in his office and stood up for a stretch. It has been a long day.

Whilst the unfortunate emperor was busy yawning and secretly pinching his thigh to fight the sleep away, Adalbert was 'busy' drooling in his sleep, unaware of the chaos ensued by his nonchalant transformation back to his demi-human form. The sloth demon was curled on a gigantic beanbag and had Victim in his clutches, the NPC used as a plushie to further accommodate a pleasant time sleeping.

It was only when the sun was starting to set did the demonic being rouse from his slumber, refreshed to the point of wanting to take a nap because of it. Before he could succumb to the temptation, his stomach gave a warning growl. Adalbert grunted unhappily and decided to obey his body's unfortunate need for sustenance.

Looking down at the still sleeping Victim, Adalbert gently settled the angel down on the beanbag and pulled out a pack of biltong from his inventory to fight the persistent hunger. With sluggish movements, he sauntered to the window and peered down onto the street to ponder on what food would catch his fancy.

Blinking in confusion, Adalbert turned his eyes to the sun and back to the street. "Why aren't there any humans running food stalls in the plaza?" He murmured to himself.

This continued for a minute before he realized that everyone in his surrounding area must have been forced into an abnormal status effect caused by his sloth demon passive skill, Somnolent Miasma. He could only facepalm at his stupidity as he swiftly transformed back into his uncomfortable, geeky human form.

What's more, it didn't take him long to realize that Victim may have also succumbed to his passive. They weren't in YGGDRASIL anymore. Hence, friendly-fire should work as per real life. As the lowest level floor guardian, of course Victim would be afflicted!

Adalbert worriedly loomed over the angel's sleeping form, his demonic eyes staring unseeingly at the pink fetus. He was busy browsing through his inventory. It has been hours, so the abnormal status effect 'sleep' might have turned into 'sopor' and it would require a drop of all-cure for it to be negated.

This was... troublesome.

Due to his human 'companions', he would need to investigate the situation and cure at least a quarter of the sleeping humans to dispel any suspicions on Foresight members who would all miraculously wake up. Adalbert, without a doubt, did not think the humans in this New World capable enough to dispel his passive on their own. Not only were they too low-leveled, they probably did not have the necessary herbs to create an all-cure potion.

A drop later and it didn't take long for Victim to groggily wake up.

Suddenly, the NPC snapped out of his daze and bowed to the best of his abilities, appearing deeply upset. ".uoy erofeb gnikaw ton rof ezigolopa I !amas-trebladA" [Adalbert-sama! I apologize for not waking before you.]

Adalbert could only sweatdrop at that and was quick to reassure the angel, "You need not apologize for things you hold no control over. It was my mistake to have reverted to my demi-human form. Thus allowing for my Somnolent Miasma to take effect." Not waiting for the NPC to react to that, Adalbert placed his hands on his hips and loomed intentionally over Victim. Despite the monotonous tone of his voice, even those who were blind could see that he was unhappy. "Anyway. Why are you here, Victim? Did anija not explicitly order you to stay put in Nazarick? This stunt of yours is reckless, Victim! I am thoroughly disappointed."

As the lowest level floor guardian and his child, Adalbert was not too happy about Victim's disobedience. The NPC could've died in a ditch somewhere and they all wouldn't have known until it was too late. Whilst the angel's level was higher than most of the humans he has seen thus far, there may be an odd one out there who could take Victim out. Despite how low the chances were for Victim to encounter such a human, there was still that possibility.

Besides, he had given Demiurge the last World Item owned by him to protect him from the possibility of other World Items having appeared in this New World. Victim had no such item, hence the chances of him being mind-controlled or cursed had increased to disproportionate levels!

Seeing how Victim was almost to the point of tears, Adalbert wavered in his determination to continue lecturing his naughty child and sighed. He scooped Victim into his arms and hugged him to his chest. This time, he tried making his voice as soft as possible as he murmured, "It's not safe for you outside Nazarick."

".ssenhsifles ym rof em hsinup esaelP .drol ym ,ssertsid uoy esuac ot dnetni ton did I" ["I did not intend to cause you distress, my lord. Please punish me for my sin."]

"Rather than to ask for punishment, take this as a lesson. Now, can you tell me the reason why you left?"

".kcirazaN ni amas-trebladA dnif t'ndluoc I ..." ["... I couldn't find Adalbert-sama in Nazarick."]

Adalbert melted at the pureness behind Victim's action and couldn't hold onto his anger anymore. Not when it was worry that made the other leave the safety of their home to venture out looking for his wayward creator.

"Whilst that is admirable... Do not do it again. If anija wasn't already bald, he would've lost hair over this reckless stunt of yours. Was anyone informed of our departure?"

"".wonk egruimeD tel ylno ev'I .lliw ruoy yB" ["By your will. I've only let Demiurge know."]

The angel seemed reluctant to obey his order, but affirmed in the end. Good. Letting Demiurge know, on the other hand, wasn't good. Adalbert released the NPC to take out a message scroll in his inventory. It was precious since they did not have the means to purchase more, but he needed to assure Ulbert's son of his safety, lest the demon make a mistake during his mission due to unnecessary worrying.

"Demiurge," Adalbert spoke once the message was connected, going straight to the point. "Was anyone informed of my departure?"

"No, milord," the demon NPC responded. "May I ask if Victim is with Adalbert-sama?"

"Aa. Yeah. He will escort him back, you need not worry."

"Pardon my rudeness, but what about yourself, my lord? May I know if you'll be returning to Nazarick with Victim?"

"I have matters to attend to outside of Nazarick. You need not worry, Demiurge, weak I am not."

"Of course, milord. I have never once doubted your strength. It is only my selfishness that I wish for Adalbert-sama to have a guard with you when you leave the Great Tomb."

"I am never alone, Demiurge," Adalbert gently reminded the demon. "My pets are with me, and I believe sufficient enough to meet your requirements of a bodyguard."

Turning his head slightly, he glanced at his shadow. It may look unremarkable, just like any other shadow, but within lies boss monsters that have been tamed by him, made into docile pets, armed to the teeth with Legendary Class items that would not lose to those gifted to the Floor Guardians. Whilst not on the level of the Floor Guardians themselves, one of his pets could take down an inexperienced level 80 Player.

His skill, Vương quốc của bóng tối (The Kingdom of Darkness), morphed his shadow into a customizable dimensional pocket where living beings could survive and flourish within. With the combination of his two jobs, Beast Tamer and Conqueror of Shadows, he was able to make good use of this skill. Thus, allowing for him to shove all 12 of his pets inside and be summoned at any time he desired, with a cooldown grace of 30 minutes between summoning.

Although he hasn't tested them yet in this New World, this would be a great opportunity to do so.

"Pets? Pardon me for my ignorance. I did not know my lord had brought pets out of Nazarick with you."

Adalbert blinked, confused. "They're always with me, Demiurge."

"... Forgive me, I am too unintelligent to understand my lord's words."

Huh? Unintelligent? Demiurge, unintelligent?! Hell must've been frozen over for him to declare-

Suddenly, as if enlightened, Adalbert snapped his finger.

He had forgotten that no Nazarick NPC has seen his pets before. Only the Players knew he collected monsters - though he doubted they realized he had 12 pets in total as the years progressed. It wouldn't do to just tame a boss monster because of their strength, he needed them to be aesthetically pleasing as well, and some of the newer event/hidden bosses were bloody beautiful.

Number 12, his latest pet, was tamed only a year prior to YGGDRASIL's shutdown. And that boss monster had been season 1's undefeated champion. Adalbert had obsessed over it, and after a decade, finally managed to tame that stubborn bastard.

On another note, would it be cruel to continue calling his pets by numbers if they've become sentient like the Nazarick NPCs? He wasn't good with names (as one could tell with one look at Victim) so he had given them numbers. He would have to remedy that, lest he receives an earful from his brother for treating them like objects.

Adalbert elaborated for Demiurge, and by extension, Victim, who had been subtly listening to their conversation, "Like Aura, I have the Tamer job and have tamed powerful monsters to become my pet. I keep them in my shadow, which is only possible thanks to one of my skills."

He purposefully did not give Demiurge full information pertaining to the capacity of his shadow's dimension nor what the skill was, exactly. Just in case.

"I understand," Demiurge's voice sounded over the message. "Thank you for your benevolence, milord. For taking the time to correct my knowledge. Though I might be lacking, please let me know if you ever need me."

Adalbert could feel his eyebrow twitch from such belittlement. The NPCs' subservient attitudes were beginning to take a toll on him.

"Aa, of course. Anyway, keep up the good work. I'll be going now." Adalbert didn't wait for Demiurge to respond. He quickly canceled the message and turned to Victim. "Now then... Wait on the bed, Victim."

The angel chirped an affirmative and floated to the bed, away from Adalbert who was standing in the middle of the tiny bedroom.

The sloth demon crossed his arms as he pondered on which pet to bring out. Whilst he had indeed maxed out all of their loyalty (via feeding, gifting, and head pats), he still required a pet that originally has a docile personality, someone who has a good temper and knows to be gentle since Victim was only level 35.

Alright, Adalbert decided. As a boss monster who was designed using a base template of a dog (technically a fox), number 3 should be his best option for a bodyguard. If he recalled correctly, within number 3's logbook, it wrote that the boss monster's personality was refined and polite.

He would let number 3 be Victim's escort first. After his pet has returned Victim to Nazarick, it would return to Adalbert's side and remain in this world as his bodyguard. The plan made, Adalbert pointed at his shadow and called, "Number 3, come out."

It took only a second for his pet to respond. His shadow wavered before a lithe silhouette jumped out. It landed on the floor on one knee, bowing its head before it stood with deadly grace and precision.

"Master," a masculine voice sounded, its tenor pleasant to the ear. "I am yours to command."

Adalbert scrutinized number 3. His pet was a humanoid fox spirit in traditional black and blue Japanese wear. Though it may be humanoid, it could never be mistaken for a human.

Triangular, furry white fox ears were situated at the top of its head, the dyed purple tips making it a temptation for others to touch them. Its snow-white hair was long and tied with a gold band into a half-ponytail, flowing like a waterfall. Its features were exotic and otherworldly, sharp and pointed. Its golden, slitted eyes were slanted like a fox's, and on its pale forehead were markings. Its right arm, different from its human-like left arm, was covered with fur, and its fingernails appeared sharp enough to easily dig through flesh. Additionally, its legs were more of a bipedal fox's than a human's, and they could only be balanced by the bushy tail at its back.

Adalbert hesitated. It was a little uncomfortable to continue calling this being an 'it', or a pet, or by a number. With a nod, he decided, "From now on, your name shall be Silver, Silver Cross."

Whilst Adalbert was fretting about how simple the name was, he missed the emotion that passed through the fox spirit's golden eyes. The tamed monster was ecstatic, and he even lost control of his tail for a moment before he got it under control, thankfully whilst his master was distracted.

"Silver Cross," Silver said in a slow manner as if he was tasting it on his tongue. "Master's generosity knows no bound."

Feeling a little awkward, Adalbert ruffled Silver's head to end the conversation and turned to Victim, completely oblivious to the delightful blush that appeared on Silver's cheeks.

"Victim, come here." Obediently, Victim floated into his arms. "Be good and remain in Nazarick. I won't be gone for long."

".efas yats esaelP .amas-trebladA ,seY" ["Yes, Adalbert-sama. Please stay safe."]

"Of course," Adalbert stated matter-of-factly.

Although he preferred acting on his own, he knows that his narcolepsy was a debility. He needed someone to look after him if it persists in his human form. Whilst he did indeed hope to suck Foresight dry of their resources, the risk of dying outweighed the benefits this time around. Hence, after he earns a reputation of being a trustworthy worker, he would ditch them to partner up with his (more humanoid) tamed monster.

"Silver, your first task is to escort Victim safely back to Nazarick and return to my side. Victim, be sure to direct Silver there. Also, inform him of our situation to be on the safe side. And don't stray out from the shadows. Let no human see you, the both of you. Alright?"

The two NPCs gave an affirmation and were out the window within seconds of his dismissal.

With a sigh, Adalbert turned to look out the window. There were soldiers out on the streets now. Aa, this was getting complicated.

Frustrated, he couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Honestly... Why did those shitty devs have to put in narcolepsy - of all conditions - whilst writing the lore? Fuckweeds, the lot of them. They have too much free time. Now I'll have to burden Demiurge by asking him to research a cure or, at least, a temporary solution to this unfortunate side-effect. As if he already doesn't have enough on his plate."

Ruffling his hair in agitation, he stealthily left the room. It was time to enact his 'let-the-humans-think-that-they-can-miraculously-wake-up-from-the-magic-induced-sleep' plan. Thanks to his stupidity, he was wasting so much all-cure potion. Aa, he wanted to sleep this annoyance away!

A/N:

[Logbook Entry 3]

Name: Number 3 - Silver Cross

Height: 179cm

Weight: 70kg

Identity: Fox Spirit, Wind Elemental Magic Caster

Birthday: January 13

Age: 101

Personality: Refined, polite

Dislike: Being touched by anyone but his family

Like: Tea ceremonies and moon gazing

Intimacy: 100/100

Biography:

Silver grew up in the mountains, alone and in seclusion. He knew not his parents, and his friends only animals, a pack of wolves. They taught him to hunt, to survive. Without them, he would have never lived to this age.

As Silver slowly began to grow, he came to like nature; both plants and animals. Although he could not understand the language of the wolves, he understood that they treated him as their pack, a member of their family. In return, he gave them his love, treating them as if they were his own.

One day, whilst he was climbing and exploring the mountains, he came across an enormous entrance of a cave, tall enough to fit hundreds of him stacked up. Young as he was, curiosity got the better of him. It did not take long for him to realize that for a cave this size, the owner must be gigantic to match.

An eye, many times taller and wider than he was, stared right at him. Silver stumbled and fell, his silver furred ears flattened due to fright. The being's vertical, slitted green pupil followed his shaky movements. However, despite the opportunity given to it, the being did not eat him, only continued to stare at him.

Silver's courage grew. His small, pointed snout parted as he tried to communicate with the being. The ancient dragon, for that, was what it was, different from its appearance, responded without animosity to the tiny fox.

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