The staff member reluctantly nodded at Kousuke’s words, and there was a good reason for it.
Neither the staff member nor Zero had noticed it, but Kousuke had brought other familiars besides the wolf.
It was a slime, and it was a species that even the staff member, who had worked at the facility for a long time and seen many slimes, had never seen before. That was the deciding factor.
There were various types of slimes within the facility, but that only indicated the diversity of species, and the perception of them as low-ranking monsters (familiars) remained unchanged.
However, the slime Kousuke brought was not just a rare species; it could overwhelm low-ranking monsters in combat. It was no wonder the staff member was surprised.
The staff member had considered the possibility that Kousuke was lying, but since any lie would be quickly exposed, they decided it was not a lie.
Of course, since they hadn’t actually fought, it was merely the staff member’s belief in Kousuke, but for Kousuke, that was enough.
Needless to say, the staff member’s belief in Kousuke also included their past interactions.
Zero, claiming he had work to do, disappeared from Kousuke’s side as if fleeing.
Kousuke watched him go with a curious expression.
“What, are you interested?”
Floria, noticing Kousuke’s reaction, cast a meaningful gaze at him.
“Ah, yes. If he continues to grow like this, he will undoubtedly become a tamer.”
“Oh. So that’s what you think.”
Floria voiced her agreement with Kousuke’s words.
Silvia, standing nearby, nodded, but she wasn’t surprised.
Conversely, the staff member looked as if they had more pressing matters, their eyes wide open.
“R-really? Is that true!?”
“If it’s true, what do you plan to do about it?”
Asked by Kousuke, the staff member replied in a flustered manner.
“Well, of course, I would register him as a tamer with the Guild…”
“No, that’s impossible.”
“…Huh?”
The staff member’s eyes widened as Kousuke interrupted them.
Kousuke continued, speaking to the staff member as if to reason with them, choosing his words carefully to be somewhat intimidating.
“What I said was just a possibility, not a certainty that he will become a tamer. Can the Guild raise a human like that, especially a child?”
The Tamer Guild is an organization that registers tamers and offers them jobs; it does not raise tamers.
If the Guild were to raise a child as a tamer based solely on Kousuke’s assertion of potential, there would likely be backlash from the surroundings.
Why is that boy being treated specially?
Zero’s potential to become a tamer was Kousuke’s impression, not an objective fact.
If it could be definitively proven that Zero could become a tamer, there would be fewer objectors, but Kousuke couldn’t do that.
Moreover, the Guild, which hadn’t even noticed what Zero was doing, would likely not be able to bear the responsibility.
In response to Kousuke’s explanation, the staff member replied with some agitation.
“Then, will you just let it be?”
“Hmm? That depends on the Tamer Guild, doesn’t it? If you continue to employ him as a worker, he might eventually contract with the facility’s monsters as a tamer.”
The staff member’s face fell with disappointment at Kousuke’s dismissive words.
“He’s an orphan, so it would be good if his talent could be proven…”
“If that were possible, the number of tamers in other countries would have increased by now, wouldn’t it?”
Whether or not someone has the potential to become a tamer is not something that is normally apparent.
The staff member sighed deeply at Kousuke’s unspoken refusal, which clearly indicated it was impossible.
As someone working for the Tamer Guild, they were well aware of this.
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After finishing their tour of the facility with the disappointed staff member, Kousuke and the others left the building and walked through the town.
About ten minutes away from the facility, Silvia turned to Kousuke with a meaningful expression.
“Are you going to let it be?”
“Yes. For now, at least.”
“Heh heh. For now, you say.”
Floria chuckled and echoed Kousuke’s response.
Noticing the implicit meaning in Silvia and Floria’s smiles, Kousuke shrugged and continued.
“I really don’t intend to intervene for now. Even though he’s an orphan, Zero has his own life he’s built up until now, you know?”
Even if others perceive it as a poor life, if the person themselves doesn’t feel that way, it’s just unnecessary meddling.
Although Kousuke had only spoken with Zero briefly, the boy wasn’t strangely submissive, nor was he malnourished to the point of collapsing.
Therefore, Kousuke believed that intervening at this point would be counterproductive.
Silvia, seeing through Kousuke’s line of thought, nodded and said.
“That’s certainly true. There are orphanages in this town, aren’t there…”
“That’s also true,” Floria agreed with Silvia. Then, she offered a meaningful smile.
“By the way, since we’re in a new town for the first time, how about we visit an orphanage? It might provide some reference for our own orphanage facility at the Tower.”
“That’s a good idea. I agree.”
Silvia eagerly accepted Floria’s proposal.
Kousuke could only offer a wry smile at their perfectly coordinated exchange.
“Well, that’s fine by me. …Needless to say, you won’t do anything to disrupt the orphans’ current lives, right?”
Kousuke sternly warned them, and both Silvia and Floria nodded with serious expressions.
“Of course.”
“Naturally.”
Thus, Kousuke and his companions decided on their next destination.
It’s shorter than usual, but it’s a good place to stop for today as it’s a natural break.
Next will be the orphanage visit.
(If we were to go to the orphanage in this chapter, it would end at an awkward point)
So, what will Zero’s fate be!
…No comments about all the flags being set up at this point.
*The next update will be on July 17th.
