The Story by the Pool

Morning.

Richard, seated cross-legged on the wooden bed, opened his eyes, stretched, and walked out of the castle.

A breeze swept across the clearing outside, carrying a hint of chill that refreshed Richard's spirits.

The rising sun in the east was slowly climbing into the sky, its light falling across the land. Richard turned and headed behind the hill, intending to survey the surrounding area. After all, he would likely be staying here for quite some time, so it was better to learn more about the place.

Besides, if he found a water source at this hour, he might get lucky and encounter wild beasts that had risen early to drink. Then perhaps his food for the day would be settled.

With that in mind, Richard walked down the hill. Before he had gone a few hundred meters, he spotted a small stream winding in from the distance. It formed a pool more than ten meters across in a nearby depression—an excellent source of water.

At that moment, two dark figures were drinking from it.

As he drew closer, Richard narrowed his eyes and saw that one was a spotted leopard, while the other was a sturdy black bear.

The two beasts were clearly both at the top of the food chain in this vast forest, and each could be the other's prey. As they drank, they warily watched one another. Still, it looked as though they both intended to leave after drinking and had no desire to fight.

Richard's eyes flickered as he hesitated. Should I make a move? With magic, he could easily handle the attacks of both beasts. But breaking through their defenses and seriously injuring them would be difficult. Mainly because none of the spells he currently knew had much offensive power, and he had no weapons on him.

There was a complete set of dissection tools in the suitcase in his room at the castle, including more than a few blades capable of gutting both beasts. But if he went back to get them now, the beasts would probably be long gone by the time he returned.

Then...

As Richard pondered, he suddenly saw both beasts lower their bodies at once, deep growls rumbling from their throats. It was a threat display before an attack.

"Hmm? Are they going to fight?" Richard was slightly puzzled. Hadn't they been fine just now? Why were they suddenly about to turn on each other?

Then Richard realized he might have been wrong. The two beasts were not facing each other, but his... back.

Hmm? Richard was slightly startled and abruptly turned to look behind him. But in the next moment, he felt a fierce gust sweep past him as a small purple figure shot forward at incredible speed. Reaching the pool, it suddenly leaped from the ground, crossing seven or eight meters before crashing down like a cannonball.

Bang! The ground shook, and waves erupted from the pool.

The two growling beasts by the water fled like mice spotting a cat, tails tucked between their legs. One ran left and the other right, showing a fair bit of intelligence.

The small purple figure did not hesitate. She stepped forward and chased after the faster-running leopard, vanishing into the forest in the blink of an eye.

Richard's eyes flickered. Just as he was about to follow and take a look, the leopard suddenly burst back out of the forest at an even greater speed. The small purple figure pursuing her was astonishingly riding on her back.

Swish, swish, swish...

Dust flew as the leopard raced on all fours, carrying the small figure who had chased her as she pursued the black bear in the direction it had fled. It seemed that, in the briefest span of time, she had already defected to the enemy to save her own life.

"This..."

Richard's eyes flickered as he watched the leopard charge back into the forest and disappear again.

This time, he waited a little longer.

A few minutes later, accompanied by a pattering of footsteps, Pandora emerged from the forest. Behind her came the leopard, panting so hard that she seemed to gasp three times with every step. Further back was the black bear, bruised and battered as though it had been run over by a tyrannosaur.

The two beasts were now incomparably obedient. They followed Pandora to the edge of the pool and gazed longingly at the water. After their frantic run, the water they had barely managed to drink had long been used up. Their throats were so dry they felt ready to smoke, and the cool stream water was an enormous temptation. But neither dared drink it even if it killed them—because drinking it might really get them killed, unless the little devil beside them gave her permission...

Ignoring what the two beasts were thinking, Pandora reached out, grabbed the leopard by the neck, and dragged her to the pool. Then she forcefully pressed the leopard's head toward the water. The leopard's eyes lit up. At first, she was somewhat startled by this sudden surprise, but then she unceremoniously stretched out her pink tongue and lapped at the surface.

Then...

Bang! A soft pink fist, yet one powerful enough, smashed heavily into the leopard's head, making her feel as if the whole world had begun spinning. Only then did she realize that she had not been allowed to drink after all. It had merely been a test.

Just as the leopard figured that out, she was grabbed by the neck again and her head was pressed down once more, closer and closer to the water. But this time, no matter whether she would be beaten to death or not, she refused to stick out her tongue. Even when most of her head was submerged, she remained utterly still.

Pandora was satisfied. She tossed the leopard aside and walked toward the black bear.

The black bear was rather large, weighing over three hundred jin and standing around one meter sixty tall, about the size of an adult. It stood stiffly upright like a log. Pandora, only one meter twenty tall, walked in front of it and tried several times but could not reach its neck.

So Pandora got angry. She kicked out with her bare foot, and with a bang, the black bear was knocked flat on its belly.

Pandora expressionlessly grabbed the black bear by the neck and dragged it toward the pool.

After successfully dragging the black bear to the poolside, Pandora repeated what she had done before and pressed its head toward the water.

Although the black bear had been dragged here like a dead dog and felt that it had lost all dignity, it had not lost all intelligence. At the very least, after watching what had happened to the leopard, it understood that drinking water would earn it a beating. As long as it endured and did not drink, it would be fine. So no matter what, it refused to open its mouth.

Then...

Bang! Bang! Two extremely forceful little pink fists landed on the black bear's head.

For a moment, the black bear froze.

It clearly had not drunk any water. Why was it still being beaten?

Could it be...

In the next moment, the black bear tentatively opened its mouth and extended its bright red, barbed tongue. Then it saw Pandora seemingly nod in approval.

The black bear immediately leaned down to lap at the water, while the leopard beside it widened her eyes, finding it terribly unfair.

She clearly... how could it...

Bang!

The next moment, a chilling sound interrupted the leopard's thoughts. A fist far heavier than before viciously struck the black bear, knocking its huge body straight into the pool.

Pandora did not stop. Bang! Bang! Two more blows followed, blasting apart the water's surface and beating the black bear into complete despair. Only then did it realize that this had apparently been another test.

But...

This was unfair!

The leopard lowered her head, quietly pretending she had seen nothing.

After delivering three punches, Pandora pointed to the side. Though the black bear in the pool was aggrieved, it obediently climbed ashore.

Pandora looked at the black bear and pointed at the pool. The black bear hurriedly shook its head. She pointed again, and it continued shaking its head. She pointed a third time, and it still shook its head.

Pandora turned to look at the leopard. This time, before Pandora could do anything, the leopard had already begun shaking her head frantically, making it clear that she absolutely had no thoughts whatsoever about the pool water.

Pandora finally nodded in satisfaction, then pointed toward the forest. The two beasts felt as though they had been granted a pardon. In a panic, they fled into the forest and vanished in the blink of an eye.

Richard watched from the side, finding it somewhat amusing. He truly wanted to ask Pandora why she had done that.

But in the next moment, Pandora turned to look in a certain direction within the forest.

Hmm? As the sun gradually rose higher, Richard heard the sounds of many animals suddenly coming from the direction Pandora was watching.