Beast Tamer

"So, Sister Altair, from now on you can focus on Sequence Three. As for the higher Sequence Two, don't think about it for now."

"That's too unrealistic."

After the three finished lunch, Altair led the two to the stables.

Looking at the slender and well-proportioned brown pony before her, with its soft, rounded back and waistline, and without a trace of clumsiness or stiffness, Vivian couldn't help but ask curiously, "After it's tamed, can I ride it?"

"Of course," Altair replied with a smile.

Seeing their reactions, Adela couldn't help but roll her eyes at them and whispered, "Try to keep quiet."

Before training a horse, the first thing to avoid is noise and fright.

"Sister Altair, you go first. Start by touching her neck, then move on to her shoulders, back, legs, and stomach."

"Based on my years of experience training animals, I assure you that these horses' weaknesses are definitely their necks and bellies. You can touch them more often later."

"Horses aren't afraid of being touched, as long as they don't make strange noises or take out strange items."

"Once it calms down, we can proceed to the third step: putting a bridle on it and leading it on a leash."

"Step 4: Saddle up and desensitize; Step 5: Put on the reins (teach direction); Step 6: First time riding (this is crucial); Step 7: Formal riding (from walking slowly to walking briskly to jogging).

"That's how you tame a pony; with this whole process, it'll definitely be trained."

After Adela's guidance, Altair finally understood Intis's training process.

Taking advantage of its unpreparedness, Altair immediately activated his "taming" ability and began training the proud little brown mare.

Riding on horseback, she was expending her strength. Although the manor was not as vast as the plains, it still had all the necessary environment and terrain.

After several laps of training, Vivian handed her the whip, allowing her to further tame the horse.

Around 5 p. m. in Bexland, Altair finally exhausted himself.

Seeing this, Vivian quickly stepped forward and, disregarding Altair's exhaustion, let it teach her how to ride a horse.

On December 15, 1347, the chill of a deep winter morning was like a thin layer of ice covering everything. As the sky began to peek through the hazy blue-white, fog, cold, and dampness silently spread through the streets and courtyards.

--

Altair, meanwhile, woke up groggily in his warm bed and reached out to find the place empty.

After rubbing his lower back, Altair climbed to the head of the bed on the side wing and started ringing the bell next to him.

Hearing the sound, the Maid Corps were already prepared and standing at the door entered, led by Irene.

Sitting on the bed, Altair, who had nothing to do, asked curiously, "Where's Vivian?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Irene, who was assisting the maids, respectfully replied, "Miss Adela, you are preparing to leave Bexland today, and Madam Vivian has gone to see you off."

Altair nodded and stopped worrying about it. After washing up, he went downstairs and had breakfast by himself.

After breakfast, Altair went to the underground laboratory to study "Plagues and Viruses." She needed to develop a special plague that spreads quickly, over a wide area, has a short incubation period, causes despair Affliction, and can also heal itself.

As for its use? It's simple. This is the Demoness Pathway, Sequence Four, the Advancement Ritual for the Demoness of Despair: "Let over thirty thousand people be engulfed in a violent plague. The more deaths, the more intense the despair and Affliction, the better the ritual's effect."

Altair's original plan was to switch to the Hunter Pathway in Sequence Four to become Iron-Blooded Knight and return to a normal life.

This special disease was made specifically for Vivian; when she advances in rank, she can simply use it directly.

The common flu or a milder version of H1N1 does meet the criteria for self-healing, but it doesn't cause despair Affliction.

Avian influenza and chimeric smallpox/varicella viruses are too deadly.

As he pondered this, Altair muttered to himself, "Does the plague of psychology even count as a plague?"

"Medically, it's considered a type of disease."

Hearing this, Altair looked up at the source of the voice and complained, "Why do you always appear and disappear so mysteriously?"

After complaining, she pressed on, "Can it really be classified as a plague?"

"Okay." Adam smiled and nodded, as if he hadn't heard the earlier complaint.

"Hmm," Altair nodded, and asked, "Is there something you need?"

Adam nodded slightly and said, "Do you still remember that vow you made back then?"

"What oath?" Altair paused slightly, then asked.

Adam's warm smile remained unchanged, and he explained in a calm and gentle tone, "One year ago, December 20th, 1346."

After indicating the time, Adam played back the voice from that time. "Therefore, the source of Catastrophe, the symbol of destruction and the Apocalypse, the Demoness who rules over chaos, I, Altair Sheffield, hereby swear, with the Ring of Chik as my witness, that I, in the form of a woman, will spread calamity and incite fear—"

Altair, his face dark, listened to the entire oath and then asked in an unfriendly tone, "Is this your script again?"

Adam did not deny it, but maintained his smile and said, "Yes."

"I know you have a way to pay a price and evade the oath, but I still hope you will continue down this Pathway."

After hearing Adam's words, Altair suppressed his anger and asked, "You want me to continue with your yin-yang experiment?"

"No, if it's about yin and yang uniting, you should be quite happy to let me switch."

"And you just casually tell me your plan like that, aren't you afraid we'll break up and I'll cause you trouble?"

"No, something's wrong with me, Adam! What are you trying to do?!"

Adam replied gently, "Anger is detrimental to our normal communication."

"I swear I don't intend to use you for a yin-yang fusion experiment."

"And is switching back to male really your current thought?"

You've now adapted to this body and this life.

"Gender is just your obsession."

"Isn't that right?"

After a long silence, Altair looked at Adam and asked, "You want to create another ' Natural Disaster ' before the Apocalypse?"

"You should know that this is impossible. As long as I advance to Sequence 0, the Demoness Pathway will be absorbed by me."

"Then New Life Natural Disaster will lack a negative aspect and cannot be formed."

Adam nodded slightly and said, "Your guess isn't entirely correct."

"We need a Natural Disaster, not someone newly created."

--

"The Demoness Pathway, the Hunter Pathway, the City of Sefirah City of Calamity —I won't stop you if you can obtain them; I might even provide you with some assistance."

The reason I didn't let you jump through the Sequence was so that you could delve deeper into the Demoness Sect and investigate the anomaly of Cheek.