Although Lucia tried her best to maintain her composure and elegance, her gaze was irresistibly drawn to the jerky in Silan's hand.
Each time, it would struggle to look away with great effort, but the next second it would be glued to its gaze again.
"We've already made the jerky, it'd be a waste not to eat it." Lucia craned her neck and said demurely, "Why don't you give it to me?"
"Okay," Silan agreed readily.
"But you know the rules, call me master and let me hear it."
Silan waved the jerky in front of Lucia, drawing her gaze from side to side.
"Don't push your luck!" Lucia snapped angrily. "How could I possibly do such a thing!"
"Never mind then." Silan shrugged indifferently and was about to put the jerky away.
"I'll take it and feed it to the other kittens."
"Oh dear, if you don't meow, plenty of kittens will."
Lucia stared blankly as Silan left, a sense of powerlessness welling up inside her.
In its daze, it seemed to see a shameless little stray cat outside shamelessly coming up to it, sticking out its pink little tongue to lick the big jerky in Silan's hand, while it could only helplessly watch from the side.
The horrifying sight sent chills down Lucia's spine and made her limbs stiffen.
Don't do that!
This terrifying vision frightened Lucia so much that she immediately softened her voice and began to whine sweetly.
"Is one meow enough, Master? Meow meow meow?"
After calling out, Lucia pitifully nuzzled against Silan's trouser leg, looking at him with her round eyes in a pitiful manner.
"Hmm~" Silan closed her eyes and nodded in enjoyment, "It's alright."
"But why does it always feel a bit insincere?"
Lucia gritted her teeth, her claws digging into the ground, but she still let out a soft, sweet cry.
"Master~"
Looking at the obedient Lucia, Silan nodded in satisfaction, feeling no guilt whatsoever.
Those obsessed with catnip are the best at playing the victim.
This is not my fault at all. I didn't do any advertising, and I didn't force it. It was entirely its own choice.
It has nothing to do with me.
Without a hint of guilt, Silan reached out and ruffled Lucia's fur.
[Animal Bloodline: Proficiency +15]
After being satisfied, Silan fed the jerky to Lucia, then headed towards the cave where the Basilisk was.
Lucia picked up the jerky with a resentful look and walked into the woods, thinking to herself that she must resist the temptation next time!
You absolutely, positively must resist!
Otherwise, if things continue like this, they'll become pets whose bodies are at the mercy of human wizards.
As noble and elegant Cat Leopard, this is absolutely unacceptable!
Absolutely not allowed!
"I must quit this damn jerky," Lucia licked the jerky, making a silent vow to herself.
Silan walked to the cave where the Basilisk was, and before he even went in, the Basilisk poked its head out from inside.
"Welcome, my great master!"
"Today I am also ready to prove my loyalty to you. Please torture me as much as you like... test me!"
The enormous forked tongue flicked in and out of the Basilisk's mouth twice with incredible speed, as if it were experiencing some inexplicable excitement.
Soon, the Basilisk's painful yet excited roars echoed from inside the cave.
"Roar roar roar..."
To be honest, Silan really didn't want to come.
He suspected that the Basilisk was using the guise of proving its loyalty to him to secretly enjoy something else.
But he had no evidence.
Because the Basilisk's tone was full of piety.
"My great master!"
"Loyalty!"
[Animal Bloodline: Proficiency +20]
Once she mastered the skill, Silan quickly ran away.
If it weren't for the need to gain some experience, he really wouldn't want to come.
I'm a legitimate wizard!
But now it feels like I'm using some kind of addictive substance to control a cat, and engaging in some kind of R-rated activity with Basilisk...
"Hurry, hurry!"
Silan was startled by her own thoughts and quickened her pace to walk outside.
Back at the Room of Requirement, Silan collapsed onto the sofa, utterly exhausted, staring blankly at the ceiling, forcibly emptying her mind.
After a while, Silan felt her tired brain recover a little.
I brought up the panel showing Animal Bloodline and took a look.
"70 more..."
Silan leaned back on the sofa, her gaze wandering aimlessly across the ceiling as all sorts of thoughts popped into her head.
"How exactly can I bridge the gap between myself and the Fawkes?"
"Does it suspect me of having ulterior motives? I have indeed been too hasty lately; I should strike a balance."
"It seems that food alone won't be enough to truly build a closer relationship with him; we need to try something else..."
"How about trying to appeal to emotions?"
Silan sank into the sofa, frowning as she slowly pondered.
The Hogwarts Headmaster.
Dumbledore is probably out looking for a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, so he's not here.
Fawkes stood alone on his gilded perch, preening his feathers somewhat absentmindedly.
It wasn't in a good mood.
To be fair, Fawkes actually really liked Silan as a friend.
This little wizard can understand it, chat with it, and is considerate and polite.
To be honest, it didn't want to associate Silan with those vicious dark wizards.
"Perhaps I'm being too sensitive?" Fawkes thought to himself.
Leaning against the trunk of a gilded perch, Fawkes folded his wings and couldn't help but think.
"But what if?"
"What if he really does have ulterior motives?"
Silan's sudden over-the-top attentiveness made Fawkes feel that something was amiss.
While this may sound discriminatory, it's undeniable that such an anomaly, placed alongside Slytherin House, would raise eyebrows even in a bird.
Fawkes sighed and looked down to see his own bright feathers reflected in his water bowl.
It suddenly remembered. "I seem to have promised Prewett that I would give him one of my feathers?"
Several months have now passed since Fawkes's Nirvana Rebirth.
Its wings are now fully grown, and its plumage is bright and beautiful.
Phoenix Feather from this period are rich in magic and of the highest quality, making them perfectly suited for crafting the finest wands.
"Why not take this opportunity to test him?" Fawkes tilted his head, looking at his reflection in the bowl of water, as if talking to himself, "It would also be a good chance to see what his true intentions are..."
Having made up his mind, Fawkes shook his wings and vanished instantly.