"Teacher?"
"That's right... it's Teacher. I couldn't mistake him. He's right on top of that mountain!"
"Just now... he even smiled at me!"
Goudan sounded certain.
His expression was resolute.
But Goudan hadn't noticed that, ever since he spoke...
An Kai's expression had turned rather grim.
"Wait here for a moment!"
With that, An Kai turned and ran.
One step took him out of the [Divine Court Fourth Layer].
About three seconds later...
An Kai reappeared.
Nothing about him had changed.
But a confident smile now hung on his face as he said softly, "Let's go."
Goudan's black-and-white canine face was full of confusion.
He couldn't understand what his lord had done to bring about such a sudden change in attitude.
In truth...
An Kai hadn't done anything.
He had merely swapped out his true body and brought his doppelganger in...
None the wiser, Goudan came before An Kai and lay flat on the ground, ready to carry him as usual.
"Goudan! What are you doing?!"
"You're my brother! How could I possibly ride my brother?!"
"Never do this again!"
"I'll get angry!"
An Kai wore a stern expression, looking utterly sincere.
Goudan froze, his mouth hanging open in an O. "Huh?"
"Shut your mouth! No questions!"
Goudan was just about to ask when An Kai's rebuke suddenly rang out in his mind.
He hurriedly closed his mouth and glanced sideways at An Kai, whose expression was still "kind." When An Kai saw Goudan looking, he even gave him a gentle, friendly nod...
As for why An Kai refused to ride Goudan...
There was no other reason.
It was simply because this was the [Divine Court Fourth Layer]...
Goudan had already said that this place had evolved from his teacher's [Domain].
A [Domain] was equivalent to a home.
Riding