"Yip~"
Warm water flowed through the gaps in its fur and over its skin, sending warmth coursing through its body like an electric current. Enjoying its grooming session, the Blazing Fox narrowed its large, alluring eyes in contentment. Its tense body relaxed naturally, and it let out a soft, lilting whimper.
"Whoa-"
The girl sitting nearby, watching her Contract Beast receive its grooming, sucked in a breath.
She knew better than anyone how aloof her Contract Beast was. Ever since forming their contract, she had practically been waiting on a spoiled little monarch. She had never imagined it had this side to it.
Unable to help herself, the girl looked at the young man as though he were a miracle worker. He held a showerhead in one hand and steadied the Blazing Fox with the other.
At that moment, a thought rose unbidden in her mind: This shop's services are expensive, but you really do get what you pay for.
Xu Ran paid no attention to the beast tamer watching from the sidelines.
Using techniques he had only recently learned but had already mastered, he gently massaged the Blazing Fox's fur, thoroughly wetting it. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at a line of text that only he could see.
[Happiness Points from the Blazing Fox +2]
As the Happiness Points rolled in, the corners of Xu Ran's mouth lifted slightly, and his movements became even more careful and gentle.
That gentler touch sent bliss through the Blazing Fox's entire body like a passing electric current.
[Happiness Points from the Blazing Fox +2] [Happiness Points from the Blazing Fox +2] [From...]
The constantly appearing text made Xu Ran's smile deepen.
We've only just started.
Already enjoying yourself?
Once its fur was thoroughly wet, he took out a degreasing product and applied it to the Blazing Fox's chin and other areas prone to oil buildup. He gently rubbed with his fingertips, working the product down to the roots of its fur.
"Yip~~"
The areas prone to oil buildup were also where the Blazing Fox's scent glands were located. They were more sensitive, and even the slightest stimulation sent an electric tingling through its body.
As Xu Ran worked, its eyes narrowed almost to slits. Sounds of pleasure escaped its throat involuntarily, and it lay sprawled lazily on the grooming table, unwilling to move.
[Happiness Points from the Blazing Fox +5] [Happiness Points from the Blazing Fox +5] [From...]
Seeing that each influx of Happiness Points had more than doubled, Xu Ran's focused gaze gained a touch of warmth as he looked at the Blazing Fox.
It felt rather like looking at a money-printing machine.
After thoroughly working in the product, he picked up the showerhead and gently rinsed it from the surface of the fur amid the Blazing Fox's soft whimpers.
The Blazing Fox shifted its body contentedly.
The excess oil in its fur had always left it feeling uncomfortable. Now it felt much fresher, and even its body seemed light and airy.
With the degreasing finished, it was time for cleansing.
Xu Ran spread the lathered shampoo evenly over the Blazing Fox's body, then rubbed each area with a little more pressure, ensuring that the cleansing effect of the rich foam reached every hair root and follicle.
The Blazing Fox's narrowed eyes suddenly flew wide open.
The pressure reached deep into its follicles, and the perfectly judged massage brought a bliss it had never experienced before. It felt as though tiny electric currents were traveling from every follicle throughout its body, leaving a delicious tingling in their wake. It felt lighter and lighter, until it seemed about to fly.
An irrepressible sound wound its way out of its throat.
"Yip~~~"
[Happiness Points from the Blazing Fox +10] [Happiness Points from the Blazing Fox +10] [From...]
As the Happiness Points kept increasing, Xu Ran gazed at the Blazing Fox with deep affection.
Beside them, the girl's cheeks gradually flushed.
Why did her Contract Beast sound so strange?!
Why was the shop owner looking at her Contract Beast so strangely, too?!
She couldn't help covering her eyes, then restlessly peeking through her fingers.
This was so weird!!!
"Come again!"
Xu Ran waved to the customer leaving his shop.
"Mm-hmm..."
Looking dazed, Su Xiaoxiao gave two absentminded replies and left with the completely refreshed Blazing Fox in her arms. Its fiery red fur gleamed like lustrous silk in the sunlight.
She had been just a teensy bit utterly shaken today.
"Yip~"
The Blazing Fox lifted its head from the crook of Su Xiaoxiao's shoulder and looked at the receding storefront, still wanting more and reluctant to leave.
After seeing his customer off, Xu Ran's smile grew even broader.
His delight came from the new text appearing before him.
[Host: Xu Ran Contract power: Tier 1 Contracted Contract Beasts: None System skills: None Happiness Points: 742 System upgrade EXP: 0/1000] [Beginner quest 1: First grooming session (completed) Quest description: Open for business and complete one Contract Beast grooming session. Quest reward: System skill mystery box ×1, system upgrade EXP +50] [Click to claim quest rewards]
"Finally finished the quest," Xu Ran murmured, choosing to claim the rewards without hesitation.
A mystery box resembling a holographic projection slowly opened before his eyes, bursting with dazzling light.
As the light filled his vision, his thoughts began to wander.
Xu Ran was not from this world.
Just a few hours earlier, he had transmigrated here and bound himself to a system.
It was just that his system... was rather hard to describe.
This lousy thing called the "Pet Beast Boarding System" didn't even have a reply function, and its name alone sounded thoroughly unimpressive.
If the system hadn't given him a Contract Beast boarding shop right from the start, he would have complained even more viciously.
Supernatural powers existed in this world. Plants and animals alike had a chance to transform from ordinary living things into supernatural creatures, gaining extraordinary abilities.
Among humans, a lucky few with the right talent could cultivate through meditation and gain the ability to form contracts with supernatural creatures. They could command those creatures in battle, becoming beast tamers.
Supernatural creatures contracted to beast tamers were called Contract Beasts.
Whenever beast tamers needed their Contract Beasts, they could summon them to their side through their contracts, anytime and anywhere. When they didn't need them, however, housing the Contract Beasts became a problem.
Normally, beast tamers lived with their own Contract Beasts. But there were always some who, for various reasons, couldn't take their Contract Beasts with them and had no choice but to board them elsewhere.
Pet beast boarding shops were places that helped beast tamers care for their Contract Beasts.
Besides boarding, these shops often offered other Contract Beast-related services.
After learning about this world from his original body's memories, Xu Ran strongly suspected someone was playing a prank on him.
Surely a system suited to a world like this should at least be some overpowered system that let him allocate stat points or teach Contract Beasts skills? What the hell was a Pet Beast Boarding System?
At that moment, the light from the opening mystery box faded.
New text appeared.
[Congratulations! The host has obtained the system skill [Fur Plucking].] [[Fur Plucking] is a grooming-linked skill. The host can use it while grooming Contract Beasts, with a chance of obtaining a skill from the target Contract Beast. The host can teach any skills obtained from Contract Beasts to his own contracted beasts.]
Xu Ran opened his mouth as he read the skill description before him. After a long pause, he murmured a single sentence.
"System, I had you all wrong!"
Before you continue