"Boss, I don't think it's quite suitable," Isaac pointed out tactfully.
"True." Carlo agreed. "It seems there's a big difference between being willing to pull a carriage and being able to pull one."
Isaac crouched down too, unsure how to explain to a summoned turtle that it wasn't the draft animal they were looking for.
"Um, sorry, but we might need you to go back. I don't think... you can help us here," Isaac finally said.
The turtle seemed to understand him, then nodded slowly, looking regretful.
Its form began to fade, its outline gradually blurring until it vanished completely.
"Where did it come from, and where did it go when it disappeared?" Isaac stood up.
"That sounds like a very philosophical question, but it's easy to answer: the Wilderness." Carlo stood up too. Seeing that Isaac wanted to ask more, he added, "A place you don't need to know much about right now."
Isaac swallowed his questions, and Carlo rubbed his chin. "Looks like we need to change the conditions and add 'able to pull a carriage.' The last attempt succeeded, anyway, so we can try a few more times.
"Hmm, can Isaac Lessing summon a being that's willing to pull a carriage, won't relieve itself wherever it pleases, and has enough strength to pull an empty carriage? Check value: 40 plus 15, 55."
Adding conditions really does make it harder... This time, Isaac didn't hesitate for long before rolling the die.
The die tumbled across the dirt. 47, check succeeded.
After another wait of several dozen seconds, Isaac was wondering whether they would summon something reliable this time when his vision went black. Perhaps he had stood up too quickly.
Then, a ball of flame seemed to explode in front of him.
The blazing fire burned without setting the weeds alight. It swelled and flickered, and an enormous figure emerged from within.
A forepaw stepped through the curtain of fire, its claws sharp. Golden eyes fixed on Isaac, and he took half a step back.
It was a giant wolf, covered in pitch-black fur and wreathed in burning golden flames.
He could feel the oppressive pressure radiating from the wolf, along with a power that defied common sense. The suffocating sensation kept him from even thinking of running away.
What... is that?
Wait, what the hell did I summon?!
Isaac gritted his teeth and steadied himself, slowly reaching toward his pocket.
At that moment, the giant wolf lowered its head and stared Isaac straight in the eyes. Its bone-white fangs appeared as it opened its jaws, and a deep voice sounded:
"Mortal, I am..."
It never finished the sentence, because a fist came at it from the side...
And delivered a clean uppercut.
The uppercut struck with astonishing force, knocking the giant wolf's enormous body backward. It let out a whimper, and even its bewilderment was audible.
A moment later, it vanished along with the illusion of flames.
Isaac stared at the scene, dumbfounded, then turned his head in jerks to look at the boxer.
"What a shame I didn't bring my new cane. Using my fist is rather undignified." Carlo shook out his hand.
"...Boss?"
"Mm-hmm?"
"Did you just... punch that wolf?"
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"It had just started talking..."
"I'm not deaf. I heard it." Carlo clicked his tongue. "Stay away from anyone who opens with 'mortal.' Just listen to it, and you can tell it likes putting on airs. If I'd let it finish introducing itself, it would've gone on and on about how great it was, blah blah blah, then made a whole list of demands. I don't have the time to play along."
That giant wolf really didn't look like the type to pull a carriage obediently... No, that's not the point, is it?!
But Isaac really didn't know what to say. In the end, he managed, "...Did it just go back like that?"
"What else? Should it have stuck around after that punch and waited for me to give it a second kick?" Carlo slipped his hands back into his pockets. "All right, keep rolling. We have to find a suitable one eventually."
Isaac thought the summoning process was getting a little too convoluted. The first time, they got a palm-sized turtle. The second time, a giant wolf that started by saying "I am." What would come next?
Still, even after encountering the giant wolf, Isaac found that his shock didn't seem to last very long, not with Carlo's "whatever, forget it" attitude.
"Should we add anything else to the conditions this time?" he asked, gripping the die. He really wasn't sure anymore.
"Like what?"
"Maybe something about being more docile?"
Carlo thought for a moment. "Sure. Let's change it to 'a being that's willing to pull a carriage, won't relieve itself wherever it pleases, has enough strength to pull an empty carriage, and is obedient.' Check value: 25 plus 15, 40."
The check value had dropped again, but at least it was still within an acceptable range. Isaac rolled the die once more.
12, check succeeded.
Three successes in a row. Looks like my luck's pretty good... As Isaac thought that, he saw the space in front of him twist and ripple.
So fast this time?
Isaac stared in surprise as a dark shape slowly emerged.
It had the outline of a canine, pitch-black fur, and a build somewhere between a large hound and a small horse. It stepped out of the distorted space onto the ground, shook its head, and looked at Isaac.
Isaac met its golden eyes and couldn't help feeling they looked familiar.
They really did look familiar, except that its body had shrunk considerably and the flames were gone...
Wasn't this the same wolf from just now?!
"Has it... backed down?" Isaac asked tentatively.
"My punch probably knocked some sense into it. Looks like it realized putting on airs won't work with us, and it would be better off negotiating honestly." Carlo walked a circle around the black dog.
The black dog kept its head lowered and let him look it over.
Isaac crouched down to meet the black dog's eyes. "Are you here to pull the carriage?"
The black dog nodded.
"You won't relieve yourself wherever you please?"
The black dog looked a little displeased, but nodded anyway.
"Are you strong enough to pull that carriage?"
The black dog glanced at the empty carriage and nodded disdainfully.
Isaac stood up and looked at Carlo. "Boss, what do you think?"
Carlo rubbed his chin, his gaze moving back and forth between the black dog and the carriage. "It's big enough, but I don't know what its temper's like. If it quits halfway there, I don't want to walk all the way to Vista."
Hearing this, the black dog raised its head and let out a low huff, as if expressing its displeasure but not daring to go too far.
"All right, let's give it a try." Carlo clapped his hands. "Go harness it to the carriage."
Isaac walked toward the carriage, the black dog following behind him. A complicated look flashed in its eyes.