The Thrill of Monster Taming

The night she returned from the Tower, Yena collapsed onto her bed and fell dead asleep. Before she knew it, morning had already arrived.

Ding-dong!

A cheerful chime echoed through the apartment, followed immediately by a voice from the hall.

"Anyone home?"

"...Ack!"

Startled out of her wits, Yena bolted upright and scrambled toward the entryway.

"I'm the repair technician you called yesterday!"

"Yes! Coming~!"

She hadn't taken more than three steps, however, before disaster struck.

Crash!

The strength abruptly vanished from her legs, sending her tumbling headlong across the floor.

"...Ow, ow, ow."

Had she tried to move too fast? Sitting crumpled in a heap, Yena waited for her ragged breathing to steady before gingerly pulling herself back up and smoothing down her clothes.

Click.

The front door swung open.

"Uh, hello..."

The moment the repair technician laid eyes on Yena's face, his jaw dropped and his eyes went wide as saucers.

"Ah, ah... yes. Hello. I got the general overview of the damage, but I need to see it in person to give you an accurate estimate. Though, um..."

"Yes?"

"Y-Your nose... Are you all right...?"

belatedly, Yena pulled out her smartphone to check her reflection in the dark screen.

"Gasp!"

Disaster. Blood had gushed from her nostrils so profusely that it looked like someone had splashed a bowl of crimson paint straight across her face.

"Ah, this happens all the time... I'm fine. Please don't worry about it."

"..."

A look of profound pity and melancholy washed over the technician's eyes. Still, he had a job to do.

"Well then, pardon the intrusion."

He stepped inside, stealing glance after glance at her face. Even smeared with blood, her features were so breathtakingly ethereal that a little gore couldn't diminish her beauty in the slightest.

"She's seriously so pretty..." he murmured under his breath, only to snap to his senses and clap both hands over his mouth with a startled gasp.

"Pardon?"

"N-Nothing at all!"

Yena, who had politely stepped aside, tilted her head in mild confusion before ducking into the bathroom to wash her face.

Stepping into the main room, the technician inspected the damaged wall. When he caught sight of the clean, razor-sharp slice through the concrete, his eyes bulged.

"...Good grief, what on earth happened here for a wall to be carved ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠through this cleanly?"

Yena returned, offering a sheepish grin while deliberately averting her eyes.

"W-Well... things sort of just happened... Heheh. Cough, cough."

"Ah, please, don't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mind me! I'm sorry for prying."

Seeing the faint, shadowy dark circles carved beneath her delicate eyes made his chest ache with sympathy.

She must have some kind of painful circumstance.

They said the heavens were jealous of extraordinary beauties, and fair maidens were cursed with tragic fates. Regrettably, the ancient idiom appeared to be entirely true.

Deciding that asking anything further would be terribly rude, the technician quietly unzipped his toolkit.

"I'll get right to work. A cut of this scale shouldn't take long to patch up with mana mortar."

"Ah, yes, thank you so much... Should I wait outside so I don't get in your way...?"

"Oh, no, not at all! It'll be over in a flash, so please just rest right over there. It'd be too much trouble for you to keep shuffling back and forth."

"Ah, okay."

Yena bowed politely, and the repairs got underway.

The work proceeded without a hitch. Yena sat nearby on the edge of the sofa, fiddling with her phone as she waited. About thirty minutes later, the technician wiped the sweat from his forehead and packed up his tools.

"All finished. Take a look."

The wall had been seamlessly restored to its original state, leaving behind not a single trace of the slice. Yena gently ran her hand across the smooth plaster in genuine awe.

"Wow, it looks like it was never cut in the first place. That's incredible..."

Seeing her innocent, radiant delight, the technician beamed proudly.

"Naturally! It's my trade, after all. Oh, and here."

He reached into his pocket and carefully held out a business card.

"If anything like this ever happens again, feel free to give me a call. I promise to do it cheaper than market rate, no matter what."

"No matter what...?"

At her questioning glance, the technician averted his eyes and scratched the back of his neck in flustered embarrassment.

"A-Ah, no, I don't mean anything weird by it! It's just... retaining regular clients is the most important thing in this line of work. Haha... ha."

For some reason, the tips of his ears were burning bright red.

He must be really shy around strangers, Yena mused.

Not that she was in any position to judge someone else's social awkwardness. Nodding agreeably, Yena saw him off at the door.

Once the technician left, Yena melted into the sofa and finally pulled up the clear rewards she had earned from the Tower the night before.

"...What's this?"

Pulling it from her inventory revealed a plain-looking wooden chest.

"It's not gold this time."

Not knowing what was inside only fueled her curiosity. With delicate care, Yena lifted the latch and pried open the lid.

Another box? A flicker of disappointment washed over her, but it vanished the moment she processed the words.

"...A magic tool box?"

Yena's eyes dilated. Magic tools were special artifacts obtainable only from within the Tower.

They spanned an immense spectrum, ranging from minor novelties like socks that blew gentle breezes all the way to cataclysmic implements capable of cleaving mountains in two.

Her heart thumped with anticipation.

What could it possibly be? With sparkling eyes, Yena flung open the container.

"What's inside!?"

Sitting in the velvet lining was a palm-sized, circular gadget. A small push-button rested on the top, and intricate, faintly glowing magic circles were etched across its sleek surface.

"...Huh?"

Yena checked the item details.

It was junk. Absolute, rock-bottom F-Rank garbage.

"No way... Why did it have to be something like this...?"

She slumped forward in despair. But just as she was about to wallow in self-pity, a vivid memory flashed through her mind.

How could she ever forget? The sheer nightmare of utter exhaustion every single time she tried to dry her long hair.

"Wait... it blows cool air when placed on top of your head?"

And not sweltering hot air, either, but a cool, refreshing breeze.

"Could this actually be an incredible treasure...?"

There was only one way to find out. Eager to test it immediately, Yena took a quick shower, wrapped herself up, and gently placed the little device right onto the wet crown of her head.

Click.

The moment she pressed the button—

Whirrrrrr.

A continuous, soothing rush of cool air radiated outward from the top of her skull, sweeping effortlessly across her scalp and through every strand of hair.

"O-Oh...?"

She could feel her heavy, damp hair gradually becoming lighter and fluffier by the second. She could dry her entire head without lifting a finger! No more waving her frail arms around until her joints gave out. Her days of collapsing from the sheer exertion of blow-drying her hair were officially over.

"How on earth is this an F-Rank item?"

Yena shook her head in disbelief. There was no way. This wasn't junk—it was a revolutionary masterpiece of magical engineering.

"This will be amazing for cooling down when it's hot, too."

Whenever the summer heat became unbearable, she could simply stick it to her head and relax. Oh my god. This was an absolute jackpot.

"Thank you for your gracious blessing, Lord Tower."

After offering a heartfelt prayer of thanks to the supernatural monolith, Yena picked up her smartphone, leaving the magical dryer humming happily atop her head.

Opening the NewTube app, she began mindlessly scrolling through the feed.

"Hmm, not interested in that..."

Cooking recipes, hunter vlogs, pet channels—a kaleidoscope of colorful thumbnails brushed past her fingertips. Then, a particular live broadcast caught her attention.

"...Taming?"

A sudden spark of curiosity flared within her. Drawn as if under a spell, Yena tapped the screen.

The stream showed a man sitting before the camera, gently cradling and fondling a small, wolf-like monster.

"See this, everyone? If you stroke them gently like this..."

The creature on screen squinted its eyes in bliss, leaning contentedly into the man's palm.

"...So cute."

Yena leaned forward instinctively. On screen, the streamer continued petting the little beast with practiced ease, explaining his technique.

"Taming begins with building trust like this. People always find it daunting at first, but at our center, you can take it one step at a time with gentle creatures like these."

He grinned warmly into the camera.

"As you can see, anyone can do it without any prior knowledge, so if you're interested, please drop by! We have courses specifically designed for complete beginners!"

Yena stared transfixed at the fuzzy creature.

"...A beginner experience course."

The wolf pup was wagging its tail, completely surrendering itself to the man's soothing touch.

I want to pet it like that too.

A pure, overwhelming desire welled up within her chest. Before she even realized it, Yena was burning every subtle movement of the man's hands into her memory.

The angle of his stroke, the subtle modulation of pressure, the way his eyes constantly monitored the monster's slightest reactions.

And in that instant, she understood it completely.

"Huh?"

Yena blinked at the unexpected prompt. She hadn't even meant to copy it intentionally this time.

Wait, my mana! I need to check my mana reserves...!

"...Phew."

Only after confirming the number did she exhale a sigh of relief. The consumption hadn't been severe. Thank goodness the skill's rank was low.

"I had no idea I could learn something like this through a screen."

As she continued watching the stream, her gaze drifted toward the background behind the presenter.

"...Wait."

The exterior of a building visible through the center's window looked strikingly familiar. Wondering if she was mistaken, she pinched the screen to zoom in multiple times. There was no mistaking it.

"Isn't this right by my apartment?"

Spotting the small street signs reflected in the background, Yena's eyes lit up. It was a distance of about fifteen minutes on foot.

"Wait, that's so clo—"

She caught herself mid-sentence and shook her head.

"No, it's not close at all."

To an invalid like her, fifteen minutes was practically a pilgrimage. Anxieties about whether she could make it there alive flooded her mind, but...

"...I still want to go."

The knowledge that the stream was happening live right now ignited a fierce resolve within her. If she set off immediately, she might get to see that adorable creature with her own two eyes.

"Please hold together, my fragile body...!"

With determined grunts, Yena sluggishly dragged herself off the couch and began to get ready.

Her fears proved entirely justified. A fifteen-minute walk was an agonizingly long journey.

"Pant... wheeze..."

Only after leaning against roadside trees half a dozen times to gasp for air did she finally manage to drag herself to the entrance. Standing before the facility, she looked up at the bold lettering emblazoned across the signboard.

"I... I m-m-made... it..."

Folding her sun umbrella, she pushed open the glass doors. The fragrant, earthy scent of fresh grass mingled with the diverse chirps and growls of various creatures greeted her immediately.

"Welcome! Are you here for the experience program?"

A female staff member approached with a bright, welcoming smile.

"Ah, yes. I wanted to try it out."

As Yena spoke with bashful softness, the woman instinctively raised a hand to cover her mouth.

...She's insanely gorgeous.

The girl standing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠before her was so stunningly beautiful that it seemed impossible for her to belong to the mortal realm.

"Whoa..."

The exclamation slipped out in pure admiration. She had never seen a girl this breathtaking, not even among top celebrities on television.

"...?"

"Ah, i-it's nothing! Please, allow me to guide you inside!"

Noticing Yena's puzzled tilt of the head, the employee quickly snapped out of her daze, smoothed her expression, and hurried ahead to lead the way.

Following the staff member into the facility's interior, Yena was greeted by spacious enclosures housing various small monsters, including the very wolf-like beast she had watched on the live broadcast.

"All the little ones here have very docile temperaments, so please feel free to pet them."

"Wow, they're so precious..."

Approaching the pen with gentle steps, Yena reached out and softly stroked the wolf monster's head. The silky, lush fur felt heavenly against her fingertips.

"So soft, and so squishy..."

Squinting its eyes in sheer bliss, the monster nuzzled its snout affectionately against Yena's delicate palm.

"...Unbearably cute."

Moving on to the adjacent enclosure, a tiny, bird-like creature fluttered its wings and hopped lightly onto Yena's shoulder.

"Oh?"

While Yena blinked in surprise, the little avian playfully pecked at her silken hair with its beak.

"...Hehe, that tickles."

She wandered happily from pen to pen, indulging her suppressed desires to her heart's content. But right at that peaceful moment—

SKRRRRREEEEEECH!

A piercing, ferocious roar tore through the hall, and one of the heavy reinforced cages deep inside the facility began rattling violently. A massive canine monster was thrashing in sheer frenzy, ramming its hulking body repeatedly against the bars.

"W-What is that?! Why is he suddenly throwing a fit?!"

Panicked cries erupted from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the staff as they rushed toward the disturbance. Several employees bolted toward the back to fetch tranquilizer darts.

"Everyone, please step back! It's dangerous!"

Yet despite the frantic shouting of the staff, Yena drifted toward the rampaging beast as if guided by an invisible thread.

"...It's okay, it's okay."

Whispering softly, she reached out her hand. The profound intuition she had just acquired moved her limbs with absolute, effortless grace.

"H-Hey! Stop! Get back! It's dangerous! Once that monster goes berserk, nothing can calm him down until he's put to sleep—!"

Despite the staff's desperate pleas, Yena didn't pause.

"Good boy."

Her delicate fingertips gently touched down between the raging beast's eyes. In a voice dripping with endless tenderness, Yena asked,

"Won't you tell me why you're so upset?"

In that singular instant—

As if by pure magic, the monstrous beast froze dead in its tracks.

"...Huh?"

A stunned, pin-drop silence blanketed the entire hall.

Yena continued whispering gentle questions to the creature, tenderly stroking its furrowed brow.

"H-How on earth..."

The staff members stared slack-jawed, their gazes darting in total disbelief between the tranquilized-looking beast and the frail girl soothing it.

"Whoa, what the hell?"

And standing right in the middle of that frozen crowd was the streamer, his NewTube camera broadcasting the entire miracle live to thousands of viewers.