The Tamer of the Kennel
Bayul's daily routine had settled into a comfortable rhythm. By day, he listened to reports on the county in his father's stead, signed off on documents, and scoured the archives in his spare hours for books on spirits. When night fell, he slipped out to tend the farmland or repair the broken corners of the estate — busy days, but governed by a rhythm of his own making, and the rest of his vacation passed that way.
Whenever the servants whispered among themselves about how the frail young master had utterly transformed, Rita found her shoulders squaring with pride for no reason at all. She hoped he would keep living exactly like this, for a long, long time to come.
"These are all the documents for today, my lord."
Butler Cunning set down a noticeably lighter stack of papers before Bayul. When Bayul merely stared at it, puzzled, the old steward smiled.
"Lord Randert will be returning soon."
"...?"
When Bayul still looked uncomprehending, Cunning explained again.
"You ought to enjoy your holiday as well, young master. You need only handle the urgent matters. The rest I intend to heap upon Lord Randert when he arrives."
"...Heaped upon him?"
"Yes, indeed."
"Won't that be hard on my father, though?"
"Hmm, it's familiar work to him. I doubt he'll struggle all that much."
The lord would no doubt grumble — what is all this paperwork doing here again? — but for now, the steward simply wanted to let the young master rest a little. Truth be told, he had been feeling rather guilty about how hard the boy had been worked lately.
"That matter I mentioned before — did you pass it along properly to the people working in the castle?"
"Which matter would that be?"
"About the second lady's visit."
"Ah, you may set your mind at ease on that. Quite a few servants did see Lady Derrick's mother, but since none of them know anything about Lord Derrick's affair, they've taken it for an ordinary social call. It's unlikely to become the subject of any gossip."
"That's a relief. Lord Derrick has already upset my uncle terribly over this — the last thing I wanted was to add another worry to his plate."
"I know your heart, young master. But Lord Derrick is said to be staying quietly at his residence without causing any further trouble, so please don't carry the guilt. If one does wrong, one pays the penalty, and then simply refrains from repeating the offense — is that not enough? For Derrick's own sake as well, this is the right thing."
It was the counsel of a man who had lived many times longer than Bayul. Even as he wished for his father and uncle to return home quickly, the thought of what future his own deeds might bring sent a shiver of anxiety through him.
I did my best.
For now, telling himself that was the kindest thing Bayul could do for his own sake.
"Thank you, Butler Cunning."
"You flatter me, my lord."
"Working this job, I've come to realize just how remarkable you are — how much you truly accomplish. No wonder Father trusted you enough to leave his seat vacant. I only hope you'll stand at his side for many years yet."
"Are you bidding me farewell already? Will you be departing for Carrington tomorrow morning, perhaps?"
At Bayul's sudden outpouring of gratitude, Butler Cunning joked with a touch of embarrassment. Like father, like son, he thought — how amusing that the lord's boy should speak so similarly.
"Haha, you're right, of course. They say words become seeds, so I'd best be careful."
"The estate still needs the Death brothers. You absolutely must not leave early."
The butler spared no praise as he brought up the brothers' astonishing cleaning prowess yet again.
"If only their cooking skills measured up to their cleaning. Ah — speaking of which, there he goes now."
Butler Cunning glanced out the window and clicked his tongue in pity.
"Judging by the slump in Bar's shoulders, Rita has chewed him out again."
"Has she?"
Curious and sympathetic, Bayul turned to look, and sure enough, it was so. The demon had declared he'd have Bar's remaining arm cut off too if the cooking wasn't completed properly — why on earth did the man never improve? It was almost heartbreaking to watch now.
"...Hm?"
"Is something the matter?"
Bayul's eyes went wide, and Butler Cunning looked again to see what had caught his attention. But from where he stood, nothing seemed the least bit unusual.
"...No. It's nothing."
Why is Tempesta following Bar?
And with that look on his face?
Bar was trudging along like a man walking to his own funeral, while Tempesta wore the grin of someone about to die laughing. Judging by the atmosphere, something was bound to explode at any moment.
"I — I'll just get some air. I'll deal with these documents the moment I'm back."
"In this rain, my lord?"
"...I suppose I take after my mother."
"Hah, if you say so, that explains it perfectly. Do take your raincoat and an umbrella."
Bayul promised he'd be right back and hurried off after the two of them.
Bar's feet came to a stop in front of the stable where Jasper had been spending most of his days lately — the pen housing Ruby and her pups. He'd just taken an absolute torrent of abuse from Rita, and his mood was at rock bottom. So he'd come here, hoping the sight of the adorable puppies might steady his spirit.
"Alright, snacks!"
He scattered the treats he'd carried out by hand with no small generosity. Jasper and Ruby went without saying; even the newborn pups, barely old enough to open their eyes, came wagging their stubby tails and swarming around him.
In the kitchen he might be an exasperated-over nuisance, but here — here alone — Bar was an object of absolute devotion.
Those eyes that looked at him with nothing but pure, uncomplicated affection.
Born able to understand the voices of beasts, he was most at ease when he was with creatures like these.
It was something like the feeling of settling down. In the Demon Realm, and here in the human world alike, these were the moments when Bar was happiest.
—Heh heh. What are you doing?
The intruder who shattered that reverie was Tempesta, who had been trailing along at his heels for some time now. The spirit propped his chin on the door of the kennel and gazed at Bar with mocking eyes, surrounded by Jasper and his brood.
"Get lost. Not in the mood to deal with you."
—Why? Because Rita tore you a new one? I saw the whole thing!
"Spying on people your new hobby?"
—No, it's my specialty.
"Sure. Fine, at least it's something. Can't have you being useful for nothing at all."
—What do you mean, nothing? You have no idea how busy I've been lately!
The moment Tempesta flared up, a gust of wind came ripping across the tranquil yard. Bar, of course, didn't so much as blink.
"You think that measly little power of yours can take me?"
Bar, who had been gently stroking the pups with hands like pot lids, rose unhurriedly, straightening his back and shoulders. The sulk of a scolded apprentice was gone without a trace.
The moment that two-meter frame started moving, the sheer presence of him was staggering. Just then, at least, he was the demon ranked tenth in all the Demon Realm — dangerous beyond measure.
"Where do you want to be thrown? Just say the word. I'll oblige."
—What's that supposed to mean, all of a sudden? Where would I even go!
"Don't feel like choosing? I can pick for you, you know."
Bar stretched out his hand, palm facing upward. And from within his grip, a blackened flame bloomed with a sharp crack-crack-crack.
He couldn't be certain, but he had a feeling that taking that hit head-on would end in a very ugly affair indeed.
—You think I'm scared of that?
But Tempesta's audacity wasn't about to be outmatched either. In the blink of an eye, the spirit whipped up a twisting cyclone and readied his defense.
"Stop!"
That was when Bayul arrived. Mercifully, he'd reached the scene just before the two enraged creatures could do any real damage.
"Tempesta! Dismiss that whirlwind, now!"
At the sharp edge in Bayul's voice, Tempesta's vortex froze mid-spin and dissolved.
"Bar! Have you forgotten the promise you made with me?"
"...N-no, my lord!"
"No matter how angry you get, that goes too. This isn't a place where you live! What were you planning to do if someone got hurt?"
"...I apologize. That brat kept getting under my skin, so—"
—What did I do? What did I ever do to—
"Tempesta!"
It had been the spirit's mistake to assume Bayul would take his side. When Bayul fixed him with the sternest glare he'd ever worn, Tempesta shrank back and averted his eyes. Apparently he did know he'd been in the wrong.
"Woof! Woof-woof!"
Just then, Jasper pressed his head against the back of Bar's hand — the demon still standing there sheepishly with his head bowed — and barked.
"What is it, Jasper?"
"Woof!"
"What are you trying to tell me?"
When Bayul pressed again at the dog's cryptic behavior, Bar answered for him.
"He's asking me to pet his kids."
"I'm sorry?"
"They like it when I stroke them."
They like being petted by Bar?
"Oh, right. You said you were a Beast Tamer, didn't you?"
Only now did it come back to him. Back when Aidan first discovered he himself was a Tamer, Bar had met another Tamer — Bayul's own houseguest. He'd marveled at what an incredible coincidence it was, and now it turned out that fellow Tamer was a demon. There was something novel about that.
"That friend of yours, young master — is he doing well? Any progress as a Tamer?"
"Well... vacation started almost immediately after, so I haven't had the chance to speak with him."
"Ah, now that you mention it, that would figure."
Bar sank down onto the ground and gathered all four puppies into his arms. His frame was enormous to begin with, and the pups were on the small side, so the sight was comically mismatched — and yet somehow, it suited him perfectly.
"Woof-woof!"
Jasper barked at Bar a couple of loud times, as if to say thanks. What was strange was the pups' reaction. Bar was only holding them, nothing more, and yet they somehow seemed even more at peace than they'd been in their mother's embrace.
It was as if Bar were channeling some invisible energy into the little ones — something Bayul's own eyes couldn't see.
Is that the power of a Tamer?
Could Aidan do that someday, too?
"Young master!"
Bayul was just sinking into one thought after another, watching Bar and the puppies, when Rita appeared at the kennel. He could feel Bar, who had only just managed to compose himself, tense up all over again.
A high-ranking demon, tenth in the entire Demon Realm's hierarchy, growing nervous before an ordinary human girl. The ways of the world truly were stranger than anyone could fathom.
"A letter came for you, young master!"
"...Hm? A letter?"
"Yes!"
"Did my father send it?"
"Not him, no."
Rita shook her head and handed it over.
Not Father? Then who—?
Bayul's eyes swept quickly over the envelope.
"Oh! It's from Aidan."
They had only just been talking about Aidan and Bar. Had the demon been half-expecting word to arrive? What a funny coincidence of timing.
"I brought a slice of your favorite cake along with it — why don't you go inside and enjoy it while you read?"
"Really? Alright. Thanks, Rita."
Perhaps Bar and Rita needed a little time alone, after all. Bayul caught Tempesta's eye, gave him a subtle beckoning glance, and slipped away in a hurry.