Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

“Alright then, once you’ve chosen the right one, I can take care of the carving. It’s just a hobby of mine, and it’ll be free.” Mr. Dragon left with his regret.

"Thank you, but I don't think I'll need to for a while. I need to go on a long trip and probably won't be coming to Andrei for a while." Lyle didn't think that being with Ralph would give him time to disappear for a while; that uncle's sense of smell was as sharp as a wolf's.

"Is it something very important?"

"Yes, I need to go to Leveren."

"Lavren? The newly established human settlement, near Cassandra?"

“You might remember the villages and towns that recently joined the Kingdom of Zwei,” Lyle deliberately brought up the topic, knowing that Ariana’s curiosity would surely lead her to continue the conversation.

"So it was Rafirin." Ariana was deflated. She seemed to know Rafirin very well and had no desire to learn more about her.

"Shiba Inu is there, in Rafilin!" Mr. Dragon suddenly became excited.

"Shiba Inu?"

"That was over ten years ago. I went to Rafilin and used a necromancy to resurrect a pet dog there. Its owner and I were very happy. It was a truly joyful time. Mr. Plague Doctor, you should go and see for yourself. The feel of a Shiba Inu's fur is absolutely wonderful."

"Moreover, some magical herbs grow in the Shiba Inu's nest, including Ghost Moss."

"Really? That's lucky."

So, what kind of pet dog would be so beloved by a dragon that its home would even harbor precious magical materials?

"Is Shiba Inu as big as a house?"

"No, the plague doctor really likes to joke. How could there be a dog as big as a house?"

It seems that my suspicions have been dispelled.

"Shiba Inu is a newborn, only the size of a carriage."

"..."

Shiba Inu is the wolf from Rafilin.

"Shiba Inu is a soul-rearing dog. He is special. He has a talent for being kind to people. When he is alive, he will be loved by humans. After he dies, he will only be transformed into a ghost dog and will absorb the power of those dead souls, which will make him grow bigger and bigger."

Lyle was filled with mixed emotions; the final boss of this sheriff's journey seemed to be Mr. Dragon's pet.

"Is there any way to tame it?" Actually, Lyle would rather destroy it, but Mr. Dragon probably wouldn't agree.

"Of course, and it's very simple. Shiba Inu is a little cutie, and it likes everyone who plays games with it."

"We'll play the nose-touching game together."

"As long as you can quickly place your palm on the Shiba Inu's nose before it reacts, it will show its submission and like you."

The task seems to have become much easier.

"What if it doesn't react as quickly as a Shiba Inu?"

“If you lose your hand, your Shiba Inu will bite off your arm and use it as its new toy.”

"..."

"Because Shiba Inus aren't very intelligent, they'll think the game has started as soon as you reach out your hand."

"..."

This must be the cause of the farmer's death.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Ba Jin

A cold front, seemingly from nowhere, climbed onto the balcony and blew against Lyle's back.

He was about to face a vicious dog that took pleasure in biting off people's hands, and he wasn't sure if he and Ralph would survive.

You absolutely must tame the Shiba Inu before Ralf comes into contact with it.

I glanced at Mr. Dragon, whose interest was still high, and realized that this was the key.

"Mr. Dragon..."

The two practically dominated the tea party, which was transformed into a forum for dog lovers. The gentleman sat on one side, occasionally interjecting with a few topics, while Ariana sat there like a puppet, perhaps counting stars through her veil.

Lyle sifted through a whole bunch of random details, from the Shiba Inu's dietary preferences and the smooth feel of its fur to the difference in how it barks when it's happy and when it's lonely.

It only appears after dusk due to the ghost's aversion to light. Physical attacks are almost ineffective. It will become invisible and lurk, able to pass through obstacles and attach to objects. When the nose-touching game begins, the Shiba Inu will instinctively give up its ghost abilities, which means that the countdown to Lyle's arm detaching happens to be its weakest period.

But its enormous size is enough to turn cuteness into terror, making physical confrontation almost out of the question.

“Sir, I still want to…” Lyle was trying to pry more out of Mr. Dragon’s mouth.

“Doctor, we need to ensure the fairness of the game, and the same goes for pets. Shiba Inu is just a puppy, why can’t you be more lenient with him?”

Mr. Dragon saw through Lyle's intentions and only provided him with limited intelligence support. He felt that cheating in pet games was too petty.

He chuckled and didn't press further. Mr. Dragon remained silent. Lyle felt a little wronged. Could he blame the dragon for its ruthlessness? No. If you asked your neighbor's dog to play a game and then wanted him to cheat for you, what would he do?

The atmosphere became a little stiff, but fortunately, the gentleman acted as a mediator and changed the subject, and Andrea's night ended with casual conversation.

……

The sound of riding boots clattering on the cobblestones lasted for about ten minutes. You wouldn't see any cobblestone streets in Cassandra after leaving the main street, so Lyle was fairly satisfied that his uniform could be cleaned for a little while longer.

In the slums, a person draped in tattered burlap sacks huddled in a corner of an alley, their eyes gleaming beneath the covering. The gaze swept over the pockets of the two men, finally meeting Ralf's eyes as he looked at the criminal. Like a jackal encountering a lion, the person snapped back into a dazed, half-awake state.

Perhaps they were recently escaped slaves, or perhaps they were recently unemployed farm laborers, but that was not what Ralph would consider. All he needed was stability; the rest was the government's job.

The destination was a small, dilapidated two-story building, from which a pungent smell of herbs could be detected from miles away.

Lyle covered his nose to reduce the irritation.

Ralph showed no sign of discomfort; he burst through the door and began shouting down the hallway.

"Ba Jin, one hundred jules!"

"Ba Jin, one hundred jules!"

A figure emerged from a room. He had neatly styled blond hair tied in a small ponytail at the back of his head. He had a handsome face, clear eyes, eyebrows like willow tips, and a smile on his face. He wore a neat silk shirt. What a dashing young man!

He bowed to Ralf, his smile unchanged. Lyle had to admire him; it wasn't easy to keep a smile on Ralf's face, as Lyle always kept a deadpan expression when talking to him.

This is the professional; he certainly looks very professional.

"Where's Ba Jin?" Ralph didn't mince words.

“Mr. Barkin is temporarily unavailable. I am William Dorgit, and I will be in charge of reception duties for the time being.” William revealed his white teeth, making his smile even more approachable.

But Ralph didn't buy it.

He walked past William and headed straight for the second floor, shouting, "Get out here, you old man, don't try to fool me with your little boy!"

Lyle felt ashamed of the non-existent Bühler family's reputation. At this moment, William looked deflated and had a bitter face. He seemed to be a boy who was also putting on a brave face like himself. A sense of sympathy led him to greet him, "Don't mind him, he... isn't very bright."

"Thank you," William forced a smile, "Sheriff?"

"Yes."

"Your Excellency is truly young and promising." He seemed quite surprised by Lyle's youth.

"Each each other."

The two went up to the second floor, where Lyle saw the so-called Mr. Bakin.

He was disheveled, with deep-set, shiny black eyes in dark sockets. He was wearing what looked like an old, unwashed coat, the stains on his left shoulder piled up almost three-dimensionally. A nauseating sour smell permeated the air around him. He was standing next to a large pot, and even standing, his hunched back made it barely reach Ralf's waist.

Dwarfs and zombies.

It's hard for Lyle not to think of this rhetoric; the two of them are simply a match made in heaven.

As Mr. Ba Jin added unknown medicinal herbs to the pot, like a little goblin brewing a potion, he turned his head to the side and sprayed the saliva from his mouth, which had only a few yellow teeth left, onto Ralph.

"You've trespassed on my property again. Is this how a zombie sheriff enforces the law?"

“Your broken door would collapse if you pushed it. Do you remember the two hundred jules you extorted from me the first time, you old dwarf?”

What do you want this time?!

"Work, come with me!"

"No, let William go with you!"

"Is this how you're going to get rid of me! Sending a little kid to die in your place."

Lyle said he felt offended.

"You finally admit you took me to my death! Ha, you heartless bastard, trying to fob me off with your worthless copper coin!"

"When has it ever ended without you demanding a higher fee? Do you think I'm heartless? I went with you every single time!"

The two spent half an hour reminiscing about their past entanglements.

In the end, Mr. Ba Jin lost due to exhaustion.

"Anyway, I'm not going this time. William at least has some basic magic skills, so take him or leave him if you want."

"Rafilin's Wolf, you know? Do you think this kid can handle it?"

“Don’t underestimate young people. William is the most talented mystic I have ever met. Given time, he will surpass me.”

"Hmph, even the most talented dead man is still a dead man. Maybe you'll be able to attend our funeral in a few days."

"That's impossible, I'll definitely die before you all."

"Is your time up?"

"It'll be ready soon." Ba Jin continued stirring in the pot. "If the Philosopher's Stone isn't refined this time, you can come back and attend my funeral. Maybe if you, you bastard, show up, I'll be so angry that I'll crawl out of my coffin."

"Ralph, who is this little baby?"

"My colleague."

"Well, another unlucky one." Ba Jin pulled away the piece of wood from the bottom of the pot that hadn't fully caught fire. "I'll go get you something, so there's no one to collect my body later."

With a flick of his spoon, he splashed the so-called Philosopher's Stone potion into the water. "William, entertain the guests. Tell them not to move around here; if they do, ten Jules will be lost."

A clanging sound came from the invisible cubicle.

Shortly after, Mr. Ba Jin emerged from the cubicle, carrying a long iron box and a large bag of paper scraps. He was now covered in even more dirt.

He handed the tin box to Ralph, saying, "There are some medicine and 'that stuff' inside. Use it as needed."