Chapter 26 - The Hunter and his Wolf
A long row of chairs lined both sides of the hall, and as Tave stepped forward, nearly every pair of eyes turned toward him. He could feel the weight of their gazes. Not with respect or curiosity, but with a kind of bored judgment.
They knew who he was.
The son of one of the city's Knight Commanders. The "disappointment" older brother of a prodigy. The one who failed to live up to a name.
Some of them even looked away almost immediately, like he was just another filler in the story, someone who'd be crying or passed out by the end of it, just like when he struggled through his breakthrough into Gaia Apprentice.
He took the seat nearest the center calmly, ignoring the murmur that followed.
"Hey, are you a beast tamer?" a voice asked.
Tave looked up.
The man across from him had a confident grin and wore a sharp white outfit, interwoven with light armor. Judging by his build and gear, he was probably a close-combat martial fighter, the kind who preferred knuckles and impact over magic or blades.
"No," Tave replied casually.
The man's eyes shifted to Fang, the silent wolf seated beside him.
"I found this wolf in the forest," Tave said flatly. "Decided to adopt it."