Interlude 2: Axel the Familiar

The story shifts back roughly one year.

Deep within the forest, Ryuu’s hand rested on the hilt of his favorite blade, ready to draw at a moment’s notice. He scoured his surroundings for any sign of monsters, his senses of smell and hearing sharp while his eyes scanned the trees and the forest floor.

(I wouldn’t mind bagging a large forest rabbit today. Rabbit stew is an absolute delicacy. It’d be perfect for this chilly season... I bet everyone would be thrilled—wait, what’s that?)

A wounded black horse galloped across Ryuu’s line of sight. It was followed almost immediately by a pack of goblins.

It seemed they had marked the horse as their prey and were hunting it as a group. A spear was lodged in the horse’s hind leg, and blood dripped steadily from the wound. It was a painful sight to behold.

(He’s covered in blood, sweat, and mud, and he’s completely winded. Those bastards must have been chasing him for quite a while. I’d love to help, but... this is the law of nature. Sorry, buddy, but I’ve gotta pass on this one.)

The goblins were part of the forest, too. They would eat the horse, and eventually, the goblins would be eaten by other monsters. That was how the forest’s ecosystem turned.

"Gegyagyagya!"

One goblin lunged at the black horse. Despite its exhaustion, the horse managed to shake it off.

More goblins followed, leaping one after another. The horse threw them back, blood and sweat spray-painting the grass with every desperate movement. The cycle didn't break. The poor beast had likely been doing this for hours.

(...He still hasn't given up?)

Even through the agony and fatigue, the black horse continued to move its four legs, stumbling but persistent, desperately fighting off the encroaching swarm.

Seeing that mud-caked, stubborn struggle reminded Ryuu of himself. For once, the usually indifferent Ryuu felt his heart stir.

"Fine, I guess I’ll help. Consider it a favor from one kindred spirit to another."

Ryuu made short work of several goblins, causing the rest to abandon their prey and scatter into the woods. The moment the threat vanished, the black horse collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness.

(He was at his limit. Well, it’d be pretty uncool of me to just walk away now. I’ll see this through to the end. I’ve got all the medical supplies I need, anyway. All right, time for the heavy lifting.)

After moving the horse to a safer location, Ryuu washed the wounds with water from his canteen and applied a basic emergency potion. Since the gashes hadn't fully closed, he applied some sterilized herbs and wrapped them in bandages.

(Running until you're this battered... you've got some real guts.)

Ryuu built a campfire to keep the horse’s body temperature up and took a seat on a nearby fallen log.

(This guy’s probably a monster. At first, I thought he was just a carriage horse that escaped a merchant caravan, but I don’t think so. Judging by the mana capacity, he’s no low-tier beast. Let’s see what we’ve got.)

Ryuu pulled a monster encyclopedia from his bag and flipped through the pages. There weren't many black horse-type monsters, so identifying it was easy.

"Let’s see. A C-rank Senrima, huh? For a beast that powerful to be chased around by E-rank goblins... he must have been attacked by something C-rank or higher and barely escaped with his life, only to run into a pack of hungry goblins. Those deep scars definitely didn't come from a goblin. Man, talk about bad luck. You’re just like me..."

For that strange reason, Ryuu felt an even deeper sense of kinship with the animal.

(According to the book, an adult grows to be twice the size of a warhorse. But this guy is smaller than a standard military mount, so he must still be a foal. No wonder he lost to another monster. I wonder if he’ll grow up to be a magnificent black stallion that can run a thousand miles, just like his name suggests? I’d like to see that, but I should probably give it up. He’s got his own life to live—or his own 'horse-life,' I guess. We’ll part ways when he wakes up.)

Two hours later, the Senrima opened its eyes and pushed itself up. It turned its blue gaze toward Ryuu.

"Whinnnnny..."

There was a look of gratitude in those eyes. The horse didn't panic or try to flee; it seemed to understand the situation instantly and sent a silent thanks. It was clearly an exceptionally intelligent creature.

Between its grit and its personality, it was exactly the kind of being Ryuu liked.

"Finally awake, huh? I left my lunch over there for you. Eat up and get out of here while you can. I’m heading out. Later."

To prevent a forest fire, Ryuu extinguished the campfire and began walking deeper into the woods.

".................."

The Senrima stood still, watching his retreating back.

Lost in thought as he walked, Ryuu eventually found himself at the edge of the forest. The town sat just beyond, and the Baron’s mansion—or rather, the villa—was nearby. Thinking he’d put in a good day’s work, he prepared to step out of the forest with long strides when...

"Whinnnnny."

The familiar cry rang out as the black horse emerged from the bushes.

"You? Why are you here? Were you waiting for me?"

The Senrima gave a firm nod. It seemed it really could understand human speech. Ryuu took back his previous thought: this horse wasn't just smart; it was too smart. It was likely a unique variant.

"In that case, how did you know I’d pass through here?"

The black horse glanced toward the town.

"I see. Since that’s where the humans live, you figured I’d have to come this way eventually and set up an ambush."

The horse nodded again. Ryuu asked point-blank:

"Do you want to stay with me?"

"Whinnnnny!"

It was undoubtedly an affirmative. Ryuu could see it in the horse's eyes. It wanted to be his companion.

"I see. But if you want to enter human territory, we’ll need to form a familiar contract."

A familiar contract was exactly what it sounded like: a magical master-servant bond between a human and a monster.

"If you're okay with that, I’ll take you with me. So... what’s it gonna be?"

The black horse trotted up to Ryuu and lowered its head. Even as a foal, it was taller than him, bringing its large face right level with Ryuu’s.

If the horse could speak, it would likely be telling him to hurry up and sign the contract.

"Alright. Just so you know, my life is a total disaster. You better be ready for a bumpy ride."

Ryuu smirked, set down his gear, and placed a hand on the horse’s forehead. He closed his eyes and activated the familiar contract magic. A mysterious, rainbow-colored light enveloped the man and the beast.

—And so.

"Your name is Axel. I’m counting on you from today on, partner."

"Whinnnnny!"

The Senrima had joined the team. From now on, he would serve primarily as Ryuu’s legs, supporting him on his journey.

"I said earlier that the contract would let you into town, but in reality, I still have to register you as a familiar at the Adventurers Guild branch. Let's explain things to the gatekeepers and head straight there."

After that, Axel was successfully registered as a familiar at the guild. With a familiar tag hanging from his neck, he was allowed to roam the area even on his own, which was perfect for a horse who loved to wander.

Normally, he would live in the Baron’s stables, heading into the forest with Ryuu every day once his injuries fully healed. In his downtime, he’d spend his days strolling through the town, the woods, or the meadows. That was the life awaiting him.

Axel fit in at the mansion almost immediately. The head chef agreed to provide him with three meals a day, and the servants, having heard the rumors, doted on him constantly.

"Oh my. Ryuu finally got a familiar? And a C-rank Senrima at that? That’s wonderful! I can’t wait to meet him," Ryuu’s mother said, sitting up in bed with a joyful smile.

"Ryuu-niisama, you’re amazing! Bringing such a cute monster into the family!"

Rena was thrilled to have a new family member and spent every spare moment she had petting Axel.

"I’m glad, Axel. It’ll be even more fun once you’re all healed up."

"Whinnnnny!"

Ryuu had gained one more thing he needed to protect.