Chapter 88: A Familiar and a Confession

Ugh. Qiu Nuoya knew that if he said something like, "You’re family too, Viktor," Viktor would probably be happy. But Qiu Nuoya had not even figured out his own feelings yet. Wouldn’t it be crueler to give Viktor false hope?

"Even a slime can become part of your family, yet I cannot? What exactly is the difference between that slime and me in your eyes?"

Whoa, straight to the point!

And once again, Viktor had asked a question that was incredibly difficult to answer. Qiu Nuoya found himself at a loss for words.

"U Um... I feel like I need to protect Mochi, but you’re perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. If anything, I’m the one being protected by you, so I thought you’re more like a guardian than family..."

"I see. So your definition of family is something that should be protected."

Ah, now that Viktor put it that way, it actually made sense.

Qiu Nuoya had always believed that family members were supposed to protect and support one another. That had always been his understanding of what family meant.

"Then, according to that definition, I have already become family to you!" Viktor smiled brightly. "Even if I am not family to you, you are already family to me. Yes, without a doubt, you are my family, Nuoya."

Somehow, Viktor had come back with an answer that was completely out of left field.

"Um, is that really okay?"

"Is there a problem?"

Talk about positive thinking!

If Viktor was satisfied with that answer, then fine. If he wanted to think of Qiu Nuoya as family, Qiu Nuoya was actually happy about that. "Then I suppose Igor and Warren are family too from now on."

When Viktor heard that, his expression immediately turned sullen.

Ah. So he did not like that.

"Do you enjoy playing with my feelings, Nuoya?"

"What!? I have absolutely no intention of doing that!"

"I told you that I intended to seriously pursue you, didn’t I? Do you actually understand what that means!?"

Of course Qiu Nuoya understood. He did. It was just that everything was moving a little too quickly. Honestly, he wanted more time to think about it.

Don’t underestimate someone who’s been hopelessly clueless about romance his entire life!

He genuinely had no idea what he was supposed to do in a situation like this, and he was seriously struggling.

"Give me some time!"

"Pardon?"

"I’ve only just started over with my life. In this world, I’m practically a baby who hasn’t even reached one year old yet! There’s no way I can make all these decisions so quickly! Give me ten years... No, at least five years. Give me some time."

Well, even after five years, Qiu Nuoya would only be fifteen, while Viktor would already be an adult, so from Qiu Nuoya’s perspective, it would still be ethically unacceptable.

"Very well. I am a patient man, so I do not mind waiting. However, I intend to continue courting you the entire time, so please keep that in mind." Viktor smiled brightly.

As expected, a handsome man’s smile really is devastating... There was an overwhelming force to it that left no room for argument.

Still, Qiu Nuoya could not help wondering what exactly Viktor found so attractive about him. Since arriving in this world, had Qiu Nuoya really done anything that could make someone fall for him so deeply?

If he had to name one thing, it would probably be his unique magic. But surely that was not something that would lead directly to romantic feelings.

Qiu Nuoya wanted to ask what exactly Viktor saw in him that made him like him so much. However, he had a feeling that digging too deeply might only make things worse, so he kept his mouth shut.

He and Viktor had arranged for the inn they had previously chosen with Igor and Warren to serve as their meeting place. They reserved their rooms and decided to explore the dungeon city of Oraria while waiting for the other two to arrive.

As Viktor had suggested, their first destination was an item shop where they could find something to identify Mochi as Qiu Nuoya’s familiar.

The city truly lived up to its name as a dungeon city. It had developed around the Dungeon Castle.

Viktor had described the castle above the dungeon as little more than decoration, but apparently, the inside contained various facilities. There were all kinds of shops, as well as a branch office of the Adventurers’ Guild.

There were even simple accommodations where people could stay overnight, and apparently, some adventurers lived almost permanently inside the Dungeon Castle.

Among the shops inside the Dungeon Castle was an item shop specifically frequented by beast tamers.

The shop itself was not particularly large, but it was packed with all kinds of items for familiars.

Qiu Nuoya had initially assumed that they only sold equipment, but that was not the case. Toys and food for familiars were also displayed throughout the shop, making the place look more like a pet store.

"Wow, there are so many different things here..."

"Nuoya, if you’re looking for collars, they’re over here."

At the section of the shop indicated by Viktor, Qiu Nuoya found various collars on display in different sizes. There was a wide range of designs, from simple ones to extravagant collars decorated with jewel like stones.

"You folks look new around here. Tourists? Our shop is pretty famous for having a good selection. What are you looking for?"

The shopkeeper suddenly addressed him, catching Qiu Nuoya off guard. So, he honestly explained what he was looking for.

"Uh, yes... I’m looking for something that could serve as a marker for my tamed monster. A collar probably won’t work, so I was hoping there might be some other kind of item that could be equipped."

"Hm? A collar won’t work? What kind of tamed monster does the young master have? I don’t see one with you."

"Oh, this one! My slime!" Qiu Nuoya gently took Mochi, who had been sleeping inside his robe, and placed him on his palms before holding him out toward the shopkeeper.