Chapter 40: I’ll Protect You, If No One Else Will

Solomon followed the sound to a large cave to the north of his location.

As soon as he reached it, he covered his nose from the terrible smell.

It was as if the walls had been doused in cerberus urine. A measure like this would have been enough to keep away most predators and people.

Solomon certainly would have stayed away if he couldn’t already see what was inside.

A small mass of fur and fire, no bigger than a bundle of bread. It’s eyes were barely open to the world, and it’s ears had yet to rise.

It seemed to smell Solomon enter. At that point, it curled it’s lips back in a fearsome snarl.

“…”

–

“…What is that?”

Raizel stared at Solomon, who held a newborn cerberus pup in his arms.

The little thing was covered in jet black fur, as dark as the night. It’s center head was covered by a natural mask made of bone, while the others remained free.

Two pairs of black horns curled out of each head, and a small mane of fire decorated the scruff of it’s necks.

The pup’s eyes weren’t even open yet, but it knew it wasn’t supposed to be held by a stranger. It bit down on Solomon’s arm with a ferocity beyond it’s age.

“It’s gonna be our pet. Don’t have a name for him yet though..” Solomon answered plainly.

Raizel stared at his brother like he was the biggest idiot to ever put on socks.

“…That is a cerberus.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And you want to keep it.”

“Yeah.”

“…That is a CERBERUS!” Raizel repeated.

“Why are you yelling?”

“Those things grow like thirty meters tall, and you’re talking about keeping it! Do you have any idea how foolish that sounds?! It has fire coming out of it’s neck!”

“It’s not that hot, though.” Solomon’s chest was actively being burned; he just didn’t care.

“All fire is hot, Solomon, it’s fucking fire!”

Solomon wasn’t going to be talked down. He had always wanted a dog.

If anything was going to help him get through this hellish academy without going completely insane, it had to be this little guy.

Or… girl. It was still too early for him to tell.

“It’s mother was killed by Xu Jiaoying. It would have died in it’s hovel if I didn’t bring it back.”

Raizel looked greatly taken aback. “The Blood Demon? What in the blazes is she doing here!?”

“She said she was here to do someone a favor. I didn’t see fit to press her for further details.”

“You probably should have.”

“I was too busy trying to keep my composure so that she wouldn’t cut my fucking head off.”

“It’d grow back.”

“Not really the point.”

Suddenly, there was a ripping sound as the cerberus tore free a strip of Solomon’s flesh.

It paused to chew on the meat, growing slightly still and more than a little curious.

After swallowing, it went back in for another bite.

“Yeah, you probably shouldn’t let it do that.” Raizel informed.

“…Probably not.”

Solomon put the cerberus in a basket on the table. Luckily, his flames didn’t immediately set the wood on fire. Something that relieved Raizel.

“…It can’t stay.”

“It’s staying.”

“What about when it gets too big?”

“It takes six years for a Cerberus to reach the same size as a horse. We’ll be out of here in five.”

“And what are you going to feed it?”

“I can hunt monster meat.” Solomon shrugged before raising his arm. “Or I can-”

“Please, don’t finish that sentence, I regret even asking.” Raizel brought a hand to his head.

Solomon could only fold his arms as he stared at the metal giant.

For a while, the two of them continued to stare at each other in a very tense standoff.

“…I’m not cleaning up any piss.”

“You’re my spirit, I could make you if I wanted.”

“Solomon!”

Solomon actually smiled. Raizel was slightly relieved, knowing that he was joking.

“…Not doing any poop either.”

“Fine.”

“And if he starts tearing shit up, I won’t stop him.”

“I figured. Anything else?”

Raizel stared at the Cerberus in the basket.

It seemed the excitement of the day had tuckered it out. It had already begun to fall asleep, and it’s flames were beginning to diminish.

Raizel reached out to pet the creature. When he touched the creature’s fur, he was surprised to find something hard and plate-like underneath.

“…Scales?”

“I think it’s a hybrid.” Solomon shrugged. “It’s parent must’ve bred with a wyrm or something.”

Raizel didn’t seem surprised by this news at all. Cerberus females are well known to be domineering and reproduce with other species that they believe can help produce stronger offspring.

Though, of course, they also eat their partners after coitus and absorb their cores.

All of that effort makes the child, very, very strong.

“…This is so incredibly dangerous.” Raizel shook his head. “If you’re going to have something like this, you should at least ask Gorgon for a favor.”

Those were the absolute last words Solomon expected to hear come out of Raizel’s mouth. “What? Why??”

“Gorgon’s gift is the Animalia force. She can control and manipulate creatures on a genetic, mental, and spiritual level. You could at least ask her to make the little guy more housepet-like.”

“I thought all of the egoless were to be avoided until we were ready. Why else did we bother coming to this place to train?”

“That’s all true, but she’s a little different from the others. The worst thing she’ll ask you to do in return is give her some sperm to make a new animal. Redeemer or Alchemist would probably-”

“I don’t care what any of them would ask, I’m not asking Gorgon for help making a slave. I’ll take care of the little guy on my own.”

Raizel knew that his brother had always wanted a pet, but he was quite surprised at just how much Solomon seemed to have taken to the creature in such a short time.

But the more he thought about it, the more Raizel realized it made perfect sense.

He also lived with moments like this in his last life. Ones where he was filled with the desire to protect something, to uplift it. Instead of living his life as a being only fated to destroy.

Reminding himself that he was still a living, breathing person, not an engine of destruction, was one of the few things that actually kept him sane in his past life.

Raizel thought that with his continued presence, maybe he could keep Solomon from experiencing the lows he had in his previous life, but maybe he wouldn’t be enough.

“…You thought of a name?” he finally asked.

Solomon hadn’t. He stared at the sleeping black dog for a long time, as if he were hoping that a name would mysteriously pop into his mind.

“…Fluffy.”

Raizel was understandably, gobsmacked. “…You should have just left this little guy in a cave to die.”

Solomon would keep thinking until he could come up with a better name.

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