The biggest feature of open-world RPGs?
It’s that they’re packed with an overwhelming amount of content.
Combat, main quests, side quests, potion crafting, blacksmithing, hunting, and so much more.
Among these, there’s always one feature that seems to be included almost as a given.
Taming.
It’s the act of luring wild animals to turn them into expensive buff carriers—no, pets.
Academy Chronicle had that system too.
Especially since the game featured “Spirit Beasts,” which are superior versions of regular animals and monsters.
In Academy Chronicle, you could even tame Spirit Beasts.
Although the conditions were so difficult to meet that the achievement rate for taming all Spirit Beasts was barely over 1%…
Anyway, what I found inside the box was a treat—no, taming bait.
An item that commands a high price in the game, not to be taken lightly.
An item so rare you can only find three of them in the entire game.
After that, you’d have to shell out a fortune in the black market to get more.
In the game, I used every trick in the book to hoard hundreds of them and attempted to tame Spirit Beasts.
The success rate was low.
The chance of a Spirit Beast being lured by the bait and getting tamed was about 5%, but strangely, people on the forums often complained that even after hundreds of attempts, they still couldn’t succeed.
I must have spent at least a hundred hours just to achieve the Spirit Beast taming achievement.
Though later, there were rumors that if you found and completed all the hidden quests related to Spirit Beasts, their favorability would increase, significantly boosting the success rate…
Anyway, what I found was that taming bait.
No, it wasn’t just an item—it was more like a snack.
Wrapped in a soft, expensive-looking cloth, it looked just like a bite-sized treat, similar to the cat snacks I knew.
Though it seemed a bit harder than the ones I was familiar with…
Just the smell made my mouth water, but how would it taste?
…But I shouldn’t eat it.
There’s a reason it’s made for taming Spirit Beasts.
It’s crafted from ingredients that even Spirit Beasts can’t resist.
Made from spirit herbs with high purity mana.
So, while it looks like a snack, it’s more akin to a spirit potion.
What would happen if I just ate it without thinking?
Unless I had some kind of internal energy cultivation technique, which I don’t.
…But why do I feel so drawn to it?
It’s more about nutrition than taste.
I shook my head and closed the box with my paw.
The sweet, tantalizing aroma still lingered, but I couldn’t let a moment of impulse create unnecessary complications.
Carefully, I locked the box and carried it in my mouth.
If I were to eat it, it should be with the help of another Spirit Beast.
With the box in my mouth, I climbed up to the ventilation shaft.
My business in the warehouse was done, and now all that was left was to wait.
I planned to spend the remaining time sleeping in the ventilation shaft.
Since I was here, I thought I might as well check the office too.
Curling up in the ventilation shaft, I drifted off to sleep.
————-
“…Was I just tired and seeing things, or was there really something there?”
The branch manager rubbed his temples and sighed.
Overtime.
Again.
As the manager of the most prominent branch on the continent, his schedule was packed.
The higher the position, the less he could hope for regular hours.
With great power comes great responsibility.
He couldn’t even remember the last time he left work on time.
…The task entrusted by the Duke was… well, manageable, but there are still some concerning aspects.
He leaned back in his chair, reminiscing about the day’s events.
The woman with chestnut—no, purple hair.
Her research, which he had discovered during a business visit to last year’s year-end seminar, was incredibly intriguing.
The creation of artificial Spirit Beasts.
Though they were only half as effective as real Spirit Beasts, they were still Spirit Beasts.
The high-ranking official he served was very interested in her research.
If her research succeeded, it could significantly accelerate their long-laid plans.
‘We even sent her the scales for her research.’
The reason he handed over the iridescent scales was clear.
His master’s masterpiece, born from years of research.
A result of research that started along similar lines to Kazeyn’s, so it should be helpful.
The scales carried the aura of an evil dragon, subtle enough not to be easily detected.
If used in her research, it would greatly aid in creating artificial Spirit Beasts.
And… that research would become the fuel for their long-standing plan.
Even if discovered, there would be no risk to them.
They could simply claim they were deceived.
Without any concrete evidence and considering the reputation of the guild, they would have no choice but to believe.
They wouldn’t want to sour relations with the Swindlin Guild.
‘It might even be worth trying to recruit her to our side.’
A young scholar who had already demonstrated considerable skill.
It might be worth considering offering her a hefty sum to join us.
As he let his imagination run wild, a smile formed on his lips.
“…I should head home soon.”
Even though overtime seemed endless, it eventually comes to an end.
He stretched, gathered his things, and left the office.
Unaware that a beast of prey was waiting for that moment.
————–
It’s about time to move.
I stretched in the darkness of the ventilation shaft.
It must be around midnight.
At this hour, only the night guards would still be around.
I tapped the box I was holding a few times with my paw, then peeked out of the ventilation shaft cover.
Good.
That overtime-addicted branch manager has left.
Now, it’s time to explore the secret warehouse.
Carefully, I opened the cover and landed on the floor of the branch manager’s office.
The quiet office was filled with a floral scent of some kind.
I don’t know what kind of flower it was.
I never paid much attention to flowers, so how would I know?
I shifted my focus from the scent and approached the desk.
The secret warehouse was one thing, but the desk was also worth checking out.
As a close aide to the guild leader, there might be something shady here.
If I could find even one thing to use as leverage…
Is that too sinister?
Well, what can I do?
When dealing with sinister people, there’s nothing more effective than using sinister methods.
I’m already guilty of breaking and entering and theft, so it’s not like I’ll get in more trouble for this.
First, the desk surface—nothing special.
The drawers… locked.
Upon closer inspection, all the drawers were locked with keys.
Thorough.
Well, that’s to be expected from a branch manager.
High-ranking officials being careless is something that only happens in games.
Without hesitation, I gave up on the drawers and jumped onto the cabinet beneath the portrait.
My target was the mechanism to open the secret warehouse door behind the portrait.
This portrait is ridiculously heavy.
I barely managed to lift it with both hind legs, then slipped my head underneath and reached out with my front paws to press the button.
Whirrr—
The floor shook.
Well, more accurately, the cabinet shook.
I quickly pulled my head out from under the portrait and landed on the floor.
Good, it’s open.
I looked at the now-revealed entrance to the secret warehouse.
The cabinet had sunk into the floor, and the wall slid open like a sliding door, revealing a staircase leading underground.
Of course, the secret warehouse is underground—it’s a classic.
I stuck my head out and looked down the stairs.
A faint light flickered in the distance.
Shall we go?
I immediately entered the secret warehouse.
Step by step, slowly descending the stairs.
Fortunately, the staircase wasn’t too long.
“…This is it.”
The secret warehouse.
I marveled at the dazzling treasures, different from the ordinary storage room.
Looking up, the ceiling was adorned with fist-sized sunstones that could sustain a castle.
The contents of the boxes were unknown, but they were made of the finest wood, adorned with gold and jewels.
The shelves were lined with expensive items I had seen in the game.
Rare spellbooks, spirit potions—each one worth a fortune.
As expected of the branch manager—no, the ATM.
Wait, no.
Get a grip.
I need to find what I’m looking for and get out.
As a former corrupt official, I was tempted by the treasures, but I couldn’t touch them now.
No one could know I had been here.
If I got caught, it would be a huge headache.
I forced myself to ignore the rising greed and scanned the room.
To find the iridescent scales… there should be a box similar to the one I saw in the lab.
If it’s stored somewhere else, there’s nothing I can do.
It’s not like this is my only chance.
…Four?
A wasted trip?
Just as I was feeling disappointed, I noticed a stack of books on a shelf at the edge of my vision.
Four old, thin books that I had overlooked because my attention was drawn to other items.
What’s this?
Among all the items here, these stood out the least.
But that made them even more intriguing.
I skillfully flipped through the books with my front paws to check their contents.
This is a ledger.
Hiding it here means it’s a secret ledger, right?
I immediately closed the notebook and picked it up in my mouth.
Fortunately, the notebook was thin, so carrying it in my mouth wasn’t a problem.
This is a decent haul, so I’m satisfied!
I left the secret warehouse and pressed the button to close the passage.
Then I jumped back into the ventilation shaft and closed the cover.
Ah, the perfect crime.
I tucked the box into my collar and, with the notebook in my mouth, left the scene of the crime.