Chapter 12

 "Why so suddenly?" Bryan tilted his head and Lucy waited for it. A few seconds later, his stomach rumbled, driving its owner into a blushing frenzy as he covered his face.

 "Using Beast Call drains the body's stamina. You've been using it for days on end and because of the stress of the exam, you did not notice it." Lucy removed a loaf of bread and threw it at Bryan who caught it and nodded grateful.

 "But I've been eating properly." He frowned and Lucy's stomach tossed a little at his words and expression.

 "If you were eating the meat of the monsters you hunted, then it's no surprise. It's not well known but human bodies cannot handle ether properly so most of the energy usually goes to the tamed beast. It would have been more efficient for you to eat the whole meat and get a bit of energy rather than sharing it with Carl." Lucy said and carefully watched his expression.

 "Sorry but no can do. I can't just sit there and eat with this guy watching me even if everything would go to his stomach." Bryan shook his head and Lucy sighed with relief.

 'Good. He's just the kind of person I suspected him to be.' She suggested it but that didn't mean she practiced it. It was a bit uncomfortable for her to watch Ragna not eating a thing no matter how well-founded the logic was.

 "You really do love Carl, huh." She muttered and Bryan frowned.

 "Nope. I'm just stuck with him for life." Lucy knew it was nothing more than an effort to cover up his embarrassment but decided not to expose him.

 "I see. Well, the bond between two of you is admirable." This one, Bryan did not deny.

....

 "Dola!" Meng screamed and the bird responded to his cries with numerous icicles that landed on the fur of a Tier 3 Elite level Giant Frog.

 The Giant Frog was just like regular frogs except bigger, faster, stronger and could also manipulate the elements.

 This one has the element of fire which just happened to be the natural counter to Dola's ice abilities.

 "We're going to lose at this rate." Normally, Meng wouldn't have any trouble with this level of monster regardless of its attributes but he had just engaged in a skirmish with another monster and Dola was running low on ether.

 "I'll end this with a single attack. Dola! Coordinate with me!" Meng yelled and focused his senses and used the ether he borrowed from Dola to synchronize with the one in the environment.

 The Giant Frog senses the danger that was approaching and leaped towards them but was blocked by an ice wall that appeared in front of me.

 "The best part of beast taming is having two minds, ya know." Meng grinned and lifted his palm which was glowing with an icy white light and faced it towards the frog.

 "Skill - Ice Hand." Meng's cold voice echoes as the frog turned into an ice sculpture and a passing breeze caused it to shatter into a million fragments.

 "Ahh... I'm beat." Meng collapsed to his butt and sighed and Dola dropped to his side and weakly nodded.

 "You know, this wouldn't have happened if you just listen to me." Meng glared at the bird and she tilted her head in an attempt to seem cute but that did not work on her partner.

 "Don't give me that look. You know quite well what you've done." Meng glared at her and she flinched and nodded meekly.

 "Haa... I'm not saying you should follow my orders unconditionally. Just have enough sense to judge when you should." Meng's heart softened a bit and he lowered his tone and Dola chirped, now happy.

 "Good. Let's find some shelter so that we can take a bit of rest." Meng rose to his feet and picked up Dola and began walking once again.

....

 'W-What do I say!?' Bryan was calm on the surface but he was internally panicking. After the initial conversation they had, neither of them had said a word for over an hour.

 Bryan was no communication freak but even he felt a bit awkward being with someone who is a teammate and not talking at all.

 "I never asked but what element is your beast?" Bryan inquired and Lucy glanced at him and replied. "Earth." And went silent.

 'Yep, this isn't going to go anywhere!' Bryan sighed and gave up, unaware that he wasn't the only one in that pinch.

 'How does one talk with a boy of the same age again!?' Lucy shouted in her mind and glimpses at Bryan before hurriedly shifting her head every time he shook.

 Lucy was from an area where most of the population were either soldiers or elderly people. Her communication skills were terrible which led to her to limit her conversation with those that were of a similar age.

 "Ragna! I need help!" She screamed telepathically to her beast and he glanced at her and shook his head.

 "What do you mean I should wing it!?" Lucy forgot but Ragna had as much experience as her when it came to communicating. Which was none.

 'Well, not that I have any issues. But it is nice to see my daughter panicking over her first crush.' Ragna was well aware of the emotions that had sprouted in his partner but would not reveal it to her. After all! Nothing was more fun that watching two people in love!

 'Still, their relationship wouldn't go anywhere if I don't do something.' Ragna rose to his feet and looked at Carl and nodded at it.

 'Hey kiddo, how 'bout we help those two.' Ragna signalled to Carl with his eyes and the latter turned his head away and scoffed.

 'Hah?' Ragna raised his mind's voice and Carl shivered and nodded his head rapidly.

 'Nice to know I'm not going deaf or blind.' Ragna nodded and lumbered over to his partner and nudged her back a little.

 "Hmm? You want us to go for a hunt?" Bryan sensed what Carl was telling him and looked at his partner and she nodded.

 "I think we should go. The number of beasts killed and the time it takes might be a factor in the evaluation." Lucy said and the both of them stood up.

 "Let's go!"