Chapter 549

Continuation – Fanny and Juna’s Parfe Ranch Experience
"Wow, wow. Even though we’re riding an animal, it’s not shaking at all."

"It’s slow on its feet, but the swaying feels nice! It’s kind of making me sleepy."

"You mustn’t fall asleep, Juna. Fanny, you too—don’t fall off."

"… Got it. But, I can see why the kids would want to ride them."

This time, we had the Parfes carry us.
Their reactions were good too.
Actually, Juna looks like she might really nod off—will she be okay?
It’s true that riding on a Parfe’s back feels pleasant, but unlike being supported by a Kiblinki Saltas, if she dozes off now, she’ll definitely fall.

"… Phew, that was fun. What else can they do?"

"Umm, not much, honestly. They’re slow, but they’re very strong."

"So, they’re strong."

"Yes. Six Kiblinki Saltases are about equal to one Parfe."

"… Even with those spiders. And those spiders weren’t exactly weak."

"They were pretty strong, yeah. So at minimum, a Parfe is six times stronger than that. Really powerful."

"When it comes to actually moving heavy loads, Parfes are even more amazing. Not just raw strength, but stamina too. If it’s just an ordinary-sized wagon, they can keep going for almost a whole day without rest."

Honestly, it’d be the people riding who’d suffer first.
Specifically—for bathroom breaks.
Also, sitting still that long would be tough.
Diligent as they are, folks need to watch out so they don’t get overwhelmed instead.

"… So, what do they usually do?"

"Other than the ones pulling sightseeing Parfe wagons, they spend their time resting here at the ranch. Every week, on Darkday, Marquis Vardmoi and his child come to visit, so they entertain them."

"… That’s it?"

"Yes, for now that’s all. The kids grew so attached to them, far more than we expected. Originally, we planned to use them more for reclamation, farming assistance, or transport, but this latest group will stay in Vardmoi as a sightseeing attraction."

"Eh? So, more of them are expected to arrive later?"

"Yes. Their homeland is an island nation called the Isles of the Eight Gods. By arrangement, in exchange for lending out Kiblinki Saltases, we receive Parfes. Over there, they wanted to use Parfes for farming too, but predators kept eating them. Once Kiblinki Saltas escorts were assigned, that problem was solved. As thanks, they’ve agreed to send Parfes to us."

"… No wonder I’d never seen this monster before. But was it really okay to bring them here?"

"We have permission from the Tamers’ Guild. The ones under my contracts are allowed."

"Huh? You’ve tamed all the Kiblinki Saltases too, right? Then these Parfes as well? Altogether, how many contracts do you even have?"

"Well… I honestly don’t remember. The Kiblinki Saltas are spread out helping with farming, guarding the Saltas Company convoys, and in Marquis Vardmoi’s faction some even handle city patrols. I’ve got contracts with hundreds of them, but the exact number…"

To know the exact count, I’d have to summon every one of them and tally them up.
And since all of them have jobs, that’s impossible.
So, I don’t actually know the total.
Still, I don’t feel like my contracts are stretched thin, so it should be fine, right?

"Normally, no Tamer can manage contracts on such a massive scale. How do you do it?"

"Umm… looks like I can contract unlimited numbers of monsters that share a certain trait. Maybe that’s why?"

Juna still looks doubtful, frowning.
Fanny, though, seems to think it’s just one of those things and isn’t worried—her attention is still locked on the Parfes.

Anyway, for today, once we’ve had Parfe milk and Parfe ice cream at the diner, let’s head home.
That should be enough of an introduction to Parfes.

What do you think about this chapter?