A faint fragrance drifted in, thin mist filling the little house.
The Provisions Manager and the other cats inside the room began to look dazed.
"Huh? Already finished eating?"
The next second, the Provisions Manager saw the little Chameleos obediently curl back into the nest specially made for it. After letting out a huge yawn, it simply fell asleep without the slightest guard.
"Forget it, there's always tomorrow. There'll be chances."
Suppressing the restless thought in his heart, he called over the two Felynes assigned to help care for the little Chameleos and staggered out of the 'deluxe' hut.
The moment the door closed, a gust of wind blew past, and the Provisions Manager shivered all over, his eyes clearing again.
"Tch~ feeling a bit dizzy. Could it be I've just been too busy lately?"
Shaking his head to throw off the wave of vertigo, the Provisions Manager acted as though nothing had happened. Greeting others along the way, he boarded the cable car and headed toward the circulation area on the first floor.
Inside the deluxe hut, the little Chameleos stared blankly at the sudden white mist. It immediately sensed that something was wrong.
But it was already too late!
All it could do was watch helplessly as the Provisions Manager and the two Felynes, their eyes unfocused, behaved as if they didn't see its body bound up by its mother's tongue.
Even when it cried out, they had no reaction at all, as though in their perception it no longer existed.
In the end, it could only watch as they left the hut, while it was dragged away with a sharp scream, forced to see its shameless old mother devour today's "snacks" and then replace them with those hateful little green bottles.
The little Chameleos stiffly turned its head, staring in disbelief at the Chameleos that seemed so pleased, then sniffed again at the lingering sweet-scented poisonous mist in the air.
Unfortunately, it couldn't identify it at all, nor could it replicate it!
"So this is that shameless mother's strength? She can even produce such a strange poison?"
The Chameleos, satisfied to see its offspring so stunned, let out a pleased "Gwaa" before proudly spreading its wings and flying off from the balcony of the deluxe hut.
This hallucinogenic mist was something it had specially spent several days concocting after discovering its young had grown rebellious and stopped "offering up" little snacks to its mother.
Though not yet perfected—still carrying the fragrance of herbs like mandrake—it was more than enough to deal with an unguarded Provisions Manager and those two Felynes! Judging from the effect just now, it was very satisfied. All those nights of testing poison on that Pink Rathian hadn't been in vain.
Of course, the Chameleos wasn't such an unreasonable dragon.
That Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian pair were, after all, Logan's "dependents." In some sense, it too was Logan's friend. And let it be clear—this wasn't cowardice!
So it made the Pink Rathian "volunteer" for the tests!
And in return, it offered the service of completely purging the Frenzy Virus from the Pink Rathian's body.
After that night in the Coral Highlands, when it unleashed its targeted poison mist at full strength, the Chameleos, multitasking with utmost focus, had finally determined the proper dosage—one that allowed monsters not yet fully consumed by the Frenzy Virus to survive.
Not like before in the Ancient Forest, where every single one perished.
That was why the Pink Rathian had been so cooperative!
And it absolutely had nothing to do with the fact that it had been given a good beating beforehand!
...
The little Chameleos wracked its brain but still couldn't understand why its old mother's poison mist actually had hallucinogenic effects!
At least its venom glands could now function normally, so it was well aware that venom dosage could be adjusted, and that by controlling the composition of the venom it could decide whether to emphasize neurological or respiratory effects.
But still!
No matter which emphasis it chose, poison was poison!
The final goal was always to disrupt the functions inside a living body. Nothing fancy—just harvesting life to the fullest.
Hallucinations?
And what's more, hallucinations without too many side effects? In the little Chameleos' view, that was completely beyond what any normal Chameleos could pull off.
Just what had its old mother gone through? To the point of being able to play with poison like this!
I want to learn!!
This was the little Chameleos' only thought at the moment.
Chameleos were born with a vile temperament that delighted in watching other creatures panic.
Even though this one was still young, because of its age and because it had only tasted its old mother's so-called "motherly love" but not yet the true hardships of survival, its nature was all the more easily tinted with new colors—and amplified.
Simply put, it was starting down the path of becoming a brat.
Beside the Ecological Research Institute, on the platform built for observing captured monsters, a group of scholars surrounded a Pink Rathian, who looked increasingly impatient, their voices full of constant exclamations.
After a series of tests, it seemed the Pink Rathian had been completely healed!
A medical miracle!
Before, they had tried many formulas, even resorting to the wondrous Alchemy of the Wyverians, yet still failed to cure the Pink Rathian fully.
Every so often, or whenever related tests were run, the Frenzy Virus would proliferate inside its body, and in the end they had no choice but to suppress it again with large amounts of Nulberries.
But these past few days, for some unknown reason, the Pink Rathian had appeared weak and listless. Just as the scholars were speculating whether this was another sign of viral onset, it suddenly got better.
The Azure Rathalos descended from high above, hopped to the Pink Rathian's side, and gazed obsessively at its partner, whose figure had grown plump from the Research Commission's good meals, whose scales shone smooth and lustrous, whose bearing was proud and dangerous.
Unconsciously, he pressed close and rubbed against her neck.
The Deputy Director of the Ecological Research Institute, watching the Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian couple pouring out their feelings and doting on each other, thought suddenly of his own wife back in the Old World, unseen for over twenty years.
Though for the long-lived, often overly meticulous Wyverian scholars, not seeing one's spouse for more than a decade while each buried themselves in research was entirely normal, their emotions weren't cold. Like humans, they too possessed rich feelings.
"Mhm, just three more years. I heard from the Commander-in-Chief that the Third Fleet is almost finished selecting members. Your wife, being an expert in alchemy, has already been chosen and will be coming over with the Third Fleet."
The Director of the Ecological Research Institute offered comfort to his old colleague.
Who would have thought, upon hearing this, the Deputy Director suddenly froze, his sentimental air vanishing as he looked at the Director in disbelief.
Behind the reading glasses, his eyes were filled with disbelief.
"No! With her level, how could she possibly be chosen? Corruption! It has to be corruption!!"
At that moment, the Director suddenly remembered—his old colleague's wife had once been a member of the Ecological Research Institute back in the Old World. Later, however, she had gradually become obsessed with alchemy, even trying to drag the Deputy Director into specializing in it with her.
In the end, after being pestered with no escape, the Deputy Director had simply moved out of his home and into the institute itself.
Later still, he even joined the First Fleet alongside the Director to come here—very likely using the chance to deliberately avoid her.
After venting, the Deputy Director let out a sigh. Casting one last glance at the inseparable Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian, he lowered his head and left without looking back.
"Rooar~"
After their display of affection, the Azure Rathalos folded its wings and drew closer, letting out a low roar toward the Director of the Ecological Research Institute.
"Lord Azure Rathalos means they want to return to the Ancient Tree, meow!"
The nearby cat in charge of translating quickly relayed the meaning.
"Go back? That's fine! But it'd be best if you stayed another two days, just to make sure there won't be another outbreak before returning."
The Director thought for a moment before speaking to the Azure Rathalos.
As the primary person responsible for treating and studying the Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian couple, after spending this time with them he had built quite a good relationship. He could even guess at their intentions through small behaviors.
Thus he understood well—it was unrealistic to expect them to remain in Astera permanently. Sooner or later, they would have to return to the forest.
Though reluctant—because aside from his personal feelings, they were also excellent ecological observation subjects—it was clear from the Azure Rathalos' increasingly restless behavior that staying here truly made the couple uncomfortable.
Facing the Director's suggestion, the Azure Rathalos looked back at the Pink Rathian, then chose to refuse.
That Chameleos was simply too terrifying!
Staying alongside an Elder Dragon put unbearable pressure on them.
It was like locking an ordinary person inside an amusement park cage with a fierce tiger—sure, you knew the tiger had been tamed, that its hostility toward humans was minimal, but what if? The feeling of having your life in the hands of another creature at every moment was just too awful.
If not for the fact that the Pink Rathian hadn't been cured before and couldn't leave, the Azure Rathalos would have left long ago.
"Alright then."
Seeing he couldn't persuade them, the Director said no more. Instead, he had supplies taken from his own investigation points to fill the basket previously given to the Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian, so their return journey would be easier.
Their departure left only the members of the Ecological Research Institute feeling a little empty, as if a part of their hearts had gone missing.
After all, beyond cooperating in research, the Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian would sometimes go out for walks to relax.
When they encountered institute members in the field, they would even take the initiative to land nearby, pretending to stroll about casually.
But anyone who wasn't a fool could see clearly—this couple was awkwardly trying to protect them.
Whether that behavior came from concern that if people died there'd be no one left to treat them, or from some other reason, the institute members accepted it.
And so, after such a long time together, they had truly developed some feelings for the Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian couple.
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