Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 544: Chapter 544 - Taming the Fourth Year: Connections - Seeking Guidance

”Oh right! I’m sorry... How are you? I heard terrible things happened and...”

”I’m fine,” Ren couldn’t help but smile at her familiar scattered attitude. ”Well, more or less but mostly fine.”

”Oh, what a relief!” Jessy tried to fix her completely disheveled hair but ended up crumpling some papers with her elbows. ”Because I had heard rumors about underground monsters and large-scale mobilizations, and Musy...” she pointed toward her cat, ”was very worried about you. Isn’t that right, Musy?”

The cat, which was rarely manifested, looked at her with the typical expression of ’don’t involve me in your weird human conversations’ and curled up for a nap.

”As I was saying,” Ren continued, ”I need your help with something.”

Jessy’s eyes immediately lit up.

”Oh of course, of course! Do you need material prices? Evaluations? Maybe something related to...” she leaned conspiratorially, ”dangerous materials?”

”Not exactly,” Ren scratched his head nervously. ”It’s more... personal.”

”Personal?” Jessy blinked confused, then her eyes opened enormously and she stood up from her chair. ”OH! It’s about a girl!”

”It’s not...! Well, yes, two... but not in the way that you seem to...” Ren sighed. ”Can you sit down? This is going to take a moment.”

But Jessy practically jumped over the counter in her enthusiasm, almost tripping in the process.

”Of course! Musy, this is going to be interesting!” The cat opened one eye with disdain before ignoring her completely.

Ren explained, in an edited way, the recent events. Particularly how he had treated Luna and Liora badly during the confrontation with Leopold, and how terrible he felt about it.

”So,” Jessy summarized with unusual seriousness, ”you were cruel and then acted all prideful with someone who genuinely cares about you, at a moment when she was trying to protect you from yourself or make you see reason.”

”When you put it like that it sounds worse...”

”Because it IS very sad for them!” Jessy exclaimed, then immediately softened. ”But, but... it’s the kind of horrible that can be fixed because they care about you! Like when Musy broke a jar of expensive materials and I had to pay for it for 12 monthly installments, I thought I’d never forgive him, but then he brought me a small dead bird beast as an apology and...”

”I don’t think a dead beast would work in this situation,” Ren interrupted dryly.

”Of course not! Humans are much more complicated than cats!” Jessy laughed enthusiastically. ”You need something that shows you understand what you did wrong AND that you care about their happiness.”

”Like what?”

”The dead bird was the clue... A gift!” Jessy stopped abruptly, looking at him as if it were obvious. ”But we are not cats so get something thoughtful. Something that shows you pay attention to who they really are.”

Ren frowned.

”Isn’t that a bit... superficial? Buying someone’s forgiveness.”

”No, no, no!” Jessy waved her hands frantically. ”It’s not buying forgiveness. It’s... it’s showing effort! It’s like... like when my grandmother makes her special cake when she wants to apologize for something. It’s not the cake itself, it’s the time and care she puts into making it perfect.”

She paused, nervously biting her lip.

”Besides,” she added more softly, ”your friends from good families seem to be the type of person who appreciates thoughtful gestures. Not ostentatious, since they surely have everything, but rather... considerate.”

Ren considered this. The logic was sound, even if the execution would be challenging.

”But what type of gift would be appropriate then?”

Jessy’s eyes began to shine with the fervor of someone who had found a fascinating project.

”Tell me everything you know about them! Their interests? Hobbies? Things they’ve mentioned? Don’t leave anything out!”

Ren thought carefully. Luna was observant, quiet, but when she spoke she always had something intelligent to say. She liked to read to learn. Her Light and Wind Tiger and her Shadow Wolf were incredibly important to her. She had a subtle but refined taste in food...

Liora was more playful, she liked playing spy games and practicing with her beasts’ skills. Exploring and learning through experience was her preferred way, she was more like Ren in that aspect. Her beasts allowed her to disappear, so she liked hiding and suddenly appearing to startle others lately...

Ren added a ton of details for both, some more useful than others.

”Perfect!” Jessy clapped, making Musy open both eyes with irritation. But she stopped abruptly, her expression becoming slightly worried.

”Wait. This IS just about fixing a friendship, right? Because if there are more complicated feelings involved, that’s a completely different conversation.”

Ren blushed.

”I just want to fix things. They are... they’re important to me. As friends.”

Jessy studied him for a moment with a perception she rarely showed.

”Alright,” she said finally. ”Just remember that gestures have meanings, even when we don’t intend them to. But yes, you should definitely do something nice for both of them.”

”Will you tell me what could be something good for girls then?”

”Oh, that’s easy!” Jessy smiled brightly.

The enthusiasm was infectious, and for the first time since losing his fungus, Ren felt a spark of his old confidence returning.

♢♢♢♢

Ren nodded slowly, forming ideas in his mind.

”I think I know where to start.”

”Excellent!” Jessy clapped again. ”Just remember, it’s the thought that counts! Well, the thought AND the quality. And that it’s appropriate for your relationship. And that it’s not too expensive because then it seems like you’re trying too hard, but also not too cheap because then it seems like you don’t care enough...”

”Jessy,” Ren interrupted gently, ”I think I understand.”

”Oh! Good!” She blushed slightly. ”Sometimes I get carried away. Musy always tells me I talk too much when I’m happy. Isn’t that right, Musy?”

The cat looked at her with the expression of ’I told you not to involve me’ and deliberately turned around.

Ren smiled. Even in his diminished state, Jessy’s genuine care and scattered wisdom were exactly what he had needed.

”Well, remember... a genuine apology. Not just ’I’m sorry’, but explaining exactly what you did wrong and why you won’t do it again.”

”I’ll do that.”

”Perfect. Now go and get those gifts. And Ren...”

”Yes?”

”This time, try not to ruin it with pride.”

The words carried more weight than she probably intended.

♢♢♢♢

Ren headed toward the offices where he knew he could find Finch, the administrator of his ’student finances’. If he was going to do this right, he would need access to his savings.