Another world, Celeste

Chapter Twenty Five, pt 3

"Excuse me." Luna stares Archie and me questioningly, "Did you just form a contract with the red panda?"

"Yeah, actually Archie asked for it first," I answer truthfully.

Luna massages her temple. What goes through her mind right now is thinking what her brother and Roy is saying all along was right, that she is overworked and now it is causing her to hallucinate what just transpired right beside her. Performing a contract with a monster is not a simple feat because it requires the consent of the monster they wish to form a contract with. Another method would be to acquire a skill related to taming. Either way, it demands a tremendous amount of effort and time to accomplish.

While Luna is in a daze, I suddenly realise something important while looking at Archie.

"Ah! Sorry, Luna! I did it without asking you first. Sorry!"

Luna breaks out of her daze. "Why are you suddenly apologising?"

"That is, Archie belongs to the sanctuary and I didn't consider that before naming him."

I lower my head, apologetic.

After a moment of silence, Luna speaks. "You don't have to mind it. My duty is overseeing mostly everything that is happening in the sanctuary. Half of the monsters and defenceless animals that migrated here are because the world outside became too difficult, too unbearable for them to live and survive. As a keeper, to control their actions in the one place where they should feel safest and free is a betrayal of their trust. Since Archie has chosen you, then I'm glad."

Luna smiles warmly at Archie in my arms.

"Archie, please take care of her from now on."

Auntie El breaks her silence, "I request the same, little Archie."

When Auntie El calls Archie by name, its pointy ears perk up and nodding at their strange request. Some kind of understanding is happening between the three of them. On the other hand, I'm baffled by all this.

"Eh? Why do I have to be taken care of? Shouldn't it be the other way around?"

Someone tells me!

Right now, we are at the newly constructed bathing facility that used to be a vacant plot at the back of the female keepers' living quarters. Inside the building is a changing room equipped with basic amenities including the popular magi device - hairdryers, pass the rows of cabinets are two doors on opposite sides that leads to a spacious indoor bathhouse and the other is the shower stalls. Since it is still quite early in the morning, no one is using it which means Luna and I have the whole place to ourselves.

"I forgot to give this to you earlier. Here."

In the changing room, Luna returns the wand that I had forgotten. After receiving it, I say my thanks to her.