In the main chamber, the lead doctor was studying new information when he suddenly slammed the second result onto the table.
"I NEED THE MASTER! NOW!"
Subordinates scrambled.
"Fetch the master," he ordered sharply. "Get the master at once, the second result is out."
They rushed to do as he demanded.
Within minutes, Gaffer arrived.
Meanwhile, the silver slim beast had awakened, and it was sharing a meal with Linda in the open chamber.
The goldfish doctor, back in human form, had brought them nutrient packs. It was the soft squares the young master often ate before due to his defect.
Linda bit one.
It tasted like dusty chalk smeared on misery.
She spat it out immediately.
The silver slim beast, watching her, tried his own and spat it out too, hissing angrily at the doctor's choice of food.
The doctor hissed right back in embarrassment.
Wasn't this the same food the young master used to love himself?
Now that his dear little rabbit friend thinks it's bad, he too wants to act like it wasn't his best meal before! Hmph!
"Hisst~" the beastling hissed again in a sneer. Who needs nutrient packs when one can consume an affinity rat?!
Back in the main area, the lead doctor presented the second result to Gaffer.
"Explain it to me, Doctor Swaid."
The doctor's voice trembled with excitement. "…This is the brain and adaptability test of the beast pet."
Everyone leaned in.
"Its pattern aligns with that of… a potential Beast Guardian."
The room stilled.
A few subordinates gasped. Others exchanged looks of disbelief.
"WHAT?!"
"Impossible!"
"That little thing?!"
"It can't even talk! How can it be a Beast Guardian?!"
"It hasn't transformed to man-form once!"
The noise exploded like fireworks.
Gaffer raised a brow at the results. Even he was shaken.
Beast guardians were not so rare but they were special.
It had to do with the brain and adaptability of a beastman who is wired to be haywire and animalistic. So when a beast has a brain similar to man in that special way, then it is treasured.
So, it wasn't a common thing to see a humanly thinking beast amongst beasts. Beasts are meant to be chaotic, not orderly, organized or homely.
But the rabbit didn't even have the look of a beast. It looked like food! Beast food! So how can food be a guardian?
"How can that thing be a beast guardian?" someone whispered. "Isn't it too tiny to be one."
Another added, "Beast guardians are the middle class, neither destructive nor weak. How can a low-ranked beast pet qualify?"
Gaffer rubbed his jaw, thinking.
He was the only one who knew the little white rabbit didn't even have any affinity. Zero!
The possibility of a zero-affinitied creature being a beast guardian is zero percent. Unless…
The lead doctor explained, louder: "A Beast Guardian is balanced and often a special case. It is a stable beastman and a natural caretaker. It hardly loses control like any of us. This beast pet's mind has the exact structure."
Someone scoffed.
"A beast guardian must manage a whole household. That rabbit can't even manage walking around the skyship without needing the master to hug it to sleep!"
Another concurred. "Beastguardians are mother-figures to all beasts irrespective of gender! This rabbit??"
The lead doctor rolled his eyes.
Even he too hadn't believed it at first so he rechecked it again and again until ten times. How dare they question his analysis?!
"Have you asked yourselves why the beast food or beast pet as you called it can accommodate the young master? Beast guardians are balanced and they regulate the environment whether small or big, low-ranked or high-ranked, elephant or termite. They have natural instincts to maintain order and care. This rabbit… the beast pet's mental structure is aligned with that category."
Gaffer finally spoke, giving them more context.
"Little white was the one who healed the young master in the fox land and not me," he said. "Little white stabilized him when he was wounded by burying him. Little white was the one who poured water on him to make him sleep in the reservoir and not me. I think little white is a descendant of the beast guardians and that is why it survived the fox land."
The disbelief began to crack.
The subordinates exchanged stunned looks.
"So… the beast pet is like a… home?"
"A stabilizer to not just the young master but the master's home?"
"The little rabbit might… really be a beast guardian."
Their opinions were shifting very swiftly. The old displeasure they had with Linda was waning.
"If it is truly a beast guardian," one whispered, "then it is worthy of praise. Beast guardians are homes within themselves."
"Yes," another added. "They don't suffer the destructive surges of high-ranked beasts, nor the weakness collapses of low-ranked ones."
"And they can mother anything," one said. "Even in beast form."
Slowly, every pair of eyes turned toward Linda across the chamber.
Linda perked up when she noticed eyes on her.
She noticed their gazes were… different. It was warmer now, respectful and even admiring.
Then she listened to what they were saying… and her ears twitched in horror.
A beast guardian… caretaker… stabilizer… home manager…
Her eyes widened.
This… this they are describing… is exactly the role of a BUTLER. A glorified butler!
The meaning hit her like a frying pan was slapped on her face. Her rabbit heart froze in an offended thump.
What happened to being the mother of the beast world? That was the goal! What is this demotion to the position of a house butler in this world???!!!