Chapter 9 The Mastiff

After the call with her friend, Queenie took Nox back to Pearl Residence. She rented this place. Ever since Queenie was a child, her family had always ostracized her. She had moved out of her family's place and got a home of her own when she was rather young.

"Finally home." Queenie parked her car in front of a mansion after entering the neighborhood and got out.

Nox followed her. He looked at the mansion and thought it wasn't half-bad.

"Listen up, amnesiac. I've never let a man into my house so far, so don't run around, you hear?"

Nox nodded with a smile. Queenie picked up her luggage and took Nox back into the mansion. The moment the electronic door swung open, a great big silhouette lunged at Queenie.

Alarmed, Nox was going to attack, but Queenie hugged the silhouette. Happily, she said, "Blackshark, I'm back!"

The thing Queenie was holding was a black dog—a large one at that, and with sharp teeth manning its maw. No, it was no mere dog. It was a black mastiff. The mastiff rubbed its head against Queenie and barked. Obviously, it was fond of Queenie.

"It's been two days, Blackshark. Miss me?" Queenie patted the mastiff's head. Mastiffs were known to be fiercer than any lone wolves, yet one was lying in Queenie's arms, as docile as a doll.

However, when Blackshark saw the stranger standing behind its master, a switch was flipped. It growled and glared at Nox viciously.

Queenie quickly pulled it back. "No, Blackshark. He's my friend, you hear me?"

The mastiff was smart. Once its master gave her command, the creature glared at Nox once more, but it hung its head low, growling quietly. Queenie played with it for a while before patting its head. "Alright, run along now."

The mastiff left, but before it did, it bared its teeth at Nox, threatening him.

"Don't be scared, amnesiac. Blackshark might look fierce, but it's friendly. Unless you make it mad, of course. And don't make me mad either." Queenie smiled at Nox.

Nox watched the leaving mastiff. "Why do you keep a mastiff anyway?"

Curious, Queenie said, "Oh, you know it's a mastiff? Pretty impressive for an amnesiac."

Nox was speechless. He thought, 'I lost my memories, not my common sense.'

"It's lonely in this place, and I got scared living alone, so I asked my friend to get me Blackshark. With it around, I never get spooked sleeping at night," said Queenie.

Nox thought, 'Oh, so that's why she keeps the mastiff. She's scared of living alone.' Queenie's family ostracized her and forced her to marry someone she didn't like. Nox felt some sympathy for her.

"Find someplace to sit. I'll need to freshen up. Remember not to run around, or Blackshark will bite you. It can kill a wolf if it wants to." Queenie went away to wash herself up after giving Nox a warning.

Nox chuckled. A mastiff could never be a threat to him. When he was still the god of war, Draco, one of his Four Generals, had a white tiger. That beast could tear apart steel and metal. It could fight a Grandmaster by itself, but it bowed to Nox nonetheless.

These memories made Nox smile again, and he went to the mastiff.

The mastiff had a room of its own. When Nox came in, he smelled blood in the air. He looked around and saw the mastiff in a huge cage made of black metal. The beast was munching on raw, bloody meat.

When it sensed Nox's presence, the mastiff growled and curled its front paws. It bared its teeth at Nox, blood dripping from its incisors.