Tara

The relationship between Tara and Cook isn't really that of an owner and a pet. Rather, it's more like that of a superior and a subordinate on friendly terms. Tara usually bosses Cook around as if it is her most trusted subordinate but is also especially affectionate toward it. The two could be said to be dependent on each other. As long as it's an order from Tara, Cook will obey it, including pecking someone, scouting the surroundings, and bringing over whatever snack she asks for.

When Cook was still a chick, it loved standing on Tara's shoulder, but as it grew bigger and bigger, this habit had to be adjusted to fit its circumstances. After all, its wingspan was already taller than her full height. Now, one of Cook's resting spots is on Tara's head. The regular-looking hat that she typically wears isn't just for decorative purposes; despite bearing the weight and sharp claws of a raptor, it not only doesn't get flattened or shredded but even miraculously manages to remain as neat as a new pin.

On top of that, Cook is clearly a raptor yet doesn't really fancy raw meat, even having a preference for grilled bird skewers, which are on some level one of its kind. Tara shared that it was because it believed having raw meat would cause an upset stomach.

Tara does talk to Cook and vice versa, though it seems she's the only one who can understand whatever it is saying.

Whether it is living alone or traveling, they all require wise financial budgeting, which is why when it comes to money management, Tara possesses self-discipline and planning skills that far surpass people of her age, and she's a rational consumer who rarely ever splurges. Aside from when she displays her hardcore proactiveness while stocking up on discounted products, many people tend to give her a wide berth when she haggles, in spite of her looks and thoughtful demeanor.

Generally, Tara looks pretty laidback and easy-going, but when it comes to accounting, every single expense must be recorded in detail. Before leaving Mundus, she sold the majority of the gifts sent by her father and acquired travel funds, a huge sum of which she still has to her name with her proper budgeting.

As for anything else unrelated to cash flow issues, Tara isn't that hard on herself and, at times, will casually wander supermarkets alone while pushing shopping carts that are pretty much massive for her. Even without purchasing anything, it is still a kind of relaxation. In the meantime, Cook usually waits at the "special depository" outside the supermarket, dozing off with a for-show-only thin rope around its foot.

Before Tara came to the surface, the only knowledge she had of it came exclusively from the succinct writings that came with her father's photos and letters. No high walls that block humans in, and no Wishing Tower that's the center of everything... Instead, what the surface has are "Bonfire Cities" and the endless dangers outside of them. This type of lifestyle didn't sound too great or bad, but to Tara, it was still hard to concretely visualize a world she had never personally seen herself. She didn't try to understand it better, either. All she could see in the photos were her father's permanent, overly radiant smiles that thoroughly enraged her.

After her arrival on the surface, Tara finally saw the sights that appeared in those photos. Those sceneries that are nothing worth mentioning to surface dwellers turned from photos to reality at last, but she had to continue moving on to other places with Cook, as she couldn't seem to get much information about her father anywhere.

Somehow, as time flew by, Tara discovered she now had many companions by her side, having formed the "Little Adventure Team" with Arcana and the rest and befriended loads of people on The Eternal and in Bonfire Cities. Since departing from Mundus, she has already experienced multiple adventures on the surface. Her current review of the place is "so-so," but the genuine smile on her face as she says that says it all.