“Arww, arww…? (Are you sure you do not wish for me to accompany you any farther…?)” “Bark. (Yep, off you go now. It’ll be bad if anyone sees you.)” The black wolf looks back with regret in its eyes as I shoo it away. Before we part ways, I promise I’ll howl if I have need of them again. They’ve worked really hard to protect the forest. You guys work, and I’ll eat and sleep in the mansion. It’s a win-win situation. Huh? It’s not? Well, whatever. “Arf. (Phew. I’m beat. My body’s not tired, but I feel mentally exhausted from working so hard for the first time in a while.)” The sky is already starting to brighten, but it’s still the middle of the night. I need to get back to bed soon. I don’t think I’m dirty, but I shake out any dust just in case. I then sneak back into Lady Mary’s room to find she’s still sleeping soundly. “Arw… (I’m home…)” I murmur as I slip into bed with her. The bed feels amazingly soft and warm from her body. “Hmm… Routa…?” “Arw, arw. (I’m home, my lady.)” “Hmm, you feel cold… Did you go out…? You shouldn’t. You need a good night’s…sleep…” “Arw. (I know. Now let’s get back to sleep. You can squeeze me as tight as you like.)” “Ghn… You’re so fluffy, Routa…” That’s because I’m bathed and brushed every day! By you and the maid! “……I can smell……sausages…… No fair…… I want some……Routa……hmm……” She buries her face into my fluffy chest and soon falls asleep again. “Yaaaawn. (I am so tired. All I’m going to do tomorrow is eat and sleep. Nothing else.)” I let out a big yawn, lean my head against the pillow, and quickly fall asleep. “Eek!” “Woof, woof! (Ha-ha-ha! Too easy! Easy-peasy, my lady!)” I dash after the ball Lady Mary threw and catch it midair. Zenobia the knight still isn’t back, so we’re behaving ourselves and playing in the garden. “Woof, woof! (Hey, hey, hey! The pitcher’s not in the game!)” I carry the ball back to her in my mouth. This is so much fun. My tail is wagging like crazy. And look at me, innocently playing fetch! I look like a regular dog! Nothing else! Fenrir, King of the Fen Wolves, is nowhere to be seen! “Amazing, Routa! You’re so fast!” “Bark! (I know, right? You can throw it farther if you like!)” “All right, then! Here I go! Hyah!” “Bark! (Mwa-ha-ha-ha! Super acceleration!)” I whiz past her, making her hair fly up. She pushes down her skirt and hair and laughs. “Ha-ha-ha! That’s incredible, Routa!” “Woof, woof! (Catch is so much fun!)” I shoot forward at high speed and catch the ball high in the air. I land and bring it right back to her. “Hee-hee. You’re such a good boy.” “Woof, woof! (Yeah, I am! Praise me more! Pet me more!)” Her soft hand gently strokes my head. Hmm, a moment of bliss. Lady Mary calling me cute just because I fetch a ball would have been impossible in the other world no matter what I paid. “My lady! Your meal is ready. It’s time to come inside now!” I look over to where the voice is coming from to see the young maid waving her hand from the mansion. Oh, the older maid will tell her off for not coming over to deliver the message. “Aw, looks like that’s the end of that… I wanted to play with you more.” “Arw, arw. (I wanted to play with you more, too… But lunch is also important! Let’s read in the shade of a tree once we’re done! You can lean your head against my big, strong back.)” I run around my disheartened master to cheer her up. “All right, then. We’ll spend some time together after lunch.” “Woof! (Yay! I’d love to!)” I watch her go and then dash over to the back door of the kitchen. “Gromff, omff! (So good! This is delicious! There’s not much meat, but it’s still so good!)” “Bwa-ha-ha, is it good?! You’re not picky, are you? You’ll eat anything!” The old man is in a good mood as he ruffles my head. Today’s menu is a hearty bacon and vegetable quiche. The flaky pastry is so stuffed that the contents are practically falling out. Egg mixed with fresh cream binds it all together. The slow bake in the oven made the surface a dark brown color, turning it more golden wavy. Golden wavy? What am I saying? I said it, but I’m not entirely sure what it means. It’s just that delicious. “Bark! Bark! (Hey, old man! This is super-good! The spinach is especially fantastic!)” “You need to wait for meat or fish to mature for them to be good, but vegetables are best fresh. I grow all my own vegetables in my field.” “A-arwf?! (Th-that’s amazing! You even tend your own fields!)” He’s the perfect superhuman! He’s a man who will always work hard. Master Chef James. I’m getting shivers. He has my highest respect. “Woof, woof! (You’re the best! And I want more!)” “My goodness, you really are eating more and more each day…” He turns around and cuts another slice of quiche for me. I love it that he’ll say these things while letting me eat as much as I want. I wait for the second helping of quiche, trying to stop myself from drooling as my tail whips back and forth. Then… “I. Found. You.” I hear a voice that sounds like it’s coming straight from the depths of hell. Something grabs me by the scruff of my neck. “Come!” “A-arwf?! (Th-that voice?! Is that the useless knight Zenobia?!)” Zenobia and I are alone in the garden where she tried to dispose of me before. Ugh, what a terrifying glare. It’s like she’s looking into a well. “Things will go differently this time,” she swears, retrieving the sword from the sheath on her hip. “This is a famous sword that I got for ten times the price of my last one! This sword was forged by the great blacksmith Ganche Rue! Isn’t it amazing?! The shop owner just happened to be in possession of it and sold it to me!” “Arwf… (…Oh? Well, good for you.)” “Wh-why do you look so blasé……?” “Pfff. (You interrupted my delicious lunch. Of course I’m going to be in a bad mood.)” But you know, Zenobia… You say you’ll protect Lady Mary, yet where were you when she needed you most? Are you even less reliable than a house pet? Where’s your motivation? If you don’t have any, can you just leave? I’m the only good-for-nothing freeloader in this house. “Wh-what’s with that unimpressed look……?” “Yaaawn.” I let out a big, bored yawn right in front of the flabbergasted Zenobia. “Woof, woof. (So is that sword just a fake, too? If you’re going to come at me, do it already. It’s just going to snap in half again.)” “Y-you…! How dare you mock me…!” Tears well up in her eyes as she raises the sword above her head. Then she vanishes. “Arw? (Huh?! How is she so fast?!)” It seems like she’s making a beeline for me, but I can’t see her at all. “Haaaah!!” I sense her slicing through the air, and she brings down her sword. The tip of the blade blurs and comes straight for the top of my head. “A-arf! (Crap! There’s no stopping it this time! Not like last time!)” Zenobia lowers the sword with incredible speed, and it strikes me right in the middle of my skull, splitting it in two. The sword, that is. “Ahhhh…?!” The blade spins through the air and vanishes among the overgrowth of a flower bed. “A-arf… (Y-you had me going for a moment there…)” What was that swing…? If that sword had been real, I would have actually died, right…? Is Zenobia actually really strong…? “Tch, hick, ghnn…!” I’m still shocked when I feel something drip onto my head. I look up to see Zenobia’s beautiful face crumpled up like a child’s. “A-arf?! (Y-you’re crying?! You’re really crying!)” “M-my sword didn’t work…!” Her face scrunches up more, and she bawls, dropping the other half of the sword and covering her face with her hands. “A-arww, arww. (I-I’m sorry, Zenobia. But it’s your fault, too… You shouldn’t have bought that fake sword…)” “Sh-shut up! D-don’t try to cheer me—hik—cheer me up! I know you’re hiding what you really are!” She snaps at me before running away. “Arww… (Well, then… She was invited to stay here, but she actually isn’t much use as a freeloader… It’s no surprise things ended up this way…)” Her pride is in pieces… I pick up the half of the sword Zenobia threw away and toss it into the shrubbery. No more evidence. Right. Let’s head back and finish eating. “Woof, woof! (Yeah! Quiche! Quiche!)” I, the ordinary dog of the family, run back for my quiche as quickly as possible. It might be a little strange that I can fire beams from my mouth, but either way, I return to my plate around the back of the kitchen. Then I see it—a face buried in my dish. “Woof?! (Wha—?! An intruder?!)” “Mrow? (Oh? Is this your meal?)” The intruder, whose head is in my food, notices me and looks up. It’s a cat. A beautiful cat with fur as crimson as blood. Oh, so the cats in this world are red? The crimson cat turns to me and licks her lips. Her bloodred eyes narrow, and she seems to give me a bewitching, beautiful smile. “Mrow. (You have such excellent cuisine. It smelled so good that I couldn’t help but try it…)” “W-woof! (M-my quiche!)” I was really looking forward to that! Arrrg! Arrrg! I hope there’s a little left, but when I stick my face into my bowl, I see it’s been licked clean. “Mrow. (Tee-hee, my thanks for the meal.)” She moves strangely sensually as she curls her tail around. Ugh. So cute. I want to pet her. I really want to pet her. And rub my face against her. H-how dare she use her powerful fluffiness against me…! Ah no, this is wrong. I won’t be tricked! “Woof, woof! (I won’t forgive you! Give it back! Right now! Give me back my lunch! My quiche! I was looking forward to that!)” I bark and howl at her and beat the ground with my forepaws. “Meow, meow. (All right, wait. My apologies for eating your food. I’m sorry. I will bring you something delicious to make up for it. Will you forgive me then?)” “Woof, woof. (…Hmm. But you’re a cat. You say it’ll be delicious, but it’ll probably just be a dead mouse or something, right?)” “Mrow. (Well, that’s rude. I certainly cannot make a meal as delicious as that, but I do have confidence in my ability to make sweets.)” “Bark? (Sweets…?)” “Meow? (Oh, are you not a fan of sweet things?)” “Bark! (I love them! Shlurp!)” But how in the world can a cat make sweets? So strange. Thinking about it, where did this cat come from in the first place? She’s a strange color for a stray, and she has skills. “Mrow? (Oh? Now that I look at you, you’re an incredibly white beast, aren’t you?)” Her emerald eyes staring at me narrow suspiciously. “W-woof! (Wh-what?! There’s nothing strange about that! I’m a dog! A dog, I tell you! No matter how you look at me, I’m a dog, all right?!)” “Mrow. (No, I’m sure I’ve never seen a dog like you before… Well, it doesn’t matter. I like you. Do you want to be my friend?)” “Arwf?! (Friend?!)” She wants to be friends? That’s sudden. I didn’t have any friends for the longest time in the other world. I would have lunch in the bathroom stalls. I would spend my breaks at my desk. And then there was the cringe-inducing “Okay class, partner up!” U-ugh, my heart hurts. I’m not going to remember the other world anymore. I considered befriending Garo and the other wolves, but they act more like servants… “Woof. (I—I don’t mind being your friend… You’re a cat, though. Do you not mind being friends with a dog?)” “Mrow. (Oh my, does species matter when it comes to making a new friend? Besides, I’m not a cat.)” Yeah, you are. A cat with crimson fur like that is rare, but you look like a cat to me. “Mrow. (Please allow me to introduce myself. I am the witch of Feltbelk Forest, Hecate Luluarus. I believe you and I will be crossing paths much more often in the coming days.)” The cat bows elegantly when she says her name. Witch? Did she say witch? First, it’s monsters, and now it’s witches. “……………” Upon further inspection, she’s definitely a cat. Oh, I got it! She’s one of those things. A familiar. A cat who calls herself a witch. I see. “Bark. (I’m Routa. I’m this family’s pet. And a dog.)” “Mrow. (I don’t know why you keep insisting that you’re a dog… So it’s Routa, is it? Hee-hee, even your name is interesting. It was lovely meeting you, Routa.)” The crimson cat Hecate leaps into the air and lands on the branch of a nearby tree. She didn’t really jump so much as float up with some unseen power. It was strange, like she didn’t weigh anything. “Meow. (We shall meet again, Routa.)” Her eyes narrow as if she’s laughing, and then she fades away like smoke. “Arwf?! (A-a ghost?!)” A sultry cat who’s also a ghost, who calls herself a witch, and is good at making sweets? There’s way too much going on with you! And so I made friends with a suspicious cat. It happened one night. I had slept too much during the day again. Lady Mary was sound asleep, and I was left staring up at the moon. I don’t feel the urge to howl, though. It seems that only happens during the full moon. Then I notice a light on in the opposite wing. That’s rare. “Arf…? (Isn’t that Papa’s study?)” He’s not normally awake this late. I guess I’ll go say hi. He’s been so busy lately that I haven’t had a chance to see him. It’s been a while since he’s petted me. As a man, I really shouldn’t worry whether or not he’s been petting me. I slip out of my lady’s grasp and leave the room, careful not to make any noise. The maid shouldn’t be on her nightly patrol at this time. This is when I normally sneak out to get food, after all. Although the old man has been on alert since the sausage incident. I’ll give him a little space. I continue down the corridor as I think this, turn toward the other wing, and climb the stairs to the second floor. I turn right toward Papa’s study, which is just ahead of me. “Arww, arww? (Papa? Are you here?)” I tap on the door with my forepaw, and he appears. “Oh, it’s you, Routa. Are you also unable to fall asleep?” His cheeks look slightly flushed. There’s the faint smell of alcohol. So he’s having a nightcap? “All right then, come on in.” Papa’s study is piled high with books. He must be studying hard. Although I have no idea what work he does as the head of the household. “Would you like a sip?” He takes a gorgeous rocks glass off one of the bookshelves. He pops the cork off the bottle on the desk and tilts it up. The amber liquid inside makes a faint, delicious bloop sound as he pours it into the glass. “Here, try a bit.” Oh, Papa, you should know better than to give alcohol to animals. I’m still gonna drink it, though! I’m not a dog after all! No, I’m just a (self-proclaimed) dog! I lick up some of the amber liquid from the glass he sets on the floor. “Arf… (Mmm… So good… What is this…? It’s more delicious than the high-quality whiskey from Ginza, which is ten thousand yen a glass… I feel all fuzzy…)” How long has this been aged to achieve such a refined flavor? It much be incredibly expensive. It’s a high-quality spirit for sure. There’s no mistaking that. I savor the amber liquid as I drink it. “Hmm, you seem to know how to appreciate a fine liquor. Would you like a snack with that? James whipped this up for me before he went to bed.” I sniff the food left out on the small plate, and instantly, the scent of rich honey and cheese fills my appreciative nostrils. “Arf…! (Oh, that certainly will be good!)” It’s baked cheese with a white rind. The outside is baked hard, but the moment it’s cut open, I can see the melted cheese inside wobble as if it were going to spill out. Honey has been drizzled on top of the cheese, which has then been garnished with a sprinkle of crushed pepper. I can tell, even before eating it, that it’s going to be delicious. “Woof! (I’m digging in!)” I wrap my tongue around the cheese slice and brazenly chew. “Mwaf! (So sweeeeeeeet! It’s slightly pungent but also so sweeeeeeeet! The subtle notes of salt in the cheese are amazing! It’s soooo gooooooood!!)” I am in ecstasy over this culinary masterpiece. I have another lick of the delicious amber alcohol while the taste of the cheese is still fresh on my tongue. “Arf…? (What the…? This is incredible… I’m in heaven… Is this paradise…?)” “Ha-ha, looks like I’ve made a fine drinking buddy. No one around here will drink with me. I’m glad you came by tonight, Routa.” He smiles, looking slightly exhausted, and raises his own glass to take a sip. “Something happened a little while ago, but in the dead of night, I heard this booming noise coming from the forest.” He suddenly murmurs. “Arwg?! (Pfft…?!)” The moment I realize what he’s talking about, I spit out my drink. “But no one else heard it. I hope I heard wrong, but I’m still a little worried.” “W-woof… (R-really? How strange…)” It was probably that. He’s most likely talking about the sound from when I fired my beam into the Labyrinth. Not just the beam but the sound it made when the whole thing collapsed in on itself. “Now I find myself staying up until roughly the time of night when I first heard the noise…… Routa, you wouldn’t happen to know anything, would you?” “W-woof? (I—I dunno. Whatever could you mean……?)” I give him a vacant look, my face the picture of innocence. “………” “………” We stare at each other for a while. Then, finally, he leans back into his chair. “Ha! Ha! Ha! What in the world am I saying?” He puts his hand up against his forehead and laughs. “Of course, you wouldn’t know anything. I must be very tired. And that sound hasn’t happened again since then. It was just needless worry, after all. I’m going to finish this drink off and head to bed.” “W-woof, woof! (R-right! That’s a great idea! Sleep! Sleep and forget everything!)” I focus on my drink instead of him. After we finish our nightcaps and the cheese, he puts out the lantern, and we leave. There wasn’t enough cheese to satisfy me, so I sneak into the kitchen and help myself to a little of this and a little of that. Don’t worry. The old man catches me the next day. He holds my head firmly. “Routa. Do you know why I’m angry?” I try to turn my face away, but I can’t move an inch. It’s not because he’s strong. It’s his willpower. Pure willpower. “No, you should know why without my saying anything. You’re a smart boy, after all.” Old man James’s face is so close. H-he’s so scary! Way scarier than Zenobiaaa! “W-woof?! (Wh-what?! I don’t know anything?!)” “The smell of ham on your breath is proof enough! What are you going to do about eating all the meat in the larder? It will be another three days before provisions from town get delivered!” Ahhh! Are our food supplies really in that much trouble?! “I cannot allow the quality of the master and young lady’s meals to falter. The staff needs enough food to eat, too. And you, of course! I won’t allow anyone here to starve as long as I’m around!” “A-arf! (O-old man……!)” H-he’s so amazing. So cool. I admire you. More like I’m head over heels for you. “That’s why…” He grins and pats me on the head. “…you’re going to get some more meat.” “Woof? (…Huh?)” “You know the saying. He who does not work, neither shall he eat.” “Woof, woof! (But that saying doesn’t apply to pets! A pet’s work is to be loved! Which means I’m already working super-hard!)” I bark and bark and bark, but he doesn’t care. “Which reminds me. Here is your breakfast.” He puts down my special dog plate. But it’s not my usual delicious meal. “Arwf?! (Huh?! That’s all?!)” Lying on the giant plate is a single shaving of meat. The piece of grilled meat is so tiny, it’s not even a mouthful. “All jokes aside, I do not have enough ingredients. Your gluttony knows no bounds. My provisions have been decreasing at a much higher rate than expected. I had just about enough meat and vegetables to work something out for the next three days, but then you went and ate those last night.” “Arw?! (Urk?!)” His words stab at me like guilt-laden knives. “I have vegetables. And wheat. But no meat.” He bumps his clenched fist against my chest. “You need to man up and take responsibility. If you want to eat more meat, then you have to go out and hunt it yourself. I’ll prepare anything you bring back. Go out there, kill some prey, and bring it back. You’ll be fine. You can work something out. Bring out those natural wild instincts!” “Bark! Bark! (No, no, no, no! No way! It’s impossible! I don’t have any wild in me! My ancestors were all pets! I’ve never felt the call of the wild even for an instant!)” “Go forth and conquer, Routa! Until you bring back some meat, you’ll just have to go hungry! I’m not kidding around here! I didn’t even eat anything last night! I’m starving!” “Arrrrww!! (Whaaat?! You didn’t eat anything?! Now I have to go! Noooooooooooo!)” “Take care, now! Make sure you bring back a big one!” “Afuu…… (Seriously……)” The old man waves me off, but my crestfallen tail has no energy to wag. My head hangs low as I leave the mansion feeling the old man’s expectations bearing down on me. “Arw… (Haah, what should I do…? I’ve never hunted before…)” I continue trudging along when an idea pops in my head. “Bark! (I know! I have those guys for times like these!)” I’d forgotten I have some skilled allies. Hunting professionals. “Awoooooooo! (Garo! Gaaaro! Are you there?! I need you!!)” I let out a loud howl that would travel far. “Grwl! (At your service, my king!)” The black wolf’s face suddenly appears behind me. “Arwf?! (Whoa?!)” When did—?! “Bark! Bark! (That was fast! That took you no time at all!)” “Grwl. (I have been trailing you since you left, my king.)” What? Like a stalker? Now that I’ve got a good look, I can see a few other wolves waiting behind Garo. It’s a gang of stalkers. “Woof, woof! (Also, your face is terrifying. Don’t pop up out of nowhere like that. You startled me.)” “G-grwl…? (I-it’s terrifying…?)” Garo looks incredibly hurt by my offhanded comment and stares at the ground. “Grw, grw! (Excuse me, my king!)” One of the wolves behind Garo steps forward. “Grw, grw! (I am Bal! Lady Garo here is one of the most beautiful wolves in our clan! Surely she is deserving of much better—!)” “Grwl. (Stand down, Bal. Please excuse my subordinate, my king. And please forgive me for appearing before you with such an unsightly visage…)” “Woof? (Huh? Garo, you’re female?!)” “Gaww…! (Aw…!)” Garo lies down on the ground as if stabbed in the heart. “Grrrww! (Y-your majestyyyyy?! Please stop! Your words are far too careless!)” Bal’s subservience falters as he barks in Garo’s defense. “Grwl! Grwl! (Lady Garo is the most beautiful wolf in the entire world! Yet you state that you only see her as a male?!)” Ohhh, so that’s it. Garo is looking away, letting out a sad, whine-like cry. I look at them and give them my honest opinion. “Woof… (You say that, but I can’t tell the difference between any of you…)” “Grrrrrrrr?! (Your Majestyyyyy?!)” Bal goes into a frenzy, saliva flying everywhere. Ew, gross. “Bark… (B-but you see, I’m not a furry or anything like that…)” “Grw? (F-fur…ry……?)” A furry is someone who really loves beasts. I’m not like that. “…Grw…grw… (It’s fine. Just drop it, Bal. Please forgive me for showing you my gruesome face. I shall stay far away from you as you conduct your business. A thousand pardons…)” Garo staggers to her feet, her head still bowed. “W-woof, bark. (Oh no, I’m the one in the wrong here. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were such a beauty. I didn’t mean to say anything hurtful to you… I’m sorry, Garo.)” “Grwl… (N-no, no. It’s fine. Please forgive me for losing my composure.)” She hasn’t really accepted my apology. Her hackles are up as she sits down in front of me. “Grw. (Let us start again, my king. What is it you wish of us today?)” Looks like we’re just going to have a normal exchange. “Bark. (Um, well. This is embarrassing to say, but I need your help with something…)” I’m acting very self-conscious about the whole thing as I say this to Garo, licking my nose all the while. “Grwl! (Oh, do you perhaps wish to leave the forest and invade the human world?! The order to subjugate the humans is finally here!)” “Bark! Bark! (No! No! No! That’s not it! We’re not doing that!)” “Grw… (Oh, I see…)” Why does she look so disappointed…? These guys really are ferocious beasts deep down… “Woof. (I actually have a really shameless request.)” “Grw. (Very well.)” “Woof, woof? (Can you help me do a little hunting? And by help, I mean, can you hunt for me? Instead of me?)” I’ll leave all the work to the wolves and enjoy the spoils myself! See. This is the perfect plan I thought of all by myself. Relying on others is my creed! “Grw…! (O-ohhh…! That is a splendid idea!)” Garo seems impressed. “Grw! Grw! (Rejoice everyone! His Highness will be leading us in a hunt!)” “Arf?! (Huh?!)” No! No! Weren’t you listening?! You’ll be doing the hunting. I’ll be doing the eating. Right?! “Grw! Grw! Grw! (King! King! Our strong king!)” The increasingly large pack of wolves breaks into a chant. “W-woof?! (Huh?! Wha—?! Wait!)” “Grwl. (Now, now, my king, this way. We actually had a powerful monster spawn recently. It will be perfect. You must show us your wonderful skills!)” “Woof?! (Garo?! Lady Garo?! Are you mad at me?! Are you actually furious with me?!)” “Grwl, grwl. (Not at all. I would never do anything as inappropriate as express anger toward you, my king.)” “Woof, woof? (Yeah, but…you’re mad at me, right?)” “Grwl. (Noooo, not at all. I merely wish to see you in action and revel in your magnificence.)” “Woof, woof! (Liar! You’re clearly still furious about what I said before!)” Crap! This lady knows how to hold a grudge! “Grw. (Now, my king, let us be off. We shall all bask in the majesty of your abilities.)” “Arrrrwwww!! (Noooo! They’re going to be way too stroooooooong!!)” I’m only somewhat on board with this as I get dragged away by the wolves. “Fwgaaaarrrr!!” The forest shakes. Not a single plant remains where the giant body charges through. Trees are knocked over, flowers are uprooted, and the grass is flattened. All because of the giant living cannonball. “Grw… (I believe this should suffice for a meal.)” The wolves are all drooling. What? That’s your reaction to this monstrosity?! I’m getting dragged along by wolves who lack any sense of modesty. “Bwaaaarrrr!!” Steam bursts from its ears, and the giant wall of flesh shakes its head. A large splinter stuck in its furry hoof is finally shaken out. It’s a giant boar. Isn’t this thing just a bit too big? It must weigh a ton. Four curved tusks longer than swords can be seen jutting out of its lower jaw. The furious boar’s mucus-encrusted eyes are bloodshot with rage as it tries barreling through the surrounding wolves. It’s huge. It’s just plain huge. I’m pretty big myself, but when I look up, all I can see are the muscles rippling off this thing’s back as it towers over me. It must be the size of a house. And if that wasn’t bad enough, this colossal porker can also move incredibly fast. The wolves would get blown to smithereens if they were hit by its charge. “Grwl. (It’s fine as long as you don’t get hit.)” The other wolves seem to share her composure. They surround the boar, making sure to keep their distance, and provoke it with howls. The giant boar then charges with blind rage, but the wolves quickly leap out of the way. The only things getting blown to smithereens are the trees. At least this natural disaster is kicking up a nice breeze. But this whole area will be destroyed if we let the boar rampage much longer. “Woof, woof? (How do you kill something like this?)” There don’t seem to be any casualties among the wolves, but I’m also noticing a distinct lack of finishing blows to put an end to this encounter. “Grwl, grwl. (A monster like this is strong, so we continue to enrage it. We will run around it for three days straight until its strength gives out and it can no longer move. Then, we all bite at its nose and mouth until it can no longer breathe.)” “Bark… (O-ohhh. Impressive…)” Wow, that’s super-practical. No mercy whatsoever. Any animal would die if you prevented it from breathing. Upon closer inspection, I can see they’ve calculated how to encircle it and are regulating fixed distances away from the boar. The boar, which can only think of violence, is being led by the nose. “Grwl. (At this rate, we should have it dead in a day.)” They’re amazing. They’re professionals. Professional hunters. “Grwl… (Well then, my king…)” “W-woof? (Y-yes?)” “Grw! (…He’s all yours!)” What?! “Grwl! (Clear a path, everyone! His Majesty shall fell the foul beast!)” Garo’s voice rings out, and the pack around the boar retreats. They create a pathway by falling back to either side of the beast, leaving me in its direct line of sight. “Grwl! (And now, you diminutive demon piglet! One untainted by evil stands before you! Rejoice! For you have the esteemed pleasure of being vanquished by our glorious leader!)” Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Garo?! Seriously, Garo?! Why are you provoking it even further?! The boar is already fuming! It scrapes at the ground with its front hoof, getting ready to charge! “Grwl. (The preparations have been made, my king. Please slay this beast however you see fit.)” Don’t be ridiculous! I thought she was just getting me back for what I’d said before, but her eyes are brimming with respect. She’s serious about this. She really believes from the bottom of her heart that I can kill this boar. I don’t need your faith! Doubt me! Doubt my strength! You’ll be a lot better off that way! If I run right at this thing, I’m absolutely going to die. This isn’t like Zenobia’s useless swords. This isn’t right! This whole situation is messed up! I should be living a spoiled life in a mansion, eating and sleeping! Why am I out here monster hunting? I wanna go home! I wanna go home and eat and nap! But wait…there’s no food! If I throw a tantrum and express my unwillingness to fight, Garo and the others might kill it for me. But she mentioned that their strategy could take a whole day. Nobody’s got time for that. I’m so hungry, I could just about keel over. I just have to kill it quickly and get back. Then James can cook me some delicious food. That means I have to fight it. Otherwise this fear and hunger will be all for naught! This is getting intense. I know. This thing isn’t some terrifying monster. It’s just meat, pork of the highest quality. Just imagine it. The old man’s going to cook this prime game into a whole bunch of…! I can see it now: Grilled boar full of juicy collagen cooked into the finest dish. I can already taste the succulent strips of pink flesh! Shlurp. I can’t stop drooling. I want meat. I want to eat it right now. That’s good. I’m starting to feel like I can do this now. My gluttony is overcoming my fear! Let’s do this, super-body! Let’s show these wolves our killer technique! “Fwgaaaarrrr!!” I don’t know if it could sense my ambition, but the boar kicks off into a run. There’s so much power in its movements that it whips up a cloud of dust. I don’t move an inch. I bury my feet into the ground and lean forward. Let’s do this, boar! I’ll take you down! “Garooon…… (Little Beam!)” Let me explain. The Little Beam is a killer technique I developed based on my regular beam that can take out an enemy in one hit while having a bit less impact, cultivated through trial and error by gathering my willpower and letting out only a tiny howl, resulting in a much narrower beam. (Deep breath.) My goal is the boar’s meat. I don’t want to vaporize it. Hey, you brazen boar. Can you just die and give me your meat already? A small beam fires out of my mouth with my howl. The white streak of light surges forth and hits the boar right in the middle of the forehead. It pierces the beast’s skull like a hot knife through butter before promptly shooting out of its rear end. “Oink?!” A second later, the boar falls to its knees, dead. It stays in that position as it skids along the ground and slows to a stop right in front of me. “A-arf. (I—I did it.)” “Grrrrrrwl! (What a magnificent technique! Our king truly is amazing!)” Garo lets out a joyful cry from her spectators’ spot. “““Grwl! Grwl! Grwl! (King! King! King!)””” The other wolves begin chanting as usual. But it doesn’t bother me this time. “Woof, woof! (Oh, right! I need to hurry! I don’t have much time!)” “Grwl? (What do you mean you don’t have time?)” Garo tilts her head to the side. Sadly, it’s very not cute. “Woof, woof! (It’s something the old man told me before I left to go hunting!)” “Now listen up, Routa. If you do manage to take down an animal, you need to bring it back here right away. If you don’t drain the blood from your kill, it can cause the meat to smell. You do want some delicious meat, don’t you?” Yes, I do! But how am I going to carry this huge beast back? Could I drag it…? “Grw. (Is this ‘old man’ the human who watches over you? …We can carry this to him for you.)” I nod enthusiastically at her invitation. “Grwl! (All right everyone, this is the king’s order! Pick this up! Quickly, now!)” “““Grw! (Yes, ma’am!)””” The wolves move as one at Garo’s command, crawling under the boar and lifting it up all at the same time. “Woof! (Whoa, amazing!)” The combined strength of a dozen wolves is easily sufficient to lift the giant boar. “Grwl! (Let’s go! As fast as you can! Let’s not keep His Majesty!)” “““Grooooooowl!””” With the carcass on their backs, the wolves howl, then run like the wind into the forest. “Wh-wha-what the hell is thiiiiiiiiiiiiis?!” Old man James screams in astonishment as he looks up at the mountainous boar. We left it waiting for him outside the back door of the kitchen, so it’s no surprise he screamed. I’m pretty sure he just wet himself a little. “R-Routa. Did you really hunt this? This huge beast…?!” “Woof, woof! (Yep! Aren’t I amazing?!)” I bark proudly next to the boar. Well, Garo and the other wolves wore it down for me. But I’m the one who killed it with my beam. “I’m amazed you killed such a behemoth… I would have been over the moon if you’d brought back a rabbit…” He ruffles my head, still looking up at the beast. “Grwl! (You! How dare you lay your hand on the king! Such insolence!!!)” “Arwf?! (A-ah, wait, didn’t I tell you not to come out yet?!)” Garo leaps out from the shadow of the boar before I can warn her off. “Whoa, what the—?!” The old man steps back in surprise. “Woof! (Tch. Change of plans. You guys, get out here!)” The pack of wolves appears on my command. There are only about fifteen of them, but seeing as they’re all larger than I am, it’s a pretty amazing sight. “Ahh?! Wh-who are you guys?! Don’t tell me you’re wol—” Now! Just like we practiced on the way back! One, two, three! “““Grr-woof, woof!””” “……Oh, you’re all dogs…” The old man wipes the sweat off his brow. We did it! I strike a victory pose in my mind. The old man seems as blissfully ignorant as ever. He’s so surprised that he’s completely taken in. “Are these your friends, Routa?” “Woof, woof! (Yep! They helped me hunt it!)” “I see. You all worked together to bring this down.” He walks up to the line of wolves. “Grwwl! (L-lady Garo! Stand down, old man! Don’t you dare lay a hand on the princess, filthy human!)” The brown wolf Bal jumps forward just as James is about to pet Garo. “Woof, woof! (Hey! Bal! Heel! Get ahold of yourself!)” “G-grw…… (Y-your Majesty… V-very well.)” Bal’s ears flatten when I tell him to stop. “Oh, what’s this? Do you want some pats, too?” He crouches down in front of Bal and ruffles his head with a big hand. Bal wrinkles his nose menacingly but can’t move because of my command. “G-grwl… (As a proud soldier of the Fen Wolves…! This insult is…! I-I’ll kill you!)” “There. Good boy. You worked so hard! I’m impressed!” “G-grr! (S-stop…! Were it not for the king’s order—! You would be…! I—I can’t believe I must yield to a human…! Th-this is, this iiiiiiiiiiiis…!)” The old man started at the head and is now rubbing both his hands around Bal’s cheeks, until Bal finally sounds like he’s going to melt, then collapses on the ground. That must have been his first time being petted. I think he just closed his eyes because of how good it felt… “But you know, now that I’ve had a closer look at this boar, it’s not a monster, is it…?” The old man stands up and touches the boar’s coarse bristles, expressing his doubt. “And all these dogs managed to take it down… Where did you all come from? Do you live in the forest?” he asks. Damn it. We managed to trick him so far, but he’s beginning to doubt us again. We’ll be in trouble if he reports us to Papa or Zenobia…! “Oh my, no need to worry about them,” says a bewitching female voice. When did she get here? A woman with a wide-brimmed tricornered hat is suddenly standing next to the old man. She tucks her long silver hair behind her ear and smiles at him. She’s a real voluptuous witch. “O-oh…! Miss Hecate. Oh my, is it that time already?” It seems the old man is acquainted with this strange, sexy lady who appeared out of nowhere. He quietly nods as if he knows something. Hmm? Hecate? …Where have I heard that name before? “These creatures are my friends. Be at ease.” “I see, so they’re like your familiars? That’s good, then.” “Grwl! Grwl! (Who’s your friend?! We’re not familiars, you infernal witch!)” Garo growls at her. So Garo knows this lady, too? Looks like they don’t get along.
Chapter 9
34 min read