“Whoa, so cute...” breathed Eldrid.
The Tail woman was usually gallant and cool, but she became weak at the knees when it came to cute things. I recalled something similar happening when we’d been playing with Chorus Seals in the Submerged City and when she’d hugged Walker Rabbits. Why was she in this state? She was staring at the animals in the display cases at a pet shop. Her ears were flapping, and her tail was wagging, but those features were only visible to me. She was completely smitten by the lovely rabbits (the small kind), chinchillas, and hamsters.
Instead of her usual knightly garb, Eldrid was wearing modern clothes today: a high-neck knit top and a pair of denim pants that suited her quite well.
“The rabbits in this world are so small,” she noted.
“I’m used to the rabbits here, so I was surprised when I saw the ones in your world,” I said.
“Yeah, I guess they’re really big compared to these.”
“Yup.”
As Eldrid looked around the store, her expression shifted as if a realization had hit her.
Seemingly conflicted and somewhat sad, she said, “I kind of feel bad for them, trapped in those cramped little boxes.”
Her mood visibly fell as the words left her mouth. Her ears lay flat against her head, and her tail drooped, both of which were only visible to me. Tails were easy to read; their ears and tails gave away their emotions.
“Yeah, pet shops may look nice, but they’re places that buy and sell animals. I hear some pretty terrible things happen behind-the-scenes at a lot of them,” I said.
“I don’t know how I feel about that,” said Eldrid.
“Same, but it isn’t like we can do anything about it.”
“Seeing how they’re still in business, I guess there’s a demand for it.”
“Yup. It’s an easy place to start for people who want to own a pet,” I said. “I just hope they end up with a nice owner and happily live out the rest of their lives.”
We left the store as we talked in hushed voices, then we began walking around town again.
“Your world is really interesting,” said Eldrid. “The technology is so advanced, and there’s so much more here in terms of entertainment.”
“I think your world is fun too,” I said.
“You think so? I think there’s way fewer things to do for fun in my world.”
“I guess that’s why they say the grass is always greener on the other side.”
“What grass?” she asked, confused.
“It’s just a phrase that means other people’s things tend to look more attractive,” I explained.
Eldrid clapped her hands together and said, “Oh, I get it.”
Feeling envious of other people’s belongings was only natural. Of course, this didn’t only apply to objects but also environments, situations, and all sorts of things that could invoke envy and jealousy. “The lottery of birth” was an idea in the same vein, I guess.
Anyway, you surely knew why and how we’d gotten here, but I’d explain just in case. I was in Japan with Eldrid today. Why? Well, we’d been talking about hanging out for some time, so we were following up on that promise and going around town together. That was why we’d met up near the Divers Guild earlier this morning...
§
“I-I’m ready!” said Eldrid.
She must’ve hurried here judging by the way she was out of breath.
Of course, she was wearing an outfit totally different from her usual knightly garb. She was properly dressed up, and she looked quite cute. The sword on her back was charming—well, maybe not. It was kind of scary, but apparently, you needed to carry a weapon around even when going out for fun.
“Oh! Your ears and tail look even nicer than usual. Lustrous, even,” I noted.
Eldrid seemed pleased that I’d noticed. Her expression brightened, and she said, “Yeah! I used the brush you gave me the other day!”
“Glad to hear you’ve been using it,” I said.
“Of course! You went out of your way to buy it for me!”
“But you know, you’re gonna have to change your outfit,” I said.
“What? Why?”
“You’ll see when we get there.”
“Get there? Oh, you said we’re going to the place you’re from, right?” asked Eldrid.
“Yup. Just follow me,” I said.
I led us from the Divers Guild entrance to the statues of the gods at the square, which was one of Freida’s go-to meeting spots. This place was always busy, and on the holidays, it was so packed it could even give a certain mouse’s amusement park a run for its money. It seriously made me think Freida may have a population density problem.
“You wanted to come here?” asked Eldrid.
“Yup,” I replied.
“Wait... Don’t tell me you live...” she trailed off, sounding rather disturbed and her expression concerned. She clearly misunderstood the situation.
“No, no!” I said quickly. “I’m not a homeless person living in the public square!”
“But you said you’re gonna show me where you live, then you brought me here. Not that I’m complaining or anything! Everyone has their own living situation. I mean, it wouldn’t bother me if you slept on a straw mat out here! I’d want you to bathe regularly though!” said Eldrid.
“Stop trying to make me homeless, will you?! I do bathe every day, and I don’t sleep on a straw mat!” I protested. But I was having a hard time convincing her after bringing her out here. “I’m gonna prove it, but first, I need you to hold my hand.”
“What?! You want me to hold your hand?!” she said.
“Yeah. And hold on tight, please.”
“Oh, okay...”
Eldrid took my hand hesitantly. I could tell she was feeling uncertain from the way her ears were standing straight up.
“Time to activate my magic!” I called out.
“Huh? What magic? Akira, what are you—”
“Just trust me. Here we go!”
And that was how we’d left Do-Melta and ended up where the gods were just a minute ago.
This time, we arrived at a library. It was quite a sight with its countless bookshelves and stacks of books that couldn’t fit on the shelves. God had clearly moved while I was in Do-Melta because earlier, he’d been in that white space as usual. Maybe he always spent his Sundays reading around this time.
“Oh? Hey, Akira. Welcome back,” said God.
“I’m back as promised, and my friend is with me!” I said.
“‘Friend’? Hmm, right,” he said as he nodded to himself and smiled knowingly. He then pointed at me with both index fingers and said, “Oh, Akira, you dirty dog! I gotta say I’m impressed.”
“Dirty dog? I mean, my friend here is a Tail, but what do dogs have to do with me?” I asked.
“Don’t worry about it. I already knew you’re like that anyway,” he said.
I looked at him, confused, but he just let out a resigned sigh. It was as if he was having trouble explaining something to a young child, but I didn’t have enough information to reach a conclusion.
Eldrid was stunned in the meantime, not able to process everything that was happening. She surely didn’t expect to visit a god today. What’s more, he wasn’t just any god but (presumably) the greatest god of them all, Ameithys himself. Her surprise was pretty understandable.
She finally snapped out of her daze and bowed as she knelt down on one knee.
“Ah! Lord Ameithys!” she said.
“Hmm,” he nodded.
It seemed she, too, knew who he was at first sight. Had she seen him before? Well, there were statues that looked just like him, so I supposed everyone in Do-Melta knew what he looked like. Celebrities didn’t get any privacy, I guess.
“Lord Ameithys, I thank you for your daily blessings,” said Eldrid reverently.
“Very well. Continue to keep your god’s word and promise, and live a fruitful life,” Ameithys responded in a dignified manner.
Whoa, he’s glowing. This god comes with a backlight feature.
“Akira,” said Ameithys, “you know you said that out loud, right? Comments like that can really kill the mood. Anyway, just think of it like an option at a car shop or a set piece on a stage.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t help it— Anyway, I noticed everyone says that greeting to you,” I said.