Chapter 20: The Softness Contest

Chapter 20:
The Softness Contest

 

“IT’S ALMOST TIME to switch out this towel,” Mina noted as she began folding the laundry.

She placed the towel to one side, then continued folding the rest. As she reached for my underwear, she wavered. Looking bashful, she folded them with the skill you’d expect of someone used to the task.

Now that I think about it, Mina does wash and fold my underwear. Man, I’m sure slow only to notice that now. “M-Mom?”

“Hmm? What’s that, Mr. Reiji?”

“Er…nothing.” I fell silent, sensing Mina’s rage in my future. Then I looked at the towel she’d put aside, which often hung by the sink; it had gotten old, ragged, and rough. “Hmm. I never actually got around to making that, did I?”

“Is something wrong?” Mina asked.

“Nope. I just realized that I never made the stuff that goes with laundry detergent.”

“What stuff?” She tilted her head.

Of course, Mina was puzzled. I had yet to hear about anyone in Kalta using fabric softener, and I’d certainly never seen it in this world.

Mina was now folding Noela’s underwear. “What exactly are you staring at, Mr. Reiji?” She shot me a narrow-eyed glare.

“Er, nothing!” I looked away, panicking.

I was a little curious about the beastling’s—er, werewolf’s—underwear; I mean, I’d always wondered what was going on with her tail. Furthermore, Noela used to be anxious to show me her underclothes.

“Look, Master!”

“Hell no.”

“Panties make men happy!”

“Who the heck taught you that?”

“Noela’s panties make Master happy?!”

“Definitely not.”

“Groo…”

I recalled her looking particularly downtrodden at that point. Where’d she pick that “panties make men happy” thing up? Man, if she does that again, we’ll have to talk. Anyway, I should make this stuff before I forget.

Frankly, I had no idea whether this world even needed fabric softener. It might’ve been unnecessary, or impossible to make. I had no clue. But hey, once I create some, I’ll see how the girls react.

I headed to the lab and got cracking. Fortunately, I didn’t need special ingredients; I could formulate the product just by mixing the right quantities of things I had.

 

Rose-Scented Fabric Softener: Makes fabric soft and fluffy. Smells like roses.

 

Perfect. “Mina?”

“Yes?”

I called her into the lab. “Could you do me a big favor and pour this into your next load of laundry, along with the detergent?”

“What is it?”

“Heh heh! You’ll see.”

“It’s not anything weird, right?”

“I promise it’s not. Don’t worry. Oh—could you put this in too?” I handed her the old towel she’d put aside.

“If you like. But I was actually thinking of throwing that towel away.” Since I hadn’t explained the fabric softener’s use, Mina was appropriately confused. I passed her the bottle; she raised her eyebrows. “Ooh! This smells lovely.”

“It’s rose-scented.”

“I understand! Your new product makes laundry smell like roses!” Mina thought she’d solved the riddle.

“That’s not all!”

“I-I’m so curious! I can’t wait to try it!”

I’d seemingly piqued Mina’s domestic curiosity. She headed off, and I followed closely behind. Filling the laundry tub with water, she added the rough towel, some detergent, and the fabric softener.

“And now I just wash them as usual?” she asked.

“Exactly.”

Mina scrubbed away; the scent of roses drifted from the tub. “The aroma is lovely! It’ll be nice to smell flowers while I wash clothes.”

That’s not all, sweetheart!

After scrubbing the towel, she set it out to dry. “Um…besides the rose scent, I haven’t noticed anything different.”

“The towel has to dry first.”

“Really?” Mina again tilted her head.

The towel dried off quickly, since it was nice and bright out. Three hours later, I said, “Mina, it’s about time.”

“Okay. I’ll get that towel.” She put on her slippers, then headed to the clothesline and grabbed it. “Huh?! Wh-what the…? It feels so…” She pressed the towel against her cheek. “It used to be really scratchy. Now it’s so soft, and it smells great!”

“Right?”

“This is incredible, Mr. Reiji! I want to use that new product on all of our fabric right away!” Mina rubbed the towel against her face with an ecstatic expression. “I can’t ever go back to doing laundry without it!”

I took the towel. “Whoa! This must be setting a new world record for softness. I’ve created a doggone gosh-darn monster fabric softener!” The towel was so jaw-droppingly pillowy that I blurted out nonsense. I lived alone on Earth, so I didn’t use fabric softener much. This stuff is crazy!

“We might not need Noela anymore,” Mina joked as we passed the towel back and forth.

“This towel’s even fluffier than her,” I agreed.

Noela was watching us through the window. “No! That no good, Master!”

Apparently sensing that the towel was outshining her, she rushed up wagging her tail. “Master! Noela’s tail! Touch as much as want!”

“I’m good,” I replied. “I’m focused on this amazing artificial softness right now.”

“Garoo!” Noela wailed. Looking around and spotting the bottle of fabric softener, she picked it up and sniffed it. “Groo?! Smell…good!”

“Right?” I guess the fluffy one finally gets it.

Noela popped the cap off the bottle.

“Hey! that’s not drinkable.”

“Arroo?!” yelped Noela, so astonished that her fur stood on end. She gaped at me, not understanding how I’d known she would try sipping the fabric softener.

I offered Noela the towel, but she swatted it away with her tail. She was set on viewing it as her rival and refused to experience its softness firsthand.

“Let’s stock this new product at the drugstore, Mr. Reiji!” Mina urged. “I’m sure it’ll sell well.”

“Hold your horses, Mina. As far as we’re concerned, this towel’s awesomely soft—but other people might not be impressed.”

“I’m really not sure that’s the case,” she insisted.

I get what she’s saying, but how humiliating would it be if the fabric softener didn’t sell? If we could demonstrate its effects in public somehow, that’d be awesome. “What if we took this stuff to the Red Cat Brigade?”

“Oh! That’s a great idea,” said Mina, as she began washing our sheets.

“No! No wash Noela’s!” The fluffy werewolf continued to object.

I carried the leftover fabric softener to the Red Cat Brigade’s quarters in the center of town.

“Hey, guys! It’s Reiji from Kirio Drugs!” I heard busy footsteps beyond the door.

Annabelle appeared. “What—it’s just you? It’s rare that you show your face ’round here.”

The off-duty mercenaries inside watched through the windows and front door, grinning for some reason.

Annabelle’s fingers twirled her red ponytail. “W-wanna come in?” She looked away. “Would you like some tea?”

“Actually, I’m here with a request,” I said, handing her the fabric softener. “It’d be awesome if you could try this stuff out.”

“What’s this?” she asked. “Whoa! It smells great.”

A Red Cat Brigade member poked his head through the window and offered his theory. “I’m sure it’s special perfume he made just for you, Boss! He must’ve come here to give it to y—gurmph!”

Annabelle hurled her slipper directly into his face, her cheeks bright red. “A-as if! You’re a bunch of dumb kids, I swear.” She glared at her men like a street punk keeping a stiff upper lip.

I guess he was right that this is kind of a present, though, I reflected, then gave Annabelle the lowdown on how to use the fabric softener.

“Hunh. You put it in the laundry, eh? And it’ll make our clothes all soft and nice-smellin’?”

“Yup. Give it a shot.”

“Figured it was somethin’ like that,” she replied.

The mercs whispered among themselves.

“The boss is disappointed.”

“’Cause you got her hopes up! You said it was a present!”

“Shut up! That’s what it looked like!”

Annabelle shook with rage. “Shut the hell up, and get your asses back inside!”

“Sorry, Boss!” The men retreated quickly into the building.

“Ahem!” She cleared her throat. “Anyhow, sure. I’ll try it for you.”

“Much obliged.”

 

***

 

A few days later, Annabelle swung by the drugstore.

“Oh, hey!” I greeted her. “How was that fabric softener?”

“How was it? Crazy! I can’t believe how soft and nice-smellin’ everythin’ is now! Clothes, towels, you name it!”

“Glad to hear it.”

“Also, uh…you know how my men are all kinda mama’s boys?” she added. “I guess those soft, rose-scented clothes remind ’em of their moms back home. Five guys in a row have requested time off!”

“Ah. I totally get that.”

“It’s a real problem,” Annabelle griped, smiling.

Looks like this fabric softener will sell, I concluded. We’ll start carrying it at the drugstore.

“Red girl!” called Noela, who was watching the store with me.

“Hm? What’s up, wolf girl?”

“Which better? Noela’s tail, or soft towel?”

Noela’s still holding a grudge?

“Uh…I’d say your tail.”

“Garroo! Red gets it!” The werewolf shot a victorious gaze my way. “Touch Noela’s tail, Master! Noela best!”

And so, Noela got her groove back.