Chapter 1: Starting Life Anew with an All-Powerful Pooch and a Gift
Chapter 1: Starting Life Anew with an All-Powerful Pooch and a Gift
MALTESES are small dogs. Leo was a small dog. Now, however, she was way bigger than me, with a mouth full of giant, knifelike teeth. Even her snout had a wolfish length to it.
She was so much cuter before…
She was undeniably cooler now. That tracked with all the pictures of wolves I’d seen, but it didn’t make the change easier to swallow. Even her once-dainty claws looked like lethal weapons.
“How’d you even get so big?”
“Ruff?” She cocked her head to the side, as if in thought.
I suppose she’s always been a little on the strange side.
I’d heard that Malteses were supposed to be smart, but ever since she was a puppy, all her little tics and gestures had an almost human quality to them. At times, it seemed as though she could understand my every word. I’d never met a dog that seemed so intelligent.
“Aren’t you way too big now, though? No way I can pick you up like this… Heck, I bet I could ride you if I wanted to…”
“Ruuuff? Bow-wow!”
She sprang to her feet, turned around, and crouched with her back to me, as if inviting me on.
She really can understand me, can’t she?
“M-Maybe later, okay? First things first, I need to figure out where we are.”
“Ruff!”
She obediently stood back up and turned to face the wilderness around us. I followed suit and climbed to my feet.
Come to think of it, I got really dizzy before I fell asleep…not that I remember actually falling asleep. Oh, well…
My top priority now was figuring out where in the world we were. After all, my boss would blow a gasket if I was late for work.
“Dang… There’s way too many trees to see much of anything. I guess…we should just pick a direction and go.”
“Ruff, ruff.”
I turned in a random direction and began walking. Leo started heeling obediently.
I hope the trees here don’t bother her too much…
Before I had a real chance to worry, however, she started nimbly weaving around them.
We walked at a fair pace without seeing so much as a small clearing. I soon lost track of time, as the thick canopy made everything look the same shade of dusk. Only the occasional ray of sunshine falling through the trees told me that night hadn’t fallen yet.
I hope we aren’t totally lost… My chances of getting to work on time are shot either way, though.
“We’d better find something soon… I’m starting to get thirsty. I hope there’s a river nearby.”
“Ruff? Bow-wow!”
Leo turned to me and seemed to nod.
So…she can understand me. I guess I might as well follow her, then. I don’t have any brighter ideas. She won’t start leaving pawprints on clues for me, will she?
Chuckling to myself, I followed her deeper into the woods. Looking at her more closely, I noticed that her once-white fur was now a glossy silver that seemed to shine when the sun hit it.
She really is cooler now…
After a few minutes, she stopped and turned back to face me. “Aroo!”
I realized I could faintly hear the trickle of running water coming from up ahead.
“You really found a river?”
“Ruff.”
We continued in the same direction to find a small clearing. A broad river of crystal-clear water flowed through the center of it and, maybe because there were relatively fewer trees, the sunlight shone through more strongly.
“Wow, I can even see the sky… Looks like it’s about noon.”
“Ruff,” she barked matter-of-factly, before trotting up to the stream and starting to drink. I’d been a little worried about whether or not it was safe, but after seeing her lap it up with such gusto, my worries faded.
I followed her up to the stream and stuck my hands in it. It felt even cooler and more refreshing than I’d hoped. Realizing again just how thirsty I was after all this walking, I cupped my hands and began to bring handful after handful to my lips.
Even that wasn’t fast enough, though, so I plunged my face in to drink my fill directly, only coming up after I was satisfied. Water had gotten on my face, but it tasted so good, I honestly didn’t mind. If anything, my face wash left me feeling thoroughly refreshed.
I let out a hearty sigh. “Feels like it’s time for a break.”
“Wuff!”
I plopped myself down by the riverside and crossed my legs. Leo shook the excess water from her jowls after she finished and sat down right beside me.
“Pillaloo.”
She scratched her ear a moment, then laid her head down in my lap.
“You used to curl up in my lap all the time before, but I guess you can’t now. Even your head feels like a sack of bricks.”
“Rrrr-hrrrr-mrrrrr!” she retorted grumpily.
Yeah…I guess no girl would like being told they’re heavy.
“All right, then. What next?”
“Arf?”
I looked up at the crack of sky above me as I pondered our situation. I’d no idea how we’d even gotten here, not to mention that there seemed to be no way out of these woods.
We might never get out at this rate.
Finding drinkable water was a big weight off my shoulders, but there was no sign of food around. I knew nothing about wild plants, and I wasn’t about to start eating things at random. Since the trees didn’t seem to have any fruit either, I couldn’t count on that to sustain me.
“What do we do now?”
I was never much of an outdoorsman—if anything, I was an indoor kid. I’d never even been camping, except on a field trip with my class once. Hiking and such had never really interested me, not to mention that I was so busy with work I just didn’t have the time for it.
“The air out here’s super fresh, though.”
“Ruff!”
I took in a lungful of the crisp forest air. It tasted nothing like the stale city air I was so used to.
I can’t remember the last time I was able to relax like this…being stranded aside, that is.
Even when I was in school, I’d had to sacrifice all my free time to my part-time job just so I could eat. It seemed only natural that I got just one day off every few months at my full-time job. On top of that, since I was often stuck at the office until after midnight, I spent what little free time I did have sleeping.
This might be the first time I’ve ever really enjoyed nature.
“Sorry, Leo… I guess I really did leave you home alone a lot, didn’t I?”
“Arf? Ruff.”
Looking back, though, I felt awful that I’d had so little time for Leo. Ever since I’d picked her up that day, she’d been stuck in our tiny apartment. I never forgot to feed her, of course, but I could only afford to give her one or two long walks a week.
Not to mention I always got back so late… If I ever make it back home, I’ll find a job that gives me more free time, I swear.
I ran my hand through her fluffy silver coat, and she raised her head to give me a huge, wet lick across my cheek.
“Arf, arf.”
“‘Don’t sweat it,’ you say?”
“Ruuuuff.”
Thanks, Leo. At least I’ve never been lonely with you beside me.
I let my thoughts wander a while as I idly stroked her.
Just as I decided to get up and start walking again, Leo jumped to her feet.
“You okay, girl?”
“Rrrrrr…!”
She fixed her eyes on the woods we had come from moments before, hackles raised.
“Is something there?”
“Grrrrrrrrrr!”
Her growl only grew louder. I turned to see what the problem was, but I couldn’t see a thing with all the trees in the way. After a moment, I heard something from somewhere in the underbrush. Something was approaching, steadily tramping closer as it shoved branches and shrubbery aside.
“Grrrrrrrrr-hrrrr!!”
Leo bared her fangs as her growling reached a crescendo, and the noisemaker emerged.
I’d never seen anything like it before. It was about the size of a human and it trudged forward on two legs. Even its big, bloated belly could’ve easily belonged to a person. It almost could’ve passed as human, except for one thing: its face was that of a pig’s.
“Wait…a pig? How can a pig walk on two legs?”
I was totally lost. Waking up in a mysterious forest was one thing, but a bipedal pig was too much. I’d no idea what was happening.
No, wait…I think I’ve seen something that looks like this before. What was it called, again? Right, it was in a video game! It’s an…orc, I think.
I wasn’t much of a gamer. But I did know a thing or two, and it helped that orcs were so well-known.
“…An orc? A real orc?!” I cried.
I’m still in Japan…right?! I thought they were made-up! I never heard of any orcs being discovered on Earth…
Granted, I had a colleague who’d mentioned orcs were common in the books he liked reading—“light novels,” he’d called them—but that was fantasy. This was reality.
“Grrrr!! Wooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
As I sat there in bewilderment, Leo suddenly lunged toward the orc.
“Rrrr! Arrrrahaha!” she snarled.
“Squow? Squeeee!”
One of her forelegs swung wide before slamming into the creature with frightening speed.
Wait…can a dog’s legs even do that? I mean, I guess she’s a wolf now, but still…!
Her claws ripped through the orc’s body with ease. Then, without missing a beat, she lunged forward and clamped its neck in her jaws. It let out a shrill, inhuman squeal, then fell to the ground, unmoving.
Wow, she’s strong!
“Woo-woo. Ruff-fuff!”
She then picked the carcass up in her massive teeth and deposited it on the ground in front of me. Tail wagging expectantly, she stared at me proudly.
“Ruff, ruff!”
“…You want me to…eat that?”
“Arooo!” she nodded.
B-But it was walking on two legs just a minute ago… I mean…it probably tastes like pork. But still…
Leo continued to stare right at me. My stomach let out a low growl, totally emptied from all that walking.
“…Can I at least…cook it first?”
“Wooo? Roo-roo!”
She paused to think a moment, then began gathering fallen branches on the stream’s bank.
“Oh, I see. And then I just have to light it?”
“Ruff.”
How? I can’t just make fire out of thin air, y’know! But there’s no way I can eat this thing raw…it doesn’t even look clean. I guess I’ll have to try either way.
We were in a forest, after all, and there wasn’t any sign that it’d rained recently. I helped Leo gather all the branches and dried leaves I could.
“All right. Now comes the hard part—lighting the fire.”
I remember that on TV, they’ll put a stick in a hole in a branch and spin it really fast to light a fire. Maybe that’d work?
“Ruff.”
As I sat wondering how to light it, Leo drew her face up close to the wood.
“Arrooooo!”
A small flame shot out of her open mouth, causing the wood to burst into flames.
“Leo? What did you…?”
“Woo? Ruuuuff,” she replied smugly.
I honestly didn’t know what to say. So much had happened since I woke up, my mind couldn’t keep up.
One thing at a time, though. Food first.
“Think you can butcher this thing for me, Leo?”
“Ruff!”
She nodded, and after swiping at the carcass a few times, the supposed-orc’s flesh came apart in neat slices.
“…Meat is meat. There’s no point deciding some’s good to eat and some isn’t.”
That’s pretty utilitarian of me, I guess…
I decided I wouldn’t even think about how Leo had gotten so good at cutting up dead bodies.
“Thanks, Leo! Now, let’s get cooking.”
“Ruff, ruff.”
I took a few pieces of meat from the cleaner parts of the creature, then purposefully turned my back to it.
No way I can eat if I have to look at that mess.
I gave the meat a quick wash in the stream, then skewered a few pieces on some long, thin sticks Leo had found. Noticing that they’d started to bleed a little, I gave the shish kebabs another wash before taking them to the fire and sticking them in the ground so they hung over it, but not too close. I didn’t want the sticks to catch fire, after all. Now I had a nice set of skewers cooking.
I really hope they taste okay.
“Voff-voff.”
Leo licked her chops as she watched the meat sizzle away.
It’ll be done soon enough; don’t worry.
After a few minutes, I took one of the skewers off the heat. They looked like regular grilled pork, at least. I offered a few pieces to Leo, then grabbed another from the fire for myself.
I hesitated for a moment, remembering how the orc had looked almost human, but the instant I put it into my mouth, my hunger took over.
“Hmmm… Not bad.”
“Moof… *Crunch, Crunch*.”
Leo scarfed the meat down with gusto. It did, in fact, taste just like pork. If anything, it tasted more expensive than what I usually ate.
Appearances aside, it really is just meat.
“*Munch munch*.”
It could use some salt, though…and maybe a little pepper.
It looked like Leo and I wouldn’t starve, at any rate. That made our new priority finding some way out of this forest.
“So, Leo? Which way out of here?”
“Woo? Ruuuff.”
I was hoping that Leo might be able to pull another solution out of thin air, but unfortunately, she just cocked her head at me.
I guess I can’t expect her to know that…
“Maybe following the river’ll get us somewhere?”
“Ruff!”
We’ll at least have water that way.
I roasted as much of the leftover meat as I could carry in both hands. After finishing with the fire, I doused it with water, and we started off downstream. There must’ve been a slope, given the flow, but it was gentle enough that I couldn’t even feel it.
We don’t seem to be in the mountains. We might have a chance…hopefully.
“Ruff, ruff!”
Leo seemed to be in high spirits. Probably thanks to her full stomach.
“You’re a lot stronger than before, y’know.”
“Ruff!”
Her face was full of pride now but, back when I first met her, she’d been trembling with fear in her little cardboard box. Now, even though being in this strange forest full of strange creatures had me worried, Leo made me feel as though it’d all be okay.
Come to think of it, I’ve never really felt lonely, thanks to her. I thought I was saving her back then, but maybe she saved me. She adopted me as much as I adopted her.
“I know I said this already, but… Thanks, Leo.”
“Woo? Arooo!”
No, thank you, she seemed to be saying as she nodded at me.
We kept on walking in peace. After a while, however, I noticed something off about the trees around us.
“Hey, Leo… Do any of these trees look familiar to you?”
“Ruff?”
I was no botanist, but I knew a few common Japanese trees. There was clearly something…wrong with these ones, though. Not that they seemed sick or damaged. Rather, their heights and leaf sizes seemed different from any tree I’d ever seen before.
Maybe I just don’t know these trees. Or maybe…
“Maybe…this isn’t Japan, after all?”
“Roo-roo!”
No, it can’t be! No way something like that could happen overnight, and Leo did not just tell me this isn’t Japan. Definitely not…
I had my hands full trying not to think about how we’d gotten here in the first place…or you know, about what I’d just eaten…
I’m not just escaping reality, am I?
“…elp…!”
“Hm?”
I thought I heard something…
“…one, please…”
A person?!
There was no denying it. Someone was calling out, not too far ahead from where we were.
“Let’s go, Leo!”
“Arooo!”
They might know how we can get out of here!
With that, Leo and I both started running toward the voice—well, I started running. Leo kept on trotting but managed to neatly match my pace. I’d dropped the meat I was carrying in order to get up to full speed, though.
If we can hear someone, then we’ll probably be saved soon! But my poor dinner…
“Someone, please!” the voice—a woman’s—cried out. “Please help me!”
The closer we got, the clearer I heard her. It sounded like she was in trouble.
I really hope she’s not lost. If she is, then we’re both screwed.
Either way, I knew I had to hurry.
“Ruff!”
I started to run out of breath, but Leo seemed perfectly fine.
Man, I’m outta shape!
“Someone! Anyone!”
“Over there!” I called out to Leo.
Finally, I could hear the voice clear as day. Just ahead of me was a broad, meaty back that looked like the creature Leo had killed a short while ago.
Another orc?
After a moment, I realized what it was doing. A young blonde woman was lying prone before it, her eyes wide in terror.
…Wait…a blonde?
She had long, golden hair, the kind that I rarely saw in Japan.
At that moment, the orc raised its meaty arm to strike her.
“Leo! Help her!”
“Woooooooooooooooo!”
At my command, Leo bolted toward the orc.
“Grrr… Bark!” she bayed.
With a single swipe of a massive, clawed paw, she tore the creature clean in half. Before it could so much as squeal, it slumped to the ground in two meaty pieces.
“Hahh… hahh… Nice job, Leo…”
“Rooooo!” she howled proudly.
A few moments later, I caught up to her, wheezing. As I caught my breath, I turned to look at the young woman.
“Hahh… Are you okay?”
“Y-Yes… I believe I’ll be fine now.”
She looked about twenty years old and she had elegant facial features that were as pretty as her long, flowing hair. She was a beauty the likes of which I—or probably most people—had never seen.
She’s definitely not Japanese, though…even though her Japanese is amazing.
I stared at her for a few solid seconds without saying anything.
“Um… Is something wrong?” she asked.
“O-Oh… Uh, it’s nothing. Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Barooooo…”
Dang… She’s so pretty, I almost forgot to breathe for a minute there. I hope she doesn’t think I’m weird. And Leo, stop giving me that look.
“Thank you very much for saving me,” the woman said as she got up and dusted herself off. “Um… Am I correct in assuming that silver fenrir’s your familiar?”
“Silver fenrir? Familiar?” I repeated.
“Wooo?”
What’s she talking about? Leo’s a Maltese…though I guess she isn’t anymore… Aren’t fenrir videogame monsters, too?
Leo also cocked her head to one side quizzically.
“Um… What’s a familiar?”
“Pardon?” She gave me a baffled look. “It’s a monster that you’ve bound to your will, of course.”
Monster? Huh. Did I fall asleep playing an old RPG or something?
I cleared my throat, a little embarrassed. “Um…what do you mean by ‘monster’?”
“You mean you honestly don’t know?!” She raised her voice in shock.
Wait, is it really that surprising? It’s not that weird a question…right?
I could feel my head start to spin.
“Th-That’s not what I meant… I meant, uh, what’s a silver fenrir?”
“Why, isn’t that what your dashing companion there is?”
“Uh…yes! Yes, she’s my silver fenrir.”
“Woof!”
So…Leo’s a silver fenrir now. Whatever that means… I’ll just play along for now.
“I’m very impressed! How’d you manage to tame her?”
“I-I didn’t do much, really. It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Oh, but it is! Silver fenrir are the strongest monsters in the world, you know. You almost never hear of one becoming so friendly with a human, although many have tried to tame them. They’re far stronger than any human could ever be. Why, they’re famous for being the number one monster to avoid!”
I cast a sidelong glance at Leo. “You’re that strong, girl?”
“Arrroooooo!”
Leo gave me a smug look.
A Maltese? The strongest at something? Really?
“Didn’t you know?” the woman continued excitedly. “They’re as fast as the wind, they breathe fire, their claws can cut through anything, and they can crush anything they please in their mighty jaws!”
“……”
Leo did start that campfire, I guess. And her claws and fangs certainly seemed strong enough against those orcs… So…she’s really a silver fenrir now?
“They’re quite well-known for their shining silver pelts, too! They say it’s a symbol of their strength. Why, our royal family’s crest is a silver fenrir for that very reason.”
“Wait… Really?”
“The old stories claim that they can use any magic in existence, though nobody’s seen them and lived to tell the tale.”
“Nobody?”
“Not a soul. No one’s walked away from a wild silver fenrir, after all.”
“But…I’m still alive.”
“That’s what’s so amazing! You’ll go down in history for making one your familiar, I imagine!”
“…Huh?”
Go down in history for having a dog? And what did she say about a royal family? I’m confused…
She’d told me so much so fast, after all. What I did know, though, was that Leo was my partner, not my pet. I still didn’t know just what a “familiar” was, but I wasn’t forcing Leo to do anything.
“Her name’s Leo, actually—and silver fenrir or not, we’re partners. Nothing less.”
“Ruff!” Leo barked as she licked my face.
“Partners…? I’m sorry, but…who are you?”
“Um… Just your average guy, I guess…”
“No need for modesty. I know you can’t be that average, after all.”
“I’m not being modest, really.”
“Well, Mr. Not-So-Modest, mind telling me your name?”
“Not at all. It’s Hirooka Takumi.”
“Ta-ku-mi…Hi-ro-o-ka? You’re right! I can’t say I’ve heard of you.”
“Right? I’m not famous or anything.”
Why’s she pronouncing my name like she’s sounding out a foreign language? And come to think of it, I don’t know her name…
“I’m sorry, I don’t think I caught your name.”
“Oh, my apologies.” She stepped back and dipped low in an elegant bow. “My name is Claire Libert. Thank you for saving my life.”
Wow, she looks just like an old-fashioned noblewoman… I’ve seen and done my share of bows and stuff at work, but I’ve never seen someone do it so…gracefully.
I found myself utterly captivated by her.
“…Is something the matter?”
“N-No, it’s nothing, uh…Miss Libert.”
“Please call me Claire, Mr. Hirooka.”
“Okay… Claire. Oh, and feel free to call me Takumi. No ‘mister,’ okay?”
“If you say so. Takumi it is.”
Her name sounds so foreign… I knew she wasn’t Japanese!
“So, Claire? What are you doing out in these woods?”
“I’d intended to pick a few plants to make some medicine, but I must have wandered too far in by mistake. I was too engrossed in my search, it seems, and that orc frightened my horse away.”
“I see.”
A horse, huh… Sure, she’d look great on one, but doesn’t she have a car?
“And what, may I ask, are you doing here, Takumi?”
“Hmm… What am I doing here?”
“Woo-woo?”
“What?” She gave me a confused look.
“I just…found myself here when I woke up. I was just looking for a way out, actually.”
“…You woke up here? Why? How?”
“No idea.”
“I see…”
Part of me still thought I was dreaming. My cheek hurt when I pinched it, but that could just mean this is a very vivid dream.
Wake up already!
“Takumi?” Claire suddenly said, her eyes wandering. “If you don’t mind, I have a request to make of you.”
“What is it? I’ll help you however I’m able.”
“Remember how I said I was looking for a plant? I’d greatly appreciate it if you would help me find it.”
“A plant? I don’t know how much help I’d be, but I can try. Let’s take a look.”
It must be fate that we met—and besides, I couldn’t turn down a request from such a beautiful woman.
“Really?! Thank you so much! With you by my side, I won’t have to worry about running into any more orcs, either.”
“Hahaha… I really didn’t do anything, though.”
“I’m sure that Miss Leo is with you through your own strength.”
“…That true, Leo?”
“Ruff.”
All I did was pick her up and give her a home. Even Leo herself seems to agree with Claire, though.
“So…what kind of plant are you looking for?”
“It’s called capwort. It looks like…”
She explained its characteristics, and then the three of us started searching for it. From her description, it sounded a lot like the mugwort that used to grow in my old neighborhood. A nice old man had lived nearby and taught me a little bit about wild herbs and the like, but I wasn’t very interested back then. I only remembered mugwort because I saw it so often.
I think it grows near flowing water, and it’s good for lowering fevers…but I don’t even know if the capwort she wants is the mugwort I remember.
According to Claire, her sister was sick, and the apothecary told her that only capwort could help her.
I bet she meant doctor, not apothecary. And wait…why doesn’t she just go to the pharmacy and get some pills?
“I don’t see any,” I said after a while.
“That’s odd. I was told capwort grew here, in this forest by the stream…”
“Bow-wow! Woo-woo!”
Leo, apparently tired of looking, had decided to play in the water instead.
I guess it’d be hard to look for a little plant at her height.
I thought that she might be able to sniff it out, but she’d probably never smelled it before.
She can go ahead and play, then. I was never able to take her to a stream like this before, after all.
After what felt like an hour, there was still no sign of the capwort. Not only that, all the stooping and rooting through the underbrush made my back hurt.
I stood up and stretched. A moment later, Claire followed suit. She likely felt as bad as me, considering she seemed equally unused to this kind of work. Our eyes met and we exchanged small smiles before getting back to work.
After a while longer, I sat by the riverbank for a short break.
“Still no luck,” I sighed.
I leaned back, sticking my hands out into the grass behind me as I went over what the capwort looked like. It was supposed to have a hard stem and leaves covered in a soft white fuzz. According to her, the flowers were supposed to be the medicinal parts.
“…Hm?”
I lowered my gaze to find a plant matching that exact description sprouting from the ground between my fingers. As I watched, more popped up until there were five little treelike plants with tiny flowers. Finally, I came to my senses.
“What the heck?”
I’d never even heard of any plant that could grow that quickly, but there was no denying what I saw.
I knew it! I’m dreaming.
Dream or not, though, I had to let Claire know.
“Claire! I found some!”
“Really?!”
“Ruffu?!”
Claire stopped searching and hurried over to my side. Even Leo jumped out of the river, shook herself dry, and bounded over to me.
“This is it, right?” I pointed the plant out to Claire.
“Yes, there’s no mistaking it! That’s capwort.”
“Good. I’m glad we finally found it.”
“You found it, Takumi. Thank you so much!”
“Oh, no. I bet I would’ve given up long ago if I was on my own.”
“Ruff.”
First things first, though, we had to pick it. We carefully harvested all five of the little plants and placed them inside Claire’s small leather pouch. She then politely bowed to me.
“I don’t know how I could ever repay you, Takumi. I don’t think I could’ve found it without you.”
I laughed awkwardly. “Don’t worry about it, really. I’m just glad I could help.”
“Truly, thank you. Now I just have to get home, but…”
“But?”
“My horse still hasn’t come back yet. That orc must have frightened her terribly.”
“Oh, right… I guess you’ll have to walk, then.”
“I suppose so… I just wish there was some way of getting this to my sister sooner…”
“There’s no point in worrying about it, though. Just do what you can.”
“Yes… You’re right.”
“Woo? Ruff, ruff!”
“Hm? What’s up, Leo?”
Leo suddenly got to her feet, spun around to show Claire her back, then crouched down low.
She’s not telling us to get on, is she?
“You sure, Leo?”
“Ruff!”
I wasn’t sure if it was really safe to ride her, but there at least seemed to be enough space to fit both of us.
“How about we ride Leo back to your home, Claire?”
“R-Ride a silver fenrir…? Are you sure?”
“Arooooo!”
Sure, I’m sure! Leo seemed to say with a howl. Claire faltered a moment, then swallowed hard and gave Leo a short bow.
“…In that case, Miss Leo, I’ll take you up on your most generous offer.”
“Arf.”
It looks like I’m riding Leo after all, huh?
I climbed onto Leo’s back first, wrapping my arms around her massive neck. Judging from how fast I’d seen her run, I’d get tossed right off unless I kept an iron grip.
Claire then followed me up. Since there was nothing else to grab hold of, she hugged me from behind, wrapping her arms tightly around my chest. I’d been trying very hard not to focus too much on her shapely breasts, but now they were being squished squarely against my back. I felt my face grow hot in an instant.
“I’m sorry about this, Takumi.”
“N-N-N-No, n-no problem. I-It’s all right. Go ahead, Leo.”
“Yes, let’s go.”
I guess Claire doesn’t care that much…no, wait, I’m the weird one here for turning it into such a big deal. How embarrassing…
“Woo? Ruff!”
All set? Then let’s go! Leo seemed to say before bolting off.
Wait a second!
“Do you…know where we’re going, Leo?”
She skidded to a halt. “…Awoo.”
She really thought just picking a random direction would work? No way we’ll make it like that…
“Claire? Could you please navigate for us?”
“Of course!” She giggled. “Miss Leo is rather cute, isn’t she?”
“Haha, yeah. A cute little…er, big airhead.”
“Woo-woooo!”
She woofed in defiance, prompting another round of giggling from Claire and me.
🐾🐾🐾
THANKS to Claire’s expert directions, we were about to leave the forest without too much trouble.
“Please turn left here and take the first branch in the road you see!”
“Ruff!”
I hadn’t said anything in a while—I was too awestruck to. After leaving the forest, we found ourselves in the middle of a grassland. There was nothing to see but a smattering of trees in the distance, and the road Leo was running on looked like it was formed from packed gravel. I hadn’t heard of anywhere in Japan even remotely like it. Even remote country roads were paved with asphalt. I hadn’t seen an actual gravel road since I went on a mountain hiking field trip as a kid.
“Seriously, where am I?” I muttered to myself.
I’ve been trying hard not to think about it, but…what if this is like one of those light novels, and I’m in another world now?
No one would believe me if I told them that I just somehow woke up in another world—and with Leo, no less. But the more time that passed, and the more I saw, the less likely it seemed that this was all a dream.
If this isn’t a dream…if this is reality, then what? Am I really in another world now? Was I transported here like some light novel protagonist? Me, of all people? If that’s true, though, I should have some sort of overpowered skill… Maybe Leo? Yeah, right.
I decided to stop thinking about it. I wasn’t about to “waste my brain cells on nonsense,” as my colleague used to say.
“We’re almost there, Miss Leo,” Claire said behind me. “Can you see my house over there?”
Some ways ahead of us, I could see a small building. I let out a sigh of relief. Seeing some trace of human life was oddly relaxing, after all the untamed nature we were just in.
It looks pretty small, though. I’m kinda surprised.
As we got closer, though, I realized it only looked small from far away.
“…That’s not a house. That’s a mansion.”
“Oh no, this is only our country villa. It’s not that impressive, really.”
Claire has to be a rich nobleman’s daughter or something. That would explain where she’d learned to bow so nicely, too. If this is “only” her villa, she must be rich.
While I was lost in my thoughts, Leo carried us closer to the villa. Soon I could make out the red brick wall surrounding it, then the individual bricks.
“Please stop right there, Miss Leo,” Claire said as she pointed out the front gate with her slender hand.
“Wooo,” Leo howled in response.
Just as we were approaching, a group of four people in heavy armor were coming out. They readied their spears as soon as they saw Leo approaching, lining up to block our way in. Leo didn’t so much as bat an eye, though, and simply sat down where Claire had directed.
“Stand down,” Claire commanded the guards. “It’s me.”
“M-Milady?!” One of them looked up in surprise. “You’re all right! But…what is that monster?”
“She is a guest. Treat her well.”
“As you wish.”
All four lowered their spears and parted to let Leo through. I’d assumed we would ride Leo on through, but to my disappointment, Claire dismounted. I followed suit a moment later.
I really hope Claire has a chance to ride behind me again… That was pure bliss. And Leo, stop giving me that look!
“Let’s go, Takumi.”
“Okay.”
“Ruff.”
The guards parted, two to a side. As we passed through the gate, I could see the looks of awe on their faces.
Beyond the gate lay the massive stone-brick mansion. It was so different from all the buildings I’d ever seen that I couldn’t help but feel intimidated. Well-maintained flowers and shrubs lined the neat cobblestone path to the front door, giving off the impression of a high-class garden.
When we were about halfway up the path, the mansion’s front door flew open and a well-dressed elderly man with snow white hair ran out.
Wait…who’s that?
“Milady! Thank goodness you’ve returned! I could not even imagine what I would have told your father, had the worst happened to you. Are you hurt?”
“Hello, Sebastian. I’m sorry for making you worry, but I’m perfectly fine. Not a scratch, as you can see—and I have this man, Takumi Hirooka, to thank for it.”
“Ah!” the man exclaimed as he turned to face me. “How could I ever thank you for saving milady? I am her humble butler Sebastian, and on behalf of my master, I offer you my most profound gratitude.” He bowed deeply.
“N-No, I was just passing by, really…”
Leo did all the work, after all. But Sebastian…I wonder if he became a butler just because of his name? I guess it could just be a coincidence, though.
“Sebastian?” asked Claire. “How’s Tilura doing?”
“No better than when you left, I’m afraid. She’s still in bed and her fever hasn’t improved.”
“I knew it. She needs proper medicine.”
“But we’ve no such thing in the mansion. Nor is there any in town.”
“That’s why I went to the forest. I was attacked by an orc, yes, but Takumi saved me!”
“An orc…?!” Sebastian’s eyes grew wide as he turned back to me. “How can we ever repay you for your kindness? When we found milady’s note and learned that she was bound for the forest, we were beside ourselves with worry! I’d just dispatched a group of guards to find her.”
He must mean the four we ran into at the gate.
“Hahaha… It was nothing, really. Besides, you should be thanking Leo, not me.”
“Ruff!”
I barely did anything. I gave Leo an appreciative pat on the flank as I explained exactly what had happened.
“So…your familiar saved milady, then? But unless my eyes deceive me, that’s…”
Claire nodded. “I saw her slay an orc with my own eyes, Sebastian. Only a silver fenrir could’ve moved as she did.”
“She certainly resembles one, but I never dared imagine… I-I never dreamed I would see one with my own eyes.”
“Me neither.”
“Silver fenrir are symbols of power and grace, representing our very country. And to think, Mr. Hirooka, that you successfully tamed her!”
“No, it’s nothing like that. I just took her in a few years ago. She’s not my familiar—if anything, we’re partners.”
“Roo-roo!”
Leo leaned down to nuzzle me and I scratched her giant cheek.
“You…took her in?” Sebastian blinked in disbelief. “I’m not sure if you’re aware, but…as a species, fenrir famously value their family. No pup would simply be left to her own devices. It’d be a far more impossible task than you believe.”
“Really?”
I mean, I think she’s technically still a Maltese.
She was in a cardboard box by the side of the road when I found her. There was no parent in sight, of course, and anyone who’d abandon such a young puppy must have had their reasons.
“Just who are you, Mr. Hirooka?”
“Oh, you can ask him later,” Claire huffed. “Tilura comes first. Her fever’s as high as ever, isn’t it? Takumi found some capwort for her, so she’ll be better soon.”
“Capwort, even? Kind sir, I haven’t the slightest idea how…”
“You can thank me later. Can we come inside first?”
“My sincerest apologies. On behalf of all the servants of the Libert estate, I am honored to welcome you.”
With that, Sebastian bowed once again and led us through the impressive double-doors. Claire followed him as though it were only natural, and Leo sauntered in after her.
I’ve never been welcomed inside anywhere this fancy before, and definitely not by a butler… There’s got to be proper manners for this, but I don’t even know where to start.
I took up the rear, trying very hard not to look too nervous. But as soon as I passed through the door, I heard…
“Welcome home, milady!”
Sebastian, alongside a full entourage of other butlers and maids, called out in perfect sync. It was even more impressive sight than the building itself. Sebastian had implied there were other servants, but I hadn’t expected so many.
There must be about twenty of them!
“Thank you for greeting us, Sebastian,” Claire smiled as she held out the capwort. “Take this.”
“As you ask.”
“Everyone, this is the man and fenrir who saved my life. Treat them as you would me.”
“Yes, milady!” the servants replied as one. More than half of them dispersed to carry out their business. Two of the maids, however, approached us.
One of them, a pretty woman in her twenties with long black hair, curtsied. “Thank you for saving milady. I ensure guests at the villa are properly attended to. You may call me Laila.”
“I-I’ll be looking after you, too. My name is Gelda,” said the freckled maid beside Laila. She was much younger—probably still a teenager—and her short brown hair neatly framed her nervous expression.
I wish she’d calm down a little… I won’t bite…
“Yeah…nice to meet you both.”
I didn’t know the first thing about real-life maids, let alone how I should react.
I wish I’d visited a maid café while I had the chance.
The entrance hall itself was plenty intimidating, too. It was large enough to fit all twenty-plus people here without difficulty, after all. A plush red carpet ran from the front doors through the center of the room and up the grand staircase. It felt…oddly familiar somehow.
Right, that’s it. From that zombie survival horror game.
It was rather famous and my colleague had highly recommended it, but I was scared stiff of horror games—not to mention I had basically no time, thanks to my horrid job. Even when I had any free time, I cared for Leo first and foremost.
This entrance hall didn’t feel that scary to me, though. Perhaps because of all the people there. If anything, it felt warm and inviting.
I’m glad everyone seems so friendly…and not undead.
Nonetheless, I made a mental note to avoid coming here after dark.
“Takumi?” Claire stepped away from Sebastian to address me. “I’m going to see Tilura—my sister.”
“Okay.”
“Laila, Gelda, treat him well.”
“As you ask, milady.”
“I-I’ll do my best!”
With that, Claire headed up the staircase.
She really cares for her sister, huh… That’s always nice to see.
Laila bowed. “Allow us to show you to the parlor, Mr. Hirooka. Right this way.”
“P-Please follow us!”
“Ah…wait a second. What about Leo?”
“She may accompany us. It’s plenty large, I assure you.”
“Y-Yes, she can come, too!”
“That’s a relief. Lead on, then.”
“Ruff!”
With that, we were led down a corridor and through an elegant door. The room beyond was easily big enough to comfortably fit ten people. A large chandelier—the first one I’d ever seen in person—hung from the ceiling. I could only imagine how hard it must be to light each little candle so high up.
“Please, feel free to relax. I shall return with tea shortly,” Laila said. “What should I bring for Miss Leo?”
“Let’s see… Water, or maybe milk if you have any.”
“As you wish. We’ll return shortly.”
“Yes, just wait here!”
“I’ll be okay, though. You don’t need to rush on my account.”
Laila and Gelda curtsied and left the room.
Politely refusing at a time like this… Jeez, how Japanese am I? I need to read the room better.
I could see Gelda smile before she closed the door, however, so I at least helped her relax a little.
I decided to sit down for a bit at the table in the center of the room instead of just standing around. Leo came up beside my chair and laid down. If she was relaxing, too, then that meant this place must be safe. She seemed to have great senses, after all. I wasn’t expecting Claire to try to harm me or anything, but it did feel like this was all a little too good to be true.
Right…this could still all be a dream.
“Woooo?” Leo cocked her head to the side curiously.
“I could be dreaming all of this, y’know. I still can’t believe you’re so big now.”
“Ruff, ruff.”
“Wait…you wanna play?”
“Ruff!”
“Uh… Maybe not in here.”
“Ruuuuuuff…” she seemed to pout.
I petted her head as I scanned the room. As we were both seated, we could comfortably see eye-to-eye, but she was taller than I was at the shoulder. We were lucky the mansion was big enough to fit her. Playing here would’ve been pushing it.
Maybe we can play out back later. We’ll still have to be careful to not break anything, though.
I was ruffling Leo’s fur, deep in thought, when someone knocked on the door. It opened a moment later to reveal Laila and Gelda.
“We have brought you your tea,” Laila announced with a curtsy, the white porcelain cup staying neatly on its saucer.
“A-And milk!” Gelda stammered.
“Please, come right in.”
“Thank you very much.”
Laila walked reservedly across the room and silently set the teacup on the desk. Gelda hesitated a moment before hauling a large basin of milk over to Leo.
I guess Leo is pretty intimidating… No wonder she’s so scared of her.
“Make sure to thank the nice lady, Leo,” I told her with a pat.
“Aroooo! Ruff-ruff,” Leo told Gelda as quietly as she could manage.
Gelda flinched visibly at Leo’s ruffing, but seeming to understand Leo’s intent, she mumbled “H-Help yourself” in reply before stepping back.
Leo started lapping up the milk with gusto and I decided to try some tea myself.
“Mm. This is really good.”
“You are too kind, sir.”
“Ruff!”
“…Th-Thank you.”
The tea was so good that I nearly drank the whole cup in one sip. Likewise, Leo had nearly finished her milk by the time I looked up.
Maybe what they say about owners and pets being alike is true… Gee, this is embarrassing.
Laila stepped closer. “Would you care for another cup?”
“Oh, yes, please.”
“As you wish.” She poured me a second cup of tea from the pot that she had brought with her. The alluring scent filled my nose again.
I was by no means an expert, but I was pretty sure this was some type of black tea. I had it from a bottle or can every once in a while, but this smelled a hundred times more fragrant and had the flavor to match.
Even though the tea was great, I couldn’t relax as long as Gelda was watching Leo drink in terror.
I bet she just needs to get to know Leo a little better.
“Your name was Gelda, right?”
“Y-Yes!”
“You don’t need to be so scared of Leo. She won’t hurt you or anyone else, I promise.”
“R-Right… I’m sorry.”
“My deepest apologies, Mr. Hirooka,” Laila cut in, shooting Gelda a stern look. “Gelda! You know better than to treat our guests so rudely!”
“I-I’m sorry…”
“Oh, no,” I said. “I’m not angry. I think most people would find Leo scary, after all.”
“Is that so?” Laila asked curiously. “I happen to find her rather adorable.”
“Really?”
“Certainly. She seemed to be following you as if to protect you. Not only that, but she was considerate enough of Gelda to thank her in a lower voice. She is rather big, but I can’t help but find her endearing.”
“Hahaha, I guess you’re right. She’s big, but she’s really sweet at heart.”
“…Leo is a she?” Gelda asked in astonishment.
“Yep,” I replied. “She’s a cute little girl, just like you. So please, try not to be too afraid of her.”
“I-I’m a cute little…? O-Oh, of course! I’ll try!”
Laila smiled slightly. “You have quite the way with words, Mr. Hirooka.”
“Not really. I just say what’s on my mind.”
Maybe because Gelda seemed so nervous all the time, she came across as a newbie desperate to do a good job. That counted as cute in my books…and, of course, she was quite pretty. Every person I’d seen so far was very attractive, to be honest. Even Sebastian was quite the striking older gentleman and so were the other butlers. Honestly, I felt rather plain amongst them.
“Woo… Ruff, ruff.”
“What is it, girl? Trying to comfort me?”
“Bow-wow!”
She nuzzled her big wet nose into my shirt.
Thanks, Leo. But next time, maybe you can wipe all the milk off your lips first?
I pulled out my handkerchief and cleaned her up as best as I could. Laila and Gelda watched us with soft smiles. I tried not to feel too self-conscious.
“Oh, right! Laila?”
“What may I do for you?”
“Is there someplace nearby with a lot of room, like a garden? I’d love to play with Leo later.”
“I believe the garden behind the mansion should suit your needs perfectly. Miss Leo should have all the space she will require there. I will show you the way later.”
“Thank you so much.” I turned back to Leo. “Isn’t that great, girl? You can play all you want!”
“Ruff! Ruff, ruff!”
She started eagerly wagging her big, fluffy tail.
Maybe you shouldn’t wag so hard, though. You keep almost flipping up Gelda’s skirt.
I averted my gaze just in case.
After I relaxed for a while, there was another knock at the door. Laila went to open it, and Claire and Sebastian stepped inside.
“I’m sorry for making you wait, Takumi.”
“No problem at all. I had the chance to drink some wonderful tea in the meantime. So please, don’t worry.”
“I’m glad you’re so understanding,” she said with a warm smile as she sat across from me. Sebastian left and came back with a teacup a moment later, which Laila filled.
“So how is your sister doing, Claire?”
“As Sebastian said, she was doing no better than before I left for the forest. With the capwort you found, however, we can make the medicine she needs. She should be better soon.”
“That’s good to hear. I hope she makes a full recovery.”
“I hope so, too. Really, I don’t know how to thank you for all you’ve done.”
“No, I haven’t done much of anything. Honestly, you’ve thanked me far too much already.”
“Oh… My apologies. I’ll make this time my last.”
“Yes, please do.”
I honestly didn’t do that much, did I?
“So, um… Takumi?” Claire asked hesitantly.
“What is it?”
“If you don’t mind, could you please tell me more about yourself? Where you’re from, for instance?”
“Where I’m from?”
“Yes. I already know that you’re by no means a bad person, since you’ve been so willing to help us. But you knew almost nothing about your own familiar, let alone monsters in general.”
“Yeah… You’re right about that.”
“Anyone living in this country would surely have heard the legends about silver fenrir. My guess, then, is that you aren’t from here.”
“You could say that.”
I wasn’t surprised she was suspicious of me. There was so much I didn’t know myself.
Especially if this really is a whole new world…
“I’m sorry, Takumi. I didn’t mean to pry at all. Even if you don’t wish to tell me, my debt to you remains. You’re welcome here all the same.”
“You really don’t mind?”
“Of course not. I can understand having a secret or two. Besides, I was simply curious. I won’t pressure you to say anything you don’t want to.”
“Wait, really?”
“Yes. Your waking up in that forest and Miss Leo are extraordinary enough, not to mention that your clothes are unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
“Oh, right.”
I took another look at what I was wearing. Since I hadn’t had the time to change after getting home, I was wearing a white dress shirt and black dress pants. I’d taken off my coat and tie before I started eating, so they hadn’t been with me when I’d woken up.
“I talked with Sebastian, and he agrees that your clothes are very unusual.”
“It’s as milady says,” Sebastian nodded. “Never have I or any of the other servants laid eyes on such eclectic attire.”
“Huh. Okay…”
That certainly supports the alternate world theory. But on the other hand, this could all just be part of my elaborate dream. I waffled back and forth between the possibilities for a moment before deciding that this probably was real after all.
“All in all, Takumi, I would say that you have more than a few mysteries to you. I’d love to get to know you better,” she chuckled.
“R-Really…?”
I’d never met someone as charming as her before. I seriously doubted that any man could’ve avoided falling for her after seeing that smile.
It’s not like I have anything to hide… I may as well tell her everything. I just hope she believes me.
She seemed perfectly trustworthy, after all.
“Well… I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but…”
“After meeting Miss Leo, I would accept anything you told me.”
“I guess you’re right. I’ll tell you everything, then.”
“Thank you, Takumi. Please, go ahead.”
“First of all, you remember how I told you I’d just found myself in that forest, right?”
“Yes, of course. Do you have any idea what might have happened to you while you were asleep?”
“An abduction, perhaps?” Sebastian guessed. “But no, I suppose that would be utterly impossible with Miss Leo at your side. …My sincerest apologies for interrupting you. Please continue.”
I couldn’t have been abducted. I had no wealthy relatives or any other money to speak of—I was just an exhausted salaryman. There would’ve been no point. If someone had wanted to kidnap me, though, they wouldn’t have to worry about Leo getting in their way. Not at her former size, anyway.
I’d no better explanation as to why I was in that forest, but I had to be clear with them on one thing first.
“The thing is…when I first woke up, one thing really surprised me.”
“What would that be?”
“Leo had gotten bigger.”
“What? Hasn’t Miss Leo always been this big? She seems about a normal size for a silver fenrir.”
“That’s just it. Before I went to sleep, Leo was this tiny little dog who I could’ve picked up pretty easily if I felt like it.”
The room went silent.
Not only Claire and Sebastian, but even Laila and Gelda stopped to stare at Leo.
“Woooo?” She cocked her head to one side.
“Takumi?” asked Claire after a long moment. “Are you sure about that?”
“Yes, I’m positive. I took her in several years ago, sure, but I swear that just last night she was lap-sized and fully-grown.”
“And you’re positive you didn’t take in a baby silver fenrir?”
“Positive. Besides, didn’t you tell me yourself that silver fenrir would never abandon a pup? Leo was definitely abandoned. There was no parent, pack, or anything anywhere to be seen.”
“…I see.”
“I’m pretty sure that she somehow became one overnight.”
“I think I understand now. So…she used to be a regular dog?”
“Exactly.”
“But I’ve never heard of anything turning into a silver fenrir like that.”
“Well, about that…”
This is where it gets weird.
I didn’t completely believe it myself, but having said that much already, I had to tell them everything.
“I think I’m from another world.”
“…Another what?”
“You know, a world other than this one. Almost everything I’ve seen since I first opened my eyes in that forest has been totally new to me. I’d never even heard of silver fenrir before this morning. Even orcs are nothing but stories where I come from.”
“I suppose that would explain why you didn’t know about monsters. Everyone in this country—no…perhaps I should say this world—knows all about monsters, including orcs, of course. Are you sure you meant another world?”
“I won’t blame you if you don’t believe me. I’m still half-doubting I’m here, even.”
“You are?”
“Yes. Honestly, I’m still half-convinced this is all a dream, including this conversation.”
“……”
“Well, I’ve done a lot since I woke up today, so I’ve been believing that theory less and less. Besides, I’m positive I’ve never met anyone like you in real life.”
“Yes… I certainly hope this isn’t just your dream.”
“Me, too. But then that would mean that I somehow got transported here from my world. You see, there were all sorts of stories in my old world about people who could cross from one world to another, though. Supposedly, anyone who crosses over winds up with a special power or two.”
“Special power?”
What did my light-novel-loving colleague call them again? “Cheat skills” or something? And they’re supposed to make me overpowered, right?
I’d seen the same idea in manga and anime too, though I hardly knew those any better. The only thing I remembered for certain was the “special power” bit.
“I think that my ‘special power’ might be Leo.”
“Miss Leo?”
“Yes. She somehow turned into a silver fenrir on the way over here, and now she’s more or less unstoppable.”
“You…might have a point there.”
“If that’s true, though, I feel kind of sorry for her. She shouldn’t have gotten wrapped up in my mess like this.”
“Ruff. Ruff, ruff!” Leo suddenly turned and began licking my face.
“H-Hey, cut it out! I get it, I get it! You like it here!”
I guess she doesn’t regret coming with me.
I felt that I could understand her a lot better since coming here. Judging from Leo’s reaction, it seemed she could understand me more, too.
Nonetheless, I convinced her to stop licking my face and started giving her a thorough petting.
“Milady… About Mr. Hirooka’s story…” Sebastian started.
Claire shook her head. “I know that what he’s saying makes hardly any sense, Sebastian. I really think we can trust him, though, no matter how incredible it may seem.”
“…I see your mind has been made up, milady. If that is your decision, then I shall not utter another word to the contrary. If nothing else, you are an excellent judge of character, after all.”
“Thank you, Sebastian.”
“I think I will trust you as well, milady,” Laila said with a nod. “You were the one who chose us, after all, and permitted us to work not only here but in the Libert Mansion proper. I won’t doubt you.”
“I-I trust you, too! You hired me, and, um, I want to try even harder! I promise I won’t let you down!” Gelda chimed in.
“Laila, Gelda… Thank you, all of you.”
“Ruff!”
“Hehe, you trust me, too, Miss Leo? Thank you very much.”
Claire seemed to be quite popular with her servants. I wasn’t surprised, though—not after she risked life and limb for her little sister. I couldn’t help but smile.
It must be nice…having a boss you can trust.
At my workplace, the managers would make demand after demand and my colleagues were always cursing them behind their backs.
“Oh, Takumi?”
“Yes?”
“If what you say is true, then you have no one here you can rely on for support. Is that right?”
“Yes, that’s right. I don’t know anyone except the people in this room right now.”
“In that case, why don’t you stay with us awhile? I’d very much like to thank you properly for your aid.”
“I don’t need thanks, really… Are you sure I can stay here?”
“Of course. Stay as long as you please. I would imagine Tilura would like to thank you as well, once she’s feeling better.”
“Okay… Well, I don’t know how long it’ll take for me to get my bearings here, but I’d appreciate it if I could stay until then. Thank you.”
“Of course! Sebastian, Laila, Gelda, you heard him. Takumi is now our guest and you are to treat him as such. Prepare him a room at once.”
“As you wish.”
“Of course, milady.”
“O-Okay, I will!”
The three servants then filed out of the room. Laila lingered behind a moment to refill Claire’s and my teacup.
“Thank you for the refill, Laila,” I said before she left.
I really don’t need a full room… I thought. I mean, the sofa over there looks plenty comfy.
“Oh, that’s right,” I realized. “How is Tilura doing? Is her medicine ready yet?”
“Oh, if only. You see, the capwort flowers need to be finely chopped and dried before they can be used in medicine. I was told they won’t be ready until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest.”
“I see… But there’s enough, right? I remember we picked five.”
“Oh, it’s certainly enough. Tilura only needs one plant’s worth, so it seems we’ll have extra.” Claire pulled the remaining four stalks out of her bag and placed them on the table, a sad smile on her lips.
I guess there wasn’t any point in taking it all if we only need the flowers, huh?
“Well…at least now you’ll have backups in case someone else gets sick.”
“Yes, we’ll definitely be holding onto these.”
“Ruff…ruff?”
While I continued to chat with Claire, Leo sniffed the capwort with great interest.
“That’s not food, Leo,” I warned her. “Don’t eat it.”
“She may only be hungry. It is nearly dinnertime, after all.”
I looked out the window. “You’re right. It looks like the sun is about to set.”
“I’ll have the chefs prepare something for her. I’m also quite famished. I was so determined to find that capwort, I totally forgot about lunch.”
I chuckled. “No wonder you’re hungry, then. I haven’t eaten since that first orc Leo killed, and I think that was a little before noon.”
She smiled. “Well, then, I’ll inform the staff right away. We have to welcome you both properly, after all.”
“Just don’t serve anything too fancy, please. I don’t know the table manners around here.”
“Oh, no need to worry about that. It’ll be only myself and the servants, after all. What should we get for Leo?”
“Let’s see… Do you have any sausages?” Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Leo perk up. “They’re her favorite. It’s a highly seasoned minced meat usually stuffed in casings of prepared animal intestine… You have them here in this world, right?”
“Yes, we do.” She giggled. “I think I like finding the differences between our two worlds. I hope you’ll tell me more sometime.”
“Of course. Did you hear that, Leo? You can have sausages!”
“Ruff! Wooo-wooo-wooo-awoooooo!”
“You’re that happy, huh?”
She began wagging up a storm, then she tried to jump up on me in glee.
W-Wait, stop! Down, girl! I don’t wanna die!
“…Wooo?”
I managed to calm her down at the last second, right before she could bring her full weight down on me.
Crushed to death by my cute little pup after finally getting a chance to start anew…that’s not even funny!
I reached out to give her a comforting pat on the head, and she nuzzled her head up into it.
At that moment, however, the capwort that was resting precariously at the edge of the table fell. It must have gotten knocked loose by Leo’s wagging.
“Ah!” Claire exclaimed.
“Got it!” I called out.
I managed to snatch up three of them right before they hit the floor. Claire reached out to grab the last.
Before putting the plants back on the table, though, I stopped to look at them. It was so hard to imagine those little flowers becoming medicine. Back in Japan, I never had the chance to see the plants before they were processed. The pharmacies and hospitals only sold pills or powders or the like. I’d never seen mugwort in action, but I hoped that the capwort at least could bring a fever down.
Just cutting up the flowers and drying them has that much of an effect, huh?
“Takumi?” Claire shot me a worried look.
“Oh, sorry. I just spaced out a moment there.”
I reached out to put the capwort back on the table when I realized something amiss.
“Huh… This is weird.”
“What do you mean?”
I opened my palm to show her.
“Oh.” She noticed almost immediately. “They’ve dried out.”
“Right? I could’ve sworn they were normal before they fell off the table.”
“Did you perhaps do something to them, Takumi?”
“No, I just picked them up.”
“I see… That’s certainly what it looked like to me as well.”
“Ruff?”
We all exchanged puzzled glances.
“Oh, that’s right!” I exclaimed. “Can’t you use this for medicine now?”
“Ah, yes! Why, they look practically perfect! I’ll let Sebastian know right away!”
She took the dried capwort from me and ran off to find him. Leo and I were left alone in the lounge. There was utter silence, except for the growling of my stomach.
“I guess dinner comes later, huh? Getting Tilura her medicine comes first. I wonder how that capwort dried so quickly, though?”
“Rooo. Ruff, ruff, ruff?”
“C’mon, Leo. If I can wait for my dinner, you can, too.”
“Woooo…”
I gave her a comforting pat as I continued puzzling over how the plants could have dried so fast, waiting alone in the lounge.
🐾🐾🐾
NEARLY two hours passed—or at least, it felt like it. There didn’t seem to be any clock in the room to check. Laila and Gelda had each stopped in several times to refill our milk or tea, but no matter how much I drank, it failed to fill my stomach properly. It did fill my bladder, however, and I had to ask Laila to show me the way to the bathroom at one point.
I was dismayed—but not especially surprised—to find they had no indoor plumbing. I also let Leo into the back garden once so that she could do her business as well. It certainly seemed big enough for Leo to play in. I’d no idea how much such a massive house and garden might cost if I was back in Japan.
I bet I come off as a real peasant, huh?
I spent most of the time, however, just petting Leo and admiring the parlor’s décor. Finally, I heard a knock at the door, and Claire and Sebastian came in.
“Thank you so much, Takumi,” Claire smiled. “I had the dried capwort you found turned into medicine, and Tilura took it just a moment ago.”
“I’m glad to hear. Do you think the medicine works?”
“Oh, yes. As soon as she took it, she began sleeping far more soundly. Her fever has also begun to go down.”
“That’s great! I hope she makes a full recovery soon.”
“Me too.”
“Mr. Hirooka,” Sebastian cut in. “From what Milady told me, it would seem that the capwort dried out the moment you laid hands on it. Is that true?”
“Yes, I guess so. I caught it as it was falling off the table, and by the time I put it back, it had dried out.”
“Is that so?”
Claire turned her head toward him. “So? Do you think it’s possible, Sebastian?”
He nodded.
“Indeed. Though we have no proof now, I suspect he may have a Gift.”
“A gift…?” I wondered.
What’s that? It sure doesn’t sound like they’re just calling me talented…
“Nobody could do what you did, you see,” Claire said.
“Perhaps you would like a proper explanation?” Sebastian asked.
“Yes, please,” I nodded.
“Very well.” He cleared his throat. “It is said that Gifts are blessings from the gods. Some even say that only one in a million children are born with such amazing abilities.”
“From the gods…?”
“Neither Sebastian nor I have ever met someone who really has one before. It’s said, though, that they have special talents in a given field that allow them to do more than any ordinary human could accomplish.”
Sebastian nodded in agreement. “Presently, there is not a soul in our entire kingdom that is known to possess a Gift. Only records of past Gift-holders exist now.”
“Okay…” I said, trying to wrap my head around it. “What do you mean by ‘special talents’? What kind of things can they do?”
Sebastian stroked his chin. “Well, each Gift-holder is said to possess supernatural abilities. For instance, an individual with a blacksmithing Gift might create a sword that could cut through anything. A water Gift-holder may be able to produce clean drinking water anywhere at any time. A magic Gift may give its holder the ability to cast any magic they please to great effect. Someone with a sage Gift may be able to understand how any given object or principle works at a glance and have great insight into the inner workings of the world. Those are all, of course, merely examples.”
“…Magic?”
I guess the tropes were right. Other worlds really do have magic.
“There is, of course, no capwort-drying magic,” Sebastian continued. “At best, one might be able to dry it more quickly with carefully applied fire magic, but you managed it in an instant. Such a feat is thought to be impossible.”
“And if you had used magic, I would have noticed it,” Claire added.
“……”
“In other words, you accomplished something that is quite literally impossible. A Gift is the only possible explanation.”
“Didn’t you mention something about a special skill earlier, Takumi?”
“Yeah… I did, but…”
It was one of the few consistent points across all the otherworld stories I’d seen.
“Then I think Miss Leo becoming a silver fenrir must be only part of it,” she concluded. “You must have a power of your own.”
“Yes… A blessing from the gods themselves,” Sebastian mused.
“I know it must sound like a Gift, but…capwort drying? Is there even a Gift like that?” I asked, a little skeptical.
“Not in any of the old records, I’m afraid. It would seem as though each Gift is utterly unique to its holder. No two Gifts are the same.”
“Or maybe, Takumi…drying things out is only part of your Gift? There may be more to it than that.”
“More to it?”
“Oh, yes,” Claire nodded. “There’s a device for determining Gifts, actually. If you try it out, we could figure out just what your Gift is fairly easily.”
“Wait, you really have something like that?”
“Well, we use it for detecting how much mana a person has, but it can also detect if the person has a Gift.”
“Some say it was invented by a Gift-holder,” Sebastian added. “I imagine that would be the reason why.”
“Okay… Let’s try it out, then.”
If I really have a special ability like that, I’d love to know about it. Who knows? I might be able to put it to good use once I know what it is. I just hope I can do more than dry plants…
“I’m afraid we don’t have it here, Takumi. Next time we go into town, though, we’ll make sure to take you along.”
“Yeah, that makes sense. Thank you.”
A town, huh… I wonder what towns are like here? Since this world looks to be medieval European, I bet they’re something like that.
“At any rate, Takumi, dinner is ready. I’ll have the servants bring it right away.”
“Oh, right! I almost forgot how hungry I was. Thank you so much. Please do.”
“As you wish,” Sebastian said with a low bow. “I shall have it served post-haste.”
With that, Sebastian left the room.
“I’m so sorry about this, Takumi.” Claire gave me an apologetic smile. “The medicine ended up taking all my attention, even though you must have been starving.”
“No, don’t worry about it. Helping Tilura get better is the most important thing right now. Maybe I did drink a little too much tea, though…”
“Oh, Takumi, you shouldn’t go drinking on an empty stomach like that. I’m plenty hungry as well, so why don’t we both eat to our hearts’ content? That includes you, too, Leo.”
“Ruff!”
Finally, it’s time to eat!
Leo was also in high spirits, sausages filling her doggy mind.
Come to think of it, though, I never did ask about magic in the end… I guess there’ll be time for that later, though. For now, I just need to focus on the food. I can’t wait to see what they’ll serve. It’s gonna be great!
I resolved to wait for Sebastian with bated breath.
🐾🐾🐾
AFTER we finished eating, Claire and I decided to relax in the parlor over tea. Sebastian and the maids stayed standing behind us respectfully.
It must be rough, never getting to sit down.
I had invited them to sit with us, but they’d each firmly refused in turn. I imagined they had their pride as servants to consider.
“That food tasted amazing, Claire.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’ll make sure to let the chefs know.”
“Ruff, ruff!”
Even Leo had had her fill of sausages. In fact, she ate so many that I’d tried to stop her partway through the meal, but Claire insisted that Leo keep eating. Apparently, sausages were common enough here that she was free to eat out their entire storehouse, should she feel like it. After trying a bite, even I felt like eating them forever. It was far above and beyond mere convenience store food.
Just like a real banquet, all manner of dishes had been served for dinner, from hams to soups to salads. It all tasted absolutely heavenly, but there was so much of it, I felt a little guilty for not being able to finish everything.
“I had the chefs prepare plenty of food to make it feel like a proper celebration, but the dishes themselves were all rather commonplace. You did tell me to not prepare anything too fancy, after all.”
“No, I’d call that plenty fancy as is.”
Claire really gets to eat like that every day? I mused. I bet she’s never gone hungry a day in her life. Not that I was expecting any less from a lady who calls a mansion like this “just a villa,” of course.
“By the way, Takumi, I noticed you’ve been holding back asking any questions since before dinner. Might I ask what you’d like to know?”
“Oh… You could tell?”
I’d been curious about magic ever since Sebastian first mentioned it. Magic didn’t exist in Japan, of course, even though some of the technology could certainly come across as supernatural if you didn’t know the science behind it.
Both Sebastian and Claire had mentioned magic and mana, and I, of course, wanted to use them. Even I knew how much of a staple magic was in fantasy stories. They all differed in how they presented it, but I always liked the idea of being able to use it. I didn’t know if I could, of course, but I at least wanted to look into it.
“Well… You mentioned magic before, right?” I began. “Do you actually have magic in this world?”
“What? Why, yes, of course,” Claire answered. “Almost everyone uses it here.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Most daily applications include lighting fires or creating small gusts of wind. What about it?”
“No, it’s just…we don’t have magic in my world.”
“You don’t?!”
“What?!”
Both Claire and Sebastian cried out in alarm. Neither of the maids reacted audibly, but the shock on their faces was clear as day.
I guess that goes to show just how big a role magic plays in their lives, huh?
“Hrrr.”
Leo let out a short, disinterested snort from where she lay curled up in the middle of the floor. Even all balled up, she took up an immense amount of space and her flank was still pressed right up against my seat.
“You’re sure there isn’t any magic in your world?” Claire asked again. “Not even a little?”
“No. We have many stories about it, but we can’t actually use it ourselves.”
“Is that so?”
“In that case,” Sebastian mused, “perhaps I should offer a proper explanation of magic as well.”
“Please do,” I replied. “I’d love to know whether or not I could use it myself.”
“Why, anyone has the ability to use magic—though the specific effects of said magic differ depending on the individual, of course.”
Anyone can use it? I might have a chance, then!
I’d always dreamed of being able to use magic, but I knew that I should wait to hear all the details first. There may be a cost attached, after all. I remembered all the stories where magic was something like a contract and it could only be used if the caster paid a steep price.
I turned to Sebastian, only to realize that he also seemed rather excited, as though he couldn’t wait to explain.
He really likes explaining things, doesn’t he?
He’d never looked more alive than when he was explaining Gifts to me. It was almost like it made him younger. I was tempted to call him out as a grampsplainer, but I didn’t want to risk sounding too rude.
“So…what can you tell me about magic?”
“Go ahead, Sebastian,” Claire nodded. “You can tell him everything.”
“As you wish, milady. Oh, but how to best phrase this…?” He began to smile wistfully.
I knew it! He really does like this stuff!
“To put it simply, magic is the act of putting the mana in one’s body to use. All living beings possess such mana. In fact, nothing can survive without it.”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing,” Sebastian confirmed. “There are trial records of people who used every bit of mana within their bodies, and without exception, they all perished. Mind you, these were old experiments. Such trials are not held anymore.”
“Oh, okay.”
So, it’s kind of like water? People die if they don’t get enough? I bet they had to stop the experiments because of the high body count…
“Magic requires mana to use. However, one simply cannot use magic by virtue of that alone. It requires an incantation: a catalyst of sorts to shape one’s internal mana and put it to use.”
“So you cast magic through incantations?”
“Correct. Each type of magic has an incantation that is largely similar. Each of the four principal elements—fire, water, air, and earth—possesses its own unique cant and means of activation. In the literature, there are even instances of such large-scale magic that the incantation takes a full day and night.”
“That long…?”
I couldn’t imagine keeping anything up that long.
“The incantation establishes not only the element, but the specific effects. The more potent the magic, the longer the incantation. Thus, the longer it takes to cast.”
“So…how long is the shortest incantation?”
“Let’s see… Perhaps it would be best to demonstrate. May I?”
Claire nodded. “By all means.”
“Very well, then… Fire-Elemental Candle.”
The second the last syllable left Sebastian’s lips, a tiny flame about the size of a candle’s lit on the tip of his finger.
Whoa… With a trick like that, he won’t ever need a lighter. It looks about as useful as one, though.
“As you can see, the incantation converted my mana into fire to produce a small flame. Such simple magic, however, would serve little use beyond lighting firewood and so on. It is mostly used around the house. Should I desire a more powerful flame, I would need to intone an incantation two to three times longer. Does that not strike you as too long, however, should I need to fight off a monster or the like?”
“Yes, I guess so. You might not be able to take your time casting.”
“Precisely. In the heat of battle, one may not have the time to spend on such a lengthy incantation. For that purpose, we have voiceless incantations.”
“Voiceless?”
In other words, incantations you don’t say aloud? But I thought you couldn’t cast magic if you didn’t say an incantation?
“Just as it sounds, it is an advanced technique that invokes magic without an explicit incantation. It requires a great deal of practice to perform. Furthermore, the longer the incantation in question, the more natural skill is required. Ah, but I can see the question in your eyes now—how is it possible to cast magic at all without saying an incantation?”
“I was wondering that, actually. You need one, but sometimes you don’t… It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Oh, but it will. You see, in order to properly utilize a voiceless incantation, you require—”
A knock at the door suddenly cut him off.
And just when it was getting good, too…
“Come in,” Claire called out.
At that precise moment, the door flew open and a small figure rushed into the room.
“Wowff?!” Leo barked in surprise as she scrambled to her feet, but the figure didn’t stop as it barrelled toward Claire and wrapped its little arms tightly around her.
“Sister!”
Sister? So…is she the one who’s supposed to be in bed with a fever? Claire said she was feeling better, but…
“Tilura?” Claire said in disbelief.
“Yes, Sister! It’s me!”
She looked about ten years old. Her hair was bright red, almost like a live flame, offering a different sort of beauty to Claire’s blonde locks. Even though her face still had the telltale marks of a child’s, she looked similar enough to her sister to come off as quite pretty.
I can tell she’ll be a real beauty when she grows up…is everyone here this pretty?
“What are you doing here, Tilura? You should still be in bed!”
“But Sister, that medicine made me feel all better!” Tilura grinned.
That’s good, at least.
“I’m so sorry for interrupting you two, Takumi,” Claire said with an apologetic look.
“Oh, no, don’t mind me. I’ll have plenty of time to take this up with Sebastian later.” I turned to face Tilura. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
“Sister, who is this gentleman?”
“He is our guest. His name is Takumi and he saved my life. Not only that, he also found your medicine.”
“Really?!”
“Nice to meet you, Tilura. My name is Takumi Hirooka. Please, feel free to call me Takumi.”
“Okay, Takumi! I’m Tilura Libert. Call me Tilura!”
Having finished our introductions, I turned to find Sebastian practically drooping with disappointment. Laila wordlessly patted him on the back.
Wow, getting cut off was harder on him than I thought. He was just about to get to the good part, after all.
“You’re still recovering, Tilura. You ought to stay in bed.”
“But Sister, I’ve been sleeping for so long! I’m too tired of sleeping to sleep!”
“I guess it would be hard to fall back asleep, after running about like that,” I pitched in.
“Exactly, Takumi!” Tilura beamed at me.
“Oh, honestly…” There was a kind look in Claire’s eyes, however.
They seemed to be quite far apart in age, but that probably only motivated Claire to find the capwort even more. She seemed the type who’d enjoy spoiling a younger sibling.
Man, I wish I had a little brother or sister…
“Ruff,” Leo barked, her eyes fixed squarely on Tilura. Tilura turned around and as soon as she laid eyes on Leo, her face lit up like the sun.
“Sister, who’s that doggy?!”
“She’s not a doggie, Tilura. She’s a silver fenrir. You remember seeing them in your books, don’t you?”
She is a doggy, though. Technically speaking…
“But they don’t like being people’s pets, right? Why’s she here?”
“Her name is Miss Leo and she’s here with Takumi.”
“Really?! You’re super amazing, Takumi!”
She looked up at me like I was a celebrity.
“Ruff, ruff, ruff?”
“Hm? Leo says it’s fine, Claire. You can let Tilura go see her.”
“Really? All right, then.”
“Yay!”
Claire finally pulled herself from Tilura’s arms and pushed her forward to beside where I sat. I couldn’t tell if she was excited or suffering last-minute jitters from seeing just how big Leo really was.
“Ruff. Woo-woo-woo.” Leo gave her a sloppy lick across her face, as if to reassure her.
“Hahaha!”
“Guess what, Tilura? Leo loves playing with kids. She’d love it if you played with her— Oh, but try not to break anything.”
“Can I, Sister?”
“If Takumi says you can, then go ahead. And look, isn’t Miss Leo cute?”
“Yeah, she is! Um…Miss Leo?”
“Ruff! Woo-woo!” Leo leaned in closer to Tilura and rubbed her furry silver cheek against her.
“Ahaha! Miss Leo!”
She threw herself at Leo with a giggle, surrendering herself to the fluff.
“Thank you for this, Takumi.”
“Oh, no. Leo really does love kids. I hope they don’t run around in here, of course, but I’m glad I was able to make Tilura smile somehow.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much. They seem plenty happy… I ought to thank Miss Leo properly later.”
Claire smiled at the two of them as they snuggled, and after a moment, I realized that even Sebastian and the maids were looking on with warm smiles.
Tilura really is loved, huh?
“Do you think Leo could play out in the backyard tomorrow, Claire?”
“Of course, though I imagine Tilura would love to join you.”
“I bet.”
Claire and I smiled at each other before looking back at Tilura and Leo. After a few minutes, however, Tilura seemed to run out of energy and moments later, she fell asleep in Leo’s silver fluff.
“It’s getting rather late, Takumi. Perhaps we should call it a night.”
“Yes, you’re right. I’m exhausted after everything that’s happened today.”
“Your room has already been prepared,” Laila said with a curtsy. “Please, follow me.”
“Great! Thank you very much.”
“Take good care of him, Laila.”
“As you ask, milady.”
“Well then, Takumi, good night.”
“Good night, Claire. And you too, Sebastian.”
“Pleasant dreams, sir.”
After saying goodnight to both Claire and Sebastian and making sure a sleeping Tilura was gently scooped up off her fluff pillow, Leo and I followed Laila to our room. It was more spacious than I’d thought; it was easily big enough to fit my little studio apartment three times over.
This mansion is huge…
I looked around the room a little, then noticed that a basin of hot water and a towel had been left beside the bed. I quickly washed myself with it before laying down. It felt so nice to be free of all the dirt and sweat I’d accumulated in the forest. By that time, Leo had already curled up on the floor. Despite being plenty wide for me, it was still a size or two too small for her to sleep on.
Between my fatigue and full stomach, I could already feel myself slipping off into slumberland.
I guess I never did wake up from my “dream,” though… This really is a whole new world.
🐾🐾🐾
“RUFF, ruff!”
Is that Leo…? Don’t tell me it’s morning already.
“Wooooo! Ruff, ruff!”
“C’mon, lemme sleep a little longer…”
“I didn’t think you were the type to sleep in, Takumi.” A feminine giggle came right from my bedside.
“Wha—?!”
Suddenly wide awake, I sat up and rubbed my eyes as I scanned the room.
“Hrruuuuuff…”
Leo huffed from right beside my bed. Tilura was deeply embedded in her fluff. Beside the pair was Claire, who met my gaze with a warm smile.
“C-Claire?!”
“Good morning, Takumi. Did you sleep well?”
“…Good morning. Yes, I slept well. Thanks for asking.”
It was honestly the comfiest bed I’d ever been in. It felt as though I was always wrapped up in a big, warm hug, and I’d slept better than I had in years as a result.
After waking up some more, I took in Claire’s beauty again. She seemed to practically shine in the soft morning light. I’d never met someone who had looked so divine before. Her soft, golden hair was especially striking in this light.
But next time, Leo, wake me up if someone’s in my room. This is pretty awkward. No, wait…that’s what you were trying to do, wasn’t it? I’ll just call it the bed’s fault for being so comfy and leave it at that.
“Breakfast is ready,” Claire said with a smile. “You can come down to the parlor whenever you wish.”
“Sounds wonderful. I’ll be right there.”
“There’s no need to rush, of course. I imagine you’ll need to freshen up a bit first. Come on, Tilura, let’s give him some space.”
“But Sister, I want to stay with Miss Leo!”
“You mustn’t. Miss Leo needs some time to herself, too.”
“Ruff!”
I chuckled. “You really like Leo, don’t you?”
“Of course! Miss Leo is so big and friendly!”
This kid’s a good judge of character. I’m impressed she could get over how scary Leo looks so quickly.
“And Takumi?” Tilura continued. “You don’t hafta be so polite to me.”
“Really? You sure?”
“Of course! You’re older than me and you’re best friends with Miss Leo. That makes you almost as amazing as her!”
“I’m really not that amazing, but…sure, I’ll try.”
“Please do!”
It’s been so long since I’ve been around kids…
I needed to get up and wash my face and such, but Tilura still seemed determined to stay with Leo. I couldn’t exactly let her watch me get ready, though. It’d feel just a little too awkward.
Besides, nobody would want to watch a guy like me get out of bed…
“Tilura? Leo and I will be down for breakfast in a bit. If you keep grabbing onto her like that, though, neither of you can eat. Do you want that?”
“Um…no. I’m hungry.”
“I bet Leo’s hungry, too. Why don’t you eat first, then? Claire told Leo and I that we can play in the garden after breakfast. Wanna join us?”
“Can I, Sister?!”
“Of course…after you finish your breakfast, that is.”
“Okay! I’ll go eat right now!” With that, Tilura ran out of the room.
“Oh, honestly…” Claire sighed. “I didn’t expect that she’d get quite so attached to Miss Leo. I’m so sorry for the trouble she’s causing you both.”
“No, it’s no trouble at all. I’m just glad that she’s feeling better. You must be proud to have such a cute little sister.”
“Ruff, ruff!” Leo nodded, as if in agreement.
It’s like she’s really nodding… Is that just a silver fenrir thing? I guess it’s a lot less surprising than breathing fire, huh?
“Well then, Takumi, I’ll see you in the parlor soon,” Claire said with a short curtsy.
“Yes, see you then. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Roooo.”
After watching her leave, I hopped out of bed and started getting ready. Since I had no other clothes than the ones I came in, I basically had nothing new to wear. I gave Leo a head scratch as I mulled it over.
“I don’t smell or anything… Right?” I sniffed at my shirt.
“*Snuffle*?” Leo snuck her nose into my shirt and inhaled deeply. “*Sniff, Sniff*.”
Looks like I’m fine, then…assuming I don’t only smell good by dog standards.
Even if I was fine now, I still had to think about tomorrow. I couldn’t wear the same shirt and pants forever.
I’ll have to ask Sebastian about it later.
“I hope I can get some new clothes soon.”
“R00-roo.”
Sebastian was about my build and height, so he might be willing to lend me something.
No, wait…what if he only has butler suits?
I wouldn’t have objected to wearing a suit like his, but I honestly couldn’t imagine how I would look in one.
Well, first things first. Time to wash my face.
It looked as though someone had filled the basin with fresh hot water and replaced the towel. After giving my face a good wash, I decided to wipe my body down one more time, just in case.
“You think Laila changed the water? Or maybe Claire did it while she was here.”
“Ruff.”
I wanted to shave as well, but couldn’t find any trace of a razor.
I’ll ask Sebastian about that, too.
Since this world’s technology seemed to be at a medieval European level, I couldn’t exactly expect an electric razor or even a T-shaped one. Still, there had to be some way.
“Well, I’ll figure it out…or maybe I should try growing my beard out a bit. Think I’d pull off the rugged look?”
“Ruff…ruu-ruu.”
No way, those barks seemed to say.
I bet I’d come off as quite the gentleman if I had a bit of a beard, though. My coworkers all said I was baby-faced, but I still have a chance, right? Right?
“…Whoops, we’d better get to the parlor.”
“Wooo.”
I did what I could for my appearance then headed for the parlor with Leo. I found Laila and Gelda waiting as soon as I left the room, and after they greeted me politely, they led the way downstairs.
Jeez, I almost didn’t notice them… That startled me. They really don’t need to wait for me like that.
Since I didn’t remember the route to the parlor perfectly, however, it was nice to have their guidance. The sheer size of the mansion alone made it feel almost like a labyrinth. I remembered the way to the bathroom, though, and I took the liberty of stopping there.
Before long, we arrived at the parlor. Claire and Tilura were already seated at the table and Sebastian was standing obediently behind them.
“Sorry for making you all wait.”
“Oh, Takumi. Good morning again.”
“Good morning, Takumi! Good morning to you too, Miss Leo!”
“Good morning, Tilura. Oh, and good morning to you, too, Sebastian.”
“Ruff, ruff!”
“Good morning, Mr. Hirooka. I trust you slept well?”
“Oh, yes. Thank you again for preparing such a wonderful room for me. The bed was great.”
I could tell that Tilura was itching to start eating and I felt a slight pang of guilt at making her wait so long. I sat down at the table, and Laila and Gelda took up their places behind me. Leo sat herself down right beside the table.
Breakfast had already been laid out, and it consisted of bread, salad, and a soup filled with sausage and other meats. Leo’s dish was loaded with a mountain of sausage.
This is quite the spread.
Back in Japan, my breakfasts often consisted of just a bun or cereal and a bit of milk. Sometimes I didn’t even have time for that and I’d run out the door with an energy bar or a lukewarm vitamin drink in hand. But those days were behind me now.
“All right, it seems as though we’re all here. Let’s eat.”
“Thanks!”
“Ruff!”
“Thank you for the food,” I said, clasping my hands together in a prayer-like gesture.
Er…I guess they don’t do that here…
It was a very Japanese thing, after all, and the only other Japanese person at the table was Leo, who didn’t even have hands.
Regardless, we all began eating. Leo stuck her head into her bowl and began wolfing down mouthfuls of sausage at an incredible rate. I picked up a fork and reached for the salad.
Gotta get my greens.
“Wow… This salad is quite good.”
Claire smiled. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”
“Try the soup next, Takumi!” Tilura beamed at me. “It’s super tasty!”
“Ruff, ruff! *scarf scarf scarf*”
The salad consisted mainly of leafy vegetables. It had a light dressing that felt quite easy on the stomach and tasted even better when eaten together with the bread. The soup was also surprisingly light, considering how much meat was in it.
I don’t remember the last time breakfast tasted this good.
“Hey, slow down there, Leo! Nobody’s gonna steal it from you, so try to actually chew!”
“Miss Leo is quite the voracious eater, isn’t she?”
“Wow! I’ve never seen anyone eat so fast!”
“*Scarf scarf* …Rooo?”
Leo finally noticed she was being watched, and raised her head in surprise.
She really is a cute little…er, big dog. I guess if Claire doesn’t mind, Leo can go ahead and eat however she wants.
I wanted to talk with Sebastian, but I figured that it might be rude to call him over in the middle of breakfast. As soon as we’d all finished eating, however, I made eye contact with him and discreetly waved him closer.
“Sebastian? Can I have a moment?”
“But of course. What may I help you with?”
“It’s about my clothes,” I whispered. “You don’t have any I can borrow, do you? I didn’t have a chance to bring any with me.”
“Ah, my sincerest apologies. The matter had slipped my mind completely. If you don’t mind terribly, I can give you a change of my clothes for the time being.”
“That’d be perfect.” I lowered my voice a tad further. “Also, about my beard…”
“I can ready a razor for you as well. I shall have everything taken to your room posthaste.”
“That’d be great. Thank you so much.”
For some reason, just the thought of Claire or one of the other women hearing about my shaving made me feel embarrassed.
After that, however, Sebastian strode over to Laila and whispered something in her ear.
Crap. I guess it got out anyway.
“Takumi?” Claire asked. “What were you talking to Sebastian about just now?”
“Nothing much. Just…hygiene stuff.”
“Oh, I see. Well, rest assured that Sebastian and Laila are both highly dependable. Feel free to rely on them if you require anything.”
“I will… Wait, what about Gelda?”
She giggled. “She’s still new, so you’ll have to wait a while before relying on her too much.”
Gelda tensed up. “I-I’ll try my absolute best, though! Even if it costs me my life!”
Gelda’s enthusiastic, I’ll give her that. But seeing her so tense only makes me more afraid that she’s going to mess up. Oh, well. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
“Sister, I’m all done eating! May I please go play with Miss Leo now?”
“Why don’t you stop to take a breath first?” Claire admonished her.
“…Sorry.”
I chuckled. “Sorry, Tilura, Leo’s still not done yet. Can you wait a little longer?”
“Okay! I can wait!”
She fixed her gaze on Leo and grinned with anticipation.
“Do you have any siblings, Takumi?” Claire asked me.
“No. But I wish I did.”
“Is that so? You’re surprisingly good with children.”
I laughed. “That’s thanks to Leo.”
“Miss Leo?”
“Yeah. Whenever I wasn’t busy with work, I would take her out on walks and the neighborhood kids would all want to come pet her.”
“Oh, I see. That makes sense.”
“I got quite used to dealing with them before long, you see…not to mention that Leo loves kids.”
It took me a while to get used to just how much energy kids have. Some would focus on Leo and Leo alone, others would try to sweep me up in their games, and some would leave me constantly guessing. It was more like learning how to weather a storm than anything else.
Come to think of it, there was that one girl who really took a liking to Leo… I hope she’s not too lonely with us gone.
She was about Tilura’s age, if I remembered right, and she was just as eager to play.
“*Slurp, slurp, slurp* …Ruff!”
The mountain of sausages that’d filled Leo’s plate minutes earlier were now totally gone. Without skipping a beat, she took a long drink of milk and let out a content sigh.
“Oh, you’re done already?”
Don’t you think you’re acting a little crude for a lady, though? I guess dog manners must be different from human manners.
Tilura sprang to her feet. “Can I play with Miss Leo now?!”
“Claire? Do you mind?”
“Of course not,” Claire said with a nod. “But only out in the garden, of course.”
“Okay!”
“Oh, and Claire? Would you mind looking after Leo for a while? I need to head back to my room for a bit. Sebastian should have everything ready there soon.”
“I see.” She turned to face Leo. “Miss Leo, would you mind if Takumi took a bit of time in his chambers?”
“Ruff?” Leo looked surprised for a moment, then went back to lounging. “Awooo.”
“In that case, Takumi, I’ll see you later.”
“All right. I’ll meet you in the garden as soon as I’m done.”
“C’mon, Miss Leo, let’s go!”
“Ruff, ruff!”
With that, Claire and Leo left the room, with Tilura clinging onto Leo’s back and giggling. Sebastian brought up the rear and Gelda moved as if to follow them.
“Gelda? Can I have a moment?”
“Wh-What is it?”
“Sorry, but I need some help getting back to my room. Do you mind?”
“Oh, n-no, not at all!”
It was honestly a pretty embarrassing thing to ask, but actually getting lost would have hurt my pride far more. Gelda had no difficulties in guiding me back to my room. Inside, I found Laila with a bundle of neatly folded clothes in her arms.
“Please feel free to make use of these clothes, Mr. Hirooka.”
“Thank you.”
It wasn’t a suit like Sebastian’s, but even if it was, I would’ve been just as glad. There was a shirt and waistcoat as well as a pair of pants.
“I took the liberty of preparing longer pants for you, as you are not wearing boots.”
“Oh, thank you.”
If I remembered right, they wore only half-length pants in many places in Europe during the Middle Ages, since even men’s boots came up to the knees. Given my regular shoes, though, I was grateful for the normal-length pants.
I put my hands onto my belt to start changing, then realized Laila was still in the room with me.
“Um… Laila?”
“Yes? What may I help you with?”
“Are you sure you want to watch me get dressed?”
“Oh! My sincerest apologies. I shall wait for you outside.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
I guess even Laila has her clumsy side, huh?
She hurriedly turned to leave but paused at the door and turned back to face me.
“One last thing, Mr. Hirooka …”
“Yes?”
She pulled a small knife out of her apron pocket and handed it to me.
“Please use this to attend to your facial hair.”
I had hoped for a razor like a barber might use, but it was more similar in shape and heft to a paring knife. With that, Laila curtsied and left the room.
“So, um…” I said more to myself, “how do I shave with this?”
It seemed to be fairly common in this world, and there was that whole saying about doing as the Romans did, but I was genuinely worried about cutting myself.
I decided instead to start by getting dressed. The clothes were clearly of high quality, since they felt every bit as comfortable as what I’d been wearing.
And here I was prepared to be itching up a storm… Nobles really are something else, huh?
With that, all that was left was my beard. I hadn’t shaved for a couple days, not since the morning of the day before I came here. It was long enough now that I could pinch a few hairs at a time between my fingers if I tried.
The thought that Claire and the others had seen me like that made me feel awkward. What was I thinking? No way I could ever be macho with a face like this. Yep, the beard goes.
I swallowed hard, then brought the knife to my cheek. After ten careful minutes of scraping, I was finally free of my beard. There were a few spots that were bleeding slightly, but I probably just didn’t have enough practice yet.
I also noticed that the basin of hot water had been refilled and a fresh towel placed beside it. I gave my face a quick wash, then rinsed the knife clean and put it on my bedside table. Then, I took another look at my reflection in the mirror.
I was pretty nervous for a while there, but I look okay.
The few cuts here and there had already stopped bleeding and my face was stubble-free.
“All right, that’s that.”
After that, I decided to head to the garden as I’d promised. I opened the door to find Laila waiting right on the other side of it. I stifled my surprise as best I could before asking her to take me to Claire and the others.
Please, no more jump scares.
🐾🐾🐾
“AHAHA! Miss Leo, over here!”
“Ruff, ruff!”
I could hear Leo and Tilura even before I stepped outside. It looked like they were playing tag. Tilura was running around laughing, while Leo was very carefully chasing after her.
“Oh my, Takumi!” Claire must’ve heard the door open, since she walked up to me moments after I arrived. Sebastian followed closely at her heels. “I hardly recognized you.”
“Hello, Claire, Sebastian. I just freshened up a little.”
“Well, you look quite handsome. Those clothes fit you well.”
“Really? I’m…glad you think so.”
“I offer you my apologies, Mr. Hirooka, for providing you with such simple attire. I’m afraid that was the best I could acquire at such short notice.”
“Oh, no, these clothes are great. Thank you so much, Sebastian.”
“No need to thank me. I take great pleasure in such tasks. Please do not hesitate to ask if you require anything else.” He bowed politely, maintaining his place behind Claire.
“So…you asked Sebastian for a change of clothes, did you? A means of shaving as well, I see.”
“Yes, I did. I didn’t think it was proper to talk about in front of a lady, that’s all… especially when it came to shaving.”
“I suppose so. I thought that beard suited you, though.”
“I don’t think so. Nobody would want to see a scraggly thing like that.”
Don’t encourage me like that, Claire. This world isn’t ready for Takumi the Rugged.
“That aside,” I said, looking out at the garden, “I’m glad Tilura seems to be feeling better.”
“Oh, yes. And I have you to thank for finding that capwort.”
“Haha. It’s nothing, really! Besides, you’re the one who headed into an orc-filled forest alone in the first place.”
Sebastian solemnly cleared his throat. “Milady, though I risk repeating myself, I was nearly scared senseless by your actions. I implore you, please have an escort accompany you when you next leave the mansion.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Sebastian. Did I upset you?”
Claire smiled playfully at him. But I had to agree with Sebastian. She was lucky Leo and I had showed up when we did. Not only that, but with looks like hers, even visiting a town alone would be dangerous. There was no telling the kind of attention she might attract from the local riffraff, and if anything happened to her, everyone in the mansion would be devastated.
Although I guess they might not have crass men like that here…
“I might listen to him if I were you, Claire. If something bad happened to you, how do you think Tilura and your servants would feel?”
“Now you’re upset, Takumi?” She pursed her lips in thought a moment. “I suppose you’re right. Someone needs to look after Tilura.”
“And what about Sebastian?”
“Oh, I imagine he’ll be fine. Sebastian is technically my father’s butler, after all. He’s only here to keep an eye on me.”
“Please, milady. His Grace and I are only concerned—”
“Yes, yes, I’m aware… I suppose I should be a little more careful, though. I wouldn’t want you or Father to worry too much.”
“Uh… ‘Too much?’”
“Oh, Takumi, no need to sweat the details.”
“Haha…if you say so.”
She’s more strong-willed than I gave her credit for… I guess she’s the type to act on her own initiative.
I’d thought she was nice when we’d first met, for certain, but it felt as though we were closer now than before.
Stuffy noble ladies have their appeal and all, but I’m glad she’s not like that. It’s so much easier to talk to someone more open.
“Come now, sir. Do not overindulge milady.”
“Haha… I don’t see any harm in it. I think she’s pretty charming, actually. Besides, Leo can keep an eye on her if she needs to.”
“…I suppose that if Miss Leo will be attending to her, then I might allow it.”
“Right?”
Sebastian and I chuckled, but I noticed after a moment that Claire had gone quiet. I looked at her and noticed that her cheeks were red, her eyes averted.
“I’m…charming…?” she mumbled.
Huh? Is it because I called her charming? I only said what I thought, though…
“However,” Sebastian said as he cleared his throat, “you should practice restraint, with Miss Leo or without. Am I clear, milady?”
She suddenly raised her head. “Y-Yes. Crystal.” The blush had already faded from her cheeks and her smile was as composed as always.
Maybe I was only imagining things…
“Ruff? Roo-roo-rooooo!”
“Miss Leo, wait for me!”
Leo, having finally noticed I’d arrived, bolted toward me, tail wagging up a storm. Tilura was running after her, frantically trying to keep up. They’d reversed roles almost perfectly.
“What’s up, girl? Don’t you wanna play with Tilura anymore?”
“Ruff, ruff. Grufff!”
She lightly clamped her mouth around my clothes and tried to drag me out into the garden.
“Hold on, Leo! I get that you wanna play with me, but…”
“Come on, Takumi! Play with us!” Tilura was grinning.
“Ruff, ruff!” Leo looked up at me, her grip as tight as ever.
Oh, fine. I guess I can play with them.
I didn’t think I was too old to play with them or anything. I just knew that I’d wind up with all sorts of cramps and aches in the morning if I did.
Claire giggled at me. “Would you mind joining them for a spell, Takumi?”
“You too, Claire…? All right, then. I’ll be back.”
“Have fun, now.”
“C’mon, Takumi, hurry up!”
Sebastian chuckled. “Please do not worry about us, Mr. Hirooka. I wish you the best of luck.”
“Ruff, ruff!”
I was half-dragged to where they’d been playing several minutes before. Claire and Sebastian simply watched with warm smiles on their faces.
Man, I’m going to feel this in the morning…but if Tilura’s happy, I guess that makes it worth it.
“So what do you wanna play, Takumi?”
“Woo?”
“Let’s see… How about I throw a stick as far as I can and Leo has to grab it before it hits the ground?”
“Ruff!”
“What should I do?” she asked, her eyes shining.
“You can ride on Leo’s back. I bet that’d be a lot of fun.”
She grinned at me. “Yeah, loads of fun!”
“Ruff!”
Leo seemed to understand my suggestion perfectly as she lowered herself so Tilura could climb aboard more easily. She’s crouched even lower than when she offered Claire and I a ride yesterday…
She’s such a good, considerate girl, I found myself thinking as I gathered up sticks that seemed big enough for our game. It struck me as a bit odd that there were so many lying around, but it was a back garden, after all. They probably had more important things to do than tidy it.
“Ruff!”
“We’re ready, Takumi!”
“All right, then. Ready, set,” Leo hunched down, ready to spring into action, “fetch!”
I wound up, then threw the branch as far as I could in the opposite direction from the mansion. It didn’t go as far as I’d expected, though, and it began to fall about twenty yards out.
Man… I really am outta shape.
“C’mon, Miss Leo! We can get it!”
“Aroooo!”
Leo sprang into action, running faster than the wind. But she stayed close to the ground, taking care so that Tilura wouldn’t be jostled around too much.
Come to think of it, didn’t I read somewhere that some dogs—like the greyhound—are faster than certain horses over short distances? Like horses are better at high speeds over long distances, but dogs are better sprinters…or something like that.
Of course, at Leo’s current size, she was likely faster than any horse now.
“Ruuuuuff!”
“Haha! You’re so cool, Miss Leo!”
Tilura was clearly enjoying herself. She giggled as Leo snatched the branch right out of the air, then turned and ran back to me.
I smiled at them. “Wow, Leo! That was great!”
“GRRUUFFF!”
“Miss Leo is super-duper great!”
Leo lowered her head so I could take the branch from her, and I took the opportunity to affectionately scratch her on the head. Tilura also inched up Leo’s back so she could pat her head.
Wow…she snapped the branch clean in half. I guess I should’ve expected as much.
I picked up the next stick. But, given my weak arm, I’m not able to give her a good workout…
In that case…
“All right, Leo, I’m gonna throw a bunch at once this time! You ready?”
“You can do it, Miss Leo!”
“Aroooo!” Just you watch!
Leo dropped low to the ground and wagged her big, fluffy tail. I gathered up four of the five branches I’d found and threw them all at once the same way as before. She shot off like a rocket after them, leaping to snatch one clean out of the air before landing and setting her sights on the next one. After watching her a moment, I took my last branch, turned to my immediate right, and threw it as hard as I could.
Maybe that was a little mean…
As I watched, though, Leo snatched up the fourth stick and whipped around to lock eyes on the fifth as it hurtled through the air. Then, at a speed so fast I could barely follow her, she zoomed over to it and caught it right before it hit the ground.
One, two, three… Wow, all five sticks! Didn’t see that coming.
It looked as though Tilura was starting to slip off Leo’s back, however, so I decided to stop there.
“Bow-wow… Ruff!” Leo sounded very proud as she offered me her five sticks.
“Wow, Miss Leo! I never knew you were that fast!” Tilura was still bubbling with excitement.
“I’ve gotta admit, Leo, I didn’t think you could grab them all.”
“Ruff.”
I gave her a congratulatory pat on the head as she puffed out her chest with pride.
“Did you have fun, Tilura?”
“Yeah, tons! I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun before in my life!”
“Great! I’m glad.”
With that, we all kept playing together in the back garden.
🐾🐾🐾
“TAKUMI? It’s nearly time for lunch.”
“Please come right in, everyone. Lunch is presently being served in the parlor.”
Leo, Tilura, and I had completely lost track of time as we played, but when Claire and Sebastian called us, we realized just how hungry we’d become. Tilura also seemed to be getting tired. She did only just recently recover from a fever.
Maybe we should call it a day. There’s no need to play until we drop.
I was also starting to grow a little weary. The only one of us who still seemed full of energy was Leo. There was a visible spring in her step as she wagged her way indoors.
Lunch proved every bit as extravagant as breakfast. As we ate, however, I noticed that Tilura was starting to rub her eyes sleepily.
Looks like naptime comes after lunch. Like they say, a sleeping kid is a growing kid.
Claire was watching Tilura doze with a soft smile. But, after a minute or two, she turned to me as if suddenly remembering something.
“By the way, Takumi, I suppose you’ll be needing some more toiletries and the like, won’t you?”
Oh, yeah… I have hardly anything right now.
All I had were the clothes I was wearing and my handkerchief. My cellphone, wallet, and everything else I owned were still back in Japan.
“Yes, but…I don’t have any money right now.”
“Please, allow me to pay for what you need. It’s the least I could do for you, after all you’ve done for us.”
But she’s already given me three meals a day and a place to stay. I’d hate to take anything more from her.
That being said, I didn’t have a yen to my name in this world. I wanted to work to cover Leo’s and my expenses at the very least. But I’d no idea where to start.
I guess I’ll have to rely on her a while longer… She might be offended if I turned her down, after all.
It made the most sense to just borrow the money from her now and then talk to Sebastian about paying the estate back when I had the means to. If I tried to repay Claire directly, I had a strong feeling she’d refuse.
That’s right…this is just a loan. I don’t need to feel guilty.
“…In that case, I’ll gladly accept your offer. I’m very sorry for being so broke.”
“No need to be sorry, now. Why don’t we head into town after lunch and you can purchase whatever strikes your fancy?”
“So soon?”
“You’ll need them sooner rather than later, after all. The nearest town is a short ways away by horse, so we’ll be back by nightfall.”
“Oh, okay. Thank you. I’ll look forward to it.”
“You’re most welcome.”
A town, huh… We didn’t see any buildings on the way here, so it must be pretty far away, especially considering we’ll have to ride there.
It was likely several miles out, but not so far that it would take us more than an hour or two. My biggest worry, however, lay elsewhere.
“You said we’ll be going there by horse, right? I’ve never ridden a horse before.”
“No need to worry. We can use the carriage.”
“And I shall drive said carriage,” Sebastian added.
“Woooooooo! Ruff, ruff, ruff!”
What’s gotten into you, Leo?
She’d been engrossed in her sausages but now suddenly interrupted our conversation.
“Wait… Do you want me to ride you into town, maybe?”
She nodded. “Awooo-wooo.”
“Miss Leo?” asked Claire, a note of hesitation in her voice. “If you don’t mind terribly, could you please wait here for us?”
“Hruff?”
“Why do you want Leo to stay behind?”
“I’m afraid that she might be a little too much for the townsfolk to handle. We wouldn’t want to startle them too badly.”
“Yeah… I guess you’re right.”
Given not only her infamy as silver fenrir, but also her size and terrifying appearance, the townsfolk would probably be scared stiff of her.
I don’t know how much the average person knows about a silver fenrir, but she’s a giant wolf. That’s scary enough on its own.
“…Aroooo?” Her ears drooped sadly and she looked at me with big, soulful eyes.
“C’mon, don’t give me that look…”
There’s gotta be a line somewhere, right? We barely know a thing about this world. We shouldn’t go causing a panic…right?
“…Claire?”
“Oh, fine.” She rolled her eyes with a smile. “You’re quite the persuasive one, aren’t you, Miss Leo? You must be awfully fond of Takumi.”
“Wooo! Ruff, ruff!” Leo gave my face a big, wet lick.
It looked like Claire couldn’t help pampering Leo either.
It might be for the best if Leo comes with us, though. What with my going to school, then work, she spent an awful lot of time at home alone. She must’ve been quite lonely…and judging from her reaction just now, I bet she never really got used to it. She’s a social little…er, big dog, so I’d better stick with her. Who knows what chaos would ensue if she tried to come after me once we left?
“Isn’t that great, Leo? Now what do you say to Claire?”
Leo drew her gigantic head closer to Claire. “Ruff! Ruff!”
“Hehe. Just remember, Miss Leo, there are quite a few people living in that town. Please be on your best behavior.”
“Ruuuuffff!” Leo nodded.
Claire gave her a warm smile. But, at that moment, Tilura finished eating and she rubbed her eyes.
“Sister! If Miss Leo’s going into town, then I’m going, too!”
“Tilura?”
I’m not surprised, given how much she likes Leo.
“You mustn’t, Tilura! You’re still recovering, remember? Besides, you look exhausted after all that playing. You can stay here.”
Tilura pouted. “Aww… Buuuut I really wanna go…”
It was hard to imagine that she was back to normal after being so sick. She clearly needed rest, not more excitement.
“Lady Tilura,” Sebastian interceded. “I can imagine that, after being bedridden for so long, you wish to stay awake for as long as possible. I know you had trouble sleeping and that’s why you woke up rather early this morning. If, however, you took this opportunity to nap, you would be fully refreshed in time for Miss Leo’s return.”
“Okay…”
Tilura nodded slowly, a pout still on her lips.
Maybe I should buy her something while we’re in town? No, wait, I’m broke…
“You were up before even Sebastian was,” Claire added. “I can’t imagine you’re not tired yet.”
“That happened while I was still asleep?” I asked.
“Oh, yes,” Claire replied. “She seemed fine last night, but I was worried that her fever might have returned overnight. When I arrived in the room she and Sebastian share early this morning, however, there was no trace of her. Sebastian and I were worried sick.”
Sebastian nodded. “Milady and I roused the rest of the staff and we searched high and low for Lady Tilura. When we consulted the guards, however, we learned that not a soul had entered or left the building once the entire night. As such, we focused our search inside the mansion.”
Makes sense. Anyone would be worried if a sick kid suddenly vanished.
“Then,” Claire continued, “I checked every room in the mansion. That’s when it occurred to me to check your room, Takumi.”
“Wait… Don’t tell me…?”
Claire nodded. “Tilura was slumbering quite peacefully in Miss Leo’s fur.”
Tilura huffed. “I just wanted to see Miss Leo. She’s so super comfy…”
Wow… I never would’ve guessed that happened while I was sleeping…
Leo must’ve also taken quite a shine to Tilura, despite their having met just last night. Otherwise, she would’ve woken me up before Claire arrived.
Leo is super comfy, though. I wish I had a giant pillow full of her fur.
“So that’s why you woke me up this morning, Claire.”
“I’m sorry. You were sleeping so peacefully, but I didn’t think that I could separate Tilura from Miss Leo without waking you… Not to mention that breakfast was nearly finished, and that you would have to wake up soon either way.”
“Oh, I’m not blaming you. In fact, that bed was so comfortable that if you hadn’t come in, I probably would’ve slept straight through until lunch.”
Seriously, why didn’t I wake up when Tilura first came in?
Even when I was exhausted the morning after a hard day’s work, I’d still snap awake whenever I got a work call—not to mention that I was up at the crack of dawn anyways. Between caring for Leo and heading to work early, I needed all the time in the mornings that I could get.
It’s all your fault, bed! Why are you so comfy?
“Tilura?” Claire said. “Just to be clear, you’re free to visit Miss Leo whenever you please. But you’re never allowed to enter Takumi’s or anyone else’s room while they’re sleeping. Am I clear?”
Tilura nodded. “Yes… Sorry, Sister.”
After that, we each cleared our plates and I returned to my room to prepare for the trip into town.
🐾🐾🐾
TILURA still seemed determined to come with us, but when she started nodding off again, Laila carried her back to her room. Sebastian set about preparing the carriage, and Claire headed back to her room to get ready. I also returned to my room—by myself, since I was finally starting to remember the path to and from the parlor—but given my lack of belongings, there wasn’t much to prepare. I decided to use the washroom, since I didn’t know what the facilities were like in town, and then I waited for the others.
Roughly an hour later, Leo and I met Sebastian and Claire in the front entrance hall. About a dozen maids and butlers were there to see us off. Then a pair of guards wearing full armor came in from outside. I thought I recognized them from the group at the gate.
“The carriage is all ready for you, Sebastian,” said the first.
“Thank you very much. Takumi, these two will be accompanying us to town,” Sebastian explained.
“My name is Takumi. It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”
“I’m Phillip, and I oversee security at this mansion as captain of the guard. I’ll be accompanying you and milady to make sure there’s no trouble.”
He had silken brown hair that reached just past his shoulders and his eyes were filled with warmth. But even through his armor, I could tell he was quite muscular. If we were to get into a fight, he could knock me flat even without using the sword at his waist… Not that I wanted to fight him, of course.
“I am Johanna,” the second guard said with a polite nod. “I was also appointed to guard this mansion and its inhabitants, and today, that means the two of you.”
Her light green hair was tied back into a neat ponytail. She had slanted eyes and possessed a degree of sternness that Phillip lacked. To put it in my old world’s terms, she was the serious type of lady knight.
They bowed to me in unison and I hurriedly returned the gesture.
Come to think of it, they don’t have their spears anymore. Maybe because we’re indoors now?
I decided to ask Sebastian about it.
“Being indoors is certainly part of it,” he replied. “But more than that, any potential combat will be in the middle of town. Swords are far more reliable weapons in such circumstances.”
“Oh, okay. Makes sense…”
With so many people and buildings around, a big weapon like a spear would be harder to use. It made sense to use something smaller instead.
“Well then, Takumi. Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
With that, we headed for the door.
All the assembled servants called out in one voice and bowed or curtsied in unison. “Milady, Mr. Hirooka, safe travels! We pray you will return shortly!”
Jeez, that scared me… I’ve never seen so many people so perfectly in sync before. Claire’s family must be crazy rich if even her servants are so amazing…
On the road just outside the mansion, we saw a carriage waiting for us. It had four horses trussed up in front, organized into two pairs.
“Wow… A real carriage…”
I’d envisioned a covered wagon like in old Western movies, but this was far smaller. The carriage itself seemed only big enough for one or two people, and there was a seat for the driver in the front. Beneath the main seating area was a drawer-like compartment that seemed to be for luggage. All in all, it looked surprisingly similar to the rickshaws you could still see in some of the more touristy parts of Japan.
“Please take a seat, Mr. Hirooka,” Sebastian said with a bow.
“Oh, right. Of course.”
I climbed aboard and sat down. Claire followed, sitting down right beside me. We were so close that my heart skipped a beat, but she didn’t hear it…probably. I looked away to try to calm my pulse a little and I saw Phillip and Johanna mounting their horses.
Oh, I see. So they’ll ride beside us for protection.
Sebastian climbed into the driver’s seat and grabbed hold of the reins. “Well then, let us depart. Giddyap!”
With that, the horses began to trot toward the town.
My first town in this world… I wonder what it’ll be like? Are they gonna have stone houses and cobblestone streets and everything?
The mansion was made out of stone, but quite a bit of it looked like marble, so it didn’t feel significantly different from just any old fancy building in my world. The one thing I was sure of was that a town would be totally different.
Heart dancing with excitement, the carriage carried us down the country road and into town.
🐾🐾🐾
THE road wasn’t nearly as bumpy as I’d feared. I didn’t know whether I had the carriage or the road to thank. As far as I could tell, it was a fairly standard gravel road, nothing like the asphalt roads I was used to in Japan.
I bet it’s the carriage, then.
Leo was running beside the carriage alongside the horses. Surprisingly enough, the horses didn’t seem to have a problem with her. I’d heard that horses startled easily and had a tendency to run from anything that spooked them, but these particular ones must’ve been specially trained.
But wait, didn’t Claire’s horse bolt as soon as it saw the orc back in that forest?
Leo must’ve said something to the horses to calm them. She did lick their faces and nuzzle them before we left, after all…
But more than the horses or the journey at hand, there was one thing that bugged me.
“By the way, Claire, about my Gift…”
“Yes? What about it?”
“You said that we could determine if I had one or not in town, didn’t you? Do you think we can do that today?”
“Well, let’s see… What do you think, Sebastian?”
“I should imagine we can. After purchasing the necessary goods, we can visit the establishment I have in mind. In fact, I have already informed them that we will be paying a visit.”
“Does that answer your question, Takumi?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
A Gift. A blessing from the gods. They sound a lot like the so-called “cheat skills” that’re so common in anime and manga, so the other Gift-holders in this world might’ve also come from Japan. Not that I can prove that, of course…
“Takumi? You seem rather lost in thought,” Claire noted. “Is something the matter?”
“No, not really. I was just trying to figure out what Gifts really are.”
“What they are…?”
“While it has been said that Gifts convey all manner of blessings upon their holders, said holders are in fact quite rare,” Sebastian explained. “They are revered in whatever country or town they may appear in and shown the utmost respect. As such, no one has been so brazen as to investigate where, precisely, the phenomenon originates.”
“Wait… So, no one has ever tried to understand Gifts before?”
“Oh, I imagine several have tried, yes. However, the literature is quite clear in that the conditions for receiving a Gift, as well as the requisite traits of a would-be Gift-holder, are unknown.”
“Maybe they couldn’t find anything out, then…”
“I would imagine so. Gift-holders come in all forms, after all. Some are born with their powers. Others live normally for years or even decades before suddenly manifesting their Gift. Without a more substantial sample size, the precise conditions are nigh-impossible to determine.”
“I see… And there aren’t that many Gift-holders to begin with.”
“Correct. Some say the number is roughly one in a million.”
Wait, so maybe there are more Gift-holders out there than everyone thinks. That’s what, a thousand for every billion people? No, wait, I don’t even know this world’s population… That might still be pretty rare.
“Maybe it’s impossible to really know what a Gift is,” I sighed.
“You might be right,” Claire nodded. “Besides, I believe that what truly matters isn’t the abilities you’re born with, but how you use them.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. An amazing power means nothing if you can’t use it well. Even a weak or useless talent could be extremely useful if you use it right.”
“Exactly.”
It’s all how you use it, huh…? No matter what my Gift is, I’ll focus on putting it to the best use I possibly can. Then again, it might really be useless. Or I could not even have a Gift at all.
“Milady, Mr. Hirooka. We shall arrive in town shortly.”
Only an hour had passed since we’d left the mansion and I’d spent nearly the whole time mulling over Gifts.
“I shall find a place to park the carriage once we arrive. Please wait where I drop you off until I come to collect you.”
“Okay, we will.”
“We can watch over Miss Leo in the meantime.”
“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”
I didn’t doubt for an instant that Leo would stick by me, of course. I was honestly more worried at how the townsfolk might react.
I’m sure Leo will behave, though. I hope.
Several minutes later, we arrived at an imposingly tall stone wall. The guards at the gate talked to Sebastian for only a moment before letting us through. As we passed through, their jaws dropped at the sight of Leo. I wasn’t surprised. If anything, their reactions were almost funny.
About a minute after entering, we stopped at a small cobblestone square.
“Well then, milady, Mr. Hirooka. I shall return for you presently.”
“Okay. We’ll wait here.”
“Thank you, Sebastian.”
With that, Claire and I exited the carriage and Sebastian headed off to find the stable. Phillip walked his and Johanna’s horses behind him while Johanna herself waited with us. Leo sat beside me placidly.
After watching Phillip and Sebastian leave, I examined my surroundings. There were many people waiting to be either picked up or dropped off, like us. I also spotted multiple covered wagons and two-wheeled carts laden with crates, as well as more stereotypical horse-drawn wagons. All of it was so novel to my eyes, I couldn’t help but stare.
As I watched a few people disembark their wagon with interest, Claire got my attention.
“So, Takumi? What do you think of Ractos?”
“Ractos…? You mean this town? Well…it seems to have a lot of traffic.”
“Yes, it does. I wouldn’t call it particularly large, but it serves as a gateway between this region and the rest of the kingdom, including the capital. It’s quite lively.”
“A gateway? Like…everyone comes through here?”
That’d explain the sheer volume of people.
“This town is rather close to the capital, you see,” Claire explained. “But more than that, there aren’t many ways through the surrounding forest and mountains.”
“Forest? Like the one we met in?”
“Exactly. It blankets the town’s south and west sides, you see. Because of that, there are a fair number of monsters in the vicinity. The northern mountains are nearly as perilous as the forest. This town was built along the only safe passage through.”
“That makes sense. Why risk your life when you can go through a nice, safe town, after all?”
I couldn’t imagine that many people would risk danger like that, not to imagine that it sounded significantly slower.
“And those buildings across the square…they’re made of wood, right?”
“Yes. Nearly everything in this town is made of wood from the neighboring forest. The lumber industry in Ractos is booming, despite the monsters.”
So, no stone buildings, then… I guess wood would be easier and cheaper to build with, especially if it’s so common.
After chatting with Claire a while longer, Sebastian and Phillip came back to us from the far side of the square.
“My sincerest apologies for the wait, milady. Now, let us set about purchasing Mr. Hirooka’s things.”
“Yes, let’s!”
“By all means.”
Sebastian led us down one of the side streets with Johanna and Phillip in the rear. Moments later, we arrived on a bustling avenue, filled with all sorts of travelers. Merchants lined both sides of the street, calling out their wares to passersby. It was even busier than the square we’d just left.
“This is the largest market in town,” Sebastian announced. “Most vendors deal in some form of foodstuff.”
“Oh, I see.”
Claire smiled. “This is where the ingredients we use at the mansion come from.”
So all that delicious food came from here?
I looked around to find stalls selling a variety of meats and vegetables around us. Leo was trying to inch toward the nearest meat vendor as indiscreetly as possible. I grabbed hold of her fur.
Hold on, Leo! I know they’re selling sausages over there, but no leaving the group, okay? Besides, you’ve already had sausages twice today. You can wait a bit longer.
“…Wooo.”
Her tail drooped. I couldn’t tell if she was genuinely sorry or just sad that I’d found her out. But she seemed to give up on the stall either way.
Claire giggled. “Miss Leo is rather fond of sausages, isn’t she?”
“Too fond, actually. I’ve seen her go crazy for them before, so keep an eye on her.”
“Ruff!”
Claire was taking this far too lightly. If Leo decided she really wanted sausages, nobody could stop her, especially at her size. I resolved to keep an eye on her.
Is it just me, though, or is Claire extra nice to Leo?
“Takumi? Is there anything here you’re particularly interested in?”
“Hmm… Nothing’s really jumping out at me. I’ll keep an eye out, though.”
“Please do. If there’s anything that you’d like to buy, please don’t hesitate to let me know. That’s the entire reason we’re here, after all.”
“Right… Maybe I’ll look at the market here next time, though.”
All the foodstuffs I could see were no different from what I’d had in Japan. There weren’t any fish, but the vegetables all looked familiar. As we walked, we passed one stall that was selling cabbage and the one to its right sold pumpkins. Even the meat seemed very familiar to me.
I guess that means they have pigs and cows here? No, that orc looked and tasted just like pork, so maybe it’s monster meat.
“Mr. Hirooka, there is a tailor not far ahead that makes rather fine clothes. Perhaps we should head there first so you may acquire some new clothes?”
With that, Sebastian led the way down a side street and after a minute’s walk, we entered one of the neat wooden stores there. Leo, of course, waited for us outside.
“Welcome!” called the middle-aged man at the counter as we walked in. “Why, if it isn’t Lady Claire! It’s truly an honor to see you!”
“Hello, Harton. I would like you to tailor some clothes for Takumi here. Takumi, this is Harton the tailor.”
I gave him a short, polite bow. “My name is Takumi. It’s a pleasure.”
“I’m Harton. It’s a pleasure to meet you too, sir! I’ll get my things ready and then I’ll take your measurements right away.”
Does he mean he’ll make them from scratch? But I’m fine with anything, so long as it fits.
Harton began to root through the storage area at the back of the room and I could see him fiddling with something that looked vaguely like a tape measure.
“Wait, Claire? Do I really need something tailor-made? Can’t I just buy something premade?”
“Oh, come now, Takumi. There’s no such thing as premade clothes.”
There isn’t? So they don’t just make similar-looking clothes in bulk here?
“Milady,” Sebastian cut in, smiling. “Most people simply purchase clothes that fit their size, instead of having new ones made.”
“Really? Why, I’ve never heard of such a thing!”
Wow… She actually means that…
If she spent her entire life in a fancy mansion like that, though, it’d make sense that she was out of touch with the common folk. But more than anything, I was just glad I could buy something off the rack.
“Um… Harton?” I asked. “Could I see what premade clothes you have?”
Harton turned around. “Premade? Ah, yes. They’re right here.” He gestured to a display along the wall.
“Or we could have something tailored as planned…” Claire mumbled behind me.
Tailored clothes had to be expensive, though. As long as Claire was paying, I wanted to keep the price as low as reasonably possible.
Harton explained his selection to me in detail and in the end, I chose several full changes of clothes. I also bought an undershirt that seemed like it’d be plenty sweat absorbing, as well as several sets of underwear. Of course, Sebastian was the one who actually paid for everything, and Claire was no doubt the source of his money in turn.
I swear I’ll pay you back as soon as I can.
I moved to leave the store when Claire suddenly cut me off.
“Takumi! Why don’t we have some clothes tailored for you after all? Just one outfit?”
“Um… I’m really fine with just regular clothes, though.”
“No, I insist! You’ll need proper clothes, I swear!”
“Uh…”
She’s scary when she’s this persistent.
In the end, I gave in, and Claire asked Harton to tailor something for me. While he took my measurements, he asked about the kind of clothes I’d like. Since I didn’t even know what the options were, I simply asked him to make something in the same style as the clothes I borrowed from Sebastian.
While my measurements were being taken, I noticed that a few sets of shoes were put out as well. They had two different varieties, some made of leather and others wood. Since the wood ones looked super uncomfortable, I decided to buy a pair of the leather ones instead. They seem pretty similar to the dress shoes I’d worn for work, actually…
Speaking of shoes, I was wearing my business loafers at that moment. Even though I was transported to this world wearing exactly what I had on when I fell asleep, I was wearing my shoes when I woke up. I had no clue as to why, but no amount of thinking would give me the answer. I decided to just be grateful that I wasn’t barefoot.
“Very well, sir,” Harton said with a bow. “I’ll have your clothes ready in about a week’s time. Please come back then to pick up your order.”
Claire nodded. “All right. Thank you, Harton.”
“Thank you,” I echoed.
“Rest easy, sir!” An enthusiastic grin spread across his face. “I always put my best work into Lady Claire’s orders, so you can expect a masterpiece!”
With that, we left the tailor’s.
“I do believe your personal belongings come next,” Sebastian said. “I imagine a general store should suffice. Right this way, Mr. Hirooka.”
“All right.”
We returned to the market street, then headed down a different side street.
After walking for several minutes, however, a group of six men cut us off.
“Damn, you’re dressed mighty fancy for a shoppin’ trip!”
“We’re a little tight on cash, y’see?”
“How’s about you lend us some?”
“Wait up, boys, that lady’s lookin’ fine!”
“I bet she’s got a bundle hidden under that fancy dress, huh?”
“Why don’tcha share the wealth, sweetie?”
Did we just walk into a cliché?
All their lines were so cheesy, it felt as though I’d stepped into an old gangster movie. When I realized one of them was shooting Claire a dirty look, though, my disbelief quickly turned to anger.
Sebastian stepped in front of Claire and me. “Please stand back, milady.”
Phillip and Johanna followed him a moment later, hands on their swords and ready to draw. Small wonder, given that the men were all armed with knives. A few of their knives were extra long… I guessed they might be short swords.
“What, you wanna fight?”
“Hah! Ya think your dinky little swords can stop all of us, huh?”
“We got six people and you got two! This’ll be easy! Hahahahah!”
The other three men started guffawing.
Who “guffaws” these days, anyways? And really, ragged clothes with spiked shoulder pads? Are they trying to look as stereotypically thuggish as possible? Who knew thugs looked the same in every world, huh?
As I was getting lost in my thoughts, however, Leo sauntered toward the men.
“Th-The hell’s that?”
“Damn, that’s a big hound.”
“Ahh, so what if ya got a familiar?!”
“S-Screw your stupid mutt!” One of the men, knees knocking in terror, stabbed at Leo with his short sword.
“Leo!”
“Miss Leo!”
“Grrruuff.” Leo casually grabbed the blade in her teeth and, with a loud snap, crunched it clean in half.
All six thugs stared at her in disbelief, jaws scraping the dusty ground of the alley. The owner of the broken short sword looked blankly down at his weapon, up at Leo, then down at the shattered blade on the ground.
I was just as taken aback as them. “Uh…m-make sure you don’t swallow any metal, Leo.”
“Wuff…peh-peh.” She spat a few shards at the men’s feet. None of them moved a muscle.
“So…Claire? What should we do now?” I asked.
Claire mulled it over for a moment. “Let’s see… Could you fetch the town guard for us, Phillip?”
“Yes, ma’am!” With that, he ran back the way we’d came.
“Sebastian? Johanna?”
“At once, milady.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
At Claire’s command, they retrieved a length of rope from Johanna’s pack and began restraining the men. A few of them balked and took a few hesitant steps backward. But Leo let out a low growl and they froze in their tracks.
Claire sighed. “Honestly… What with all the travelers here, I’d hoped the guards would be more attentive.”
“Does that mean there are a lot of guys like this?” I asked.
“I wouldn’t say a lot, but there certainly are a few. They mainly target travelers, particularly merchants.”
Anyone traveling through here has to have a fair bit of money, or at least enough to make the trip safely. It makes sense they’d set up here, then.
Sebastian returned to us and bowed. “All the men are successfully bound, milady.”
“Thank you, Sebastian.”
“Hrruff.” As soon as the last man was secured, Leo snorted and turned around. Instantly, the ruffians began to struggle.
“Lemme go, dammit!”
“Hey! Untie me!”
“We’ll get you for this!”
Leo turned back to face them and bared her fangs, and all but one of them went silent again.
“Crap, I think I like this…” One of the men Johanna had hogtied seemed to be…enjoying himself. I looked away and pretended I didn’t hear anything.
Before long, Phillip came back with four armored guards in tow.
“Thank you for waiting, milady,” he said to Claire with a curt bow.
“These are the highwaymen?” One of the guards sized up the bound ruffians, then turned to Claire and bowed deeply. “My apologies for the trouble they caused you, Lady Claire. I’ll have them jailed post-haste.”
“Thank you,” she replied.
“Only doing my job,” he said with another bow.
Does everyone in town know who Claire is? He seemed to recognize her at a glance.
It wasn’t too surprising, considering the size of her mansion outside town, but the way he talked to her seemed a little too formal. I resolved to ask Sebastian for details later. I didn’t even know why she was living there in the first place. She mentioned that it was a villa, which implied that there had to be a main estate somewhere as well as a reason why she wasn’t living there.
As I mulled over her many secrets, the guards began escorting the ruffians away.
“Go on, scum. Move,” said a guard.
“Hey, you! No trying to sneak away!”
“You idiots really picked the wrong mark this time.”
“Pay more attention to who you rob.”
Claire and I watched as they walked off.
“I’m awfully sorry, Takumi,” she said. “I didn’t mean to use Leo like that.”
“Please don’t worry about it,” I replied. “Besides, Leo did that all on her own.”
“Roo… Ruff, ruff.” They were a bunch of chumps, she seemed to add.
The orcs in the forest had honestly felt more threatening. Anyone would be scared if a two-legged monster pig suddenly burst out of the woods and attacked them… even though Leo had dealt with it handily. It seemed like even Phillip and Johanna could’ve taken those street clowns.
“Um… Excuse me?” A voice came from behind us. I turned to see a young woman attempting to get our attention. She couldn’t have been past her teens. “That wolf wouldn’t happen to be your familiar, would it, sir? And you, miss…are you really Lady Claire, as those guardsmen said?”
I hesitated a moment. “Uh… This is Leo, and she’s not my familiar. She’s my partner.”
“And yes, I’m Claire. Is something amiss?”
With that, the woman dropped to one knee, bowing low as a knight might. I vaguely recalled learning in history class that some people bowed like that to nobles or other people of high rank… Or maybe it was how commoners bowed to a noble, I couldn’t remember which.
“My apologies, Lady Claire! Your visit would normally be the most auspicious of occasions! Yet, we failed to even notice!”
“Oh, no,” Claire cut her off. “I’m in town on a private matter. There’s no need for you or the other townsfolk to cause such a commotion.”
“You are too kind,” the woman said, dipping her head even lower for a moment before standing up.
Wait…what was that about other townsfolk?
I took a quick look around, only just realizing that several dozen people had gathered all around us.
“Lady Claire… If you don’t mind my curiosity, could that wolf possibly be…?”
Claire and Sebastian exchanged glances.
“It might be best to come clean or else they might start spreading rumors,” Claire whispered.
“I concur, milady,” he whispered back.
Claire then turned to face me. “Takumi? Might I ask a favor of you?”
“What is it?”
Sebastian replied in her stead, loudly enough for the whole crowd to hear. “Judging from Leo’s size and the ease with which she broke that sword, these kind folk may be curious as to what, precisely, she is. Might I ask you to explain to them?”
In other words, tell them she’s a silver fenrir.
“Sure, why not?” I replied. “I don’t have anything to hide from them.”
“I see,” he nodded. “Thank you for your understanding.”
The woman gave us an uneasy look. “Um… Pardon me?”
“Oh, right,” I replied. “What was your name?”
“M-My name is Emeralda! It’s a pleasure.”
“Okay, Emeralda. Can you tell me exactly what you think Leo is?”
“Yes…w-well, that wolf of yours has rather striking silver fur and she’s accompanying Lady Claire. Not only that, but judging from her size and the strength of her fangs, I thought that she might just be a silver fenrir. Normal wolves don’t bite swords, after all.”
“You’re exactly right,” Claire nodded. “This is Miss Leo. She’s Takumi’s familiar. Don’t worry, she won’t harm a soul.”
“A-Are you sure…?”
Emeralda cautiously sized Leo up. She looked at Leo a lot like Gelda had during our first encounter.
But wait, why would being with Claire indicate she’s a fenrir? I guess I’ll have to ask about that later. I bet Sebastian would love to explain it all to me.
Now, though, I had to show these people—not just Emeralda but the whole crowd—just how harmless Leo was. A few of them looked like they were saying their prayers and waiting for death.
“Emeralda?”
“Y-Yes?”
“Leo’s really nice, I promise. You don’t need to be so afraid.”
“But they say silver fenrir are the strongest creatures alive… How could one possibly be nice?”
“I’ll show you. Leo, lay down.”
“Ruff!” Leo laid down.
“See? She’s obedient, too.” I gave Leo a pat on the head.
“What…?”
The entire crowd gasped in shock.
“Leo doesn’t attack people,” I explained. “And if you’ll notice, she’s been perfectly calm the whole time we’ve been here, and none of the guards have tried to get rid of her. Isn’t that proof enough?”
“Well… I suppose you have a point. The guards did seem okay with her…”
“I naturally had a word with them beforehand. They believe Miss Leo is one of milady’s bodyguards.” Sebastian suddenly leaned in close from behind me to whisper, causing me to jolt a little.
I didn’t remember seeing him saying anything to any guards except at the gate, so he must have told them then, or while he and Phillip had been stabling the horses.
“Why don’t you come closer, Emeralda?” I asked her.
“B-But…”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of. Come here.”
“O-Okay.”
After a little more urging, she raised a trembling hand and placed it on Leo’s head. Leo didn’t seem to mind. If anything, she seemed to be enjoying the attention.
“Ruff, ruff.”
“You’re right… She is rather gentle.”
“Isn’t she?”
“Yes. And her fur…it’s so soft. I wish I could keep petting her forever. I never knew silver fenrir felt like this.”
“Yeah, I know. She’s the softest pup I know.”
It’s as though her fluff can just suck away all the bad things in life.
Emeralda’s expression rapidly began to soften, changing from nervous to euphoric in moments.
…Okay, yeah, maybe she’s enjoying it a little too much. She does know everyone’s watching her, right?
Claire’s brow furrowed in concern. “Um… Emeralda?”
“O-Oh, of course!” Emeralda finally snapped out of her ecstasy with a shake of her head. She quickly pulled her hand away and turned to face Claire.
Claire turned to address the crowd. “I’ll also have you know that Miss Leo is staying at my family villa. Please, take that as a sign of her harmlessness as well.”
Emeralda nodded. “Y-Yes, of course. I’m not worried anymore, Lady Claire. I know now she only looks scary. My sincerest apologies for jumping to the wrong conclusion.”
“Oh, no, don’t apologize. You’re right, she does look rather frightening.”
“Ruuuff?!” Leo seemed to take offense.
Sorry, Leo. But you know I don’t think you’re scary. I think you’re really cool…unless you’d rather be thought of as something different?
Leo seemed to pick up on my thoughts from the look on my face.
“Rooo.”
Oh. So…you like being cool. That’s cool!
After that, Emeralda helped allay the townsfolk’s fears. Fortunately, it seemed as though most of them were convinced and some even offered to spread Leo’s praises in town. Having Claire with us probably helped a lot, though.
Isn’t that great, Leo? Now nobody will be afraid of you.
We still had a general store to get to. But, as we were about to leave, the gathered townsfolk all wanted to pet Leo. Since I didn’t want Leo to feel too overwhelmed, I had her sit, and the townsfolk were allowed to line up and touch Leo’s forelegs one at a time. As they came and went, some people even bowed before her and started praying, while others burst into tears.
Why do I feel we’re gonna be here a while?
🐾🐾🐾
IT took nearly two hours for the crowd around Leo to disperse. After that, we bid farewell to Emeralda and finally made it to the general store.
Sebastian cleared his throat with great pomp as we arrived. “Though it took far more time that I had intended… Mr. Hirooka, I present to you the finest general store in Ractos.”
“Wow…”
Though it couldn’t quite compare to Claire’s villa, it was easily the biggest building I’d seen yet. It was three-stories tall and made of quality lumber, and an impressive gate stood just outside the entrance. It still wasn’t big enough to fit Leo, though.
“Sorry, girl. Wait outside with Phillip, okay?”
She watched us go in without her, a sorrowful look in her eyes. I could feel her tugging at my heartstrings.
As soon as we stepped inside, a slightly plump man in neatly tailored clothes and an upward-pointing moustache approached us. “What a pleasure it is to receive you at my humble establishment, Lady Claire.”
Ooh, isn’t that a Kaiser moustache? I always wanted one when I was a kid…not that I think it’d look good on me now…
Claire smiled and nodded. “The pleasure’s all mine, Hein.”
“But of course. And this gentleman is…?”
“M-My name’s Takumi Hirooka,” I stammered, feeling more than a little intimidated.
“Mr. Hirooka, is it? Please, call me Hein. I am the owner of this humble little general store.”
Hein then took over as our guide, taking us from one tidy display to the next. It appeared they dealt in nearly everything, including food. When we arrived on the second floor, I was shocked to find all manner of weapons and armor on display.
According to Hein, his selection wasn’t as good as an armorer’s but was more than sufficient for display or simple self-defense. His prices were low, and people seemed to buy equipment from him quite often. Part of me had always wanted to be a swordsman, but I decided not to buy anything there. It wasn’t my money, after all.
I might return after finding a proper job, though.
Hein continued leading us through the endless maze of racks and shelves. It was almost more like a modern shopping mall than a general store. I even spotted a few independent kiosks here and there. I noticed that a few items had small tags attached, and strangely enough, I could read them if I concentrated a little—and this was a whole new world, even! Not just another country. Instead of derailing the tour there to investigate, though, I decided to put that problem aside and focus on the wares themselves.
Of everything that Hein had showed us, the clocks were the most interesting. There were several there, including a few pocket watches. It took me a moment to figure out exactly what was so different about them: they didn’t have a minute or second hand. According to Claire, there simply wasn’t any need to measure time that precisely on a regular basis. She was flat-out puzzled when I told her that an hour had sixty minutes and a minute consisted of sixty seconds.
Not only that, but the clocks here all went up to fourteen, not twelve—in other words, they had twenty-eight hours a day in this world. I couldn’t tell if this planet revolved slower than Earth or if they simply thought of time differently. Until then, I thought the main distinguishing feature from my original world was the whole monsters-and-magic thing.
But maybe the differences are a lot deeper. Maybe Claire and I have fundamentally different concepts of time.
Having finished his tour, Hein turned to face us. “All right, good sir. Did anything catch your interest?”
“Well… I think I want a clock.”
“Ah, a wise choice,” he nodded. “A rather useful piece for any room, I daresay. Time is money, after all.”
“Yeah. Ideally, I would like a shelf clock and a pocket watch. But I think I only want one for my room today.”
I’m spending Claire’s money, after all.
“Why not both?” Claire asked. “We’ll take both, please, Hein.”
“Really? Thank you.”
I felt a little guilty, but Hein was eager in handing over our purchases.
“Thank you, sir and madam. You have quite the discerning eyes. Is there anything else I might interest you in?”
“Well…”
I wanted to buy only the essentials for the time being. Hein took me on another quick tour through the store, this time collecting all the necessities. The biggest find was probably a wide-bladed shaving knife, a lot more similar to a typical razor. It still wasn’t T-shaped, of course, but it was far easier to use than the little knife Sebastian had lent me. With that, my morning shaving needs were all tended to…hopefully.
Here’s hoping I get used to it soon.
After mulling over the selection for a while, I bought two large and two small leather bags at Sebastian’s recommendation. The larger ones were about large enough to fit a watermelon and the smaller ones were roughly fist sized. Apparently, they used bags for wallets here, since all their money was in coins instead of bills. I also bought a fifth bag, one with a drawstring, for carrying things on the go. It wasn’t exactly a backpack, but it seemed sturdy enough and, apparently, it was quite common to carry one over the shoulder.
After that, I stepped away from Claire for a bit to look at some other goods.
“Is something amiss?” Sebastian asked, coming closer. “I had thought you found all that you needed.”
“No, it’s not that… I just noticed this jewelry and I started thinking.”
“Ah. I had not taken you to be the type for accessorizing.”
“It’s not for me. You see, I thought Claire and Tilura might like them.”
“Oh, I see. You wish to surprise them.”
“Yeah, that’s it. It wouldn’t feel right buying them presents with Claire’s money, though, so I guess I’ll have to give up on them for now.”
“Hmm… I daresay that they would rather enjoy such gifts. All right, then, allow me to purchase these items in your stead. It will, of course, still be your present to milady. You may consider it a reward, if you will, for saving their lives.”
“But… Are you sure?”
He chuckled. “Naturally. I had intended on gifting you such a sum from the start. As such, do not worry yourself with returning any of the fees incurred on this shopping expedition.”
“Really? I didn’t do much of anything, though. Leo was the one who saved them. I couldn’t possibly accept.”
“You are a rather considerate young man, Mr. Hirooka, but I insist. I bid you, accept this as a personal gift.”
“…Okay, I guess I will, then.”
I picked out the two accessories I’d been eyeing—a pretty little flower-shaped hairpin and a pendant with a silver wolf motif—and handed them both to Sebastian.
I’m still paying you back later, though.
🐾🐾🐾
AFTER that, I bought a few other knick-knacks and checked out…or rather, Sebastian did for me.
Sorry and thank you.
“Thank you very much for your most generous patronage,” Hein said with a smile. “Please come again.”
“Yes, we will,” replied Claire.
“Thank you, Hein,” I said with a bow.
When we left the store, Leo greeted us with an enthusiastic tail wag. After stopping to scratch her chin, we started walking back to the carriage, carrying all the things I’d bought—though I was carrying most of it, of course. They were my things, after all. As such, I couldn’t let Sebastian or the guards carry them in good conscience, much less Claire. The clothes were particularly bulky, but not too heavy for me to handle.
By the time we were halfway back to the carriage, the sun had already begun to set. It’ll probably start getting dark by the time we leave.
“We ended up taking a while,” I said to Claire. “Especially after that run-in with the highwaymen and all.”
“Yes… I imagine it’ll be totally dark by the time we return.”
“Do you think Tilura will be asleep by then?”
“I wonder… She seemed rather tired when we left, but I think that she’s probably awake by now and eagerly awaiting Miss Leo’s return.”
“I feel kind of bad for making her wait so long.”
“Oh, don’t be. Waiting with grace is all part of being a lady.”
“Waiting, huh? Come to think of it, weren’t you out in that forest looking for herbs because you weren’t able to wait?”
“Oh, don’t be like that!” She turned away from me haughtily. But I could tell her cheeks were red with embarrassment.
Sebastian watched us from behind with a warm smile. To be honest, I’d really enjoyed the little trip, and walking through town like this felt like the perfect way to end it. I’d never taken a stroll like this alone, let alone with anyone. I was swamped with school and part-time work when I began living alone, and after I’d graduated, I’d gone straight into the workforce. Leo took up all my free time then, which was fun, but it wasn’t the same. Now, though, I could finally stop to smell the roses.
I suddenly stopped. “Wait a second. I think we forgot something.”
“What could you mean, Takumi?”
“Weren’t we going to find out if I have a Gift or not?”
“Oh! You’re right, it entirely slipped my mind.”
Sebastian nodded sagely. “’Tis indeed late, but not too late for one last stop. In fact, the establishment I have in mind is not far from where the horses are stabled.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
I’d no idea how long it would take, but at least it wasn’t too far out of our way. With that, we decided to quicken our pace a little and head to this place.
Before long, we arrived at a small, grey building at the end of a narrow alleyway. Instead of a name, there was just a six-pointed star on its black wooden door. It was exactly the kind of place I would’ve avoided like the plague if I’d been alone, but I trusted Sebastian enough to not be too afraid. Leo, of course, stayed outside again, this time with Johanna.
Sebastian led the way, calling out as he set foot inside. “Hello? Are you back there?”
A moment later, an old woman with stark white hair and a slight hunch emerged from the back of the store.
“Took you long enough. I thought you weren’t coming after all.”
“My apologies, Isabel. We ran slightly behind schedule.”
“Well, that’s your problem… Oh! If it isn’t Lady Claire! Your Ladyship.” She bowed jerkily.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Isabel?”
“I should say so. Well, Sebastian? Where’s the fellow who wants his mana examined? Is that him?” She jabbed a finger at me.
“Indeed, it is,” he replied with a nod.
“Let’s take a look-see, then.”
A mana examination? I thought she was going to be investigating my Gift?
Come to think of it, though, Claire mentioned something about how detecting my mana levels could determine if I had a Gift or not. Now that the time had finally come, I started to feel a little nervous.
“The name’s Isabel,” the old woman said with a slight bow. “I’m the old crone who runs this magic shop.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Takumi.”
“Takumi, eh? Well, how’s about ya put your hand on this here crystal?”
“Okay, I can do that.”
She gestured toward a bowling-ball-sized sphere on the counter. It was almost completely transparent, except for a speck of something red in the center. It didn’t seem to be an impurity or anything, though, and it flickered on and off with a steady rhythm.
Wow, she looks just like a fortuneteller, and she’s got a crystal ball…but I bet this is actually magical.
As soon as I rested my hand on it, the spot strobed for a moment, then turned into a green light bright enough to fill the entire room.
“I see, I see…” Isabel muttered.
“What, if I may ask, is the verdict?” Sebastian asked.
“Hold your horses! Can’t you let an old woman focus?! …Ah, so that’s it…”
As she studied it, the crystal began flashing from green to red then back again. It wasn’t too bright, but I wanted to avoid being too close to it in the dark.
“There,” Isabel said after a moment. “I know everything now, Takumi.”
“So? How is it?”
She furrowed her brow slightly before continuing. “Well, you have a fair bit of mana, that’s for certain. I’d imagine you could become quite the magic user, if you put your mind to it.”
“Really?”
That meant that I could use magic, too. Maybe now, I could be a wizard, just like I’d dreamed as a kid. Not that I’d go looking for a fight with my magic, though.
“But there’s something else here…” Isabel trailed off.
“What is it?”
“Can you tell what it is, Isabel?” Claire asked.
“…You have a Gift, don’t you, boy?”
“I knew it!” Claire beamed.
“You did?” Isabel’s eyes opened wide. “How?”
“Well, I didn’t know for certain. But there were a few things that we couldn’t explain otherwise.”
“Ah, yes, I’d reckon so,” Isabel nodded.
An eager look crossed Sebastian’s face. “Well? What is it?”
He looks more excited than I am… Not that I don’t want to know myself, of course.
“It’s called Herb Cultivation, looks like. He can, well, cultivate herbs with it.”
“Herb— What?”
Oof, that sounds nice and useless. What a letdown.
“So…what precisely can it do?” Claire asked.
“Well, for one thing, he can grow herbs, weeds—anything that’s not a crop, really—wherever he likes.”
“Does that include medicinal plants?”
“How should I know all the ins and outs? Basically, if it’s a plant that grows wherever it feels like, without anyone needing to care for it, then he can grow it and do whatever else he wants with it.”
“I see…” Claire muttered. “I knew he must’ve made that capwort grow somehow.”
“Does some part of that sound familiar to you, milady?” Sebastian asked.
“Well, when Takumi and I were in the forest looking for capwort, we didn’t have any luck at all for the longest time. Then, as soon as he sat down, there some was, like magic. I knew something about it was strange.”
“In other words, you believe that you found the capwort by virtue of Mr. Hirooka’s Gift. Is that correct?”
“Yes, I think so. What do you think, Takumi?”
“You might be right… Come to think of it, it sprang right up while I was thinking of it with my hand on the ground.”
“Really?” Claire asked in surprise. “Then I really couldn’t have found the capwort without you.”
“So it would seem,” Sebastian mused.
Isabel nodded. “See? Just like I told you! Growing anything you want, anywhere you want it. That’s a mighty fine Gift.”
“But didn’t you dry the capwort as well?” Claire asked. “Do you think your Herb Cultivation did that as well?”
“That’s right… I caught the capwort and then it was dried right out. It was all ready for medicinal use.”
“Yep, Herb Cultivation,” Isabel chimed. “Guess that means you can also change herbs however you please.”
“Come to think of it, I was thinking of drying capwort at the time…”
Claire nodded. “That about settles it, then.”
Honestly, I don’t know if this is amazing or just kinda lame. Might be a useful skill for a pharmacist or something, though.
I bowed to Isabel. “Thank you so much. Without you, I’m not sure I would have ever figured this out.”
“Nah, I just read it straight off the crystal. But listen here, Takumi. This’s important.”
“What is it?”
“A Gift’s a powerful thing, and how you use it is on you. Heck, you can ignore it for all I care. Just think good and hard before you go using it, a’right?”
“Okay. I will.”
Maybe there is a way for me to use it after all… It sounds like that’ll be the hard part.
Sebastian nodded. “Well, then. Now that the matter of Mr. Hirooka’s Gift has been resolved, I propose we head back to the villa.”
“What, leaving already?” Isabel seemed almost disappointed.
“The sun shall be setting soon, after all—not to mention that Lady Tilura is anticipating our return.”
“That so? A’right, but next time, you visit me first. You hear?”
“And so we shall.”
“Thank you, Isabel,” Claire said with a curtsy.
“Thank you very much for everything,” I bowed.
With that, we left the store.
Maybe she’s lonely, managing that little store all alone… I’ll have to at least take a nice, long look at her magic items next time.
After reuniting with Johanna and Leo outside, we hurried back to the carriage to head home.
Come to think of it, Phillip came in with us, but he didn’t say a word the whole time… All he did was look shocked at my having a Gift. Being a guard must be rough…
🐾🐾🐾
BY the time we arrived back at the villa, night had fallen. According to my new pocket watch, it was ten o’clock, or about eight by my original world’s time.
“It’s pretty late, isn’t it?” I remarked.
“It is,” Claire replied. “I hope Tilura hasn’t been waiting too long.”
When we opened the front door, we found about a dozen servants waiting for us.
“Welcome home milady, Mr. Hirooka,” they called out in unison.
“We’ve returned,” Claire said casually.
“Um… Th-Thank you for meeting us.”
I still felt so self-conscious, having so many people welcome me home at once. It was a far cry from having only Leo waiting for me.
“Dinner is ready for you, milady,” one of the servants said with a bow.
“All right. Why don’t you drop off your things before we head to the dining hall, Takumi?”
“Okay. But, uh…where’s that?”
I’d only eaten in the parlor so far, and I hadn’t had a chance to explore much of the enormous house yet.
“Allow me to escort you, Mr. Hirooka,” Laila said as she broke rank with the other maids to come forward. “But first, your things.”
She reached out to take my luggage, but servant or not, I didn’t want to make a woman carry anything for me. We reached a swift compromise, though, and I handed her half of my bounty.
“Take good care of him, Laila,” Claire said.
“As you wish.”
She curtsied to Claire, then led the way to my room, with Leo plodding along behind us. As soon as I arrived, I let out a sigh and Leo yawned. Just going into town had taken a lot out of me. It was a whole new world, after all—but it still wasn’t as bad as working overtime at my job. We dropped off my things, then made for the dining hall. Just before we went in, however, I stopped.
I’d better give Leo a little reward for today.
“C’mere, Leo.”
“Woo?”
“You were such a good girl today! You let all those weird people pet you, and now they don’t think you’re scary anymore!”
“Ruff, ruff!”
I gave her a very thorough head-scratching.
“Oh, and thank you for saving us from those bad men.”
“Ruuuuff!” Nah, that was a walk in the park, she seemed to be saying.
Granted, it did look pretty easy for her—to the point where I almost felt sorry for them. If she’d wanted to, I bet she could’ve torn them all to shreds in an instant. Of course, I didn’t want her fighting monsters if she didn’t need to, let alone humans.
“Ruff, ruff.”
“Haha, thanks.” I brought my face close to hers. “Just having you makes this whole crazy experience way more fun.”
“Ruff!”
The real Gift was having Leo with me. I didn’t need magic or anything else as long as she was with me. I couldn’t thank her enough.
“Mr. Hirooka?” Laila called out to us. “I believe milady is waiting for you.”
“Oh, right. I’m sorry.” Honestly, I nearly forgot she was there. I could feel my cheeks flush. Embarrassed, I followed her to the dining room, petting Leo as she followed along beside me.
She wasn’t watching that whole time, was she?
“Please don’t worry about it.”
Her fingers twitched slightly as she watched me stroke Leo, as if she were envisioning doing the same herself. Come to think of it, she called Leo cute back when Gelda was still scared out of her wits. I made a mental note to let her pet Leo later. Leo probably wouldn’t mind. She seemed pretty attached to the servants already—after all, they were the ones who fed her.
When I stepped into the dining room, the first thing I noticed was the massive table. It was the absurdly long kind, and it looked big enough to seat some twenty people with ease. At far end of the table, way across the room from me, sat Claire. Tilura was seated right beside her, and Sebastian was standing behind her as always.
I wonder when he eats?
“Takumi?” Claire called out.
“Sorry for making you all wait.”
“Welcome home, Takumi! And you, too, Miss Leo!” Tilura’s smile was bright enough to outshine the sun.
“Ruff!”
She looked about ready to bolt across the room to bury herself in Leo’s fur, but Claire caught the hem of her clothes at the last moment and shot her a stern look.
“Um… Where should I sit?” I asked.
I didn’t know a thing about proper manners, and while I didn’t want to come off as uncivilized, it was better than embarrassing myself. Better to ask and look stupid a moment than not ask and feel stupid for a lifetime.
Laila gestured at the seat immediately across the table from Tilura, the seat one from the far end on the table’s right side. “Please, be seated.”
“Thank you.”
“Ruff.”
As I sat down, I noticed that there was no chair to my immediate right, the seat directly across from Claire. It looked like the table was set so that Leo could eat there. I resolved to properly thank the servants later.
“I’d like us to be equals here, so I decided on this rather unorthodox arrangement,” Claire smiled. “It’s easier to talk like this, isn’t it?”
I smiled. “Yeah, it is. I’m really glad to hear that, since I don’t know a lot about the local table manners. I hope you can teach me some later, though.”
“I can teach you!” Tilura shouted, bounding out of her seat again.
Claire shot her another look. “You need to know proper manners before you can teach them.”
Tilura deflated back into her seat. “Fine…”
“Woo-wooo!”
“Why don’t we learn proper manners together, Tilura? Leo just said that she’d like to learn, too.”
“Really?! Okay!”
“Ruff!”
As we chatted, the double-doors opened and a small cart laden with food was wheeled in. Dinner was a meat sauté in a savory sauce, a salad with thick, colorful dressing, and a creamy white stew. A potage, maybe? Leo had fewer sausages this time, but there was a neat salad in a bowl beside them. A servant also placed a large basin of milk on the ground beside the table.
They did say that last night was a welcoming feast for Leo and I, which’d explain why there was so much food… This is probably what their normal meals are like.
As soon as all the food was laid out in front of us, a young woman in a chef’s hat came out to greet us.
“Milady, Lady Tilura, Mr. Hirooka, Miss Leo, please enjoy your meals.”
I decided to start with the salad. Unlike this morning’s offering, the dressing was quite rich.
Yep, nothing wrong with a good salad. Gotta get those greens, after all!
Next, I tried the meat. It tasted and felt a lot like beef and it went amazingly with the sauce. After a while, I decided to try a bit of the potage. It was nice and tasty and served as an excellent palate cleanser. Better yet, it really enhanced the meat’s flavors when eaten together.
Man, the food in this world is amazing!
They didn’t seem to have any rice or miso soup, but it was a relief to know that was one less thing I needed to worry about.
“This is really good. Thank you very much,” I commented.
“Ruff!” Leo nodded.
“My pleasure,” the cook said, bowing low.
Claire smiled as she sipped her soup. “You seem rather fond of it, Takumi.”
“I am. Everything I’ve had since coming here has been amazing.”
She chuckled. “It sounds like you have a new fan, Helena.”
“So it seems, milady,” the chef replied with a nod. “There’s no greater pleasure than serving good food.”
Claire turned back to me. “Oh, I forgot to introduce you. This is the villa’s head chef, Helena.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I said. “Thank you for all the wonderful food.”
“Please, no need to thank me. Knowing that you enjoy my humble offerings is plenty.”
A slightly awkward silence followed since, after thanking each other, neither of us knew what to say. There wasn’t anything to add, though, so long as I enjoyed the food and she enjoyed making it.
What surprised me, though, was how young Helena looked. She had to have been in her twenties and yet, she was head cook—and as a woman, no less. I had the impression that all the best restaurants in Japan were led by men in their forties or fifties or something like that. I didn’t know how true it was, but I wasn’t any less impressed either way. At any rate, her skills were the real deal.
“Today’s food is extra yummy, Helena!” Tilura beamed.
“Why, thank you, Lady Tilura.”
I could practically feel Tilura’s energy radiating from across the table. She seemed even more energetic than she had this morning.
I get the feeling Leo will be awake for quite some time…
🐾🐾🐾
LAILA served us tea after dinner and I was reminded of just how good her tea was. Leo was curled up on the floor beside the table, blissed out on sausages, and Tilura had slipped into the middle of all her silver fur for cuddles. I was afraid that she was ready to play up a storm, but she was being surprisingly docile.
I guess Leo’s just that comfy…
Sebastian, Laila, and Gelda were all hovering a short distance away from Claire and I, ready to refill our cups if they ever came close to empty. Helena had already headed back into the kitchen with the dishes, evidently quite pleased that we’d enjoyed everything.
This is probably the best shot I’ll get at asking Claire about herself.
“Claire?”
“What is it, Takumi?”
“Well… I told you some stuff about myself yesterday. So I was wondering if you might tell me a bit about yourself?”
“About me? Oh, my…” Her face flushed bright red and her voice was barely louder than a whisper. Her gaze dropped to the table. “I-I’m not sure how to answer that…”
“Um… I know we only met yesterday, but I really want to know why you’re living in this ‘villa,’ and why even the townsfolk seem to respect you so much. Would you mind telling me?”
“O-Oh! Th-that’s what you meant. All right. I suppose it’s only fair to tell you, after all you told me about yourself.” She let out a sigh and continued so quietly I could barely hear her. “Honestly, you almost gave me the wrong idea…”
“Claire?”
“…No, it’s nothing! Let’s see, your first question was about the villa, was it?”
“Yeah.”
“To make a long story short, Tilura and I are here to be away from our father.”
Oof, that sounds rough.
“You mean you had to run away from your own dad?”
“In a way, yes. He’s always doted on us, but he just wouldn’t stop going on about potential suitors.”
“Suitors?”
“He would constantly ask his friends and acquaintances if they had any unmarried sons! He had a new bachelor lined up for us nearly every day. I remember once, I had to turn down five men in one afternoon! Gods, that was stressful…”
“He sounds, uh…like a lot…”
I didn’t have any kids—I wasn’t even married—but I often used to hear about overprotective fathers trying to prevent their daughters from even dating. Granted, there had to be some exceptions to the rule, and I heard that parents could get really overbearing if their daughters married too late…but Claire was still so young. Between that and how nice she was, I bet she’d find someone to marry sooner or later.
Claire…getting married…
The thought caused my chest to tighten a little for some reason.
More importantly, though, I was glad to hear that she wasn’t on awful terms with her dad or anything. It could’ve been far worse, even if she thought him a pain.
Claire shook her head. “The worst of it is, he would even try to marry off Tilura—and she’s barely ten!”
“That’s crazy.”
I looked at Tilura nestled in Leo’s fur. She was looking at us curiously, likely having heard her name but not knowing what for.
“We were both rather fed up with his plans, honestly. And so, we decided to leave the main mansion and live here instead.”
“That makes sense. I can only imagine how annoying he must be.”
“Oh, he is! You wouldn’t believe some of the things he’s tried!”
Claire spent nearly the next half hour complaining to me about her father.
Wow… Girls really get worked up about this kind of thing, don’t they?
She clearly had a lot of long-buried resentments to unleash, especially since she clearly wasn’t the type to complain to her servants. I could see Sebastian and the maids giving me pitying glances throughout Claire’s rant.
“I’m sorry for making you listen to that,” she said after she was finally done.
“Oh, no. I’m just glad you were able to get that out of your system. It’s not healthy to keep those feelings bottled up inside too long.”
Back when I’d first started working, there were a few times where I almost got overwhelmed with stress. I didn’t have anyone to talk to, though, so I ended up venting to Leo. Not that she’d understood, of course. She’d always just stare back at me blankly.
“Let’s see, what was your next question?” Claire asked. “Oh, yes, about the townsfolk.”
“Yeah. They all called you ‘Lady’ Claire and the guards all seemed to know exactly who you were.”
“I suppose I’ll need to bring up my father again.”
For a moment I thought she was going to start complaining again, but she seemed far more composed than before.
“You see, the Libert family is a line of dukes and duchesses, of which my father is the present head. This villa and all the lands that surround it, including Ractos, are all part of his domain.”
“Wait…duke, as in nobility?”
“Yes. We follow a rather strict noble hierarchy in this kingdom. From the bottom, they consist of baron, viscount, count, margrave, marquis, duchess, duke and finally, the royal family. In other words, our family is second in power to only the King.”
I knew she was nobility! By medieval European standards, she must be a goddess. I guess by Japanese standards, then, she’d be like a vice-shogun…maybe? Um, maybe not…history never was my strong suit…
I suddenly felt very self-conscious. “U-Um… I’m so sorry for all the rude things I’ve said and done in your presence. Could you possibly find it in your heart to forgive me?”
“What are you saying, Takumi? You haven’t been rude once since I’ve known you. If anything, I ought to thank you more properly for all the help you’ve been to me. Please keep treating me the same as you always have. But…”
“But?”
“I did notice that you seem preoccupied with being polite around me. You aren’t used to speaking like that, are you?”
“Y-You think so?”
“In fact, you seem far more natural when you talk with Tilura. I’d love it if you’d talk to me the same way.”
“…Are you sure?”
I looked at Claire, then Sebastian and the maids.
Sebastian gave me a reluctant nod. “If milady insists, then, I encourage you to do so. We must also take into consideration that you are a Gift-holder, and that you’ve a silver fenrir at your beck and call. By rights, you would outrank her.”
“Wait… Me, outrank a duke’s daughter?”
That can’t be right. Wouldn’t that put me on par with the royal family?
Claire nodded. “You’ve noticed that we all refer to her as ‘Miss’ Leo, don’t you?”
“Yeah…even people who are afraid of her call her that.”
“Doesn’t it strike you as strange that a duke’s daughter would refer to a monster—pardon my language—so formally?”
“Come to think of it, you’re right.”
“And when we first met, I mentioned that this kingdom’s royal crest features a silver fenrir, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, you did.”
“The Libert family’s own crest also has a silver fenrir, except ours has fangs and claws.” She pulled out a palm-sized emblem and showed it to me. “See?”
The crest had a wolf that looked just like Leo on it. Its teeth were bared and its right foreleg was raised to show off its claws. The whole thing was made from glistening silver.
“Wow, you’re right…”
“The royal family uses the silver fenrir to symbolize supremacy, a state that will never crumble or falter. The Libert family, however, takes it to symbolize that it has never been defeated in battle. Not only that, but according to legend, the Libert family’s founder was said to be on good terms with a silver fenrir.”
“But didn’t you say that silver fenrir don’t serve anyone?”
“Yes. It’s said that they weren’t master and servant, but rather, that they were equals. Nobody knows the details, but it’s said that the silver fenrir was always there in times of need and together, they were unstoppable on the battlefield. It was in recognition of the founder’s war victories, in fact, that the Libert family was made nobility.”
“War?”
“Yes. In those days, the kingdom fought many wars with its neighbors. It’s said that whenever the founder stepped onto the battlefield, the silver fenrir would ride the wind to their aid.”
She told me how silver fenrir are supposed to be the strongest monsters in the world, but I didn’t think they change the course of a whole war…!
“After the Libert family led the kingdom to victory, they were given this crest. Since then, my family has had a tradition of honoring silver fenrir in recognition of their aid.”
It was hard to imagine that Leo was any kind of mighty warrior, though, especially considering how she was currently curled up and sleeping off a bucketful of sausages.
Leo noticed I was looking at her and raised her head. “Woo?”
I tried to give her a reassuring look, but I didn’t know if it came across.
Claire continued. “That’s also why the people in these lands all know about silver fenrir.”
“Because of your family’s legend?”
“Exactly. That’s also why Emeralda and the other villagers thought it so natural that I’d have one with me.”
Come to think of it, Emeralda had said something like that. Seeing Leo’s fangs and claws must’ve made it especially easy to recognize her from the legend.
“That’s one of the reasons why you and Leo will always be welcome here…not to mention that you saved my life, of course.” Her smile was almost dazzlingly bright.
I laughed awkwardly and looked away. “I-I didn’t do anything. Leo was the one who saved you.”
Looking around at Sebastian, the maids and even Tilura, I realized that we really were welcome there. That much should’ve been obvious after all they’d done for Leo and I. But now, I could feel their warmth all over again.
I couldn’t just keep leeching off Claire’s wealth, though. I had to make my own way in the world, and I had a feeling the key lay in my Herb Cultivation skills.
Sebastian seemed to recall something at that moment, and he came around the table to whisper in my ear. “Mr. Hirooka? A moment?”
“Wh-What is it?”
Wow… I knew that Sebastian was handsome and all, but seeing him up close like this is a whole different experience…
“When do you intend to give milady and Lady Tilura your presents? I imagine they would both be rather pleased.”
“Presents…? Oh, right!” My voice was a little louder than I’d intended, and both Claire and the maids gave me questioning looks.
I’d almost forgotten about the gifts.
“Do you think now would be a good time?” I whispered back.
“I believe that having heard milady’s tale, now would in fact be the optimal time for such a gift.”
“Okay.”
I’d left most of my things back in my room, but still had the presents in my waistcoat pocket. I rested them both on the table in front of me.
“Claire? Tilura?”
“What is it, Takumi?”
“Ooh, what’s that?”
“Well… I wanted to thank you both for all you’ve done for me so far, and I thought they suited you…b-but Sebastian was the one who paid for it, and I’ll be paying him back later…a-and…”
“Breathe, Mr. Hirooka!” Sebastian urged me.
I hadn’t even considered how to give them their presents, though. Laila and Gelda seemed to know what I was trying to do, however, and they were both giving me encouraging nods. Sebastian must’ve told them at some point. Only Claire and Tilura themselves seemed totally clueless.
Wow, I suck at this. I guess anything I say at this point would be an improvement…
“These are, um…tokens of my gratitude. Here.”
No, wait, that might’ve been worse.
With that, I awkwardly handed the silver wolf necklace over to Tilura.
“Wow! It looks just like Miss Leo! Thank you so much, Takumi!” She seemed to be almost bursting with joy.
Whew…what a relief.
I turned to face Claire. “So, um, Claire. About what you said earlier…w-well, I’ll try to speak to you more casually, but I’m already pretty used to talking to you like this, so…h-here.”
I reached out to hand Claire the white flower hairpin, hoping my hand wasn’t shaking too badly. Strangely enough, it was far more nerve-wracking to give her something than Tilura.
As Claire accepted the hairpin from me, her eyes lit up in a smile. “Why, Takumi…this is rather pretty. Thank you very much! And don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to practice talking to me casually in the future.”
“Good… I’m glad you like it.”
Tilura’s smile was plenty cute, but somehow Claire’s smile outshone it with ease.
I wonder why she’s blushing, though? Ah, well. She has the pin, and that’s enough for me.
Laila stepped forward to put the pin in Claire’s hair and Claire shot me an expectant look. “Well? How is it?”
“I think it suits you quite well. You look even more beautiful now.”
“I-I look what?!” She turned beet red and looked down at the table in front of her.
Wait, what did I just say?! Dang it, brain, how could you do such a thing?!
I could feel my own face start to burn up. I bet I was every bit as red as she was now.
Tilura looked up at us with a curious expression. “Sister? Takumi? What’re you doing?”
“N-Nothing, Tilura!” Claire said hurriedly.
“Y-Yeah! Nothing at all,” I echoed.
Fortunately, we were able to dodge her question…maybe. She still looked suspicious.
“Ah, youth,” Sebastian said with a wistful smile.
Laila nodded. “Indeed.”
“Hroo-hroo-hroo.”
Sebastian and the maids watched us with soft smiles. Even Leo seemed to be laughing at us. Neither Claire nor I could manage to overcome our shyness. Only Tilura remained baffled until the very end.
🐾🐾🐾
AFTER I gave Claire and Tilura their presents, Gelda led me down the hall to the bath. I was surprised to hear that they had a whole room for one, let alone an actual, full bathtub. As soon as Laila mentioned it on the way back to my room, I just couldn’t help myself. No Japanese person could resist a real bath, after all—especially considering that I’d taken nothing but showers for the past few years. Leo, of course, didn’t want anything to do with it.
“So…you really like covering yourself in all that water, Mr Takumi?” Gelda asked me.
“Well…yeah. Where I’m from, everyone takes baths.”
“Is that so? I’m not very good with them yet. I don’t hate them, of course, but something about them doesn’t quite sit right with me.”
Huh. Maybe all shower people are like that?
It could also be, of course, that baths were simply rare in this world, or that most people never took full-body baths. You didn’t need to totally cover yourself in water to wash up, after all.
After a short while, Gelda stopped outside a room. “Here we are.”
I opened the door to find a simple set of wooden shelves and several laundry baskets. Supposedly, I’d take off my clothes here, toss them in a basket, and then head into the bath. It looked a lot like the changing rooms I was used to back in Japan, not unlike a Japanese-style inn…well, aside from all the stonework. They were wooden back home.
“After you’re in the bath, I’ll put your towel in this basket here. Okay?”
“Oh, thank you.”
Gelda turned to leave and fetch a towel for me. It seemed like as good a time as any to get undressed and head into the bath. Just as I was getting ready, however, I heard something from the doorway.
“Eek!”
“Gelda?!”
I turned to find that she’d slipped on a puddle on the floor. I moved to help her up, but when I realized the state she was in, I had to avert my eyes. She’d landed face-first on the ground and was now almost perfectly upside down.
“U-Um… Gelda? Are you alright?”
“Oww…”
“Oof… Did you hit your nose there?”
“Yeb…”
She seemed so focused on her pain that she didn’t realize what she looked like at the moment. She hadn’t moved a muscle since falling and I was struggling to keep my eyes off her. I wanted to help her back up, but that’d involve looking at her, and I wanted to avoid that. After all, her skirt had flipped almost perfectly inside-out.
I’d caught only a glimpse, but it was enough to see her shapely bottom and elegant underwear. Honestly, I hadn’t thought she was the type to wear anything so flashy down there. Wait, maybe that’s normal here?
No, stop thinking about that! Anything but that. For both our sakes, I’ll just forget I saw anything.
“Um… Gelda? I know it must hurt, but you really should stand up now…”
“Oww… Wait, what?!” She finally seemed to realize what was going on. She stood up with alarming speed and frantically flattened her skirt. “…You didn’t see anything, did you?”
“No, of course not. I looked away as soon as I realized.”
“So you saw?”
“Um…sorry.”
“Oh, no… And here I was trying so hard not to mess up… In front of a guest, no less!” She shot me a reproachful look.
I should’ve known she’d find out sooner or later. It’s not like what I saw was burned into my retinas or anything, so I’ll just forget this ever happened. A-And I don’t regret her finding out or anything, nope.
“Wait… So…you were worried about messing up, then?”
“C-Could you tell?”
“Pretty easily, yeah. You seem a lot more tense than Laila, for one thing.”
“Oh, I was afraid of that… Laila really is amazing, isn’t she? Maybe once I’ve been here as long as she has, I’ll be more like her.”
“You’re new, then?”
“Yes, fairly. I’d better be even more careful from now on!”
I knew it. I acted the same way when I started working, after all.
I’d always been so tense and nervous back then, when really, what I’d needed most was to take a deep breath and relax. Gelda could probably benefit from that same advice…except, of course, that she seemed like the naturally clumsy type. Clumsy people were scary in that no matter how nervous or relaxed they were, they’d always make the strangest mistakes. Some people might call that cute, though…
“You know,” I said, “I was a lot like you when I first started working. Maybe you should try relaxing a little bit? Instead of sweating all the details, you should just take a deep breath and loosen up a little.”
“Y-You were like me?” She paused for a moment. “All right, I’ll try. Thank you very much for your advice.”
“You’re welcome. And remember, you’ve already messed up big-time, so you couldn’t possibly do worse from here on out.”
“Don’t remind me.” She shot me a reproachful look, but it softened slightly a moment later. “Thank you, though. I’ll go get your towel.” With that, she turned and left the room. A moment later, I could hear another short cry and someone falling over, but instead of risking her wrath again, I decided to ignore it and get undressed.
She is a natural klutz, isn’t she?
🐾🐾🐾
IT felt so nice to be able to take a proper bath and I was glad this world had that same custom. The bathtub felt as large as the mansion itself, to the point where ten people could stretch out in it at once. I took the opportunity to wash every last nook and cranny.
After I finished, I headed back to my room, relishing that warm, steamy, after-bath feeling every step of the way.
“Ruff!”
“I’m back, Leo. Y’know, you should take a bath yourself soon.”
“Hrnf…” She backed a few steps away from me.
It’s still so weird to me that she loves playing in rivers but hates baths.
“C’mon, don’t be like that. You wouldn’t want your pretty silver fur to get all matted, would you?”
“*Whine*…”
“Don’t give me that. You’re taking a bath no matter how cute you are.”
“…Rrrr.” She poutily turned and curled up on the floor.
I bet she’ll be back to normal by tomorrow. She’s not the type to hold a grudge so easily.
I crawled into bed, other things filling my mind.
“Herb Cultivation…huh.”
To be honest, I never saw much difference between herbs and weeds, except that one tasted good and the other was a nuisance, and I bet most people would agree with me. Nobody paid plants like that much attention, and they couldn’t care less what their names or potential uses are. Not exactly the greatest image, I guess, which is why I didn’t hold out much hope for my Gift at first.
But after thinking about how that capwort had helped Tilura, it got me thinking about all the herbs and weeds with medicinal effects. That had to be worth something. There had to be some purpose to my power.
“How do I use it again?”
It didn’t activate at random; that much was clear. The only time it worked was with the capwort, when I was thinking about it with my hand to the ground. In other words, I need to be thinking of an herb while touching the ground.
“Right, and I dried it, too.”
Just like making it grow, I had to touch the herb and imagine it drying to work. In other words, I had to be directly touching the ground to make something grow or touching the herb to change its form.
“Plants from whatever I touch, huh?”
According to Isabel, though, it only worked on plants that could be grown without human aid. That meant no vegetables.
“If I could, I’d be one heck of a farmer.”
I’d never farmed anything before, but I wanted to try it out once. If I tried to farm anything now, though, I might accidentally use my Gift in the fields. I bet my crops would get swarmed by weeds and that wouldn’t do the soil any favors, either.
“Too bad. It would’ve been nice to find a job that easily.”
There was no point dwelling on it now, though. What mattered was how I should use my Gift. Since I could grow capwort, I might be able to grow other medicinal herbs as well. But I’d need to know the exact extent of my power before I could go any further. I also needed to know what I could do aside from just growing and drying them.
Sounds like I have my work cut out for me.
“Let’s take this step by step, though. Right, Leo?”
Leo didn’t even turn to face me. How sad.
My life back in Japan was jam-packed with work, but now that I’ve got a chance to start anew, I won’t be making that same mistake. I have Leo to care for, after all.
“There’s a lot to think about. But there’s no point in rushing.”
With Claire’s help, I’d at least have a place to stay for a while. I wouldn’t be relying on her longer than I needed to, of course, and I needed to return the money she spent on my things in town earlier.
“Oh! And I need to repay Sebastian, too.”
Herb Cultivation might hold the key to doing all that, but I had to take things one at a time. There aren’t any overbearing bosses here to yell at me when I take a break, or to heap overtime upon overtime, or get upset whenever I slow down… Nobody like that.
“…Leo?”
I decided to stop thinking and go to sleep, but I was a little curious about Leo still. She hadn’t answered me for a while. I sat up and looked around to find that she’d curled up beside my bed and was already fast asleep. No wonder she hadn’t replied to me. As I watched, her jowls twitched, like she was dreaming about dinner.
“I wonder if dogs…no, if silver fenrir dream?”
I tugged my blanket back into place and closed my eyes.
“Maybe I’ll ask if I can test out my Gift in the garden tomorrow…”
Still setting out mental plans for the morning, I softly drifted off to sleep.