07: No Escape! …Or So I Thought, but It Was Actually a Nice Creature!

Dear Lady Mary.

This is your beloved pet, Routa.

I successfully managed to find the wyrmnil, but it looks like it will take a while to get it back to you. I swear I will return with it, so please wait just a little longer.

If I include my time in the other world, I’ll be hitting thirty soon, but I just sprang a massive leak.

I’m embarrassed to say it came out full throttle.

Everything is being expelled from my bladder.

Yep, there it goes.

My paws are completely soaked.

Ahhhhhh! How embarrassing! This is just too embarrassing!

Wetting myself at thirty is so embarrassing!

“… (Glare.)”

I have to trick it as I put on a face and look up at the dragon, but internally, I’m writhing with agony.

Ahhh! This is the worst!

I’m positive Zenobia’s noticed, too!

Still peeing. Everywhere.

I’m stuck like this; I just can’t make it stop!

“GOOAAAAAAAA!!”

The dragon towering before me lets out a roar.

The air ripples, and a few stalactites break and fall.

This is bad. It’s really mad.

“Hufuuuu…”

The dragon, covered in metallic, pale-blue scales, lets out a long breath and lowers its head.

I’m so scared I can’t move.

And if I moved now, I’d step in my own pee.

“GORRUOO… (Entering someone’s nest without permission and trying to mark your territory… You are a bold one, aren’t you…?)”

Crap. I’ve done something really offensive.

I just noticed that I can understand what this dragon’s saying. It’s just like with Garo and the other wolves. I can hear what’s being said over the growls.

“Huff…”

The dragon’s face is now so close that I can feel its hot breath. Zenobia doesn’t breathe.

I can hear her teeth chattering. Even she can’t hide how afraid she is of this dragon.

I know how you feel. All four of my legs are shaking.

She hasn’t wet herself yet, so she’s doing better than I am. I’m already past my limit.

Do what you must, oh body of mine.

You could say we’re like frogs frozen in a serpent’s gaze, but the serpent is a dragon.

This is going to end with us getting trampled flat.

“GARRROOOOO…! (Ha-ha, gya-ha-ha-ha! You’re interesting. You’re a brave one to do that in front of me. You have piqued my interest. Let us enjoy some tea and treats.)”

The dragon is clearly smiling.

Its face isn’t smiling, but I can tell there’s no malice in its voice.

Huh? So it’s not mad at us?

We broke into its home and even peed on its floor; I would have thought it would be livid.

Is this dragon actually really friendly?

I instantly lose all fear that my life is in danger. And my urine stream finally stops.

I look up at the dragon’s face again. It’s a lot less terrifying now that it’s so close. Even though it’s big enough to swallow someone like me whole.

“GURRROOOOO… (You came with this female human. I do not have guests in my nest all that often. I am the blue dragon Lenowyrm. I hope you will enjoy my hospitalities.)”

Ohhh, it looks like this will all be resolved peacefully.

Thank goodness. Fighting this dragon would be a stupid thing to do.

Better than being treated as a snack.

Just as I’ve calmed down and am about to reply to the dragon—

“R-run for it…”

—I’m interrupted by Zenobia’s shaking voice.

“Woof. (Ah, crap.)”

Zenobia can’t understand what the dragon’s saying.

I go back over what just happened, taking out the dragon’s voice over its growl.

It roared so loud that the cave shook, then slowly lowered its face toward us while growling.

Yeah, it would look like it was saying, “I’m going to eat you.”

“Woof, woof! (Zenobia, stop! Stay! Staaay!)”

“Take this and run. I’ll sacrifice myself to kill it!”

My frantic barking is all for naught as she takes off the bag with the wyrmnil, throws it at me, then retrieves the sword from her back.

“Haaaaaaaah!!”

She grips the hilt and gets fired up. Something similar to black smoke starts rising from the blade.

“GAROOOOO… (Wh-what are you doing? Why are you brandishing your sword? Don’t you like tea? I have sweets, too…)”

That’s not it, dragon. She just doesn’t understand you. Please realize this.

“Go! Routa! You have to get out! Get back to the lady!”

Why does this have to be the first time she calls me by my name…?!

I’m happy, but I’m also not!

Zenobia! I get that you’re willing to sacrifice yourself, but now is not the time!

Sorry for raining on your parade, but knock it off!

You’re just going to drag us into a pointless fight!

But I’m not a human, and my words don’t reach her. She wields her giant sword and strikes at the dragon’s wincing face.

“Arf! (Please let this sword be a fake, too! Please say it’s a mistake! We’re in huge trouble if it’s not! Ah, come on! Snap! Snap!)”

I pray this sword will break like the previous ones did every time they hit me. With all my might, I envision the dragon’s hard scales shattering Zenobia’s giant sword.

My hopes are—crushed.

Scales and flesh tear as the sound of a terrifying attack rings out.

“GUGYAAAAAAAAAAA?!”

It woooooooorked?!

Why did it have to be real this time?! Why couldn’t her ancestors have slipped up and handed a fake heirloom down through the generations?!

The dragon takes a tremendous amount of damage as its hard scales tear under the ruthless attack.

“GUROOOOOOOOO!!! (O-owwwwwwwww!!!)”

A copious amount of blood spills from its face as it leans back.

“GURRROOO…?! (Wh-why? Why do you attack me…?!)”

Because your words aren’t getting through!

“Woof! Woof! (Hey, you! Can’t you speak human?! She doesn’t understand you! Tell her that you don’t want to fight!)”

My legs are frozen solid. I can’t move at all!

You can do it, dragon! Do it for me!

“GARORO?! (What?! Oh dear! I haven’t spoken with a human in so long, I forgot to speak her language! I can, though! I can speak human!)”

“Woof! (Good! Then explain it to her!)”

“Um, eg hef ekki ovin! Vio sukarufm fa meo!”

“Woof?! (What the hell was that?!)”

Can’t you speak human at all?! Where is that language even from?!

“Chanting a spell?! I won’t let you!!”

Zenobia’s nervousness must have melted away with her effective first attack. Now she boldly slices at the dragon’s legs.

“GAROOO!! (Ow! Wh-why?! Is this not the language your people speak?! I’m sure it was the same one I used a thousand years ago!)”

Of course a one-thousand-year-old language won’t woooooooork!!!

The language of a country changes whenever its rulership changes, and only in special cases does a country’s language stay the same after one thousand years.

A dragon’s sense of time is terrifying.

“If I keep pushing, I’ll be able to kill it!”

The aura emitting from Zenobia’s giant sword is getting stronger and stronger. The sharp killing blows are wounding the beast.

“GUROOOOOO! (O-ow! S-stop! Hey! That hurts! You! …Th-that’s enough…!)”

As the dragon is cut, its pain increases until I hear its patience finally give out. Then it snaps.

“GAROOOOOOOOOOOOO!! (That’s enoooooooouuuuuuuugh!!)”

Zenobia’s sent flying by the pressure of the wind caused by the dragon unfurling its wings.

“Gya?!”

She doesn’t have a moment to stop it. She flies past me, and her back crashes into the wall of the cave; then, she slowly slips down.

The giant sword slips out of her hand, and she lies unmoving among the rubble.

She’s completely unconscious.

“Arwf?! (No way! With just one hit?!)”

“GAAAAAARUOOOOOO!! (I will forgive thievery! I will forgive urine! But I will not forgive multiple attacks against my person when I am being perfectly civil! Prepare to be punished!!!)”

I am as completely stunned as the dragon behind me is completely furious.

It’s clear that Zenobia was at fault, and what the dragon says is absolutely true. She couldn’t understand the dragon but nevertheless walked all over its generosity. It’ll probably eat her. Zenobia’s terrible luck has reached its peak.

“Woof… (I say that, but I still can’t leave her…)”

I feel like I can finally move again, and I step in front of the dragon to protect the unconscious Zenobia.

“GAROOOOO… (Move. I have no quarrel with you. I am merely going to punish this woman.)”

The dragon’s eyes are bloodshot with rage, and its breathing is ragged.

It’s enraged.

“Woof, woof? (Look, I’m not saying I don’t want to do the same myself, and there’s a lot going on here… But how much do you plan on punishing her?)”

“GUROOOO… (Until she learns her lesson. I shall inflict as much damage on her as she has done to me.)”

A human like Zenobia would be ripped apart if she received attacks as bad as those left by that giant sword.

“Woof, woof. (But she’s already unconscious. Surely we can call it even and you can let us go now…)”

“GAROOOOO…… (I shall not allow it. I will not allow my maiden body to be harmed like this while the aggressor walks away unpunished.)”

Wait, you’re female?

And did you just call yourself a maiden…?

“Woof, woof! (Please! Let this slide!)”

“GAROOOO… (I already told you no. Unless you wish to be punished as well, move.)”

“Bark! Bark! (I’ll do something about her! So please!)”

“GUROOOOOO… (You are persistent! I have no qualms with you! Now move aside!)”

“Woof, woof! (Please reconsider! Please reconsider! Please be leeeeeeeeenient!!)”

GRRRRWWWWWWWWWWWWL!!

Whoops, my beam came out.

My desperate plea turned into the white beam of light that comes out of my mouth.

The unintended attack is aimed directly at the dragon’s face.

“GURRO!!! (Watch it!!!)”

Just before the beam hits, something like a magical barrier appears in front of the dragon and deflects it. The beam shoots off at an angle and blasts through the cave wall to the outside.

“GAROOOO! (Using ultimate destruction magic right from the start?! That would have killed someone other than myself!)”

The true nature of the beam has been revealed at an unexpected moment.

So that was magic. Sorry, but it’s not exactly helpful information.

More importantly, it seems my efforts at persuading the dragon to back off are back to square one.

This is bad.

“GAROOOOOOOO!! (That is how you reply when I said I would spare you?! You are as guilty as the human! I shall devour you both!)”

The dragon takes a deep breath, and several magical circles appear around her mouth.

“GAROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!”

A spiraling blue flame streaks toward Zenobia and myself.

“GRRRRRRRRWWWWWWWWL!! (I DON’T WANNA DIIIIIIIIIIIIE!!)”

I return a howl beam that cancels out the blue flame.

“GAROOOO… (To think there is a destructive magic even stronger than my own…! You’re a dangerous one! That flame would have reduced mountains to a lake of lava!)”

“Woof, woof! (Y-you’re the dangerous one here, blowing people away! Did you want to kill us?!)”

“GARO! (You’re the one who tried to kill me first!)”

“Woof! Woof! (Shut up! You thousand-year-old shut-in! Stop whining about being hurt!)”

“GARO! (Wh-wh-wh-wh-who are you calling a shut-in?! I go outside! At least once every hundred years to let my scales dry…)”

“Woof, woof! (You’re a hard-core shut-in! Keep this up, and you’re going to start growing moss! You thousand-year-old spinster!)”

“GAROOOOOO! (Wh-wh-why did you have to say that?! Spinster is a most terrible insult to call someone! How dare you! How dare you! I won’t forgive yoooouuuu!)”

Our tumultuous bickering overlaps as we exchange beam and blaze.

The flame melts boulders, and the light blows open another hole.

The aftershock of our attacks makes the cave crumble.

“Wheeze…wheeze…”

“Gafooo… Gafoooo…”

We both run out of breath at the same time and glare at each other, exhausted.

“GAROO… (Wh-why do you do so much to protect a human maiden such as that…? You are clearly a Fen Wolf, are you not? One thousand years ago, your kind would do terrible things to the humans. Furthermore, this would have never happened if that woman had not started this fight. Why don’t you rid yourself of such a terrible human…?)”

The tired blue dragon Lenowyrm makes a convincing argument.

“Woof, woof… (…You’re probably right. Zenobia’s normally got it in for me. Actually, she’s already tried to kill me twice. And she probably won’t learn from me saving her and will likely try to kill me again.)”

She is a complete and utter meathead.

“GUROO… (Then why…?)”

“Woof, woof… (Yeah, I’m wondering that, too. She’s probably going to get really frustrated and cry when she wakes up and finds out I’ve saved her. She’ll say, ‘Why you?’ and ‘I’m so pathetic being saved by a monster.’)”

I can easily see her breaking down and crying.

“Woof! (I really want to lick Zenobia’s crying face with her tears and snot mixed together. That’s enough reason for me to save her!)”

My expression is completely serious as I announce this.

“…………”

“…………”

A slight breeze blows in from the hole in the cave.

“GA, GAROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!! (P-PERVEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRT!!)”

“GRWWWWWWWWWWWWL!! (SHUT UUUUUUUUUUUUUP!! DON’T UNDERESTIMATE A LICK-A-HOLIIIIIII-IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIC!!)”

We both voice our strongest roars yet in a terrible flash and a thunderous tumult, which clash together until my whole vision turns white.

The final, blinding white light and blue inferno swell when they meet; then the energy disperses.

The aftershock carves into the cave, burning it away to nothing until the entire place is destroyed.

The violent torrent of magic emits a blinding ivory radiance that forces my eyes closed.

Then, the light slowly begins to fade, and when silence returns to the cave, I open my eyes. There before me is the dragon covered in black smoke.

Its giant body is curled up into a ball like a great black boulder.

“GUROOO… (I lost…)”

The earth rumbles, and the blue dragon Lenowyrm collapses.

The wound-covered dragon feebly opens her mouth.

“GAROOO… (I never thought the day would come when I would lose…and to a pervert, no less.)”

Don’t call me a pervert.

It’s in a dog’s nature to want to lick things.

“GUROO… (Well, I certainly have lived a long life…)”

She lowers herself onto the ground and quietly closes her eyes.

“GUROO… (I am satisfied. Now you may finish me off…)”

“Woof. (No way. Sorry for killing the mood, but I’m not gonna murder you, okay?)”

This whole fight started from a misunderstanding, after all.

So Lenowyrm was it? It doesn’t look like she wants to fight anymore, so there’s no point in continuing it any further.

“GAROOO… (You are sparing my life? Do you not desire the honor of being a dragon slayer?)”

“Woof. (I don’t know anything about that. What’s a pet gonna do with something like that anyway?)”

What I want is to spend my days eating, sleeping, and getting spoiled rotten. I don’t care about anything beyond that.

How many times do I have to say this? Pet life is the best life.

“GAROOO… (You are not just brave but also compassionate and humble. I shall no longer call you a pervert but a fine creature…)”

I feel like I’m getting hit on by this thousand-year-old spinster dragon.

But I’m not a furry, so I’m not happy about that at all.

Also, don’t call me a pervert.

Anyway, I hope her injuries are all right. She’s covered in cuts and burns. It looks really bad.

“GUROOOO… (Hmph. This is nothing out of the ordinary. These wounds shall heal on their own once I have rested. I very much enjoyed our battle.)”

“Woof, woof. (I’m not planning on doing that again, but I suppose you’ve been all alone in this miserable place for a while. We should hang out next time.)”

It was easy to tell just from talking to her. Lenowyrm’s not a bad dragon at all.

We caused her a lot of problems, so maybe next time I’ll bring her some of old man James’s cooking as a gift.

“GAROOO… (You are mean to call it a miserable place. You are at least half responsible for destroying my nest.)”

“Bark. (…Yeah, sorry about that.)”

“GAROOO… (Ha-ha-ha, I am joking. I am going to sleep now. Feel free to take whatever you like from here. The would-be dragon slayer deserves a fitting prize, after all.)”

With that, Lenowyrm curls up and closes her eyes.

“Bark. (Later then, Lenowyrm. I hope we meet again soon.)”

She waves her giant tail in response.

I laugh at how much that lazy gesture reminds me of myself. Then, I go to wake Zenobia.

“Arww, arww. (Zenobia, wake up. It’s licking time.)”

I poke her shoulder with my nose, but she doesn’t stir at all.

I already found the bag with the wyrmnil, so now all I have to do is wake Zenobia up and go back home.

“Arww, arww. (You’re not going to like me licking your face. Though I’d rather lick your face when you wake up crying. Wakey, wakey and let me lick you.)”

“Mewl… (Oh, Routa, you do have some wicked inclinations…)”

I suddenly hear a cat behind me.

I’m so surprised, I jump.

“Arwf?! (Wha—?! N-Nahura?!)”

“Mewl. (Yes, it is I, Nahura. My mistress told me that you should be done about now, and so I have come to get you.)”

It looks like she was there from the start as she climbs up and sits on my back.

She ignores my surprised expression and calmly cleans her face.

“Woof, woof?! (By ‘come to get us,’ do you mean chase us out?!)”

“Mewww. (Oh, no, not at all. You cannot possibly make it back on foot. We will use a type of spatial magic. Using you as an anchor to fly through space…meow.)”

Magic’s amazing. Who would have thought you can travel somewhere in an instant?

Also, her added “meow” to the end of the sentence still feels forced.

“Woof, woof. (Nahura, you really are an amazing cat.)”

“Mewl. (Why, thank you. My magic is limited to three coordinates, though. Mistress’s workshop, Gandolf’s house, and you.)”

Me?

So you can mark individuals with it?

“Bark…? (…You didn’t get my permission for that, did you…?)”

Doesn’t that mean she could appear in front of me anywhere, at any time?

Even a pet needs privacy!

“Mewl! (It was mistress’s orders… Please forgive meow!)”

She lifts her paw in front of her face and waves it like one of those lucky cat statues.

You’re soooo cuuuute. I forgiiiive yoooou.

Damn it. You’re a tricky one, Nahura.

“Mew. (Well then, shall we return? I would prefer we leave before we wake up the scary dragon sleeping over there.)”

“GARROOO… (I can hear you…)”

“Mew! (Waah! Let’s go now! Chop-chop!)”

Nahura starts at Lenowyrm’s sleepy voice and leaps onto Zenobia’s lap.

“Meow. (Time to move. I hope you haven’t forgotten anything.)”

A white light expands from her body. I wonder if everything within the light will get instantly transported.

I have the bag. I’d rather leave the sword, but unfortunately, it’s right next to Zenobia.

“Meeeeoooow!”

Nahura lets out a high-pitched meow, and the scenery warps like haze on a hot day.

A moment later and we’re no longer in the dark cave but the large garden of the mansion.

I can see the familiar garden, the large trees, the sparkling fountain.

The home I know all too well.

“Woof… (It really did only take a moment…)”

The sun had already risen high into the sky while we were fighting. The sunlight is really bright, though it’s probably because I was in that dark cave mere moments ago.

“Welcome back. I see it went well.”

Hecate the witch is waiting for us, holding the wide brim of her hat.

“Woof, woof? (Is this the wyrmnil? Is there enough?)”

“It is indeed, and you have plenty.”

I hand over the bag brimming with wyrmnil.

“I shall begin refining the medicine immediately. Nahura, could you please examine Zenobia?”

“Mew. (Yes! I understand, meow.)”

“Woof, woof. (Thank you, Hecate.)”

“Leave it to me.”

I watch Hecate gracefully leave, then I dash to my lady’s room.

Sorry, Zenobia, but I’ll have to lick your crying face another time.

I sprint down the corridor, past a maid (she angrily shouts that I shouldn’t run inside), and don’t stop until I get to her room.

“Woof! Woof! (My lady! I got you medicine! You’ll be better in no time!)”

I use my front paws to open the door and dart inside.

“Oh my, Routa. Wherever did you get to? The young lady was so worried about you.”

The maid Miranda stands up from her chair.

She must have been watching over Lady Mary this whole time. There are bags under her eyes.

“Woof! (I’m sorry!)”

I apologize to her and then put my front paws up on the bed to peek at my lady’s face.

“…Routa?”

She opens her eyes, the fever still apparent.

“Routa…!”

She soon gets teary.

“Where did you go…? You weren’t here… I was so worried…!”

She wraps her arms around my neck and pushes her face into me.

Her body is so hot, it feels like it’s on fire.

It looks like it’s time for some of Hecate’s fever medicine.

She looks exhausted.

It breaks my heart to have left her in a state where after only half a day she’s already this lonely.

“Arww, arww. (I’m sorry, my lady. But I had to get medicine to make you better.)”

“Routa… Routa… Don’t leave me again……”

“Arww. (I won’t. I promise I won’t go anywhere.)”

I remain in her embrace until Hecate’s medicine is delivered.

After drinking the more effective medicine, Lady Mary’s fever immediately goes down.

When she wakes up that evening, Papa cries and rubs his cheek against hers.

“Ahhhh!!! Maaaaaryyyy! Thank goodness! Thank goooooooodness!”

“Ohhh, Father, your beard tickles.”

She gently hugs her father as he clings to her.

“Lady Mary!”

That’s when Zenobia bursts in.

Looks like she’s awake, too.

I don’t know if Nahura treated her or not, but her wounds from her fight with Lenowyrm appear healed.

“Oh, Zenobia.”

Lady Mary smiles at her arrival.

“Miss, your illness…?!”

“Yes, I’m completely better. I heard you went to get the ingredients for the medicine for me. Thank you.”

“Zenobia! Please allow me to give you my thanks! Thank you so much!”

Sweat and tears stream down Papa’s face as he shakes her hand.

“I had heard about this ingredient when I was looking for various treatments. Wyrmnil is a mystical medicinal plant that only grows in a dragon’s nest. You went into a very dangerous place and even fought a dragon for Mary’s sake, right?”

“Huh?! No, I…!”

Zenobia is bewildered at Papa’s effusive praise.

“I saw a beam of light in the sky far off in the distance the other night. It must have been a fierce battle. I’m certain that was you. Who else could it have been but an SS Rank Adventurer? I’m glad you came into our home. I must give you something to thank you! Just tell me—anything!”

“No! That wasn’t me! I couldn’t do anything…”

Zenobia thinks this is all a big misunderstanding.

But when you look at it, the only one who could have fought a dragon was Zenobia.

She lost consciousness at the end, and when she awoke, she was back in the mansion. Now everyone’s treating her like a hero.

Thus her confusion.

“No…? But the wyrmnil… If it wasn’t you…then who…?”

This time it’s Papa’s turn to be bewildered at her adamant denial.

Yesterday, the only ones not in the mansion were Zenobia and one other.

In other words: me.

Everyone’s gaze turns toward me.

“Arw! (…Ah!)”

C-craaaap!

I was so preoccupied with getting the wyrmnil that I didn’t think about what came after.

Hecate, who normally follows me around, isn’t here.

Anyone watching from a distance could tell someone was fighting a dragon at that moment in time.

Everyone must think it’s strange that an ordinary dog could fight a dragon.

Now my real identity will be discovered.

“Routa…?”

Miranda the maid looks down at me with fearful eyes.

“Arww, arww! (You’ve got it wrong, Miranda! I’m just a cute widdle puppy! Don’t look at me like that! Really! Please! Please don’t take this life away from meeeee…!)”

I move to cling to her, but she takes a step back.

Uwah, that hurts…!

“Routa, you didn’t…?”

Even Papa asks me with a trembling voice.

C-crap. Now even Papa, the head of the house, suspects me…!

What do I do…?! What do I do…?!

Oh no, I need to think of something…!

“It can’t be… Did Routa really…?”

“—Haaa! Ha-ha-ha!!”

A lighthearted laugh breaks the silence.

“I guess I’ve been found out! That’s right. I was the one who defeated the dragon and returned with the wyrmnil! It was a formidable foe but, well, you can see how that went!”

Zenobia puffs out her chest as she boasts.

“Arw…? (You’re going to help me just in the nick of time…?)”

She’s a terrible ham of an actor.

Judging from her personality, she must hate taking credit for such a feat.

And now she has to put on this performance all…for my sake?

“Ohhh, so it was you! You really are amazing, Zenobia!”

“Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Not at all! Routa here wasn’t helpful at all. I took him along, but he couldn’t do anything. He was scared the whole time! He really is just an ordinary dog! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!”

So she’s going to help me hide my real identity.

Though you can tell she hates the lie from the way she grips her shaking hands.

Forgive me. Forgive me, Zenobia.

Please hold out just a little longer, for my sake…!

Everyone continues praising Zenobia and saying how amaaaaazing she is for a good while after that.

“Gromff omff! (Delicious! So good! The old man’s food really is the best!)”

I greedily devour the first piece of cured boar steak that’s been seasoned with salt and grilled to perfection.

It’s a thick cut of meat that was cooked in the oven on the lowest heat, then seared over a high flame, making the outside crisp but the inside nice and rare. As it’s cooked all the way through, there’s no smell, but its juiciness remains. The meat overflows with umami-rich juices when I bite into it.

So, so, sooo good! This is the work of a master chef!

“Mewww! (It really is delicious! Routa!)”

“Woof, woof! (Yeah! It’s the best! Hey, Nahura, can you stop sneaking bites of my dinner?)”

That’s mine! Go get Hecate to make some for you!

“Mew. (Aw, don’t be so stingy. Let me have half. Only half. )”

“Woof, woof! (You’re going to eat half of this?! Your cheekiness is shocking!)”

I don’t care how cutely you say it. I won’t forgive you!

“Squeak, squeak. (Indeed. Understand your place, insolent cat.)”

Squeak?

I feel like I heard a strange voice just now.

“Squeak, squeak. (Mmm, but it is indeed as you said. This meat is simply divine. Very good. You should bring me more.)”

I look down at my plate to see a small mouse sitting on the edge.

It’s using both its paws skillfully to nibble on a piece of meat.

Its fur is a unique color, a fresh blue.

“Mewww! (A-a mouse?! I hate mice! Kill it, Routa! Get it!)”

Nahura lets out a scream.

“Arwf… (You’re a cat that’s scared of mice… You’re certainly an odd one…)”

“Squeak. (You really are so noisy. It is I.)”

The blue mouse runs up my leg and onto my head.

“Arwf. (H-hey.)”

“Squeak. (What? You were the one who said I should visit. And so I have come all this way. Should you not be more welcoming?)”

This brazen way of speaking, I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere before.

“Bark! (It can’t be! Lenowyrm?!)”

“Squeak, squeak. (Indeed. You’ve finally realized. My original form would be most terrifying for humans. And so I came in one that would not stand out. I am, after all, a polite maiden who knows the appropriate manners for any time and place.)”

She did demonstrate those manners when we met.

Wait, so she can transform at will?

Perhaps the reason there aren’t many sightings of dragons is because they’ve transformed and are living lives as other creatures…?

Whoa.

I think I may have discovered one of this world’s secrets.

That’s too much knowledge for a simple dog. Let’s just forget about it.

“Squeak, squeak. (So there you have it. I shall board here for now.)”

“Arwf?! (What?! Why?! Aren’t you going home?!)”

“Squeak? (Who was it that destroyed my nest?)”

“…Arww… (Me…)”

“Squeak. (Hmph. As long as you understand that. Hmm, your fur is most comfortable to sleep in. It’s decided. I shall make this my new nest!)”

Her nest? She’s going to live in my fur?!

But I did destroy her home, so I’m not in any position to argue.

It’s like getting a tick…

“Squeak. (And so, I have judged you, the one who defeated me, as satisfactory. I am a little concerned that you are a pervert, but love is blind. You should be grateful I have decided to make you my groom.)”

This no-good mouse sure is saying some ridiculous stuff.

My reply is immediate.

“Bark. (No way.)”

“Squeak! (Wh-what did you say?! I’ll have you know, ruffian, that I am one of the most beautiful among all dragons!)”

“Woof, woof! (I already said, I’m not a fuuuuurryyyyy!!)”

I bark angrily at the blue mouse that just shrieked in my ear.

“Mewww. (Oh yes. This meat really is fantastic.)”

I look over to Nahura, who clearly isn’t listening, and see my plate is now empty.

“Woof! (H-how dare you eat someone’s food the moment they step away!)”

“Squeak! (What a terrible greedy cat! You have really done it now!)”

“Woof! Woof! (Nahura! Let me tell you something! There is nothing more terrifying than my grudge for eating my fooooooood! You! Give me back my meeeeaaaat!!)”

“M-myaaa?! (N-noooooooo?!)”

And so, a terribly long companionship between a no-good dog, a useless cat, and a hopeless mouse begins.