02: Sightseeing in the Royal Capital! …Or So I Thought, but I Found Something Weird!

The next day, the airship descends onto the ocean next to the Royal Capital. We slowly approach the glistening water reflecting the sun’s light.

The landing is so gentle, I barely feel it, but the airship is still so huge it creates a splash as waves ripple along the water’s surface.

“Achoo! (Uwah! The spray! It went right up my nose! My eyes sting!)”

The sea assaults my face.

Trying to catch the moment we touched down on the water was a bad idea.

“Oh, honestly, Routa.”

Lady Mary chuckles at me while I try to wipe my face.

Hee-hee-hee. Her smiling face is always adorable. I want to nuzzle my face against hers.

“Mewl! (Oh, Routa, you’re so bad at cleaning your face!)”

Nahura expertly licks her paw and cleans her own fur.

“Arwf. (Well, I can’t move like a cat.)”

We’re fundamentally different in every way.

I shake the water out of my fur, put my forepaws up on the railing, and gaze at the view in front of me.

“Arwooo!! (Amaaaazing!!)”

The white walls of the Royal Capital expand as far as the eye can see. The castle walls between the blue sky and the ocean shine so white that they’re blinding. The walls encircle an immense piece of land, apparently designed to fend off invaders even if they aren’t approaching from the water.

I wonder if they were built like this due to the threat of monsters in this world.

There’s a giant building right in the middle. I’m guessing that’s the king’s castle.

Having the castle in the center of a town protected by a majestic wall is totally what I’d expect from a place called the Royal Capital.

“Arwf. (That really is incredible. I’m glad I came.)”

Our airborne journey comes to an end, and the airship has officially made port in the Royal Capital.

It was almost an entire day from the mansion, but it was so calming, I wish we could have ridden on the ship longer.

I’m looking forward to you taking us home, Jeremiah.

“Bark, bark! (But now it’s time for sightseeing in the Royal Capital!)”

Once the ship arrives in the port, we disembark and get into carriages that will take us to the inn.

“Arwg… (Urgh, it’s cramped in here…)”

The carriages prepared for us are completely different from the mansion’s; they’re much smaller. They’re supposed to be for four people, but it’s not even big enough for me to turn around in. My muzzle and glorious tail stick out the windows.

I lock eyes with the top hat–wearing driver. He forces a smile and then tries to hide his face as much as possible. That’s not very nice.

“Well, it shouldn’t take too long to reach the inn. Please be patient.”

Papa, who’s sitting across from me, strokes my head.

It’s me, him, and my lady riding together in this carriage. The other two carriages have Hecate, Zenobia, and the maids. The three carriages line up before they start moving, the horses’ hooves clopping against the stone road.

“Arwf… (Wow, this city is the spitting image of Western Europe.)”

There are people everywhere, and each shop looks prosperous. There are so many people, but the streets aren’t dirty at all. That’s the center of the kingdom for you. They definitely pay attention to the infrastructure here.

“This area is close to the uptown district where the nobles and aristocrats live. The neighborhoods around the wall are completely different. There are unsavory areas, too. I trust you understand this already, but you shouldn’t wander off aimlessly. If you must venture into the city, be sure to have Miranda or Zenobia accompany you.”

“Yes, Father.”

My lady agrees to Papa’s conditions, and he nods with a grunt before the carriage groans to a halt.

It stops in front of the massive gate of a stone building. This must be where Papa is meeting his business associate.

“Well, it’s off to work I go. I don’t think I’ll have any free time until my business has concluded, but I’m hoping everything won’t take longer than one day. Then we can spend the remainder of our trip together, just the two of us.”

“But, Father, Routa’s family, too.”

“Ah yes, of course. Just the three of us, then.”

“And Zenobia and Miranda. They’re important family members, too.”

“Ha-ha-ha, so it will be the same as always, then.”

“What’s wrong with that? I like it when we’re all together.”

Lady Mary squeezes my neck as she lectures Papa. His eyes crinkle as he pats my head and hers as well.

A pet like me is thrilled to be included. I nuzzle Lady Mary’s face in appreciation.

Papa gets out of the carriage, attended by two maids who silently stand behind him.

With that, some men come flying from the gate, flustered.

“Welcome, welcome! Thank you for coming all this way, Lord Gandolf Von Faulks! We’re terribly sorry for being so late to meet you! I am Henry Morgan, representative of the Morgan Company!”

“Hmm, it is nothing to concern yourself with. It was my fault for being early. I look forward to working with you today.”

So this chubby guy is the person Papa came to see? He’s an older gentleman with a pair of eye-catching curly sideburns. His enthusiasm and the way he’s rubbing his hands together seem to mark him as a minor player.

“Thank you for your consideration. I hope we will have fruitful negotiations.”

“Yes, indeed! You are ever a man of integrity, Lord Von Faulks! I have great admiration for you as a fellow merchant! I never thought I would be in business with the great Faulks Co.; it truly is a dream come true, indeed!”

I don’t know if Papa’s words are getting through to him, but this Morgan fellow keeps showering him with praise.

Just look at the speed of that hand-wringing! He’s going to start a fire if he keeps rubbing them together like that!

From this one conversation, it’s pretty easy to see who holds all the cards in this negotiation.

“Woof, woof! (Good luck, Papa!)”

The sight of Papa’s back as he goes off to work is magnificent! Work hard to fund my livelihood, okay?

“L-Lord Gandolf?! What is that creature?!”

The curly-sideburns man is taken aback by my head sticking out of the carriage window.

“Hmm? Oh, that’s my family’s dog. He’s cute, is he not?”

“D-dog?! That’s a dog?!”

“……Yes? Is something the matter?”

“N-no! No, no, no?! Don’t be absurd! I merely meant o-of course the wonderful Lord Faulks would have such a spectacular dog! To tell you the truth, my daughter is also—”

He may be surprised by the extent of Papa’s obliviousness, but the speed at which he switches from surprise to flattery is impressive. When it comes to doing business with a big fish like Papa, you have to start currying favor from the first meeting all the way until the end.

Overlooking that would be shooting yourself in the foot. I can empathize as a former corporate slave. This curly-sideburns man might be surprisingly skilled.

“Farewell, Father. I look forward to when we’re able to play together.”

My lady calls to Papa as the carriage moves off.

“Master, just leave the young lady to me!”

“Remember, Gandolf, I don’t care if you’re being entertained. No drinking.”

All the ladies call out to Papa from their carriages in turn as he walks away.

The image of Papa nodding gets smaller and smaller until I can no longer see him.

Lady Mary is smiling, but she still looks a little lonely.

I make sure to nuzzle her face lots and lots.

We arrive at an inn, and Lady Mary and the others leave their belongings with the front desk. After a quick break in our rooms, we decide to head out and explore the city.

I’m going, too, of course.

I’m happy to laze around a fancy hotel, but I can do that at the mansion anytime.

“Please wait just a moment while I call the driver, my lady.”

“Wait, Miranda.”

Lady Mary calls out to Miranda before she can summon the carriage.

“It’s not often we’re in the Royal Capital. I was hoping we could explore on foot.”

“But…”

Miranda looks over to Hecate. She’s probably worried about Lady Mary’s health.

I don’t think they need to be so overly protective of her. My lady and I normally go for walks around the mansion, and her illness seems cured, thanks to the medicine Hecate made from the wyrmnil.

“Let’s see.”

The witch, sprawled out on the luxurious lobby sofa, audaciously recrosses her legs.

Tch, I didn’t even manage to catch a glimpse.

“As your physician, I see no reason to limit yourself.”

She flashes me a look.

“You will have your bodyguard with you. I don’t think there should be any problem with going downtown.”

Yeah, but please don’t expect me to fight or anything. Remember, I’m just a good-for-nothing pup.

“Yes! Please leave it to me! I, Zenobia, shall protect everyone here should the need arise!”

She stands at attention with her fist against her left chest in salute.

Wow, she actually looks like a knight we can depend on. It’s a shame no one knows how useless she really is.

The real problem is that when Hecate said “bodyguard,” she wasn’t talking about Zenobia!

“Yippee! Then let’s go! Come on, Doctor, time to get up!”

Oomph. My lady huffs through her nose as she pulls on Hecate’s hand.

“Yes, yes. Is there anywhere in particular you’d like to go?”

“Not at all. I just want to walk around with everyone.”

“Arwf, arwf! (I know! I know! We should walk around and try different foods! Let’s get something from a food stall that’s deep-fried and bad for your body!)”

“Mewl. (Oooh, that sounds good.)”

“I could do with an ice-cold beer.”

Slobber. Witch, cat, and dog all stand there drooling. Len is sleeping peacefully, as always. If she was hungry, she’d be awake, too.

“Let’s go, everyone!”

And so, we head out.

My lady leads the way as we walk through the Royal Capital.

The Royal Capital has four layers of walls, with different residential districts between each one and the castle in the center. This arrangement is probably another monster deterrent.

The royal family lives in the castle. Just outside the walls surrounding the castle is uptown, where the nobles and aristocrats live. Then there’s midtown and downtown, with walls between them. It seems the residential areas are separated by wealth and class.

Of course, the uptown area we’re exploring is the safest, and it has fancy buildings lining the streets.

So many of the pedestrians are wearing expensive-looking clothes. With guards patrolling the streets and maintaining public order, everything seems calm and safe.

Zenobia’s on edge, looking around like a hawk, but there isn’t a hint of danger.

If anything, everyone’s giving us suspicious looks.

“Arww. (Sorry, I lied.)”

They’re giving me suspicious looks. I can hear the murmurs of gossip.

My wolf ears are sharp. My lady and the others can’t seem to hear them, but their voices reach me loud and clear.

“What is that giant creature…?!”

“A wolf…?! No, it’s much bigger than a wolf…!”

“Just look at its massive fangs and scary eyes. What a strange pattern on its body. It’s not a monster, is it…?”

“Why aren’t the imperial guards saying anything? It doesn’t have anything to do with Morgan’s daughter, does it? We should steer clear of it if that’s the case…”

They’re murmuring. They’re murmuring a lot.

Ugh, I hate that I can hear them whispering about me. This sucks.

The only way to heal this broken heart is to eat street food till I drop.

“Woof, woof! (Let’s buy all the food! All of it! It’s all Papa’s money anyway!)”

“Wow, this looks so good!”

I don’t even have to say anything before my lady rushes over to a food stand and orders something. I blink in surprise.

We drink a cold, finely blended drink made from crushed whole strawberries. The sweet and tart fruity flavor is amazing.

“Arwf? (This is just a smoothie, isn’t it?)”

The young man working the stand is crushing the berries so small that when the drink is finally served, it’s unmistakably a smoothie.

“Even the food stands in the bazaar of uptown are incredibly high quality. The ingredients are so fresh. They’ve got price tags to match, though…”

“We cannot have you consuming strange foods, my lady. This level of quality is the lowest I will allow.”

Maid Miranda’s standards are pretty high. Anything that doesn’t have a license from the guild is vetoed. She also goes through tasting everything for poison herself before finally giving it to Lady Mary.

Even now, she’s testing the food stand’s offerings, taking a slurp from the thick straw.

…Miranda, you’re not just using the “checking for poison” thing as an excuse to pig out, are you?

“What, do you want some, too? …I’m not really a fan of sweet things. You can have the rest of mine.”

Zenobia mistakes me staring up at Miranda for jealousy and offers me her cup.

“Arwf? (Huh? Really?)”

What’s this? Is Zenobia showing her cute side? Is it really okay for me to have this?

“D-don’t misunderstand. Scraps are good enough for the likes of you.”

Ahhh, that’s more like it. Gotta have the tsun with the dere, after all.

“Arwf! (Whoa, this is so good! Is this yogurt mixed with apples?)”

The honey dribbled on top adds a lot of sweetness, but the tartness of yogurt cuts through, making it very palatable.

“Mew! Mew! (Mistress! I want some, too! Let me try some!)”

Nahura, riding on Hecate’s shoulder, begs by swatting at her with a paw.

“Oh, you want some?”

“Mew! (Yes please!)”

“Reeeally?”

Pretending to play dumb, Hecate holds out the cup so it’s just out of reach of Nahura’s tongue.

“M-mrow! (M-Mistress! You’re so meeeeaaaan!)”

Those two are always doing stuff like this.

Once she’s teased her enough, Hecate lets Nahura have the rest.

The streets of the Royal Capital are lively, but everything is so orderly that there isn’t a single piece of trash anywhere.

Once we finish our drinks, someone whom I assume is a cleaner comes over and takes our cups like it’s no big deal. If someone collects the trash before you can throw it away yourself, then of course there won’t be any litter on the ground. Having a job for even the smallest things is wonderful.

The cleaner quickly runs away the moment they spot me, though. I’m hurt.

You don’t need to be so afraid of me. I may be a little big for my age, but I’m still just a two-month-old puppy!

“Oh! Look at this place, Routa!”

Lady Mary points at a store.

“Arwf? (Hmm? I feel like I’ve seen this place before. Or maybe not?)”

There’s a banner with a paw print painted on it outside the shop. I can see people on the street looking in and fussing over the kittens and puppies in the front window.

“Arwf! (Oh, I know!)”

This is the pet shop I was reborn in!

Ah, the nostalgic place of my birth, though I don’t really feel nostalgic for it. My very first memory in this world is of my lady picking me up, after all.

“We met for the very first time here. It wasn’t that long ago, but it still feels a little nostalgic, right, Routa?”

“Woof. (Yeah. I’m really glad you were the one that bought me, Lady Mary.)”

I’ve had a few issues here and there, but I have no complaints about my day-to-day life. I am over the moon with the pet life I’ve always dreamed of.

“Arwf! (Wait, I just remembered!)”

The collar! A collar! This is a pet shop, right? Then it should have collars!

“Arwf! Arwf! (My lady! Let’s go in! Let’s go in!)”

I run over to the shop and bat at the door with my forepaw.

“What’s wrong, Routa? Do you want to go in?”

She tilts her head as she opens the door.

“Awrooo! (Excuse me! I’d like a collar, please!)”

“Yes, welcome! What kind of pet are you loo…king…for…?”

My eyes meet the shop assistant’s as he comes to greet his latest customers.

Oh, wait, I recognize those round glasses. I’m sure this is the same person who sold me to Papa Gandolf.

“Woof! Woof! (Shopkeep! I would like your finest collar!)”

Who cares how much it costs? Papa’s loaded!

“E-eeeeeeeek! A-a monster?!”

“Woof! Woof! (Oh no, not you, too! I’m not a monster! I’m barking, aren’t I? I’m clearly a dog!)”

“Woof! Woof!” (See?) “Woof! Woof! Woof!”

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! S-someone save meeeeeee!”

“We can’t get in if you’re standing there, Routa.”

While I’m at a loss for what to do with the shopkeeper, who’s collapsed while trying to run away, my lady shoves at my butt from behind.

Oh, excuse me.

She’s powerless to move my rear, which won’t budge even slightly, so I move it out of her way.

“Hello, mister.”

“Uhhh…huh? O-oh, you’re……”

The frantic shopkeeper finally calms down when he sees my lady.

Her smile has the power to make anyone feel calm.

“You’re that customer who bought the puppy that wasn’t on my list! Which means this giant white creature is…?!”

“Yes. He’s that puppy. He’s all grown up.”

The shopkeeper stares at my lady after she innocently replies, and a crack appears in his glasses.

“Wh-wh-what have I done…?! I am so sor—”

Uh-oh. The manager’s gonna blow my cover.

Hold it right there, mister. I can’t have that. Not at all!

“Arwf! Arwf! (Hey, shopkeep! Over here! Look over here!)”

I desperately try to catch his attention, cutting off his apology midsentence, his mouth hanging open.

“Arwf, arwf! (Listen. You’re about to tell her what I really am. If you tell her I’m a monster, then you’re going to be in trouble, too, for selling me, right?)”

“Mmmm…!”

I fix him with a death glare and try my best to convey the meaning behind it.

“Arwf, arwf! (A pet shop that sells monsters will definitely go bankrupt! At the very least, your sales will plummet! There isn’t an adult alive who wouldn’t pretend they didn’t see anything!)”

“Mmmm……!”

“Woof! Woof! (Use your common sense! A businessman must think of his profits! Where’s your commercial spirit?!)”

I’m being really hard on him, but I also can’t have him spilling the beans.

If anyone else finds out what I really am, I’ll be in big trouble, and so will you. There’s really only one solution.

“Woof! (Protect the shop! Which means protecting me!)”

Come on! Understand what I’m saying!

“Mmmmmm……!”

His face wrinkles up, and his head droops in thought. Then he finally looks up again.

“Wh-wh-wha—?”

“Wha…?”

Lady Mary tilts her head in confusion as the manager puts on his best salesman smile.

“Wh-what a cute dog he’s grown into. I can tell you’re taking good care of him! It’s fantastic!”

Nice one, manager. To survive in these difficult times, it’s necessary to play the long game. That’s why you should do your best to have my back. Make sure no more information slips, okay?

“Thank you very much. Isn’t that great, Routa? He called you cute.”

“Arwf, arwf. (Aw, you’re making me blush. Shall I wink? I think I’ll wink. Wink~ Wink~)”

“Urgh…”

Hey.

“So anyway, how can I help you today?”

His will is stronger now that he’s mentally prepared himself. He’s done a complete reboot, and now he’s back in shopkeeper mode.

“Oh, was there something you wanted, Routa?”

My lady looks at me, and I remember why I wanted to come here in the first place.

That’s right, my true goal. I came in here to get a collar.

“Arwf? (Where are they?)”

I scan the store.

Sure, I could talk to the puppies and kittens in their cages, but I don’t have any reason to. The only one my lady should fuss over is me.

“Woof! (There!)”

I spot them on a wall covered in pet equipment like cat toys and pet bowls.

“Arww, arww! (My lady! This! Buy this!)”

I carry over an extremely glossy enameled red-leather collar in my mouth.

When you think of a white dog, you think red collar. It’s a given.

“You want a collar? Won’t it be hard to breathe?”

“Arwf! (Not at all—it’ll be fine. If anything, I want to be bound to you.)”

It’ll just make me more dependent, right? Bring it on, my lady.

“Very well, then. Miranda?”

“Yes, miss.”

Miranda, who was waiting patiently behind us, suddenly appears, handing money over to the manager.

“Bark! Bark! (Hurry up! Hurry up! Put it on! Put it on!)”

“Whoa, calm down, Routa.”

I leap up and down on my front paws, causing the shop to shake. Whoops, I should hold back.

“Stay still, okay?”

Yes! The day I get irrefutable proof that I’m the pet of my beloved master has arrived at last…! With this, no one can ever call me Fenrir again…!

“Um, Routa…”

“Arwf? (Huh? What’s wrong?)”

“The collar won’t go on…”

“Arwf…! (N-no way! I’m sure I picked up the largest one…!)”

“Gngh!”

Lady Mary tries as hard as she can to latch the collar, but my neck’s so thick that it won’t even reach halfway.

Damn. Why does my massive body have to get in the way at a time like this?!

“Sir, might you have a slightly larger size?”

Miranda does the smart thing and asks the shopkeeper.

“E-er, I do have something, but…”

“Woof! Woof! (Huh? You do?! You should have it out if you do! Gimme! Gimme! Give it here!)”

“Money is no object. We’ll take it.”

Miranda bows politely.

“Well, it is taking up some room in the storage…”

With that, the shopkeeper brings out a collar from the back of the store that looks like it definitely won’t be too small.

It’s a perfect fit, but—

“—Thank you for your patronage! Please come again!”

He has a huge grin on his face from selling an item that was just gathering dust in storage. He bows deeply as we leave the store.

“Arwf… (Sigh… Hey, what are you up to, Zenobia?)”

“S-soooo cuuuute… Huh?!”

The moment I think about how Zenobia has been missing this whole time, I see her squatting down by the back of the glass case fawning over the puppies.

“A-ahem.”

The moment she spots me, she clears her throat and collects herself.

“You better not have caused any problems for the young lady. What did you even get—?”

She points at my neck.

“…What is that?”

“…Arwf. (…It’s a collar.)”

But it’s a cow collar!

Clang-a-lang.

A pastoral bell chime matches my steps.

“Arwww… (It’s somewhat different from what I had hoped for…)”

With this, I feel less like a pet and more like cattle.

I wanted to become a pampered pooch, not livestock.

I’m rather frustrated by the great quality of this collar. The leather is well tanned and fits nicely. It’s actually really comfortable, damn it.

“Arwf… (Well, the sound of this stupid bell might help trick people. I guess I’ll use it…)”

“Pfft. So all you wanted was a collar.”

“Arwf! (What’s wrong with that? There’s nothing wrong with a domesticated pup wanting a collar!)”

“Yeeees. But that’s a cow collar.”

“Arwf. (Sniff. I just wanted a regular collar.)”

“You really are strange, Routa… Hmm, what shall we do?”

Hecate notices my depression and places her fingertip on her lip, in thought.

“Routa! That shop has a fantastic smell!”

I immediately forget everything at the sound of my lady’s voice.

“Bark! Bark! (Oh, you’re right! I’ll go anywhere you lead, my lady!)”

Lady Mary is my number one priority. I find the spot she’s slipped away to, and we descend upon a new food stand.

“Haruff, haruff! (These hash browns are so good! I looove fried food like that. The high-class food of the mansion can’t be beat, but sometimes I’ve just gotta have junk food like this.)”

It might be because of the thick layer of flour, but the outside of the hash browns is nice and crunchy while the inside is soft, similar to deep-fried bread. It’s delicious.

I devour the golden-brown hash browns one after the other, sparing no concern for the uncivilized noises coming from my mouth.

“Mewl! (Ah, ish hot! Sho hot!)”

“You have such a sensitive tongue, Nahura.”

“Mew, mewl! (Please, Mistress, don’t say that as you shove more of those hot things into my mouth!)”

Hmm, business as usual.

“Mmm, mmm… These are—”

“—delicious, yes, but I’m worried that all this fried food will make me fat…”

Zenobia is happily munching away on a hash brown while Miranda worries about her calorie intake.

Both of them are in amazing shape, so I don’t think they have anything to worry about. Then again, I’m not exactly an expert on the complexities of women. I just leave them to it.

“I’m so glad we decided to walk around all these food stands, Routa.”

“Woof! Woof! (It’s the best! What’s next on the menu? I smell something good over there!)”

I wag my tail in response to my smiling lady.

Then we wander around town, shopping and buying even more food.

Just as we’re getting quite stuffed, and the conversation shifts to where we should go next, Hecate stops right in front of a building.

“There’s something I need to do. Can you please wait here for a bit?”

“Yes, of course.”

It’s quite a spectacular building, built in a way that makes the appearance a lot more menacing than the shops.

The sign up on the building has been engraved with the image of a sword wreathed in flames.

The structure is concealed by sturdy walls and fences that you wouldn’t be able to break through easily, with two guards standing outside the double iron doors.

“Wait, this is…”

Do you know this place, Zenobia?! ……Zenobia? Hello? Why are you hiding behind me?

Zenobia crouching down behind me, trying to look as small as possible, is pretty cute, but what in the world is this store?

“Halt.”

“This is the headquarters of the Adventurers Guild. What business do you have here? If you are an adventurer, please present your adventurer’s license.”

The guards ask politely because this is the uptown district, after all, but their demeanor is still quite intimidating.

Hecate doesn’t shy away from them and instead beams a charming smile.

“Is the guild leader in? I would like a word with her.”

“Do you have an appointment? If not, you will need a letter of recommendation from another branch.”

“Really? I don’t have anything like that… Could I ask for a teeny- tiny favor? Just tell her the witch of Feltbelk Forest is here to see her.”

The guards look at each other, then tell her to wait a moment while one goes inside.

I had imagined the Adventurers Guild to be a rough place, but it seems to be a surprisingly upscale establishment where they’ll happily refuse you at the door.

Oh yeah, Zenobia’s an ex-adventurer. I wonder if she’s hiding behind me because she doesn’t want to meet any old acquaintances of hers.

Her situation can’t be like James’s where she made some kind of grave mistake, could it…?

…Yeah, it’s definitely something like that. My gut tells me so. I mean, it’s Zenobia.

Less than a minute after the guard disappears inside, we hear frantic footsteps.

Wham. The door flies open.

“Hecate! You! Pick now of all times to brazenly wander back…!”

A mature office-lady-looking woman with a blouse and pencil skirt comes flying out of the building with fire in her eyes. She’s pretty sexy, honestly. Her glasses have a thin chain on them, and there’s a mole under one of her eyes. A real beauty.

“Do you have any idea how crazy things have been since you vanished?! It’s been a hundred years since I’ve heard from you! What have you been doing?!

A hundred years? That’s an insanely long time.

Now that I look a little closer, this woman has long ears and silver hair just like Hecate.

I guess, like Hecate, she doesn’t look her age, but maybe it’s because they’re members of the same race?

“I see you haven’t changed, Emerada. Still as angry as ever. Have you gained even more wrinkles?”

“Y-you…! How do you still look so young when you’re so much older than me…?!”

“Because I’m a witch?”

“Some witch you are! Honestly… So? Why in the world are you here? I’m busy trying to deal with some kind of powerful magical disaster that happened in the northeast.”

She puts her hand on her hip and sighs. Yep, still sexy.

I wouldn’t mind getting told off by a boss like her. I wanna be abused by section chief Emerada’s heels.

Just kidding. I’ve had enough of corporate life.

“Do you know about it? We detected abnormal levels of magical energy near the sacred mountain just north of the border of the Faulks estate. It was so strong that we were able to observe it from here.”

Huh? Did she just say “Faulks”? Does that have something to do with us?

“I haven’t seen powerful magic like that since the Great Demon Lord War one thousand years ago. The royal palace is making a big fuss, saying it’s an omen of the Demon Lord’s revival. They demanded the guild conduct an immediate investigation.

“Yes, about that. Would you mind calling off the investigation?”

“Wh-what?! Why…? Wait. Did you have something to do with that?!”

“How rude. It wasn’t me at all.”

Huh? Why did she just look at me? Hecate, please.

“It wasn’t? This wouldn’t be the first time you’ve been reckless.”

I suppose it’s because they’re old acquaintances that section chief Emerada’s tone is getting more and more frank.

“That’s why I’m wondering if you could hold off the investigation. Or perhaps just postpone it for a little bit?”

“Hmph, you’re too late! I sent out able-bodied adventurers to the area a while ago!”

Section chief Emerada puffs out her chest with pride, causing her assets above to jiggle. Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! Keep it up, section chief Emerada!

No, wait, she’s not a section chief; she’s the guild leader. But for some reason, she emits this aura that makes me want to call her Chief. Maybe it’s her tired face and head-to-toe pessimism.

“I made a specialist team of A-Rank scouts. It was a pressing matter, so they left right away. They should arrive in less than two weeks.”

“Oh my, really? That’s a little sooner than I had planned.”

“‘Planned’? What are you talking about?”

“Oh, just talking to myself.”

“…So you do know something?”

“Tee-hee, I wonder.”

The chief raises her eyebrows suspiciously, and Hecate smiles at her.

“Ugh, honestly! It’s been forever, but you still get on my nerves! Come here! I’m taking the rest of the day off! You’re telling me everything over a drink!”

“So forward!”

Hecate is dragged by the arm toward the door.

“My apologies, everyone, but it looks like this is where we part ways.”

“Mrow. (Then I, too, shall partake in the merriment. Hee-hee-hee. Alcohol—)”

“Arwf! (Huh? No fair!)”

I wanna drink, too. Damn that Nahura. I’m going to bat her around like a toy when she gets back.

“See you tomorrow.”

Hecate waves back to us by the gate before heading inside with the chief.

“That’s a shame, but having friends is important.”

My lady looks a little sad.

“Woof! Woof! (Lady Mary! Cheer up! You’ve still got me!)”

“Ha-ha, what’s wrong, Routa?”

She ruffles my head.

Tch. I wanted to cheer you up, but now you’re comforting me. It’s hard not to feel frustrated.

“The sun’s starting to set. Why don’t we head back to the inn for today?”

“Arwf! (Yeah! Let’s leave the terrible day-drinking adults behind and laze around the fancy hotel.)”

Speaking of the hotel, I’m really looking forward to dinner tonight.

I wonder what’s on the menu, heh-heh-heh.

“Oh, Routa, look over there. Over by that church wall.”

We’re walking back when my lady suddenly stops and points toward a church.

“Arwf? (Hmm? There’s something over there.)”

It’s a stone statue of a young man holding a sword aloft.

I don’t know if the credit lies with the craftsman’s impressive skills, but even though the statue’s made of stone, it looks like his cloak is actually waving in the wind.

The impressive pose he strikes with his sword held high practically screams “hero.”

“He’s the reason I named you Routa.”

“Arwf. (Oh. Well, my name was actually Routa to begin with.)”

“He’s the hero Routa who defeated the evil Demon Lord and brought peace to the world one thousand years ago!”

“Arw. (Hmm, well, we might both be named Routa, but I guess the similarities end there.)”

It’s a little annoying how handsome that statue is. Maybe I should pee on it.

Just as I get jealous of the stone statue my lady admires so much, I hear a crowd of voices from the other direction.

“Run for it, everyone! The monster girl is coming!”

“Hurry, or you’ll be dead meat!”

“People with strange pets should hide! Or they’ll be taken away!”

A mixture of people, men and women, old and young, come running toward us in a huge group.

“Arwf? (What’s going on?)”

It looks like they’re running from something.

Wait. Hold it, hold it. Won’t it be dangerous if they keep running this way? They’re on a collision course with us!

This really is dangerous! Not good! They’re going to crash into us! Right into us!

“Arwf! (Whoa, whoa, whoa! Excuse me, my lady!)”

“H-huh? Routa?”

Just before we’re about to be swallowed by the throng of people, I scoop my lady up from below. Her light body rests on my back, and I jump high into the air.

I leap over the wave of people and land on the edge of the road with Lady Mary safely on my back.

“Huh? What?”

My lady looks around puzzled, not knowing what just happened.

I should have acted like a normal pet, but with such a narrow road, there wasn’t anywhere else to go. I had no choice.

“Woof, woof! (Zenobia! Miranda! Are you all right?)”

I’m pretty sure Zenobia should have been able to react, but I can’t see them anywhere.

“My lady! Are you all right?!”

Zenobia calls over from the other side of the wave of people. Looks like they were able to get out on that side.

“I’m fine! Routa saved me! You’re not hurt at all, are you?”

“N-no, Ms. Zenobia was able to protect me!”

Nice one, Zenobia. Looks like she was able to save Miranda, too.

But there’s no end to this crowd. It’s so packed in front of us that I can’t take a single step into the flow of people.

“…Hey, you guys are in the way! Move!”

“Ms. Zenobia, please refrain from anything that will make you stand out or appear to be of a higher station than them… We’re in the uptown district, so there’s a chance there is a noble among them. If you do anything to cause issues for the family, then…”

“Grr, but at this rate, we won’t be able to regroup with the young lady…!”

I can hear Miranda pacifying Zenobia, who’s unable to clear the wall of people.

Hmm, I wonder if I should jump over there with Lady Mary on my back.

“We’ll be fine. Routa’s with me, so let’s split up and meet back at the inn!”

Well, leave it to Lady Mary to be the one worrying about them.

“Tch, but… No, this isn’t a safe place to stop, either… Very well. We’ll head over there right away!”

“We’ll be fine; don’t worry about us!”

“Routa! You better protect her!”

“Woof! (You got it!)”

You shouldn’t expect so much from a pet, but I can at least help my lady run away.

We split up from Zenobia and Miranda and head in a different direction.

Slipping down a narrow road to get away from the crowd of people, we eventually come out on a nearby street.

“Phew. That was a surprise. I wonder what that was all about.”

“Arwf. (No idea. I feel like someone said something about a monster?)”

A monster isn’t going to jump out at us, is it?

The royal guards need to get their act together. It’s their job to protect the people of the city.

Oh wait, I suppose I’m a potential target for elimination. Never mind! Please keep working in moderation.

“It’s so quiet.”

“Arwf, arwf. (Yeah.)”

It might be because it’s late afternoon, or because of all the noise just now, but there doesn’t seem to be anyone populating the dimly lit streets.

I’m at least grateful the whispering of the townsfolk has stopped.

“Woof, woof. (Oh, Lady Mary. Not that way, I’m pretty sure this is the right street.)”

I’m not Zenobia, so I actually have a good sense of direction.

“This way? Oh, Routa, you’re so smart.”

“Arwf. (Heh-heh-heh, Zenobia’s not like me, though, not at all.)”

Miranda’s probably being dragged all over the place by Zenobia right now.

She has no sense of direction, but she’s so sure of herself that she just marches on ahead.

“Hee-hee, the two of us haven’t been on a walk alone together since that time.”

“Arwf? (Which time?)”

Oh, I know. The time we snuck out of the mansion and went to play by the lake.

We walked along the road we always take in the carriage, but Lady Mary ended up getting tired and falling asleep.

That was the time I found out I was less of a wolf and more of a monster. I noticed goblins deep in the forest, so I went to go scare them, but for some reason, I shot a beam from my mouth…

It wasn’t that long ago, but it feels like it’s been ages since that happened.

“Hey, Routa, back then, what really—?”

She stops.

“Arwf? (What’s wrong, my lady? Do you need another nap?)”

“………No, it’s nothing. Let’s be together forever.”

With that, she wraps her arms around my neck and squeezes me tight.

“Woof! Woof! (Of course! I swear that I’ll be yours for the rest of my life!)”

I can feel her gentle warmth through my fur, when suddenly, there’s a shadow.

“……Arwf? (…Hmm? What the—?)”

I look up to see—

“Ohhh-ho-ho-ho! What a peculiar dog you have there, commoner!”

—a stereotypical snobby young lady with a cliché high-pitched laugh.