Epilogue

“Arwwww… (Aaaaahhhh…)”

Whoa. I really sound like an old man.

“Arwf… (But I can’t help it; this is the beeeest…)”

As I sink my humongous body into the hot water, it rises up and spills over the rocky edge.

My fluffy fur spreads out, and the feeling of the hot-spring water seeping into it feels incredibly good.

I look up at the half-moon shaped like a fluffy omelet. The white steam drifts upward, and the water’s surface glistens in the moonlight.

Well, I have to say bathing in a hot spring on a moonlit night sure is fancy.

When I bathe with Lady Mary, she always jumps on me, and I swim around like a steamboat, but tonight is a special treat just for adults.

I can just relax and enjoy the hot spring.

It’s a shame the adventurers went back without trying it. Their loss.

I asked Garo and some of the others if they wanted to join, but she said no and that she was worried about neglecting the protection of the forest for so long because they were escorting the adventurers.

They must have been exhausted, but they ran off gallantly into the forest so quickly that I couldn’t tell.

Hmm, Fen Wolves sure are workaholics. I really am a disgrace to Fen Wolf–kind!

But I don’t care! I’m the king! Who’s gonna say anything?

It’s too bad Garo and the others didn’t want to join, but it’s not like this hot spring is going anywhere. I can just invite them later.

Heh-heh-heh, no one can resist once they find out how good this feels. They won’t get away next time.

“This really is an exquisite bath…”

The person who teleported the adventurers (who were originally supposed to be in the spring right now) to town lets out a big sigh.

Hecate soaks in the waters next to me.

She stretches her arms and back to alleviate stiffness.

Her stark-naked body is a sight to behold. And once again, her cups runneth over. I can’t stress this enough. She truly is blessed.

“Mreooow… (I don’t want any more baaaaaaaaths…),” says Nahura, who has been forced into the bath and now lies exhausted on Hecate’s chest.

Nahura hates baths, so she can’t appreciate how truly wonderful this hot spring is. It’s just so sad.

But that makes me realize something amazing.

“Woof……! (Oh…… They’re floating. Look at them float……!)”

Nahura’s weight causes Hecate’s large breasts to bob up and down.

They’re so big, she could probably balance anything on them.

“Woof… (I could really go for a beer right now…)”

Drinking alcohol after a bath is the best, but drinking while in a piping-hot hot spring is also pretty good.

In the winter, you drink sake, but for summer, you’ve gotta have beer.

“Oh my. I might just have some, actually.”

“Woof?! (Huh? Really?!)”

Hecate waves her index finger around in a circle.

A hole in the air opens up, and a ceramic bottle and a cup fall out.

“This is ale. It’s different from lager because it doesn’t have any hops in it.”

She pours an amber liquid into the cup as she talks.

A nice thin layer of foam rises to the top, and droplets of condensation begin to drip down the side of the cup.

“Arwf…arwf…! (Ohhhh, it’s ice-cold…!)”

“Tee-hee.”

Hecate giggles as I reel in my drool, and she places the almost-overflowing cup against her lips.

“Glug, glug.”

Her slender throat moves seductively as she downs the whole thing, sounding very satisfied as she does.

“Phew… Delicious…”

She licks the foam off her lips and sighs.

That alluring figure—I can’t take it anymore!

“Woof! Woof! (I want some! Gimme! Gimme!)”

I’m a sucker for beer commercials. My current view is so much better than a commercial that my desire to purchase a drink is overwhelming. If this aired on TV, I’d immediately buy an entire crate.

Which reminds me, she probably swiped this beer from the mansion! As a member of the Faulks family, I have a right to drink it!

Gimme! Gimme some beer!

“Hee-hee-hee, do you want to do that again?”

She takes her hand out of the water and is about to pour the drink down her fingertips.

“Woof! Woof! (You’ll get the water dirty if you do that here! And you’re not supposed to get the towel in the water! Hmph!)”

As someone who’s whole body looks like a towel, what am I saying…? This isn’t the time for that sort of critique.

“Arwf? (Huh? That reminds me, where did Len run off to?)”

She normally makes some kind of snide remark from the top of my head right about now. But she doesn’t seem to be there, nor anywhere in my mane.

She’s on my back 24-7, so it’s strange that she’s not there for once.

“Woof! (Hmm, oh well. More importantly, beer! Please give me the glorious beer!)”

I stick my face into the freshly poured cup and gulp the ale down.

“Arwf…! (Oh, oh yeeeesssss…!)”

There’s barely any bitterness, and a carbonated sweet fruitiness runs down my throat.

The flavor is completely different from beer in the other world.

The fizziness isn’t strong, but it has the full-bodied fragrance of squeezed fruit. The aftertaste is like freshly baked bread. Its richness fills my empty belly.

This isn’t a drink you gulp down, but one where you savor the taste on your tongue.

“Woof, woof! (Hmm, not like that’s going to stop me, though!)”

Let’s gulp this down! Everyone has their own way of drinking!

“Oh my, you drink well. How about some snacks?”

“Garwf, garwf. (Oh, so good—ham on bread would go great with this!)”

That sounds so good. So delicious.

With the snacks and ale Hecate is providing, the hot spring is made perfect.

The beer is delicious. The hot spring feels amazing……

Right! This is the paradise we created…!

“Mwa-ha-ha! Oh, darling. If you require someone to pour drinks for you, then just ask me.”

Oh, looks like Len’s finally arrived.

“Woof…? (How do you expect to pour anything with a body like yours…?)”

It’s an impossible task for a dragon or a mouse.

It’ll either be too heavy and she’ll drop it, or she’ll put too much strength into it and break it. Either way, I can only imagine the bottle shattering.

Wait a second… Did she just speak normally…?

I think this over as I turn around and see a completely naked young lady.

“Arwf…? (It can’t be… Is that you, Len?)”

“Indeed.”

She nods. She’s not embarrassed by her naked body at all and is, in fact, standing proud as she pops into the hot spring and snuggles up next to me.

“I realized something. If you are excited by young human women, then I must assume the form of a human.”

Well, Len nodding in her new form sure is something.

Her shoulder-length hair is a luscious black. Her sharp eyes are red like fire. And her skin is as white as snow.

Now that I take a closer look, she has what appear to be horns sticking out from either side of her head. Her nails look sharp, and she has a short, scaly tail coming out from the bottom of her spine.

The finer details are a little strange here and there, but she has transformed herself into a very cute girl.

“This took a lot of work. I really can’t tell the difference between humans. It took a long time to practice getting this body just right.”

Len keeps shooting me seductive glances as she stokes my chin with her slender fingers.

“What do you think? Does it make you want to mate with me right now? Does it make you desire lots of descendants?”

“Arwf. (Nope, not at all.)”

“What?!”

Her eyes widen at my immediate response.

“Wh-why not…?! This is the kind of female you lust after, you pervert! How are you not excited by this form?!”

“Woof! Woof! (Who are you calling a pervert?! Rude! Besides, you look way too young! I’m not a pedophile!)”

Len does look cute, but she also looks like she’s five or six years old.

Plus, she’s completely flat.

More like an infant than a child. I want to dress her up in a smock.

“Wh-what?! But are you not always fawning over the young females in the mansion? The younger the better, right?!”

“Woof… (I feel like there’s been a grave misunderstanding…)”

I howl at the clueless spinster from my position in the bath.

“Woof! Woof! (And besides, this Routa is not some irresponsible pet who would have puppies without his owner’s permission!)”

I don’t want to get castrated! No way!

“Woof! Woof! (I live without a lick of worldly obligations or responsibility. I get petted all the time, and I love being lazy. I’m proud of that!)”

Len’s eyes snap wide as she realizes the truth.

“O-oh… So my secret plan…”

Tears stream down Len’s face as she sinks under the water, blowing bubbles.

“No matter how important you try to make it seem, it just wasn’t that noble a goal…”

Hecate watches us as she drinks her beer in shock.

“U-uwah… Why did I even try so hard…? I had to not only prepare the spell but imagine a new human form, and now I have to forget it again… Do you have any idea how long it takes…?”

“Woof! Woof? (No biggie! Want a beer?)”

“You jerk!”

Len readies her claws as she launches herself at me.

“It’s a wife’s job to look after her terrible husband! You’re a pervert, and now you’ve dragged me down with you! We’re in this together, so I’m making you accept your hand in all this!!”

“W-woof! Woof! (H-hey, wait, nooooooooooo!! Y-you’ll make me uncleeeeaaaan!!)”

“My, oh my. Well, now.”

Hecate watches the aggressive Len and the submissive me, her hand raised to her mouth as if watching a sport.

“Woof! (Hey! Don’t just watch! Help!)”

“I don’t think so. I decided I would never get involved with someone who’s head over heels.”

“Woof! Woof! (Then, Nahura! Nahura! You’ll do! Help me out here!)”

I plead to Nahura, who’s still lying on Hecate’s chest with vacant eyes.

“Mewl. (Did you save me when Mistress was torturing me, Routa? Did you not laugh? …Which means that’s just how it is.)”

“Kya-ha-ha! You have no one to back you up, darling! Prepare yourself!!”

“Arwwww!! (N-nooooooooooooo!! I don’t want to be a two-month-old daaaaaad!!)”

With a gentle breeze, the moonlit hot spring is plunged into chaos.

Thankfully, I am able to defend my virginity.

“Mewl. (Goodness me, what a disaster, Routa.)”

“Arwf… (You… I’ll remember this…)”

“Meow. (Why? You reap what you sow. Lady Len loves you dearly, and yet, all you do is give her the cold shoulder. Of course that would happen.)”

I got out of the bath and am now lying on top of a giant boulder, my body stretched out and cooling.

The cool boulder feels good on the stinging bites covering my body.

“Woof… (I wasn’t unreasonable. I’ve just been telling her how I really feel…)”

“Mew, mew? (Sometimes white lies are necessary. Don’t you think it’ll be great? Having lots of little children? I’m sure Len would be a great mother.)”

“Woof! Woof! (I’ve already told you I’m not a furry, and I’m certainly not some dragon pedophile! I was surprised she transformed herself into a human, but still…)”

A spinster’s tenacity is terrifying.

If she hadn’t made herself look so young and added another ten years at least, I may have fallen for her.

But not only did she become a child, but we’re still different species. What could we do about that?

Do monsters often crossbreed?

Well, it has nothing to do with someone like me who’s committed, body and soul, to the pet life.

If more cute, fluffy puppies appeared, then my lady’s affections would be taken from me. The only one she needs to pamper is me.

“Arwf… (Haah, I feel exhausted from everything that’s happened…)”

I rest my chin on my forepaws.

Why am I this tired from being in a revitalizing hot spring?

I just want to live my stress-free pet life.

How contradictory is that?

Luckily, everything was handled thanks to Hecate. I was able to protect my pleasant pet life.

I don’t really know what that giant magical circle was, nor do I understand what Hecate did in the end.

“Mewl. (All right then, I’ll give Routa a special cat massage as a present. How’s that?)”

Nahura climbs onto my tired back and massages me, alternating her front paws.

“Arwf… (Ahhhh… I may be biased, but this is the best…)”

“Mewl. (Paw, paw, rub, rub.)”

The feeling of her soft paws working into my back feels amazing.

Ahhh, I feel so much better.

Below the boulder I’m being massaged on, Len is sulking, and Hecate is right next to her. They’re drinking and talking about something.

“Pfaah! That hit the spot!”

I’m sure they don’t care, but it’s normally illegal for a young girl to gulp down alcohol and sigh like that. Then again, she’s a thousand-year-old spinster on the inside, so I guess it’s fine.

Being a furry with a thing for young boys means she’s more like a pedophilic thousand-year-old spinster… I kind of feel bad for her…

Urgh, now she’s crying again.

“Miss Witch…my darling…I don’t know what you’re plotting, but…as my husband…”

“It’s unfortunate… I’m sure you’ll… I’ll…someday…”

It’s hard to hear over the waterfall in the hot spring. I hear “husband” but not much else. If I can’t hear it, then I can’t hear it.

Either way, it sounds like they’re complaining about me.

Worthless. Pervert. Lick-o-phile.

Sniff.

Whatever, I’ll just have my lady compliment me. She’ll squish my cheeks.

“Mewl. (I can sense you’re terrible from the ground up. How interesting.)”

“Bark, bark! (Ha-ha-ha. That’s because I’m aiming to be the world’s most worthless dog!)”

Lady Mary is happy to pet me. I’m happy being petted.

It’s an easy relationship we both get pleasure from. That’s a pet and master for you.

A pet’s job is to be spoiled. A pet who works isn’t a pet at all.

I’m a dog who takes great pride in his life as a pet. I’m the ideal pet, aren’t I?

“Woof, woof?! (Don’t you think so, Nahura?!)”

“Meow. (I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I do know you’re a terrible creature.)”

“Woof, woof? (Yes, true, but could you try praising me a little more?)”

“Meow. (Ha-ha-ha, oh, Routa. Who’s a good boy?)”

Our laughs echo in the moonlit night.

“Squee…? (Why…hic… Why, my darling…hic…will you not embrace me…? …Hic…?)”

Len’s drunk on my back, and I’m standing in the garden.

I had managed to convince her to turn back into a mouse, but it was a lot of work.

“Woof, woof! (We’re good friends!)”

“Squee! Squee! (Noooo! Breed with me! Darling is a horrible pervert, so just follow those natural inclinations and let’s make one or two new little lives!)”

“Woof, woof! (Who are you calling a horrible pervert?! I’m just a nice guy who’s interested in a wide variety of people!)”

“Squeak! (That means you’re just not interested in me! We may be different species, but we’re both monsters!)”

“Woof, woof! (I already told you—I’m not a furry!)”

“Squeak, squeak!! (But humans are further from yoooouuuu! You disgusting perveeeeerrrrt!!)”

After screaming, Len suddenly calms down.

“Squeak… (Ugh, can you walk a bit quieter, beloved…? I think I’m going to… Oh, could this be morning sickness…?!)”

“Woof. (Ugh, damn spinster. You reek of thousand-year-old spinster…)”

I give up with a sigh and turn around.

“See you later, Routa. That was a lot of fun.”

Hecate, who brought us back with her space magic, holds up her long skirt in one hand and her wide-brimmed hat in the other and curtsies.

“Woof! (Yeah! Later!)”

“Mewl! (Let me know if you ever want another cat massage!)”

Nahura waves a paw from her perch on Hecate’s shoulder.

“Woof? (What’s it gonna cost me?)”

“Mewl! (Just your time!)”

“Woof! (That’s ominous!)”

What would she make me do?!

The space around Hecate’s feet glows, and the two of them seem to fade away, then vanish.

“Woof. (All right then, let’s head home and hop back into bed. My lady is waiting.)”

“Squee… (Why that little girl…? I’m the better woman…)”

You’re even younger than she is when you turn human.

No, even mentally, my lady is more mature than you…

How did this spinster survive for a thousand years?

I leave Len curled up in a ball on my head and head back into the mansion from the back door of the kitchen.

Passing through, I decide to check on the old man asleep at his recipe-covered desk. As always, I grab a blanket from the linen room and pull it over him.

“Mmm…?”

Uh-oh, he’s waking up.

“Hmm…? Oh, it’s you, Routa. I’m guessing you’re stealing again?”

He grins at me and stretches.

The blanket around his shoulders falls to the floor.

“Oh, so it was you who’s been putting a blanket on me… What a clever boy.”

He says thank you by ruffling my head with his burly hand.

“Woof, woof! (No problem! It’s great that you’re passionate about your work, but you should really get a good night’s sleep in a bed!)”

As I reply, my tail wags with a whm, whm.

“I know, I know. I’ll go sleep in my room. You should keep the midnight play to a minimum and get back to the young lady.”

Did my thoughts reach him? He lights the lantern, and we leave the room.

Eventually, we part ways, and I head up the stairs to Lady Mary’s room.

I stand up on my hind legs and use my forepaws to open the door.

The bedroom is incredibly quiet. All I can hear is my lady’s even breaths.

I take great care not to wake her as I sneak back under the duvet. My head pops out right next to her face.

Oh, crap, the bed’s creaking.

“Ghnn… Routa…”

Lady Mary hugs me like always, rubs her face in my fur, then falls asleep again.

I feel like the day isn’t over if I don’t see her sleeping face at least once.

“Arww. (But still, today was a really long day.)”

I wriggle my head to prepare my own pillow.

“Squea… (Darling…I’ll never give up…)”

“Woof, woof. (Yeah, yeah.)”

I admire her determination.

I admire it, but I don’t accept it!

Now then, tomorrow it’s back to the life of a lazy pet.

Spending every day just eating and sleeping is wonderful. I feel like I’ll have a good dream tonight.

Good night.

It’s been a few days since that night.

Today is another day I’m spending my time peacefully at the Faulks mansion.

I’m doing the same thing I do every day, eating delicious food and sleeping as much as I like.

My lady spoils me, and I help Toa with the laundry and run away whenever Zenobia tests her new blades… I guess that last part isn’t exactly peaceful.

Either way, ever since we got rid of those adventurers, no major issues have occurred.

Even now, I’m having a rest over by the tables in the garden.

Lady Mary, with a tea set beside her, turns a page in her book. It’s a faint sound but one of my little pleasures in life.

That’s when Hecate shows up.

“Pardon my intrusion.”

Miranda quickly prepares tea for the witch who selfishly invites herself over as if this were her own home.

“Oh! Dr. Hecate!”

My lady is thrilled. She leaps up out of her chair and throws herself into Hecate’s arms.

“Arrrwn. (You’ve been over a lot lately.)”

I yawn and scratch the back of my ear with my leg as I look at her.

“Oh my, have I been too much of a nuisance?”

Nope, not at all. It’s just that every time you’re here, Papa’s liquor collection gets smaller and smaller. It’s really sad… Then again, you always let me have some, too!

“I’m so happy you’re here, Doctor! You never came that often before…”

Before Lady Mary’s illness was cured.

It was an incredibly rare and painful disease where once a year she’d get a month-long fever.

It was hard watching her suffer like that. But we don’t need to worry about that anymore.

She’s all cured thanks to the medicinal plant we got for her and Hecate turning it into a miracle drug.

“You’re such a good girl, Mary. In fact, I have a gift to reward you for always behaving.”

“Huh? Really?!”

She claps her hands together, and her eyes light up with expectation.

“Then again, I suppose it would be more accurate to say I have a gift for Routa.”

With that, Hecate takes out a beige box using her space magic.

It’s a shallow wooden box that looks like it might contain cookies, but I wonder what’s really inside.

I peek over from the side, and my lady lifts the lid.

“Oh! Woooow, how pretty…!”

She takes out a dazzling belt that makes our eyes shine.

Intricate silver patterns are engraved into the red leather. The center is adorned with a beautiful gem.

“Arwf…? (Is this…?)”

“It’s a collar for Routa!”

Hecate smiles and nods.

Oh yeah, I haven’t had a collar this whole time. The one we bought in the Royal Capital flew off when I howled.

I have fixed my relationship with Toa, but I can tell other servants are still scared of my ever-growing body.

I was just thinking about how it was probably because I couldn’t get ahold of another collar to improve my image.

I guess Hecate remembered what happened at the pet shop. And she got me this wonderful collar.

I have no choice but to accept it.

“Thank you so much, Dr. Hecate!”

My lady thanks her and begins to put it around my neck.

That’s when a small shadow leaps out of my mane to block it.

“Squeak!! (Stop, my darling!! Don’t put it on!!)”

“Arwf?! (Huh?!)”

Len leaps onto the top of my head and squeaks alarmingly, fur standing on end.

“Squeak! (That isn’t any ordinary collar! The technique is too complicated for me to read, but an incredibly strong magic has been carved into the design! That collar’s been enchanted!)”

The moment she says “enchanted,” I think of the brainwashed monsters at Drills’s house.

Len suspects this collar might be enchanted with something similar.

“Squeak! (Remember the magic circle at the waterfall? This witch’s actions are incredibly suspicious. I’m certain she’s up to no good!)”

“Hee-hee. You’re right. It’s very suspicious.”

Hecate shoots us an evil grin.

“What do you think, Routa? Would you accept a gift from a wit—?”

“Woof! Woof! (I accept! I’ll put it on! I’ll put it on right now! Yes, my lady! On! On!)”

My tail wags like crazy as I urge Lady Mary to put the collar on me.

“Hey, you need to keep still, or I won’t be able to put it on.”

“Squea…! (Darling! What about my warn—?)”

Yeah, yeah, hush now.

I push the squeaking Len back down into my fur.

Hecate looks at me with a dark expression as I do that.

“…You don’t suspect me at all?”

“Arwf. (Nope.)”

I’ve known for a long time now that Hecate’s someone I can trust.

She probably never came to the mansion that much until Lady Mary’s illness was cured because she was looking for the medicine.

Not to mention, those drugs couldn’t be found anywhere. It was also difficult to find a dragon’s nest where the ingredients for the medicine grew. I can’t believe she found the time to do that.

If she hadn’t looked for it beforehand, she wouldn’t have been able to tell me about it.

This situation in the forest earlier is the same. It was Hecate who cleared away the magical residue as well as the adventurers’ suspicions.

She seems suspicious and says cryptic things, but she’s always had our best interests at heart.

I’m not suspicious of her at all.

“…………”

It doesn’t matter what kind of magic this collar has on it. It won’t bring us any misfortune. I’m sure of it.

Also. Including my life in the other world, this is the first time I’ve received a present from a friend. I’m super-happy.

“Woof! (Thank you, Hecate. I’ll take good care of it!)”

“…Honestly, teasing you doesn’t work at all.”

She lets out a dejected sigh.

“Mew. (You say that, but your ears are bright red, Mistress Hecate. You should just be honest and say you’re happy that Routa believes in you— Gyah?!)”

“Silence……!”

Nahura says too much again and gets stomped on.

With the affectionate eyes of a master watching over their pet, my lady finishes putting the collar on me.

“There you go, Routa.”

“Woof! Woof! (Sweet! Well? How does it look? Does it suit me?)”

“It’s wonderful, Routa.”

The collar shines on my neck.

The soft tanned collar around my neck isn’t tight at all. I can tell she invested a lot of time and care making it for me.

I’m so happy. I’m really excited now.

“Woof! Woof! (All right! I don’t have anything to give you in return, but we can at least go for a walk!)”

“Oh my, shall I add a leash?”

“Arwf! (Fwa-ha-ha! No need! Here!)”

I run behind Hecate and push her from behind so her knees buckle, and suddenly, she’s sitting on my back.

“H-hey, wait! Routa?!”

I dash through the garden with a panicked Hecate on my back.

“Woof! Woof! (Hey, hey, miss! Wanna go play by the lake?)”

“Oh honestly, Routa… Very well. I’ll go on a date with you.”

She holds down her wide-brimmed hat and beams a glorious smile.

“Arwf?! (Huh?! A-a date?! No, I wasn’t thinking of something so grand like that… I just wanted to say thank you…)”

“Mrow. (It’s just like Routa to be flustered over something like that.)”

“Squeak! (What is the meaning of this? And to think, you were treating me like the villain for worrying. In that case, I won’t forgive you for cheating!)”

“Arww?! (Ow?!)”

She bites my head, which causes me to buck like a rodeo bull.

“Eek?! H-honestly!”

Hecate’s surprised, but she also seems to be enjoying herself. She laughs as she clings to my neck. This is the first time I’ve seen her laughing innocently like a child.

I like this a lot more than the mischievous grin she usually wears.

“That’s no fair, Doctor! I want to go, too!”

Oh, whoops. We left Lady Mary behind.

“No need to worry. You shan’t be left behind.”

Miranda solemnly takes my lady’s hand.

“I’ve made all the necessary preparations! Get in!”

Zenobia, sitting in the driver’s seat of the carriage, pulls up right next to them.

“Now then, let’s go, everyone!”

My lady issues her command from the carriage, pointing straight ahead at me, and the horses neigh and begin to canter.

Another peaceful, lively, fun day begins.