02: A Ferocious Beast! …Or So I Thought, but I Apologize for Nothing!

The image of a great white wolf is reflected on the surface of the lake.

I stare back at it, feeling depressed.

“Grwl… (No doubt about it. No matter how you look at me, I’m not a dog, I’m a wolf. It’s a miracle I haven’t already been discovered… Everyone besides that knight must be blind.)”

I sigh deeply.

Everyone’s going to think it’s strange if I grow any larger. And the more I look at it, the more terrifying this face is.

“Routa!”

The water splashes at my lady’s call, and the image of the wolf vanishes in the waves.

“The water’s cold, and it feels great. Come swim with me.”

The edges of her skirt are drawn up in true tomboy fashion as she rushes over to me. She looks like a water fairy playing in the shallows of the lake.

“Grr… A-arf! (C-coming!)”

That was close.

I almost replied normally and let my feral growl slip out.

I’m a dog.

I’m a dog.

I’m a harmless, incompetent puppy dog.

All right! Self-motivation complete.

“Come on. You’re not scared of the water, are you? You love baths so much.”

Lady Mary grabs hold of my front two legs and pulls as hard as she can, but my body is so huge, I don’t budge at all.

“W-woof, woof! (I-I’m coming, my lady!)”

I consciously make my voice higher, trying to mimic a dog’s bark.

This is harder than I thought. I’m gonna need to practice.

“Come on! It’s not scary at all.”

“Arrf, arrf.”

I try as hard as I can to sound like a dog, and I play in the water with her.

Shake, shake, shake.

I shake with all my might, flinging water everywhere.

“Eek!”

Water sprays over Lady Mary, and she laughs.

My white fur returns to its once fluffy state now that I’ve shaken out all the water.

“Ha-ha, look at that, Routa. You made a rainbow.”

The mist made from the spraying water reflects the brilliant rays of sunlight, creating the arch of a rainbow. The beautiful scene is only there for a moment as the heat of early summer evaporates the mist and the rainbow along with it.

“Hey, Routa?”

My lady looks at me eagerly.

“Arf? (Ohhh, you want to see it again? All right, then.)”

I’m about to jump from the shore into the lake when the maid, who was sitting in the carriage, calls out to us.

“Lady Mary! It’s time to head back. You still have your afternoon classes.”

Oh, looks like lunchtime’s over. No surprise considering how long it takes to get back to the mansion.

“Aw, that’s a shame. Let’s go, Routa. We can’t keep the teacher waiting.”

“Woof, woof! (It must be exhausting studying from morning to night, my lady. I’ll eat and sleep extra for you! Just leave it to me!)”

We head back to the carriage as I console her.

The carriage could easily fit four people, but half the seats are for me. It hadn’t occurred to me before, but I take up a lot of space. And I feel like I’m still growing. I try to make myself as small as possible in the seat.

“Let us be off, then.”

The volunteer driver for the day is none other than the freeloading knight, Zenobia.

“Tch. Tch.”

As she flicks the reins and clicks her tongue, the two horses start slowly in the direction of home, pulling the carriage behind them. They gradually pick up speed until the wind comes blowing in.

This is the perfect time to explain the new world I was reincarnated into.

First, imagine medieval Europe.

Rows of buildings with stone architecture. Golden fields of wheat. The sound of woodcutters’ axes echoing out of the deep forest.

It’s as beautiful as a folk song.

But then, there are things mixed in that stand out from the norm, things like swords and sorcery. Creatures known as monsters also seem common in this world, and part-time workers known as adventurers go out on a daily basis to fight them.

The knight sitting in the driver’s seat is one of them.

She’s crashing at the Faulkses’ mansion for now, but apparently, Zenobia used to do some adventuring of her own. It seems that fighting monsters was her forte. Her battle prowess doesn’t do her much good these days, however. She doesn’t have anyone to fight.

This area is actually supposed to be pretty unique, since monsters don’t approach it thanks to the sacred lake.

Which means that Zenobia, the knight with nothing to fight, has as little work as I do. The extent of her usefulness has been reduced to tagging along whenever Papa or Lady Mary leave the house.

She’s a good-for-nothing just like me! HA-HA-HA!

…I just realized something. That would make her my rival!

This house isn’t big enough for two deadbeats! Well, it is, but it isn’t!

For the sake of my own cushy lifestyle, I need to come up with a way to defeat Zenobia…

No need to rush, though. Let’s get back to the story.

The sunlight glitters in my eyes, reflecting off the giant lake outside the carriage.

It’s been said that a giant crystal sank to the bottom of the lake, granting it the sacred properties that keep the monsters away.

You’d think it would be frowned upon for my lady and me to play around in such a sacred lake, but all the land surrounding the mansion, for as far as the eye can see, belongs to Papa. No one gets angry with us. This family must be loaded to own acres upon acres of land that’s mostly monster-free forest.

Score! This pup definitely hit the jackpot. I just need to do something about the knight…!

With these lands safe from just about any monster threat, Zenobia, the only armed person for miles, takes it upon herself to keep a watchful eye on me. She even volunteered to be the carriage driver just so she could make sure I didn’t get up to anything.

Then again, I understand how she feels. I’d be on my guard, too, if I were her. There’s no telling when a massive wolf, such as myself, might attack Lady Mary.

I had a feeling she wouldn’t let me ride in the carriage on the way back, but if she’d tried that, I would’ve just used my natural homing instincts to find my way back.

You won’t get rid of me that easily! Never! I’m like a parasite that refuses to die! Don’t underestimate how attached a human who died from overwork can be to a life of loafing!

I huff, cementing my resolution to my pet life.

The two-horse carriage proceeds down the dirt road through the forest.

The lake isn’t that far from the mansion. After thirty-something minutes of rattling, the estate comes into view.

“Haff-haff-haff-haff. (Phew, it sure is stuffy in this carriage.)”

I stick my head out the carriage window, letting my tongue loll.

It’s early summer, but the wind is still cold. I lift my nose, enjoying the forest smell in the air way more than I thought I would.

“Arf…? (Hmm?)”

There’s an odd smell mixed in with the scent of greenery. It’s incredibly faint, but it’s a stench I’ve never smelled before.

I try to zero in on the scent again and sniff around a bit more.

Hmm, this is a worrying smell. I have a bad feeling about it. Where? Where is it coming from?

Sniff, sniff, sniff. Ah. Sniff, sniff, sniff.

“…Hey, mutt. What are you up to?” Zenobia’s voice snaps from the driver’s seat.

I look up to see the knight’s horrific expression.

“Arw?! (Eek?!)”

Our driver is looking my way with murderous intent in her eyes.

Zenobia’s death glare is trained right on me…! Scary!

What?! What did I do wrong?! I just want to live a life that doesn’t require me to do anything, a pet life where everything is taken care of for me!

“What’s wrong, Routa? Is there a bug or something?”

“Arww! (That’s not it at all, my lady! This knight is bullying me! Tell her off!)”

“Oh, the back of your ear itches? Right here?”

“Arw, arw! (That’s not it, either, my lady! I should be the only good-for-nothing in this household! Get rid of her! Get rid of this terrifying woman right now!)”

“Is it your tummy? Under your armpits?”

“Arww, arww! (Ah. This is when my meaning doesn’t reach you?! Ah, that’s not it at all! Oh! Right there! Aw yeeeaaah! That feels so goooooood!)”

While scratching me, Lady Mary hits a spot that feels especially good, and I can’t resist any longer. She pets me for the entire thirty-minute carriage ride back to the mansion.

We climb out of the horse-drawn carriage once it arrives at its destination.

“All right then, I’m off for my studies, so wait for me! We’ll have dinner once I’m done and then a bath!”

“Woof, woof! (Very well, my lady! I’ll enjoy a nap while I wait for you!)”

Hey! That bark just now was pretty doglike, wasn’t it?

I happily wag my tail in response to Lady Mary. She waves back at me as she heads into the mansion with the maid.

“…Hey.”

I hear a threatening voice behind me. The sudden, intense murderous aura I feel sends a chill up my spine. It’s Zenobia, of course.

Crap. I really don’t want to turn around.

“There’s something I need to talk to you about once I’ve taken the carriage back. Wait here.”

Her eyes are blazing as she leads the horses away.

Wh-what could she have to say to me?

I’m scared.

What’s she going to do?!

What’s she going to do to me?!

“Ohhm, ohhm! (Bone crackers are so good! They’re just fried-up bones, but they’re still so good!)”

In just a few minutes, I’m already eating the snacks the old chef had given me—crackers made from calf bones dried in the heat of the sun, then slowly fried in oil. The old chef had done a splendid job. A soul who doesn’t waste a single ingredient is truly wonderful.

The crushed bones let out a juice brimming with umami, which matches the crunchy texture perfectly, truly making it a jewelry box of flavors!

“Whoa, slow down a little when you eat. You sure can put it away, huh?”

The old chef watches me stuff myself with a startled look on his face, but he also seems happy to see me greedily scarf down the food.

“Woof, woof! (These are so absolutely amazing, old man! Thanks!)”

“…I feel like you’ve suddenly started barking more like a dog… Oh wait, you were always a dog.

“Bwa-ha-ha!” the old man laughs as he ruffles my head.

The way you pet me isn’t half-bad. Pet me more. And keep thinking I’m a dog.

“Awwwn. (Now that my tummy is nice and full, I think I’m going to treat myself to a nap right here with the old man.)”

I curl up in the corner of the room so I don’t get in the way, tucking my luxurious tail under my head to use as a pillow.

“Grwl… (Good night…)”

The sound of the chef’s knife chopping away in preparation for the evening’s meal makes me feel good, and drowsiness takes over.

I’m on the verge of falling asleep when—

“Y-you liiiiittle—!! So this is where you weeere!!”

Just as I hear a clatter and a crash, the knight bursts into the kitchen.

“Why didn’t you waaaait?! I told you we had to taaaalk!!”

Wh-whoa?! If it isn’t Zenobia. What’s wrong? What’s gotten you so riled up?

The old chef is so shocked, he extinguishes the fire on the stove and turns around.

Zenobia, who was looking at me, shifts her focus and quickly tries to fix her appearance.

“Oh, I-I’m terribly sorry, Lord James.”

“Would you like some snacks, too, Zenobia? I’m sorry to say these are all I have, but……”

He takes the plate with the leftover bone crackers, sprinkles them with some rock salt, and hands them to her.

“N-no, that’s not why… My thanks. I’ll have just one.”

She takes a stick-shaped rib, scrunches up her shoulder a little to conceal her eating, and nibbles on it.

I’m surprised at the amount of grace contained in the gesture. And how cute it makes her.

Once she finishes her snack, she bows her head.

“It was a wonderful treat. You have my thanks.”

When she looks up again, her gaze returns to me.

“…Come.”

Just as I realize she’s walking toward me, she grabs the scruff of my neck and yanks.

“Arww, arww! (Ah, n-no, stop it! You’re being too rough! I’ve seen how this plays out in fan fiction! …Tch. I’ll get you!)”

“Tch, I’ll get you!” —I actually said that.

I would much rather switch positions with Zenobia. I’d like to see her chained up, saying “Tch. I’ll get you.”

My resistance is futile as she drags me through the back door and outside.

Zenobia and I square off against each other in a secluded park of the garden.

“The young lady isn’t here. I know you’re not really a dog. Show me your true form. You cannot trick me.”

“Arww.”

“A dog could never grow this huge in just a month. And look at your face. You’re clearly a wolf. First, the master gets won over, and now everyone else is on board. Why doesn’t anyone in this mansion find this strange?”

“Arw?”

“…Do not think ill of me. I must dispose of you before you remember your wild nature. It will be too late if you attack the lady.”

“Arww, arww.”

“I-it’s pointless! I shall not falter even if you use such a pitiful voice!”

Zenobia draws her sword as she shouts.

Tch. My plan to appeal to her emotions failed. I didn’t think anyone could resist my cuteness. Not bad, Zenobia.

No, wait—this isn’t the time to be praising her.

She’s serious. Dead serious.

This lady’s really out for blood!

“Before you do any harm, I, Zenobia Lionheart, shall cut you down!”

Following this declaration, she raises her sword high above her head.

“Arf?! (Wha—?! No way?!)”

Seriously?! Can’t we settle this some other way?!

I thought there’d be a bit more buildup! This is all happening so fast, I didn’t have time to get ready!

W-wait! Hold on! I’m gonna die! I’m really gonna die!

I don’t even have time to think about dodging it.

With terrifying speed, the sword slashes down.

The blade strikes my head cleanly, and the force behind the attack instantly splits it in half.

…The sword, that is.

It lets out a metallic screech, and the broken end tumbles through the air.

“…Arw? (…Huh?)”

“Th-th-that’s impossible…”

Zenobia stands before me, flustered.

I survey my body while trying to make sense of what just happened. Surprisingly, there isn’t a single drop of blood.

Amazing! I’m unharmed! I’m alive! Thank God!

Actually, if I hadn’t been reincarnated as a wolf in the first place, this would have never happened. I’m not thankful at all!

“I-it can’t be… My sword… A sword forged by the craftsman Rouen…,” she mumbles as she falls to her knees.

She remains crumpled there as she stares dumbfounded at the broken sword.

…Ohhh. I see.

Dear, sweet Zenobia, it seems you’ve been swindled. That sword is a fake.

You poor thing.

It’s clearly just some crummy old sword that someone sold to you for a fortune under the pretense that it was a rare artifact.

“That…can’t be… I spent so much money on it…”

Called it. That was painfully predictable.

Zenobia looks so sad that I can’t help but call out to her.

“Arww… (Um…)”

“You…!”

Eek! She’s glaring at me.

Ah. Upon closer inspection, her eyes are welling up with tears.

She’s gonna cry.

The knight’s sword broke, and now she’s about to cry.

“Y-you! You’re no ordinary wolf!”

“Woof, woof. (Nope. I’m an ordinary dog.)”

“Shut up! It’s useless to keep pretending you’re a dog! …I will not let this farce continue! You’d best prepare yourself for next time!”

She delivers a parting shot and runs away.

She’s so unreasonable.

First, she attacks me; then, she starts sobbing and insulting me.

But I guess getting to see Zenobia flustered was a reward in its own right. I’m definitely grateful for that.

Maybe I’ll try to cheer her up with some face licks.

“What’s that? Zenobia isn’t here today?”

The maid nods in reply to Lady Mary.

“Yes. She told me she was going to the city to purchase a new sword. It appears she won’t return to the mansion for a while.”

“Really? I was hoping I could go to the lake with Routa again today…”

Lady Mary, who was excited to go out and play now that her afternoon classes had finished, droops her shoulders dejectedly.

Oh, right. Her sword broke the other day. Is an unarmed knight even a knight? It sounds like Zenobia’s gone on a journey to retrieve her identity. You could say that I was the one responsible for shattering that identity in the first place.

But I still don’t think I did anything wrong! If the sword hadn’t broken, I’d be dead. If anything, Zenobia got what she deserved. Serves her right.

I hope she spends a ton of money on another fake sword. That way, it’ll break if she attacks me again.

I give a nefarious chuckle, and Lady Mary turns to me to continue the conversation.

“Looks like we’ll have to go to the lake ourselves. Can we?”

“I’m afraid not. Everyone who could possibly escort us has the day off. And the master ordered that you be accompanied by a guard should you go anywhere.”

Lady Mary has been taking regular trips to the lake for her afternoon playtime, while also bringing sandwiches for picnics. They’re a mixture of carrot and pumpkin between colorful slices of various types of bread, along with herb-roasted chicken and smoked salmon. I would love to have that again.

Oh, right. We can’t have that now. That’s a shame.

“Which means you will have to spend your afternoon at the mansion today.”

“…Okay.”

The young lady nods obediently and heads back to her room.

I huff and follow after.

“Woof, woof! (Lady Mary! Aren’t you tired from your studies? I really recommend a good nap! Naps are the best! Let’s treat ourselves to doing absolutely nothing together! You can bury yourself in my fluff!)”

I wag my tail and hop around excitedly like a good, faithful dog.

“Routa, please be quiet.”

“Arf? (What?)”

My lady flat out refuses my suggestions and opens the window. She sticks her head out and looks around. The mansion is big, but there aren’t many people who work here. I can’t sense anyone, and the gardener doesn’t seem to be here, either.

“No one’s around. Now’s our chance…”

“Arww? (What are you doing, my lady?)”

I stare blankly at her as she puts on a wide-brimmed hat with a flower and casually steps up onto the windowsill.

“A-arwf?! (M-my lady?! Isn’t that a little improper?!)”

“Shh! Quiet. We’re only going out for a little bit, just the two of us. It’ll be fine. If we don’t stay too long and make it back before lunch, we’ll be okay.”

Hmm. It’s at least an hour’s walk one way. That would take up way too much time. Plus, it’s hot. We should just laze around the house.

“Come on. Let’s go, Routa.”

Her mind is made up. She won’t listen to anyone when she gets like this.

That tomboy side of hers is peeking out again.

If I howled right now, the maid would come and put a stop to her plans, but then Lady Mary would be upset, and I don’t want her to hate me. She studies hard every day; the stress must really build up. A picnic by the lake sounds fun, too.

I guess I don’t have a choice. I’ll go with her.

In all honesty, my lady is so headstrong that it was bound to end up this way.

“Woof, woof! (W-we’ll go for a bit, then come right back! Missing a meal is unforgivable!)”

“Hee-hee-hee, okay. That’s why I love you, Routa.”

“Arwf… (Great. So now you understand me…)”

She holds down her skirt and hat and jumps out the window.

We’re only on the first floor, so she’s in no danger.

I follow her out the window.

“All right, let’s go, Routa. Quietly, now.”

“Woof! (Okay, my lady. I’m great at sneaking.)”

When I sneak into the kitchen at night to steal snacks, that is.

A (self-proclaimed) dog and girl walk along the town road between the trees.

“Phew. This is taking forever.”

Lady Mary lets out a sigh.

Neither of us normally go on long walks. I may be lazy, but I’m still a dog—well, wolf—so I’m not tired at all.

“Let’s rest in the shade of that tree.”

“Woof! (Sounds good! I love resting! Actually, why don’t we just give up here and head back?)”

“We’re not going back.”

“Arww…? (Really…?)”

I lie down, and mistress uses my back as a headrest, sighing. The maid normally brings her tea, but her only company at the moment is a big, useless dog. The least I can do is be her pillow. Rest well, my lady.

It’s really hot out today, so the occasional cool breeze feels nice.

We rest in the shade of the tree for a while when mistress unexpectedly leans into me. I can hear her calm, even breaths.

“Arrf? (Uh-oh… Did you fall asleep?)”

She must be burned-out. She studies every day from morning to night.

“Arwf… (Hmm, nothing else to do. Guess I’ll sleep, too…)”

Oh, no, I can’t do that.

We need to get back before lunch, or they’ll find out we left.

I can’t bear to hear my lady get scolded.

I go to wake her up by poking her cheek with my nose when I notice a strange scent. It’s not Lady Mary, of course. She only ever smells like flowers.

“Grwwl… (This smell…)”

I subconsciously wrinkle my nose.

This is the same scent from the carriage.

It’s the smell of beasts, like dirt, filth, and blood mixed together in a putrid stench.

Where is it coming from?

“Grr…? (That way…?)”

It’s coming from inside the forest. And it’s getting stronger.

My large ears perk up, searching for sounds.

If I concentrate, I can clearly distinguish the subtle sounds of the birds chirping and the breeze blowing through the leaves.

My hearing homes in on the owner of the strange aroma.

“Grr…! (Found you…!)”

I can hear a group walking. My expert hearing can even tell me what they look like and how many there are.

They’re pretty small. Their footsteps make them sound like they’re roughly the size of children, but there are a lot of them.

Five, no six.

If I focus, I can hear them talking.

“Gyuk, gyuk, gyuk, food.”

“Gyak, gyak, attack.”

“Girl, girl, gehee.”

…This is bad. That’s them, all right. With those strange, croaking voices, there’s no way they’re human.

These are those monster things. Do they already know we’re here? There’s no hesitation in their footsteps. They’re heading right for us.

Luckily, they’re still a fair distance away. We need to get out of here right now.

But how?

I’ll be fine, but I don’t think Lady Mary will be able to escape.

What if I carried her on my back?

No, that wouldn’t work. Lady Mary is in dreamland right now. She’ll probably be pretty groggy when she wakes up.

Also, I’m not a horse. Even if I let her ride me, she’d probably shift around a lot on my back. There’s no way I could carry a sleepy human without dropping them.

What do I do? What do I do…?!

“Grr… (Looks like I’ve got no other option…!)”

I slip out from under Lady Mary, careful not to wake her.

She looks reluctant to part ways and reaches out her hand, searching for my warmth, but she soon falls back into a deep sleep.

All right, extraction successful. Now I just need to run for it.

“Grr. (I’m sorry, my lady.)”

Logically, if I leave her like this, then the monsters will only go after her. Then while they’re attacking her, I can make a clean getaway.

Yeah, right! You thought I’d abandon her?!

I’m heading straight for the enemy!

I run hard as I feel the tears welling up.

“Awooo! (If anything were to happen to Lady Mary, my luxurious pet life would be oveeeer!!)”

Damn it! That’s the same as dying!

My cushy pet life has only just begun. I can’t let it end here! I won’t let it end!

I’m going to eat and sleep every day while my lady pets me!

Anyone who gets in the way of that is my enemy!

I’ll start by chasing them out of the forest.

My target is a group of monsters.

I may have this wolf body, but I’m still me on the inside. I don’t think about fighting and winning. Just chasing them out should be fine.

It’ll be a bluff. I’ll just pretend.

It’s only been a month since I was born, but luckily, I have a ferocious face. I can use this.

First, I’ll jump out in front of them; then, I’ll howl as loud as I can. Then, I’ll glare at them and scare the crap out of them.

I’ll say, “I could kill you all with a single bite, but I’ll let you go for today. Now get out of here and never show yourselves again, you pitiful imps.” Or something grand like that.

I’ve got this.

I can do it.

Believe! I saw myself in that mirror. My face is scary enough to make someone wet themselves.

“Grr! (Okay, let’s do thiiiis!)”

I pump myself up and jump, flying over the tall, overgrown forest.

The group of monsters is ahead of me. I can tell by their stench.

First, I’ll howl to scare them.

I let out a huge one.

“GAROOOOOOOOOOOOOO?! (Which one of you is trying to get in the way of my carefree liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiife?!)”

My roar shakes the entire forest; leaves fall, birds scatter, and small animals faint.

At the same time, my mouth emits a beam of light, swallowing up the group of monsters among the trees.

The light is so dazzling, I have to close my eyes. Then, I open them again…

Stretching out in front of me is a circle where the forest has been hollowed out.

“…Arf? (…Huh?)”

I stand there, dumbfounded, and then shout in surprise:

“A-arwf?! (D-d-did that just come out of my mouth?!)”