03: A Ferocious Beast! …Or So I Thought, but I’m Actually a Magical Beast!

Th-th-th-that was me!

Me! A wolf can’t do that!

What the heck was that beam?! Does a beam come out if I howl as hard as I can?!

That giant pillar of light that shot out of my mouth vaporized a huge section of the forest in front of me. The ground where the trees were carved out is smooth like a mirror. It’s not even burnt, more like everything in that space was just removed.

The monsters that got swallowed up in it were completely disintegrated.

So I can kill things with a single shot. I defeated them without even seeing their faces.

This body is terrifyingly strong.

“Woof, woof?! (So? How in the world is that supposed to help me with my carefree pet life?!)”

I didn’t wish for combat abilities! I wished for a life of loafing, eating, and sleeping!!

Even a normal wolf would’ve been way better than this! I’m definitely a monster!

A regular beast doesn’t fire lasers from its mouth!

What kind of second life did you expect me to have, you dumb goddess?!

I told you to make me a dog! Not a wolf or a monster!

A creature who’s the prey, not the predator! Not a source of XP for a group of adventurers! Not a creature that can be farmed as a resource for armor and weapons! Not someone who’s Monster Huuuunted!!

“Woof, woof! (Do-over! I need a do-over!)”

I bark at the sky, but of course, there’s no reply.

“Wheeze, wheeze… (I—I think that’s enough for today…)”

Ah. I completely forgot I left Lady Mary all alone.

If I hurry, I might be able to make it back before she wakes up. I’d better get going.

I decide to shelve the topics of my body and the appearance of monsters for now.

I go back the way I came, dashing through the trees like a gust of wind, and make it back to my lady in the blink of an eye.

“Hmm… Hmm…”

“Arwf. (She’s still asleep… What a courageous girl my master is.)”

“Hee-hee-hee… Eat lots and grow nice and big… Routa…”

I’m pretty sure that beam I fired made a loud noise, but my lady is still in dreamland.

It’ll be a problem if I get any bigger than I am now. If I could wish for anything, it would be to stop growing. But that’s impossible. The old man’s food is just too good! It’s so frustrating! But I keep eating! Twitch, twitch.

I poke her with my nose while I think about what’s on today’s lunch menu.

“Arw. (Lady Mary, wake up. I don’t want any more of those monsters turning up. Let’s get going.)”

“U-uwha…?”

I poke her smooth cheek a few times, and she sits up, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

“Ung… Zzz…”

“Arww, arww. (Ah, don’t fall asleep now. Come on—time to wake up.)”

Her body leans over as she buries her face in my fur, making it difficult to move.

My lady is so bad at waking up.

“Hmm…? Routaaa…?”

“Bark. (Yes, yes, it’s your lovable pet, the adorable Routa.)”

“The lake…?”

“Woof, woof! (Not today. Look at the sun; it’s almost midday. We need to get back soon, or the maid will find out we left and won’t leave us alone ever again!)”

“Aw… That’s too bad…”

I support my sleepy and slightly dejected mistress, and we head for the road back to the mansion.

We enter through the back gate and skillfully return to her room through the window.

Just a moment later, the maid calls for us. That was close.

It doesn’t look like anyone noticed we were gone.

It also doesn’t seem like the explosive sounds in the forest reached the mansion, either. In fact, everything has gone strangely quiet.

“Bark. (All right, mission complete. Now it’s food time! Food!)”

I quickly head for the kitchen.

Of course, I don’t run inside the mansion. I’m very smart after all! A very smart dog! Certainly not a monster! There’s no way I’d be a monster!!

I weep internally as I shy away from reality.

As I get closer to the kitchen, an amazing smell slowly drifts toward me.

I let it lead me straight to the kitchen, then poke my head in.

“Arww! (Hey, old man, I’m hungry!)”

“Oh, there he is, the glutton. I swear I spend more time preparing your meals than the master’s.”

He shrugs in defeat and prepares a huge plate of food for me.

“Dearest guest, today’s menu is rainbow trout poêle à frire.”

He jokingly bows, and I bark energetically in response, leaping for the dish.

“Gromff, omff!! (Whoa, this is so amazing! Absolutely amazing!!)”

When I bite into the crispy skin, fat dripping with umami spills out.

What an amazing amount of fat. It tastes almost sweet but isn’t overwhelming at all.

I’m greeted by a hint of saltiness from the sauce on the plate. Even though it’s extremely rich and creamy, it’s been whipped full of air into a mousse, making the fragrance explode in my mouth.

“Woof, woof?! (Hey, old man, what in the world is this sauce…?!)”

“Hmm, what’s that? You like it? I took the fond left over from sautéing some freshwater crab and mixed it with egg yolk, whisking until it foamed and stood in peaks. What do you think? Is it good?”

“Bark, bark! (It’s the best! It’s fantastic! Pet me!)”

A large hand ruffles the top of my head.

“I’m going to cook the rest of the crab up into an omelet. So look forward to that, too, okay?”

“W-woof… (O-old man, will you not be satisfied until I’m head over heels for you…?! Oh no, I’m already madly in love with your cooking…)”

As I lose myself in the meal, the day’s events in the forest fade into obscurity.

“Arf. (No wait, I can’t forget. My cushy pet life is still at risk.)”

After I’ve completely licked the plate clean, I lie down in the hall to come up with a plan.

But wow, was that lunch so incredibly delicious…

And I get to have an omelet as a snack…

“Arww. (No, no, no, no.)”

I can’t. I have to concentrate.

I have to learn more about my body and find out why monsters are appearing in the supposedly sacred forest.

I need to head out and investigate, but that’s impossible right now. Lady Mary has been taking frequent tea breaks between her afternoon studies, so if I suddenly vanish from the mansion, she’ll notice and start to worry. I’ll just go and patrol the forest in the dead of night.

But first things first.

I’ll just take a nice long nap and rest up for later tonight.

Now then, it’s the dead of night, and everyone is sound asleep.

I slip out of the bed. Lady Mary is sleeping in the big bed next to me, so I slowly wiggle away.

“Ungh… Routa…?”

She moves her hand around looking for me, probably because my warmth had vanished.

Don’t worry. Sleep soundly, my lady. Don’t wake up just yet.

“Routa… Routa… Hmm……”

Just as I thought, her breathing soon slows, and she’s back to sleep.

“…Arwf. (I’m just going to have a quick look in the forest. I’ll be right back. Then you can use me as a pillow as much as you like.)”

I use my front paw to open the window and leap outside.

“Arw… (I’ve gotten pretty used to barking like a dog. It won’t be long before I’m a real dog…! Not really. That’s just a hope.)”

If I keep insisting I’m a dog, then maybe I’ll really become one someday.

“Arr… (It’s fundamentally impossible, though… Anyway, before I head out…)”

I stand up on my hind legs and check the kitchen through the window of the back door.

Ah, old man James is slumped over, sleeping at his desk. Numerous recipes he’s written are scattered around him.

“Arww. (He’s such a hard worker.)”

He already makes such delicious meals but also stays up late into the night doing research. He’s a model chef.

The old man is kind of like Zenobia. He hasn’t actually been hired to work here. He’s more like a welcomed guest living in the mansion on the condition that he’s free to purchase ingredients as he likes.

They both seem to be personal friends of Papa.

I don’t really know the details, but I do know that the old man’s an amazing chef.

“Ack…Routa…you…bottomless pit…”

Whatever is going on in his dream, it seems I’ve made an appearance.

I’m eating even in his dreams.

He has a horrible impression of me. It’s like I’m someone who doesn’t do anything but eat and sleep.

Actually, I wonder what dream-me is eating… I’m intrigued. Shlurp.

“Hey, hey…don’t eat the plate…heh-heh-heh.”

I wouldn’t! I wouldn’t do something that ridiculous!! How can he think so poorly of me?

He must be exhausted, sleeping so soundly in such an uncomfortable position on the desk.

“Arww… (He’s going to catch a cold if I leave him like that…)”

I enter the kitchen through the back door and reappear in the corridor a moment later. I sneak into the linen closet where the spare sheets are kept and borrow a blanket. I carry it back in my mouth and throw it over the old man. Some recipes scatter on the floor, and I pick them up and put them back on the desk.

“Arw, arw… (Don’t catch a cold now, old man.)”

I double-check he’s still asleep and go back to scrounge in the kitchen.

“Arf… (What’s that? Oh, no need to thank me. I’ll just grab a little something for myself!)”

A string of sausages is hanging on a shelf. They’re my target.

Taking them was my original reason for coming, after all.

Midnight snacking sure is exciting.

I wrap the sausages around my neck into a meat necklace.

A snack is essential when you’re going out. And I’m sure the old man’s homemade sausages will be delicious. Boiled or fried, I don’t mind, but these are smoked and perfectly edible as they are.

I never had blood sausage when I was human, but I’ve heard they’re fantastic. You might think blood sausage would have a strong iron smell, but they don’t. They’re soft like pâté and have a rich flavor like eating a soup full of herbs.

And because the old man made them, they have something similar to walnuts mixed in, so there’s a crunch when you bite through the skin. The meat juices and the chunks of filling come together and taste heavenly…

Ah, whoops, I’m drooling again. I can’t eat them now. These are a snack for later. A snack for later.

“Arf. (Right, then. Off I go!)”

I leave the mansion with the sausages still wrapped around my neck, then check to make sure there’s no one around before I leap over the wall.

I never thought I could jump this high before, but it’s easy for me to hop over this wall that’s taller than a human.

Hmm, this body really is great. Top-notch.

I might be able to handle some aggressive monsters if I encounter any.

Then again, I’m the type to run away. I can’t fight. Nope, not at all. I’m pretty sure I’d lose even a verbal argument.

“Arf… (Which reminds me. I’ve only just noticed, but…)”

Isn’t this Zenobia’s job?!

Why am I the one looking for monsters?!

Isn’t that why you’re here, Zenobia?!

Why did you have to go to town to get a sword?! Get out there and slay some monsters!

Are you really that stupid?! Really?! Dumb enough to eat a plate?!

“Arww. (Then again, Zenobia being bad is also pretty cute. Makes me want to lick her.)”

All right then, I guess it’s up to me to do something while she’s not around.

I will protect my carefree pet life! I can do it! Or at least my amazing body can!

Psyched up, I lift my nose high and take a deep breath. An enormous amount of information from the various smells in the air hits me all at once.

I can smell trees and small animals. I can even smell the negative ions in a flowing stream. A multitude of aromas rushes into my head like pictures.

Nice! Way to go, nose!

Show me the amazing smelling capabilities of a dog!

Even though I’m not one!

I try sniffing the air, but the dangerous scent from before is nowhere to be found. It doesn’t look like any more of those monsters are nearby. I guess I’ll have a safe trip.

I’ll head for the place where I fired off that mouth beam. I don’t have any other clues right now.

I trot through the darkness with only the light of the moon to guide my way.

“Woof, woof. (Whoa, walking at night is pretty fun.)”

I slept enough during the day, so I couldn’t sleep at all when night came. I might take more nighttime walks like this.

“Arf. (Whoa, my body feels so light. How fast am I going?)”

I’m starting to like running, and I’m getting faster and faster.

“Ha-ha-ha-ha! (Whoaaa! I’m as fast as the wind!)”

The scenery blurs around me, and the cool night air blowing past my snout feels amazing.

Which reminds me—when was the last time I ran as fast as I could?

I must have done it before I became a dog, but it was so long ago, I don’t even remember.

“Arf! (Running is so much fun!)”

As my mind begins racing, I arrive at my destination before I know it.

“Bark! (I’m here!)”

The area is exactly as I left it. The trees are still missing, and I don’t sense any animals. They’re probably still afraid.

I guess for now I should look around for any more of those little monsters.

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

“Arww… (Hmm. I can’t really pick up the scent. There’s a little here and there, but…)”

I sniff all around the area, but there’s no strong scent anywhere. It seems what I’m smelling is just traces from the ones before.

“Woof… (I think I’ll take a break…)”

I find a patch of overgrown grass and lie down.

“Grww. (What a beautiful night… The moon’s full, but I can still see so many stars. I wonder if it’s because it’s so clear. It’s probably because there are no houses near here.)”

The night sky above the pitch-black forest is so beautiful.

Then again, my incredible eyes can see easily even without lanterns. I can see so far with just the light of the stars.

“… (Hmm? Hmmm?)”

As I stare at the moon, a strange feeling washes over me.

“… (Huh? What is this? Why do I feel so excited…?!)”

So, so, so, so, so, so, so, so excited!

What is this?! What’s going on?!

I don’t know what caused it, but I instinctively stand up.

“Woof, woof! (Hey, hey, hey! Why do I feel sooo exciiiited?!)”

The moment I’m on my feet, I start racing through the forest.

I’m not thinking about what direction I’m going in, just that I need to run, and suddenly, the trees clear away.

It’s a cliff. I’m out of the forest and on a cliff where I can clearly see the moon.

The rock is like a sword sticking out of the ground. I rush to the edge of the cliff and stop short.

Then I take a deep breath and…

“Awooooooooooooooo! (Howling feels so gooooooood!!)”

I howl at the moon.

“Awoooooooo! Awoooooooo! (Ooohhhhhh gnh!! Howling feels amaaaaziiiing!! Soooo gooooooood!!)”

I keep howling like that for a good ten minutes, feeling completely relieved afterward.

“Arw… (…What the hell was that…?)”

My sense of relief quickly turns to manic depression.

Isn’t howling at the moon a wolf thing?

“Arf… (Haah, I think it’s time to go back…)”

I’ve lost all motivation. I guess this is what you’d call postcoital clarity.

But I’ve come all this way, might as well enjoy my sausages before heading back.

Which should I have first?

The herb sausages? The blood sausages with nuts? The garlic-filled sausages look good, too.

Hang on. Isn’t garlic poisonous to dogs?

I guess it’ll be fine. I’m just a doglike creature, after all.

I don’t know who I’m giving excuses to, but I keep looking for the best place to start on my sausage necklace.

Hmm. I might have gotten carried away and brought too many. I picked up everything that was hanging up in the kitchen……

What if the old man is furious about it tomorrow?

I completely forget my original goal and turn away from the cliff.

When suddenly…

“Awoooooooooo!”

“Awoooooo!”

“Awooooooooooooooo!”

…a number of howls echo around me.

“Arf?! (Wh-wh-what?!)”

I can hear a pack of paws moving toward me from the forest with the howling.

“Arw?! (Huh? What?! What’s going on?!)”

As I stand there, confused, the large number of paws I can hear gets closer.

There’s the cliff behind me. I have nowhere to run.

“W-woof, bark?! (The beam?! Now’s the time to use the beam, right?!)”

Is it my turn to mow them down?!

I can fire it, right?! The beam will come out, right?! I just have to howl with all my might, right?!

Damn. I wish I’d practiced this!

The bushes in the forest start to rustle, and a number of eyes reflecting the light of the moon appear in the darkness.

Eek! Why are there so many?!

“Grr… (I—I don’t have a choice. The victor strikes first. Eat or be eaten… Here I go! Take this!)”

I take a deep breath and feel the power well up in my throat.

“Grwwl.”

“G-grwl! (Please wait!)” begs a voice that sounds a lot like mine.

“Grw?! (Urghn?!)”

I somehow manage to hold back the beam that’s made its way to my mouth.

I’m surprised by how I could understand the voice intermingled with the sound of growling.

Canceling the beam made my mouth feel terrible. It’s like when you’re about to throw up but you force it back down. Gross.

Wait, that doesn’t matter right now. What was that voice?

I look around to where the overgrowth splits, and a large shadow slowly emerges.

It’s a wolf, blacker than the night with sharp golden eyes staring right at me. Its physique is the same as mine but much bigger.

Whoa, it’s huge! And frightening!!

My shaking legs step backward, and the black wolf takes a step closer.

The air whooshes with a single swing of its long tail.

What a crazy aura of intimidation… This wolf is terrifying…

Huh? Does that mean that I look as scary as this wolf does?

That’s bad. Everyone at the mansion must have nerves of steel! I know I’m one to talk, but you can’t leave something this scary near you! I don’t want to admit it, but Zenobia’s right!

“Arf… (Wh-who are you? What do you want with me?)”

Maybe these wolves don’t have any business with me and just came because they heard me howling?

I just have to tell them it was a misunderstanding, and maybe they’ll let me go…

“Arf?! (Wait?! Are you mad because I’m on your territory?!)”

I’m sorry! I didn’t know you have local rules like that!

Do you want protection money?! Do you want me to bury my face in the ground and beg?! If that’s the case, I’m not too proud to beg!!

“Grwwl… (Ohhh, I knew it…!)”

Just as I think it’s about to give the kill command, the black wolf speaks with a tone of admiration.

“Grwl…! (That sparkling silver fur bathed in the moonlight…! There’s no mistaking it……! You’re our king…!)”

“Awrf…? (Huh…?)”

What did this wolf just say?

At any rate, it doesn’t seem angry, but I can’t really follow what’s going on anymore.

What does it mean by “sparkling silver fur”? My fur is fluffy and white.

I follow the black wolf’s line of sight down to my body.

“Arf?! (Wh-why is my body shining?!)”

Huh? What is this? It looks like I’m being illuminated!

The area where the sausages were wrapped around my neck is sparkling. I look so stupid right now…

“Graow! (My king! Our king! By the ancient oath, we representatives of the Fen Wolves have come to you!)”

“Arww?! (Fwah?! King?! What oath?!)”

I didn’t make any promises!!

“Grwl, grwl! (The legend of our kind has been passed down through many generations. When a thousand years have passed, under the full moon’s light, our true king—Fenrir, King of the Fen Wolves—shall return!)”

No, no, no. I don’t know anything about this. You’ve got the wrong wolf.

I don’t remember signing a contract like that or anything.

It’s null and void! A meaningless deal like that is null and void!!

“Grrrwl! (The prophecy has finally come to fruition! Great King! Now we shall raze the forest, slaughter the humans, and restore the magical age of survival of the fittest!)”

“Arf? (Wait, that’s the first I’ve heard of this.)”

My words don’t seem to reach them, and the black wolf continues excitedly.

“Grw, grwl!! (As the oath dictated, we were to protect this forest—to chase away any humans who enter here without killing them and wait for our hidden king! However, now that our king has returned, the duty that was thrust upon us is at an end! Our rebellion can begin at last!)”

“Awoooooooo!! (King! King! Our true king!)”

The black wolves respond in chorus, many more appearing around me, every one of them howling fiercely.

“Grww! (The king’s army shall be made anew this very night!! Now, great King, let us be off!! We shall topple thousands of settlements and bring about the end of humanity!!)”

“Woof! (No thank you!)”

“…Grwl? (…I beg your pardon…?)”

“Woof, woof. (I said nope. No thank you. I refuse.)”

“G-grwl! (B-but why?! The humans have grown fat and increasingly reckless, burning forests and killing animals for sport. Why would you want to allow such filth to continue walking this earth?!)”

“Grwwl! (Silence, whelp! I shall grant you true enlightenment!)”

Because I live with humans! I get food! And baths! And my lady!

Foolish creatures ignorant of the wonders of civilization. I’ll teach you all how amazing humans really are!

“Grrrwn…… (M-my humblest apologies, my king! I did not mean to belittle your superiority……!)”

At my cry, the black wolf tucks its tail between his legs and begins crawling on the ground.

Its trembling form is kind of cute.

I drop the string of sausages in front of the wolf whose front paws now cover its face.

Phew. That’s a smooth exit from looking like an idiot.

“Bark. (Eat.)”

“Grwl… (Ah. N-no, I couldn’t possibly… One as lowly as I cannot accept the prey of our great king…!)”

“Woof, woof. (Just eat it.)”

I push the sausage with my nose.

“Grwl. (I-if you command… Please excuse me.)”

It nervously takes a bite out of the sausage.

“G-grwl…?! (Wh-what is…?!)”

Its eyes instantly widen in amazement.

“Grwl…! (What a rich scent of blood…! There is no stench to it at all, yet it is brimming with energy… What a strong fragrance…!)”

Looks like it ate one of the blood sausages.

Tasty, right? That’s one of my favorites, too.

“Grwl…! (Wh-what kind of animal has such meat…?! I have never eaten something so delicious in all my years…!)”

“Woof, woof. (That is food made by the humans you guys want to destroy.)”

“Grwl?! (H-humans made this…?!)”

“Woof, woof. (If you wipe out the humans, we won’t be able to eat things like this. You must not kill them. I order you to coexist with them.)” I puff out my chest and assert myself to the wolves.

If they wipe out the humans, there won’t be anyone to take care of me.

“G-g-grww! (I—I feel like such a fool……!)”

Good wolf. I’m just glad you understand where I’m coming from.

The old man’s cooking dispels the murderous intent of wolves.

“Woof, woof. (You should all try some; it’s good. Oh, make sure you share them with everyone.)”

The sausages are divided for everyone, leaving only a little for each wolf, but it will have to do for a taste. The lower-ranking wolves, who had been lying prostrate, rush forward for the sausages.

“Grw, grwl! (Delicious! Amazing!)”

“Grw, grwl! (The king is marvelous! I can’t believe humans can make something like this!)”

“Grw, grwl, grwl! (The king already has the humans under his control! Incredible! The king is wonderful!)”

……Huh? Is this conversation going in a direction different than I wanted?

“Awoooooooooo!! (Oh, King! We shall follow your will wherever it leads!)”

“Awoooooooooooooo! (King! King! Our magnificent king!)”

“Woof, woof! (Ah, w-wait! I forgot to tell you—you’re wrong! I’m not your king! I’m certainly not this Fenrir, I’m just a normal dog!!)”

“Grw, grwl. (Ha-ha-ha! You make the most excellent jokes, my king.)”

“Awoooooooo! (But I’m trying to tell you I’m not your kiiiiiiiing!)”

It looks like it’s going to take some time to convince these wolves.

I howl mournfully at the moonlit sky.

No matter what I say, these Fen Wolves keep barking back at me as if they don’t believe me. After the moon falls a little, they finally calm down.

“Grwl, grwl. (I have been wondering something for a while now, my king. Why is it that the noblest King of Fen Wolves chooses to speak like some common cur?)”

So he’s interested in the barking voice I worked so hard on.

“Woof, woof. (I told you already. That’s because I am a dog.)”

“Grwl? (Hmm? No, no, surely you jest. You are not some lowly pet of the humans. You are the proud King Fenrir.)”

“Growl! (Silence, whelp! I shall grant you true enlightenment! [For the second time!])”

“Y-yipe! (Eek! F-forgive me!)”

The wolves all cry and shrink back, tucking their tails and lowering their bodies on the ground at the same time.

They’re so cute when they hide their faces with their front paws.

Wait, I’m getting distracted.

“Woof, woof. (Anyway. I already told you: No attacking the humans. You’re going to live peacefully in the forest. I shall bring you more delicious food if you do.)”

“Grwl. (We follow our king’s orders. Your word is law.)”

I’ve already given up on convincing them. No matter what I say, they just reply with something like “The king is incredible!”

If they’ll listen to my orders and behave themselves, then that’s good enough for me.

Seeing them shaking with their tails between their legs, they actually aren’t that scary.

“Bark. (Oh, right. I just remembered. You guys might know something.)”

“Grwl? (Something about what?)”

“Woof, woof. (Well, there haven’t been any monsters in the forest before, but the other day, these small, imp-like monsters appeared. I came out tonight to find out what they were.)”

I also wanted to figure out what I was, but thanks to these guys, I’ve think I’ve found my answer.

Fenrir? Wasn’t that some wolf from a Scandinavian legend? Seems like they have a similar story in this world. I’m sure it was something like a wolf big enough to make the earth tremble. Wasn’t it also the one that eventually killed Odin?

……Hmm?

Does that mean I’ll grow as big as that in the end?

That’s not good, is it? That’s definitely bad, right?!

“Arww…… (No, this is terrible. Really awful.)”

I’m a dog. I’m a dog.

As long as I think I’m a dog and act like a dog, I’m sure I’ll be able to convince everyone else, too…

“Grwl. (Goblins? We kill all monsters that show their faces in this forest, although there might be one place they’re leaking in from.)”

The wolf’s voice brings me back to reality.

“Bark? (Huh? What was that? Oh, right, I did hear the divine protection of the sacred lake keeps the monsters away……)”

“Grwl, grwl. (I have never heard of such a tale. We Fen Wolves have maintained our pledge for a thousand years to clear out any monsters that come out of the deep woods.)”

So the legend about the lake was a lie.

Which means there’s no giant crystal that sank to the bottom? And I’d been considering swimming down there and checking it out sometime…

But that also means it wasn’t thanks to the lake that Lady Mary and everyone at the mansion have been able to live peacefully.

Nice work. I’m impressed.

“Woof, woof. (You’re amazing. You’ve worked very hard these last thousand years…)”

“G-grwl! (W-we are extremely delighted and humbled by your praise!!)”

The black wolves lower their heads and, one by one, begin barking.

“Grwl, grwl! (The king praised us!)”

“Grwl, grwl! (Oh, King! Such a benevolent king!)”

“““Grrrrrrwwwwl! (King! King! King!)”””

Now, now, that’s enough of that.

“Woof, woof? (So why are some suddenly appearing after you’ve done such a great job?)”

“Grwl… (Well…)”

The black wolf falters.

“Bark? (Did something happen? Tell me.)”

“Grww. (Very well, then. I believe it would be faster to show you. I can explain on the way. Would you mind accompanying us?)”

“Woof, woof. (All right. But I have to get back before morning, so make it quick.)”

“Grw! (Yes! This way, then.)”

The black wolf lets out a single howl, and all the others head into the forest.

I line up with the black wolf, and we venture into the dark wood.

“Grw. (My apologies for the late introduction. My name is Garo. I am the warleader of the Fen Wolves.)”

“Bark. (Garo. Okay, then. It’s nice to meet you. You can call me Routa.)”

“Grw! (You would bless us with your hallowed name…?! There is no greater honor…!)”

“Grwl! Grwl! Grwl! (King! King! King!)”

I am really getting tired of these wolves’ songs of praise.

“Grw. (This is the place, my king.)”

“Bark? (Oh, so this is where the monsters live?)”

We examine a spot hidden by shrubbery. It looks like a small mountain with a cave entrance jutting out of the ground. There are no monsters nearby, but I can smell and sense the creatures deep inside the cave.

“Grw. (They do not actually live here. It is more accurate to say that this is where they spawn. Monsters are different from regular animals. They are more closely related to spirits and generate naturally from locations such as this, where magic gathers.)”

“Bark. (Ohhh. So they’re not birthed from a mother.)”

“Grw. (That is correct. The cave you see before you is actually a special kind of giant monster.)”

“Woof? (Huh? This cave? This cave is a monster? It just looks like an ordinary cave to me.)”

“Grw, grwl. (No, that hole is alive. It takes root in places where magic gathers, expands inside the open areas underground, and keeps monsters in its belly. These creatures kill anything that enters and absorb the flesh and magic of the dead, growing ever larger. It is an incredibly dangerous monster. We call this one the Labyrinth.)”

“Woof. (Wow. You’re incredibly knowledgeable, Garo.)”

“G-grw! (I—I am grateful for your praise…!)”

“““Grwl! (Oh, King—!)”””

“Woof. (Quiet.)”

“““Arww…”””

I beat them to the punch before they could start their chorus again.

Phew. Looks like I’m getting the hang of this.

“Woof, woof? (So this Labyrinth thing is what’s causing the problems? You all look incredibly strong. Can’t you go inside and just kill it?)”

“Grwl, grwl. (No, we cannot. The Labyrinth controls all monsters that enter it. We are no exception. Any monsters that get any closer will be assimilated.)”

Hmm, so it’s like a Venus flytrap. The fact that it controls monsters like slaves makes it even more dangerous.

“Grwl, grwl. (Therefore, we can only observe from afar and try to block up the hole in any way we can. It is already dangerous just being this close. Can you not sense it, oh, King? The sweet fragrance that hangs in the air, drawing us in…?)”

“Bark. (Nope. Not at all.)”

In fact, it stinks.

That cave reeks like a park bathroom.

If it wanted to invite me in, then it should have smelled more like Lady Mary. She smells amazing when she holds me. Haah, I miss her. I want to go home. I want to lie down next to her and fall asleep.

I think that, and yet, here I am, working. I don’t get it, either.

I’d like to finish up soon and head back.

“Grwl! (Of course! The Labyrinth could never affect someone as powerful as you…!)”

No, I think it’s simply because I know someone who actually smells good. Lady Mary’s heavenly fragrance beats toilet funk any day of the week.

“Woof. (What’s the best way to resolve this…? I don’t think sealing the entrance will make a difference.)”

“Grwl. (It would quickly return to normal if we did that. To kill the Labyrinth, you must cut down its true form, the Labyrinth core, hidden in the deepest recesses of the cave.)”

“Woof? (Do you know where that is?)”

“Grwl. (Yes. Strangely enough, the core is roughly around the entrance. If you go straight down, you will reach it shortly, but as its name suggests, the Labyrinth has stretched itself out in all directions like the roots of a tree. It is an incredibly complicated thing. It will not be easy to reach.)”

“Bark. (Hmm. Okay, I know what to do. You guys stand back.)”

That nugget of information just made this a lot easier.

“Grwl! (Ah! …No, it’s too dangerous…! Any closer, and you’ll—…!)”

“Woof, woof. (I’ll be fine, just wait right there. That’s an order.)”

“G-grwl… (Yes, sir……)”

I leave Garo and the other wolves behind and step inside the Labyrinth entrance.

“Bark. (Hmph. This really is no big deal. Way to go, super body.)”

From what Garo said, the Labyrinth’s weak spot is directly down from here.

Piece of cake. I have my killer weapon.

“Grwl……! (Let’s do this…!)”

I take a deep breath and howl with all my might.

“GARUROOOOOOOOOOOO! (Excuuuuse meee!! But caaaan I! Destrooooy! Your hoooooome! Noooooooow?!)”

Of course it wasn’t to going to respond yes.

A beam of light appears with my howl and fires straight down.

It instantly carves a hole into the bedrock of the cave and bores its way deep into the ground.

I shut my eyes against the bright light. When I open them again and look down, I see a terrifyingly deep pit.

Did that reach it? I wonder. Maybe I should fire another one?

But before I can give firing again due consideration, an agonizing echo resounds from the hole.

The earth shakes, and the cave begins crumbling.

“Arf?! (Wh-whoa…?!)”

The earth echoing gets louder and louder until the sound of everything breaking apart reaches me.

It seems I can hear all the way into the Labyrinth’s body.

“Bark! (This is bad! Time to run!)”

As I retreat, behind me, the cave entrance begins collapsing. At the last second, it seems to almost melt away into sand.

All the monsters inside were probably buried alive. Forgive me. Rest in peace.

“Bark! (All right then, that’s one problem dealt with! I’m off! I’m going to bed!)”

The wolves rush over to me.

“Grwl, grwl! (That was…! The Labyrinth! In just one hit…! Rejoice everyone! Our king truly is the strongest in the world!)”

“““Grwl! Grwl! Grwl! (King! King! King!)”””

“Woof, woof. (Okay, yes, yes. I know. I understand how you all feel. That’s it, now. Time to disperse. I’m done for today.)”

I’m tired and can’t handle any more of this. I dismiss the wolves.

I look up to see that the sky is already starting to brighten.

I need to get back ASAP or my lady will wake up.

“Grwl! (Thank you ever so much for this, my king! We Fen Wolves will follow you anywhere!)”

“Woof, woof. (Hmm. No problem at all; don’t worry about it.)”

I think that perhaps things will go a lot smoother if I act more regal around them.

“Grwl! (Please at least allow me to escort you some of the way.)”

“Woof. (Oh, all right, then.)”

Seems like the black wolf will come even if I say no.

I just want to get back to the mansion.

I won’t be long now, my lady.

Your fluffy, cuddly pup is on his way home.

“Grwl. (By the way, my king, I wanted to ask you about the howl you used to summon us.)”

“Arwf? (What now?)”

“Grwl, grwl— (What does ‘Ooohhhhhh gnh’ mean? I would be most grateful if you could tell me for my studies—)”

“Grwn! (Silence, whelp! [For the third time!])”