05: A Yuri Scene?! …Or So I Thought, but Instead, There Was a Mysterious Illness!

I’m nervous.

I’m nervous, waiting outside my lady’s bedroom.

“Dr. Hecate.”

“Yes, Miss Mary?”

“That tickles.”

“Oh my, this tickles? Then what about here?”

“Ha-ha-ha, stop! You’re such a mean doctor!”

I can hear Lady Mary and the witch Hecate’s conversation on the other side of the door.

Wh-what is going on in there?

My imagination is running wild.

By the way, Papa is right next to me, no doubt sharing the same worries.

No, he’s probably worried for other reasons.

“You may enter now. I’ve finished my examination.”

At that, Papa immediately opens the door and enters the room. He spins around so fast, the floor squeaks.

I peek into the room after him.

The maid is fussing around, tidying away my lady’s clothes that litter the floor.

“H-how is she, Dr. Hecate?! My daughter… What’s wrong with my daughter?”

“Please calm down, Gandolf.”

Papa is practically clinging to Hecate as he grills her with questions.

Seeing a man as impressive as Papa reduced to a nervous wreck is really amusing…

“Arwf?! (…Huh? Wait, she’s sick? My lady is ill?!)”

Hecate is molding her hair into funny shapes as she responds.

“She gets this illness every year. She’ll probably get a fever within the week that will last about a month.”

“I—I see……”

Papa slumps his shoulders, looking dejected.

What? My lady is going to be in bed for a whole month?! Isn’t that really bad?!

“Give her this medicine three times a day. Measure the doses out precisely and make sure she takes it only after eating.”

From her bag, Hecate produces a bottle filled with a glowing blue liquid and hands it to the maid.

“I’ll come by every day to check up on her, so all that’s left is to let her rest so she can heal.”

“I understand. I’ll follow your instructions to the letter.”

The maid carefully takes the medicine from Hecate.

I can tell by their behavior that the mansion staff really respects her. Even the distinguished Papa acts humble around her.

Even though she’s a gluttonous witch.

Everyone calls her “Doctor,” so I suppose she at least has medical skills.

“Dr. Hecate. I know I shouldn’t be saying this, but I am actually looking forward to seeing you every day.”

“Oh my. I am honored.”

My lady is the complete opposite of Papa and actually seems excited.

“And please allow me to introduce the newest member of the family to you. This is Routa.”

Ah, she finally noticed me.

I quietly creep up next to Lady Mary and sit down beside her.

“Oh, we’ve met. Routa and I are already good friends.”

“Really? You already knew about him? I was hoping to surprise you, but you two became friends even before I had the chance to introduce you. Routa, you traitor.”

“Arwf?! (Huh?! That’s not it! This is a misunderstanding, my lady! You will always be my number one!)”

“Hmph.”

She looks away, puffing up her cheeks.

“Arww, arww! (Oh no! Please believe me! Look! Routa loves his master!)”

I edge up to Lady Mary in a panic, and Hecate giggles cheekily.

“That’s right. Routa loves Mary.”

“Heh-heh. I love you, too. I’m just teasing you. Sorry.”

She hugs me tightly.

This is bliss. She’s so soft, and she smells so nice.

I’m consumed by a sense of euphoria.

Geez, why did I panic in the first place?

Maybe because Lady Mary is really good at teasing me.

I made a vow that I would be her pet for the rest of my life. At the same time, I also vowed I would live a life as a useless degenerate.

“So we have one more week until her sickness takes full effect… I’m glad the food provisions arrived in time.”

The old man lets out a sigh of relief after hearing everything from the maid.

We’re in the dark, cooler room in the basement of the mansion. It’s so cold that it acts like a refrigerator, even though it’s early summer. I have no idea how it works. Maybe it’s kept cool with some kind of magical tool?

I prefer the fire in the old man’s kitchen. It seems like magic has already bled into every facet of life here. Having never been away from the mansion, though, I honestly can’t say. Not to mention Hecate is the first person I’ve seen use true magic spells.

“H’yup. Let’s finish this up, then.”

The old man hangs up the last of the meat in the cooler.

The chunks of meat, wrapped in boiled, sterilized cloths and distilled in alcohol, are going to be left in here for a while to cure.

“This meat sure is going to make some fine dishes, but it’s not good for a sick person. I’ll have to come up with some meals that are good for the digestion.”

He’s already thinking up new recipes like always.

“Mumble, mumble… Perhaps a pumpkin and potato potage…something that’s easy on the throat…mumble, mumble.”

“Woof, woof. (Hey, old man, I’m glad you’re thinking up a new menu, but you’re gonna trip if you don’t look where you’re going.)”

Sure enough, he catches his foot on the step, flies out of the room, and lands on the floor.

I’m right there next to him, not to help but to deliver an “I told you so.”

I just wanted to cool off! It’s your fault for expecting anything from this no-good hound!

“See you later, Routa. Don’t make a ruckus and disturb the young lady’s sleep.”

“Woof! (Okay!)”

He returns to the kitchen, and I go outside to the shade of a tree and gaze up at the sky.

I really had no idea my lady was sick.

I did think it was strange they would build such a stately mansion out here in the middle of nowhere, but I didn’t even consider that it might be to help her recover from an illness.

They said it was an illness that came once a year, like clockwork. What a strange disease.

Maybe it’s like hay fever? I really have no idea, though.

She looks completely healthy right now. She was even playing with me in the garden just a while ago. But once the fever comes, she’ll be sick for a whole month and won’t be able to study or learn at all. So that’s why she studies so much every day. She’s making up for lost time. That’s rough.

Lady Mary works so hard. Studying is difficult.

I’m not sorry I never have to study again.

I’m happy living my life as a pampered pooch.

“Mrow. (Oh my, so this is where you were. I was looking all over for you.)”

I hear a cat’s voice close by as I’m resting in the shade of a tree.

I open one eye and look up to see a crimson cat with a basket in her mouth.

“Woof. (Oh, Hecate? I thought you were having tea with Papa.)”

“Mrroow? (I am. Why?)”

“Woof. (Huh? But you’re here right now.)”

What’s she talking about?

Is she slow?

“Mrrow. (Here, just like I promised. I brought you some dessert.)”

“Woof… (Oh. Ohhh, now that you mention it…)”

So she came to fulfill the promise she made before.

Hecate’s so nice.

It must be in that basket.

“Mrrow. (Wait just a minute. I’ll get everything ready.)”

She drops the basket and meows once. A cloth covering the contents of the basket flies up by itself and unfolds before me. Then a plate comes out, settling itself on top of the cloth. Tea that’s just the right temperature pours itself into a cup. And so the spread continues setting itself.

“Woof! (Wow, that’s incredible!)”

I’m sorry I called you a self-proclaimed witch.

It’s as if the crockery itself is imbued with life.

“Mrrow. (It’s much too soon to be amazed.)”

The next item to appear from the basket is a large circular pie. The crust on top has a basket weave design and has been baked to a golden brown. I can tell it’s crispy just from looking at it, and the smell of butter drifts into my nose.

My stomach ignores the fact that I had a massive lunch earlier and begins to growl.

“Mrrow. (We’re just getting started.)”

A floating knife slices the pie. The moment it cuts into the flaky pastry, the bright red contents ooze out.

“Woof? (Are those raspberries?)”

Raspberries are smaller than strawberries and just a little tart.

So this is what’s going to compete with the old man’s quiche.

“Mrow. (Tee-hee. And the finishing touches.)”

The last items to appear are a glass bottle and an egg. The bottle is filled with white liquid. The egg is cracked open, and the contents get added to the liquid.

As I wonder where this is going, the egg and liquid start mixing together. At the same time, the bottle freezes from the bottom up.

“Arwf?! (What is that?! What is it?!)”

“Mrow. (It’s fresh cream. You freeze it as it’s being whipped.)”

She’s talking about ice cream! No—soft serve!

The velvety, cold confection garnishes a slice of pie.

Whoa! That looks so good!

“Mrow. (Here you are.)”

“Woof! (Wow! Thank you!)”

I bite into the pie with a chomp.

The pastry far surpasses the old man’s quiche. The rich creaminess transforms the acidity of the raspberries into a strong, sweet flavor. This freshly made ice cream is delicious. Maybe because it was so vigorously whipped? It melts the moment it enters my mouth and spills across the entirety of my tongue.

The crispy pastry. The tart raspberries. The sweet ice cream.

These three sensations together bombard my senses.

What an incredible impact. I’ve never tasted a dessert this delicious before, not even in the old world.

“Mrrow? (So? Does this make up for it?)”

“Woof, woof! (It’s even better! This is amazing, Hecate! It’s sooo good! Thanks!)”

“Mrow. (Tee-hee. You’re welcome. I’m happy you like it so much.)”

“Woof, woof! (Hey, let’s have it together! Oh, right. Lady Mary and the others should try this, too.)”

My lady loves sweet things.

It would be a shame to eat this whole pie by myself.

“Meow. (Don’t worry. I made sure to make enough for everyone. I just went ahead and gave you yours first.)”

Score! She said the magic words.

And she made enough for everyone? She doesn’t miss a thing.

Hecate’s neither a suspicious, sexy lady nor a gluttonous witch. She’s a woman who has it together.

“Mrow. (Just make sure you share some pie with this little lady as well.)”

“Woof? (This little lady?)”

Who is she talking about?

The only other creature I can see is Hecate’s crimson cat form.

“Mrow. (Tee-hee. I told you already. I’m not a cat.)”

She narrows her suspicious jade-colored eyes, then falls asleep right there.

“Bark! (Whoa! Hey, are you all right? Are you tired? One of those people who gets exhausted easily?)”

I’m really worried because there was no warning.

I prod the crimson cat’s head with my nose, and she opens her eyes again.

“Mewl? (Hmm, has the mistress finished her business?)”

The crimson cat reaches out with her front paws and stretches.

She sounds different.

“W-woof? (H-hey. What was that about?)”

“Mwl? (Excuse me?)”

Our eyes meet.

“Mw-mw… (Ah…ah…)”

“Arf? (Really, what’s gotten into you?)”

“Screeeeeeeee! (N-nooooooo!!! Don’t kill me! Don’t eat me! D-don’t violate meeeeeeee!!!)”

Whaaaat?! Why would I do that?! What a horrible thing to say!

But before I can say anything, the crimson cat darts away in a straight line.

“Woof… (What the…? Well, it’d be a shame to let the pie go to waste. Guess I’ll eat it by myself!)”

Completely ignoring the cat that fled, I dig into the rest of the pie.

“Mwl… (Please excuse my rudeness earlier.)”

The crimson cat returns just as I’m finishing off the pie.

“Woof. (Oh, you’re late. I’ve already eaten most of it. There’s one bite left. Would you like it?)”

“Mewl. (Oh, no thank you. Please do not mind me. I always have to clean up—I mean, taste the trial bakes.)”

“Woof. (Really? More for me, then.)”

I fill my mouth with the last of the ice-cream-covered pie.

Om-nom-nom.

Mmm, that was good to the last bite.

I lick the remaining ice cream from around my mouth and revel in the aftertaste.

The crimson cat waits patiently for me.

“Woof? (So? Who are you? You’re not Hecate, are you?)”

Even I could tell. It was so obvious.

Her eyes are blue, and she talks differently. And the way she reacted the moment she saw me was weird.

“Mewl. (Please forgive me. I am the top familiar of the witch of Feltbelk Forest, Nahura…meow.)”

Why did she add an extra “meow” at the end?

“Mewl. (Oh, my mistress keeps saying I don’t sound like a cat. I thought it would be best to act more like one.)”

You’re clearly a cat just by looking at you.

Tacking on “meow” to the end of her sentence just sounds weird.

That’s strange. Maybe she’s just worried about her character?

“Woof, woof. (I don’t think you need to worry about it that much. I’m Routa, by the way. It’s nice to meet you, Nahura.)”

“Mewl. (It is a pleasure to make you acquaintance, Mr. Routa.)”

“Woof. (You don’t need to call me ‘mister.’ Just Routa’s fine.)”

I have enough formalities with Garo and the other wolves.

“Mewl. (Very well, Routa. Also, please excuse how rude I was before. I was surprised when I saw you right in front of me…)”

“Woof. (It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.)”

This may be my face, but even I get a little scared seeing it in the mirror. To be honest, my face is way scarier than Garo’s. I have no idea how everyone at the mansion is fine with me.

“Woof, woof? (Anyway. How are you different from a normal cat?)”

She said she was a familiar, but does that mean there’s a difference?

“Mewl. (Oh yes. I am a homunculus created by my mistress, meow. Although she did use a real cat’s corpse as a vessel, so I am a bit different from a true homunculus.)”

“Woof. (A homunculus! That’s sounds like real fantasy.)”

Seeing Hecate’s magic firsthand definitely reaffirmed the fact that I’ve come to another world.

“Woof? (So what exactly is the difference?)”

“Mewl. (Hmm, let me think. I am much smarter than a regular cat, I can use a little magic, and I can become my mistress’s eyes and ears. Oh, and I won’t die even if my head comes off.)”

“Arwf?! (Th-that’s terrifying! What the hell?! That’s so creepy!)”

“Mew. (Would you like to see? There will be a lot of blood, so I don’t really recommend it.)”

“Woof! Woof! (No thank you! You’re way scarier than my face!)”

“Mewl. (Oh, really? I think your face is considerably more horrifying.)”

“Woof, woof! (Ha-ha-ha! You cheeky cat!)”

I’ll let that one slide.

“Mewl. (You are just as my mistress said you would be, meow.)”

“Arwf? (Huh? What did she say?)”

“Mew. (That you are as kind as your face is terrifying. She is thrilled she made friends with you. Even at her age, she is full of vitality and has started making sweets. I have never seen her like this before.)”

“W-woof…? (Sh-she said my face is scary, huh…?)”

That might be a problem.

I’m worried everyone here at the mansion will find out what I really am and chase me out.

“Mewl. (She is always in high spirits when she leaves. It is almost sickening, meow. It is most unbecoming at her age. Most unbecoming.)”

“What is most unbecoming at whose age?”

A shadow had crept up behind Nahura as she spoke.

“G-gmew?! (M-mistress?! When did you get here?!)”

“Just now. You forget that I can hear everything you say, no matter where you are.”

“Mewwwww! (N-no! That’s a violation of my feline rights, meow! Even a familiar needs her privacy, meow!)”

“Silence. There is no such thing as privacy for a familiar who makes careless remarks about her master.”

“Meeeow! (P-please don’t punish meeeeeeee!)”

Hecate lifts Nahura in the air with her magic and flips her upside down. Hecate looks at her with a sadistic smile while the pie plate, cloth, and other cutlery put themselves away.

“Let’s see. How shall I punish you today?”

“Meeeow! (Noooo!! Don’t put me in any strange monster bodies!)”

Does she normally do that…?

I cannot do anything.

I am just a regular dog, after all. Good-bye, Nahura. I barely knew thee.

“Your sentence is punishment by bath.”

Wh-what in the world is punishment by bath? What kind of torture is that code for?

“Hsss! Hsss! (Noooo! Not a bath!)”

“You haven’t had a bath for three days. If you’re going to be my familiar, then you’re going to be clean and tidy.”

Oh. It’s just a normal bath.

“Woof. (So now we’re all having a bath.)”

I think back over everything that just happened!

This mansion is equipped with three baths of various sizes, and we are at the largest. It’s so large that ten people could fit in all at once.

Of course, we don’t normally use it, but since Hecate’s here, it’s been run specially for her.

The damp scent of steam really ups the mood for a bath.

Bathing is one of Japan’s top three pleasures in life! The other two are a cold beer after a bath and baseball tournaments!

Wow, I sound like an old man…

“It’s been a while since you’ve had one of your beloved baths, right, Routa?”

“Woof! Woof! (Yep! I’m even happy with just swimming!)”

“Hee-hee-hee. Let’s have a race!”

My stark-naked lady heads straight for the tub.

“Ah, please wait, my lady! Be careful not to slip!”

Chasing after her is the panicky maid with a towel wrapped around her.

“Accept your punishment, Nahura. I’ve already told you I would clean every nook and cranny.”

“Meeeow! (Forgive me! Please forgive me, mistress!)”

Hecate really lives up to the name of an erotic—I mean elf—with her voluptuous body shamelessly exposed as she takes Nahura to the bath.

“Watch it—there’s someone behind you. Get a move on.”

And behind me is Zenobia.

It’s refreshing to see her burning bronze hair tied up. She looks like a knight with her toned body, but her full breasts are as large as Hecate’s.

Well, this is a sight to see.

If I were still human, I probably would have gotten a nosebleed and fainted.

But I’m just a cute little puppy, so I can be forgiven. Heh-heh-heh.

“Hey. I dare you to try anything funny with the lady. Then I’ll be permitted to wring your neck.”

A chilling voice whispers in my ear.

Ha-ha-ha. Zenobia’s murderous intent is really something today.

…I think I’m going to cry.

“You’re so fast, Routa!”

“Woof, woof! (Ha-ha-ha! Here goes the high-speed pup!)”

My lady has her arms around my neck as I swim around the bath.

“Amazing! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!”

“Woof! Woof! (Mwa-ha-ha! I won’t be beaten by any old amusement park ride!!)”

I’ll give it everything I’ve got to make sure Lady Mary is having fun.

That’s all this mutt needs to worry about.

“Phew. We’ve built up a good sweat. I think it’s time we had a little more fun.”

Hecate is sitting in a lounge chair, her skin white as an egg, slippery with droplets.

A bucket of ice had been left next to the bath.

“Hey, Nahura. Don’t just lie there; come and help us.”

“M-mewww… (I—I can’t…)”

Nahura, who had been thoroughly cleaned, is now stretched out like grilled mochi by Hecate’s feet.

“You are hopeless. Zenobia, come over here.”

“Y-yes! How can I help?”

Zenobia practically leaps out of the bath when called.

Whoa, even Zenobia bows and scrapes around Hecate.

She nervously walks over to Hecate, marching like a rookie soldier, and stands in front of her.

“That won’t do at all. Come here. Care to have a drink with me?”

She pats the lounge chair next to her and extracts a bottle from the ice bucket.

“What?! That’s the master’s prized wine…! That’s the sovereign seal of Rome, distilled only once every hundred years, made in 1685…!”

“Hee-hee. And I brought it with me.”

Hecate strokes the bottle as if caressing a lover’s cheek.

“B-brought it with you? And you don’t see anything wrong with—?!”

“Don’t worry so much.”

Don’t worry, you say?

That’s the wine Papa’s always cherished and kept safe. I’ve seen it under lock and key in the wine cellar. I heard it costs more than a house…

“Gandolf won’t get angry about something like this.”

“No, but well, you know……!”

That’s true. He won’t get angry. He’ll just cry to himself all through the night. Poor Papa.

“Now, now, come on then.”

Zenobia shrinks back as Hecate pulls the cork out of the wine bottle. She pours the ruby liquid into two glasses.

“Ah! Ah! It’s going to overflow…!”

“Cheers!”

With a ting, Hecate tilts her glass.

“Mmm, delicious. Come on, Zenobia—drink up. If anyone says anything, you can just tell them I forced you to do it.”

“O-okay… Please excuse me.”

To refuse now would be rude, and the crime has already been committed.

Zenobia steels herself and takes a sip.

“Th-this is…! What a rich flavor…!”

Her eyes snap open, and she stares at the glass.

“It has the strong fragrance of summer flowers, but upon swallowing, it’s so cool it’s like an icicle slipping down your throat. There is a decadent richness that spreads across your tongue and a bitterness that hits your nose…!”

What are you, a sommelier?

Thank you for the wonderfully poetic review. Very nice. I want to try some, too.

“Hey! Where are you going, Routa?”

I pull away from Lady Mary’s arms wrapped around my neck, get out of the bath, and head for Hecate.

“Oh my, I had a feeling you would come. Gandolf told me you knew your liquor, Routa.”

Tch, she saw this coming?

At least it’s right to the point.

“Woof! Woof! (Please let me have some! Just a taste of that wine that could buy ten of me!)”

“Hee-hee. I don’t know—should I?”

“Woof?! Woof?! (Shall I show you my tummy?! Shall I bark three times for you?!)”

“That doesn’t sound fun at all.”

Hecate thinks for a little while, then a familiar cheeky grin appears on her face.

“Hee-hee-hee……”

She tilts her glass and pours some wine onto her arm. The ruby liquid dribbles down onto her hand and drips off her fingertips.

“Here you go.”

“Grr…woof! (Y-you—! Are you making fun of me?! Who do you think I am?! Do you really think I’d lick it off you?!)”

Because you’d be right! Thanks for the wine!

Lick. Lick.

This is a fitting reward for one of my station.

Lick. Lick. Lick.

“Arf! (Whoa, this is so good…!)”

It’s just as Zenobia raved.

“Some more, perhaps?”

Hecate recrosses her alluring legs, chuckling sadistically.

Whoa, that’s a nice smile. She looks completely sadistic. What a witch.

I lick her! I lick her fingers until they become soaked!

“Hmph…”

Lady Mary seems upset about this.

Aw, crap. I’ve put her in a bad mood.

But I also can’t pull myself away from this wine!

I’m completely engrossed in S&M play with a witch!

Lick! Lick!

“It’s not fair that Routa gets some. I want some wine, too.”

So that’s what she’s upset about.

“This wine is a little too strong for you, Mary. And seeing as your illness is almost upon us, I’ve prepared this instead.”

Saying that, Hecate reaches into the ice bucket and takes out a small bottle filled with peach-colored liquid.

On closer inspection, I see a number of flowers have sunk to the bottom of the bottle.

“This is syrup I made with my own roses. It smells quite wonderful. Please try some.”

She quietly pours a little of the thick pink syrup into some chilled water. A single rose comes out, creating a beautiful drink with a gradation of colors.

“Wow, it’s so pretty… And it smells amazing.”

“Doesn’t it? It’s also good for beauty. It’s all yours.”

Hecate prompts Lady Mary with the glass, and she drinks it in one go.

The moment she finishes, her cheeks, rosy from the bath, spread into a wide grin.

“Mmm! It’s so sweet! But also refreshing! Thank you, Doctor!”

“You’re welcome. Would you like some, too, Miranda? No one will mind if you have a little bit?”

Hecate calls out to the maid, who’s standing back.

Well, Zenobia’s a freeloader, but the maid’s working right now. You shouldn’t let her drink alcohol.

“Thank you very much, Lady Hecate.”

She gingerly accepts the chilled rose water.

I’ve finally learned the maid’s name. Miranda.

Lady Mary sits on a lounge chair. With drinks in hand, the ladies begin chatting happily, accompanied by a dog that eagerly licks the witch’s fingers and a cat stretched out on the floor like grilled mochi.

Five days have passed since the bath, and just as Hecate predicted, Lady Mary’s fever hits.

The illness is much more serious than I’d previously thought.

Everyone has been in such high spirits that I underestimated it and thought it wouldn’t be a big deal.

That was a huge misunderstanding.

Everyone is in Lady Mary’s room watching over her. The sun is already half-set, spilling orange light into the room.

Her condition has been getting worse since the morning. She can’t even stand anymore and lies on the bed, her breath ragged.

Ice packs have been placed on her head and armpits to cool her down, but her condition does not look good.

“Did you make sure she took the medicine properly?”

Hecate check’s Lady Mary’s pulse.

“Yes. The correct amount after every meal.”

Miranda the maid nods.

“Okay. If the fever gets any worse, then you should increase this medicine, too.”

She takes a bottle of red liquid out of her bag and pours it into a little glass.

“Can you sit up, Mary?”

“…Yes, Dr. Hecate…”

As she tries to pull the top half of her shaking body up, a large hand moves to support her back.

“Thank you, Father…”

“There, now; take it slow.”

Lady Mary sits up as Papa supports her.

I don’t know if her throat is inflamed, but she looks like she’s in pain as she drinks a little bit of the medicine.

“Cough…cough…”

“Good girl. Lie down now. The medicine should soon take effect.”

She’s helped back down, and the ice pack returns to her head.

“Arww, arww…? (Are you okay, my lady…?)”

My tail refuses to wag as I shuffle closer to her.

Everyone looks like they’ve seen this all before, so I didn’t think it would be this bad. But she’s really suffering.

Even when I had the flu, I was never this bad.

I huff through my nose, and Lady Mary lays her tiny hand on top of my head.

She always looks so happy, but right now, she’s just weak.

“I’ll be fine, Routa… I’ll get better soon… Then we can play at the lake together again… Dr. Hecate can come with us, too…”

I wonder if it’s because of the fever, but her voice sounds incredibly faint, too.

“Oh my, I would love that. I will have to make some more dessert to take with us.”

“Heh-heh… I’m really looking forward to your desserts…”

Lady Mary smiles briefly as if Hecate just said something amusing; then her hand slips off my head.

“Arww! (M-my lady!)”

“Calm down. It’s just the medicine making her sleep.”

Hecate quickly whispers in my ear as she puts Lady Mary’s arm back under the covers.

She doesn’t seem surprised by this at all.

“I think her fever should go down soon; then you should make sure she eats and takes her medicine while she has energy. Make sure she drinks plenty of water, too. She’ll likely feel worse when she wakes up, so wipe away any sweat. This red medicine is strong, so give it to her no more than twice a day, with at least six hours between each dose.”

“I understand. I shall do as you have asked.”

Hecate gives the instructions in quick succession, and Miranda respectfully bows.

“D-Dr. Hecate! W-will my daughter be all right?! Is her condition worse than last year?!”

Papa begs Hecate. He looks like he’s in even more pain than Lady Mary when he looks at her sleeping face.

“Please keep it down, Gandolf. We have a sick patient present. Your body may have grown, but you haven’t changed a bit. You’re crying into your wonderful beard.”

“Sob. But…but……”

“Everything will be fine. As long as she remains stable, she will be better within a month. You know this. It’s the same every year.”

“Y-yes…”

The dignified image I had of Papa just keeps falling in my eyes. Seeing him like this, I can tell how hard this is hitting him.

Well, fathers all over the world get like this over their daughters.

I’ll just pretend I didn’t see it.

Which makes me wonder, how old is Hecate?

It seems like she’s known Papa since he was young, which means she must be a lot older than she looks.

I guess this is pretty normal for an elf.

“Routa?”

Eek! Hecate’s smiling at me!

Her wordless smile is terrifying!

“Arww, arww? (H-hey, Hecate? There’s something I want to discuss with you. Do you have a minute?)”

It’s not that I want to change the subject. I really do have something I want to ask her.

“…Please excuse me for a moment. You should step out for a bit yourself, Gandolf, and get some rest.”

She seems to have guessed what I’m feeling and rises from her chair.

I casually follow her.

We leave the mansion where there may be prying eyes and sit in the shade of a tree.

I look up at the evening sunset. The breeze blowing in from the violet sky seems lonely, and the cold night air is starting to creep in.

“What did you want to talk about? Although I already know what you’re going to say.”

“Woof, woof. (Um, well, you know. You’re an amazing witch, Hecate, and I can tell you’re an amazing doctor, too. Even a newbie like me can tell. And I know this is rude of me to ask, but…)”

“You want me to hasten Mary’s recovery, even if only a little?”

She tilts her head and stares at me as she finishes my sentence.

“Woof… (Yes…)”

Then again, if there was a way to do that, she would have already.

Even I think it’s a stupid question.

But I had to ask.

I know there’s no way to help; I shouldn’t have asked.

I had to try for Lady Mary’s sake, though. Guess I can’t judge Papa for getting emotional.

“Woof, woof. (Sorry. That’s a stupid request. Just forget about it. There’s no way there’d be anything that could help that easily.)”

“There is.”

“Arf?! (There is? Wait. There is?!)”

I’m so surprised I ask her twice.

“I’ll explain the steps you need to take.”

She takes out her wand and draws in the air with it. Light hangs where she traces, creating marks as if she were scribbling on the ground.

“The medicine I’m using now is a makeshift solution. It specializes in maintaining stamina and reducing the fever, but it has no effect on the cause of the illness.”

“Woof… (Hmm, I see…)”

“The disease breaks out for about a month, but I have no way to treat the root of the problem… No way on hand, at least.”

“Woof? (Hmm? So there’s a way?)”

“Yes. The medicine I make is very effective, but a lot of the ingredients I use are incredibly common.”

So if she can get better ingredients, then the medicine will work better, too.

“Wyrmnil.”

“Woof? (Wyrmnil?)”

“It’s a mystical medicinal herb that only grows in dragons’ dens. I’ve only been able to get my hands on it twice. It had deteriorated in the dry climate, making the medicine less effective. But even then, I was able to create a wonderful miracle medicine with it.”

“Woof, woof… (Then you just need to ask Papa…)”

The family is incredibly wealthy. If she tells Papa about this, then he’ll definitely get his hands on it.

“This is not something you can buy from any market. It has been a long time since I met an adventurer who could stand against the might of a dragon. Even if I make requests to the guild, it is still a difficult plant to get hold of. Dragons are a rare species, making it impossible to find their nests. You’re more likely to find fakes out in the market.”

“Woof… (Aghh…)”

Dragons.

Those are strong, right?

And she said she doesn’t know where any are.

“Howeeeever.”

“Arw? (However?)”

“In ancient times, people were too afraid to invade the center of this expansive forest for fear of a rare dragon that dwelled within.”

She’s playing innocent while poking her index finger into her cheek for added effect.

“…Arww? (So you’re saying I should go look for it?)”

“Tee-hee. That would be impossible for an ordinary dog. For an ordinary dog, that is.”

She smiles suggestively and tickles my ear alluringly.

“I should be getting back now. What you do with this information is up to you. But do not worry, for Mary will be better in a month. I can guarantee that.”

She stands up, brushes some leaves off her knees, then turns around and walks off.

“…Arf… (Hmm…)”

I think alone in the shadow of the tree.

My goal has always been to live a pet life as a good-for-nothing pup.

I refuse to do anything dangerous, or scary, or painful. I outright refuse to do any work.

No corporate slavery. No manual labor.

Eat delicious food every single day, sleep as much as I want, and get hugs all the time.

That’s all.

That really is everything.

“… (That’s why…)”

I have no reason whatsoever to look for it.

But seeing my lady suffering is not an enjoyable pet life at all.

I can only live my life as a good-for-nothing pup because Lady Mary is with me.

“Woof! (I’ll just go and come right back! Until then, my comfortable house, adieu!)”

Oh, don’t get me wrong.

This isn’t for Lady Mary. It’s to protect my way of life.