by Inumajin
“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!