by Inumajin
“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 wi
th 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.
After leaving the mansion, the first thing I do upon entering the forest is…