by Inumajin
“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 n
ext 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 a
nd 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…
