A Giant Doggy Appears!

Pleasant morning sunlight poured over the Forest Mansion.

Still half-awake and drowsy, I was loosely embracing Liricia in bed.

Instead of sheets, Liricia’s white wings were wrapped around the two of us.

Then the naked Liricia let out a small sigh on top of my chest. That alone made her large breasts sway softly.

“Ahh, so today is the day I must say goodbye to this sturdy, mature Master…”

“You didn’t hate having an old guy as your partner?”

“Not at all! I did not dislike your appearance, which felt younger than it looked and gave a sense of sincerity… I loved it.”

“Hmm, then maybe I should stop myself from becoming younger.”

I said it lightly as a joke, but Liricia spread her white wings with a flap and protested.

The warm air that had been trapped close between us escaped, and it grew chilly against my skin.

“Master, no. Please stay by my side forever.”

With tears in her eyes, she clung to me while still naked. Her smooth white skin felt pleasant.

Her seriousness was so overwhelming that I stroked the head of the Liricia sitting on top of me and comforted her.

“I know… I’ll stay by your side, forever.”

“Sniff… I’m so happy, Master…”

Liricia pressed down on me as if to push her soft breasts against me. She even entwined her slender legs around me.

Holding her delicate body on the bed, I gently brought my face closer.

“Liricia…”

“Mastaa…”

In the vivid morning sunlight, I drew close the bare-skinned Liricia, flawless as a single clear sky.

And I brought my face closer to her beautiful features, framed by those large violet eyes…

—But then.

Suddenly, the mansion glowed red.

The sub-device placed on the table beside the bed began to vibrate.

“Waaning! Waaning! Waaning-ning! Chikuwa and iron dumbbells are parental love, de gozaru, no maki desu~ nin-nin!”

To stop the noisy ringtone, I picked up the sub-device and held it to my ear.

“What is it, Kou? Another dungeon?”

“Master, no it is not! A monster has come to the garden! Please hunter the monster, desu~!”

“What, seriously!? I’m coming right now!”

I hurriedly got dressed, grabbed the sword propped against the wall, and headed outside.

Liricia, still on the bed, busily started putting on her underwear a little later.

The mansion garden under the morning sunlight.

With my sword at the ready, I walked between the vegetable plots in the garden.

But I could not see any sign of a monster.

“…Where is it?”

I was looking around with my head tilted when Liricia came out from the mansion entrance, her white nun’s habit disheveled.

Her long silver hair streamed behind her.

“Master! Over there! The monster is over there!”

I looked toward the surrounding forest where Liricia was pointing.

Then, against the blue sky, a large wolf stood atop a giant tree frozen like rime ice.

The frozen tree was probably because Teti the Snow Elf had been practicing magic.

When the wolf, covered in silver fur, met my eyes, it tapped the ice with its thick foreleg and opened its mouth lined with sharp fangs, its resonant voice ringing out.

“Are you the master of this place? …Call forth my lord, the one who froze this tree.”

“What did you say!? What are you planning to do!?”

“Rest easy, holy one. I will do no harm. I merely wish to serve my lord.”

“Serve…?”

—Was it saying it wanted to serve Teti the Snow Elf?

Looking at the wolf’s ferocious face, I could hardly believe it.

Just as I tilted my head in confusion, Teti herself came running out of the mansion.

“What do you want with me!? If you’re gonna do anything bad, I’ll beat you up! —Appear, Ice Bullet!”

Stepping into the garden, Teti planted her feet shoulder-width apart and thrust out her right hand.

A blue mass formed in front of her hand.

But it was around the mansion, and up in the trees besides. The distance was considerable.

Could it really reach?

The next instant, an ice bullet flew from the frozen branch beneath the wolf’s feet.

—Huh? From there!? A complete surprise attack!

Even a master would not have been able to dodge it.

But the wolf leaped down from the treetop.

Ignoring the ice bullets striking its huge body with sharp cracking sounds, it flew straight toward Teti at incredible speed.

—Fast!

“Teti—!”

I ran while compressing Serâge. My limbs moved beyond their limits.

But the wolf was too fast for me to attack.

All I could do was throw myself between Teti and the wolf and use my body as a shield to protect her.

—But.

I thought I was about to be attacked, but instead, the wolf’s voice came from behind me.

“Oh? You surpassed my speed. And you protected your chief with your own body. As expected of a holy one.”

When I looked back over my shoulder, the wolf had already landed right beside us. Its mouth, lined with white fangs, opened, revealing a mouth as red as blood inside.

“Eek.”

Teti, standing in front of me, trembled in fear.

“Run, Teti!”

“Ah, ah…”

Her thin legs shook violently. Apparently, she was too terrified to move.

But the wolf rolled over onto its side with its massive body.

“Now then, my lord, go ahead and fluff me.”

“Huh…?”

Ignoring Teti’s and our confusion, the wolf stuck out its red tongue from the corner of its mouth, panting as it showed its belly.

For a moment, I could not understand what was happening.

As we simply stared, not knowing what to do, Teti stepped forward and timidly reached out a hand.

“U-Uh… wow! The outer fur is rough and bristly, but the fur on the belly is soft and feels amazing!”

With a full smile on her face, Teti rubbed the giant wolf’s belly with both hands.

The wolf did not seem displeased at all, letting her do as she pleased while panting with its red tongue hanging out.

Judging from this scene alone, it was just a huge doggy.

Relieved since it did not seem hostile, I still found myself puzzled and tilted my head.

“More importantly, how is this thing okay even after being exposed to Serâge…? It’s a monster, right?”

At my question, Liricia, standing beside me with her monocle on, cried out.

“Master! That wolf is no ordinary monster! It is a Fenrir!”

“What did you say!?”

“Fenrir is also called a magical beast or a divine beast…”

Still lying down while having its belly rubbed, Fenrir turned its face toward us.

“Correct. I am Fenrir. So you know well. As expected of an angel, even if one who has fallen to the earth.”

“You saw through even what Liricia is!?”

This wolf was no ordinary being.

And since it did not seem to be an enemy, I asked it for an explanation.

“What exactly is going on? Why are you calling Teti your lord or chief?”

“So this girl is called Teti… very well, I shall tell you. In the distant past, I formed a contract with this girl’s clan. I was to protect and serve one worthy of being the clan chief.”

“So that was it… Teti appeared to you because she mastered ice magic, then.”

“Exactly… I never expected that the next chief would be here, at such a distant western edge. Even I did not foresee that.”

“I see, I get it. Then protect Teti from now on, okay? She’s been through all kinds of hardships while you were gone.”

“What! So that was the case…”

Fenrir ground its teeth in frustration.

But Teti smiled with her cute face.

“No, I’m just happy you came! Alec-sama protected me, and I’ve been living however I wanted, so don’t worry!”

At Teti’s words, Fenrir curled up the corners of its mouth, showing its white fangs. Apparently, that was a smile.

“A kind chief… Then I shall serve with all my might—however, from the looks of it, you have not properly learned ice-and-snow magic. I shall teach you.”

“Ahaha, thanks!”

Teti wrapped her thin arms around its pure white belly and hugged it tight.

The wolf’s tail swished back and forth happily.

Its tone was arrogant and overbearing, yet it still looked like just a big doggy.

Wryly smiling, I voiced the idea that had occurred to me.

“Oh, right, Fenrir. I’ve got a little favor to ask…”

“There is no reason for me to grant your wish, but…”

Fenrir twisted its face in annoyance, but Teti lifted her face and spoke up for me.

“If Alec-sama hadn’t saved me, I might have died, you know? I’d like you to listen to his request, okay?”

“Ugh… very well. I thank him for protecting the chief I ought to serve. If it is within my power, then I shall lend my strength as well.”

“Yeah, it’s nothing major. I’m thinking of getting this place officially recognized as a sanctuary soon. At that time, I just want you to pretend to be a White Fang instead of a Fenrir.”

“Hmph… For me to pretend to be one of those puny white wolves…”

Fenrir bared its fangs.

But Teti pressed down hard on Fenrir’s belly.

“Come on, it’s not a big deal! Besides, if this place gets recognized as a sanctuary, you can stay with me openly, right?”

“I see… a moment’s shame for a lifetime’s gain, then. Very well, I shall cooperate.”

“Thanks. Though, your fur color is different… If need be, I can go buy some white paint for you…”

“There is no need to worry about turning my body white—Frost Barrier.”

As Fenrir chanted the spell, it became wrapped in pure white air.

And the silver fur covering its body quickly turned white in the blink of an eye.

“Frost, huh.”

“Indeed. With this, would I not be mistaken for a White Fang?”

“Yeah, that’s well done.”

Fenrir, whose body had looked lean and sharp, now looked slightly puffier thanks to being covered in frost.

Apparently finding the cool touch pleasant, Teti buried her face in Fenrir’s fur even more.

Well, if Teti herself was fine with it, then that was probably all that mattered.

I said to Fenrir,

“Then I’m counting on you when the time comes.”

“Mm.”

After giving a light greeting, I returned to the mansion with Liricia.

Teti was still happily fluffing the wolf’s belly.

…I kind of wanted to touch it too, but judging from that attitude, I figured it probably would not allow it.

As we walked down the mansion hallway toward the dining hall, Liricia, walking beside me, spoke up.

“What will you do after breakfast, Master?”

“Of course, the slave trader’s place—we’re making me young again.”

“…Yes, Master!”

Savoring her joy, Liricia went into the dining hall ahead of me with light steps.