After-Story Chapter 34: Souma Goes to Yumuen (Part 5)

It’s sudden, but Parnam Castle houses many dogs and cats. We originally kept a certain number of dogs and cats as a measure against rats, but that number has increased considerably since Tomoe-chan first arrived at the castle. This wasn’t due to Tomoe-chan’s ability to stabilize their breeding environment, like with the Rhinosaurus or Wyverns.

The increase was because Tomoe-chan frequently picked up stray kittens whenever she went out into the castle town. My beloved sister-in-law Tomoe-chan’s ability is [Understands the Language of Animals], and it has greatly contributed to the development of the Kingdom of Friedonia and negotiations with the Seadians. However, this ability isn’t something she can turn off at will, and sometimes she hears voices she would rather not.

Apparently, unless Tomoe-chan actively focuses, she only hears voices expressed with extremely powerful emotions, but conversely, this means that pitiful cries inevitably reach her ears. That’s why Tomoe-chan can’t go near ranches shipping livestock or shops that handle live animals and fish. She would likely faint if she ever visited a restaurant that served, say, ikizukuri (something this country thankfully doesn’t have yet).

The animal cries that inevitably reached Tomoe-chan’s ears were those of abandoned puppies and kittens. The heartbreaking screams of young dogs and cats, discarded by their owners, separated from their parents, and left by the roadside, are audible to Tomoe-chan. The animals in this world are more resilient than those in the world I once inhabited, possessing greater strength to survive.

Although we call them dogs and cats, they are slightly different from those in my former world; some have horns growing on their foreheads, or a jewel-like stone embedded there (like a Third Eye of the Three-Eyed Tribe), or bat wings on their backs, or a bifurcated tail. Overall, they seem agile and possess high combat abilities.

Therefore, fully grown dogs and cats might survive in the wild, or they might lose their lives to aggressive wild animals outside the town. However, puppies and kittens who haven’t yet learned the skills to survive have no choice but to die of exhaustion unless someone picks them up. That’s why they desperately cry for help. A kindhearted soul like Tomoe-chan simply can’t ignore those cries.

She would bring them back to Parnam Castle…

“Um… Brother-in-law… well…” she’d plead, giving me those imploring eyes.

…It’s impossible to tell her, “Take them back where you found them,” when she looks at you like that. Even Liscia, who is firm when necessary, couldn’t say anything in front of a teary-eyed Tomoe-chan and punted the decision entirely to me. With no choice, I agreed to accept the stray dogs and cats into the castle on the condition that they receive spaying and neutering procedures to prevent unplanned growth.

Afterward, we established offices in the castle town for the protection and adoption of abandoned animals, and even enacted laws concerning pets… but Tomoe-chan still occasionally brought back stray puppies and kittens.

— And currently.

“Yip! Yip!” “Woof! Woof!”

“Meeooow~” “…”

“…Um… what exactly is this situation?”

Two puppies scampered around the confused Anne. Meanwhile, two kittens were relaxing leisurely, behaving as if the whole thing didn’t concern them. These children, too, were ones Tomoe-chan had recently picked up and brought back to Parnam Castle. This was Anne’s assigned room, and I had released these four animals inside with Mary’s permission.

“B-Big Sister…”

The bewildered Anne turned her pleading gaze toward Mary, who was watching from the doorway. Mary, however, turned away awkwardly with a pfft. Anne looked utterly stunned, as if I could hear the sound effect “GAAH!” Mary must have been holding her tongue, as she had instructed us to handle this matter entirely.

Just then, the two puppies stopped their chase and placed their forepaws pat onto Anne’s feet, where she was sitting on the floor in a proper Japanese-style pose. They panted, their tongues out, and wagged their tails furiously, as if begging, “Play with us! Play with us!”

“Um… that…”

Anne fluttered uncertainly, unsure what to do. She tried to reach out, but pulled her hand back before touching the puppies. Then…

“These children want you to pet them.”

“I-is that so?”

“Yes. They are very curious about the Big Sister they’ve never seen before.”

The one who informed her was Tomoe-chan. However, today’s Tomoe-chan was not just any Tomoe-chan (?). She was Tomoe-chan (Nursery School Specification), having borrowed and donned a nursery-school-style apron from her mother, Tomoko. The motherly warmth emanating from Tomoe-chan—who had learned the composed demeanor of a mature woman from Juna, and was now equipped with her mother’s apron—was enough that Anne, who is easily frightened by people, could converse with her normally.

Tomoe-chan proceeded to introduce the “children” to Anne.

“The energetic white one here is Shiroji-kun. And the one with pale pink fur is Momomi-chan. The best places to pet them are their heads, under their chins, and their backs.”

“S-Shiroji-kun and Momomi-chan… N-nice to meet you.”

Anne specifically greeted the puppies whose paws were on her feet before gently petting their heads and under their chins. The two made satisfied, comfortable faces, letting out soft “Mufu~” sounds as they were stroked. Perhaps feeling content after a thorough petting, the two left Anne and resumed their chase. They were truly independent little souls.

Anne looked slightly lonely as the two ran off. Tomoe-chan then introduced the cats to her.

“The calico one sprawled out over there, already relaxing as if it owns the place, is Mikemaru. And the black one being cool and aloof over there is Chloe-chan.”

“Chloe-chan and Mikemaru. …Doesn’t Mikemaru get a ‘kun’ attached to his name?”

“Ah… since he has that grumpy, self-important air, ‘Mikemaru’ just felt right, so no kun. Though he’s still cute in his own way.”

“I-is that so…”

As we watched the exchange near the entrance…

“You named those animals, didn’t you, Souma? Aren’t they a little too simplistic?” Liscia, standing beside me, jabbed. “You just took words for colors from your old world and added a little something to make them sound like names, didn’t you?”

“I couldn’t help it. Tomoe-chan keeps picking up strays, so I’m running out of names! When she asked, ‘Do you have any good naming methods, Brother-in-law?’ I just suggested the ‘body color plus a little something’ method.”

“…Well, she’s picked up so many that we’ve run out of fingers and toes to count them all. They’ve multiplied enough that we have a dedicated dog and cat management division within the castle gardeners. I wish she would restrain herself a bit…”

“You say that, but could you actually refuse Tomoe-chan when she looks up at you apologetically, hugging a puppy or kitten?”

“No.” Liscia answered immediately.

I nodded. “Right?” We were forever the older brother-in-law and sister-in-law who spoiled our sibling. I wonder if things will be alright after she marries Ichiha? I assume they’ll move into a mansion in the castle town, but I’m worried it might turn into an animal house.

(Maybe I should discreetly warn Ichiha…)

While thinking that, we continued to watch the two inside the room. Tomoe-chan gently picked up Mikemaru, who was sprawled out and sleeping soundly, and placed him on Anne’s lap. Mikemaru continued sleeping soundly despite the change in location.

“He’s super fluffy! Try touching him.”

“Y-yes.”

Anne, prompted, touched Mikemaru’s belly. The fluffiness was obvious just by looking.

“…He really… is fluffy… Heh heh.”

Anne was smiling, if only faintly. Mary, who saw this, gasped.

“Anne.. is smiling.”

She covered her mouth in surprise, her eyes pooling with tears. Mary had been heartbroken by Anne’s nightmares, and seeing her serene expression must have overwhelmed her with emotion. Just then, Chloe, who had been watching Mikemaru being coddled out of the corner of her eye, trotted over to Anne and leaped neatly onto her lap.

“Oh, Chloe-chan?”

“Hehe, this one looks cool, but she’s actually a spoiled baby. She must have felt lonely seeing Mikemaru get all the attention.”

“Lonely… is that so…”

Anne gently stroked Chloe’s back. Chloe closed her eyes, looking satisfied. Seeing the two kittens, Anne smiled again. Overcome by Anne’s expression, Mary finally let her tears flow.

“That’s wonderful… she… she can still smile…”

“Hahaha! It seems so. For those little ones to melt Anne’s frozen heart is quite something,” Souji rumbled, patting Mary’s head to comfort her.

I nodded as well.

“A weapon is dangerous in a heart in ruins!… as a certain young soldier once said, but I think pets have the power to soothe the human heart. They are partners who stick by your side, after all. These children, in particular, were abandoned and know loneliness. I brought them here, thinking they might be able to sympathize with Anne’s similar situation… and it looks like I was right.”

We watched the two beautiful girls playing with the fluffy animals for a while longer.