Chapter 43

Recently, I've noticed that there are a lot of people around me feeling unwell.

Please take care of yourselves, everyone.

By the way, I'm currently suffering from a cold.

I managed to pass through the entrance of the World Tree with just the face recognition of Shiraneko and Mineko.

It seems that without any checks other than appearance, it would be easy to infiltrate with a disguise spell or something, but that's where the sense of smell comes in handy.

The fact that all the guards at the city gates are dog people is a good indication of this.

With their excellent sense of smell, they can instantly determine whether someone is genuine or not.

"Still feels like a nice place, doesn't it?"

"Can humans tell that too?"

"Surprisingly, humans also tend to like spaces surrounded by trees."

This castle, carved out of a tree, naturally has wooden walls, floors, and ceilings.

I, who prefer wooden baths over stone ones, find the smell and texture of the wood pleasant.

"By the way, is the Beast King still upstairs?"

"Yes, on the top floor."

We don't have much time, so we can't afford to dawdle.

Let's go and see him quickly.

"Then let's go――――"

"Aaaaaaaah!!"

"――What?"

Suddenly, a scream interrupted my words, echoing through the castle.

Everyone instinctively looked towards the source of the voice.

There stood a girl with healthy skin and golden hair.

None other than Roa Gold, the daughter of the Beast King Regulus Gold.

"Y-You!! This smell…!"

"!"

Sure enough, even with a changed appearance, I can't hide from her.

In the next instant, Roa kicked off the floor and appeared right in front of me.

I caught a glimpse of her fist coming towards me in the corner of my eye.

"Still… too soft!!"

"!?"

I grabbed her fist, swept her legs, and pinned her to the wooden floor.

"Setsu-san!?"

"It's fine, it's just our way of greeting."

"Damn!"

As she tried to get up, I prevented her by taking a mount position.

Then I reached out to touch the side of her neck, which made her flinch.

Pet, pet

"Fnya!"

I gently petted her, not tickling but using my palm to give a reassuring touch.

Roa's expression gradually fell apart, and her body went limp, melting into a completely relaxed state.

"Fnyaaaa~ No good… This touch is still…"

"It's been a while, flat-chested kitty. Look, look!"

"Setsu~ with the cat ears~"

Like petting a cat.

This action, which I've done dozens of times, seems to be something my body remembers even after five years.

Further teasing made her body so limp that she couldn't stand up.

Is it really that good…?

"Sis, are you watching? Roa, the daughter of the Beast King, is being toyed with…"

"Petting… I'm so jealous…"

"Is that what you should be saying!? Get a grip, Sis!"

What are these two doing, performing a comedy routine…

I've recently realized that Shiraneko is a klutz and Mineko is the straight man.

They have a surprisingly good balance.

But that's not the issue right now.

"Fnyaa~ More…"

We need to do something about this soon――――

"Where have you been all this time, Setsu!!"

"Sorry, sorry, I had some stuff going on in the human world."

"But I know that! …I was worried when I heard that you were forcibly sent back to your original world… Stop petting me! Stop… Fwa~"

"You're still as amusing as ever."

I shut her noisy mouth by petting her.

It wasn't my intention, so I hope you can be lenient with me, right?

"Since I'm back, forgive me. I'll make it up to you for worrying you."

"Meow… Okay, but stop petting me now…"

Oops, I forgot to stop.

I pulled my hand back just before she lost all strength in her legs.

It took Roa a few minutes to get up last time.

We're on our way to the Beast King's room, so it would be a problem if she sat down in the middle of the hallway.

"Phew… So, what about Shiraneko and Mineko? They seem to have come with you…"

"Long story…"

"Setsu became our master. That's why we're together."

"Wha!? Setsu! You won't become my master, but you'll become Shiraneko's master!?"

Shiraneko… saying unnecessary things.

Explaining this is quite a hassle, but I have to explain it to her.

"It's not like that. She's just saying it on her own."

"Then I'll become one too!"

"Did you listen? I'm not looking for pets."

Training is something I can barely manage with that ice-cold D-M girl.

I should look elsewhere… no, I shouldn't look at anyone else.

"Anyway, we'll talk about this later. We need to go to the Beast King and talk about something important!"

"Ugh… Okay."

"Good."

Yes, a well-trained cat.

She's a lion, but since she's a feline, it's not much different.

I'm the one who trained her.

She used to be a wild lion, causing trouble, but now she's greeted with smiles by the castle's inhabitants and returns those smiles.

I'm very happy about this change.

Her speech is a mix of rough and soft, which is quite amusing.

It's part of her charm, I guess.

"By the way, what's the relationship between Setsu and Roa? I heard that Setsu was the hero five years ago, but I can't quite figure out the details…"

"Hmm? Our relationship?"

Right, I did talk about myself on the way.

It's understandable that you're curious about the relationship between me, the former hero, and Roa.

"Well… Setsu was really strong back then. When he came to the Beastman Continent with three human companions, it was during a war, and the situation was so extreme that humans were being attacked with cries of 'Kill the humans!'"

I think it was dozens of soldiers.

Of course…

"He wiped them all out in no time. And I, being a troublemaker back then… Do you two know I was a troublemaker?"

"We've heard of the nickname 'Wild Lion.'"

"Wow… It's embarrassing to say it myself, but it is."

Back then, she was famous not only among the beastmen but also in other continents due to her position as the Beast King's daughter.

By the way, Shiraneko and Mineko started becoming famous after I was sent back.

"Well, I heard there was a strong person and challenged him to a fight. I lost miserably, though."

I remember she lunged at me and I countered with a cross-counter, knocking her out in one hit.

I treated her like one of the other soldiers at the time.

"Thinking back, it was the first time I lost to anyone other than my father… So I fell for Setsu, who defeated me, and started following him around. I wanted him to be my master, if possible."

"Who would do such a troublesome thing?"

"You're so stingy, as always."

No matter what you say, I have no intention of making her a pet.

If she meant a different kind of master, I might consider it.

"Do you two have similar reasons for sticking together?"

"I lost to Setsu. I want him to be my master."

"I didn't fight him directly… but since Setsu saved my life, I want to use my body for him."

"Wow, Setsu. You're quite popular."

"Sure, sure."

Roa poked my side with her elbow.

I don't mind being told this, but I still can't understand their way of thinking.

Humans wouldn't follow someone who defeated them.

The difference in values between species is really significant.

"By the time we finished talking, we're here."

As Roa stopped, we all stopped walking.

In front of us was a pair of wooden doors.

This place is nostalgic too.

"I'm going in, Dad――――"

"Roa!!"

"Huh?"

A male voice called out from behind, stopping Roa as she reached for the door.

"It's you, Rugar."

Turning around, I saw a young dog person.

He had a strong build and a handsome face.

No wonder the female beastmen don't ignore him. His presence and the pressure he exudes suggest he's quite powerful.

"What do you want? I'd like to keep this short."

"What do you mean… You're going to introduce a human to the Beast King!? We're at war!?"

I see, he's quite a stickler for rules.

Thanks to these three, I haven't been involved in any unnecessary trouble, but it's natural for someone of his caliber to question my presence.

Here comes a troublesome guy…

"What's the deal with Shiraneko and Mineko being with a human? I want an explanation!"

"Who are you before we get to that――――"

"Sis, this is Rugar, the werewolf blade."

"Oh… I remember him."

"My memory is really bad, isn't it?"

"Huh?"

"Hold him back, Sis!"

Wow! When Shiraneko's pride is hurt, she gets a scary look.

I'll remember that… but more importantly.

"Old man? I have business with the Beast King, and I'm not here to cause trouble…"

"You… Did you just insult me…?"

"Huh?"

Wolf blade… old man… Ah, I made a mistake… but the nuance is the same, right!? This is a matter of interpretation!?

"Should I erase you here, human――――"

"Stop it, idiot."

"…Why are you protecting a human, Roa?"

Roa stood between me and Rugar, her eyes filled with clear hostility.

"No, I'm stopping you to protect you. This human is the one who will become my… master. No matter how strong you are, you can't beat him."

Hey, what's this about a master? You were calling him a master with a different meaning before, but now it's all about being a pet. Stop it.

And… right-hand man of the Beast King… No wonder he seemed so capable.

"…What? Hold on, Roa. Your master… no, your husband is supposed to be me, right?"

Huh? What is he saying?

"I defeated you in a duel as the Beast King ordered, and I earned the right to be with you."

"That was when I wasn't feeling well…"

"Such excuses don't work among beastmen!"

"…Shut up!! Who would marry a creepy guy like you! If you say anything weird in front of Setsu again, I'll tear you to pieces!"

"Wha…!"

As Roa said, "Let's go," she grabbed my hand and opened the door to the king's chamber.

Rugar, suddenly reverted to his old manner of speaking and insulted, stood frozen in shock.

Taking advantage of this, the four of us finally reached our destination, the king's chamber.

I'm constantly updating character designs on Twitter. This is my second time being summoned to another world, or you can search for Kishimoto Wakaba and follow me. Thank you.