Chapter 25

"Ruria, will you help me wash the prairie dog?"

"Sure. That sounds good."

I chased after the maid who was holding the prairie dog, along with Daru.

The maid headed to the servants' bathroom. Peeking into the bathroom from the changing room, I saw that she had prepared a large bucket. Inside the bucket was the prairie dog.

"I'll put some water in, so be still, okay?"

"Kyu"

The prairie dog stood on its hind legs and looked around.

"Really, it's so well-behaved... The animals that gather around Miss Ruria are always so calm."

The maid said this while preparing the water.

While Daru and I were watching, my mother came from behind.

"Ruria, aren't you going in?"

"I thought it would be better not to get in the way."

"That's true. But you're going to wash it, right?"

"I'll wash it."

"I'm sorry, but Miss Ruria wants to help wash it."

Thanks to my mother, I got to wash the prairie dog.

"Be still."

"Kyu~"

I wet its body with warm water and started to lather it with soap.

"Be careful with the face, so it doesn't get in the eyes or ears."

My mother gave me advice from behind.

"Got it! Oh, there's a lot of dirt on its hands!"

"Prairie dogs dig holes."

"Is that so?"

After washing it clean, I wrapped it in a towel and held it.

"Kyu kyu"

The prairie dog made a cooing sound and clung to me.

"How cute!"

"Kyu"

"Ruria, aren't you going to name it?"

"Name? ...Hmm"

"It's okay to go with your intuition. For example, Leonardo. How about that?"

"Leonardo?"

My mother seemed to recommend Leonardo, but I personally didn't like it.

"What name do you like?"

"Kyu"

"Hmm? Do you like 'Kyu'?"

"Just a sound? It's not that you like 'Kyu.' I think 'Leonardo' would be better."

"But 'Kyu' seems better."

I placed the prairie dog a little away from me.

"Mother, call it. Ruria will call it too."

"Should I call it Leonardo?"

"Yes. Let's have a fair fight."

I wanted the prairie dog to choose its own name.

"Leonardo, come here~"

But my mother was holding nuts in her hand, which was a bit unfair.

"Hmm! Kyu, come here."

The prairie dog was hesitating, looking at the nuts in my mother's hand and me.

"You're hesitating. Both names are good, right?"

"It's just attracted to the nuts!"

In the next moment, the prairie dog dashed and jumped into my arms.

"Hmm? You came for 'Kyu'?"

"Kyu~ kyu~"

"..."

While the prairie dog clung to me, I thought for a moment.

"You came even though I didn't call 'Kyu.' Are 'Leonardo' and 'Kyu' equally good?"

"That's not true. 'Leonardo' is a failure."

The prairie dog didn't go to my mother even when she showed the nuts, so 'Leonardo' was rejected.

"Hmm? Do you like 'nuts'?"

"Kyu kyu"

"Nuts, I won't give you? Do you like the name 'nuts'?"

"..."

The prairie dog looked up at me with sad eyes, as if to say, "Why are you being so mean?"

"Do you want nuts?"

"Kyu kyu~"

"Just want to eat them, huh."

I was about to name it 'nuts.' Close call.

I decided to ask it while giving it nuts.

"Then, 'Kyu'? Kyu?"

"Kyu?"

The prairie dog skillfully held the nuts with both hands and tilted its head while eating.

"Or 'Kya'?"

"Kyu~"

I called it various names to see its reaction.

"Ruria definitely wants to include 'Kyu' and 'Kya.' I think 'Leonardo' would be better."

My mother said this, but I ignored her.

'Leonardo' is a good name, but it's hard for a three-year-old to say, so I rejected it.

After calling it various names, 'Caro' had the best reaction.

"Then, the name is Caro!"

"Kyu, kyu!"

Caro seemed to like the name, which was good.

My mother said, as if giving up.

"Well, since Ruria is the owner, if Ruria likes it, that's fine."

"Yay! Caro, nice to meet you!"

"Kyu kyu"

Caro chirped happily, clung to me, and looked at the nuts in my mother's hand.

After playing with Caro for a while, my mother said.

"It's about time to set up Caro's toilet in Ruria's room."

"Toilet?"

"You have to teach Caro how to use the toilet too."

"Leave it to me. Caro, come here."

"Kyu!"

I got on Daru's back and headed to my room, with my mother, the maid, and Caro following behind.

When we got back to my room, there was a newly installed toilet.

It was filled with sand, making it easy to handle waste.

"Caro! This is Caro's toilet!"

"Kyu kyu?"

"When you need to go, use this."

"Kyu~?"

It seemed like Caro didn't understand.

"Let me show you."

"Stop it."

I was about to demonstrate, but my mother stopped me.

I didn't understand why.

"Kyu~"

Caro seemed interested in Daru's toilet.

Daru's toilet was bigger than Caro's, but both had sand in them.

"This is Daru's toilet."

"Wafu!"

"Kya~?"

"Mu, Ruria's toilet? This one."

My room had a toilet next to it.

"Here it is!"

"Kyu~"

"I'm not proud of it, but Ruria rarely has accidents."

"Kyu?"

"It's true. Since I stopped using diapers, I've only had a few accidents outside the toilet."

"Kyu~"

Caro looked at me with admiration.

As a three-year-old, it made me feel good.

"And Caro's toilet is here. I hope Caro can use the toilet like Ruria."

"Kyu~"

It seemed like Caro understood the toilet.

At least, that's what I thought at the time.

The next day. When I woke up, Daru was in the bed as usual.

"Good morning."

"Wafu wafu!" "Kyu~"

Caro was standing on its hind legs on the headboard, keeping watch.

"Caro, thank you."

"Kyu~"

When I thanked Caro, it looked proud.

It seemed confident that it had done a good job.

"Let's go."

When I picked up Caro and got out of bed, I saw a black, round object on the floor.

"Hmm? Caro, did you do it?"

"Kyu?"

Caro seemed to be saying, "What do you mean?"

It seemed like Caro didn't understand the toilet yet.

"Can't help it~"

I used a poop scoop to pick up the poop and put it in Caro's toilet.

I also smelled it to check.

"Hmm, it's round and not very smelly?"

It was good to see that it was healthy.

If it had diarrhea, it would be a mess.

"Kuru?"

Caro looked at me, tilting its head.

It was so cute.

Regardless of how cute it was, I needed to teach it how to use the toilet properly.

"Caro, you should do your poop here."

"Kyu~?"

"The toilet is here."

"Kyu"

"Watch Daru."

"Kuru?"

I pointed to Daru, who was straining in his toilet.

"Daru's toilet is over there, and Caro's toilet is here."

"Kyu~"

I took Caro to Daru.

"Caro, watch. Daru is using the toilet, which is great! Just like Ruria."

When I petted Daru, who was straining, he looked a bit embarrassed.

"Wafu~"

Daru usually goes to the bathroom outside during walks.

But today, he was doing it for Caro's sake.

"Caro, I hope you can use the toilet like Daru."

"Kuru~"

Caro looked at the straining Daru with admiration.

I also watched Daru closely.

"Au~"

Daru, looking a bit embarrassed, finished.

"After that, it's Ruria's job."

I scooped up Daru's poop with the sand and put it in a covered box.

The maid would take it away later.

I also put the poop I used to demonstrate to Caro in the box.

"Okay, Daru, Caro! Let's go eat breakfast!"

"Wafu wafu!" "Kyu kyu"

"After that, we'll take a walk around the house and show you the encyclopedia to Mother!"

My mother has a lot of encyclopedias.

I wanted to look up the habits of prairie dogs and what they eat again.

Since I'm Caro's owner, I should.

"Wafu"

"Hmm. Will Caro go on a walk with Daru?"

Daru goes for a walk outside twice a day because he's big.

"Ruria can't go outside, but Caro can."

Caro climbed onto my shoulder and chirped.

"Is that so? You want to stay with Ruria. That's fine."

When I said that, Caro chirped happily.