NOVEL NEXT Episode 14: The Day It Wasn't a Dog
In the morning, I am woken up by Matsukaze’s voice and weight.
“Good morning…good morning! Good morning!”
If my voice was low, I guess it would be assumed that I wasn’t awake, so I kept licking, so I hurriedly let out a voice from my stomach.
I’m just waking up, so I’d like you to be a little more lenient with me.
Yesterday, I worked so hard on the toilet that my cabin still doesn’t have a door.
But I made a window. I also cut a small hole near the ceiling to let in some light, and covered it with extremely thin cloth so that the light Musubi had given me could shine through.
That’s why you can tell by the brightness even inside the hut. It’s very early in the morning.
“You’re an early riser…”
While Matsukaze responds with a whistling sound, I find Mystia stretching.
“Soujiro. Good morning!”
“I get up early too.”
“yeah?”
The elf was also in good spirits since the morning.
I also take a deep breath and clear my head.
“Good morning, Mystia… and Musubi.”
“Hmph,” Musubi flew out from somewhere and got on top of me.
After stretching my body a little and relaxing, I walked around the area with Mystia and Matsukaze.
Today I’m trying to figure out where to cut down trees, and I’m also picking up wildflowers that I see.
After going around and finishing the walk, it was time to take a bath in the river.
The difference from yesterday was that Musubi had made a cloth for me to wipe myself with, so I didn’t have to share Mystia’s bathing suit.
I feel a little relieved.
When we return to our base, we have breakfast on a freshly made table and chairs.
“…I think we should build a wood deck.”
There’s something strange about eating with a table on the ground.
“Soujiro is particular about unexpected things.”
“Is it weird?”
“Well, I think it’s good. There are a lot of things I would never have thought of, so it’s really fun.”
Mystia was giggling.
For me, the environment in which we eat is important. Because I forgot the joy of eating it in my previous life.
“Well, if there’s anything you need urgently, please let me know. I’ve never lived in the forest for long either.”
Even though I have the power of
The most time-consuming part of survival, hunting and gathering, is left to Mystia.
Honestly, I’m very grateful that you hunt and gather meat and wild plants.
“I’m totally satisfied.”
Mystia answered with a smile.
“Ah, but if there’s a big one, please let me know.”
“At that time, of course, I will call you and lead you here. Please rely on me.”
It seems that there are usually demonic boars that are about 400 km long in this forest.
By the way, Mystia is said to be stronger than the demon boar.
However, Mystia’s current hunt was to protect Matsukaze, so if something a little tougher and bigger came along, I would be guided to this base and I would be able to take it down.
“By the way, Musubi will tan your fur.”
“Really? Thank you, Musubi.”
Silky Moth, who was covered in water from a container filled with salt water, responded to my words by shaking its antennae.
By the way, salt water and leaves are Musubi’s food.
I feel sorry for having to ask for cloth and leather tanning.
After all, Musubi is just sleeping on the roof of my hut and hasn’t even built a house.
After breakfast, Mystia prepares for hunting.
At his feet, Matsukaze was wandering around in a good mood, looking like he was just before going for a walk.
“Now that I think about it, I have to build a doghouse for Matsukaze. How big does Matsukaze get?”
“Hmm? It’s going to get really big.”
“From the looks of it, it looks like it’s going to be about the size of a retriever, but…”
It’s legs are really thick. These dogs grow big.
“In the end, I think I’ll be able to run with Soujiro on board.”
Mystia said that without any hesitation.
“…even though it’s a dog?”
Is that in the Ghibli world?
“It’s not a dog. It’s a young black wolf, a magical beast and demon wolf, Matsukaze.”
“So does that mean it’ll be as big as a horse?”
“Yes. Yes.”
“Eh!?”
As I stared at Matsukaze in surprise, the demon wolf cub ran towards me.
“Wolf…were you a wolf…?”
“Why are you so surprised?”
“I definitely thought it was a dog…”
“Are you that depressed?”
I answered while petting Matsukaze that had come up to me.
“I’ve always dreamed of owning a dog, but now I’m confused as to whether I can treat this as a reality…”
“That’s right”
A shocking fact has been discovered.
But Matsukaze doesn’t seem to care. She seems happy to be noticed and starts playing with me.
“Well, okay.”
“Ah, I’m back on my feet.”
I regained my composure and was forced to drastically change my plans from the kennel I had envisioned.
“In that case, you have to make it the size that a horse can fit in. I was thinking of making it the size of a hunting dog, so I have to reconsider the location.”
“The good thing about Soujiro is that he accepts things like that.”
“I don’t throw out the creatures I pick up midway.”
“Nffffff”
Mystia smiles happily.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m glad Soujirou was chosen as the Divine Seal. I was just thinking about it.”
Even with such an accident, Matsukaze’s dog house – wolf house?
Well, anyway, I decided to make a huge one.
Looks like I’ll have to work a little harder on the felling and wood processing.
Let’s do our best.