MPBAGS Chapter 14

So Kanna's being bullied by Evangeline and wiping away tears alone in the garden when she hears rustling from the bushes, right? She's startled and on guard when a wounded wolf appears. Usually it's some development where she's fleeing threats from family enemies or slave traders targeting her, you know, that kind of common plot.

Kind-hearted Kanna would nurse the wolf back to health with care, and since she'd think it was just an animal, there'd be skinship, right? I mean, I'm constantly fussing over Pudding myself. So after spending time like that, the wolf would be fully healed, and Kanna would release it back into the wild.

Then they'd forget about it until n years later when a handsome man returns saying he wants to repay the debt of being saved. What should his line be? 'You called me cute, didn't you?' Something like that? My romance fantasy enthusiasm suddenly surged out of control.

I stared at the wolf intently. Right now it's completely wolf-form so I can't tell if the human version is handsome. If he's handsome, then he's definitely a sub-male lead. Or maybe Gabriel is the sub-male lead and the wolf is the male lead? Since it's an old work, it might have been a reverse harem. The unexpected appearance throws me into confusion.

Wait. So on top of Gabriel, I'm also eating the werewolf route? Once should've been enough. Twice?

"...Please save me."

The wolf spoke weakly. Its tail was tucked between its legs as if frightened. Why does it need to say 'save me' twice? I was a bit flustered, then remembered I'd been staring at the injured wolf without taking any action.

I do feel a bit sorry. Honestly, I briefly considered just pretending not to see it and calling Kanna over.

But it's not like I was trying to ignore an injured animal, okay? I was going to call Kanna to treat it. I just thought that since the real body is human, maybe it could endure things a bit more like a person would.

But somehow... now that it's actually said 'save me' out loud, it'd be a problem with my morality if I just left, wouldn't it?

"Then come with me."

When I held out my hand, the wolf hesitated before placing its front paw in my palm. The soft jelly pad squished gently.

Wait, I didn't mean give me your paw—I meant since I know you're a person, just transform and take my hand to stand up! I wasn't trying to violate your human rights.

"Your name?"

Still, I'll gratefully accept the paw already given. I asked for a name while touching the squishy paw pad, but the wolf didn't answer. No name? That can't be right.

It seemed reluctant to reveal its identity to me. Well, usually they don't reveal their true identity even to the female lead until much later.

Then let's give it a name I can call it by. Let's see. Since it has such adorably squishy jelly pads...

"I'll call you Jelly."

The wolf looked displeased but didn't protest. It doesn't matter if you don't like it. If it bothers you, reveal your real name.

I was wondering how I'd get this heavy thing upstairs when I blinked and we were in my room. What? What just happened?

"Did you do that?"

"Yes!"

Jelly answered with tremendous enthusiasm.

So beastfolk here can use magic too. Who'd have thought the first mage I'd see in this other world would be a different species? Ah. Are beastfolk shamans?

But aren't werewolves usually tanks? Where'd you leave your sharp claws to be using magic instead? I was a bit displeased but then felt guilty, thinking that was also a kind of species discrimination.

Anyway, it's fortunate we got up here easily. Now I need to treat the injuries, but I can't tell how badly it's hurt because of all the fur.

"It's uncomfortable, so transform into a person."

Before I could even blink, Jelly had transformed into human form. I'd thought it would look fierce, but it actually looked surprisingly gentle. I'd worried about nakedness, but thankfully the fantasy rules applied and it was properly clothed. Though the clothes were basically rags, at least it wasn't bare.

Once transformed into human form, the condition looked more serious than I'd thought. Hidden by the fur, there were wounds all over the body from being cut and stabbed by something sharp. Had it come from a knife fight somewhere?

I'd only planned to do first aid, but that didn't seem like it would be enough. I was debating whether to call a doctor or priest when Pudding appeared from somewhere and spat something out. Ptoo. The ornately and delicately carved bottle looked familiar.

"Holy water?"

It's holy water. As if to confirm that was correct, Pudding meowed.

That's right. There was holy water! I thought we'd used it all, but there must've been a spare. It was probably pilfered from the Count's room. Not even wary of the unfamiliar wolf, bringing holy water to treat a friend?

Our cat is so smart, yes you are. When I stroked its head, Pudding rubbed its face against my hand.

I was melting from Pudding's cuteness when an uneasy thought suddenly struck. Up until now, I'd thought there were no beastfolk in this work's setting so I just let it go... but isn't our Pudding a bit too smart for a cat...?

No way. No way. Right? Pudding, please don't tell me you're a beastperson!

I looked at Pudding anxiously while Pudding meowed cutely. It can't be. Come to think of it, our Pudding has never spoken human words. Right. If it were a beastperson, would it have endured all this time uncomfortable with communication?

But my mind had already tilted toward Pudding being a beastperson. Damn it! If I'd known it was a worldview with beastfolk, I would've been more reserved.

Just in case, let's ask Jelly later. For now, I'll put it off and deal with the patient in front of me first.

Jelly had been cowering in terror ever since Pudding appeared. Does it fear cats despite its size? Shouldn't the cat be the one afraid of the wolf?

On the contrary, Pudding looks triumphant. Is there some hierarchy between them I don't know about?

Or maybe it's scared because Pudding's so small. Usually clumsy creatures get afraid they'll crush something when they see chicks and such. Thinking of it that way made sense.

"Drink this."

"What? This?"

One bottle didn't seem like enough to apply to all the external wounds, so I figured drinking it would be more effective.

Jelly acted like a kid at their first dentist visit, apparently never having seen holy water before, so I eventually had to use force to open his mouth. He didn't even try to shake off my hand—must've just been testing the waters once.

"...Ith too mush."

After I fed him the holy water and let go, Jelly puffed out his cheeks and mumbled. Where does he get off acting cute with that baby lisp?

Such a drama queen. I even fed it holy water and all I get is resentment. This is all for your own good. I almost scolded like an old codger but held back.

Night fell over the Rohanson estate. All the employees had left except those working the night shift.

The night staff's work ended once they drew curtains and turned off lights everywhere except Count Rohanson's office and the third floor.

The assigned areas rotated, and today was Olive's day to handle the fourth floor. Colleagues who'd already visited the fourth floor had encouraged him, saying it wasn't as scary as he'd worried and that Lady Evangeline never came out of her room, so he just needed to focus on his work.

Why had his colleagues lied to Olive?

From earlier, someone's pain-filled gasps had been circling his ears. Olive tried to ignore the sounds and concentrate on his assigned work.

He walked the corridor relying on lantern light. As he advanced turning off lights one by one, the sounds grew closer. The moaning mixed with the squelching sounds of some viscous liquid creating a harmony. When the sounds seemed right next to his left ear, Olive glanced sideways.

Olive had stopped at Lady Evangeline's room on the left.

Olive tried not to guess what these sounds were and moved his feet again. One step forward and splash—he heard sloshing beneath his feet.

When he shone the lantern light down, he saw liquid seeping from under the door had pooled into a puddle. Olive attributed its particularly dark red color to the lantern light and hurried his steps again.

He'd turned off all the lights on the fourth floor, so his work was finished. Olive descended the stairs with relief. The surroundings were so excessively dark that one misstep could cause serious injury.

Walking while looking only at the floor, Olive's vision caught a pair of shoes. His heart dropped in shock and he swayed, barely catching his balance by grabbing the stair railing.

"Are you alright?"

At the voice that followed, he jerked up the lantern in alarm. In the dim light he saw the estate's uniform. The other person seemed to be a maid working the night shift like Olive. Olive breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry. You startled me."

"That's what happens when you walk looking only at the floor. Night is dangerous, so be careful."

The maid covered her mouth with both hands and smiled shyly. Her laughter melted Olive's tension. He'd been too tense, not expecting to meet anyone. When he calmed down and looked around, he was at the landing right before the first floor. He really had been spacing out.

The maid seemed to have business upstairs and brushed past Olive to climb the stairs. She's not going to the fourth floor, is she? Olive considered going with her, then swallowed his words remembering the moaning that still seemed to echo in his ears. No way. She's probably just going to the second floor.

When Olive entered the office on the first floor, Lantana, who'd been holding down the fort, stormed over angrily and snatched away the lantern. Then she set the lantern down and glared at Olive with fierce eyes.

"Why are you so late? I'm exhausted waiting since yours is the last one. I wanted to leave work early!"

No way. There should still be someone who hasn't returned their lantern. Olive recalled the name tag on the uniform's chest. Though messily embroidered, it definitely said Kanna.

"But Kanna hasn't come back yet?"

"What nonsense are you spouting? You're the last one, and there's no one with that name on tonight's shift."

There isn't? Olive clearly remembered the maid covering her mouth with both hands as she smiled.

Both hands? Come to think of it, when he'd passed that maid, he didn't think he'd seen her carrying a lantern either...

"Did you dream it? Don't say scary things like that."

A dream? Olive wondered if he'd really been standing there dreaming and checked the soles of his shoes. The shoe bottoms still bore traces of stepping in something.

It would've been nice if it really had been a dream. Lantana led the dazed-looking Olive out of the office. Waiting for Olive had delayed her departure by a full thirty minutes from usual.

"Why does the butler bother us with things like this?"

Lantana grumbled, cursing the butler. Though he felt sorry for Lantana who'd waited all this time because of the lantern, Olive realized the instruction to carry lanterns was the butler's consideration.

Things that weren't people wandering the Rohanson estate at night don't carry lanterns.