After saving me from the hero and, most importantly, showing him who's the boss, Myra had brought me into a room built using reddish sandstone. It had looked like some kind of bathroom at first, especially since there were several buckets made of dark wood and two tubs of the same material, but on examining it further, I realized it couldn't be used for anything but washing clothes.

The tub that had looked big before, was only wide but shallow. After Myra had filled it with hot water and a flowery mixture of scents, I could still stand in it despite the water nearly spilling over. Sure, my back was covered, but there was no way I would accidentally get water in my eyes or nose.

 

«This is perfect!»

 

It would probably more precise to call it 'purrfect' instead, as I openly showed my satisfaction to the three girls that were watching my every move. Out of them, I only knew Myra, but there hadn't been a single girl in that so-called 'harem' of that guy that had mistreated me in any way. There was no reason for me to be on edge, especially as Myra was ready to save the day again!

I already knew the name of the red-haired girl, Cathrina, as she had decided on one of the worst nicknames anyone could come up with: 'Konkon'. Even now she was awkward, not in the sense that she was trying to touch me in inappropriate spots, she just stared at me with her silvern eyes.

He blonde friend was quite the contrary, as she had helped Myra washing my fur, which I obviously was more than just thankful for.

The smell that had lingered on me before was long forgotten, it had been replaced by the faint, sweet scent of flowers you would find hidden deep in the forests. These girls would never force me to smell like an animal.

 

«If only they weren't following around that guy ...»

 

As if they had read my thoughts, the girls suddenly started talking about the hero. It was the rather shy or distant Cathrina, that started the discussion.

 

"You said Masaru has hurt her?"

"He has chased Ahri through his room! He didn't even realize he had hurt her!"

"Just because she isn't housetrained yet?"

 

«Housetrained ...»

 

"He didn't take her out for a walk! She is still too young to hold it in the whole night!"

 

«I am older than all of you, you know?!»

 

"He probably overslept again," Cathrina suggested, "you know how hard it is to wake him up sometimes."

"It was him who wanted her to sleep in his room, even though I wanted to take care of her!"

A long sigh could be heard coming from Cathrina. "So that is what you are angry about ..."

"Of course I am! She needs a mother! Not a guy who doesn't care about him."

"But don't you love him?" The blonde girl asked. "Hearing you talk like that ..."

Myra's answer came stammering: "Of- of course I love him! It is just that he ..."

"He is lazy," Cathrina completed Myra's answer, "we all know that. But isn't that just part of what makes him unique?"

The blondes answer came after an almost inaudible sigh: "I don't like that part of him. I prefer the Masaru that is slightly stupid and happy-go-lucky."

"You got some weird taste, Saenna."

I couldn't help but butt in: 「'Slightly' stupid?! Don't you mean mentally challenged?! Who would love a fool like him?!」

 

The three girls stared at me in disbelief. They were silent for a long moment, probably thinking about what the series of squeals and yelps could possibly mean, then, however, they had a rough idea.

 

"Oww~ You don't want to bath anymore, Ahri?" A sugar-sweet voice came from Myra.

「I never said that! The bath is great!」

"Don't worry, I will make you dry again!"

「No! I don't want to!」

 

Myra treated my protesting yelps as signs of acceptance. She lifted me out of the washing tub, placed me onto a towel and started rubbing me dry.

 

«She totally treats me like a child ...»

 

She really did. After spending an almost ridiculous amount of effort on drying my fur, she hurriedly tidied up the room and the tub, before lifting me up again and following the other girls out of the laundry room.

The slightly shaky journey led me up the stairs and towards the second floor, where the rooms of the girls were. They had rented two not too large rooms with three beds each, probably trying to save some money this way.

The room I was brought to had Myra, Cathrina and the blonde Saenna sleep in it, meaning that the fire magician Faisa, the beastkin Azu and the brunette girl that had tried to name me 'Rose' were sharing the room at the end of the floor.

 

"You can sleep in my bed for now," Myra explained, "tomorrow we will be travel back to Zandria. You get an own bed there. I promise!"

「You really think I was a pet, do you?!」

 

Myra placed me down on one of the three narrow, rather uncomfortable looking beds, before switching her attention on a table that stood in front of the sole window this room had. A thin belt of some kind was lying on it, together with a necklace of the same material. It was as if they had been waiting for her to grab them.

It was only when Myra came back and kneeled down in front of me, that I realized those tools were not for her to wear.

 

«Wait a second ... IS THAT A DOG LEAD?! SHE WANT'S TO WALK ME LIKE A DOG?!»

 

"Come Ahri~" Her angelic voice echoed in my ears. "Let's go for a walk, shall we? You can take a nice nap afterward!"

「I AM NOT A DOG!」

"Such a happy little fox you are~"

「ARGH!」