Chapter 259 The Hound-Kin Pack ②
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The “Zil Meina” subjugation force had found an unexpected savior: the “pack” belonging to the family of the adventurer dog-beastman, Laika. Satsuki, the court mage, sat amidst the rowdy warmth of their banquet, listening as the pack leader, Slop, and his wife, Rikka, shared stories of their daughter.
”I see…” Slop murmured, a trace of a father’s wistfulness in his voice. “Well, as long as she’s doing well, that’s all a father can ask for.”
”We’d heard she found herself a mate, but we haven’t heard a peep about any grand-pups, so I was starting to get worried!” Rikka added with a boisterous grin.
”O-oh, no!” Satsuki-san stammered, waving her hands. “That was just something Laika-san mentioned. I haven’t actually… well, confirmed it with magic or anything!”
Everything was going well until the question caught Satsuki off guard just as they were probing into her relationship with Kento, the master of the Magic Tool Shop Harvest ¹. Slop looked a bit lonely at the thought of his daughter growing up, while Rikka seemed absolutely delighted to jump to conclusions, leaving Satsuki-san flushing in a panic.
She thought of the two of them back home. Their relationship was… well, “harmonious” was one word for it. Laika would dote on Kento and cling to him so shamelessly it made Satsuki’s face heat up just remembering it, and Kento, in turn, pampered her as naturally as breathing. It had been about a month since Satsuki-san first noticed their relationship-something akin to a pet dog and its owner-shifting into something deeper.
She knew they had started trying for a child. She even knew Laika was certain she’d conceived. But under the relentless, well-meaning interrogation of Slop and Rikka, she had accidentally let that detail slip.
”If that girl says she’s pregnant, then she’s pregnant!” Rikka barked a laugh, slapping Slop on the back. “Look at you! You’re a grandpa now! A grandpa! Ahahaha!”
”If I’m a grandpa, that makes you a grandma, too…” Slop grumbled.
”What was that!?” Rikka shouted.
”Ow! Ow-ow-ow! Stop it!” Slop yelped.
”Oh, honestly, Rikka-san,” one of the other women chimed in, “don’t bully Slo-kun too much.”
”Giggles… Ri-chan is just lonely,” another wife added.
”She was the exact same way when Laika-chan left the pack, wasn’t she?”
”Ah, I get it,” a third wife teased.
”You’re feeling lonely, so you want Slo to pay attention to you. Rikka is so cute!”
”I- I am not! It’s not like that at all!” Rikka protested.
The entire group erupted into a chorus of laughter.
Satsuki-san was initially taken aback to learn that Slop had three other wives besides Rikka. Yet, they all sat together, eager for news of Laika, united in their playful teasing of Rikka.
At first, Satsuki-san hadn’t seen much of Laika in her parents. Rikka’s coat was certainly a match-she looked exactly like a version of Laika from twenty years in the future-but Laika lacked Rikka’s wild edge, just as she lacked Slop’s commanding, lead-from-the-front aura.
But sitting here, she saw it. In the turn of a phrase and in every little gesture, she saw flashes of Laika, and it warmed her heart. She even sensed a strange commonality between the other wives and the girls back home-and oddly enough, something in Slop reminded her of Kento.
More than anything, the dynamic between these four wives and their husband mirrored the atmosphere surrounding Kento and his women-Satsuki-san included. Slop might have seemed henpecked, but the absolute love and trust his wives placed in him were unmistakable.
It was that same “he’ll handle it somehow” faith they all had in Kento. The women maintained an exquisite, delicate balance; every one of them was devoted to keeping this family whole.
Satsuki-san glanced at the woman who had called Rikka “Ri-chan.” She seemed to be the “balancer” of the group, possessing an aura not unlike Kento’s devoted slave, Lily.
If this is where she grew up, it’s no wonder Laika loves Kento the way she does, Satsuki-san thought. In fact, maybe the reason Kento’s household hasn’t collapsed is due to Laika’s quiet contributions, not just Lily’s.
She sipped the alcohol she’d been offered, lost in thought. Though she’d already eaten, she couldn’t resist a few bites of the expertly prepared bear meat they insisted she try. Maybe I should have eaten over here, she mused, enjoying the festive air. But then…
”N-no way… Seriously!?” a voice wailed. “Big sis Laika… is having a baby!?”
”Lucky! Hey, let’s go visit her! I want to see Big sis Laika’s kid!” another cried.
”Big sis! Big sis!” the younger ones shouted.
Several younger dog-beastmen had been listening in. Given how they called her “Big sis,” they were likely Laika’s younger siblings or cousins. One young male, however, looked like his entire world had crumbled. Upon hearing Laika was pregnant, he began to tremble violently.
”No… It can’t be… NOOOOOOO!” the young man screamed.
He bolted, disappearing into the darkness of the woods. The sun had set long ago, and Satsuki-san watched the tree line with concern.
”Kukuku… that kid is going to have a rough time come next mating season,” Slop chuckled darkly.
”It’s fine,” one of the younger females said softly. “I’ll take care of him.”
”Oh? Is that so? He’s a lucky guy, then,” Slop replied.
”Um…” Satsuki-san started, looking confused.
Slop saw the look on her face-he was wearing a wicked grin that felt uncannily like Kento’s. “He’s not mine,” Slop explained, sensing her question about the “Big sis” label. “He’s about her age, and he’s been head-over-heels for Laika since they were pups. He threw a fit when she left the pack, too.”
”Young males always pine for females slightly older than them,” Rikka added with a giggle.
”Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. Right, dear? You can call me ‘Rikka-neechan’ later if you want to feel like a kid again.”
”Give it a rest, woman…” Slop muttered.
Satsuki-san turned beet-red as the couple snuggled close, rubbing their noses together in a blatant display of affection. The other beastmen didn’t bat an eye.
Laika is the same way with Kento, Satsuki-san realized. Completely open with her affection, never embarrassed. It all started to make sense.
As the night went on, the smallest pups crawled over to her, wagging their tails and begging for attention. Satsuki-san petted their heads and doted on them. They were just like Laika. Even now, Laika would occasionally nudge Satsuki-san’s hand, silently demanding “headpats.”
That habit had become more pronounced after they’d survived the war together. It seemed her need for physical comfort had been forged right here, in the heart of this pack.
Satsuki-san found herself smiling, thinking about how cute Laika and Kento’s child would be, when a sudden realization struck her. It was the question she probably should have asked first.
”Come to think of it… Slop-san, what are you all doing way out here? Laika-san told me the pack was looking for a new place to live.”
”That’s right,” Slop said, his tone shifting. “We’re still in the middle of that search.”
”You are? But…” Satsuki-san trailed off.
They hadn’t actually moved very far at all. Laika had described their original home as being “a bit west of the Royal Capital,” and they were currently… well, exactly there. If they were fleeing a Stampede ² of monsters, shouldn’t they have headed much further north, south, or east?
”I thought the same thing,” Slop said, circling a finger in the air. “My nose told me something terrifying was coming in from the west. I knew staying put was suicide. So, we went north. Then we tried south. We even looped around toward the east, making a giant arc.”
Satsuki-san went quiet. Moving a pack this size through monster-infested lands was no small feat.
”And yet… you came back?” she asked.
”Yeah. I started thinking my own nose had finally broken. No matter which way we turned, that foul stench wouldn’t leave us. Finally, I figured ‘to hell with it’ and headed back to our old dens. Ironically, the smell was actually better there,” Slop explained.
”How is that possible?” Satsuki-san asked.
”It seems the further west you go, the more the ‘bad air’ thins out. But eventually, the scent turned sharp again. It led us right here, today,” Slop said.
Slop drained his cup, his eyes locking onto Satsuki-san’s. His absolute confidence in his instincts was chilling. To Satsuki-san, it seemed like a risky way to lead a people, but every beastman at the fire was nodding in solemn agreement.
”And that scent…” Slop leaned in, his voice dropping to a serious growl. “It’s coming off you, Satsuki-san. It’s thicker and stronger on you than anyone else. So, I’m putting our lives in your hands. Save our pack.”
”Wait… WHAT!?” Satsuki-san cried.
—
Summary:
Satsuki bonds with Laika’s parents and pack during a banquet, accidentally revealing Laika’s pregnancy. The atmosphere turns serious as Slop explains their confusing migration pattern. He reveals his instinctive sense of smell has identified Satsuki as the key to their salvation.
—
Character Insight:
Satsuki observes the parallels between the beastman pack’s family structure and Kento’s household, realizing Laika’s upbringing shaped her role as a ‘balancer.’ Slop demonstrates a leader’s heavy burden and absolute trust in his animal instincts.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The chapter highlights the biological and social differences of the ‘Dog-Beastman’ race, emphasizing instinct over the rigid logic of human mages.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Satsuki – A talented Court Mage who was forced to analyze the shop’s adult magic tools. Miranda’s granddaughter. Now she’s the new worker at Harvest, a development she finds both humiliating and surprisingly fulfilling due to the rapid progress in her research under Kento’s guidance. Has long black hair, palace mage robe, and staff.
• Laika – The beastwoman dog.
• Rikka – Member of the hound-kin pack; Laika’s mother. Has orange hair and fluffy tail. Energetic and teasing.
• Slop – Leader of the hound-kin pack; Laika’s father. Has orange hair and fluffy tail.
• Kento – The owner of the magic tool shop ‘Harvest,’ which discretely sells adult goods. He’s a former overworked, ordinary salaryman from modern Japan who was suddenly transported (isekai’d) to this fantasy world. He has dark hair and an unremarkable appearance, typically wearing a plain, slightly suspicious-looking shop owner’s clothes looks like Kazuma Satou from certain series. He has a minimal amount of magic power, enough to craft his specialty items.
• Lily – the sl*ve and primary experiment subject for the magic shop, ‘Harvest.’ She has striking pink hair, Blue eyes, medium breasts, which the Protagonist associates with being ‘wanton’. She has a working knowledge of magic, which she kept hidden from the slave trader.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply