"Wolf… Midres?"
The beastwoman of the Fang Dog Tribe stared at Wolf from across the counter. Though the deep frown lines and sagging cheeks gave her a fierce look, her perked-up ears and round eyes were strangely cute. Despite her rough features making her look surely male, her voice, when it came, suggested she was female.
"I used to be an adventurer," Wolf said. "I'd like to re-register and get back to work."
"So you want me to let you start from D-Class, is that it?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.
There was a world of difference between the pay for F-Class—the rank given to beginners—and D-Class, which was thought mid-level. Wolf had tried the F-Class route before; it was barely enough to get by unless you took side jobs. Getting picked up by a group was a lucky break, but groups rarely hired beginners unless they were family.
"I have a letter of introduction from the Kara Guild," Wolf said. "Like it says there, I'm more than good enough for D-Class work."
Wolf had traveled to the guild in the port city of Balnenko, a two-day carriage ride from Nikaras. He'd decided to make a fresh start, but the guild closest to Nikaras had told him re-registration would be tricky. Left with no choice, he'd come all the way to the nearest big branch in Balnenko—only to get the cold shoulder right out of the gate.
The receptionist squinted at the letter. Then, dismissively, she threw it onto the counter—the letter the Kara Guild had put their heart into writing.
"You know, we get people like you," she drawled, her voice dripping with rudeness. "People who get let go from their jobs 'cause of their age and think they can just walk in and become adventurers. And they always want to start at D-Class because F-Class won't pay the bills."
"Ah. No, I'm not—" Wolf started.
"And then there's the name. Wolf Midres. Talk about showy. There's no way some middle-aged guy like you is the Wolf—the Dragon Slayer, the One Hundred Man Slayer."
"But the letter clearly states my—"
"This?" She cut him off, grabbing the letter again. "This could be faked! Anyone could make one. And even if it's real, this is the main guild branch. I don't care what some country girl from a small branch says—the main branch has its own rules!"
She slammed her stamp down onto the papers. The guild certificate came back stamped with a single letter: "F." She pushed it and the letter back across the counter and waved him off. "Next!"
Wolf stared at the certificate and scratched his head. Oh well. No helping it. He let it go.
(Wait, who exactly is this 'Dragon Slayer' and 'One Hundred Man Slayer' Wolf anyway?)
It seemed there was some famous adventurer out there with the same name. And this honest-to-goodness newcomer truly believed that—completely.
Accepting his fate, Wolf started looking at F-Class quests. Above the rows of posted requests was a motto:
"Guardians of the World's Peace—The Guild."
Long ago, the Guild had been a trading company that offered all-in-one delivery services. Their saying: "We'll do anything, from cat-sitting to pest killing." It was two hundred years ago that they'd changed into a job placement agency and spread across the world—thanks to a sudden outbreak of magic beasts and the achievements of the famous hero Rail, whom the Guild had sent. Since then, its power had grown, and now it was on track to rival nations themselves.
Maybe that's why… every guild had at least one rude receptionist like that.
Wolf picked up a single request form.
"Cat-sitting wanted…"
Talk about taking the old saying exactly as written. F-Class quests were mostly simple tasks that even beginners—barely out of childhood—could handle. Errands, deliveries, that sort of thing. The pay was usually next to nothing. But this one stood out—good money for a simple job. If he planned carefully, he might even be able to live off it. Still, there had to be some catch, some special skill needed.
Wolf made up his mind and carried the request back to the counter.
After finishing the paperwork, Wolf stepped out of the guild. A gust of wind carried the sharp salt of the sea to his nose. From the hill, he looked down at the coast; white-capped waves shone in the sun.
He'd never been to Balnenko before, but it was a busy port town. Brick buildings rose along the main road. Tall-masted ships bobbed in the harbor, and the stone road wound its way from the docks up to a park on the hill. It was a quiet, nice place, and the people passing by were well-dressed. This was clearly a rich town.
Coming here had been one thing, but he was flat out of travel money. That was exactly why he'd taken the quest on the spot.
He followed the address written on the request form. Soon, he arrived in a living area just off the main road. The client's home stood at the corner—small compared to its neighbors, but with a well-kept yard and a certain old-style charm.
Out front, an older woman and some official-looking men were having a fight. She was yelling at them, voice rising, and finally got a bucket of water and threw it over them. The men ran off in a panic.
"Stubborn old hag!" one of them spat as they hurried past Wolf, retreating in defeat.
Wolf let his hand fall from his sword handle. It seemed this wasn't his fight after all. The client was clearly a tough old bird. He let out a quiet breath and called out to her as she turned.
"Excuse me? Miranda Vist?"
"That's me," she snapped, her sharp eyes shining. "And who the hell are you?"
Wolf flinched for a moment, but something about her face struck him as familiar. He took a closer look. Gray-streaked black hair, sun-darkened skin from the southern areas, deep lines on her brow. She looked to be past seventy. She used a cane, but her skin was remarkably healthy.
"I'm Wolf," he said. "I'm here on the guild request."
"You?" She gave him a long, doubtful look. "Some old-timer like you?"
"Yeah… I guess you could say that," Wolf admitted with a shy shrug.
"…Fine. Get in."
She led him inside with her cane tap-tap-tapping on the floor, and before he could catch his breath, she took him down to the basement. He'd hoped to ask about the generous pay, but this wasn't the time. There was a definite "something's off" feeling in the air—but Miranda herself didn't strike him as a bad person.
"This is Miche," she said, opening a door. "He's the cat you'll be taking care of."
The smell of beast hit him. Inside, a single white cat lay spread across the floor. It had a long coat and short legs that were almost charming—probably a Persian, that expensive breed. But its body was bigger than a normal cat. And its tail was split into nine branches.
"A phantom beast…?" Wolf whispered.
"Hmph. You know your stuff," Miranda said.
Phantom beasts were a wide group of rare creatures native to Straval. Unlike normal animals, they were filled with mana, and the strongest of them could even hold talks with humans. This cat-like phantom beast was called a Lynx—or, in the eastern areas, a Nekomata.1
The moment Wolf stepped into the room, the air shook. He felt a pressure similar to when he'd faced Motherburn—no, even greater. Miche was clearly on guard.
Miranda, either used to this or not caring, explained matter-of-factly.
"It was my husband's cat."
Her husband had been one of the rare phantom beast tamers, she said. He'd passed a year ago, leaving behind only Miranda and Miche.
"Bit of a bad-tempered one, just like my husband was. Fierce, won't like anyone. Even I get scratched when I try to take care of him. And yet, he never misses a meal—talk about a spoiled brat of a cat."2
"So… what exactly does taking care of him mean?" Wolf asked.
"Feeding, water, cleaning. Play with him if you can manage. As for me…" She tapped her own leg with her cane, then showed him her hands. The backs were crossed with fresh claw marks. "Miche's work, if you couldn't guess."
"First step's to get him to like you," Miranda said. "I'm heading out for a while. If you can't handle it, feel free to leave. I won't blame you. A few adventurers came before you—none of 'em lasted a single day."
She turned and left the room. Her back, for just a moment, looked a little lonely.
Now only Wolf and Miche remained. Wolf fixed his look on the cat; Miche let out a low, warning "Fuuu."
"Well," Wolf said, bending down to its level, "reckon we'd best start by talkin' things out."
* * *
In the dining hall of the royal palace, a red-haired girl was eating her meal. The soup was seafood-based, served with potato noodles. She deftly picked them up with her chopsticks and ate them with gusto. The chewy texture and salty taste filled her mouth. She looked completely content as she wolfed down her food.
Beside her, Hashiry ate a plate of cooked vegetables, stealing looks at the girl's happy eating. The colorful greens were covered in a light shine, glistening like a dawn-lit lake.
"More Lunon noodles today, Reminia?" Hashiry said. "You really do love 'em."
"Pwah!"3
Reminia drank the bowl, set it down, and wiped her mouth with a satisfied sigh. She stared at the empty dish for a moment—maybe still hungry—but when she spoke, it was pure Reminia.
"I wonder if Papa's eating properly."
"Worried about your father again?" Hashiry replied, sighing. "He said he was doing fine in his last letter, didn't he?"
"Papa just grills everything. Doesn't use a single spice. And I'm pretty sure that's not good for him."
(I wouldn't know, but honestly, cooking things plain sounds healthier than adding a bunch of stuff,) Hashiry thought, though she kept that to herself. Still, Reminia's overprotection was tiring.
"You don't even know if he uses spices or not," Hashiry pointed out. "And you've got no way to check. It's not useful to worry."
"I've got it covered," Reminia said with a sly smile. "I put my magic on the spices I sent him. If he uses them, he'll slowly start to understand animals. And when I get back, I'll test him to see if it worked."
"What kind of magic is that?!" Hashiry blurted, completely shocked.
He'd never heard of such a thing. Animal talking was a known skill, but if magic could just do that, beast tamers and phantom beast tamers would be out of a job.
(Then again… having a daughter like this must be hard on the poor man.)
As someone who was always caught up in Reminia's plans, Hashiry found himself feeling sorry for Wolf, far away and dealing with his own troubles—the only other person who truly understood his situation.
* * *
Miranda returned to the manor, holding a single portion of ingredients she'd bought at the market. The sun was starting to go down. About time the adventurer chickened out, she thought. With a heavy sigh, she headed down to the basement where Miche stayed.
"Nyaaaaaawn!"
Before she could even open the door, Miche's cry reached her—a long, drawn-out sound she'd never heard from him before. She quickly pulled the door open.
"What—?!"
Her rusty old heart nearly jumped out of her chest.
Wolf was still there. In his hand, he held a brush, and Miche was leaning into it, face half-closed with pure joy, clearly enjoying every stroke.
And that wasn't all. The room was spotless. The hairballs that had gathered in the corners were gone. The floorboards, stained from old accidents, had been cleaned—or maybe sanded—so that the natural wood lines were visible again.
But more than that: no one besides her husband had ever been able to touch Miche.
"Just what in the world did you do?" Miranda demanded.
"Ah, well… I just talked with him properly, and he understood."
"Talked? You can talk to Miche?"
"Huh? You can't, Miranda?" Wolf asked, truly puzzled.
Miranda shook her head slowly, and for a moment, Wolf looked off into the distance, whispering to himself.
"So this is Reminia's doing… Must be."
"Huh? What was that?"
"Just thinking out loud," Wolf said, waving his hand hurriedly.
Miranda clicked her tongue and scratched at her hair in frustration. Eventually, she calmed down and turned to leave.
"Where are you from, anyway?" she asked.
"Nikaras. But oh—right! I still need to find an inn!" Wolf suddenly remembered, standing up and holding his head in dismay. He'd completely forgotten. Just as he was giving up and accepting he'd sleep outside, Miranda spoke up.
"There's an empty room in my attic. You can stay the night. But in exchange, keep that one company till supper. I'll throw in a meal too."
"Really? You don't mind?"
"It's my cooking. You got a problem with that?"
"No, that's not it. I mean—are you sure I can stay?"
"What, too good to sleep under a old woman's roof?"
Wolf shook his head strongly. Though early summer was near, the nights were still cold. Sleeping outdoors would likely leave him sick.
Miranda headed out, and for just a moment, Wolf thought he saw a hint of a smile on her usually stern face.
Summary:
Wolf's guild re-registration is blocked by a rude receptionist who dismisses him as an old-timer. He takes a well-paying cat-sitting quest, only to find the cat is a nine-tailed phantom beast. Despite first fear, Wolf successfully talks to the beast, earning Miranda's surprised respect and a place to stay for the night.
Trivia:
The guild receptionist's rudeness comes from Wolf's age and the famous name he shares with a famous dragon slayer.
Wolf's ability to talk to animals is linked to his daughter Reminia's magic, which he is currently unaware of.
Miche the phantom beast was originally owned by Miranda's late husband, a rare beast tamer.
The Guild changed from a trading company to a job placement agency 200 years ago following a magic beast outbreak.
The famous hero Rail's achievements helped set the Guild's power across the world.
Reminia has put magic on the spices she sent to Wolf, which will let him understand animals.
Hashiry, Reminia's friend, often finds herself tired by Reminia's overprotection toward her father.
The receptionist's punishment is hinted for the end of the chapter, making a hook for regular readers.
Translation Notes:
1 ↩ Japanese folkloric cat yokai (also known as a "split-tailed cat") that gains special powers with age. In this fantasy setting, it is classed as a type of phantom beast. The term is kept to keep its cultural and mystical feel.
2 ↩ Original Japanese: "飛んだ甘ったれ猫" — a saying meaning a very spoiled or entitled cat. The translation uses natural English idiom instead of a word-for-word phrase that would not make sense.
3 ↩ Original Japanese: "ぷはっ!" — sound for a happy breath or gasp after drinking. Shown as "Pwah!" to match the natural sound used in English graphic novels, keeping the casual, happy tone.
Notes:
• Wolf - A 42-year-old former A-rank adventurer now operating at SSS-rank levels, he retired to Nicalas Village to raise his daughter, Reminia, as a humble farmer and craftsman. Though soot-stained and calm, this protective, curly-haired father possesses immense, beyond-human strength. A pragmatic, understated mentor, he leads by example, balancing quiet devotion with the quiet authority of a seasoned guardian.
• Miranda - Older widow and Mike's owner. Former beast tamer's wife. First strict but shows deep love for Mike. Sees Mike as family and the only remaining link to her dead husband. Older wife of the famous thunder beast tamer Rocalo Visto. Lives alone in a big house. Uses a cane. Stern face that softens around Mike. Grandchildren have built a big house and are coming to take her in tomorrow. Owner of the manor where Mike lives. Mike's master's daughter. Appears only through others' words and memory.
• Vist - Miranda's family name.
• Miche - A magical cat-beast called the Thunder King. Friend to Wolf. Playful, takes fun revenge on the receptionist. Famous phantom beast known as the [Thunder King] (Regulus). Different colored eyes. Former familiar to Rocalo Visto. Feels guilt over Rocalo's death. Can speak human language and is understood by Wolf. Fluffy fur. Howls like a dog when emotional. Phantom beast in the form of a Persian cat. True form is a huge white beast called Eregil, the Thunder King. Served her late master for over fifty years before being taken in by Miranda. Struggles with sadness and guilt over her master's death. Uses rough, casual speech with cat-like sounds. Phantom beast looking like a white cat with nine tails. A lynx or nekomata type creature. Has long fur, short legs, and a scary presence. Was owned by Miranda's late husband and is very bad-tempered. Phantom beast lynx with different colored eyes (purple and green). Long-lived but emotionally young. Speaks with a rough, country dialect. Conflict with Miranda comes from guilt over her husband's death. Tsundere nature.
• Hashiry - A 24-year-old A-class mage and researcher at the Royal Magical Research Institute, she is Reminia’s tall, slender, white-haired advisor and secretary. Sporting a white and gold jacket, boyish features, and pale blue eyes, she balances professional, patient service with a playful, teasing dynamic. Often exasperated by Reminia’s overprotectiveness, she observes her superior's magical feats with disbelief.
• Reminia - Fifteen-year-old Great Hero of Straval and researcher of the Double World Theory, this willful, intelligent girl sports striking red hair, amethyst eyes, and a slender build. A dedicated protector of her father, Wolf, she balances a tomboyish exterior with immense, limited-use magic—including holy relics and teleportation. Her speech shifts between analytical precision and deep devotion to him.