The Moon Wolf Watches Him and Smiles: Manga Adaptation Commemorative Short Story

"Oh. It’s morning..."

I woke up in Master’s Soul World. After untangling my long, messy hair, I gave my teeth a thorough, rhythmic scrubbing.

Since he hadn’t summoned me, I was left with nothing but time. It was a familiar, tedious routine. I spent my hours lounging in the nearby meadow, sunbathing under the sun Big Sister had created while flipping through the shoujo manga he’d given me.

"...I’m bored," I muttered after finishing several volumes.

Big Sister had been out since dawn training with the other Summoned Beast children. I had no one to keep me company. It was exhausting, in its own way.

I wonder if he’ll summon me?

The thought slipped out of my mouth after I’d grown tired of rolling aimlessly through the grass. I knew I was summoned more often than the others. I knew it was because he trusted me. But honestly? My true feelings were that if I could see him, I wanted to see him.

"I wonder what Master is doing right now."

"Uh, morning, Luna."

Of course.

The voice I loved most reached my ears at the exact moment I didn't want to hear it. A wave of bashfulness, shame, and sheer confusion hit me all at once.

"—Eh? Mas...ter? Why are you here?"

I forced myself to move, though my limbs felt stiff and my face was burning. He looked incredibly awkward, scratching his cheek—a nervous habit of his.

"Well, I brought more manga. My timing was bad, wasn't it?"

It was impeccable, in the worst way possible.

I’d let my guard down, softened by the warmth of the sun, but I never intended to let him see me this vulnerable. I was Luna Managarm. I was Master’s First Fang. I was supposed to be dignified and sharp at all times. I didn’t want him to see me looking so... spineless. The embarrassment was suffocating.

"Muu. You're an idiot, Master. You're actually the worst."

"No... well, sorry."

I realized too late that my clothes were covered in grass. My hair was likely a mess from rolling around, too. I directed my frustration at him, even though I knew he wasn't really at fault for my own sloppiness.

But then again, showing up to deliver books without even a word of warning? He was definitely at fault for that. I decided to stick with that logic.

"Fine. Since you're here, you have to take responsibility. Stay with me."

"I'm not sure how I'm responsible for that, but I'm free today. Why not?"

"Wait, really?"

The response caught me off guard. He was insensitive, a total fool, and incredibly dense; I’d expected him to find some way to dodge the request. Seeing him accept so easily was rare.

"It’s not like I’m doing it just to be nice. I wanted to hear what you thought about the last one I lent you, and I don't have anything else to do."

His explanation was logical, yet it left me feeling slightly dissatisfied.

Still, it was a rare chance to have him all to myself. I swallowed my complaints and took his hand, pulling him down to sit on the grass. I retracted my claws and kept my touch light, careful not to use too much strength as I closed the distance between us. I knew how easily I could hurt him, and that was the last thing I wanted.

"Then let's just sunbathe. We can take it slow, okay?"

"...Got it. I just woke up, though, so sorry if I pass out."

"Heh. What kind of worry is that?"

We talked for a bit as I lay down beside him under Big Sister’s sun. Eventually, just as I’d expected, the warmth lulled him to sleep. I decided to spend the rest of the morning simply watching his face.

[Afterword: I originally posted this in a different section, but I wasn't satisfied with how it turned out. I’ve revised it and moved it here.]