It was the fourth day of the Six Kings Festival. The time was currently 5:00 AM... which meant I still had about four hours before my scheduled meeting with Fia-sensei and Noin-san.
Having risen early, I used teleportation magic to return to Lilia-san’s mansion. I had a very specific reason for the trip.
"Alright, Bell, stay still... Rin, thanks for the help."
"Gau!"
"Kyu!"
My goal was to bring my pets, Bell and Rin, along to the festival. As it happened, pets were permitted to join their owners for the fourth day of the event. Since Magnawell-san was the host, the theme of the day was apparently centered around interacting with monsters.
I had come back to collect the two of them, but since I was already here, I decided to arrive early enough to give Bell a proper brushing.
During my time at the festival, I had left Bell and Rin in the care of the friendly servants at the mansion. I was certain they had been brushing her daily, but I still preferred to do it myself.
The key to a perfect brushing lay in using several different types of brushes and starting with a thorough wash. First, I used a coarse brush to clear out any debris trapped in her fur, and then I moved on to washing her entire body. I used a special blend of several different monster shampoos, scrubbing every inch meticulously to ensure her coat would be silky and smooth once it dried.
Next, I used a magic tool to generate a drying wind before neatening her coat with a fine-toothed brush. The trick here was to brush while the fur was still slightly damp rather than waiting until it was bone-dry; otherwise, she’d end up with stubborn cowlicks.
"Kuu..."
Bell seemed to adore these grooming sessions. She looked blissfully comfortable, letting out the occasional spoiled whimper that was just too cute for words.
Perhaps because she was a Behemoth—a high-ranking species even among monsters—Bell was quite prideful. Thanks to my firm instructions, she was friendly enough toward the other residents of the mansion, but the only ones she truly acted pampered around were me and Sieg-san.
"...Alright, all done! Now, just stay still while I dry you off completely."
"Gau!"
As I finished those thoughts, the grooming came to an end. I dried her off until her coat was perfect. Bell’s silky fur was a secret point of pride for me.
I wondered if they sold hair masks for monsters? If they did, I definitely wanted some... I really wanted to give her coat a slightly more moisturized finish. I also found myself wanting an even finer brush. With one more level of precision, I could probably achieve an even more stunning result after three rounds of brushing.
I felt like there was still plenty of room for improvement.
"Okay, let’s head to the festival grounds."
"Kyu!"
"Hmm? Wait, Rin? What is it?"
"Kyui! Kyukui!"
Just as I finished the grooming and prepared to leave for the venue, Rin suddenly dove into my clothes. She wriggled around inside my shirt for a moment before poking her face out from my collar with a look of pure satisfaction.
She was being even more affectionate than usual... Maybe she had felt lonely while I was focusing all my attention on Bell.
I didn't have the heart to pull her out after she had gone to the trouble of nesting in my clothes, so I simply gave her a wry smile, patted her head, and activated the teleportation tool.
When I arrived at the venue, I saw people with monsters all over the place; pet participation was clearly a popular choice today. It was currently 7:00 AM, leaving me with about two hours before my appointment.
Bell and Rin were looking around with wide-eyed curiosity, and I was just thinking it might be nice to take a little stroll when a familiar voice called out.
"Oh? If it isn't Miyama-sama. Good morning."
"Chris-san? Good morning."
I turned toward the voice to find Chris-san dressed in a formal suit. As always, she cut a striking figure in her men's clothing; at a glance, she looked like nothing more than an elegant, slender young man.
Standing behind her was a black horse of staggering size—it looked to be about twice the size of a normal horse.
"...That horse? Is she your pet, Chris-san?"
"Yes. Riding is a hobby of mine. This is my beloved Nirva... she’s a monster of the Graceful Horse species."
After a brief introduction of her horse, Chris-san turned her gaze toward Bell and offered a smile.
"Miyama-sama, you have a White Dragon and a Behemoth... both are high-ranking monsters. Truly impressive. I’ve seen your Behemoth before, but... her coat is even more magnificent than the last time I saw her. Simply beautiful."
"Isn't she!?"
"Eh? Wha—!? M-Miyama-sama!?"
As expected of an Emperor, Chris-san certainly had a keen eye for quality.
"Look at this! See how silky it is? I’m incredibly particular about how I brush her!"
"Y-Yes, I see... U-Um, you’re very... close... That was quite the surprise attack..."
"Look, especially around here—the hair tends to get a bit of a wave to it, so it won't settle properly unless you use a very specific brush!"
"Hyah!? W-Why are you grabbing my shoulder!? W-Wait... Um, I’ll admit I approached you with a bit of an ulterior motive, but... this is entirely unexpected..."
"And look at her horns. Aren't they clean? Since Bell’s horns are black, dirt shows up easily. That’s why I make sure to wipe them down twice..."
"...Um, are you even listening? I’m actually quite weak to these kinds of sudden approaches... I’m terribly embarrassed..."
"...And I’m especially picky about the shampoo..."
"...You’re not listening at all, are you? Right, I understand... Never ask Miyama-sama about his pets. I’ve learned my lesson. Seriously, though—your face is way too close!?"
I was so overjoyed to have Bell—my pride and joy—praised that I ended up lecturing Chris-san passionately about Bell and Rin for over an hour.
Dear Mother, Father—Being praised for your beloved pets is a wonderful feeling, and I found myself getting a bit carried away. I never had a pet back in my original world, but if they’re all this adorable... I wish I had kept one sooner.