Season 2 Bonus Anime Episode "Cats and the Taste of Royal Family" (Part 3)

Season 2 Bonus Anime Episode "Cats and the Taste of Royal Family" (Part 3)

–If he listens to the princess's (?) advice, everything will go well.

.....

..... For a moment, the hero had a bad feeling, but he swallowed his words. To be honest, he was desperate for any solution. Besides...

The hero glanced sideways at the girl munching on a roasted sweet potato on the bench next to him.

(First of all, I wonder if she has romantic feelings for me.)

["...Of course she does, right? I mean, Mia was a long-lived species too, but she said she got married."]

(But even if she did, it wouldn't change a thing for my case.)

["Come on, don't be sulky. You're not a child."]

The princess's voice echoed, as if scolding him. He could picture the princess with her hands on her hips and a troubled look on her face.

["Tell her directly: "I don't want to remain just childhood friends with you." Something like that.]

(I must have said that about 10 times in my past life...)

By the way, her response back then was, "Well, we're partners then!" Other times it was "best friend!" or "good buddy!" Basically, it wasn't settled.

The hero had 10 titles in addition to "childhood friend." All of them were proof of his past failures, and they still weighed heavily on his shoulders.

["Well, you can say it one more time. Yes! Confess on the first day of your trip. It'll make the trip even more fun."]

(If it doesn't, won't the rest of the day be hellish?)

["....."]

(Hey, princess? Hello?)

The hero strained his ears.

But for some reason, the voice suddenly disappeared. All he could hear was the sound of the cold winter wind blowing through and the voice of a shopkeeper selling roasted sweet potatoes in the distance.

Just as the hero was about to give up, thinking it was a hallucination after all, the princess's voice rang out again, as if she had regained her composure.

["That's right! The key point is the way you communicate. That's the kind of thing you're not good at."]

(She speaks as if she's seen the scene.)

["I can tell even without seeing."]

(Oh, really?)

The princess's voice was brimming with confidence.

["Use this as a chance to confess. Well, in that sense, what you said earlier was good. Sitting side by side on the bench at the same time shows your intention to keep in step with her."]

(Really?)

["If I had to be greedy, I wish you'd put a handkerchief where she was sitting."]

(I'm sure she would never have sat if I had done that.)

Then, in a tone like a teacher scolding a poor student, the princess continued.

["You could have just started with a normal conversation."]

(What do you mean, normal conversation?)

["Something like, 'Did your hairstyle change?' would be fine. You'll praise her for something different from usual. Well, this time, instead of jumping straight into the main topic, let's start with a fable."]

(Why a fable?)

["I mean a parable. And then it will lead into a confession. The better the fable, the more the opposite sex will think of you. That was common in the royal palace."]

(Is this the Heian period?)

["...Heian?"]

The hero couldn't help but interject, and the reply came back in a puzzled tone. It seemed the princess (?) wasn't very knowledgeable about Japanese history. Thinking that made sense, the hero urged her to continue.

(Sorry, it's nothing. But I'm not good at parables...)

["Leave it to me."]

She spoke confidently. He could practically see the princess puffing out her chest and leaning back.

And it turned out she wasn't lying.

Without a pause, she began to speak, speaking in a tone as if she were weaving a story.

["The suspension bridge that travelers cross sways more on windy days,

but it is said that this swaying protects the bridge.

Those who stop, afraid of the swaying, cannot travel far,

only those who embrace the swaying and walk on will reach the other side.

It's the same with the human heart.

The more you distance yourself, fearing the swaying, the less your feelings will reach the other side.

The only way to cross to the other side is to walk while it's swaying."]

(...Umm. So basically?)

["The more unstable your feelings, the more you should close the distance!"]

(I see.)

["Next!

A great river flows slower the further it gets from its source.

Just because the flow is slower,

doesn't mean that the source's power has weakened.

On the contrary, the water becomes wider and deeper.

Love, too, begins with great force,

but the deeper it gets, the more quietly it flows.

It's precisely because it's quiet that the great river carries it farther than anything else."]

(So what?)

["'Genuine affection' is what it means!"]

(I don't really get it, but it's amazing!)

["Hehe, praise me more!"]

In an instant, there were two.

The hero was impressed by the princess's advice, which flowed out one after another like a fountain. She was so quick to come out. It was as if she'd been carefully storing it away for the future.

Then a question occurred to the hero.

(By the way, has the princess ever actually used this?)

["......................................................................................"]

(Hey?)

["......Shut up..."]

(Huh? You don't?)

["It doesn't really matter. Do you need my advice? Or not?"]

(I'm glad to be in your presence, Princess!)

["Huh? Well, never mind. Finally, say this."]

And so, the fable the Princess shared with the Hero was as follows.

~A Hunter and His Relentless Hound~

A hunter in a certain village was training several dogs.

All of the dogs immediately ran when given a command.

They were obedient and loyal.

However, there was one dog.

They remained motionless even when given a command,

and simply watched the hunter from behind.

The hunter scolded and trained,

but that dog still refused to run.

One day, the hunter slipped and nearly fell off a cliff.

The other dogs ran ahead, unaware of his presence.

The dog that hadn't moved bit the hunter's sleeve,

and desperately pulled him back.

Then the hunter realized something.

The dog wasn't disobeying.

It was watching the hunter rather than his destination.

At that moment,

something inside the hunter changed with a bang.

"Those who look at you are more important than those who walk in front of you."

That's why I don't need someone to run the same path as me.

The one and only being who looks at me.

I need you, and no one else.

~The two end with a happy kiss~

(Are you sane? Is this really going to happen?)

["Is something wrong? It's a nice story, isn't it?"]

(...She's not even looking at me, is she?)

["That's why it's a parable. In theory, it's perfect, so don't worry."]

The princess's reply was overflowing with confidence.

The hero decided to check it out.

(By the way, has this ever actually worked?)

["……………………"]

(That's why I wish you'd stop keeping quiet when it becomes inconvenient! Because I can't tell if you exist or not!)

["I've had success with image training many times."]

(Of course! Is there anyone who fails at image training!?)

["Of course there are. Or maybe it's when you think about how to recover if you fail."]

(Sorry, that was my fault.)

["Anyway, let's go. Miracles never come to those who just wait."]

A miracle...

The hero lifted his fingers from the edge of the bench and stroked the cat on his lap once. The cat purred softly, its warmth comforting his palm.

The hero faced the young wizard with a serious expression. The girl looked back at him with a puzzled expression.

"What's wrong?"

["Now! Look, the parable!"]

(Seriously? Suddenly?)

["Of course? For those who just wait..."]

(Can you stop forcing yourself to say your favorite lines?)

"Well, suspension bridges sway more on windy days.

But it's said that this swaying protects the bridge.

Those who stop, afraid of the swaying, won't be able to go very far,

Only those who embrace the swaying and walk on will reach the other side.

It's the same with the human heart.

The more you distance yourself, afraid of the swaying, the less your feelings will reach the other side.

The only way to cross to the other side is to walk while it's swaying.

So..."

The princess would read the lines aloud, so all he had to do was follow her.

However, halfway through, the girl, with a confused look on her face, waved her hand, and the hero closed his mouth.

"Sorry, why did you suddenly bring that up? There's no suspension bridge here, after all."

"I just suddenly felt like talking."

"I see."

The girl was silent for a while.

Then, her face suddenly lit up, and she nodded repeatedly.

She then pulled a notebook out of the air and began to write something in it hastily.

The hero sneaked a peek and saw that the girl had written, "Destination of the journey! Suspension bridge!"

For some reason, he felt like his message hadn't gotten through to her.

"No, that's not it. I don't really want to go."

"I know. It's dangerous to go on a swaying suspension bridge in winter. Let's wait until spring."

(See! That's no good!!)

["Next! There's still more to come!"]

The hero took a deep breath.

Then, he pulled himself together and continued.

"A great river flows more slowly the farther it gets from its source.

Just because the flow is slow doesn't mean the source's power has weakened.

On the contrary, the water becomes wider and deeper.

Love, too, begins with great force,

but the deeper it gets, the quieter it flows.

It is precisely because it is quiet that a great river can carry us farther than anything else."

"I see."

"Did you understand?"

"You don't need to say it no more."

The hero and the girl nodded deeply to each other. Then, the girl wrote something down in her notebook again. "I want to go to a big river too!"

"No, that's not it. I don't particularly want to see a river."

"I know, I know. You don't want to see a river. You want to go rafting, right? Let's go after the suspension bridge."

The girl nodded, her eyes gentle.

(Were we talking about where to go on a trip?)

["Don't give up! Look! Now the story of the hunter! If you can get this across, then all the other parable are just a prelude. They're worth about the same as the cushioning material in a giant cardboard box."]

(That's perfectly adapted to the modern era.)

["Go on!"]

"I also want to hear about the hunter and his hounds."

"...You mean like a farm?"

"Yes."

"Sounds fun."

"This story is the most important."

"I see. Then I'll listen carefully."

The girl nodded. Then she quickly readied her notebook and pencil.

She stopped the edge of the page from turning in the wind with her fingertips. Her gestures were careful, as if she were taking notes in class.

The hero saw her and, for a moment, grasped at something resembling hope.

"There was a hunter in a certain village who was training several dogs. How many? About five, I think. The number doesn't matter. What breed? I don't know. It was a Maltese or something. You think a Maltese can't hunt? Right. Sorry, it was a Doberman or something. What do you mean? He had all kinds of different breeds. That way he could do a variety of hunting."

"That's right. He was a very ambitious hunter. And he trained about five dogs. What kind of training? Running and jumping, of course. Yes, jumping. He wanted to catch birds and stuff. Dogs catch Frisbees and stuff, right? So when the hunter gave a command, all the dogs would run immediately. What command? Something like, 'Go!' Can we get back to the main topic for a moment?"

"Whenever the hunter gave a command, all the dogs immediately ran. They were obedient and loyal. ... Their names? Shiro. They were white, after all. There must have been five of them, right? They were all Shiro. They were all white. Is it terrible that they all had the same name? Yeah. Maybe it was just too hard to think of one. This is the hunter's story. But there was one dog that didn't move even when he gave the command. Of course, its name was Shiro too. Since they all had the same name, maybe it didn't realize it was a command given to him? That's right. Maybe it was. Can we go back?"

"...And so, the only dog ​​that didn't move bit the hunter's sleeve and desperately pulled him back. Was it good? Of course it was. Good that he didn't fall. Good that it didn't think this was its chance and attack? You never believed me when I said it wasn't a monster, did you? That's right, it was just a normal dog. Not actually. From the beginning. So, yeah, it's good. Both the man and the dog were saved. Are you relieved? That's right. What does the dog like? Sorry, this is a story, so you can't give the dog what it likes. Thanks for the happy ending. You're welcome."

Seeing the girl smiling brightly, the hero gave up on continuing his story.

Having concluded his story, the hero looked up at the sky in silence. He thought he heard a low voice say, ["That's strange... This isn't supposed to happen..."] from somewhere, but he couldn't bring himself to blame her. He was the one who had gone along with it.

But really, what was he saying?

Thinking back to his previous self, he realized his body was hot. Then, the cat on his lap meowed and rubbed against him, as if seeking warmth. The cat was a little chilled by the outside air, but as he touched it, its body heat returned to his palm. The solid weight of the small creature brought him back to reality.

Perhaps realizing the story had ended, the girl next to him began, "By the way, this is completely off topic, but..."

"At work, I became friends with a voice actress named Sumire who plays the role of a princess. Maybe she's the princess reincarnated."

["No! Who's that!?"]

"Why do you think so?"

Ignoring the shouting, the hero urged her to continue. Then, with a sigh, the girl put her hand to her chin and looked up into space. Despite the loud voice, it seemed the princess's (?) voice wasn't reaching her.

"Sumire, on a summer job, she was making instant ramen with cold water because it was so hot. She was so confident. She said, 'I'm sure it'll be delicious.'"

"And then?"

"'It's so bad...' she cried as she ate it."

"You'd realize that before you even made it."

"It was tonkotsu ramen."

"Why did you chill it again and make it taste so bad..."

Even just imagining it would be a bad idea, so why did you go ahead and do it?

Then, with a gleam in her eyes, the girl said.

"When I saw her, I thought, 'She's the princess!' She did her best and ate it all without leaving any leftovers."

["What is that! I definitely wouldn't do something like that."]

"Well, whether you do or don't, the matter is beside the point. I don't think so. ...Well, anyway. I'm glad you have at least one friend here. ...Hey."

Not knowing what to say, the hero opened his mouth.

"We're... friends, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. ...Right? We are, right? If we aren't friends, I'd be so shocked I'd cry."

Friends.

He was about half happy to hear her say it, and half dissatisfied.

What would she say if he told her how he felt?

Would she laugh and say, "What's the big deal?"

...At that moment...

A "fon" sound sounded next to his ear.

It was a sound he'd heard many times throughout their journey—the sound of a swordsman swinging his sword. It seemed, just as she said, there was another person there.

["I don't understand what you're talking about."]

(What don't you understand?)

As usual, he was a man of few words. 

But his words carried a genuine sense of mystery, and the hero couldn't help but ask. It seems he doesn't know. Of course. The swordsman seemed the least familiar with such things in the party. So, perhaps he doesn't even understand what's going on right now.

["Is she laughing at your resolve?"]

The hero stared intently into the eyes of the girl beside him, who looked back at him with a confused look.

"Did you dye your hair? It was a lighter color, wasn't it?"

"...Why are you asking now...? Yeah, it looked like too fantasy if it was left like that... I-it's not like I used magic just because it didn't turn out well, right? I'm not lying."

"It suits you."

At this, her eyes widened for a moment.

But then, without changing her expression, she abruptly looked away. Then, tilting her head quizzically, she returned her gaze to the roasted sweet potato in her hand.

Just like before, her behavior didn't give the impression that his feelings had been conveyed.

["Hmm..."]

A disappointed voice echoed in his mind.

"It's okay," the hero muttered to himself.

She's lived for thousands of years, so she must have had plenty of experience.

No matter how much the hero expressed his feelings, it would probably be like a child saying, "When I grow up, I'll marry the girl next door!"

He vowed to the cold sky that he would make her notice him as soon as possible.

The cold sky showed no mercy to his vow. The strong wind quickly cooled his cheeks, but his whole body was even hotter than before. His heat sought an escape, making his breath even whiter.

At that moment, the cat meowed and moved toward the young wizard girl. It then curled up in her lap.

It seemed like there was still a long way to go. 

★★★★★

"Leader, did you know? Even though Filina is laid-back, she's surprisingly shy."

"What's with that all of a sudden?"

"It doesn't show on her face, but she's trying to lose weight. If you hold her hand, you can feel her body temperature rising rapidly. What are you doing? What are you going to do if you give up now? Maybe something will change if you push her. Humans die so easily, so why are you so relaxed? At least show us that panicked face of hers. Maybe right now, maybe? My heart's pounding in this unfamiliar situation. Look, she's not even talking to the cat on her lap. Normally, she'd say hello."

"Hahaha! I've been thinking about this ever since I got here, Mia's suddenly talking so fast. Filina still seems like she'll be alive for a lot longer. She's not going to die anytime soon."

"Why didn't you hug her then? A happy kiss might end it!? Oh, I'm getting impatient. I'm going now."

"You can't. Hey, Mia's having another seizure. Kaya, can you talk to her?"

"Okay."