Pet Talk

That day, during the post-dungeon-clear chat, one particular comment came through.

[Genryuusai]: "Ojou, are you a dog person? Or a cat person?"

Dogs, cats. The twin titans of pet popularity.

They were the magic words that could spark a war in the blink of an eye.

"Naturally, Ojou-sama is a cat person, yes?"

"Dogs are more useful, surely. They're obedient, and they're humanity's partners."

Pachi. Sparks visibly flew between Sebas and Kokuyou.

"Sebas-sama? What are you saying?"

"Kokuyou, do you think cats take priority simply because you yourself have cat ears?"

"oho, so sebas is a dog guy huh. ex-mercenary and all… there's military working dogs, after all"

"kokuyou-chan's got cat ears so that tracks"

"U-Um. I like both, you know?"

"But you like cats more, right?"

"No, no. It's dogs, surely. When you say Ojou-sama, a large dog is practically mandatory, you know?"

Kokuyou and Sebas were both smiling pleasantly. And yet the pressure was palpable, with Karona sandwiched between them.

"Ahem. If I may, Ojou-sama. Dogs are an inseparable presence for the Ojou-sama. Picture it: a grand estate, a golden retriever bounding through the garden. A young Ojou-sama frolicking alongside…! Ahh, what nostalgia. Back in those days, Ojou-sama was so very adorable."

"No, no, no! It's cats! Cats are the symbol of the wealthy! Wine in one hand, a bathrobe draped about the shoulders, a cat being stroked in one's lap…! And Sebas-sama, please do not fabricate memories!"

"Fabricate? Hmph. Would you still say so after looking at this photograph?"

With that, Sebas produced a Polaroid photograph from his breast pocket. In it, young Karona was playing with a golden retriever while Sebas watched over the scene with a smile.

Other shots showed young Karona astride the golden retriever, or walking it through the garden on a leash.

There was even one of her standing at attention beside a Doberman on garden patrol, strikingly cool.

"W-What in the world is this photograph!? Ojou-sama at a young age is simply too adorable…!"

"Ho-ho-ho. As you can see, Kokuyou, Ojou-sama was originally a dog person. Back in those days, Ojou-sama was pure and innocent, you know."

"Ara, Sebas. Am I not still a pure and innocent, adorable Ojou-sama even now?"

"Ah, so you are, Ojou-sama. My apologies."

"ohhh! photos of ojou karona as a kid, huh"

"hmm. ojou back then is pretty cute"

"no wait. this photo's a forgery. AI butlers shouldn't have existed back then"

"Ah! Come to think of it, you're right!? Phew, I nearly got fooled without thinking. That autumn day when my beloved Thomas crossed the rainbow bridge and bid his final farewell… he didn't actually exist, did he～!"

"the dog even had a name!"

"ojou lol. why is ojou the one getting fooled lol"

"so it was an AI-faked photo. nice work on it though"

"come to think of it, karona-jou is a BCD avatar… I forgot"

"It was so well-made that I found myself wishing it had been real."

"Ojou-sama! In that case, I'll have you know that I, too… h-hold on just a moment, please… Here we go!"

"Say, Father. Can I keep this kitten?"

"Hmm? Well, let's see… can you handle the responsibility?"

There, a young Karona was pleading with her father to let her keep a little black kitten.

"Mhm! I'll work my hardest taking care of him! Oh, his name… Kokuyou, maybe?"

"Hahaha, giving him a name already, are we? Well then, I suppose there's no helping it. Treasure him, alright?"

"Mhm!!"

"… Yes, and that little black kitten is the me of today!"

"That black cat from back then, now a maid!? So that's what happened!! That snowy day when you disappeared, I worried so terribly about you…!"

"Ojou-sama! I've grown up… nyan."

"Kokuyou!"

The two of them embraced each other tightly.

"what a beautiful story… wait, isn't this just a home-video-style forgery lol lol lol"

"I said don't fabricate memories!! lol lol lol"

"ojou, come back, that's a fake movie, y'hear?"

"Huh!? Y-You tricked me, Kokuyou!?"

"Nya, no! I've been Ojou-sama's cat from the moment I was born!"

"why does ojou keep falling for this lol lol lol"

"don't let your own memories get rewritten so easily lol lol lol"

"and sure, she's been ojou's cat from the moment she was born lol but she was only born recently lol lol"

"It was such a lovely memory that I couldn't help going along."

"Ho-ho-ho. Ojou-sama is ever so quick to play along."

"So in the end, which is Ojou-sama actually?"

Hmmm, Karona hummed, tapping her chin with her index finger in thought.

"Holding a cat like a madam is hard to give up, but I suppose, as an Ojou-sama, it ought to be a dog? Just as Sebas says, an estate with a golden retriever or a Doberman does feel very Ojou-sama-like. And a borzoi, or a dog so big it looks like there's a person inside… those are dogs only an Ojou-sama could keep!"

"!? Then why do I have cat ears!?"

"Eh, because they're cute?"

It had also been a choice adopted from the viewers' comments.

"If I'm cute, then pet me already!!"

"… There, there."

"Ehehe～."

One way or another, the matter was neatly resolved. Or rather, Kokuyou was neatly curled around Karona's leg.