Over the course of a few days, we arrived in a mountainous area just off the border between the Kingdom of Alsara and Ecburna.

"Tomorrow we have to cross the mountain. We'll wake up before dawn."

"It's hard for an old body."

"You always get up early anyway."

It's dangerous when it's night in the mountains.

For that reason, it was common sense to leave early in the morning to cross the mountain.

We got up the next morning while it was still dark. We'll grab breakfast in the inn cafeteria.

Sometimes there are a lot of visitors across the mountain, and even from this hour on, it's running.

But you don't have a lot of customers for that, do you?

The route from this town is supposed to be the shortest to Ecburna.

The Innkeeper General tells me that you have such doubts about me.

"Actually, a strange dog man hasn't inhabited the mountains lately. They're all creeped out, and they go to Ecburna a lot from another route."

Dog man?

What's that?

"They're not going to do anything about it... but for once, if you guys are going to go near it, be careful."

It doesn't make sense, but it didn't look like the general was joking.

Me and Jiji left the inn, tilting their necks.

"Could it not be a new breed of monster?

I don't know.

Climb the mountain path.

It's a pretty steep journey.

What the general said was supposed to be around here... well, I guess I just missaw a monkey or something living in the mountains anyway.

I thought you must be such a dick.

"Wow."

- There was something.

A young man.

Is he still about twenty years old?

It's a little thin and dirty, but it looks like you could say it's handsome.

I mean, yes, they're usually human.

I also wear proper clothes.

Yet, for some reason, he was wearing a collar, and from there, leads... or chains were stretched.

And sitting like a dog, crying "wow" too.

"... a dog man"

"I'm sure you are."

This jizzy is flat for some reason, but that one sucks.

It is also understandable that travellers and merchants change routes spookily.

As I keep my distance and observe, the dog man suddenly talks (?) Coming.

"Wow?"

"No, I don't understand dog language..."

"Are you going to Ecburna? Take care."

"You can talk normally!?

I accidentally put a scratch in it.

"What the hell happened when you said you were still young?

Jijii normally asks questions.

No, no, that's crazy, you.

You'd be more surprised or frightened, usually.

"I've been waiting for your husband here forever."

What's this all about?

I asked by accident.

"You think it's your husband? What are you, a slave?

No, I'm a pet.

I don't know what it means anymore.

"How long have you been waiting here?

"... Actually, it's been almost a month..."

Cool story.

I don't know if it's a pet, but this guy's been in this place for a month.

Besides, I can't escape because of these chains.

"Ah, this chain, originally bracketed by the rock there, broke the rock, so you're free to move now."

You can move!

Is that the rock...?

I doubt how you broke that hard rock, but I mean, he's waiting for that "master" to do it voluntarily.

Asshole. This guy is a complete asshole.

"It's not very painful to say this, but could it have been abandoned?

"Oh! I knew it!?... thin, don't get me wrong... but..."

"... I'm sorry to hear that. As a matter of fact, the princess I was serving has dumped me... and I know how hard that feels."

"Oh, you were a pet too!?

No, I'm a sandback.

Sandback!?

"But I haven't given up yet. No matter how rejected you can get away with it, again, you can't die until you hit the princess!

"Oh! What a strong willed old man you are! Even so, I...... I was scared... to be rejected directly from him... So in this place, all the time... what a pitiful person..."

I think it's a pitiful old problem...

"No, you're still young. You can start all over again."

"Is that true?

The dog man looks up at the jizz with his glaring eyes.

Jiji nodded with a soft grin.

What is this painting...?

"Decided! I'm going to look for you! Wait for me! Mr. Karna!"

Hmm? Karna, so...?

"Hey, could that be about a brunette?

"Huh? Could it be that Karna knows about you...?

"Oh, what a coincidence this is. Actually, we were just following him to Ecburna, too. No, it's the princess I'm chasing."

"Were you! Then would you mind if I join you!?

"Of course you are. May I have Lord Geese, please?

Nice to meet you.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I had no choice but to accompany Jiji, thanks for that valuable information.

And because it was rich there.

But this young man is different.

Thought so.

"I say Alec. You look like this and you're an A-rank adventurer, so I think you can be strong enough! I have quite a bit of money too! And, Karna, I know where you are!

"Where are you?

"Yes! What a pet! No matter how far away you are, you can go home to your husband! That's what pets must be capable of!

Awesome, pet.

Is it like a nesting instinct?

It is possible that he is not already in Ekburna.

If we take this guy, we might be able to handle that, too.

It's going to be a force for war.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

"All right, fine. Let's go together."

"Thank you!

This is how I welcomed my new companion, and I continued my journey in search of an elf girl.

Continued - No