Chapter 28: What kind of setup is this? They were even thinking about laying dragon eggs!

Golly wasn’t home, and since Genasa had nothing to do, he could only keep Karu company as she messed around.

But as time dragged on, for Genasa, who had the soul of an adult, it was nothing short of torture.

“Ah… Let me rest for a bit, sigh…”

Genasa was completely worn out, lying flat on the ground, unwilling to move a muscle.

“Eh? Genasa, what’s wrong? Are you dying again?”

“……”(￣ー￣)

Karu leaned over, puzzled, her little paws prodding him again and again, trying to get him up to continue playing.

But Genasa ignored her, just lying there, not moving at all.

Finally, Karu grew a little anxious and started wailing.

“What’s wrong? Get up and play with me!”

“Aiya, I’m too tired. I want to rest for a while. Why don’t you go find Aishe to play with for now?”

Since Genasa said so, Karu reluctantly went off to find Aishe.

Once she left, Genasa immediately jumped up and ran back to his own room.

“Phew… Freedom at last. Aishe, don’t blame me—just help me out this time, hmm.”

At the same time, in Aishe’s room.

Aishe, face dark as thunder, was holding a book while Karu kicked a ball, darting back and forth around her.

The noise seriously disrupted her reading.

Finally, unable to endure it any longer, Aishe waved a paw at her.

“Karu, come here a moment.”

“Eh? What’s up?”

She hopped over, eyeing Aishe’s mysterious expression.

“I have a fun game. Want to know what it is?”

At the mention of something fun, Karu answered without a second thought:

“I do! What is it?”

Aishe took out a Pharmaceutical Stirring Rod and tossed it far away.

“Go, fetch it back, as fast as you can.”

“Wahoo~”

Karu darted off, picked up the stick in her mouth, and trotted back to hand it to Aishe.

“So? Is it fun?”

“It’s fun~”

“Very good. Now go find Genasa. He likes it too.”

And so, Karu, fooled by Aishe, ran back to Genasa.

Seeing Karu crouched in front of him with a stick in her mouth, wagging her tail, Genasa cocked his head, a twitch at the corner of his eye.

“Tsk, did Aishe tell you to do this?”

“Mm-hmm.”

She nodded vigorously, leaving Genasa speechless, but soon he fell into thought.

“Ah, this… Tsk, sigh…”

Forget it, at least he now had a way to play with her that saved some effort and kept her occupied.

“All right, then. Go, fetch it back.”

“Awoo~”

Thus, Genasa finally had a somewhat less tiring way to play with Karu.

Who knows how much time passed before Aishe walked out of her room and came over to them.

“Looks like you two are having fun. Not bad.”

She glanced at them and was about to head to the storeroom for materials, but just then Genasa came over.

“Aishe, don’t you think something’s off?”

“Hm?”

Aishe looked askance at Genasa.

“I mean, originally, you were supposed to be the pet, and she was to be my Apprentice Sister. How come now it’s all reversed? Can you explain that?”

Genasa pointed at Karu, who had now been trained like a dog.

（ᗜ△ᗜ）“Don’t know, don’t ask me.”

With that, she went off to mind her own business, and Genasa hurried after her.

“Hey, don’t try to deny it. You’re the one who taught her to fetch sticks. She’s a Dragon, you know—is this really okay?”

“What else do you want me to do? You could always keep playing with her the normal way.”

“I can’t take it! And right at this moment, Master runs off too. You think maybe she left because she couldn’t handle it anymore?”

Just as he finished speaking, Karu suddenly popped her head up between them.

“What are you two whispering about? I want to hear too!”

“Uh…”

Genasa looked at her, and after a moment’s awkwardness, he bluffed:

“We’re just discussing that there’s nothing fun at home, so when Master comes back, we’ll have her take you out to play.”

“Oh~ okay, okay! When will she come back?”

“Don’t know, she didn’t say, sigh…”

“Eh? Sigh…”

Both of them wore matching frowns, but after watching them a moment, Aishe quietly went off to the storeroom to get materials for refining medicine.

Genasa watched her go, and after a moment’s thought, followed after.

“Aishe, what medicine are you going to make? Is it fun?”

“It’s not fun.”

“Then…”

Just as he started to say something, her paw covered his mouth.

“I’m busy. Go play.”

(눈‸눈) Genasa stopped in his tracks, watching as Aishe walked into the storeroom.

“All right then, sigh…”

He turned around, only to see Karu behind him, holding the stick in her mouth, looking at him with eager eyes. A storm of emotions welled up inside.

Doomed—utterly—doomed—

But the most crushing part wasn’t this. One time, as Karu returned with the stick, she suddenly asked:

“Genasa, can I discuss something with you?”

“What is it…”

Genasa answered weakly, but then Karu’s little mouth blurted out:

“When I grow up, I’ll lay lots of eggs for you, and we can have them play with us too~ hee hee~”

“……”=͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪ ‧̣̥̇)

“You? Say? What?”

“I said, when I grow up, I’ll lay—”

Before she could finish, Genasa slapped a paw over her mouth:

“Nice thought, but don’t ever say that again, got it?”

“Mm-mm-mm…”

Karu struggled to keep talking, but Genasa changed the subject:

“Let’s just keep playing. Don’t think about things like that.”

“Mm…”

They kept horsing around, Genasa pouting in disbelief:

“What kind of nonsense is this? Lay Dragon eggs? Why not just say we’ll teach classes together? Honestly, with her energy, I doubt I could handle it anyway…”

Already exhausted, Genasa didn’t think too much about it, just hoping this would all end soon.

Finally, when Karu opened her mouth and let out a long yawn, Genasa knew—his freedom was at hand.

“Tired? Then go rest.”

“Okay.”

She agreed, and at that moment, Genasa felt as if he could open his arms and embrace a rain of freedom.

Shawshank Redemption.

Back in his room, Genasa looked at the Fire Crystal Platform and, for the first time, thought it looked truly pleasing.

He padded over and flopped on top, ♂ah~

But just as he was about to enjoy a good rest, he noticed a pair of familiar eyes watching him from the doorway.

Karu carefully poked her head in, as if hoping for something.

Seeing her like that, Genasa knew exactly what she wanted, but he had no choice and beckoned her over with a paw.

With his approval, she bounced in gleefully, jumped onto the Fire Crystal Platform, curled up beside Genasa, and snuggled close.

Genasa smiled slightly, and casually reminded her:

“Sleep tight. Go on, sleep.”

“Okay~”

Seeing her obediently close her eyes, Genasa could finally lay his own head down in peace.

Behind him, his not-yet-flight-capable Dragon wings unfolded, draping over Karu like a blanket.

…

“Babies, I’m home~”

Golly’s trendy voice echoed through the hall.

Her Dragon traits hidden, she looked just like an ordinary human—sun hat and sunglasses, white knee-length dress, long white stockings, and high heels.

She looked every bit like someone who’d just come back from shopping.

Genasa, playing up ahead, suddenly froze with his back to her, not reacting at all, making Golly very confused.

“Eh? Why no reaction at all?”

She walked over, puzzled, and poked Genasa, while Karu blinked her big eyes at them.

Only then did Genasa stiffly turn his head.

“You said you went out to restock, but it looks like you’ve just been playing all this time?”

At his words, Golly’s guilt was obvious.

“Uh… I really did go to restock! Playing was just a side thing! It’s not like I played the whole time!”

“So you’re saying you did play the whole time, right.”

Genasa was merciless, but Golly flatly denied it.

“No, absolutely not.”

“Then look me in the eyes and say that again.”(눈‸눈)

“Uh…”

“See! Guilty! I knew you couldn’t have done all business! Seriously, it’s one thing to go out and play, but you didn’t even take us? That’s just…”

All the pent-up frustration of the past few days came pouring out, and Genasa couldn’t stop ranting.

Golly cleaned out her ear, then silently took off the white stocking from her left leg and approached Genasa.

“What are you doing? Hey!”

She wrapped it around Genasa’s mouth several times, tied it tight, and finished it off with a bow.

“Quiet. Now it’s my turn to talk.”