New Patreon goal: 7 Days (chapters) of Nigotta Hitomi no Lilianne.
When the goal is reached, I will dedicate an entire week's schedule to Nigotta Hitomi no Lilianne.

An encounter at the Country Foundation Festival.
Everyone, h.e.l.lo! I, Rosarin Rosenberg has come to the Country Foundation Festival. Country Foundation Festival is the biggest festival of this country. It's crowded with tourists from foreign countries and the Capital gets especially bustling. There's a parade of the royalty too, there is also a large number of limited items and many attractions.

I, the children, Elder brother, Gator, and Rabishchan came to visit the festival. Dirk is working as a patrol today so we couldn't go on a date. How unfortunate. I handed over pocket money to the children and after telling them to pay attention to not get lost, we went out.

And, then I got lost myself.

Lost child = me. Rosarin Rosenberg, 7 years old. To think I would get lost. What a blunder. Moreover, I completely lost my way.
I am totally a lost child.

"What do I do~?"

Moreover, there are people, people, people as far as I can see. I don't think I can track them down. Reluctantly, I sent a signal to Elder brother via the magic tool he provided me for emergencies and informed him that I will look around. The magic power was being obstructed because of the numerous people around, so that was all I could convey.
This is a festival, though. I should enjoy it even if alone!

Limited edition sweets and foreign accessories on which you can't usually get your hands on. The festival was exciting in many ways. W, well, I lost my way after observing it, though.

Entering a back street, I found a crouching Beastman boy. He had golden hair and fluffy ears and tail.

"Are you not feeling well?"

He did not seem to have company, so I called out to him. My conscience would hurt if he got kidnapped or something.

"Wha!? You can see m… no, I am fine. I am not unwell."

"Hmm. Traveling incognito?"

"… Something like that."

The boy looked like an important person, I thought he might be a considerably high-ranking n.o.ble of a foreign country.

"You will stand out with clothes like those. If you want to travel incognito, you have to start with your attire."

"What?"

When the boy stood up, he was taller than me. He's about thirteen, I think?

"Let's go."

I took the boy's hand with a smile.

"W, wait! Stop pulling!"

Even while fl.u.s.tered, the boy followed after me obediently. After walking for a bit, we arrived at the main street I was familiar with. Then, we entered a certain clothing store I know of.

"Oh my, what an unusual guest. Is he your friend, Rosarin-chan?"

"He seems to be traveling incognito, could you chose a set of commoner clothes for him?"

"Of course."

The good-natured shopkeeper brought clothes, shoes, a hat, and a bag. This store is a Beastmen purveyor, so most of the clothes here are made for Beastmen. They have elastic clothes that can withstand the Beastification and even clothes that respond to the Beastification with magic. The clothes of Jend and the children are mainly bought from here.

"Since it's the festival day."

I handed more than the normal market price.

"Then, choose the color you like."

"I can pay…"

"You won't be able to use those gold coins here. It's not enough to make me go bankrupt either… where are these gold coins from?"

"It's from Wolfanea. I have seen them before."

The shopkeeper said while looking at the gold coins. He's managing a shop that deals with clothes for Beastmen, so he might have encountered them before.

"Hmmm. Oh well. We will be going then."

"See you again."

I waved towards the shopkeeper and took the boy's hand.

"Where did you want to go?"

"W, wait! You are planning on going together with me!?"

"Yes. Take me along as thanks for the clothes. I got separated from my group too. Is that no good?"

The boy sighed out. His eyes were of a pretty blue color.

"I don't really have somewhere I wanted to go. I don't mind. I am… Jess."

"I am Rosarin. Then, let's go~!"

The boy… Jess, sounded alias-ish, but I did not care. We tried out the limited edition lunch. I ate a little and Jess ate the rest. As expected of Beastman. He eats well.

"The seasoning is different from Wolfanea."

Jess said such while stuffing his cheeks with a meat skewer.

"Heeh, what kind of seasoning do you use in Wolfanea?"

"There are races who detest intense smells and spices, so there are many foods that are only lightly seasoned with salt."

"… That sounds simple, but aren't there those who say that seasonings are troublesome?"

Jess averted his gaze.

"… That's probably it too."

It's really true!? How honest Jess is.

"Whoa, what a lack of taste."

"You could say that."

Jess seemed to be hooked on the conversation as he smiled thinly. Somehow, Jess reminds me of someone, but I can't recall whom.

It became evening and as we were about to part ways, I felt uncomfortable. Jess took my hand and led me to an unpopulated place. He took a corner, confirmed that there are no people around and then lifted me up.
I could only have a bad feeling about this pattern.

Just as I thought, Jess started running at a staggering speed. I wanted to scream, but it might have attracted my pursuers, so I endured.

"… I thought I was gonna die."

Jess lept over the Capital's walls and we were currently in the forest. The walls of the Capital aren't something even the Beastmen could cross over. This is a point of consideration.
However, the feelings of relief were only momentary. I felt bloodthirst. It appears that I am not the target this time. It's different from the presences from the fellows from before. Their numbers are… five people, huh.

"Rosarin, crouch down."

Jess' body swelled up. He turned into a huge ball of mofumofu before my very eyes and sent the five a.s.sa.s.sins flying.
I judged he was victorious as the presences of the a.s.sa.s.sins quickly vanished.
What remained was a gigantic, golden, winged dog. He had bird wings attached to his back. His body resembled a golden retriever.
"Ky… kyaaaaa!"

Just as Jess' eyes seemingly turned sad from my scream, I jumped towards him. I clung to his forefoot. Oou, the sensation of happiness.

"…………… Hah?"

"What a wonderful fluff! Jess! Let me mofu you!"

"………… Mofu me?"

Jess tilted his head. Ou, his round, and cute eyes are adorabz.

"Yeah. Let me hug, pat, and enjoy the sensation of your soft and fluffy fur in a trance!"

"… Are you not scared?"

"Of what?"

"Me."

"Not really? I might be scared if you had four split open heads with entrails that acted as tentacles coming out of your abdomen."

"What kind of monster is that!"

Even though he had the face of a dog, I could tell what expression he was making. It's a monster from a horror movie Rin borrowed from a friend in her past life.
It was so scary I pa.s.sed out and got trauma from it.

"Eh~ I can make it with an illusion if you want to see?"

"No need! I don't want to see it!"

I got refused with all of his might. What a wise decision. It's better to not see.

"And so, can I mofumofu you?"

I wonder why? I felt like I was looked at with the eyes of disappointment.

"…………… You serious?"

"I am."

"Do as you please."

"Yaay~"

A wonderful, gigantic mofumofu! A mofu target obtained! I patted his fur, squished his huge paw pads, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

"You are having fun? What a weird fellow. Even though everyone runs away in fear when they see me in this form."

"That's because they have not looked at you properly. You are such a good guy that you saved me even though you knew I might get frightened. People wouldn't be fearing you if they got to know you properly, Jess."

"… I see. That's right. People close to me wouldn't run away."

"Right?"

Jess smiled wryly at the proud me. Oh my, his ears moved to the direction of the Capital.

"We are out of time. It was quite fun. Shall I send you back to the Capital?"

"It's fine. There's no problem."

Fluttering his golden wings, the puppy flew into the air. I was thinking whether such large fellow wouldn't cause a ruckus in the Capital, but when I looked properly, I could see that he was bending light by manipulating magic. It most likely didn't work on me because of my earrings. He was probably using it in the back street too.
Seeing the flying pup off, I returned home.

When I returned home, I got lectured by the Great Devil Elder brother that laid in wait and instructed me to hold the children's hands the next time.

Because only I was the one who got lost so splendidly, I had nothing to retort with.