C 161
"What is this? Snow?"
Richard said, lightly rubbing the snow with the tip of his toe. The crunchy sound felt quite realistic.
"Is this even possible all of a sudden?"
Richard's eyes sparkled, and he muttered softly with a perplexed expression on his face.
Looking at him this way, no one would probably question the fact that he's a wizard.
I've heard that wizards are a species that seek to learn and cannot control their curiosity, and it seems to be true.
[Who are...?]
A voice echoed from a tall rock in the middle of the snowy field.
"How dare you step on my land without permission?"
If ice had a personality and could speak, would it sound this cold? Suddenly, my spine stiffened.
"Uh, snow leopard?"
As I called out cautiously, a shadow appeared on the rock.
The cold was strong enough to make me shiver, but it wasn't painful or difficult, perhaps thanks to Richard or because it was a dragon.
"I brought supplies."
As soon as I finished speaking, Richard placed the package he had brought.
"Supplies... Ah, it's that time already. What happened to the cub that used to come, and why have you come?"
The cold voice suddenly filled with emotion. I'm not sure if that's a good thing.
"I came because I have a favor to ask this time."
"A favor?"
"Yes."
[......]
The voice from above suddenly fell silent.
There was such silence that it became awkward for those waiting for a moment to think.
"What? Why did you suddenly stop talking?"
Richard, who had been waiting, frowned, and at the same time, boom!
Something heavy fell in front of my eyes.
It was a huge snow-white leopard that looked several times larger than a person.
The pure white fur was so white that when buried in the snow, it was impossible to tell whether it was snow or a snow leopard.
If it weren't for the spotted leopard pattern, I wouldn't have been able to recognize it even if it were completely integrated with my eyes.
"You..."
The leopard looked at me and squinted its eyes.
Then, its face contorted as if it had seen something it couldn't see, and then it strode forward with giant strides and thrust its large face forward.
The face of the snow leopard, which had become eerily close, was so large that it seemed like it could swallow me whole if it opened its mouth.
"Why is a product of a bygone era here?"
"What...?"
"Aren't you a lizard?"
Well, I'm not a lizard.
If you look at it in a broader category, I don't think it would be too strange to call me a lizard...
"I-I'm not a lizard..."
As I stammered, confused, the snow leopard leaned in close to my face and sniffed me.
Then, its serious face suddenly wrinkled.
"Smelling like fish, you must be a lizard. Ugh, it feels unpleasant. But the only lizard left in the world would be that eccentric reptile that I can't eat."
The snow leopard tilted its head as if wondering.
I felt like I knew who he was talking about. He's probably referring to the dragon named Purple.
The dragon who gave me this ridiculous mission.
"When did she give birth to that?"
The snow leopard muttered to itself.
"That's not it..."
"What? Who would have a child with such an eccentric personality? Tsk tsk, she's like a hysterical spinster."
Could they be close acquaintances?
His choice of words was vulgar.
"So, what business does a lizard have with me?"
"Red iron... and I need the tears of the snow leopard."
"Red iron? What is that, no, why my tears? The only person who asks for this is that perverted spinster reptile."
He said it bluntly, but it was hard to nod in agreement.
When I laughed awkwardly, he seemed to easily grasp my situation and let out an openly contemptuous sneer.
"Another pitiful child has become the toy of the spinster."
The snow leopard spoke calmly, grooming its front paws.
"No."
He replied firmly.
"That's what I want to say, but I don't want to let things go as she wants."
"What?"
"I think she wants to embarrass you and get you into trouble, but this body doesn't have the will for that," said the snow leopard.
That means...
"Take the red iron. Because it's piled up somewhere over there."
The snow leopard pointed with its front paw. In the middle of the snowy field, there was something that looked like a staircase leading down to the basement.
I smiled and quickly nodded. Then, the snow leopard smiled even more mischievously and opened its mouth.
"But..."
"Yes?"
"I think tears might be a bit difficult."
My body suddenly froze at the snow leopard's words. Indeed, one of the most important things was the tears of the snow leopard...
"Is there a reason it's difficult?"
"When do tears come?"
"When you're sad...?"
"Yes. But I'm not sad, there's nothing to be sad about. I've seen most of the sad stories in the world, so I'm not impressed."
The snow leopard licked its front paw.
Looking at it this way, I really thought it looked like a cat.
"A sad story..."
"Or there were times when I shed tears even when I ate something really delicious."
"Something delicious..."
I blinked slowly.
Cat, something delicious...
"The only thing that comes to mind is something like Chur."
(Translator's Note: Chur is a type of liquid cat food.)
However, if you ask me if I know many sad stories, I really don't know any.
"How far does not being able to use a dragon's abilities go?"
Did he mean that I shouldn't use my abilities to gain his favor?
Or was it simply to prevent me from taking advantage of people and using money or power to force their minds?
"I can't imagine."
Because I can do whatever I want.
"Richard, can you go down and bring me the red iron? One ton... Will it work with magic?"
"Of course. I'll be right back."
When I asked carefully, Richard nodded quickly.
As I watched Richard disappear in an instant, I dropped onto the snow and closed my eyes.
"Oh, even if I endure like this, they won't catch me."
"Shh, just a moment."
I should think of any Chur or cat food.
As soon as I imagined wanting to do it, it felt like all the magic was being drained from my body.
"What?!"
Dududududu!
The snow leopard seemed surprised and took a few steps back as various cat foods, including Chur, rained from the sky.
I picked up a fish-flavored Chur from among them and handed it over.
"I dared to do you a favor, and you used this strange magic...! Get out of my territory in this... Hmm?"
The snow leopard sniffed and opened its eyes. Then, it opened its mouth wide and ate the Chur.
The eyes of the snow leopard widened as I took a step back, watching it stuff the bag into its mouth and suck on it.
The snow leopard, whose fur bristled and then shivered, looked at me and shed tears.
"What is this?"
Paf-!
The snow leopard's body was instantly enveloped in smoke, and soon a young man collapsed on the ground.
Above his head were the round ears of a snow leopard.
I quickly reached for the glass bottle I had brought and caught the tears falling from the snow leopard's cheeks.
"It worked..."
I remembered that sometimes in novels like this, there was a description of a cat going crazy when you gave it food, so I just tried it...
"After all, novels are the answer."
I'm not talking about something that doesn't exist.
"Done."
At this point, the goal has been achieved. I nodded with satisfaction.
"Do you have more of this...?"
"It's called... Chur."
"Are you saying this crazy food exists in the world? Nonsense..."
The sensation of seeing a person with a Chur in their mouth was strange. I couldn't bear to say it was a cat snack, so I simply nodded.
"You..."
He opened his eyes wide and opened his mouth with a face that looked like he was about to cry.
"You're a cute lizard..."
Is he saying that because of the Chur?
Indeed, isn't there something more necessary when you possess something than a Chur?
"I'm glad you like it."
I laughed awkwardly as I put the bottle of tears in my bag.
"I'll give you everything I have here."
"Just this?!"
"What?"
Because I couldn't control my abilities properly, half of the snowy field was covered in Chur. What are you talking about?
"What is this?"
He said, picking up a can of cat food that was rolling on the ground.
"This is how you eat it."
As I explained the different types of cat food, he continued to eat cat food.
The image really looked like that of a cat.
"Eirin, I brought everything."
"Oh, yes. Well then, we'll just head back..."
"Ugh, be careful."
He waved his hand.
"By the way, where are you going?"
"Now we're returning to the Empire."
"Really? Goodbye~"
But why are you asking this?
Anyway, I got everything I wanted.
Richard and I returned the way we came. I had no idea that this snow leopard would follow me.
