Chapter 124

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 124

Chapter Title: Husband Nya!

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"What the...?"

Furrylike had announced that Kim Chur had entered adolescence.

Adolescence apparently meant some massive changes were possible.

But this furry bastard had suddenly cut off and vanished again.

Just like me, the gallery was erupting in pounding rage.

Furrylike popped back up a little later, just like before.

"Huh?"

Polymorph?

The answer I'd wrung out after all that agony was something I never saw coming.

Polymorph? Wasn't that something dragons did?

The gallery's reactions were split down the middle.

Guys like Wandering Battle Mage and FlapFlap, who'd dealt with a lot of beasts, seemed to know about it.

While ones like Lulu-chan and SubsidyRiceEater, with less beast exposure, were hearing it for the first time.

Beast research definitely only overlapped partially with magic.

One gallery user voiced the exact doubt I had.

I'd heard beastkin existed in my dimension too, though rare.

They mostly stayed out of human society, so encounters were unlikely.

But browsing the gallery sometimes showed dimensions where beastkin were common.

So beastkin ancestors were humans who loved Grandis.

This was fascinating stuff.

Apparently no true furries in this dimension's lineage.

Grandis were apex dominators too dignified to tame,

so what kind of madman breeds with one?

Anyway,

What do you mean "cheer vigorously"?

Am I supposed to be the doting dad watching his kid's first steps?

He'll figure it out himself; I just clap?

"Ian. Chur wants to go inside, I think."

Hisenna, who'd been playing with Kim Chur, approached.

Kim Chur was slinking off toward the dorm alone.

Teens always want to hole up in their room, right?

Maybe I should set him up with his own place.

"Thanks, Hisenna. For playing with that guy."

"No problem. Seeing how well that kid from back then has grown makes me happy. But he is growing weirdly fast, huh."

Hisenna tilted her head.

Kim Chur's growth spurt did look abnormal.

I knew he was a Grandis, but still.

"Ian. Could it be... Chur isn't a normal beast?"

"Huh?"

But then Hisenna dropped a bombshell.

"I read in a book once that each beast species has a powerful dominator type."

"Whoa?!"

I nearly tripped over in shock.

Hisenna knew about that?!

Oh right. That's how it was.

The reason no one knew Kim Chur was Grandis wasn't because Grandis were secret,

but because cubs were indistinguishable.

And now with adolescence kicking in, the traits were emerging.

"Really? Kinda rings a bell."

I played dumb for now.

Couldn't exactly say "Chur's a Grandis" when my source was the gallery.

"Each beast's dominator is super strong. Might be my imagination, but maybe Chur's one? During that familiar rampage incident, Chur seemed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like the cause. It'd explain the abnormal growth too."

"Hmm..."

Got it. Hisenna didn't spot Grandis traits visually.

Furrylike's detailed knowledge must not be common.

Instead, she inferred from the sudden growth and Chur's power in the rampage incident.

Spot-on reasoning.

"But dominators shouldn't act like that. They're too strong and dominant to tame as familiars... Ah, never mind, Ian. I overthought it."

No, you nailed it, Hisenna.

I still don't get why this untamable thing follows me.

"Nah. That's impressive, Hisenna. You know all that."

"Hehe... I've loved familiars since I was little and studied a ton."

"Ooh. You'd definitely raise them well."

"Actually, after graduation, I want to be a tamer. Owning my own familiar is nice, but I want to tame wild cute ones and help them integrate into society by rehoming them."

Her dream was tamer, huh.

Hisenna would make an excellent one.

Top talent plus deep studies on familiars.

"Might sound arrogant, but I think familiars aren't treated the best. I see new beasts being tamed sometimes, and it hurts my heart."

"Why?"

"Current taming methods are rough. To make them familiars, you crush their wildness, so violent subjugation is common."

Hm. Yeah, "taming" evoked brutality to me too.

But per Furrylike, taming was bonding deeply, embracing them into human life.

Not "castrating wildness," but "socialization."

Hisenna already thought similarly.

"I believe you can tame without that. Treating beasts like 'tools' or objects. But beasts like people if treated well—I know that. Someday, I want a world where everyone tames with care."

"Hisenna..."

Something tugged at my heart.

Her dream resonated.

Posted it to the gallery, and they reacted the same.

Hisenna's grace extends infinitely, as expected.

I too was once filled by her grace when hungry.

I'd forgotten that gratitude for a while. Time to bask in Mammatong's grace again...

"As expected of Hisenna...!"

"He, hehe... It's embarrassing after saying it."

"How'd you come to think that way?"

"Hm... I've loved familiars forever. But what solidified it was an experience."

"Experience?"

"Yeah. I saw it. An amazing mage handling beasts not with force like current tamers, but embracing them with heart and bonding to tame."

Some impactful childhood memory, then.

Not an archmage type from context.

"No one believed me, of course. Rough taming is the norm. Anyway! Shall we go?"

"Yeah. Let's."

"Nyaa~"

Kim Chur nudged my leg—conversation dragged, time to head in.

Studies awaited too.

Anyway, Chur's growth was normal,

but polymorph? Too soon to tell Hisenna.

Just entering adolescence, so gradual.

But he's eating like a horse already—if this is just the start,

how much more for teen and adult years?

His food bill's insane. Just ditch him?

With those thoughts, we headed to the dorm.

But,

"Nya, nyaha, nyahaha~ Nyaaaa...!"

Kim Chur, leading ahead, suddenly stopped and made weird noises.

"Kim Chur! What's wrong!"

"Is he hurt? We need to get him treated quick..."

"Nyaaaaa!"

He flopped to the ground, wriggling wildly.

His sounds turned to rough panting.

No reason he'd be hurt.

"Ian! To the clubroom for first aid...!"

Hisenna panicked at the sudden crisis,

and I scooped up Chur in a hurry.

We rushed toward her clubroom, but

Pffft—

Sudden pop from Chur,

his fur flew everywhere, kicking up a massive dust/fur cloud blinding us.

When it cleared and vision returned, in my arms was

"...Eh?"

"Uwaaaaaah!"

A cute girl with cat ears.

"Husband Nya!"

And she called me "husband nya."

"Ah, there you are scrub! Took forever to find you! What's this, with Hisenna?! Why play without us?!"

"Where have you been, Ian."

Far off, Elrim and Chayuri approached—searching for us.

They drew closer.

Then slowed.

They spotted the cat-eared girl in my arms.

Finally, they froze mid-step, faces baffled, staring between me, Hisenna, and the cat-ears.

"Nya?"

It was summer.