Picking Up A Furball, After 10 Years Chapter 10

Translator : KuRuuRuu
UNEDITED

I’m at my limit, he thought.

.

Even though he had low physical strength from the start, the days where the kittens leapt upon him, climbed his body, and made him run around, so much that even using body reinforcement magic was still not enough for him continued.

It’s impossible.

Even just recently, the kittens suddenly jumped at him from behind and caused him a backache. Rather than half of his life span, he hadn’t even reached half of that half, yet his back and neck had started to hurt.

“Niam, tomorrow I’ll go to a doctor for awhile, so during that time, can I ask you to take care of the children?”

“That’s okay”

Ewen was relieved when Niam easily agreed, he then planned on asking the doctor, who was also a magician, that lived in the closest village from there about familiar summoning.

He was hoping of having an animal familiar that could deal with the kittens without much difficulties, and if possible one that was good at raising children too.

“The place where an animal that’s good at dealing with children would probably be, huh?”

Hmmm, he who was pondering, had just taken over the position as the village’s doctor and was a young demon race. From the previous generation, Ewen heard that he was well-informed about the mountain in the vicinity of  that village.

“Or, an animal that won’t be distressed when dealing with children is also good”

If one had to say, for Ewen who had been shutting himself indoor in the outskirts and lived by making magic items, despite this doctor’s young age, the existence of him who knew a lot about medicine and outdoors was very rea.s.suring.

“I think that my physical strength has gotten better than before, but the children are way beyond that.

When you take your eyes off them a little they’ll start going somewhere; just in case, I’ve erected barrier so they can’t carelessly go outside, but I think it’s better to have another eye before an incident or something occur”

“Since there are a lot of wolf in this area, I think there’s a high probability that animal from wolf family will be summoned”

“Wolf, is it……?”

“Wolf is said to treat its family preciously, so it may match with your condition”

“I see”

Un, Ewen nodded, he then was taught everything he needed to know, thanked the doctor and went home.

If the one summoned were to be a pixie dragon or some sort like what the doctor had done, the kittens would surely be happy, however he had never heard of pixie dragon around there. If that was the case, summoning a splendid wolf for a familiar and letting it dealt with the kittens would be the most satisfactory option.

Returning home, he immediately unfolded that area’s map, and pondering about how far should he go. If he went too far, it might be dangerous after all.

“Ewen, what are you doing?”

“Nn? I’m going to summon a familiar”

“Familiar?”

“I’m thinking of having an animal to be my familiar, to help in dealing with the children”

“Fuuun? What animal?”

As if covering his back, Niam stuck closely to Ewen, sniff sniff, she sniffed while peeking at the map.

“I won’t know until I’ve summoned it. It should be an animal that agrees on being my familiar though”

“Niam wants a soft and fluffy animal. It’ll be fun if I can climb on its back”

“If I summoned that kind of animal, I think the children will also be happy”

While wagging her tail, Niam laughed fufu.

“Since Ewen’s the one summoning it, it’ll surely be a cute one. Niam’s looking forward to it. Niam hopes it’ll give Niam a ride”

Will that kind of convenient animal really come? Ewen laughed as he smoothly tidied up the parchment on the table.

“Since it need preparation, I’ll summon it 2 or 3 days later, but on that day I’ll leave the children to Niam”

“Un, leave it to Niam!”

Looking forward to it, Niam clung to Ewen in high spirits.

.

A few days later, after finis.h.i.+ng up the preparation and entrusting the children to Niam, Ewen went out. Although it was not too far, the place where he’d settle down to draw the summoning circle and other preparation was still deep in the mountain.

From what he had heard, a summoning would require a whole day, and after he had finished he’d also need to rest for awhile too. Antic.i.p.ating that, Ewen had made an arrangement so he could camp out immediately.

“I think this is already fine enough”

Finally finis.h.i.+ng all the preparation, hoo, he took a breath. After confirming everything once more, Ewen then sat down in the middle of the summoning circle.

He concentrated on chanting the long magic aria, and slowly started calling out to the animals around…… little by little, he extended the scope of his call.

The village doctor said something like making themselves as bait to lure out the animal, well then, what kind of animal would be lured out with Ewen as a bait?

If possible he’d like animal that would be fond of Niam and the kittens, as well as having disposition that would be liked by them too. Animal that had stamina that wouldn’t lose to those kittens with monstrous stamina, good at caring for others……and then had soft and fluffy fur that Niam seemed to like. It would be even better if it can let Niam rode on its back like what Niam had said.

While thinking so, Ewen earnestly concentrated.

It was when sun had set and his surrounding had gone dark that a rustling sound of the thicket was heard and a large beast showed itself.

“……are you willing to be my familiar?”

After continuing to concentrate without drinking nor eating for a whole day, Ewen’s throat was parched and his voice turned hoa.r.s.e. His eyes too were getting blurry.

As if answering Ewen’s question, the beast came out and sat in front of him.

What appeared was a beast with bushy tail and long fur resembling mane, it was a large wildcat. At the tip of its chin was long fur dangling like that of a goat, and on its back was golden pelt having the pattern of small spots scattered all over it. The tip of its ears and tail had blackish brown fur, while its stomach was white.

When Ewen stood up, the large wildcat’s head reached way above his knees.

The wildcat sat still as if waiting, then slightly tilted its head and stared at Ewen with s.h.i.+ning bright green eyes.

“Your beard makes you seem like a mountain sage. How about Wiz (wise one) as your name?”

The wildcat, as if acknowledging it, licked Ewen’s held out hand with its rough tongue.

“I’ll be counting on you from now on”

Feeling relieved, Ewen let out a breath and patted Wiz’s head, then unsteadily slipped into the tent he had prepared before. He took the water bag and drank, “Sorry, I’m very tired so we’ll be heading home after I sleep for a bit, okay?”, and after saying so he immediately lay down.

Wiz tilted its head from a slight bewilderment, after which it also entered the tent and curled up snuggling beside Ewen’s back.

The next morning, somewhat half asleep, Ewen caressed the furball curling beside his back. The sensation was somehow very fluffy, and it was when he realized that it had a different feeling than with Niam that he finally sobered up.

“Aah, so that’s it”

This is not at home, but outdoors, he thought as he called out “Good Morning”. Wiz raised its body, cried out, and rubbed it head to Ewen’s hand.

After that, the two divided the food they had on hand and had a light meal before tidying up the luggage and departed back home.

“Niam, horned nii-chan came home!”

A little bit after noon, the sharp sighted children found Ewen coming back from the mountain and shouted, then immediately all the kittens gathered while shouting “Waa!”.

“Ewen! What kind of child is the familiar?”

Jumping at Ewen, Niam asked while hugging him.

“It’s behind me. I’ll introduce you, this is Wiz. I hope you’ll get along well”

Nyaa, different than what he had imagined, Wiz gave a very cat-like cry and walked forward.

At that time, uwaa, or ,it’s so fluffy, the kittens were raising a fuss.

“Hey, don’t be so noisy and calm down.

Wiz, if the children are becoming too much, feel free to scold them, okay?”

Wiz once more cried nyaa as if saying I understand, then used its tail to smack the children’s hands that were reaching out to Wiz rudely.

“Give your greetings properly. When you meet someone for the first time, you must introduce yourself, right? And then, before touching, you must ask for Wiz’s permission first”

Yees, the kittens introduced themselves one by one, as Wiz stared at them quietly before gave out a cry nyaa as if feeling satisfied.

After that, Wiz rolled over and showed a posture as if saying it’s okay if they wanted to pet it.

Waa, the kittens all became noisy as they stretched out their hands, during that time, as if teaching them the right etiquette of petting, Wiz would sometimes slapped their hands with its tail or foreleg, and seeing all of that, Ewen thought to himself if it’s like this, it’ll surely be fine, and felt relieved.

At night, saying that it’s a welcome party for Wiz, Niam put all her skill and treated them a delicious deer meat cuisine.

After Wiz came, the kittens’ behavior turned better and it received great reputation in their hometown.

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