『Nekoneko』 Monster Introduction
【Snow Paon】
A subspecies of the elephant-type monster “Paon,” it inhabits snowy regions.
Its primary attack method is spitting snow with a stun effect from its long trunk.
It boasts a mysterious popularity in videos and fan works, appearing almost as frequently as the Fragment of the Evil God.
After being filled to the brim with a “forced loop event” that was more like psychological warfare, which went something like this: “Layla’s passionately prepared food, and with every bite, a voice would say, ‘Ah, um. How is it? I wanted Soma to eat it, I only thought of Soma, and made it solely for Soma. If there’s anything wrong, I’ll fix it exactly as you say, I’ll do anything you ask… Ah, um, So- SOMA? Why aren’t you answering me? Ah, I see. I- I’m sorry. Th- this isn’t delicious, is it? Made by someone like me, it’s completely useless, right? I’ll throw it all away! And then I’ll remake everything… Ah, delicious? Y- yes! I’m so happy! Then I’ll make a hundred more plates of this dish for you!! Eh, really? I- I understand. If Soma says so. Ah, in that case, try this too? Ah, aaah. J- just kidding… Ah, I- I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Things from my plate are probably dirty, right? I, know my place… Ah! Ehehe. Thank you. …Ah, um. How is it?” I excused myself, saying I was going to take a bath.
“…Nn.”
As if sensing its cue, Ringo naturally stood up.
When I go to the bath, I usually ask Ringo to watch over me so I don’t drown.
However, this time, the situation was different.
“Ah, sorry Ringo. You don’t need to accompany me today.”
“…?”
To Ringo, who tilted her head in confusion, I pointed to a certain individual.
“Because Sahzan promised to accompany me today. Right? Sah-zan?”
The last word turned into a question because Sahzan, the person in question, was engrossed in reading a book, seemingly oblivious to my words.
And it wasn’t just reading a book…
“Partial activation of magic… enlarge effect duration… arrange spell… boost magic power…”
Could this be…?
It’s the ultimate Secret Technique of loners: feigning deep immersion in specialized matters to deter others from speaking to them!
Moreover, though she might not realize it, she mutters incomprehensible things, making her even more unapproachable and thus a highly effective technique with additional benefits.
It wouldn’t be surprising if a formidable (in a loner sense) individual like Sahzan had mastered this, but the fact that she’s using it now suggests she might really not want to go to the bath with me.
“Hey, Sahzan! Let’s go to the bath!”
When I placed my hand on her shoulder, Sahzan flinched. After a few seconds, she finally seemed to understand me and nodded with an unnervingly restless demeanor.
“D- don’t worry! I’m a genius so I’ll be fine!!”
Genius has nothing to do with the bath, but it’s a relief that she’s not refusing to go.
As I urged Sahzan to stand up, telling her “Look, let’s go,” a voice called out from behind us.
“That’s unusual. For you to proactively try to engage with Sahzan.
What’s gotten into you?”
Turning around, I saw Mitsuki watching us, her ears twitching with curiosity.
For a moment, I almost blurted out that we made plans to go to the bath together, but I stopped myself just in time.
I glanced over at Layla.
Layla, while seemingly engrossed in cleaning up after cooking, was casting sharp glances around with the corner of her eyes. Perhaps because I worried her by going to the Magician’s Guild, Layla seemed emotionally unstable lately. In fact, it feels like she’s unconsciously switched into Yandere mode.
In her Yandere state, Layla is indiscriminate, for better or worse.
The current Layla gives off the vibe that she’d quickly “deal with” anyone, regardless of their orientation or even if they were a stuffed animal, if they got too close to me.
“No, Sahzan broke my Dark Shun… Fingerless Gloves, you see.
I asked her to keep me company as a sort of penalty game.”
“I see. Is that so.”
Mitsuki gave a reaction that was neither fully convinced nor unconvincible, a subtle response.
I’d be in trouble if she probed further.
“If you don’t want to…”
Layla started to say, but I brushed her off and continued.
“Come on, Sahzan! Stop reading that book and let’s go!”
“Visual input only mimicry… by magic quality, arbitrary target… convergence by trial count… Wha!
D- don’t pull me! Just a little, just a little more…!”
“Come already!”
I forcibly made Sahzan, who was still muttering, stand up and dragged her to the changing room.
And so, when it came time to actually enter the bath, Sahzan started to balk at the last moment.
“I- I’ll go in later!”
“Hah?”
When I let out an annoyed voice, Sahzan showed a fearful demeanor but stubbornly refused to change her mind.
“I- I didn’t say I wouldn’t go in with you.
It’s just… I’m almost done reading!”
“Done reading? That book?”
Sahzan insisted, but the book was still only halfway through.
It didn’t seem like she could finish it in a mere few minutes.
(…Well, that’s fine.)
I didn’t particularly care about bathing with Sahzan.
If she wanted to escape, so be it, I decided to concede for now.
“…You’re really going to come in later, right?”
“Of course! That’s right. I swear on our clan’s heirloom, this 『Soul Ring Bracelet』!”
“No, I don’t know about that.”
I casually dismissed Sahzan, who was saying whatever came to mind, and decided to go in first.
Incidentally, while I was undressing, Sahzan kept her back turned to me and read her book intently.
Though not strictly necessary, I gave my body a quick wash and sank into the large bathtub.
Of course, I would drown if I submerged my face, so I stayed in like a normal bath, up to my shoulders.
“—Haa.”
Sahzan should be coming soon, I thought.
Well, that is, if her words from earlier weren’t a lie.
(…This is bad. I’m starting to get nervous.)
I wondered why I was nervous about someone like Sahzan, but thinking about it, it’s probably been since a middle or high school field trip that I last bathed with someone.
Should I have prepared a towel or something? But would using a towel in the bath be forbidden even in this world? I started fretting over trivial things when…
“—!”
With a creak, the door opened.
And beyond it stood Sahzan, arms crossed.
Contrary to my expectations, she looked remarkably composed. Without a hint of embarrassment, Sahzan… covering her body wrapped in a black cloak… wait.
“Wh-What the hell are you doing!!”
I never would have imagined that even Sahzan would come to the bath wearing clothes.
Well, it seems that due to her habits from the Game era, she didn’t used to enter the bath naked, but surely at least my companions now take them off.
Ena, after her bath, wasn’t wet at all.
And the person herself seemed to realize she had done something strange.
She hesitantly asked.
“A- are I supposed to take off my clothes too?”
“Obviously.”
If she came in wearing that cloak, I wouldn’t be able to relax.
“M- my staff too?”
“O- OBVIOUSLY!!”
“B- but, a staff is the most important thing for a Magician, second only to life itself. Without it, the accuracy of my magic…”
“What are you planning to do in the bath?”
“G- guhh…”
When I pressed her, Sahzan looked dejected for a moment but quickly lifted her face.
“Alright. Wait here for a moment.”
With a determined expression, she looked at me.
It was the face of a man who had made up his mind.
…No, it’s just a bath.
This happened when I was lying in the bathtub, about to doze off.
“H- help me!”
The bathroom door burst open with a loud noise, and I jolted awake.
As a way to cover my embarrassment, I called out to the door…
“Hey, slow down Sah-…Huh?”
The moment I saw Sahzan’s figure, my jaw dropped.
It wasn’t because Sahzan had removed her mask.
She was completely naked, yet still stubbornly wearing her mask.
But, much lower than that.
In front of Sahzan, who was standing at attention, was—
“PAON!!”
—A Snow Paon head of exceptionally large size, proudly raising its nose.
“Eh? Wh- What?!”
Its imposing presence was truly G-rank.
Witnessing this, which could only be described as a monster, I was utterly confused.
(Wait! Wait, wait, wait!)
No, let’s calm down.
Let’s think.
Even if it’s a big size, it’s still in comparison to Sahzan’s physique, so it’s naturally smaller than a real Snow Paon.
No, that’s not the point.
But then, what is the point?
Is it something like, “I keep a monster in my crotch”? Is that the kind of story?
Even if you keep a monster, there should be limits.
(C- calm down, calm down, me!)
I shook my head vigorously, trying to regain control of my wandering thoughts.
But could something like this really be happening?
Is this what they call a fantasy world?
Perhaps, due to the internal settings arbitrarily decided by the 『Nekoneko』 staff, Sahzan ended up bearing such a burden?
“Wh- What? D- don’t stare so much.”
Before I knew it, I had been staring at Sahzan’s Snow Paon.
Sahzan tilted her upper body diagonally as if to protect herself… but shouldn’t she be hiding what needs to be hidden below first!!
“… I- I’m sorry.”
I wanted to shout something like that, but I just couldn’t bring myself to be harsh with Sahzan.
Partly it was the sheer “What is that scary thing” factor.
But more than that, I felt pity for Sahzan.
Naturally, with something like that, even Sahzan wouldn’t want to bathe with anyone.
Moreover, if a child were to witness something like this, they might be bullied, and there’s a good chance they could develop chuunibyou as a result.
“W- well, come in.”
I tried to greet her with a forced smile.
…Though I’m not entirely sure if the smile was genuine.
“F- Fine! A- as you wish.”
Sahzan, perhaps also nervous, gave a strange reply and cautiously moved forward.
I wanted to tell her to at least wash her body first, but I no longer had the energy for it.
Sahzan, puffing out her chest and seemingly at her wit’s end, entered the bath as if to show off her Snow Paon, and for some reason, with her arms still crossed.
“Ugh!”
The moment her body submerged in the water, I inadvertently looked directly at Sahzan’s Snow Paon.
…Senior Sahzan, truly a monster tamer.
“I- It’s nic- nice hot water.”
“R- really?”
Sahzan, now submerged up to her shoulders, made such an awkward comment, and I returned with an equally awkward one.
Besides, why is she still crossing her arms even after entering?
Psychologically, protecting her front with her arms indicates wariness, but she’s being overly tense.
For a while, an indescribable tension enveloped the two of us, but humans can’t stay tense forever.
As time passed, I regained a sliver of composure to think, and Sahzan, though still keeping her arms crossed, seemed to relax slightly.
“Still, you really don’t take off that mask, do you?”
In the slightly more relaxed atmosphere, I initiated the conversation. Sahzan, as usual, snorted from behind her mask.
“Hmph! This mask is a sacred artifact passed down in my clan.
It cannot be removed lightly for something as trivial as a bath.”
“Didn’t you say that bracelet was a family heirloom earlier?”
When I pointed this out, Sahzan’s face turned bright red as she retorted.
“B- both! Both are family treasures! This mask is a sacred artifact, and this bracelet is a treasure!
S- so, I absolutely cannot remove either of them!
Look, I even brought the bracelet here!”
Sahzan skillfully pulled the bracelet off her wrist while her arms were still crossed and lifted it with just her hand to show me.
I hadn’t noticed it due to the impact of the Snow Paon, but she was wearing the bracelet too.
Or rather…
“You’re taking it off right now.”
“Th- that’s… It’s fine even if I’m holding it…”
“Then, you could actually take off the mask, couldn’t you?”
I pressed on with a slightly mischievous feeling.
“Th- that’s… If I take this off, I won’t be me anymore…”
She muttered, her tone unexpectedly serious.
This was an unexpected reaction, but I couldn’t let such a statement pass.
“You won’t be you anymore, you say…”
As I tried to pursue the matter…
“Wh- What! N- no! Th- that’s not what I meant!!”
Sahzan, still with her arms crossed, frantically splashed the water’s surface.
…Hey, stop that.
The Snow Paon in the water is also causing a commotion.
“R- rather, didn’t you say you had something you needed from me!
W- what is it you want?”
“That is…”
For a moment, I was at a loss for words.
I had originally intended to talk a bit more and break the ice before bringing it up, but I had no choice.
Reluctantly, I opened my mouth.
“I have a request. I want you to help me find a book on an attack magic.”
“Attack magic? After defeating the Demon Lord, you still need something like that?”
“…No. It’s precisely because we defeated the Demon Lord.”
I hesitated for a moment whether I should say the next words.
But…
If I were to confess this to someone, among the party members, Sahzan would be the most suitable.
Sahzan, who has the least connection with me among my companions, and who needs me the least.
So, I looked directly into Sahzan’s eyes behind her mask and clearly said this:
“—I think I want to go back to my original world.”
The moment I said it, sound seemed to disappear from the world for an instant.
“…Ah.”
The bracelet slipped from Sahzan’s hand and fell into the water with a surprisingly loud splash.
“Wha- What!”
Then, as if jolted, the world resumed its motion. Sahzan turned her back to me and began searching for the bracelet that had fallen into the hot water.
With her back still to me, Sahzan replied in a halting voice.
“I- I see. You’re going back. That’s natural!
You said you weren’t from this world originally!
I- I understand, I’ll cooperate too!
…Haha! I- I get it! It’s okay, I understand!”
As Sahzan’s trembling voice echoed, the search for the bracelet in the clear bathwater, for some reason, continued for a while.
Soma: “I won’t stay in a world like this! I’m going back to Monster Hunter!”
And so, from the next installment, the Return Arc.
We plan to deliver a passionate story, with the enthusiasm equivalent to hurling fire magic in the comment section.
