Memories Returned
Pochi’s Point of View
I finally met His Majesty the King. A King who looks just like me now… My real father.
The man who might be my father was obsessively sniffing me all over. He sniffed me a lot. My tail was tucked between my legs and trembling. It was embarrassing, and honestly, a little scary.
With teary eyes, I desperately looked to Oneechan and others for help, but they averted their gaze. They seemed unsure of what to do. Oniichan’s face was twitching.
A dignified-looking, sharp-featured wolf beastman sniffing me all over was an incredibly surreal sight.
“This is definitely the scent of Portforio… I’m sorry, it’s been so long since I last smelled it that it took me a while to recognize. You’ve grown so much… Pochi.”
Finally, my eyes met with His Majesty’s. And in that instant, my memories came rushing back.
This man used to hold me all the time when he was younger. I was loved—truly loved by my family. Yes, this man is my father.
“O-Otousan… No… Toto-sama…?”
I called him as I did when I was little. It felt like the long-missing piece of my puzzle had finally fallen into place.
“Oh! It really is you, Pochi! You’re safe! You’re really safe!!”
“Toto-sama!”
He embraced me with his large body. The familiar scent… Ah, it really is Toto-sama.
I’ve finally come home.
At the edge of my mind, I saw the faces of my kind second set of parents, the raging fire, and the fake parents who told me to run.
Now’s not the time to think about it.
One day, I want to visit their graves.
As I was lost in thought, Toto-sama spoke.
“… Paula… Your mother is ill and recuperating right now, but I’m sure she’d be happy to see you. Will you go to her?”
“Of course!”
I came here to see my mother—Kaka-sama—in the first place.
Toto-sama led me through the castle, but something felt off. It was too far.
Kaka-sama was in the depths of the castle… No, in a tower separate from the main castle. Almost like… No, maybe she was quarantined because of her illness.
“Dear…?”
“Paula…”
“… I told you not to come here too often…”
Her voice was weak but still elegant.
There, lying in bed, was my…
“Kaka-sama!”
She tried to reach out for me but hesitated.
“Oh… Portforio? My dear Pochi, is it really you? Oh, God, I thank you. I’m so sorry. Kaka-sama’s illness might be contagious to you and Toto-sama. I want to hold you, but I can’t let you get sick. You mustn’t come any closer.”
Her illness was likely the one that only the royal family of this country could contract.
“… Gator…”
No doctor had been able to cure it. Neither Grandpa nor Grandma, nor anyone else.
“Pochi, I’m a doctor. If there’s a patient, I’ll do my best whether I’m asked to or not. Ru-sama, Ojousama, help me out please.”
“”Understood.””
Gator, Oniichan and Oneechan put on masks and approached Kaka-sama.
“What… is this…?”
Gator, who had begun his examination, looked puzzled.
Oneechan, beside him, had turned pale.
“What is this? Why…?”
She was inspecting Kaka-sama’s chest and hands. There was something there… Right, that disease had a pattern like a clock that appeared on the chest and spread across the body.
“Oneechan, is Kaka-sama…?”
“She’ll be fine. This is more my kind of case than Gator’s!”
Then, Oneechan raised her hand.
“Mother-in-law, Lavita, Arisa, come on!!”
“Yeees~”
“What is it? Evil?”
“You called, Oneechan?”
A golden-haired sister, Lavita, and Arisa appeared.
“I need you to heal this lady.”
“Leave it to me.”
“Got it.”
“Okaaay~”
Then, Arisa and the others left.
Kaka-sama was wrapped in golden light… and was left in a daze.
“The pain… it’s gone… The marks… they’re disappearing!?”
Kaka-sama swayed as she reached for me.
“Pochi!”
“Kaka-sama!”
“Oh, this feels like a dream! To see my child again! To hold you in my arms! Let me see your face properly. You’ve grown so much…”
“Kaka-sama, Kaka-sama… I missed you so much!”
I wanted to see her. But I couldn’t.
I locked those feelings away because remembering was too painful. I buried those happy memories—of being loved and loving—so deep that I couldn’t even recall them.
“Kaka-sama, Kaka-samaaa!!”
Kaka-sama gently held me as I sobbed.
“I missed you too, my dear Pochi…”
As I breathed in her familiar scent and felt her warmth, I knew… I was glad I came.
“Well, since we’ve come this far, we might as well go all the way. If we don’t deal with the root cause, Pochi’s mother might get sick again.”
I heard Oneechan’s voice.
“You called Mother and Lavita, so is this the work of Evil?”
Dirk-san confirmed with Oneechan.
Wait, didn’t Oneechan already defeat Evil?
“Let’s find out. Emergency! Urgent deployment, Kurarin!!”
“The heavens call, the earth calls, the people call! I hear the voices crying for help! With the power of love, I’ll solve it all!!”
The room was filled with heart-shaped light.
“Magical Girl Miracle Kurarin☆Goddess of Love version, descends☆☆”
Yeah… A cute-looking old man appeared.
Looking closely, it was Kurarin.
Thinking carefully, he even announced his name.
“Bravo! Bravo, Kurarin!!”
“Thank you, Rosarin!!”
Oneechan was clapping.
Dirk-san, Oniichjan, and Gator had distant looks in their eyes.
“What is this?”
Toto-sama and I had the exact same thought at the exact same moment.
Kaka-sama and Grandpa were frozen in place.
What do you think about this chapter?
