After the overwhelming force of the ant ghost was easily knocked down.
We were returning to the E-zone headquarters in the commander’s car.
Ah, I asked if we needed to remove the ant ghost’s corpse, and they said it was fine.
Anyway, if we leave it there, the disposal team will come and take it.
…If that’s the case, it would have been nice if they had also taken care of the corpse at our headquarters.
Such petty people.
Thanks to them, it was fun cleaning up, but repeating the same thing will eventually get tiring.
Anyway, now the only thing left to do is return to the headquarters and then spend the reward money leisurely.
It’s an easy task.
Except for one small issue that has come up for me.
“…So, how should we use Maru’s wish right to make it look like it was well used?”
“Yeah. I think this will be a once-in-a-lifetime dilemma.”
“What do you think, Maru?”
For some reason, the two of them, with greedy looks like predators, have grabbed me and won’t let go.
What should I think about?
“Can we talk after you let me go first?”
“No. I feel like you’d escape if we do that.”
Ugh, how did they know?
“Well… alright. I’ve made up my mind.”
“Already?”
“I’ve decided first, so I should use Maru’s unlimited access first, right?”
“What?! That’s unfair! Why don’t we decide with rock-paper-scissors instead?!”
When did the wish right become Maru’s unlimited access…
But let’s forget about that for now. I’m really worried that something big will happen if this continues.
I was just thinking of simple errands or a massage, but I don’t know what they’re thinking.
It definitely doesn’t seem like something ordinary.
“Alright, rock-paper-scissors…”
Rock!
Suddenly, a rock-paper-scissors match was decided.
…The result was. The sea chose scissors, and Nunu chose rock.
It was Nunu’s victory.
“Noooo!!!”
Why is she wailing like that as if she lost her country?
Is it really that important?
Anyway, Nunu, the winner of rock-paper-scissors, got to use the wish right first.
…I wonder what she’s going to do. I just hope it’s not something weird.
“Alright, Maru.”
Nunu’s face is getting closer.
She’s smiling at me while making eye contact, and it’s quite unsettling.
Hehe…
gulp
For some reason, I shivered and swallowed instinctively.
The tension slowly turned into fear, and my body started trembling.
What on earth is she planning to say or demand, making all this suspense?
While I was fidgeting, caught by Nunu, her mouth opened.
“Let’s watch a movie together!”
“Uh?”
…It’s a request that’s completely different from what I had imagined.
“Uh…”
“I was hoping to go back comfortably, but it seems like Nunu doesn’t plan on letting me go anytime soon.
Nunu, holding me like a mother bird caring for a baby bird, sat down in her seat.
The sea was watching us enviously.
“Hey, um…”
“To be able to use Maru freely for a day, it feels like a dream.”
No, it’s not like Maru’s unlimited access, you know.
What I was talking about is just a wish right, so why has it been misunderstood like this…?
Still, doesn’t it feel comfortable to be held like this?”
“Comfortable? It’s only uncomfortable and frustrating!”
Maybe not?
Listening to Nunu’s words, it actually seems a little comforting.
It feels like when I was in the box, relaxed and safe.
Not bad, huh?
Swish.
“Heeek! Don’t, don’t pat my head?!”
Oh my, Maru kept sticking out her head, so I just patted it.
If she doesn’t like it, should I stop?”
“Ah.”
No, stopping wouldn’t do.
I shook my head, signaling her to keep patting it.
“Hehe, if you’re not satisfied, just say it.”
Hehe…
Swish, swish.
It’s so warm and comfortable, so it’s ridiculous to stop now.
My body is becoming more and more relaxed.
Somehow, every time I get patted, I feel like all my energy drains away.
I’m worried that if this continues, I’ll become a weak Maru who can be easily subdued by just getting patted.
But whatever, as long as it feels good.
Snooze snooze…
“Oh my.”
Nunu looked down at Maru, who had fallen asleep in her arms.
It was hard to believe that she was the same person who had just fought fiercely a moment ago, now sleeping with such a peaceful expression.
“Hehe…”
She wanted to take a picture of Maru, who was sleeping with her mouth slightly open, exhaling warm breaths regularly, but…
She eventually decided against it.
For now, she thought the most important thing was to keep every moment of Maru’s appearance in her eyes.
Nunu thought of Maru’s usual behavior.
She likes being praised, wants to act like an adult, and loves having her head patted.
She’s kind and considerate, overly attentive to others…
Maru was that kind of child.
If you borrow the words of the commander, he once said that Maru threw herself without hesitation to protect the supplies of the command post.
‘She was the first to run out when she first saw Bada.
She was also the first to soothe and calm Bada when she suddenly started crying.
But even if she’s considered a five-star mercenary, at her core, she’s still a child. An age when she should be growing up with the love of adults.
What was Maru like when I first saw her? Perhaps because she had been alone in the command post all that time, she seemed more thoughtful than expected and was always puffing herself up to appear mature.
No matter how strong and tough she looks, she’s still fragile on the inside.
That’s why Nunu poured excessive affection into Maru and tried to get closer to her.
At the very least, Nunu wanted to show her that there was no need to try to act like an adult when she wasn’t fighting monsters and to help her act her age and be more playful.
Even though Maru constantly tried to emphasize how much of a “manly man” she was to Nunu, and even though she grumbled and acted like she was ignoring Nunu, she still listened to everything Nunu said, which made her seem like a little kitten.
‘Still, she’s getting better little by little.’
At first, Maru didn’t even allow Nunu to pat her, but now her tolerance level was expanding.
That was good news. It meant that she was starting to trust the commander and herself more.
“Uung…”
“Ah.”
Maybe it was because of the cold air from the air conditioner, but Maru frowned and burrowed deeper into Nunu’s arms.
“…Warm.”
When Nunu reached out and hugged her tightly, Maru finally relaxed and smiled in relief.
“Wow, that’s seriously insane.”
“Shh.”
“Ah.”
When Bada, who had been watching the scene absentmindedly, let out a sigh of admiration, Nunu hurriedly put a finger to her lips.
It was a signal to be quiet so they wouldn’t wake Maru.
Fortunately, Bada seemed to understand the signal and didn’t say anything more.
Instead, her tail was trembling violently, as if she had a vibrating motor attached to it.
“Keep your tail still. You’re going to make the fur fly everywhere.”
“You’re one to talk, Nunu…”
Huh? Me?
Surprised, Nunu checked her own tail and found that it was spinning rapidly.
“This is unavoidable. There’s no helping it when you’re holding Maru like this.”
“Then I want to feel that feeling too…”
“No. Keep your fur to yourself.”
If a single cat hair got into Maru’s mouth, Nunu would make butterfly soup out of Bada.
Nunu thought about that for a moment, but for now, she just focused on stroking Maru, who was still fast asleep.
‘I also want to cuddle with cute Maru.’
If she accidentally woke Maru up by holding her too tightly, she’d make Bada into dog soup.
Bada thought about that for a moment and then tried to take in as much of the sleeping Maru as she could with her eyes.
‘They’re both so ridiculous.’
The commander, sitting in the driver’s seat, quietly scoffed to himself.
No matter what anyone said, Maru’s favorite person was definitely him, so watching the two of them compete over Maru was amusing.
“Everyone, we’re almost there now…”
“Shh.”
“Ah.”
And after they arrived at Sector E’s command post,
Nunu and Bada went in to wash up first, leaving the commander and the soundly sleeping Maru alone in the lobby.
“Oo…”
“…Seriously, she’s sleeping so soundly that someone could carry her away without him even noticing.”
Whatever kind of dream she was having, Maru was smiling so happily, as if she was in heaven.
“Pudding, it’s pudding… Hehe. Ehehe. Looks delicious…”
‘I think I know what she’s dreaming about.’
With her mouth slightly open and mumbling to herself, Maru looked exactly like a young child snuggling into the commander’s arms.
“…This isn’t good for my heart,” the commander muttered softly, wishing that Nunu would come back as soon as possible.
The fact that Maru’s small face was clearly visible because of the way she was cradled like a princess didn’t help either.
‘Haa…’
It wasn’t like the commander had chosen this position on purpose.
It was because when Nunu had gone in to take a bath, she had said:
“Make sure she sleeps in the most comfortable position. For example… like, a princess carry?”
“…It’s healing, sure, but it feels almost too good.”
“Hehe, pudding. Yum!”
“Ahhh!”
While the commander was lost in thought with a sigh,
Maru, busy looking for pudding in her dream, ended up biting down on the commander’s finger.