A Non-Freeloader in The Beast World

Chapter 2

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I gave it my best effort to think.

"I'm not dreaming, and there's no forest next to my mansion, so it's not a scheme by that old hag," I whispered to myself.

**Flop**

I laid on the floor of the cave and looked up at the ceiling of the cave for a long time. As soon as my thoughts were free of the circumstance, my hand naturally contacted the surface I was lying on.

"It's a good thing this cave isn't dirty."

It felt a little shiny and soft. I closed my eyes, blissfully aware of the forest's aroma and the calming sound of the breeze.

"This isn't bad..."

—After some time—

Once more opening my eyes, I got up. In order to face the wall directly, I moved closer to it. My head was up and my arms were wide open.

"I should try for the last time...right?"

I'm hoping nobody notices. How embarrassing would that be!? I closed my eyes and shouted,

"Open Sesame!!!"

—Silence—

"Open Sesame?!!"

—Whoosh—

Shit, I totally failed! Things such as these are untrustworthy. My sigh was deep.

Glancing toward the sun, I left the cave. Approximately afternoon is when it should be. Everything is such a failure that it's making me hungry. It's time to look for food.

I turned left and proceeded to explore the forest in search of food. Many diverse plants were present along the route, but it was evident that the majority of the fruits were toxic. I ought to check it again; these fruits are rather familiar.

I covered my fingers with the hem of my shirt and touched the leaf and the shrub. Smooth, heart-shaped leaves with no thorns or spikes on the bushes; the berries are dark purple with blue undertones.

I selected a bunch of them and said, "Hmm...confirmed, wild blueberries."

I scowled. "This isn't how I'm supposed to be treated."

I took a single blue berry and started to gnaw on it. "But it's not bad." I finished the remaining wild blueberry cluster and felt full.

I attempted to pluck further clusters from the bushes, humming a little when I sensed someone was looking at me. Oh... a predator is approaching. A snarl sounded behind me, so I took a deep breath and turned to face it.

The size and fur suggest that this is an eastern timber wolf. Its ravenous eyes were penetrating me, but I remained composed. After a few minutes of this standoff, it gave me one last roar before turning to look at the berries I'm carrying.

"Want some?" I asked, holding up all the clusters of wild blueberries and putting them on the ground. It dives right for the berries and begins to eat them. 

Why is it so easy to talk to this wolf? I lowered myself to look at it more closely, my eyes serene. Its eyes had lost their previous fierceness but it suddenly leaped on me!

"Huh?!"

Despite my extreme shock, I managed to maintain my equilibrium and avoid falling by using my arm.

Its tail continued to wag, as I witnessed. Ah? I didn't think it would be that easily domesticated by the alpha trick. Its face was near mine, and its paws were resting on my lap.