Chapter 143: I want to be popular (5)

They say that wild animals have sharply developed instincts that humans cannot perceive.

Perhaps because of this, when Sion approached without using hypnosis, she was scratched and swiped at by the cats six times in a row.

Watching from the side, it was truly astonishing.

How could they all, without exception, struggle and resist so fiercely, rejecting her with their entire bodies?

As her failures continued to pile up, Sion’s patience finally reached its limit.

“These annoying furballs… How dare such insignificant creatures collectively defy me…?

From today onward, I will utterly exterminate you all and wipe out your entire species—”

-“Calm down! Calm down!!! They’re not doing it on purpose!!!”

Seeing Sion muttering ominously, Exia trembled in fear.

From her voice, she could tell she was 100% serious.

If she didn’t stop her now, she might really bury the cats alive.

-“Come on, relax~ Relax~ Love and peace!

Don’t have any bad thoughts—let’s smile! Smile, smile!”

“…Hmph.”

Looking at Exia, who was desperately trying to soothe her, Sion let out a small sigh.

Then, rubbing the wounds the cats had inflicted on her earlier, she spoke.

“At least it’s a relief that no one else saw this.

If they had, my reputation as a hero would have been utterly tarnished.

Even if I didn’t expect it, to think I’d be injured by mere cats…”

-“Well, about that…”

Exia hesitated, glancing at her cautiously before carefully opening her mouth.

-“I was thinking… Do you really need to be seen handing out cookies?

Wouldn’t it be enough of a ‘gap moe’ moment if people just saw you sulking after failing to get along with the cats?”

After all, similar scenes often appeared in comics—where a stoic student constantly tries to approach a cat but only ends up getting bitten and failing.

Considering that ‘gap moe’ is all about unexpected charm from contrast, Sion’s current misfortunes could definitely fit into that category.

However, Sion shook her head firmly.

“No, in that case, my enemies could use it against me.

They could spread ridiculous rumors like ‘the wild animals sensed a dark, sinister aura around her that humans couldn’t see.’

I have to consider the potential drawbacks too.”

-“…But isn’t that… actually true?”

It was a fact that her aura was quite ominous.

But Exia decided to keep that thought to herself.

If she said it out loud now, she’d probably get hit.

And she had no interest in taking an unnecessary beating.

“Anyway, so is the charm spell still forbidden?

At this point, I think it definitely qualifies as an ‘unavoidable situation,’ as you put it.”

-“…”

Exia placed a finger on her lips and pondered for a moment.

Honestly, she felt like she could just allow it at this point.

It wasn’t as if Sion intended to use hypnosis for anything harmful or manipulative.

She just wanted to hand out the cookies she made.

That was her only goal.

And seeing her constantly getting scratched was starting to feel a little pitiful.

-“Alright. Then, from now on, you can do as you—”

Exia suddenly trailed off mid-sentence.

She sensed something.

The presence of another being, aside from the two of them.

Sion felt it too and glanced around.

Soon, she found the source of the strange presence staring at them from a nearby path.

“Woof!”

-“A dog?”

Indeed, it was a dog.

A tiny Shiba Inu, to be exact.

Unlike the hostile cats, the little dog was looking at Sion with a friendly expression, its tail wagging furiously, unable to hide its excitement.

Maybe it was too young to sense Sion’s impure soul properly.

Seeing this, Sion smirked as if she had just come up with a great idea.

“A dog, huh? Not bad.

A hundred—no, a thousand times better than those rude cats.

Maybe I should just go with this one instead.”

Saying that, she approached the puppy and picked it up.

The little dog didn’t resist; instead, it barked happily, wagging its tail even more.

As Sion placed the puppy on her lap and petted its back, she spoke.

“Good, good.

You’re such a well-behaved little one.

Shall we have a treat?”

“Woof!”

“Alright, alright, just a moment…”

Sion smiled as she opened the bag and took out a cookie.

Then, she placed it in the puppy’s mouth.

The little dog instantly devoured the treat, chomping away hungrily.

Nom nom nom…

“Hey now, don’t eat too fast.

No one’s going to take it from you.”

Sion chuckled and gently patted the puppy’s back.

It was a smile that seemed completely genuine, not forced in the slightest.

Exia, watching her from the side, tilted her head in curiosity.

-“Sion, do you like dogs?

Your reaction seems really different from when you were dealing with the cats.”

“Like them? Of course.

I even raised one back at the Demon King’s castle.”

-“What? Seriously? How?!”

There weren’t supposed to be any demonic beasts that were dogs…

At least, not as far as she knew.

Here is the English translation of your text, keeping Sion as female and ensuring clarity and readability:

Could it be that she had raised something like a Spirit Wolf?

But those creatures were known for their strong pride and refusal to serve other species.

As Exia was lost in curiosity, Sion began to explain.

“You know about the Demonization Procedure, right? The technique that injects human genes into demons, or demon genes into humans, mixing their traits together.

Before that was developed, an earlier experiment was conducted using magical beasts and regular animals as test subjects.

The goal was to combine the best traits of creatures from both worlds and create useful hybrid species that could be easily controlled.

That’s how the Spirit Hound species was born.

They were creatures with the powerful body of a Spirit Wolf but the unwavering loyalty of a dog.

Unlike their original counterparts, they remained devoted to their masters until death, making them extremely easy to handle.

And they were quite enjoyable to raise as well.”

-“There was such a thing? Then why didn’t I see them in the final battle?”

“Because that fight was way beyond their level. Why would I bring them there?

Obviously, I left them somewhere else.

Before the decisive battle, I assigned the Spirit Hounds to guard my youngest daughter.

They’re probably still around her even now.”

If they’re still alive, that is, Sion thought but held back from saying aloud.

After all, 500 years had passed.

Even if those creatures were spirits and didn’t age naturally, it was hard to believe they had survived for so long.

Thinking about how even a Giant Death Worm had lasted, there was a possibility that some of them were still alive.

But even then, their numbers would be few.

Either way, it wasn’t something that concerned Sion now.

Even if she searched for them, they likely wouldn’t recognize her anymore.

“Anyway, that’s why I like dogs.

As you can see, they’re loyal and affectionate.

Unlike those furball pests that see humans as either nuisances or mere servants.”

Sion spoke with a smile, stroking the puppy affectionately.

Her touch wasn’t just for show—it carried genuine warmth.

In response to the pleasant affection, the puppy barked loudly.

“Woof!”

And then, a few moments later—

“Aji! Aji! Where did you go? Aji!”

A familiar voice came running down the forest path.

It was Mila.

One of the commoner duo from the Sion Fan Club—the one with short hair.

Also, one of the three unfortunate souls who had been hospitalized after eating the hero’s infamous poison cookies last time.

As soon as her voice reached the area, the puppy sitting on Sion’s lap suddenly perked up and barked.

“Woof! Woof!”

“Aji!”

Mila’s face lit up as she rushed toward them.

The puppy immediately leaped off Sion’s lap and sprinted toward its owner.

As they reunited, Mila hugged her beloved pet and showered it with kisses.

“You little troublemaker!

Mommy was looking all over for you!”

“Woof!”

“There, there. You must’ve been scared being alone.

It’s okay now, I’m here…”

As she spoke, Mila glanced around and finally noticed Sion.

The moment she recognized her, she gasped and immediately stood at attention.

“Hi-Hiiek!? H-Hero?!?!”

“I-I’m so sorry!!

My dog has committed an unforgivable rudeness…!!!”

“Fufu, not at all.

Rudeness? Absolutely not.

In fact, I had a very pleasant time thanks to this little one.”

Sion beamed.

A radiant, angelic smile.

Mila was so mesmerized by that unreal beauty that she simply stared, dumbfounded.

“But so that puppy belongs to you, Mila?

No wonder it was so friendly.”

“Ah, yes! I got permission from the dorm matron to raise a dog. Hehe…”

Mila awkwardly scratched the back of her head, laughing shyly.

However, the next moment—

“…….”

Her expression froze.

It wasn’t the face of someone who had just witnessed something heartwarming.

It was the expression of someone staring into the abyss.

A look of pure horror.

Certainly not the kind of reaction one would have when seeing their idol take care of their pet.

Sion tilted her head at the unexpected response.

“Is something wrong, Mila?”

“H-Hero…

W-What’s that in your hand…?”

“This?”

Sion glanced down at the object in her hand.

Only then did she realize what Mila was misunderstanding.

She must have thought it was the same poison cookie from last time.

Just like Exia had assumed before.

Sion chuckled and waved her hand dismissively.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry.

This isn’t the same thing I gave you before.

It’s just a regular cookie from today’s meal—”

“T-That’s not the issue!!!”

“???”

Sion blinked in confusion.

If that wasn’t the issue, then what was?

“Why? Is there a problem?”

“T-That cookie… The black bits on top…That’s chocolate, isn’t it?”

“? Yes, it is.”

Upon hearing Sion’s calm response, Mila’s face turned deathly pale.

“H-Hero…D-Do you not know…?”

“Know what?”

“C-Chocolate is deadly for dogs…!!! If they eat it… if they eat even a little…!!!”

Sion felt a chill run down her spine.

She swallowed hard.

“What happens if they eat it…?”

Mila took a deep breath and continued in a trembling voice.

“Once chocolate gets digested in their stomach…They start convulsing uncontrollably…

Their body shuts down…

For dogs and cats, chocolate is a deadly poison…!!!”

Time stopped.

The moment those words left Mila’s mouth, both she and Sion instinctively turned their heads.

There, sitting innocently, was the little puppy.

Its pure, trusting eyes blinked up at them.

It licked its lips, panting happily, clearly waiting for more treats.

And at the corner of its mouth—

Was a smudge of dark, melted chocolate.

“……”

For about three seconds, Sion remained completely silent.

Processing reality.

And then—

“PRIEST!!!!! PRIEEEEEEEEST!!!!!!”

“WHERE’S THE INFIRMARY?!?! QUICKLY, QUICKLYYYYYYY!!!!!!”

The two of them grabbed the puppy and bolted at full speed, screaming in absolute panic.

Their desperate cries echoed across the peaceful academy grounds.

Only the clueless puppy, still held tightly in Sion’s arms, barked playfully.

“Woof! Woof!”

Without a doubt—

This was the most panicked moment of Sion’s entire past and present life.