The puppy, having eaten the golden fruit, seemed a bit more energetic, wagging its tail.

So cute.

“Want to eat another one?”

Without thinking, I asked, and a lively “Yip!” was the response.

Good… It seems a little livelier than before.

“Come here.”

When I extended my hands, the puppy approached while still wagging its tail.

I picked it up and was about to nuzzle it, but hesitated for a moment.

Well, since… I mistook it for a mop at first, so… yeah.

“Shall I give it a bath? I think it’s better to give it a potion first.”

“Yeah. Is that okay?”

“Mei wants to help this puppy, right? So it’s fine. This is Mei’s little world, after all.”

“Thank you, Ermine, Koko.”

I thanked the two of them and ran to the bath with the puppy in my arms.

After giving it the potion, it drank all of it, though some spilled.

Whew. Now I can relax.

Next, I need to wash this little one…

Looking at the steaming bath, I thought it wouldn’t be right to put it in like this.

“I’m glad I made some soap.”

Nodding to myself, I rolled up my sleeves and started washing the puppy.

Usually, dogs or cats dislike being bathed, but this one was calm while being washed.

After several washes with soap to remove the dirt—

“Wow. What a beautiful color!”

From its dirty state, you wouldn’t have guessed, but once washed, the puppy was a shiny silver and fluffy.

Despite its small size, its legs and paws were quite large, making it a bit unbalanced, but that was also cute.

“Hey. Are you going to become our pet?”

I lifted the puppy and asked.

The puppy responded with a “Yip.”

Um, does that mean “Yes”?

Yeah. That’s right!

“Then it needs a name. Sebastian… but since he’s a butler, that won’t work. Famous dog names like Pochi, Patrasche, or Josef come to mind, but none of them feel quite right.”

I wondered if there was a better name.

Hmm.

Oh, right.

“How about Robo, taken from the Wolf King Robo?”

Strictly speaking, it’s a wolfdog, not a wolf.

But since it’s called Wolf, it must be a dog related to wolves.

Robo was, I think, the name of a wolf from the Animal Chronicles. I don’t remember the story, but I hope this little one grows up to be strong and smart like the name suggests.

I decided on the name, but…

“Oh, Mei. Be careful when naming it. The name can change the puppy’s qualities.”

When I came out of the bath, feeling all warm, I was surprised by Ermine’s words.

Geez.

Important things like that should be said sooner!

“I already gave it a name!”

“Really? Oh, I see. So, you named it Wolf King Robo. It’s a cool name. It will become the king of the wolves when it grows up.”

Ermine, how do you know this puppy’s name? I haven’t told you yet.

“How do you know the name?”

“Well, I’m a guide, you see.”

I accepted Ermine’s confident explanation.

Wait a minute.

What do you mean, king of the wolves!

“Wait, wait. This puppy is a wolfdog, not a wolf, okay?”

And it’s so small and fluffy.

…Though the fluffiness doesn’t really affect the name.

“But Mei already gave it a name. In this world, names reflect essence.”

“Really?”

“Yes, exactly. So, as a ‘guide,’ I’m allowed various magical abilities to help guide Mei according to the world’s principles.”

I see.

I’m not sure if I completely understand, but…

Anyway, as long as I know that Ermine is a wonderful fluffy creature who uses helpful magic for me, that’s what matters. Yeah.

“Ermine, I have a request.”

“What is it?”

“Can I keep this puppy here?”

When I asked, Ermine’s round eyes widened even more, and he tilted his head.

“This is Mei’s little world, so you don’t need my permission.”

“Does that mean I can keep it?”

“Yes. If anything tries to cause trouble in the little world, Koko will take care of it, so no worries!”

What?!

That’s what I’m worried about!

Robo must not be purged!