[[WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH THOSE THINGS?!]]
After calming down and washing up from their accident, the girls interrogate me in the living room. Aren't they a tight-knit group now? The sisterhood of the piss?
["They're not 'things,' they're my pets, and they're way above you in this house's hierarchy, wenches."]
Although I was also surprised to see they were giants now. Is my love too strong? What a sinful rat kid I am.
["First of all, why do you have those giant monsters as pets?"] ["They weren't like that when I left them. They must have grown from all the love."] [[BULLSHIT!]]
The good thing is, it seems they can hunt their own food. Otherwise, I'd have to go hunting daily, or my provisions wouldn't last.
["Isn't it a good thing? Now that they're here, they could take care of those things from the night."] ["Give it up. I asked them, and it seems they're weaker than those things."]
It's a shame, but on the other hand, I don't want my pets going around getting into fights.
["You understand what they say?"] ["Of course?"] ["Why are you talking to me like I'm the strange one here?"] —Kiti complains, incredulous.
["Now that you mention it, big brother always talks to Zeus like he understands him… I thought he was just playing…"] - The little sister seems to have come to a revelation as she mutters.
["That's not the case,"] —Louise finally decides to clarify—. ["It's hard to believe, but this guy has always been able to interpret animals to some extent…"]
["Ohh, actually, he was talking to those rats before, too…"] [[Rats?]]
The girls look at me, curious.
["Take a picture, it'll last longer."] ["…Can't you tell us?"] -Carolain-
["Even if you ask, I don't know myself. It's not like it's with all animals. Zeus, Ratchel, and Mya are particularly compatible… One in a million."]
The girls look at me cautiously. Except for Kiti. She's looking at me like I'm an exotic specimen. I'll sleep with one eye open. I don't want to wake up paralyzed in a white room or anything like that.
["…They won't bite us, right?"] ["…. Nooo~~~ I think…"]
After some discussion, it was decided that we'd spend an hour a day on the terrace to get them familiar with Ratchel and Mya. Since I'm hoping to see them drown in fear, I agree.
Kiti also seems to have become more interested in studying my pets than me. Although I'm worried, better them than me. I'm sorry, Ratchel, Mya, but your sacrifice will serve a greater purpose: science... and keeping me from being cut wide open. The survival of the clan (and especially mine) is the priority.
Am I a bad person? If you saw the look in that girl's eyes, you'd understand. The rat kid's survival is important to the rat kid.
...…..
After the meeting, I was able to eat… Louise's eyes were insistently fixed on me the whole time, it was very uncomfortable. I don't have to be a genius to know she cooked this time…
It was burnt, but I decided to eat all of it. My self-preservation instinct told me I had to. With her mouth, she said, "If it's too bad, you don't have to eat it," but her eyes said something else.
"It's just a little burnt. You'll be making something delicious in no time. Until then, I'll eat your failures... I expect to reap the rewards later" —was my response.
It seemed to be the right one. Louise nodded, changing color like a chameleon. But the glares from the other girls became intimidating.
Could this be the end of the rat kid? This is what happened to the rat kid for trying to be something the rat kid is not: "considerate." The rat kid learned his lesson, the rat kid evolves.
"Ding-dong."
In the midst of my evolution, the annoying doorbell interrupted the strange tranquility I had started to feel.
You ring the doorbell in the apocalypse? Don't tell me you're a door-to-door salesman, are you? …I hope he's selling weapons.
[[I'm coooooming!]]
Louise and Alicia answer the call and run to the entrance. Why are they answering the door at someone else's house? As I ponder this, the other girls follow them.
["What's it like to live the dream? Pure bliss?"]
Carolain, who was the only one to stay behind, teases me.
["Is this the face of a happy man?"] ["You've always got that creepy smile. How am I supposed to know?"] ["If you're that jealous, you just have to offer me your body, wench."] ["Humph, shouldn't you stop them? We don't know who it could be."]
If you get it, why aren't you doing anything? As I complained in my mind, the girls return to the dining room and sit down. They just sat down, and no words are exchanged.
["…. Well?"] - Unable to bear the strange atmosphere, Carolain asked cautiously.
["It was no one."]
"Ding-dong."
[[….]]
["It seems 'no one' is ringing again…"]
["Big sister."]
["…Yes?"]
["Shut up."]
What is this heavy atmosphere? And why does it make me so happy?
...…..
"Ding-dong-ding-dong-ding-dong."
["What's with the damn persistence?"]
I get up and walk towards the door, irritated.
["Where did I put the bat?"]
Just before I could ask Zeus to bring it to me, the girls flash past me and pile up at the entrance, forming a human barrier.
Carolain and I can only watch with curiosity.
[Ahem As I said before, there's no one here.]
[O… Obviously there's someone there.]
Alicia uses deception, but the girl on the other side of the door isn't buying it. From the voice, I guess it's Milia.
["Stop ringing our doorbell! Who do you think is going to pay for it if you break it?"] —Louise yells.
["We're not doing it for fun, and this isn't your house!"] —Milia seems to get exasperated as soon as she hears Louise's voice.
["Aren't you all being very rude?"]
I was thinking it, but Carmelia's sarcasm is pretty special. The rat kid learns.
["You dare accuse us of being rude when you're lying to our faces?"]
On the other hand, Milia is building up some resistance, isn't she?
["We're calling the police."]
Kiti uses threat.
["Do you even understand what situation we're in?"]
It's nullified by the "apocalypse" field card.
["W-we have a dog… A-and it's huge."]
Amelia isn't entirely wrong, but it's "my" dog.
["NOW WE'RE THIEVES?"]
"Woof."
Anyway.
The rat kid is proud, the rat kid accepts them into the circle of the rat kid.
["…You're a horrible influence on people…"]
["The rat kid can't take all the credit. The rat kid only sets the example; development depends on the hidden talent within each person."]
["I'M NOT PRAISING YOU!"]
I let the argument play out for a few minutes because it was fun.
Unfortunately, Milia broke just before I could go get some furniture and a beer.
["ENOUGH!"]
Immediately after her exasperated shout, the sounds of a key turning in the lock were heard, and finally, the door was thrown open.
["This is trespassing,"] —I intervene, as the girls were in shock—. ["Your mother is a cop, how do you not know that?"]
["…Your parents gave us the key in case of an emergency,"] —says Milia—. ["It's not trespassing."]
["My parents gave it to your mother so she could support me. What does that have to do with you invading my property?"]
["It's… The current situation counts as an emergency."] ["And how can someone like you help someone like me?"] […]
I look at Milia and the group of super friends in my entryway. We rat kids don't like it when our territory is invaded. Especially if there are men among the invaders.
[[Glaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaare]]
The girls shoot daggers at me in unison. Why? Their enemy is at the door.
["You're dead,"] -Carolain whispers.
You're not helping, wench.