Big Tree Village.

After lunch, I was relaxing in my room when–unusually–Jewel, the jewel cat, came to visit.

Not only did she come over, but… she climbed onto my lap?

Ah, I don’t mind, I don’t mind.

There, there.

…Hmm?

Wh-what?! She’s lying on her back?!

She trusts me that much?!

Fufufu…

This is kind of scary.

Yeah, if you’re this affectionate, I can’t help but suspect something happened.

Did you do something?

No, you wouldn’t.

That, at least, I trust.

If the father cat, Raigiel, messed up, I’d scold him first–then you’d come to cover for him.

That means… one of your daughters must’ve done something.

Was it the anenekos?

Or the imoutonekos?

…Maybe both?

Jewel turned her face away.

Without overthinking it, I just fluffed her up.

-0-

Summoned by an oni maid, I arrived at one of the mansion’s rooms–and found utter devastation.

It looked like someone had gone on a rampage…

No, there’s no need to be vague.

The culprits were the anenekos and imoutonekos.

All eight of them.

Now, they were lined up in front of the oni maid, heads hanging.

Oh? Trying to look at me with pitiful eyes won’t save you.

What happened here?

Did the imoutonekos try to pick a fight with tiger again?

Or did the anenekos stir up trouble?

…They all averted their eyes.

Just like their mother, Jewel.

The oni maid explained.

She handed me what looked like a wooden block–about the size of a canned juice.

But the moment I grabbed it…

It transformed.

Arms and legs popped out.

Even a tail.

Now, it was flailing around in my hand.

…What is this thing?

Is someone controlling it?

Or does it move on its own?

A new type of magical creature?

[It’s a children’s toy.]

…This is a toy?

Really?

How does it move?

It looks like it’s acting on its own–which is pretty amazing.

[I don’t know the exact mechanism, but it reacts to the magic power around and moves accordingly. Loo-sama designed the mechanism, and Yaa-sama’s group shaped it into this form.] RANOBES

Heh.

Are the kids into it?

[Very much so. But there’s a problem…]

…A problem?

[Yes. It reacts too well to nearby magic. When exposed to strong magic power, it goes out of control.]

When you say strong magic power….

[Like that of Hakuren-sama or Rasuti-sama’s children.]

Ah. Dragons.

So, you hid the toy in this room to keep it safe.

But then the cats found it, and when it went berserk, they chased it down–wrecking the place in the process?

[Yes.]

The Oni maid confirmed–just as the cats all meowed in protest, practically in chorus.

A kind of “We can’t help it!” excuse.

Their hunting instincts must’ve kicked in.

I mean… the toy does look like a mouse…

Maybe it really couldn’t be helped?

[You all actively searched for the toy, so no, it was not unavoidable. Reflect on your actions.]

…S-She’s right.

You should reflect.

[Now then, Village Chief. About the room repairs… It’s not just the floor and walls–even the built-in shelves and tables took damage.]

Sounds like this will be a major repair job.

The pillars seem fine, but I should check them just in case.

Alright, I’ll handle it.

[I apologize. We appreciate it.]

No, no–it’s my cats’ fault…

And don’t start protesting that you’re not pets!

That’ll just derail the conversation.

Come on, now. Assume the position of reflection.

[I’ll call for extra hands to help.]

Yeah, I’d appreciate that.

…Oh, but before that–

[Yes?]

If this toy goes berserk from magic power, then how did Loo even build it?

[It doesn’t react to just any magic.]

…It doesn’t?

[It seems to respond specifically to uncontrolled magic… But I don’t know the exact details.]

That’s enough for me.

So, it only works properly when an adult holds it, but it goes berserk when a child holds it?

[No, it doesn’t move at all when an adult holds it. It only moves when someone with poor magic control holds it.]

…

It moved when I held it, though?

[Ehto…]

Yeah, yeah–I never claimed I had perfect magic power control.

But… the toy reacted to the cats’ magic power, too.

[Normally, it shouldn’t react.]

Hnn?

The oni maid brought the toy close to the cats.

Areh?

Then why did it go berserk earlier?

[These ones deliberately poured magic power into it to make it go wild.]

…

Stay in the reflection pose a little longer.