kscans

Chapter 190 - Promotional SS. Today's Pochiko-san

☆Today's Pochiko-san☆

"Unya....."

Mouth moving munimuni, the Little One stroked the fluffy thing on her chest. The morning sun streamed in through the window, and the fluffy thing stirred.

The one who awoke with the sunrise was Pochiko-san.

She was a child of the giant honeybees called Lords of the Forest, and Pochiko-san herself was a honeybee the size of a human baby. For reference, the bees called Lords are nearly two meters in length.

Her master, the Little One, was still asleep.

However, the sunlight piercing through the gap in the thick curtains made her master's face scrunch up. Seeing this, Pochiko-san quickly closed the gap in the curtains. Her master then resumed her comfortable, gentle breathing.

Her master's peaceful sleep.

To defend this blissful time at all costs, Pochiko-san does her best.

"Oh?"

Sasha, who had come to wake the Little One, was momentarily bewildered when the doorknob wouldn't turn. Chihiro never locked her room. If it was locked, it could only be by one creature. This was not the first time they had this struggle. Sasha searched her pocket and took out a master key. Using it to open the door, she found a honeybee pacing urouro in front of the door as if troubled. How on earth does she lock the door from the inside with those legs? It was a daily mystery for Sasha.

"Again? You mustn't do that, you know. You have to wake up properly in the morning and get ready."

Sasha gently chided Pochiko-san, who had skillfully locked the door in a failed attempt to block her nemesis's entry. The honeybee, somewhat indignant at the maid who always disturbed her master's slumber, dove under the bed. Watching her with a look of resignation, Sasha woke the Little One.

"Ojou-sama. It's breakfast. Please get ready."

"Nyu? Ai."

Ahhh, she's woken up.

Under the bed, Pochiko-san chewed on her defeat. And she vowed. Tomorrow, she would surely defeat that maid.

However, that daily vow would never be fulfilled.

"........"

During breakfast.

Pochiko-san sharp-eyedly sensed her master's crisis. The nemesis of the Little One, who basically ate anything without being picky, was salted vegetables. The Little One had disliked pickles and such in her previous life as well. She tried to eat what was served to her, but the saltiness of these salted vegetables was off the charts. What's more, since they were preserved, they had a subtle fermented sourness, making them a rather harsh item. To put it bluntly, they were the vegetable version of surströmming. For the Little One, with her Japanese palate, they were a formidable foe. The sense of tragedy from the Little One, who was trying to somehow force them down, was instantly transmitted to Pochiko-san, and she immediately jumped toward the table to overturn the plate carrying the nemesis.

But a powerful arm grabbed her gashih.

"You mustn't, Pochiko-san. I've told you not to get on the table, haven't I?"

The voice belonged to Naya. The capable steward was always wary of Pochiko-san, who had overturned plates on the table several times in the past. Held fast in Naya's hands, Pochiko-san struggled jitajita. As a monster, it wouldn't be impossible for Pochiko-san to shake him off with brute force. But her master had ordered her not to harm the household staff. In Pochiko-san's flailing view, Chihiro swallowed the nemesis vegetable whole. As the Little One hastily drank fruit water to wash it down, Pochiko-san's gaze wavered, and her limbs drooped darari in another defeat.

"Is it just me, or does Pochiko-san seem a bit down?"

Adonis called out to Pochiko-san, who was on the shoulder of the Little One as she ate her meal in the kitchen. The honeybee, who would usually press her head against him as if demanding to be petted, was curled up small, kajikaji chewing on the shoulder fabric of her poncho.

"What's wrong? This is unusual."

Adonis scratched Pochiko-san's head with his finger.

His face was calm and warm.

To convey her frustrations from the house, Pochiko-san buzzed her wings bububububuh.

"Yeah, sorry, I don't understand."

Picking up the dejected Pochiko-san, Adonis held her like a baby and patted her back ponpon.

"I'm sorry I can't understand what happened. But I can tell you're down, Pochiko-san. You're always doing your best. You're amazing, Pochiko-san."

Invisible tears welled up in Pochiko-san's eyes.

Pressing her head gorogori against Adonis's shoulder, she let him spoil her rotten, and Pochiko-san was revived.

Tomorrow for sure!

Holding victory in her heart, Pochiko-san falls asleep with her master again today.

Dreaming of the day that heartwarming vow will finally be fulfilled.

~Fin~