Chapter 20: Invasion of the Mofumofu
National Diet session overtime.
Reasons vary, but most of the time it’s because the government party is like “we want this law to be pa.s.sed so we’ll stay here till it does” while the opposition party is like “as if we’ll let you pa.s.s it that easily” in what is pretty much a chicken race of who can hold out longer.
What they call ‘deliberations’ is, in a way, a form of mixed martial arts that only uses words. In a certain country’s Congress there were actual punches flying around but let’s not think about it too deeply.
“Are these guys actually thinking of what’s best for this country?”
“When people get in groups you always end up with some like that.”
And in a corner of the Diet hall are two people watching the proceedings.
They are the former emperor Graios-san and the dark elf Linbel-san.
Due to last time’s vampire incident and the hostage incident before that, these two have been asked to show their face at the National Diet as often as possible in readiness for the next reverse-summoning.
Even without the two of them Adachi-kun could probably handle it, but that’s, well, yea.
Incidentally these two are normally helping out with otherworld research and advising on forest preservation and doing various other things.
Just because they’re elderly it doesn’t mean they are NEETs.
“And that’s why I’m saying that pushing for change at this stage is far too early……”
“Wafu?”
““……””
The voice that suddenly reverberates throughout the hall causes everyone to fall silent.
“…… Gau!”
It’s a dog.
Wait, no. Going by the size and appearance, it is undoubtedly a wolf.
Though wolves have supposedly gone extinct in j.a.pan, one has suddenly appeared here.
“Gau. Wao—n. Gyaugayu. Wan!”
Do you j.a.panese bro? 1
The j.a.panese people’s hearts become one in the face of this wolf who seems to be barking in a meaningful manner.
“Mu? I had heard that there would be no issues with communication. Is it because I was not in human form?”
Then as if in response to that thought, the wolf changes appearance before speaking again.
Its… no, his appearance is now that of a young man in his early twenties.
His eyes are sharp like that of a carnivore’s, and his well-toned body gives off an alert and dignified air.
…… And on his head is a pair of fluffy dog ears.
――Inumimi KITA━━(゜∀゜)━━ !!!!
――Nekomimi KONE━━(‘A`)━━━!!!! 2
In a certain place a holy crusade has sprung up between dog lovers and cat lovers, but since it’s not related to this story we’ll leave it out.
“I am a werewolf, going by the name Makami. I have come in answer to Amaterasu-sama’s reverse-summoning.”
“I am serving as the Prime Minister of this country of j.a.pan, going by the name of Adachi. When you say reverse-summoning, does that mean there was one of our citizens summoned to somewhere near you recently?”
“Well, probably, yes.”
Adachi-kun’s question causes Makami to put a hand to his mouth in contemplation.
The ears on his head that are twitching in concert with his mulling are absolutely lovely. But they’re not related right now so let’s not touch them.
“About a month ago, we took custody of a young girl who appeared in the middle of the gra.s.s plains who had nothing but the clothes on her back. Though we could tell that she has some circ.u.mstances of her own, she never told us to the end. But her cooking is delicious, so everyone in our tribe, be it male or female, young or old, came to value her.”
It seems that the j.a.panese who wandered into an otherworld this time has managed to grab the werewolves by their stomachs and is in the process of building a mofumofu harem.
Mofumofu lovers would be so jealous of her.
“So that young girl’s safety has been guaranteed?”
“Indeed. Then we received the words of Amaterasu-sama through the Shaman of our tribe. Hearing that one person must come to this country, we held a tournament with that privilege at stake. I won, so here I am.”
““Hah?””
Makami-san’s words causes all the Diet members to tilt their heads in puzzlement.
Why do the whole lot of them want to come to this foreign place that they have no knowledge of? Could it be that Makami-san is also a worldly-wise person like Linbel-san, wanting to travel to unknown new places?
“…… We were told that this country has a culture called ‘yakiniku buffet.’”
——That’s not a culture.
The young Diet member, along with several others, really wanted to voice out that tsukkomi. But they read the atmosphere and held it back.
“At the same time, we were also told of ‘those who do not work, shall not eat’. Those are good words. So I am willing to work. Though I may not look like it, I have confidence in my strength. My nose is also sensitive, so I’m good at looking for things. So please, teach me about ‘yakiniku buffet’!!”
Where everyone thought he was a cool and calm onii-san, he turned out to be a mere glutton.
In concert with his plea, his tail is wagging with great vigor. Almost like a dog with food before it who has been ordered to ‘wait’.
“…… Chairman. Let’s go get yakitori.”
“Un. Let’s not forget the all-you-can-drink also.”
——You’re actually going?!
Adachi-kun asks like it’s the most natural thing in the world, the Chairman agrees without missing a beat, and the Diet members all tsukkomi-ed silently.
Today, too, j.a.pan is at peace.
・
・
・
At the same time, in Takamagahara.
“Wah~, wolves really are so cute. Why did they go extinct in j.a.pan?”
Apparently Amaterasu-sama also loves mofumofu.
Such an Amaterasu-sama is being gazed at with eyes of ‘what is this person talking about again’ from Tsukuyomi-sama.
“…… Then again, wolves are kind of like Ane-ue’s friends. Like Amakou, for example.”
“Don’t call me Amakou!!”
(T/N: Amakou (‘Ammy’ in the localized version) is a wolf avatar of Amaterasu-sama herself in the game Okami.)
In j.a.pan there are wolves who had been deitified, with Ookami no Makami being a well-known example. 3
Though the idea of G.o.d wolves actually started from around the Edo era, which means it’s relatively recent. (T/N: 1603AD – 1868AD)
In contrast to j.a.pan where there are wolves deitified, overseas there are numerous depictions of wolves as evil, such as in the famous children’s story Little Red Riding Hood.
It is said that this is because in j.a.pan, the wolves helped to protect farmers’ fields from wild boars and deer, whereas overseas wolves hunted livestock raised by farmers.
Having their status changed at the drop of a hat due to human circ.u.mstances, the wolves sure have it rough.
“Tsukuyomi. I also want to go eat yakiniku.”
“Please do not jump topics.”
The sudden change causes Tsukuyomi-sama to tsukkomi reflexively.
Amaterasu-sama probably said that because she’s watching Makami-san eating yakiniku, but for Tsukuyomi who isn’t watching, it only sounds like his older sister’s usual unreasonable whims.
“If it’s yakiniku, we can make it here too.”
“Eh, but we only have iron plates here. I want to do it with a net over a charcoal fire.”
“If we go to a store, you wouldn’t be able to drink, because of your appearance. Have you forgotten the last time when they asked you to show your ID when you tried arguing with them?”
“Then please go buy a net and charcoal.”
“Don’t say selfish things.”
There’s Amaterasu-sama brandishing her authority as the older sibling, then there’s Tsukuyomi-sama cooly rebuffing said authority.
Today, too, Takamagahara is at peace.
1 ‘Nihongo de oK?’ is basically the j.a.panese internet’s version of ‘do you even English bro?’ See here for a good explanation by Rachel and Jun.
2 So we explained about the ‘kita’ meme in Ch.11 when Linbel arrived. ‘Kone’ is a derivation of that, which basically means ‘it HASN’T come’ in an emotional way.
‘Inumimi’ = dog ears and ‘Nekomimi’ = cat ears
3 Here is an extensive article on wolves as G.o.ds in various mythologies, with a section dedicated to wolf G.o.ds in Shintoism.