Humans are tool-using animals, born with the dexterity and ability to create what they need from raw materials.
Before going to Azzy, I'd found some tattered scraps of cloth and roughly stitched them together into a ball. It was a crude thing, completely useless for a real game, but more than good enough to play with the likes of a dog. I walked along, tossing and catching the ball, while Azzy orbited me like a planet.
Her body twitched every time I threw the ball. Azzy's sparkling eyes refused to leave it. I used the ball to keep her attention as I headed for the wide yard.
And then.
'I'll wrap myself in this Veil of Darkness and watch you closely to see what you're up to.'
Something strange was following us. Resisting the urge to glance back, I slowly made my way to the yard.
This was a problem. Why was she following me instead of doing her own thing? What did I even do?
All I was trying to do was train the Dog King with a ball and some treats. And a few light taps of the whip.
They always say the way to train an animal is with carrots and sticks. I had a clear conscience, ready to face the heavens. But now, with the Regressor tailing me, my options were limited.
'The Dog King is one of the few Beast Kings who is an ally to humans. If she becomes hostile to humans like in the last timeline, it will be a major disadvantage in the battles to come. If this guy tries any funny business with Azzy… I'll have to fight to the death. I don't know how strong this man is, but I have to face him.'
After reading her thoughts, I shoved the Military-Grade whip I'd picked up somewhere in the prison deep into my pocket. It seemed that 'whipping' would fall under the category of 'funny business.'
The key to training is to alternate between positive and negative reactions. The so-called carrot and stick. If she listens well or does something commendable, +1. If she's stubborn or does something I don't like, -1. By providing feedback for specific actions, I could gradually train her overall behavior in a direction favorable to me.
The ball and meat scraps were the carrots, and I had intended to use this as the stick.
'If he bullies her, hits her, or even puts a leash on her… that's it. I'll go all out.'
I felt a chilling killing intent.
It seemed I'd have to seal away the whip for today. Without negative feedback, the efficiency would be less than half, but that was better than my head coming off. Today, I would stick to carrots.
When we finally reached the yard, I held the ball high and shouted.
"Ready!"
"Woof!"
As I got into a throwing stance, Azzy flattened herself to the ground, paws planted firmly. All the while, her tail spun like a propeller.
I started off lightly, rolling the leather ball across the ground. Azzy shot off like an arrow, snatching the ball on the run and curving smoothly back towards me. Her arms and legs were human, but her four-legged run was as good as any animal's.
I put on an exaggerated show of excitement as she instantly returned.
"Good girl! Azzy, paw!"
"Woof!"
"Great. Left paw!"
"Woof?"
Okay. She couldn't do that one yet. That was fine. I made sure not to show any disappointment. There was no particular reason a dog needed to distinguish left from right.
I pulled out a piece of meat I'd cut earlier and exclaimed.
"Nice! You can even tell the difference between your paws. You're the best, Azzy!"
"Woof! I'm the best! Woof woof!"
"And the best doggy deserves a reward. Here's a treat!"
I hid the cut of meat in my fist and held it out. Azzy pressed her nose against my hand, digging frantically. As if excavating a treasure, she stuck her tongue out toward the meat hidden between my fingers.
I teased her slightly, opening and closing my fingers so the prize was just out of reach. Just as Azzy was about to get annoyed and swat my hand away, I opened my palm wide, exposing the meat. Seizing the opportunity, Azzy snatched it up.
Sufficient challenge and a clear reward. It seemed she recognized this as a form of play, as she let out a satisfied purr and rubbed her chin against my hand.
'From the looks of it, he seems to be playing with her normally for now…'
It was a picturesque scene. Perhaps the word 'pastoral' was created for this very moment.
The communion between animal and human. The Dog King, a symbol of nature, was interacting with a human from civilization.
What do you think, Regressor? A perfect scene with nothing to criticize, right?
'Something… feels off. It's like he's really training a dog…'
Seriously? If that feels off, what am I supposed to do?
'She may be the Dog King, but she looks like a cute dog demi-human. Her appearance is human, but he's treating her completely like a dog… This is definitely not normal. I have to be careful.'
I had never felt so wronged after reading someone's thoughts. I get criticized even when I do it right.
Treating a dog like a dog is normal. Treating a dog like a person is abnormal, and treating a person like a dog makes you a pervert.
And if you treat a person like a person, they look down on you. That's from my own experience.
Therefore, the only truth in this world is to treat a dog like a dog. I was simply doing the right thing.
I threw the ball and gave her pieces of meat a few more times after that. All the while, the Regressor held her breath and continued to watch my every move.
Repetitive routines breed complacency. Azzy was now more focused on fetching the ball than on the training itself. It was about time to use the stick, but the Regressor showed no signs of leaving.
How long was she planning to watch? If she'd seen enough, I wished she would just go back. If I only gave positive reinforcement, the Dog King might get cocky and overstep her bounds.
No. I changed my mind.
One must always forge their own destiny. Waiting indefinitely for her to leave was too passive. I would drive the Regressor away myself.
Of course, I couldn't do it with force, so I'd have to use another method.
I shook the ball again. As if she could never get tired of it, Azzy recognized my signal, flipped over, and prepared to dash off at a moment's notice.
"Go!"
"Woof!"
Azzy answered excitedly and leaped back. I faked a few throws before hurling the ball toward a specific spot.
Right where the Regressor was standing.
'Ugh?!'
I couldn't see her location at all. Whatever kind of camouflage she was using, my eyes could only see the eerie prison standing beyond the spot my mind told me she occupied.
But my mind-reading told me the Regressor was somewhere over there.
So, if I just aimed in the general direction and threw…
"Fetch!"
"Woof woof!"
'I… don't need to dodge. It missed. But…'
I could still make her nervous.
People who use cheap tricks like camouflage are all voyeurs. And what these voyeurs fear most is their presence being brought to light.
You think you can just watch comfortably from behind your curtain? Not a chance. You can feel some of the tension, too.
"Azzy! Fetch!"
"Woof!"
"Good girl. One more time!"
"Woof, woof!"
"Yahoo!"
"Awoooo!"
Each time I threw the ball, Azzy howled with joy and dashed off. And each time, the Regressor flinched with anxiety.
Azzy, running around like a wild animal, was completely unpredictable. The Regressor had to brace herself every time Azzy took off, afraid of being run into. The thought of monitoring me and Azzy was now secondary.
As always, it was immensely satisfying to trouble someone who thought they were being clever.
"Let's goooo!"
"Woof!"
This time, the ball flew straight toward the Regressor. Her eyes widened as she saw it coming right at her.
'No! If I move too suddenly, the Veil of Darkness will break!'
Vigorous movement shatters camouflage. The Regressor gritted her teeth, crouched down, and quickly rolled across the ground. The ball narrowly skimmed over her, and Azzy leaped after it. The Regressor slowly got to her feet and let out a sigh of relief.
'That was a close one… But any more of this is dangerous.'
Good. The plan was a success. The Regressor was slowly backing away.
'Tch. I have to retreat for now. If she finds out I'm here, she might become wary of me instead…'
Her form was still invisible, but the Regressor's thoughts began to fade. That meant she was far enough away.
Whew. Now I could finally train her properly without being disturbed.
'It's a shame, but it's better than being caught. As long as I'm not discovered, there will be other chances to observe.'
A strange thought echoed from the departing Regressor. It sounded like she planned to play peeping tom again later. Did she spend her entire regression learning how to be a voyeur?
I wanted to chase after her right now and scream that I'd seen through her camouflage, but I held back. There was no need to reveal my abilities just yet.
And so, the Regressor vanished from our perception. She had her own things to do, so she wouldn't be coming back.
The only one who returned to me was Azzy, with the ball in her mouth.
"Woof! Woof!"
When I didn't throw the ball, an impatient Azzy rolled it to my feet, urging me to keep playing. I bent down, picked up the ball, and looked down at her with a much colder gaze.
"Having fun?"
"Woof! Woof! Fun! Fun!"
Is that so? My shoulder is starting to ache, you know. But you're just enjoying your consequence-free pleasure, aren't you?
The unseen observer was gone. All that remained between us was the ruthless law of nature.
I am human, and Azzy is a dog. A perfect hierarchy exists between us. Like oil floating on water, like smoke rising to the sky. Without a force to stir things up, a clear top and bottom will always form.
This is called rank.
I roughly pulled the whip from my pocket and spoke.
"Playtime's over, mutt."
"Woof?"
I put the ball in my pocket. Azzy's eyes went wide, her expression one of disbelief, as if she'd just been scammed.
Having crushed her fun, I declared heartlessly.
"The party's over. There's no more meat for you. Go back to your doghouse, before I turn you into stew."
"Ruff! Ruff! Ruff!"
She barked in protest, whining for me to stop joking and keep playing. I didn't miss the faint note of irritation in her howls.
I knew it. Dogs have no sense of moderation; they want the good times to last forever. Words won't convince them.
That's why humans invented the whip. I cracked it in the air. Crack! The sound of the air splitting was menacing.
"Tsk. Listen here. Do I have to play with you all day?"
"Yes!"
"Well, now. You say that like you're entitled to it."
I raised the whip high. It was time to properly train the Dog King.
"You'd do well to change that attitude."
Immediately after, I swung the whip toward Azzy's back.
This whip was not of my own making. It was a standard-issue whip, approved by the Military State's Ministry of Defense.
The Military State was famous for making terrible things, but for that very reason, the performance of their whips was second to none. It was a high-quality item made of processed leather reinforced with meticulously alchemized iron plates, good enough to be used as an actual weapon.
The sound of it cutting through the air inspired fear, and the impact of the iron plates brought pain. Moreover, if handled correctly, it could inflict pain without causing internal injuries, making it perfect for handling animals.
Let this be engraved upon your body along with the scars. The greatness of humanity…
"Yelp!"
Just then, Azzy moved.
Her head turned at roughly the same speed as the tip of the whip. To my eyes, her movements looked choppy, like a film with frames cut out. She perfectly tracked the incoming iron plates and, just as the whip was about to strike, she bit down on it. Then, she snapped the whip with her teeth.
CRUNCH.
A weapon of the Military State, made of processed leather reinforced with meticulously alchemized iron plates, suitable even for lethal use.
Azzy chewed on it like a piece of gum before spitting it out with a ptooey.
"Grrr. Tastes bad."
I stared at the severed end of my whip.
You don't block a whip with your body. The tip of a cracking whip can break the sound barrier. Anyone foolish enough to try and catch it would have their skin torn off.
And yet.
The Dog King had precisely bitten off and torn away only the very tip of the whip that was aimed at her back.
To be able to snap something made of processed leather and reinforced with iron plates just by twisting her head…
"Grrrrrrrrr."
Ah, right.
She might be a dog, but she was the Dog King, wasn't she?
Hmm.
I carefully put the whip away and picked up the ball again.
"…Normally, we should stop here, but since it's our first day… how about we play just a little longer?"
"Grrr…"
"Here, fetch!"
"…rr. Woof! Woof!"
Azzy, happy again, took off after the ball.
Alright. I've decided to postpone establishing the hierarchy for a little later. For now, I'll just play with Azzy until she's satisfied.
I haven't lost. I was just having so much fun with the dog that I decided to continue a little longer. I'm just a human playing with a dog, that's all.
Ah. This is fun. I am happy.