DADM 05

chapter 05

Siena was sprawled out flat beneath the temple wall. Unlike her aching heart—freshly wounded from having her dagger stolen—the full moon shone brilliantly overhead.

“Ah, I’m screwed. Even this life is a bust.”

It was the kind of night that called for getting drunk, but she didn’t even have money for alcohol.

If only she’d kept hold of that dagger!

Siena licked her lips in regret.

“I could’ve been rich! Did I just miss my chance again?”

If there was one thing Siena—no, Iroha—regretted most in her life, it was DogeCoin.

During a company lunch break, the assistant manager sitting next to her had recommended something called DogeCoin.

Iroha had silently mocked him to the fullest. The very next month, that assistant manager quit. He even hung a banner across from the company that read, “Dobby is Free!!”

“If I’d just bought DogeCoin back then. If I’d bought that one thing, I could’ve been rich at least once.”

It was while she was lamenting that a small dog suddenly appeared in front of her, as if out of nowhere.

With brown fur, short legs, and a dainty little face, it looked exactly like the Shiba Inu—the very symbol of DogeCoin.

“…I haven’t even had a drink. Am I already drunk?”

She merely tilted her head, but the brown puppy lifted its black nose and trotted toward her.

Startled, Siena pushed herself upright.

In an instant, the puppy buried its nose into her arms and let out a small whine.

“W-what! What do you want? I’ve only seen dogs in videos. I’ve never actually raised one!”

As Siena stood there helplessly, the puppy began barking.

From somewhere a short distance away, an irritated voice rang out.

“For heaven’s sake, Siena! Keep that dog from barking!”

Intimidated, Siena held up her index finger in front of the puppy.

“You have to be quiet.”

The puppy began licking her finger enthusiastically. It seemed hungry. It kept burrowing into her arms, apparently having caught the scent of the bread she’d hidden in her clothes.

Siena looked troubled.

“This… I saved this for tomorrow morning.”

The puppy burrowed in again. Its black nose was moist, and its body heat seeped warmly through the rough fabric of her clothes. It had been a long time since she’d felt something like this.

Without thinking, Siena reached out and touched it. Beneath its seemingly fluffy coat, its bones felt alarmingly thin.

“Ha…”

With a small sigh, she pulled the bread from her clothes. The excited puppy spun in circles in place.

Siena raised her finger in warning.

“If you make noise, you’re not getting any food. Sit.”

To her surprise, the puppy immediately sat down.

The black fur on its neatly gathered front paws formed a shape that looked almost like a star. At that moment, she had the strange feeling she’d seen this dog somewhere before.

What is this feeling?

Tilting her head, Siena tore the bread into small pieces and held them out.

A pink tongue eagerly licked up the crumbs.

Only after devouring her entire breakfast did the puppy sit back, satisfied, and scratch its snout with a hind leg.

Siena let out a light sigh.

“Now go on. That’s all I had to eat.”

And then it happened—her vision filled with a brilliant light.

“Mother of—!”

Siena sprang to her feet.

The puppy that had just been casually scratching its snout was now floating up into the air. A dazzling light traced the outline of its body.

It was as if a painter had outlined it with gold paint—bright and vivid. Anyone would have thought something sacred was taking place.

Startled, Siena shouted.

“W-w-what is this?! Hey! Everyone!”

Thud!

A tin bowl flew through the air and struck the wall right beside her. It bounced off and rolled across the dirt.

“Hey, damn it, let us sleep! Just let us sleep!”

A beggar in the distance snapped irritably.

Clutching her pounding chest, Siena pointed at the puppy with trembling fingers.

“No, the dog is floating in the air! Can’t you see it?”

The beggar looked up at the sky. But all he saw in the direction she pointed was the yellow full moon.

He shook his head.

“Siena’s finally lost it.”

Another beggar lying nearby burst out angrily.

“I said let’s sleep!”

…

It seemed the floating brown puppy was visible only to Siena.

Maybe I’m hallucinating because I’m hungry. Calm down and think.

Three, two, one!

Gripping her racing heart, Siena slowly turned her head back toward the puppy.

But it was still there—floating in midair, the brown dog identical to the symbol of DogeCoin.

Oh my god! It’s still there!

At that moment, its playful white eyes met hers.

The puppy opened its mouth, whiskers as black and fine as pencil lead, and a voice echoed beside her ear.

—Noona, Siena noona.

“…?”

Siena doubted her own ears.

But no matter how much she looked around, the one calling her was undoubtedly the brown puppy.

…

Taking a deep breath, Siena decided to accept the situation. As if sensing her resolve, the puppy’s eyes sparkled and it continued.

—I am the Goddess’s messenger. Kim Shiba.

“…Kim Shiba?”

Without realizing it, Siena furrowed her brow deeply.

Whoever the author is, they sure didn’t try hard with that name. If they’re going this route, why not Kim Maltese, Lee Pomeranian, Park Jindo, Jang Beagle, Choi Bichon too? Huh? …Wait.

As she mentally mocked the author, a sudden unease crept in.

Kim Shiba.

She had definitely heard that name somewhere before.

An image surfaced in her mind: the Shiba Inu her former neighbor used to walk with a chest harness. And middle-school Iroha, still in her school uniform, petting that Shiba’s head for a long time.

This dog and I… we’ve met before, haven’t we? Don’t tell me…

Whether Siena panicked or not, the unfamiliar voice continued to echo in her ear.

—Since you were nice to me, the Goddess said she’ll give you, um, um, what was it again…?

What? What is she giving me?

A man? Money? Beauty?

Unconsciously listing her priorities of desire, Siena urged the puppy on with her eyes.

Perhaps her glare was sharper than she realized, because Kim Shiba seemed to snap to attention.

—Ah! She said she’ll “generously fill up your abilities.” But I don’t know what “generously” means.

In that instant, the brilliant light streaming before her eyes poured straight into the crown of Siena’s head. At the same time, a strange power surged within her.

It felt like a Monday office worker taking a long gulp of iced Americano.

Like someone suffering from a hangover slurping down a bowl of pho broth.

A peculiar energy coursed through her body, as if clearing out clogged veins.

“W-what is this…?”

It felt as though an invisible, faint aura was flowing through her entire body.

Lowering her gaze, she saw that her left ankle—which had been crushed and useless moments ago—was perfectly fine.

Heart pounding, she raised trembling fingers to her face. The skin that had been rough now felt smooth, as if it had just been carefully treated.

—The Goddess says, from now on, you are the saintess of Iroha, the Goddess of Healing.

Kim Shiba, who had been moving his mouth as he spoke, was now standing firmly on all fours on the ground.

—Anyway, noona, I’m busy, so I’ll get going.

Just as he had appeared, Kim Shiba wiggled his rear and disappeared into the darkness.

Siena was too stunned by the changes that had overtaken her to even think of stopping him. It was hard enough simply processing what had happened.

Iroha… that was my name before I possessed this body.

Siena trembled as if someone had struck her crown with an axe. At the same time, she remembered where she had read this novel—and who “Siena” was.

“…I’m screwed.”

This place was inside a novel she herself had scribbled back in her second year of middle school.