For a moment, I couldn’t even see a hint of my familiars, until the clouds dissipated, and I saw two silhouettes.

A loud, hearty laugh that echoed in the dungeon floor made me jump in surprise.

“Yeeeeeees! Now this is what I am talking about! I feel like a new bear!” Kenaka roared as I saw the larger of two silhouettes approaching me and out of the thick purple cloud.

Though he looked very different, I could still tell this guy was Kenaka. Instead of the usual bear appearance, though, his new humanoid body frame was large and barrel shaped. He may have gotten shorter than his bear form while standing, but he was still taller than Erizora, probably around 230 centimeters [~7.5 feet]. His limbs were certainly like a human’s, thick and large like logs to a tree that would make professional weightlifters shiver in fear, until you get to the ‘hands and feet’. His hands resembled a human’s, but the digits were thick as sausages, and like the bear girl, Rizz, there were black pads from his bear form to make up the palms. The legs and feet were also like Rizz’s, still maintaining the structure from his original form to look more feral. Finally, instead of a human head, Kenaka’s head still resembled a bear’s like the fox guildmaster, Konjiro, does for his own species. With all that covered in the thick, crimson fur coat from his previous body, this appearance further proved that the male Werebeasts in this world were more animalistic in appearance. Remembering Rizz’s race, this could be an example of what a male Werebear would typically look like.

“Ugh … quiet down, will you? What if you attract more monsters with that voice while we are still vulnerable?”

I recognized that voice to be Mametama’s immediately, but when I turned to her as she stepped out of the yellow cloud, I think my jaw dropped to the floor.

My Holy Familiar’s Demon-Kin form certainly looked more human than Kenaka’s, especially when you [Redacted]. This torso along with her head resembled a human’s with a golden-brown tan similar to Tyvera’s, with perhaps a shade or two darker in tone. Her full, somewhat wild hair had the same color as her cougar body’s as it stretched to her shoulder blades. Mametama’s cougar form was still prevalent in her limbs in the same fashion as Ren’s to give off the Werebeast vibe. The top of the former cougar’s arms had jade fur while the undersides were white with black pads on her paws, and her legs were shown in the same fashion. To finish off the new look, there was a pair of cougar ears with white tufts jotting out her head, as well as her matching thick tail that curled up from the back. Since this is more in line with a Werebeast subrace, Mametama would probably be referred to as a Werecougar in this form.

I wouldn’t be this descriptive of Mametama’s form if she wasn’t standing in front of me [Redacted] right now. Kenaka was in the same state, and unfortunately, my eyes strayed down to between his legs where I saw something that wasn’t as noticeable as he was in his bear form. I wasn’t sure if the immortals or whoever had intended this during their creation, but a male Werebeast’s [Redacted] apparently resembled a human’s … and Kenaka’s was [Redacted] as he was eyeing Mametama.

Nyra commented, slipping in crude humor as always.

Mametama was taking a moment to check herself, running her paws over her body in ways that my eyes couldn’t help but follow while drinking in her form. She paid special attention to her [Redacted] before looking up, “So? How do I look?”

“… Whoa,” Kenaka answered first.

“I do not mean you, Kenaka,” Mametama retorted before turning and walking towards me. I wasn’t sure if it was intentional or something adapted from her cougar form, but there was a certain sway to her stride that looked like she was approaching potential prey.

My Holy Familiar in her new (and sexy) form stopped just within arm’s length, enough for me to see her bright yellow eyes with feline slits as they stared into my soul. “What do you think, Milord? Do I look satisfactory?” she asked before giving a slow spin, giving me a look of her [Redacted], while her tail brushed on me like a cat’s would. She then stopped about face, her [Redacted]. I noticed then that she was about the same height as me.

I was so dumbstruck by Mametama’s new [Redacted] look that I couldn’t find the words to speak at first, clearing my throat to hopefully regain myself a bit, “Uh … wow, y-you look great, Mametama, definitely more than ‘satisfactory.’ Yes, very nice. Beautiful, even, very attractive and stunning, like … wow.”

Nyra intervened.

Mametama’s face reddened and she reached up to scratch one of her ears while averting her gaze, “Is that … so? I do not look strange and off-putting?”

I shook my hand in a slight panic, “No, no. Very much the opposite, it is very appealing, very … sexy.”

Nyra asked.

I admitted.

I remembered one summer when Komi had to be gone for a bit, and when we met up again during vacation, she was sporting a tan like she spent the whole day at a beach. With her natural blonde hair, I had no idea where to look and not come off as creepy for staring at her when I usually wasn’t. She was just that hot to me, too much for me to even try to ignore. Don’t even get me started when she teased me with her tan lines too. I understood the appeal of kurogyarus that day, that’s for sure.

Nyra asked.

I mentally shrugged,

Nyra said. I guess she was satisfied with my reason enough to not question it further. Since this talk was through [Telepathy], and with my skills that sped up my perception of time, slowing everything around me, it only lasted for a few seconds in real time.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

It was when I came back in reality that I was bombarded with a question.

“Then, would you like to … pet my new body?” Mametama asked. Her head was down, so I had no idea what face she was making.

“… Huh?” I asked, dumbstruck again.

“Petting me in my new body … you can do it, if you want, Milord,” Mametama answered with her head still down, “It may be one thing … if I was in my original form. But, when I am like this … I would not let anyone do it but you, Milord, so …”

I was lost on what was going on here. I barely even registered what she said. Does she feel strange in her new body? Maybe because of how unfamiliar it is to her? I suppose it would make sense to be wary of other people touching you, whether you’re human or something else. We may not have known each other long, but the fact that Mametama trusts me enough to do that much with her in this state must be a big deal … ah, she’s shivering in place. Is she nervous, or maybe cold? Maybe she’s too embarrassed to ask to be petted directly? She does try to keep a cool head most of the time and only relaxes when we’re alone. I still don’t know what the deal is between her and Kenaka, but I imagine she doesn’t want to come off as getting spoiled in front of him. Whatever the case, I should take this matter with utmost care.

“O … kay. Well, since you’re offering, I guess I’ll take you up on that …” I answered.

Keeping Mametama’s sensitivity in mind, I wrapped my arms around her. Her shoulders stiffened upon contact. I tried not to get my body pressed against her since she [Redacted], making this hug look awkward from a bystander’s standpoint, but I wanted to make sure she was warmed up to some extent. Then, with a hand on her head, I used my [Petting] skill the best I could in this position.

“You … worked really hard to get this far,” I whispered, “I may not have known you much since we first met, but I can tell how much you put effort into everything up to now. Take pride in that. I’m happy to have someone like you on my side.”

“Milord …”

Before I realized it, Mametama held me by the back and pulled me closer, pressing as much of herself onto me as possible as she nuzzled her head onto mine. The subtle purrs she was making and how much her tail was straightening up told how happy she was then, but my thoughts were focused on elsewhere.

Even through my clothes, I could feel how incredibly warm Mametama was, and how much I could distinguish parts of her bare body that rubbed against my own. Her [Redacted]. I didn’t know if these feelings of mine were bad to have for her, as my familiar, who was previously a sentient cougar before. Even when she’s fully aware of me and my activities with my harem—especially since she was there to witness one of them last night—I didn’t want to leave a bad impression on her if these relations between master and familiar were taboo.

This awkward contact seemed accidental at first and I was internally debating between pulling away immediately or keep going and pray Mametama doesn’t notice. Before I had a chance to decide, though, I felt something off.

For starters, my back was against the wall, literally. To be more precise, I was pinned to one of the dungeon’s nearest pillars that spread throughout the floor. I didn’t remember when we even moved to this spot. Another thing was the [Redacted].

“Milord …” Mametama sighed, her tone sounded longing, desperate, as if she was pleading for something.

I then heard something tear behind me while my back was getting scratched. With my [Dragon Scale Defense] ability, I didn’t get hurt, making this more like a sharp back scratcher that was surprisingly pleasant. Though I didn’t get hurt, it was apparent from the draft that my clothes were getting torn from behind. The pillars in the dungeon might have some jagged rocks, but I didn’t think they were sharp enough to do this much to my back, let alone cling into it. After considering the circumstances, I realized that Mametama was the culprit, using her claws to get a grip on my back and pull me in as tight as possible.

Just as I was quickly putting the pieces together in my mind, I felt my neck getting [Redacted].

Kenaka intervened through [Telepathy] with a young sounding, high-pitched voice. I glanced over and saw my bear familiar had reverted from his Demon-Kin form back to a cub.

Kenaka’s voice stopped the [Redacted], along with everything else that overwhelmed my senses, as if time had stopped. I was then released from the embrace(?) and found Mametama prostrating me from the ground.

she pleaded through [Telepathy], likely to follow Kenaka’s lead to keep our approaching company from hearing us.

It took me a moment to try and register what just happened,

Mametama answered, and with a puff of smoke, a jade green cougar cub was in place of the dark-skinned woman with cougar ears and tail. She was in the same prostrating pose before sitting back up and curled her tail around in awkwardness.

Though I was about to speak through [Telepathy], I had to clear the awkwardness out of my throat, <… Okay, while we’ll need to discuss that later, I think we can call this a good time to end our morning training. For now, we’ll need to keep your new forms hidden until after the quest, unless we’re under a dire emergency. I’ll hold onto the remaining ten Special Medals for now until I figure out what to do with them, same goes for the other drops and monster corpses I stowed away in my [Storage]. We’ve also made good progress on getting my Dark Mage class to max level before we find a way to get Nyra her body back, but we’ll still need to address her altered memory over breakfast with the others … oh, and we’ll need to get clothes for you two in Demon-Kin forms at some point.>

Kenaka commented.

Mametama argued,

Nyra teased.

Mametama growled in agitation,

On that awkward note, I did one final test before exiting the dungeon. I found that unless I was aiming to escape to someplace outside, I can’t move between floors of the dungeon with my [Portal] Null Spell, even the ones I’ve been to before. It was just as Eugus, Dondegarm’s guild master and Kalline’s uncle, informed me during the briefing of my quest. This meant that should something happen, I’d have to make my way back up to a previous floor on foot, and with how big the first few floors of Palocaesy’s Dungeon were so far, it may take me a bit, even if I sprint at my fastest speed and ignore my enemies. It’s reassuring that I have another method of escape aside from using a consumable item like a Return Feather, but we would still have to be careful of how we trek the dungeon for real tomorrow.

With these cautions kept in mind, I opened [Portal] to an alleyway close to the inn. After the three of us stepped through, I cast [Clean] on us and used my mana to put the self-repair function on my clothes—courtesy of Lili’s magical skills in tailoring—to work on fixing the tears Mametama made. Once we looked decent enough, we made our way back to the inn while I thought back to my few encounters with tanned girls.

Thinking back on it, I might have been entranced by dark-skinned girls since I was a kid. There was a time when I was by myself because Hyo-chan had moved away. Since she was my only friend up to then—this was before I remembered Komi was also a long-time friend—I was at a loss for what to do with myself. I might have subconsciously pushed these memories back because of how it hurt me when I remembered how lonely I was. It was also a time I learned to cook at a young age and I would make extra helpings for Hyo-chan to taste-test my cooking. That was ingrained as a habit that I couldn’t break out of immediately after she left.

It wasn’t until one day that habit of mine turned out to be a blessing for someone. A pretty, dark-skinned, fashionable girl who I was proud to call my ‘big sister.’