My Beloved Dog is the Strongest in Another World

I decided to watch the kitchen

I could understand why some might be suspicious of Liza.
However, as Sebastian said, Leo would not miss something like that. And it was doubtful that Liza could sneak into the kitchen without being noticed.
As for Liza not wanting to be away from Leo or me, it was less severe than before. But even that had only just started today.
Regardless, even though they had not decided that she was the culprit, they had still wanted to talk to me about it.
Perhaps I had noticed something strange about her…

“And has food been eaten today as well?”
“No, not yet. It always happens once everyone has gone to sleep… Around two or three at night.”

Well, that was quite late.
To think that something like that was happening while we were asleep…

“Hmm… In that case, I shall join the watch tonight. And I will have Leo with me. That should help us find out who the culprit is.”
“We had wanted you to watch Liza, but… Indeed. I suppose it will help if Leo is there…”

Apparently, Sebastian had wanted me to stay in order to prove that Liza was innocent.
However, if Leo joined me in the watch, then her sharp senses could help in catching the person who was eating the food.
It seemed like he only cared about Leo, but I can be useful too you know?
Well, maybe not as useful as Leo or the guards…

“Very well. We will ask you to do it, Mr. Takumi. Though, it troubles me that we have to…”
“Please don’t worry about it. Besides, Ms. Helena always provides us with such delicious food. So consider it a sign of my gratitude. I cannot allow this person to continue to steal food. And I also want to show that Liza is innocent.”

Even if circumstances pointed to Liza, I couldn’t believe that she would do such a thing.
Sebastian and Ms. Helena agreed with me as well.
After we had returned from Ractos, Ms. Claire had told them about what Liza had gone through, and the story had spread amongst the servants, who were very sympathetic.
Perhaps some of them felt that it was because she was in such a desperate situation, that she would want food and…

In any case, I had decided to watch the kitchen tonight.
And so I returned to my room once to go and fetch Leo.
Since this would mean that Liza would be alone in the room, I decided to ask Ms. Lyra to stay with her.
This was because she was most comfortable with Ms. Lyra out of the servants, and to prove that Liza had not left the room.

“I’m coming in. …Leo, Liza… What are you doing?”
“Ah, papa!”
“Wuff?”

In order to set a good example, I knocked on the door before entering, and saw something strange…
Leo was sitting in front of Liza and raising her paw in front of her. Liza was sitting on a chair facing her and had her hand on Leo’s paw.
…Leo wasn’t offering her paw, but Liza was?
After seeing me enter, Liza got off from the chair and ran to me.

“Papa, look. Look! Mama taught me this!”
“Hmm?”
“…See, mama?”
“Wuff. …Wuff…wuff-wuff…”
“Paw. Seconds.”
“Ah…”

Liza happily pulled me by the hand towards the chair. And then she sat down like before.
And then she made Leo hold out her paw again.
As Leo barked, she placed her right hand on Leo’s left paw. And then Leo lowered her left paw and raised her right one. And Liza placed her left hand on top of it.
It was the typical gesture dogs did for ‘paw’ and when they wanted more food.

Uhh… So a giant dog-like wolf was teaching a girl to ask for food?

“Leo, are you sure you want to teach her that?”
“Wuff. Wuff-wou.”
“Mama says that you taught her how to do it!”

I did remember teaching her that, after she had rescued her and she recovered a little. And I guess Leo still remembered it as well.
That did make me happy, but I didn’t know if it was something that Liza needed to learn.

As Liza looked up to her as her mother, Leo probably meant it as part of her education.
It was the first thing I had taught to Leo, so perhaps she was happy about it.
However, it would probably be better for her to teach it to Sherry instead of Liza.
Sherry was practically a dog, after all… She liked to sleep and relax a lot. She didn’t really act like a fenrir.

“Little Liza, your hand…”
“Yes!”
“This really makes you…want to praise her…”
“Ms. Lyra…”

Before I knew it, Ms. Lyra had stepped forward and put out her hand in front of Liza.
Indeed, Liza did look cute as she eagerly obeyed.
However, Liza was a beastkin, not a pet… Even though she seemed to be amused, and her tail was wagging.
In any case, I let Ms. Lyra praise Liza as I got back to my purpose for being here.

“Leo. Sorry, but could you come with me?”
“Wuff?”
“What is it, papa?”

I changed the subject and explained to Leo and Liza that we would be watching the kitchen.
As I expected, Liza seemed like she didn’t really understand, which reassured me that she was not the culprit.
As for Leo, she seemed angry that someone was eating food without permission.

“Wuff! Graaauuu!”

She had been scolded when she did it, and so it was not fair if someone else was getting away with the same thing… That is what she was saying.
So she still remembered when I had been upset at her for snitching…