“Mike”

    Akane might be considered a “boring” person to some people’s standards. I’m sure to those people my naming abilities are repulsive, to say the least.

    – Takaya, that’s a name you would give to a cat. Your pet is a wolf. You know, something more akin to a dog.

    – I know, but I couldn’t come up with anything better.

    I actually gave it some serious thought. I even thought about “Pochi”, which is a bit more dog-like.

    That was a popular name back in the old world.

    Even if it’s basic, I thought she’d like it.

    But then it hit me.

    She’s a girl.

    Pochi is a name for male dogs.

    It would be awful of me to name her that.

    So I kept thinking.

    If not Pochi, what else?

    I’ve seen dogs named foreigner things like John and Mary. The mental image I have is them walking around the city with their poop hanging from behind. I don’t think that applies to this girl.

    With such stupidities in mind, I finally realized.

    “Ah, of course. Mike!”

    Mike would be perfect. It’s not something bad, and it fits a girl.

    So I decided to go with that.

    It wasn’t until Akane mentioned it that I realized “Mike” is more of a cat name.

    – Takaya… You are… Very disappointing.

    – I completely understand.

    I was about to ask Akane to choose a name herself.

    – Mike… Is that my name?

    – Yes. Well, we haven’t decided yet.

    But the dog herself seemed pretty happy about it.

    – Mike… Mi ke… I like it. If the master chose it, then I like it. Mike.

    – You like it?

    – Yeah!

    Her face had a wide smile.

    I hadn’t noticed, but her tail is wagging and her ears are folding and opening in excitement.

    I thought I was jumping the gun, but it seems like we found the perfect name.

    Mike, the wolf, totally not a cat.

    – By the way, Akane-san.

    – What now?

    – I was wondering what name you would’ve given her.

    I wanted to know what magnificent names she could’ve come up with.

    – Why are you asking? We’ve already moved on from the topic.

    – No no, madame. You said I was a disappointment, so I would like to know what your idea was. I need samples to learn, after all.

    – Gh…

    – Well then, Akane-san?

    – FINE. You get so hung up on such pointless matters.

    Akane turned to Mike and frowned.

    It took her some time, but she eventually muttered:

    – Uhh… Perhaps… Pomegranate.

    – Pomegranate? (Takaya)

    – … (Takaya & Mike)

    Complete silence.

    – Whatever! We’re done with this conversation!

    – …Sure.

    – You two are weird, haha. (Mike)

    Mike, the wolf girl we nursed back to normal, laughed at the two apprentices.