I Tried to Take a Day Off

Rei's grand plan was simple: take one peaceful day off.

No tea brewing.

No beast emergencies.

No cultists, guild envoys, or misunderstood hero worship.

Just a quiet walk to the countryside market, a basket of rice dumplings, and possibly buying a new teapot that didn't hum at night.

He even left a note on the counter:

> "Gone not-adventuring. Back never."

Ellyn scribbled "back by sunset?" below it.

Fluff simply stamped the page with a pawprint in approval.

Rei made it halfway to the Eastgate Market before realizing it was suspiciously quiet. Not ominous-quiet. Just... peacefully quiet.

No flying barrels. No beast brawls. No phoenix bursting into musical flames.

He dared to relax.

He bought fresh-cut lilyroot and a tiny glazed teacup shaped like a toad. He bartered with a sleepy apothecary and almost laughed at a pun on a spice jar labeled "Time Thyme."

This... was nice.

Then something landed on his shoulder.

Soft. Heavy. Feathery.

Rei turned his head slowly—too afraid to hope it was just a random bird.

It wasn't.

It was a massive imperial falcon.

Gold-feathered, eyes like polished glass, wings broader than his arm span, wearing a silk messenger tag and a tiny silver circlet.

It clacked its beak, extended a claw... and dropped a royal crest into Rei's lunch basket.

"Please tell me," Rei whispered, "that's not the Emperor's crest."

The bird stared.

Then gave a short, polite bow.

"You're joking."

The bird reached into his basket again and plucked a rice dumpling.

Rei blinked. "That was mine."

The falcon tossed the dumpling in the air, caught it, and then—fluffed.

It puffed up once.

And in that exact moment... Fluff materialized beside Rei like a summoned god.

The imperial falcon looked at Fluff.

Fluff looked at the falcon.

They stared.

A wind blew through the trees.

A nearby squirrel bowed and ran.

Then—without a sound—the falcon knelt.

Its wings folded. Its head lowered. It offered the half-eaten dumpling like a tribute.

Rei muttered, "Of course."

A moment later, a fox beast padded into the clearing.

Then a turtle the size of a cartwheel.

Then two otters carrying a scroll.

Rei clutched his basket tighter. "This was supposed to be lunch."

One by one, beasts gathered around Fluff—silent, calm, expectant.

The scroll was unrolled and revealed a single heading:

> The Fluff Compact – Article One: Peace Through Snacks

Rei read it. "Did you write this?"

Fluff blinked.

The otters saluted.

The falcon chirped.

Rei sat down on a bench and covered his face. "I left the shop for two hours."

---

While the impromptu beast summit unfolded, a gentle rustle came from the tree line.

An elderly man in monk robes stepped forward. Simple, sun-faded, with a soft smile and sharp eyes.

"Hello, traveler," he said.

Rei nodded cautiously. "Good morning."

The man looked at the beasts. "A rare gathering. Even in the age of the old king, such things did not occur casually."

"I didn't do it," Rei said preemptively.

The monk chuckled. "No one truly causes harmony. But some invite it."

He sat beside Rei, gazing out over the clearing.

"Do you know," the monk continued, "that the imperial falcon has only bowed to five humans in two centuries?"

"I was just eating dumplings."

"Exactly," the monk said with a serene smile.

Rei didn't know whether to be flattered or very, very nervous.

The falcon returned with a fresh rice ball it had clearly stolen from a market stall. It dropped it in Rei's lap.

Rei looked at it, then at the monk.

"Bribery?"

"Tribute," the monk corrected. "In beast culture, food is often loyalty. And Fluff, it seems, is writing a new order."

Rei groaned. "I just wanted to rest."

"And so you shall," the monk said. "But peace rarely comes to those chosen by beasts."

Rei squinted. "Did you just quote something prophetic at me?"

The monk smiled, stood, and bowed.

Then vanished into thin air.

Rei muttered, "I hate mysterious monks."

---

"MASTER!"

Rei winced.

Auron came running up the hill, winded and dramatically pointing. "You—you're not gonna believe what's happening!"

"Does it involve a falcon?"

"Yes!"

"Otters?"

"Yes!!"

"A spirit turtle organizing a petition?"

Auron stopped mid-step. "HOW DID YOU KNOW?!"

Rei pointed at the clearing.

Auron stared.

"…You really are a hidden sage."

"No, I'm just tired."

Auron sat down and immediately tried to sketch Fluff's paw into a "Blessed Seal of Negotiation."

Rei leaned back and finally bit into a dumpling.

It was cold.

But quiet.

He'd take it.

---

By late afternoon, Rei returned to the shop.

Fluff walked beside him, looking smug. The falcon followed two steps behind, balancing a basket of tea samples.

Ellyn blinked. "Did... did you pick up an imperial escort?"

"Technically he picked me up."

"I left you alone for five hours."

"Lesson learned," Rei muttered.

She peered at the falcon. "Did it pay for those tea samples?"

"It gave me royal credentials."

"So no."

---

That night, Rei sat alone in his garden, staring at the scroll the otters left behind.

It now had three signatures.

One was a pawprint.

One was a claw mark.

One was a smudge shaped like a heart.

He rubbed his temples. "This is getting out of hand."

Fluff hopped onto his lap.

"I know, I know. I'll keep running the shop. But if a dragon shows up next week, you're answering the door."

Fluff thumped his tail once.

Then yawned.

Then fell asleep.

Rei stared at the stars.

And in spite of everything...

He smiled.