The women I set free are obsessed with me

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Monopolies were truly wonderful things.

You could manipulate a specific market as you pleased. Consumers couldn't complain much even if you raised prices.

There were products that could only be obtained from my shop. The cat café fell into this category.

A new type of café that didn't exist before. A healing space where watching lazy cats makes you want to be lazy too.

Similar shops might appear later, but not now. So we needed to strike while the iron was hot.

I didn't think passing Yuhwa's test would be possible just by running one successful shop.

That was why I came up with the dog café.

I rented the building opposite the cat café through a front man, and carefully selected a cute stray dog tribe to bring in.

All anonymously.

If the cat people found out I was the owner, it could cause resentment.

The structure of the dog café was almost identical to the cat café. The only difference was that instead of massages, there was a backyard where people could play with the dog tribe.

Now all that was left was to start business.

"A dog café? Isn't that just like the cat café?"

"You don't get it. Unlike the aloof cat people, the dog tribe is happy with just a little kindness."

"True… Cat people don't react much even when you give them treats. Should we give it a try?"

A couple was chatting on the street. They had often visited the cat café, but today they entered the dog café.

The cat people, who had been pressed against the window watching them leave, ground their teeth in anger.

"How could they go to that dim-witted dog tribe over us, meow? It's betrayal, meow! Don't even think about coming back to our café, meow!"

"A-All of them are blind as a new born kitten. We cat people are superior as a race compared to the dog tribe who wag their tails at anyone."

Every time customers were stolen right before their eyes, the cat people couldn't hide their shock. Even though it was good that customers spent more money on their pampering.

"You, come with me for a moment."

Seira, glancing at the cat people, called me to the back of the shop. Only after checking that no one else was around did she speak.

"That dog café is your doing too, isn't it?"

"That's right. It seemed unlikely to pass the test with just one café."

"But why a dog café of all things? Wouldn't opening a different type of business increase the customer pool?"

"That's generally true."

I had several business ideas in mind.

But time was still the main constraint.

In that sense, now that people understood what a 'café with beastkin' was like, it was time to show them the charm of other beastkin. There was no need to pioneer a new path.

I had a different aim.

There was a reason for choosing the dog tribe specifically.

"Nothing draws attention like creating a divide."

***

The next day, an article appeared in Vestia's newspaper.[Cat People VS Dog Tribe. Who is the Superior Beastkin? Get the Scoop at the 6th District Cafés]

Which race was superior?

This had been a topic of debate since before the founding of Vestia, the beastkin kingdom, when they still lived in tribal units based on species.

Land beastkin over sea beastkin.

Carnivorous beastkin over herbivorous beastkin.

Flying beastkin being the most superior of all, and so on.

As Vestia was established and time passed, the sparks of conflict gradually died down, but embers were still embers. With enough fuel, they could flare up again at any time.

Just like now.

In a certain café.

A mustachioed gentleman and a lady with a fan were engaged in a heated debate.

The topic was the recent hot issue: Dog Tribe VS Cat People.

"The dog tribe is fundamentally superior. They've been man's best friend and family since ancient times."

"For nobility, it must be cat people. Their graceful movements, their lofty attitude. Don't they symbolize us nobles?"

"You're truly blind. Look at the dog tribe. They wag their tails to welcome people and stay in their place until their master returns."

"Cat people do that too…"

The gentleman shook his head firmly.

"Those cats are called puppy cats. In the end, cats are just an inferior version of dogs. And what about all the shedding?"

"Some of the dog tribe shed too, you know? Those dogs who wag their tails at anyone are no different from prostitutes."

"There's a limit to slander!"

Unable to tolerate the insult, the gentleman stood up abruptly.

This caused the cup on the table to fall and shatter with a crash.

"Oh my! Hey now. Why are you getting so heated? It's just a debate. Always fidgeting and making a fuss, just like one of the dog tribe."

"Ngh… Excuse me, could you clean this up?"

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine. Sorry for causing a disturbance."

A dog tribe employee approached, cleaned up the broken glass and floor, then retreated. Watching her leave with a bright smile, the gentleman couldn't hide his satisfied expression.

"Look at that. How polite. In contrast, cat people…"

"If it were a cat person, they would have nimbly caught the cup before it fell."

"What?"

"And then they'd give you a kneading massage with their soft paws to calm you down."

"…If it were a dog tribe, they'd prepare a feast fit for a king, not just a massage."

"If it were a cat person, they'd hand-feed you that meal. Cat people are superior. End of story. No rebuttals. If you rebut, your family will be cursed for three generations."

"Why, you wench…!"

The heated debate over the superiority of the dog tribe and cat people in Vestia.

What started as an issue between two races gradually grew larger over time.

For example, it evolved from a simple fight between dogs and cats to a battle between canines and felines.

In the Vestia Royal Palace.

Princess Hilde of the beastkin kingdom was sprawled on the sofa as if formalities were for others. As she yawned lazily, unable to bear the boredom any longer, she spoke up.

"Bendy, there's been a hot topic of debate in the kingdom lately. Do you know about it?"

The raccoon beastkin Bendy, who had been working, jumped in surprise and answered in a small voice.

"Y-Yes… It's about whether the dog tribe or cat people are superior…"

"Always making a fuss over useless debates. The answer has been clear from the start. Of course, felines are…"

"Right. All beastkin are equal."

"Huh?"

"What?"

Hilde and Bendy's gazes clashed.

"All beastkin are equal, but felines are above those equal beastkin, Bendy."

"B-But…"

"But? Is this cute little raccoon talking back to the princess?"

Hilde approached Bendy slowly, her lips curling into a sneer.

BOOM.

"Eek?!"

Hilde slammed her fist on the desk.

The desk cracked with a loud noise.

"Are you suggesting that I and our Lioness royal family are the same as those worthless creatures crawling on the ground?"

"I-I have committed a grave sin, Princess!"

"Oh? Look at this. You're not saying it's absolutely not true?"

Bendy flinched while prostrated on the floor. Hilde looked down at the back of her head, holding her own head high.

"Repeat after me. Word for word."

"W-Word for word."

"Felines are superior to all other species."

"F-Felines are superior to… all other species…"

"Canines are inferior to cats."

"Canines are inferior to…"

Bendy gritted her teeth and trembled.

"Yah!"

Suddenly, with a poof of smoke, only a single leaf remained where Bendy had been. It was an escape magic commonly used by raccoons.

Hilde burst into laughter. Look at this cute thing. Daring to ignore the princess's words and run away?

Well, they were usually on friendly terms—from Hilde's perspective—and she found it fun to play with Bendy, so she wouldn't punish her.

But when she returned, she'd have to make her perform some tricks as punishment, like doing handstands and rolling around.

But before that.

Hilde stretched, loosening her stiff body.

"I wonder who started all this commotion? Shall I go take a look?"

***

After the article came out, an unprecedented number of customers flooded the shops.

It didn't matter that a human was running it, or that there was a pink fox. What mattered was proving who was superior and maintaining racial pride.

The cat faction and dog faction growled at each other across the street as if it were a national border.

I had the staff distribute cool drinks to those who were all fired up.

"Mmm! As expected, it tastes even sweeter when given by a cat person!"

"That's just the taste of fur. Aren't you chewing on hair in your mouth?"

The atmosphere heated up.

From my perspective, the noisier it was, the better. This level of commotion would surely have reached Yuhwa in the Celestial Pavilion.

The profits were coming in steadily too.

I'd pass the test without even needing to take it.

"Mastah."

"Yes?"

Rin was sitting in my lap watching the situation and tilted her head back to look up at me.

"Does Mastah prefer woof-woofs or meow-meows?"

"Me? Well…"

To be honest, I liked them both.

The dog tribe got additional stat bonuses when assigned guard duties, while cat people had unique business methods like the current massages that only they could do.

It depended on the situation and how you used them.

Rin stared at me intently with a serious expression as I pondered. Her eyes suggested that my answer was an incredibly important matter.

I couldn't help but smile as I answered.

"I like foxes the best."

Her face immediately lit up with joy.

"I like Mastah bestest too!"

Rin swished her three tails to wrap around my waist.

"So there were two foxes."

Seira had been watching the scene with cold eyes before muttering that to herself. Then she sighed and gazed into the distance, her eyes gradually widening.

"Huh?"

"What is it? Did another fox show up?"

I tried to make a joke, but her expression was deadly serious. As if she had no time to respond to jokes.

It was rare to see Seira so flustered. Curious, I followed her gaze.

A woman was striding towards us, her black hair like a lion's mane flowing behind her. Her eyes had golden pupils with vertical black slits.

What is that crazy bitch doing here?

Hilde something Lioness.

The future tyrant of Vestia.