《Curse of the Kat (Dropped)》 CH 1 - The cat is reborn Congratulations! You won a new life! Oh, cool! ¡­ as if! What is this?! Where am I?! Wasn¡¯t I in the hospital before I fell asleep? I know hospitals tend to be white, but this is too much whiteness! More like, there¡¯s only whiteness! Congratulations! You won a new life! And also this ad-like blue box with a text. What¡¯s up with this? I hate adds! Where is the X button?! Congratulations! You won a new life! Shut up! Ugh. Fine¡­ I think I get it now. Since this box says ¡®new life¡¯, it means the old one has ended, right? I mean, the doctor DID say my condition was worsening, but he also said¡­ ¡®Don¡¯t worry miss, everything will be alright¡­ I promise you will get better.¡¯ Now, if that isn¡¯t a death flag, then I don¡¯t know what is. ¡­ I¡¯m oddly calm about this, aren¡¯t I? I guess being in a hospital for so long, I more or less already expected to die. Oh well¡­ Still though, where am I? Weren¡¯t you supposed to go to heaven or hell after death? Why am I in a white void with nothing but this message box looming over me? Congratulations! You won a new life! Sigh. What new life? Please customize your new life. Oh¡­? The box extended. There¡¯s a bunch of options now. I can pick gender, height, hair color¡­ And there¡¯s another tab for ¡®world¡¯?! I can customize what kind of world to live in as well? Whoa, that¡¯s amazing! It¡¯s like a highly customizable RPG! So many options¡­ Can¡¯t I just make myself the world¡¯s ruler with this? Not that I would enjoy that¡­ Well, let¡¯s see then. A peaceful world would be good¡­ Oh, wow¡­ Not only can I get a world with magic and skills, but I can even specify how it all works?! This goes way beyond any customizable game! Dang, I¡¯m really getting into this! With this much, a completely peaceful world would just be boring! Let there be dungeons and epic monsters to fight! Yep, that took a while. For some reason, I started with the world. And it took me¡­ a long time to finish it. I don¡¯t even know how long since I don¡¯t have a watch¡­ Well, it¡¯s not like anyone¡¯s rushing me. But even without a physical body, it¡¯s exhausting! I still have to do my actual character¡­ Is this going to take that long too? Ugh¡­ ¡­ Hm? Oh, there¡¯s a randomize button? How did I not notice that before? Cool. Let¡¯s just randomize and then go from there. I wonder what I¡¯ll get. Click. Now transferring to your new life, please wait¡­ ¡­ Hmm? Wait, what?! I didn¡¯t customize my character yet, though?! Did it double as a confirmation?! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll pick out something nice for you, heheh¡­ Wha- It¡¯s sentient?! You! Who the hell are you?! Well¡­ I¡¯m something like a god, I guess? You can call me Kat. Nice to meet you. God¡­? ¡­ then explain what¡¯s going on! Why am I in this void? Is this ¡®new life¡¯ for real? If yes, why can¡¯t I customize my character?! Slow down there. Too many questions. Grr¡­ Well then, first, yes, you have succumbed to your illness and died. So it¡¯s true¡­ Second, you were about to be sent to hell, but I intervened and gave you a chance to reincarnate in another world. What¡¯s with this clich¨¦ development? And wait! Sent to hell?! Why?! What did I do?! Calm down now. I wasn¡¯t the one in charge of that. Frankly, even I don¡¯t know what you did. Not in charge¡­ So there are multiple gods, huh?This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Now, then. We are almost there. Huh? Wait! I¡¯m not done questioning you! What¡¯s your goal in all of this! And you still didn¡¯t tell me why that randomize button was broken! Silly you! I don¡¯t have any ulterior motives! I just want you to have fun! Now, good luck in your new life! And don¡¯t forget to check your status when you land! Hey!!! Come back here! ¡­ I¡¯m in a forest. That jerk just sent me out without finishing his explanation! ¡­ Well, nothing I can do about it now. So, what did the randomize turn me into? I seem to be younger again. And I¡¯m wearing some peculiar clothes¡­ A black dress with a cat tail attached to it. Two arm-length black gloves that resemble cat paws. And even cat ear headband on my head. What the heck? A cat costume? Are you serious? What kind of pervert is that god? Let¡¯s look at the status as he said. But how do I- Oh, here we go. Name: Nina Level: 1 Strength: 20/20 Endurance: 20/20 Speed: 25/25 Magic: 15/15 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband Kat gloves Kat slippers Skills: Cat soul 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat Huh¡­ It feels like something is missing. Right, where¡¯s HP? And why are all of the stats x/x? That¡¯s not how I customized it! Did that ¡®god¡¯ Kat change it? Tch¡­ So I didn¡¯t get to customize anything, after all¡­ I knew it seemed too good to be true¡­ Well, how does this work then? Maybe endurance or strength doubles as HP? As in, if I drop to 0, I die? Hmm, that must be it¡­ But what about speed and magic? Will dropping to 0 with those kill me as well? Well, let¡¯s avoid testing that for now¡­ Equipment¡­ Haha, yeah, very funny. Sigh¡­ Anyway, since it¡¯s named after that god, they ought to be some amazing equipment, right? Can I examine them somehow? Hmm¡­ Ah, there we go. Kat underwear A set of underwear blessed by the Kat. It automatically removes any dirt and filth on the wearer and changes size to fit the wearer. Also increases stat recovery rate by 300%. Huh¡­ ¡®Never take me off¡¯ is what this is telling me. Are you serious? Does that mean I don¡¯t need to ever do the laundry? Will I become lazy because of this? Also, I¡¯m not sure what exactly ¡®stat recovery¡¯ is, but three hundred percent boost seems like a lot¡­ Kat dress A dress blessed by the Kat. Grants the wearer protection from physical and magical attacks as well as extreme cold and extreme heat. It also boosts the wearer¡¯s maximum endurance by 300%. So this dress is a piece of armor? No way¡­ Is this like one of these ripoff mmo games...? Revealing more skin = more defense because fan service? Well, this one isn¡¯t THAT revealing, so it might be okay¡­ But it does have that tail attached to it, so it¡¯s kind of¡­ Never mind. Kat ear headband A headband blessed by the Kat. Enhances wearer¡¯s senses, such as eyesight and hearing. In addition, the wearer becomes immune to charm effects. It also boosts the wearer¡¯s maximum magic by 300%. This thing is by far the most embarrassing piece to wear. But the benefits are so good¡­ Not just the enhanced senses. Being immune to charm might save my life one day. Ughhh¡­ I don¡¯t want to wear it, but it keeps me safer¡­ Kat gloves A pair of full arm length cat gloves blessed by the Kat. Allows the wearer to hold their grip on any surface. Includes retractable poison-secreting claws. It also boosts the wearer¡¯s maximum strength by 300%. That¡¯s less of a cat and more of a spider. Isn¡¯t this a top tier assassination tool? Just hang on the ceiling and wait for your target to walk near¡­ And then slash with the poison claws¡­ Err, forget it. I¡¯m not gonna become an assassin. Kat slippers A pair of cat slippers blessed by the Kat. Enhances the flexibility of the wearer and allows them to jump in mid-air. It also boosts the wearer¡¯s maximum speed by 300%. Whoa, double jump?! I can already see myself soaring in the sky with this. Is this really supposed to be cat-themed? Well, whatever¡­ Now, what about those two skills¡­ Cat soul and 9 lives. Cat soul Temporarily turns you into a wild animal. You gain bonus agility for the duration. Huh¡­ How simple¡­ compared to the equipment. It¡¯s basically a battle mode, right? Though, I worry about the ¡®turns you into a wild animal¡¯ part¡­ 9 lives Upon death, you will be granted new life again. This can happen up to 8 times. It¡¯s possible to replenish your lives by sacrificing another living being. This living being has to be emotionally close to you for this to work. Lives left: 8 W-wait a second here! This suddenly got really dark! Sacrificing someone close to me?! I don¡¯t want to do that! Absolutely not! ¡­ That¡¯s right! In the first place, I don¡¯t plan on dying! If I never die, I won¡¯t have to worry about this! ¡­ This last thing. Blessing of the Kat Allows the user to wear equipment blessed by the Kat. The user is also sometimes able to communicate with the Kat at designated locations. Lastly, all feline creatures will become friendly. Hmm¡­ Does that mean only I can wear all of this? Well, having it stolen would still be a problem, but at least I won¡¯t be attacked by the thief using these. And¡­ What are these so called ¡®designated locations¡¯? Churches, I guess? He DID say he is a god, after all. That must be it. Oh and, the thing about felines being friendly should be handy too. Can I befriend a lion or something? That would be cool¡­ Hmm... Well, that''s everything. Now, where do I go from here? CH 2 - The cat fights wolves While walking through the forest, I took a closer look at my equipment. Honestly, it¡¯s quite embarrassing to wear this. But the effects are really strong¡­ And anyway, I don¡¯t really have anything else to wear. Choice: > a) Wear the cat costume b) Go naked There might as well not be any choice. I will keep this on at least until I can get other clothes. Now¡­ As for the effects¡­ First of all, the double jump. It works, but it¡¯s hard to control. I flung myself into a tree. Dangerous. I¡¯ll note this down as one of the things I have to practice later. Next, the gloves. The spider climbing ability is really strange. Climbing up a tree doesn¡¯t even feel like climbing. It defies gravity. This is incredible¡­ But as I say that, I¡¯m up on a tree now. Cats don¡¯t know how to climb down trees, right? Well, even if I look like this, I¡¯m not a cat! I easily jumped down. And landed on all fours. ¡­ Or maybe I am¡­ Anyway¡­ The gloves also have the retractable claws. And these are even stranger than the climbing ability. The thing is, I have no idea where these claws come from. After all, my fingers are inside the gloves, they should be poked when I retract the claws. But they aren¡¯t. The claws just disappear. How does it work? Magic? Well, lastly, there¡¯s the fake cat ears and tail. And even though they were supposed to be fake¡­ They move in reaction to my mood. That¡¯s right! I can move them at will! Well, it¡¯s not that simple, actually. It¡¯s like learning how to walk all over again. Something like that. Most of the time, I end up slapping my butt with the tail. Another ¡®learn how to use later¡¯ candidate. ¡­ Hmm¡­? Hmmmm¡­? What is it that I smell? Is that a wild animal? ¡­ Wait, smell? How can I- Oh, is that the effect of these ears? It did say ¡®enhanced senses¡¯, didn¡¯t it? But still, it¡¯s ears. You would expect them to only improve hearing¡­ Never mind. There¡¯s a wild beast¡­ No, four of them. They are closing in on me. ¡­ what do I do? Even with all of this overpowered gear I have¡­ I¡­ I can¡¯t fight an animal, right?! I¡¯ve never gotten into a fight! And I spent the last days of my previous life in a bed! There¡¯s no way I know anything about fending off wild beasts! ¡­ Unless¡­ Cat soul Temporarily turns you into a wild animal. You gain bonus to agility for the duration. That¡¯s it! I can temporarily turn into ¡®one of them¡¯! If that¡¯s the case, then I shouldn¡¯t have any problems right¡­? Wrong! Why would I willingly turn myself into a wild animal?! I¡¯m not just gonna throw away my humanity on a whim! ¡­ Choice: > a) Turn into a beast (temporarily) b) Fight beasts as a human (and probably die) ¡­ Maybe I¡¯ll try it after all. Dying right after being granted new life would suck. Turning into a beast is fine! I will deal with the consequences later! Err¡­ So, how do I activate this ¡®cat soul¡¯? Oh crap! They are almost here! Nnngh! ¡°C-cat soul! Activate!¡± Nothing?! How do I-?! ¡­You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. They are here. Four wolves. I¡¯m encircled. ¡­ W-what now? They look really scary! I was never a fan of dogs, but these are wolves! That¡¯s even worse! Gyah, they are jumping at me! Go away! Go away! While my arms flailed around, the claws on my gloves extended and slashed the wolf¡¯s face. It fell to the ground with a whimper. A lot of blood flowed out of its face. Huh¡­ Then, another one jumped at me from my right side. I let out a weird shriek while closing my eyes and doing a sweeping motion with my arm in his direction. The same scene from before repeated. H-hey¡­ It¡¯s surprisingly¡­ not a big deal? Two more wolf lunges. Two more slashes. After a moment, the four bodies jolting on the ground all stopped moving. Why are these wolves so slow and weak? I was scared to death for nothing. Or¡­ I guess it¡¯s this costume? Even if it¡¯s embarrassing, it¡¯s still strong. Yep, that must be it. Thank you ¡®Kat¡¯. Now then¡­ I didn¡¯t need to turn into a beast and I didn¡¯t die! The perfect conclusion. A happy end. But, what do I do with these wolf corpses? There¡¯s blood all around and it stinks terribly. Something like this ought to attract other beasts, right? What do I do in this situation? Choice: > a) Strip their fur, cook their meat, bury the remains b) Walk away Who am I? A poacher? A butcher? I don¡¯t know how to process wolves! I¡¯ll just leave this place before any others come here. Yep, that¡¯s the safest option. And so, I walked away. But of course, fate wouldn¡¯t let me go off that easily. A few minutes after I left the crime scene, my nose picked up more presences. This time, there are also some... people? Three people and six wolves. Are they in a fight? I picked up my pace and soon arrived. One guy wielding a sword and a shield. Two girls wielding staves. Are they adventurers or something like that? Well, there should be adventurers in this world. Unless that god changed my settings, that is. But, aren¡¯t they kind of weak? The wolves are totally overwhelming them. ¡°Grh! I won¡¯t let you through!¡± ¡°Gyah! Get away from me!¡± Choice: > a) Help the party b) Help the wolves c) Ignore this, it has nothing to do with me d) Watch while eating popcorn Well, sadly, I don¡¯t have any popcorn. And since I hate wolves, I wouldn¡¯t be on their side. Ignoring is also not an option. It¡¯s the first people I met in this world. I don¡¯t want to sleep in the forest, so I¡¯ll ask them for directions. Jump. Slash. One down. It seems that neither the wolves nor the adventurers noticed me up until I downed the wolf. When I did, shocked gazes fixated on me. But I didn¡¯t mind it and jumped at the next wolf. But seriously¡­ Just¡­ what happened to me? Slash. I was just a regular modern day girl. Why am I alright with clawing wild wolves to death? Slash. Even with all the blood gushing out, I¡¯m not even that grossed out. Slash. It¡¯s the opposite. It¡¯s almost like¡­ I¡¯m enjoying it. Slash. Hmm¡­? The last one is trying to run away? Well, I¡¯m not letting you! Slash. A job well done. Err¡­ The heck did I just do? Did I seriously just massacre a pack of wolves? I¡¯m covered in blood now¡­ It stinks. ¡°U-um¡­¡± The guy with a sword raised his voice. He still held his sword in front of him, seeming wary of me. That¡¯s no good. I saved you. You should thank me, right? ¡°Hello. My name is Nina.¡± A subtle smile and a wave of my hand. The perfect greeting. ¡°H-hello¡­?¡± And yet, the guy still didn¡¯t let his guard down. Or rather, he seemed a little dumbfounded? One of the girls hit him with her shoulder and woke him up before speaking. ¡°Nice to meet you miss Nina. I¡¯m Betty, this guy is Jun and she is Lisa. Thank you for saving us.¡± A small bow. What a polite girl. ¡°No problem. I hate wolves.¡± They are loud, stupid and ugly. ¡°I-is that so?¡± ¡°How should we repay you? We don¡¯t really have much money on hand¡­¡± The other girl, Lisa, interjected. ¡°Umm¡­ then, guide me to the nearest town?¡± ¡°Is just that much really alright?¡± She seemed troubled. ¡°You can¡¯t do it?¡± ¡°We can! We definitely can, but¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Well you see, we had a commission to kill four wolves. If we return without completing it, it will be a problem for us¡­¡± ¡°Huh? But there are six wolf corpses right here?¡± ¡°Those were defeated by miss Nina. We can¡¯t take credit for that.¡± ¡°Then, I will sell you the wolves. The payment will be showing me around the city.¡± ¡°S-something trivial as that¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m fine with that trade¡­ but if you don¡¯t think it¡¯s enough, just pay me back later.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Why do you look even more troubled? The three of them exchanged glances. After a few whispers, they all nodded. ¡°Then, thank you very much.¡± CH 3 - The cat VS. the gate guard Since I couldn''t do it, the three adventurers skinned the wolves. They also cut up the meat and put it in a bag. Lastly, they recovered small stones from the corpses, the magic stones. Every creature in this world has one, just like I set it. While they were busy, I noticed all of the blood and filth disappeared from me. Is that the auto-clean function of this underwear? I like it. After they were done, we headed for the city. On our way there, conversation happened. "But, you sure are incredible, miss Nina." "Yeah, I knew beast people are strong, but still... you are so young, yet so strong." ... oh. I completely forgot I''m wearing this outfit. And what''s more, catgirls exist in this world, so they think it''s real. "Er... umm..." I''m not sure if I should tell them. This could get troubleso- "Wait... but why do you have human ears as well?" It''s over. "Actually... these are fake." I said as I lifted the headband off of my head. "Huh?!" "What?!" "..." "I''m a human. But... I kind of have to wear this for now." Confusion, surprise and... pity? That girl over there, please don''t look at me like that... "I... I see..." Not you too. ... Ugh... What''s with this awkward atmosphere now? Say something! Don''t just look away! Ughhhhh! This is why I am a loner! I hate situations like this! I should have just found some popcorn! ... Nobody talked until we arrived at the city. It''s fine. It''s absolutely, one hundred percent fine. I''m a loner, so it''s not like I wanted to talk or anything. Everything is alright. When we approached the city gate, the guard stationed there raised his eyebrows. "Hey, welcome back. Who is this beast girl?" "Hello, we are back. This is Nina, she saved us when we got ourselves into a pinch." Betty stepped forward and explained. The guard frowned to her words. "A pinch? What happened?" "W-well... we got surrounded by wolves and..." "You need to be careful out there! What would you do if the little lady wasn''t there to help you?" "S-sorry... we will be more careful from now on." "Hmmph... anyway, thanks for saving these kids, miss." A smile and thumbs up. I show the ideal response. Words are overrated. "... anyway." What''s with your baffled expression? "Why do you have both human and beast ears?" Ah, him too. But, I guess there''s no point in trying to lie anymore. "These are fake... I have to wear them for now." I said the same thing as before. And he had the same reaction as the trio. Come on now... "... well, alright then." Oh! He let it go! As expected of a gate guard! His communication skills must be top-notch from all the people that pass by him! "Please show me your identification cards now." ... umm, what now? The trio showed him their cards and then looked at me. "Umm... how can I get an identification card?" "... you don''t have any identification card? Where did you come from?" "F-from very far away...?" I''m not very convincing. But improvising on the spot is hard! Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.I can''t produce a novel''s worth of backstory at will! Ugh, why didn''t I think this through earlier?! "... well, if you don''t have any identification, you will have to pay a toll and we will also have to check your criminal record." ... money? "Err... can I pay with... wolf pelt?" I gave the four wolves to the trio and kept the remaining two. But that was all I had. Two wolves. "You don''t even have any money?" A mixture of anger and resignation. Am I going to get arrested? Or made into a slave for having no money? ... Ah, I guess I should prepare myself to live as a criminal on the run. "S-sir! If it''s okay, we will pay the toll for her." Huh...? Who is this angelic being? Did you say your name was Lisa? You should quickly change it to Angel. "Well, alright then... That will be one silver coin." The angel gave him a shining coin. With that, I am saved... "But I still need to do the criminal record check, so come over here." Ah, I''m still gonna get executed. Kat said I was gonna go to hell, right? I still don''t know what I did in my previous life... B-but surely, it doesn''t count anymore.... r-right? We walked inside a tiny station next to the gate. Inside, there sat another guard on a chair with his eyes closed, snoring. The guard, who led me there walked to a closet and rummaged through it before pulling out a weird white plate. He then placed it onto a table and waved his hands in a weird manner. "Here, place your hands on top of it and channel your magic power." Right on. So, how do I channel magic power? "..." My face probably cramped as I tried to ''channel magic power'', but nothing happened. "What''s wrong?" Not good. I need to try harder! It''s something like this right?! RAAAAAARGH! "S-stop right now! What do you think you are doing?!" H-huh? W-what''s wrong? The other guy woke up and fell on the floor! And why are you sweating like some fat guy who just finished working out? "S-sorry... I... Umm..." "Look, I meant channel magic power INSIDE THIS PLATE. Not throughout your entire body!" Oh... is that what I did? I''m sorry. I didn''t know. Please stop looking at me like I was an idiot... So, inside the plate...? How do I do that? ... L-like this? "... don''t tell me you don''t know how to do it." "Erm... ehehe?" A cute, innocent smile! Surely, he will forgive me... right? ... No stop. I know you are annoyed, but don''t downgrade me from ''idiot'' to ''trash'' in your mind! ... A sigh and a facepalm. Well, it''s better than giving me these looks, I guess... "Well, I guess people like you exist... look, there''s another method, but it''s a little painful, so prepare yourself." Painful? What are you gonna do to me? I don''t like pain. Are you going to shove magic-o-meter into my butt? Or slice the top of my head and inspect my brain? I-I don''t like this... P-please stop...! Ah, he took out a knife. So, it''s the brain inspection, after all. "I''ll need a bit of your blood. Use this to prick your finger." O-oh... Just my finger... This shouldn''t be that bad, right? Okay, here I go. I took off my left glove and exposed my hand. In my right hand, there''s the knife. Carefully close in with the blade. ... C-carefully... "I don''t have all day." I''m sorry! But I really don''t like pain after all! Ughh... Okay! If I can''t do it slowly and carefully, let''s do it quickly! Now! Here I go! Close my eyes! Raise the knife up high! STAAAAAB! "GYAAAAAAAAAAH!" It hurts! So much blood! ... Why did I do it so forcefully?! Am I an idiot?! Hey you! I''m gonna bleed to death! Do something! Don''t just sit there with your palm covering your face! I know it was stupid but come on! "... you are... free to enter the city." At least look at me when you say that! Ugh... ... Huh? It''s already healing? Why? Let me check my stats. Name: Nina Level: 3 Strength: 21/21 Endurance: 21/22 Speed: 28/28 Magic: 15/17 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband Kat glove Kat slippers Skills: Cat soul 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat Oh, I leveled up to level 3. And it seems I have used up some magic and endurance points since they aren''t full. Hmmm...? Strength: 21/21 Endurance: 22/22 Speed: 28/28 Magic: 16/17 My finger is healed already. Oh, I get it... It must be the stat restoration properties of the underwear, right?. So endurance is my ''HP'' after all, huh? "Hmm? Your wound already closed up? That''s impressive." Urk... He saw it. Quickly put on my glove again. "I guess these so called ''strong wimps'' really do exist..." I''m a wimp! So what! Pain is painful! Shut up! "Well, as I said. You are free to enter. But, don''t cause any trouble." I''ll... Try to. Finally, the hardest ''battle'' since I arrived in this world was over. Social interactions and mandatory procedures are the worst! CH 4 - The cat tours the city After the blood-soaked battle finished, I exited the station and entered the city. The adventurer trio was waiting there. "Miss Nina! We heard screams! What happened in there?!" Urk... They heard me scream like a little girl. Please forget about it as soon as possible. "Err... Umm..." Come on, brain! Come up with an excuse! "... let''s walk you around the city as we promised, okay?" Oh, my angel... You recognized I don''t want to talk about it and changed the topic! You truly are a gift from the heavens. "... right, let''s go then." And so, we went. While the two girls guided me, Jun left for the adventurer''s guild to turn in the wolves. Buanna. That''s the name of this city. And it''s exactly what I would expect from the specs I selected for this world. It has this medieval fantasy feel to it. I approve. Although, there aren''t any fantasy races, like elves, around... As we walked, I committed every important place to my memory. The inns. The popular stalls. The medical facility. Any shop I might want to use in the future. All of them were memorized. Even though sightseeing was never one of my hobbies, I actually had fun this time. But... The stares from the passing people... I could do without those. I did my best enduring the shame of wearing this outfit. But that didn''t stop anyone from gluing their eyes on me... Are beast people that rare in these parts? Not that I am a beast person... "Hey, here you are!" It''s Jun, he''s back. "As promised, here''s the reward for the two wolves." He handed me four silver coins. Huh... That''s not that much, is it? It''s only enough to enter this city four times. "Thanks..." Actually, there are no pockets in this dress. I guess I have to hold it in my cat paws for now. "No problem. You saved us after all. ... so, umm, are you guys done touring?" He asked the two girls and they gazed at me. "Yeah, this is enough. Thanks a lot." The sun is setting and I think they''ve shown me everything I needed. Let''s end this here. "No, we thank you for saving us!" "Haha, yeah. See you later miss Nina!" And so, we parted ways. Goodbye my angel~ Hmm... They were a good bunch. But being alone is the best, after all. Now then... First things first. I need a bag or something. I can''t just keep carrying all my money on hand. Onto the first stop! The doorbell rings as I enter the shop. "Welcome! (Huh? What a weird getup.)" A bearded man covered in muscles ''greets'' me. I could hear even the whispered part. But... did he notice I was a human right away? That''s a first. Anyway, this shop is called Rennack''s treasures. It sells all sorts of miscellaneous stuff. Everything in here was acquired from dungeons, apparently. The wares range from shining crystals and enchanted charms to smelly robes and suspicious potions. But my aim is... "How much does an item bag cost?" If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.An item bag. A magical item able to hold a large amount of stuff while remaining light and compact. "An item bag, huh? Well, the cheapest one will cost you ten silvers." Ten silvers... I don''t have enough for that. "I see..." "What? This is really cheap for an item bag, you know?" "Y-yeah sorry. I don''t know the prices..." I try to leave, but he speaks again. "Hey now. If you need something to carry that money in, I can give you an armbag. This one should only cost a hundred and eighty coppers." He noticed the coins grasped in my glove. Really sharp, isn''t he? But I guess the bag fits my needs. Let''s buy it for now. "Then, I''ll take it." I hand over two silver coins and get back two big copper coins. Huh? Did I just get scammed? "Didn''t you say it was... hundred-eighty coppers?" "Hmm? Yeah." ... Did he just admit he scammed me? "Miss... you gave me two silver coins, worth two hundred coppers. And I returned two big copper coins, worth twenty coppers." "O-oh... I-I see..." So that''s how it works... 10 small copper = 1 big copper. 10 big copper = 1 small silver. I get it now. I''m sorry for thinking you are a scammer! "... where did you come from to not know the values of coins?" "F-from very far away..." My favorite excuse. It''s not a lie, either. "Very far away, huh? Well, welcome to Buanna then!" Huh... Unexpectedly friendly. Is this man actually a really good person? And I thought he was a scammer?! I''m the worst! Shame on me! "And make sure to not get scammed, miss!" "T-thanks..." I thank the old man and leave the store. Phew... Why is talking to people always such a nightmare? Well, at least I learned the value of these coins... Now then, I''m hungry. In this part of the city, there are food stalls. Anything from fresh bread to juicy fruits are sold here. But right now, I want meat. "One rabbit meat skewer, please." "That will be twenty copper coins." "Twenty... here." "Here''s your skewer! Come again!" "Thanks. Bye!" Huh? Did I just successfully talk to someone without causing a disaster? Amazing! My communication skills are improving! Go, me! Mmm... The meat is quite good. Even without modern spices and cooking techniques. A pleasant surprise. Now then... 2 small silver coins left. I need to quickly find a way to make money. Registering as an adventurer seems like the obvious choice, so let''s try going there first thing in the morning. But now... A place to sleep. From the tour, I knew of several inns. I headed to the one recommended by Lisa, my angel. "Wel...come?" What''s with that pause? Lady, do you know it''s rude to stare at people with your mouth agape? The people sitting at the tables, that applies to you too! What? My cat outfit? Please don''t mind it. I have already died of shame and ascended beyond it. I don''t care anymore. "Is there an empty room for one?" "Huh? ... Um... let me see... yes, there is." "Then, how much for one night?" "Including the breakfast, it will be one silver coin." I have enough for two nights... But I don''t want to spend all my money at once. "Then, One night please." I hand over a silver coin and receive the key to my room. Doing my best to ignore the stares, I climb up the stairs and find the door to my room. The door creaks open and I walk inside. It''s a small room with a bed and a bedside table. There''s also a window, but it''s one that just lets some light in without letting you see what''s outside. What are those called, again...? Well, whatever. Now then... Bend my knees! Jump toward the bed! Open my arms! Aaaand laaan- GAH! ... This... Isn''t the softest of beds. How should I sleep? I don''t have any pajamas. The only thing I have is this cat outfit... I guess I''ll sleep in my underwear. ... As I take off my slippers, gloves and dress, alarm goes off in my head. How safe is this locked door? What if someone breaks it down and assaults me? Should I keep on the entire outfit to make sure I can defend myself? But that would make for a really uncomfortable sleep... Ugh... A compromise. I''ll keep on the ear headband, the slippers and the underwear. I should be able to detect a possible intruder before they break in with the ears. And the speed increase from the slippers should be enough to fend them off. The perfect plan. ... W-well, I still hope nobody is gonna try to break in. But better safe than sorry. But man... What a crazy day... Even though it''s been long overdue... I died. And then got another chance to live in a world I myself customized... I wonder why I wasn''t too surprised by all of this. Well, never mind. Finally, I get some sleep. Good night~ CH 5 - The cat visits the adventurer’s guild I can smell it. I can hear it. I can sense it. There''s someone outside my door. Am I going to get assaulted, after all?! Knock, knock, knock. Huh? What kind of criminal knocks first? "Miss? Are you awake?" That voice... Isn''t that the inn lady? She''s the invader?! Wait... Don''t tell me she''s- "Your breakfast is ready..." ... Oh. I''m sorry, inn lady. Please forgive me for assuming you are a bloodthirsty criminal. "Y-yeah, thanks... I-I''ll be there in a minute..." Didn''t I do something similar yesterday? I need to do something about automatically assuming everyone is a bad guy. I get up, put on the dress and gloves and grab my handbag. Then, I leave my room and walk downstairs. "Good morning." "Good morning." After greeting the inn lady, I get seated at an empty table. Of course, stares fixate on me. But I''ve gotten quite good at ignoring them. A moment later, my breakfast arrives. Thanks, miss receptionist. The bread is soft and delicious. And the fruits are also juicy. Hmm? Plain meal? I don''t really mind though. It''s just breakfast, after all. "Hello there. Are you new in town?" A man in his twenties with a suspicious smile casually greets me while seating himself in a chair opposite of me. He is wearing an expensive-looking coat. Who...? "Hmm, yeah?" I don''t know what he wants, but it can''t be anything nice... No, wait. I said I will stop assuming everyone is a bad guy, didn''t I? That''s right. He is simply a friendly man trying to strike a conversation. Not a scammer or a thief. "Ah sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Vincent Gazick." He extends his hand. "Hello, I''m Nina." I grab it with my glove and we shake hands. "Hmm... I''ve been wondering. Where did you get these clothes? They seem to be of high quality. Especially that headband..." He noticed. The second person who did. But where did I get them... From god, right? It''s not like I can just say that, though. "They were made for me." It''s not a lie. "I see... would you be so kind to share the name of this craftsman?" He pulled out a gold coin and waved it in front of me. Huh... Why does he care so much? Is he a pervert? Does he want to wear a cat outfit no matter the cost? Something must be wrong with him. And anyway, I can''t just say ''I got it from a god'', can I? "Sorry, that''s impossible." I declined. His smile disappeared for a moment. "I see... that''s unfortunate." He stood up from his seat. "Well, I have to go now, see you later miss." "Bye." I waved at him as he left the inn. Hmm... He isn''t going to send kidnappers and assassins after me to cough up the source, right? No way! He''s not a criminal! If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He''s just a regular cosplay-loving pervert! ... That''s not much better, is it? Eh, whatever. After finishing my meal, I head out of the inn and walk to the adventurer''s guild. Just like yesterday, most people stare at my appearance. I need to buy some other clothes soon... ... or do I? If I don''t wear this, I will become an easy target. Moreover, I would need to do the laundry if I wore other underwear. And decent clothes are bound to be expensive... Huh? Are there no merits to buying other sets of clothing? No way... I must have overlooked something crucial here... As I think about some very important matters, I arrive in front of the building. The signpost shows a sword and shield. It''s the adventurer''s guild. It''s probably a place full of rowdy people who like to pick fights with others. But I''m prepared. I won''t give them a chance to bother me. Here we go. I open the door and quickly locate the nearest receptionist sitting behind a counter. Yes, feel free to stare and whisper, adventurers. I will gracefully ignore all of you and make my way to the counter. "Hello! I would like to register as an adventurer!" It was perfect. I stated my intention in the least amount of time possible without sounding rude. So... why are you staring at me like I was an unsolved rubick''s cube? "Little lady, an adventurer is a very dangerous job. Someone like you..." That''s rude. Didn''t anyone teach you to not judge a book by its cover? Well... I do admit that without this outfit I would be weak. But still! "I know! I''ll be careful!" Hey, your face is cramping up. "Ghuaha! I''ll be careful, she says! Just how many kids like her have died on their first day?" Shut up, ugly old man. And you, receptionist lady, why is your expression getting even worse? "Are there any requirements? Do I need to prove myself?" I kept pressuring her. If I don''t, she will just send me away. "... you will need to pay fifty coppers as an initial fee. And you will also need to-" Faster than she could finish her sentence, my last silver coin appeared in front of her face. "Here you go." Come on! You can''t decline me now! Hmm? Why do you look so shocked? She gulped and then took the coin and returned five large copper coins to me. "... the other requirement is to prove yourself in a battle." Huh... Your attitude suddenly changed? Why are you all serious now? Well, I won''t complain. It''s easier for me. "Okay." "Please wait a bit, I''ll call one of the employees to test you." She stood up and left through the door at the back. Hmm, what was the change about? "Brat, where did you pull that coin from?" Ugh... It''s that ugly old man. He is coming this way. And what does he mean by that? I just took it out of the armbag. "From this." I point at it. "Hah! Don''t try to hide it. I clearly saw that coin appear out of nowhere! You can use space magic, can''t you!" ... what? Wait a second here. I can''t keep up with the thought process of an idiot. Is he saying that I pulled out that coin SO quickly, that he didn''t even notice? He must just be stupid... "No, I pulled it out of my bag." "You can''t hide it! I saw what I saw!" He''s really getting annoying. What''s his purpose, anyway? "With that said, come join the black eagles after you register. I''m sure you will be useful in a C ranked party like ours!" I''m starting to get a headache. Is he one of those self-important arrogant people? Maybe I should knock him out or something. "What do you say?" "No." "... look here brat, I''m giving you a great opportunity!" "Go. Away." Oh, he''s getting really angry. "I guess I''ll have to teach you a lesson!" That''s my line. Duck. Sneak behind him. Jump on his back. Extend my claws and push them against his neck. I hope this is enough. If I slash him for real, the poison will kill him. "Teach me." I whispered this to his ear. Hmm? His neck suddenly got all shiny. Is that sweat? Why isn''t he saying anything? "Hurry up and teach me." Another light whisper. What is this? He started vibrating? That''s not an answer, you know? "What is going on here?" Oh, the receptionist is back along with another person. I retract my claws and jump off of the man. The man collapses the moment I land. What a pathetic pile of flesh. I should have just cut him. ... Wait, what the hell is wrong with me again? Did I really just do all of that? I almost killed a man just because he was ugly and annoying. No matter how I look at it, this isn''t normal. Just what... ... Everyone is staring at me. You know, I''ve gotten used to being stared at... So why does it feel so uncomfortable now? "Hello! I''m Nina!" Wave my hand at the receptionist and the man beside her. Come on, can we please move on from this? I didn''t hurt him, so... And it''s all his fault anyway! He started it! Stop staring at me like that! CH 6 - The cat is short-sighted ¡°Here¡¯s your card. You are now officially an adventurer.¡± Luckily, I didn¡¯t get punished by scaring the crap out of that old guy. He started it, after all. ¡°Thank you.¡± And since I have proven I can take down a C rank adventurer, there was no need to test my battle skills anymore. But¡­ ¡°Please don¡¯t do that next time.¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± Those reproachful eyes¡­ I¡¯m sorry! I won¡¯t do it again! ¡­ probably. I mean, if I get assaulted I can defend myself, right? I just have to do it in a reasonable way, right?! ¡­ Well anyway, it seems that not just that old guy, but pretty much everyone who saw that scene is now scared of me. I don¡¯t get it though. I only have 28 speed points. There¡¯s no way that¡¯s a high value. Definitely not high enough to make people mistake my speed for teleportation. So why? ¡­ Is it the slippers? They supposedly boost my speed by 300%. But whether I wear them or not, my speed is still 28. So, is it an invisible boost? As in, the status shows 28, but it¡¯s actually 300% higher? Huh¡­ That¡¯s totally possible. Or more like, I don¡¯t see any other explanation. But enough of that. It¡¯s time to go on a quest or I won¡¯t have any money. Incidentally, even though I''m clearly stronger than a C ranked adventurer, I still have to start at F rank. That means I can only accept F and E ranked requests. What a pain¡­ Well, I can do multiple quests at once, so it might not be that bad. Quests: Subjugate four ashen wolves in the eastern forest. Collect- Okay, Stop right there. I don¡¯t need to read any further than this. This is a quest similar to the one those three accepted. And it seems like it¡¯s repeatable. Which means I just need to slaughter those annoying furries and my money situation is solved! It¡¯s perfect. Now, let¡¯s go! Exit the guild. Walk toward the eastern entrance. Endure stares. Arrive. ¡°H-hello.¡± It¡¯s the guard from yesterday¡­ Why you again? Do you live here? Please tell me you already forgot about yesterday. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. Do you have an identification card yet?¡± He didn¡¯t forget. Of course he wouldn¡¯t¡­ Now¡­ is the adventurer¡¯s card enough? From what I heard, it should be. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ so you became an adventurer, huh?¡± ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± Come on, just let me through¡­ ¡°But don¡¯t tell me you are going outside alone.¡± Urk, that ¡®I¡¯m seeing an idiot¡¯ look¡­ ¡°It¡¯s fine! I¡¯ll be careful!¡± I¡¯m not a pushover, after all! ¡­ why are you sighing? ¡°¡­ well, It¡¯s fine I guess¡­ Good luck out there.¡± Yes! Finally! He gave me my card back and let me pass! Let the wolf slaughter begin! ¡­ A miscalculation. What? No, no, I¡¯m not too weak to beat the wolves or anything like that. In fact, I can kill them instantly without any problems. But the thing is¡­ How do I transport them? I didn¡¯t bring and rucksack or anything. I¡¯ve already taken down twelve of them. What do I do¡­? Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Drag them back by their tails? I see no other way¡­ Ugh¡­ I guess I don¡¯t have a choice. Six in each hand. Let¡¯s go back. ¡°Stop right there!¡± It¡¯s that guard again. So he really lives here, huh? ¡°What in the world is that?!¡± ¡°The wolves I killed.¡± ¡°Are you serious?!¡± Hey, calm down. You don¡¯t need to yell that loud. ¡°Can you¡­ help me transport this?¡± I asked nicely¡­ So, what is with that face? You look completely baffled. Did you just see someone solve a rubick¡¯s cube in five seconds? ¡°¡­ sigh, I can lend you a small cart, but it won¡¯t be for free.¡± Argh, money again. I only have five big copper coins left¡­ ¡°Will this be enough¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Uh, please don¡¯t look so annoyed. I didn¡¯t have a way to earn money up till now! After I get money for these, it will get better! I swear! ¡°Fine then. But after you are done exchanging the wolves for money, return it right away.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± The guard went to his little station and brought out a small cart. Can it really hold this many wolf bodies? I guess it will have to¡­ I hand over the money and load the wolves. They are almost spilling out. I will have to go slowly. But, seriously¡­ That guard is such a tough opponent. I would rather fight a horde of wolves than go through him again¡­ Now, off to the guild! More stares. I¡¯m used to it now. But, I guess now I¡¯m also dragging a pile of animal corpses behind me. And they stink really bad. Let¡¯s hurry up¡­ I have arrived at the guild. Now, where exactly do I park this cart? Do I just pull it inside? I would like to avoid getting yelled at for stinking up the place¡­ And I don¡¯t wanna just leave it outside while I go there¡­ What if someone steals it? ¡°Hrm? Oh, it¡¯s you.¡± While I was a loss as to what to do, someone came out of the guild. It¡¯s the man who was supposed to test me, I think? ¡°Hello. I defeated some wolves.¡± I point at the cart. And the man frowns. ¡°¡­ where did you get all those wolves?¡± Huh? Didn¡¯t I just tell you? ¡°I defeated them.¡± ¡°You left the guild not even an hour ago.¡± ¡­ Are you saying I couldn¡¯t have defeated twelve wolves in such a short time? I thought you confirmed I can ¡®teleport¡¯. ¡°I defeated them and came back.¡± He crossed his arms and looked at me suspiciously. ¡°You think I stole them?¡± He looked at the cart and then back at me. After a moment of silence, he finally sighed and beckoned to me. ¡°No, never mind¡­ sorry about that. Come this way.¡± Huh? What was that? Why the sudden change? Well, I won¡¯t complain¡­ He takes me to the side entrance and we enter a spacious room buzzing with people. There are people skinning animals, cutting meat, removing scales, and so on. Is this where you dismantle subjugated beasts? ¡°Please unload it all here.¡± And as per his instructions, I unload the wolves on a table. Some woman comes over and starts lining them up and checking them. ¡°Those are¡­¡± She stopped at a wound one of the wolves had. Four parallel cuts on its back. ¡°From this.¡± I raise my hand in front of me and extend the claws. ¡°¡­ what an interesting weapon.¡± You think so? I think sword is better since it has more range. From what I have seen yesterday, one wolf should be worth two silver coins. So I expected to get twenty-four now. But¡­ Since I didn¡¯t dismantle them, they cut the reward money to twenty-one silver coins. That¡¯s still fine. I can easily hunt more. Not a problem. After getting my reward, I headed back to the gate and returned the cart as promised. But¡­ since the cart was stained with blood and covered in wolf fur, the guard made me clean it. So cruel¡­ I¡¯m not used to manual work¡­ By the time I finished, it was afternoon. At that point, my stomach wouldn¡¯t stop rumbling. Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t eat anything since breakfast. I headed to a nearby restaurant and had a nice meal there. Afterwards, I decided to wander around the city a bit more. Since I had some money now, I decided to take it easy. Before I knew it, the sun set. I returned to the inn and paid for three more nights before going into my room and lying down on the bed. Somehow, I feel like the second day went by much quicker than the first one. Hmm¡­ Why do I feel like I¡¯m forgetting something? ¡­ Oh, right. I wanted to buy an item bag so I don¡¯t need to use a cart for the wolves. I guess I¡¯ll do it tomorrow. ¡­ No, I still feel like I¡¯m forgetting something. What is it¡­? I got enough money to live for a while¡­ There shouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡­ Then, something clicked in my head. I sat up in an instant. Sweat formed on my face. N-no way. What have I done? How did I manage to mess up this bad¡­ Am I really that dumb? CH 7 - The cat can be deadly I¡­ I need to calm down¡­ Let¡¯s go over the important points again¡­ 1. I used my claws to kill the wolves. 2. The claws secrete poison. 3. I sold the wolves to the guild. 4. Wolf meat is a common food used in restaurants around here. ¡­ S-surely they will check for and remove the poison, right? I¡¯m not going to become a mass murderer, right?! ¡­ This stuff is a gift from the god, though¡­ It¡¯s probably not just a regular poison¡­ What if it¡¯s impossible to detect or something? Or even worse, what if it¡¯s impossible to remove?! WHAT HAVE I DONE?! Get up. Leave the room. Run downstairs. Rush out of the inn. It¡¯s night already¡­ Will the guild still be open? I-it has to be! ¡­ They didn¡¯t sell off the wolves yet, did they? There¡¯s no way they could process them that quickly, right?! I¡¯m here. In front of the locked door that leads to the adventurer¡¯s guild. Whether it¡¯s pulling or pushing, the door refuses to open. ¡­ On my knees. Staring at the locked door. My spirit is leaving me. Only the second day of existing in this world and I have already become a murderer. I¡¯m done for. I¡¯m a criminal now. I better learn how to live in the wild. Suddenly, the door clicks and opens. ¡°Huh? The hell are you doing here this late?¡± ¡­ Is this my light of hope? It¡¯s the same man I gave the wolves to! His name was Harold, I think? Never mind! I will call him ¡®my savior¡¯! ¡°WhatDidYouDoWithTheWolves?!¡± I instantly grabbed him and asked him about the wolves. I know I¡¯m being really rude right now, but this is an emergency! ¡°Wh- hey- cal¡­ CALM DOWN!¡± Ouch! My head! Why are you punching me?! This is serious! ¡°Just slow down¡­ and tell me what you need¡­¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°The wolves I brought! Did you sell them yet?!¡± Huh? What is that face full of suspicion again. ¡°And why do you need to know that?¡± Don¡¯t frown at me! ¡°There¡¯s poison in them! If you eat the meat you¡­ might¡­ d-die¡­?¡± All of my earlier adrenaline suddenly got drained away. Sir, I commend your scary stare for its ability. Now¡­ p-please stop¡­ ¡°Why did you inject poison into them?¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s from these¡­¡± I show them the claws. ¡°¡­ it¡¯s laced with poison? Are you serious?¡± He obviously doesn¡¯t believe me¡­ ¡°I-I can prove it!¡± Extend claws on both gloves and- ¡°WAIT! STOP! I BELIEVE YOU!¡± H-huh? Oh¡­ He thought I was gonna attack him. ¡­ Well, what else would I do to ¡®prove¡¯ it¡­? There are no other targets around. I¡¯m sorry for scaring you. ¡°Well¡­ we still didn¡¯t sell off the meat, so all we have to do is sterilize it and remove the poison.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Yes, that should work. If it was a regular poison. But this is poison from these gloves! A god¡¯s creation! There¡¯s no way it¡¯s that simple, right?! ¡°Look, you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Hey¡­ What are you doing? Why is your hand patting my head? Did you mistake me for an actual cat? These ears are fake, you know? ¡°We¡¯ll take care of it. And if we don¡¯t, we¡¯ll take full blame for anything that might happen, alright?¡± How¡­ unexpectedly nice of him¡­ Is that really alright? This is not a regular poison! ¡­ or maybe it is? I actually don¡¯t know anything about it. It might be the deadliest poison in the world¡­ Or it might completely disappear after killing the target¡­ There¡¯s no way to tell! ¡°Sigh¡­ I promise we will be especially careful with it, so stop worrying.¡± ¡­ ¡°Alright¡­¡± You convinced me¡­ I will trust you. But¡­ Your hand is messing up my hair. Please stop it. After my head finally got free from Harold¡¯s grip, we parted ways. Apparently, he was about to go home when he bumped into me. Just how long does the guild staff have to work?! Even though it¡¯s this late and the guild is already closed! I¡¯m never becoming member of their staff¡­ Well anyway, now that safety is assured, I can go back to the inn and get some sleep. Walk back. Endure stares. G- Wait. What stares? It¡¯s night and there are barely any people around. So why do I feel some intense stares? Hmm? Hmmmm? ¡­ It must be just my imagination! ¡­ Yeah, there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll say such a clich¨¦ line. Let¡¯s try to walk into a dark alleyway and see if anyone follows. Come out, come out wherever you are~ Ah, someone came out. I¡¯m surrounded. Who are these ugly people with even uglier grins? Stalkers¡­? Kidnappers¡­? ¡°Alright now, be obedient and we won¡¯t hurt you little girly¡­¡± Yep. It¡¯s kidnappers. Let¡¯s cut them up. Hmm? Problems with killing people? I stressed about the poison just a moment ago? Well, why would I classify these things as ¡®human¡¯? I have no problem killing something like that. ¡­ Fine, I won¡¯t use the claws. I should still be strong enough, right? One of the men approached me with a bag in his hands. Quicker than he could react, I buried my fist in his stomach. He flew away and hit the guy behind him. Yep, I am definitely strong enough. Thank you, Kat gloves. At that point, everyone else wore a surprised expression. But I didn¡¯t mind it and took care of the rest. One hit KO for each of the remaining six. It was done in no time. Now, what do I do with them? Bring them to the guild? It¡¯s closed now. Let them go? There¡¯s no way I¡¯m just letting them go. Kill them? I really didn¡¯t want to, but¡­ ¡°Hey! What¡¯s going on here?!¡± Hmm? A man wearing armor and holding a spear? Are you a friend of that gate guard? What a good timing. ¡°These people attacked me¡­. so I beat them up.¡± ¡°You beat them up¡­?¡± Yes I did. Something wrong? Your expression reminds me of Harold. Do you also think I stole them from somewhere? Hrm? I heard something behind me. One of the kidnappers woke up and is escaping? Well, I won¡¯t let him! Turn around! Dash forward! Pounce him! Pin him to the ground!!! Stab my claws into his throa-¡­! Waaaaaait! Wait! Wait! What am I doing?! I said I wouldn¡¯t kill them! ¡­ What the hell was that? Why did I need to stop myself from killing him? Is my brain overheating? Is it because I¡¯m tired? Urk¡­ Sir guard, don¡¯t point that spear at me please. I only tried to catch a criminal! H-he deserved it anyway! I swear, I¡¯m the victim here! One hundred hours. That¡¯s how long it took. What? An exaggerated estimate? Never mind those details! Why did I need to go with the guard and spend so long ¡®testifying¡¯? Just take away those kidnappers and do whatever you want with them! I don¡¯t care! It¡¯s late! I just wanna sleep already! Arrrrgh! ¡­ What¡­? A notorious kidnapper group¡­? Reward money for catching them? W-well if you put it that way¡­ Huh?! Two gold coins?! Why are they worth so much more than wolves?! That¡¯s¡­ actually amazing! I should just catch all the kidnappers and turn them in! Easy money! ¡­ But that¡¯s for later. I¡¯m so tired¡­ I need to sleep. After finally leaving the guard station, I headed back to the inn. No stares this time. What a relief. Back at the inn. Hmm. Nobody is at the main hall. And nobody at the counter. Well, it IS the dead of the night, after all. Let¡¯s go to sleep as well. I¡¯m so tired¡­ Head up the stairs. Locate my room. Open the door. Enter. Lock the door. Jump-¡­ no, gently lie down on the bed. Good night~ CH 8 - The cat avoids event flags Knock knock. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s breakfast time.¡± Good morning. I was so tired, I didn¡¯t even wake up to the inn lady¡¯s presence outside. It was her knocks that woke me up. If that was a kidnapper instead¡­ Well, I think it¡¯s alright. This inn is mostly safe. ¡°Coming!¡± I got up, put on my dress and gloves and grabbed my bag. Then, I left my room and headed downstairs. What¡¯s for breakfast? It¡¯s¡­ Bread and fruit again. Well, I would like some variety, but¡­ I guess it¡¯s fine. After all, isn¡¯t this inn really cheap? Just one silver coin for a night including breakfast? That¡¯s a great deal if I¡¯ve ever seen one! Repetitive food is forgiven! Now then¡­ I finished my breakfast. What should I do today? I think I will head to the guild. But not to get requests¡­ It¡¯s to make sure the poison hasn¡¯t killed anyone. He said he would be careful, but still¡­ Walk to the guild. Endure stares. ¡­ Wait, those stares aren¡¯t centered on me. What is that over there? A fancy-looking carriage driving through the street? The armored people sitting by the driver look scary. They have that ¡®I will kill you if you get in my way¡¯ expression on their face. I bet their boss is some arrogant rich girl. Let¡¯s avoid it. They might even want to behead me for being rude or something. I definitely want to avoid such people. Just keep walking to the guild¡­ Ignore all the ruckus. Yep, just like that. The carriage is already far away. I¡¯m well on my way to the guild. I avoided a possibly dangerous event. Good job, me! I have arrived. It seems much busier than yesterday. So much so, that nobody even looked at me as I entered. Did something happen? ¡­ Don¡¯t tell me¡­ The poison¡­?! ¡°Hello there, miss Nina.¡± And who are you, sir who randomly approached me? A mustache and an expensive-looking robe¡­ Oh, aren¡¯t you the pervert who wanted to get his hands on a cat outfit? Vincent¡­ Gazick, was it? ¡°H-hello¡­ did something happen here?¡± Please don¡¯t say the word ¡®poison¡¯. ¡°Hmm? Well, I¡¯m not sure. I just heard some rumors about a werewolf appearing.¡± Not poison. Good. But¡­ A werewolf? Like a beast person¡­? Why would that cause ruckus? ¡°By the way, have you by any chance reconsidered? I wouldn¡¯t mind buying those clothes off of you either.¡± He patted a small bag tied to his waist. The contents clinked. ¡°No. Sorry.¡± And it would be great if you could stop asking. I¡¯m not giving away all of this. In the first place, you can¡¯t even use it if you aren¡¯t blessed by the Kat! ¡°That¡¯s too bad¡­ well, I gotta go now, see you.¡± He swiftly leaves the building. Wave my hand at his leaving figure¡­ ¡­ Actually, he did the same thing last time. As soon as I rejected him, he went away. Wouldn¡¯t that normally be considered rude? I don¡¯t mind though. It¡¯s better than if he continued pressing me. Yup, just go away. Now¡­ What was it about a werewolf? Let¡¯s ask the staff. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± I found the same woman as last time. The one who handled my registration. ¡°Hello. How can I help you?¡± No change in expression. What a professional. I bet others would flinch or frown at me. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. I glanced around the surroundings. ¡°Ah¡­ you see, someone spotted a werewolf last night.¡± Werewolf. No, seriously. Isn¡¯t that just a beast person? People didn¡¯t panic when they spotted me¡­ Though, I¡¯m a human. ¡°Is that different from¡­ beast people?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You don¡¯t know what a werewolf is¡­?¡± Shake my head. ¡°A werewolf is not a beast person. It¡¯s a human, most of the time.¡± Huh? Then why do you call them werewolves? ¡°But because of a curse, they turn into a dangerous beast at night.¡± Oh¡­ I think I enabled existence of curses like that. But now that I think about it¡­ It¡¯s weird to have both werewolves and wolf beast people¡­ Eh¡­ Whatever. ¡°So, I get a reward if I hunt it down?¡± ¡°Yes, you do, but¡­¡± ¡­ Why are you wordlessly staring at me? ¡°A werewolf is something a B rank party would normally take on. I¡¯m not saying you aren¡¯t strong, but¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°It would be seriously dangerous. Even for you.¡± Or so she says. Well, so far, I have only fought wolves and kidnappers. A werewolf is likely orders of magnitude stronger than any of those. In theory, I could join a party to make it more manageable, but¡­ ¡­ Yeah, screw it. ¡°Okay¡­ I won¡¯t get involved.¡± But still¡­ I can¡¯t help but be curious about it. ¡­ Wait a second. That was totally a flag, wasn¡¯t it? Now I¡¯m gonna meet it whether I want to or not. Crap. ¡­ Well, I better prepare for a sudden encounter with a werewolf then. Walk out of the guild. Head to the easter gate again. Greet the- Hmm? Where''s the local resident I''m familiar with? There¡¯s a different guard this time. Did he move out? Huh¡­? He doesn¡¯t live here, you say? Long shifts¡­? So that¡¯s what it was. I shall never become a guard. Thank you for warning me. After showing my card and getting through, I headed to the forest again. But this time, my plan isn¡¯t to kill wolves. It¡¯s to test the rest of my abilities. Cat soul Temporarily turns you into a wild animal. You gain bonus agility for the duration. Actually, I have already used it¡­ When fighting wolves. When beating up the kidnappers. Maybe even when I threatened the ugly adventurer guy. I used it unconsciously. When the situation called for it. ¡­ ¡®Good enough!¡¯ That¡¯s probably what most would think. But it¡¯s not enough! I want to be able to control it! When I first got into this world, I got attacked by wolves and I couldn¡¯t activate the cat soul! If it was something stronger than wolves, I would be a goner! ¡­ But I¡¯m really not sure how to practice this. Should I try to hype myself up or something? Maybe remember something annoying to get angry? And also¡­ How can I tell if it worked? I have only realized recently that I¡¯ve been unconsciously using it. But when the cat soul activates, I don¡¯t realize it. Hmm¡­ I ended up practicing how to move my tail instead. What? I said I would do that at some point. And that¡¯s at least something where I can tell if I¡¯m progressing or not! I can pick up sticks with it now! It¡¯s amazing! ¡­ Ok, fine. Back to trying the cat soul thing¡­ ¡­ Actually. What about magic? There is magic in this world. Basic level magic should be fairly common. Something like a spark of fire or gentle breeze is something pretty much anyone can do with some practice. But of course, anything more powerful than that is always harder to pull off. Mages who can level a village with a single spell should be one in a million or so. The question is¡­ Where do I fall? What did the ¡®randomize¡¯ give me? Let¡¯s remove a glove and give it a try. Flick. Flick. Trying to create a spark with my fingers. But it¡¯s only making the sound. Come on¡­ Flick. Flick. Flick. Come on! I pretty much created the magic system! Don¡¯t tell me I can¡¯t use it! Flickflickflick. ¡­ It¡¯s useless¡­ Not even the smallest of sparks. I hate you Kat! Ugh, fine. I¡¯ll get back to practicing cat soul. Hmm? What is that scent? A wolf? No¡­ It¡¯s slightly different. A different kind of wolf? Let¡¯s check it out. ¡­ Wait! No! No no no! I¡¯m not falling for that! Here I have: 1. A smell similar to a wolf 2. Information about a werewolf being spotted in town If I put two and two together, it¡¯s obvious what it is! Even if I have multiple lives! Even if I have overpowered equipment! I¡¯m not keen on rushing into an unknown danger! And even if I am strong enough to defeat it¡­ I wouldn¡¯t defeat it flawlessly! And pain sucks! Let¡¯s run away! Back at the city gate. Quickly pass the identity test and enter. Phew. I have avoided another bad event! Let¡¯s proudly bask in the sunlight as a reward! ¡­ Wait¡­ Sunlight? The werewolf only comes out at night, right? ¡­ I¡¯m stupid. CH 9 - The cat obtains an item bag Running away because there was a werewolf in broad daylight? Don¡¯t be ridiculous! I just wanted to take a break from training and have lunch! Yup, yup. Everything according to plan. But now that my belly is stuffed with noodles, what should I do? Continue training? I think I¡¯ve done enough for today¡­ I don¡¯t wanna overwork myself, now do I? Hmm¡­ Oh, I know! I¡¯ll go to a library! I¡¯m sure there will be some books about magic! Maybe I was doing something wrong! ¡­ Even though I should know exactly what to do since I pretty much created that system. Well, maybe Kat messed with those settings! That¡¯s something he would do. Totally. Yes. Let¡¯s find a library. Five gold coins for a book. ¡­ Well, books are expensive. I should have known¡­ But even borrowing one is pricey. And if it gets damaged while I¡¯m borrowing it, I need to pay for that too¡­ They wouldn¡¯t even let me peek into one¡­ Ugh¡­ I¡¯ll save up some money, I guess. If I borrowed a book and then it got destroyed¡­ And I had no money to pay reparations¡­ And then I would go to prison or be turned into a slave¡­ ¡­ Okay. Let¡¯s stop that train of thought. But what now¡­ Again, I¡¯m left with nothing to do. Hmm¡­ Oh, right! The item bag! I totally forgot I need one! Let¡¯s go to Rennack¡¯s treasures right away! The doorbell rings and I enter. ¡°H-hello.¡± ¡°Wel- Oh, it¡¯s you! Welcome!¡± The bearded pile of muscles smiled at me. I still feel awkward for accusing him of scamming me. Even if it wasn¡¯t out loud. ¡°I¡¯m back for an item bag¡­¡± I pull out the two gold coins out of my bag. Even if I spend both of them, I still have a few silver coins from the wolves. ¡°O-ho, young lady is rich now, isn¡¯t she?¡± I see a huge grin under that beard. ¡°Let me see what I have here¡­¡± The man reaches under his desk and rummages through there. After that, he pulls out two items. A small pouch and a handbag similar to the one I already have. "Say, how good is your magic, young lady?" Hmm? What an odd question to ask. I suck at magic. Not even the tiniest of tiny sparks come out when I try. But how good¡­ He probably means the status. Let¡¯s see¡­ Status. Name: Nina Level: 5 Strength: 22/22 Endurance: 23/23 Speed: 30/30 Magic: 19/19 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband Kat gloves Kat slippers Handbag Skills: Cat soul 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat Oh, it seems like I¡¯m already level five. When did that happen? Was it because of the kidnappers¡­? Never mind. My magic¡­ It¡¯s my lowest stat. ¡°It¡¯s pretty low¡­¡± ¡°In that case, I recommend this pouch. The bag actually has dynamic space based on the owner¡¯s magic.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Is that so? But wait¡­ These ears increase my magic by 300%. It¡¯s an invisible boost. Does that count? Should I risk it? ¡°So¡­ how much can they store?¡± ¡°This pouch here has enough space for a grown cow. And the bag is about equal if you have at least forty magic or so.¡± At least forty¡­ If the bonus applies, I¡¯m way over forty. But if not¡­ ¡°And¡­ the prices?¡± ¡°The pouch will be two gold coins. The bag is a bit cheaper at hundred and eighty silver.¡± And it¡¯s even cheaper¡­ Ughhhh¡­ While I agonized over my decision, the doorbell rung again. ¡°Hey, Rennack! Oh¡­? Hello there again.¡± And in came the cat-outfit-seeking pervert. We meet awfully often, don¡¯t we? ¡°Hey Vince¡­ What, you know each other?¡± ¡°Hi.¡± Please go away. I¡¯m making a life-changing decision here. ¡°Yeah, we met a few times. On that note, miss, have you thought about-¡± ¡°No!¡± Reject him before he even asks. I¡¯m being rude? So what! ¡°¡­ haha, alright, alright. I¡¯ll stop asking.¡± Good, now go away. ¡°I¡¯ll settle for buying any information about that clothing!¡± ¡­ What is this? Is his AI broken? I thought he was programmed to leave when I reject him. What? He¡¯s a real person? There¡¯s no way a real person would only have one dialogue option! ¡°Oi, she¡¯s glaring at you. You should stop that.¡± ¡°I just wanted to conduct some business¡­¡± Maybe if I keep staring, he will leave. ¡°¡­ anyway, Rennack, the reason why I¡¯m here¡­ I wanted to recruit you into the werewolf subjugation party.¡± He¡¯s not going away. And he¡¯s ignoring me. ¡­ And what is this about recruiting? ¡°Vince¡­ You know these old bones of mine are already too fragile to hunt a werewolf. Search elsewhere.¡± Hmm¡­ You used to be an adventurer or something? ¡­ Wait. Don¡¯t tell me he got all of these wares in his adventuring days. That¡¯s a lot of loot¡­ ¡°Haha, I knew you would say that.¡± A bitter smile. Since when do NPC¡¯s have emotions? ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be off then. See you!¡± Oh! He finally left! Maybe his AI just got delayed? Anyway¡­ I can continue agonizing about my decision. ¡°By the way, why are you having a hard time deciding? Don¡¯t tell me you have around forty magic.¡± I don¡¯t. I have much less or way more. Depending on if this bonus counts. ¡°¡­ is it the effect of your clothes?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± I let out a dumbfounded sound. How did he know? ¡°Heh¡­¡± Don¡¯t snicker at me! ¡°Sorry, sorry¡­ You see, Vince is a magician. He specializes in equipment enchanting, so he can tell if an item is good or not.¡± Him? A magician? Seriously? ¡°The fact that he seemed so interested in it gave it away¡­ so? Does it have some magic increasing properties?¡± ¡­ I shouldn¡¯t carelessly give info about my abilities. I really shouldn¡¯t but¡­ I think I can trust Rennack. ¡°This has an invisible boost to magic.¡± I point at my headband. ¡°¡­ invisible boost? Hmm, no wonder Vince has an eye on it.¡± He rubs his beard in curiosity. ¡°Then, how about we try your capacity with it?¡± He puts his hand on the handbag. Oooh¡­ He really is a nice guy. Even letting me try out the goods before buying! ¡°Now then, pour some magic into this so it will recognize you as its owner.¡± ¡­ I¡¯m done for. Again. Why is it that I have enough mana to scare a guard by circulating it¡­ But can¡¯t ever get it outside of my body? It¡¯s like having a can of food, but nothing to open it with. Is this a harassment? Am I being teased by Kat? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t use magic.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Argh! Not the pity stare! ¡°Everyone can use at least a bit of magic¡­¡± Your words are like daggers. Please stop¡­ ¡°Sigh¡­ well¡­ Then I guess we can do the blood method.¡± A message to my past self: I hate you. If you learned how to use cat soul properly instead of being lazy, I could use it now to ease the pain. But nope! Picking up branches with the tail is more important! ... Alright, let¡¯s get this over with. I take off my glove and Rennack hands me a dagger. Is that dagger also loot from some dungeon? It looks really interesting. The blade is curved and shiny and- ¡­ Yeah, I¡¯m stalling. So what? Pain is painful. Ugh, fine. It will quickly regenerate anyway. Close my eyes. Stab that finger. Ouch¡­ Open my eyes. ¡­ There is no wound. What¡­? I¡¯m quite sure I¡­ ¡°That¡¯s some impressive regeneration¡­ is that also the effect of those clothes?¡± ¡­ it instantly regenerated? Seriously, are you kidding me? Do I HAVE to do the violent stab again? ¡­ The regeneration is the underwear¡¯s doing. Like hell I¡¯m taking it off right now! But either that, or even more pain! What is with this cruel choice? Close my eyes again. Stab a little stronger. Owowow¡­ Open my eyes. A drop of blood drips onto the bag and it shines. ¡­ phew. ¡°Alright, now let¡¯s try to cram stuff into it.¡± And so we did. Two tables and five chairs. That¡¯s how much fit inside. I think the invisible boost works. Well, that settles it. I¡¯m buying this bag. I pulled the stuff back out and paid Rennack. Then, I pulled out the rest of my money and put it in my new bag. And since I didn¡¯t want to awkwardly ask if I can resell the other bag, I also kept it inside the new one. With that, I have obtained a way to transport wolves without having to scrub dirty carts. It¡¯s amazing. CH 10 – The cat and the night raid I wanted to go and hunt some wolves since I had a way to transport them now. But as expected, it was getting a little late. Well, it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t go¡­ But the werewolf comes out at night. I don¡¯t want to meet Mr. werewolf. What if he sniffs out I killed a lot of wolves and swears revenge on me? That¡¯s how it usually goes, right? Well, I¡¯m not fighting him! The subjugation party can take care of it! ¡­ I guess I¡¯ll just eat some dinner and then return to the inn. How about¡­ this place. I can smell something nice in there¡­ Hmm, I need to make a mental note of this shop. That soup was really good. I¡¯ll come again~ Now, back to the inn. Walk. Endure stares. ¡­ Isn¡¯t that the NPC pervert over there? Oh, and Harold is with him as well. Three other people I don¡¯t recognize. Is that the subjugation party? Let¡¯s greet them. ¡­ Or not. I don¡¯t mind greeting Harold, but that other guy¡­ I¡¯ll just avoid them. Yep, just walk out of the main street and take a detour. Though, this backstreet is quite narrow. Moreover, it¡¯s damp and dark in here¡­ It¡¯s like the perfect place for¡­ ¡°Heheh, hello there little girl¡­¡± ¡­kidnappers. Not now, Mr. kidnapper! I¡¯m trying to avoid social interaction! Argh, why do you have the same scent as regular people? If you had a different scent, I could have detected you before this happened. Oh well¡­ One on each side. They are awfully good at cornering people, aren¡¯t they? I wish you used your talent in a different way¡­ ¡­ I guess I¡¯ll just punch them out. ¡°Just come along nicely and-¡± Punch. That knife of yours is useless if you are too slow to use it. Punch. You too, wipe off that grin off your face. Well, that¡¯s done. I guess I¡¯ll go turn them in for some money¡­? ¡°Hey! What happened here?¡± Oh Mr. gua- ¡­ You are not guards. You are the subjugation party. My effort to avoid you was in vain. ¡°Kidnappers.¡± I point at the two collapsed men. I wanted to leave right after that, but got caught up in a conversation. Praise for defeating these two. Warnings to be careful. And more nagging about my clothes from the NPC pervert. And then I had to go with some city guards because of the kidnappers. More testifying¡­ Please give me a break. Eventually, I was finally allowed to leave. I even got four big silver coins for capturing the kidnappers, so it¡¯s alright. It¡¯s a necessary time spent to earn money. Just think of it as work. Some people sit at a desk for a few hours. I testify for a bit. We both get paid. My job title is ''kidnapper bait'', apparently. But thinking about it, why are there so many damn kidnappers? They even act in broad daylight. It¡¯s ridiculous. Did I mess up the world settings? It¡¯s supposed to be peaceful and nice! ¡­ Well, I mean¡­ There aren¡¯t any wars, so technically, it¡¯s peaceful. But I guess little rats like this will always be around, huh? Back at the inn. Lying on my bed. It¡¯s still early evening and I¡¯m not too tired. I hope they can take down that werewolf. And I wonder who that werewolf is¡­ Supposedly it¡¯s a regular human, who transforms at night. But then, why did it appear for the first time last night? Did the cursed person arrive here last night? Or has someone JUST been cursed? Hmm¡­ Well, whatever! A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.I''ll leave it to the subjugation party. It''s time for me to practice cat soul in case of future finger pricking. ... What was that? A howl? Was that the werewolf? That''s scary. It gives me the chills. I bet they have already engaged with him. They can defeat him¡­ right? ¡­ Why am I getting worried now? I said I would leave it to them, didn¡¯t I? Yep, I want nothing to do with that beast. Someone keeps shouting outside my window. Is it a drunkard? Shut up! I can¡¯t sleep! And tell your dogs to shut up too! ¡­ Wait. Dogs? No, those aren¡¯t dogs, are they?! Why are wolves in the city?! Get up. Dress myself. Leave the room. Sprint downstairs. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Even though it¡¯s the middle of the night, there are people on their feet. Everyone has a serious expression. ¡°Wolves are sieging the city!¡± Wolves are¡­ what?! ¡°You should return to your room and wait until it¡¯s safe!¡± Like hell I¡¯m doing that! Not until I figure out what¡¯s going on! ¡­ Was it the howl¡­? Did the werewolf call for help? This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen! The werewolf was supposed to be defeated by the party! ¡°Let me out.¡± I walked toward the door and opened it. ¡°Wait just a second! It¡¯s dangerous out there!¡± Someone caught my arm. Go away. Pull him closer and ¡®gently¡¯ hit his stomach. After he collapses, leave the inn. Ignore the others as they try to say something. But, what is this? As soon as I walk outside, I notice a black wolf chasing three people. I instinctively dash forward and claw out the wolf¡¯s side. ¡°N-Nina?!¡± Hmm? Oh, aren¡¯t you the adventurer trio? What are you doing, running away from wolves? You are supposed to fight them! ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know! Wolves suddenly came¡­ came from the forest a-and gukch¡­ invaded the city a-and¡­!¡± I know I was the one to ask, but calm down Betty. Your breathing is ragged. And seriously, what is up with that? Wolves are actually sieging the city? You can¡¯t be serious! As I talk to them, I notice something strange happening to the wolf I just killed. Smoke came out of it and the body gradually disappeared. That¡­ was not a real wolf. ¡°The werewolf¡¯s summon¡­?¡± My mutters reached their ears. ¡°The werewolf¡­¡± ¡°Is it his doing¡­?¡± ¡°I heard they failed to kill it but¡­¡± They failed¡­? The subjugation party failed? What does that mean? Don¡¯t tell me they all¡­ ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± ¡°Huh? Wai-¡± I dash out before they can say anything. My destination is the city gate. I encountered four more fake wolves along the way and defeated them. And when I finally got to my destination¡­ ¡°Gaaaaaah!¡± It was mayhem. Guards, adventurers and even some civilians. They all desperately defended the city. Among them¡­ Was the subjugation party. ¡°Hey! What happened to the werewolf?!¡± I said as I joined the fray. ¡°Y-you?!¡± Yes, me. I have a name, you know? Slash. Pierce. Stomp. ¡°H-hey, who the hell is that girl?¡± ¡°A beast girl¡­?¡± ¡°So strong¡­¡± Let¡¯s ignore their reactions. I don¡¯t think we will be able to talk until this situation is taken care of. But even if I say that, the black wolves just keep on coming! Just how many of them are there? And where is the werewolf? Is he going to suddenly jump at me when I¡¯m off guard? Well, let¡¯s be on guard at all times then! The last wolf finally falls as the morning sun rises. The werewolf never came. I want an explanation. And then sleep. Lots and lots of sleep. ¡°Thanks a lot, Nina. You really saved us¡­¡± No problem, Harold. Let¡¯s say this is me paying back for the whole poison thing. ¡°So? What happened?¡± Interrogation time. He glances at the NPC pervert and the other three. They approach me and start their explanation. Long story short, the werewolf was stronger than they anticipated. One of the party members almost died in that fight. In the end though, with the help of a few other parties, they managed to corner him. And that¡¯s when he let out that loud howl. They thought it was just a desperate attempt to intimidate them. But they were proven wrong. As the yells and screams originating at the city gate reached them, they realized what just happened. The werewolf called for backup. But surprisingly, instead of using that chance to annihilate them, he fled. Because of the black wolves overrunning the city, giving a chase was out of the question. The city¡¯s defenses took priority. ¡°So. The werewolf is still out there.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Don¡¯t look so frustrated. At least there weren¡¯t any casualties. ¡­ which is quite surprising considering what happened. But, I guess I¡¯ll have to join them next time, huh? I can¡¯t really refuse at this point. There go my futile attempts to avoid a mandatory event¡­ Well, this isn¡¯t a game, but still¡­ ¡­ My eyes are drooping. Let¡¯s go sleep. CH 11 - The cat at the strategy meeting Good morning. Or afternoon. ¡­ or evening? No, the sun is still up. I didn¡¯t sleep through the entire day. After the whole city siege ordeal, I went back to the inn. I¡¯m pretty sure there were some uncomfortable stares from the other residents and the inn lady, but I ignored them. I went straight to my room and slept. I didn¡¯t even take off the dress and slippers as I usually do. But I can¡¯t keep sleeping. I promised to meet up with the subjugation party at the guild after I get some sleep. We are supposed to discuss our strategy against the werewolf. Or rather, I will listen to what kind of strategy they have and try to adapt to it. Well, let¡¯s go. Get up. Leave the room. Lock the door behind me. Walk downstairs. Hmm, I¡¯m hungry¡­ It¡¯s not morning anymore, but¡­ The lodging costs DID include breakfast, so¡­ ¡°Can I still have some breakfast?¡± You don¡¯t need to jump in surprise, inn lady. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a ghost. ¡°Y-yes! We¡¯ll prepare something right away!¡± ¡­ Or maybe I am? No way. I don¡¯t remember dying. But why else would she be so scared? Ugh, let¡¯s sit down for now. Hmm? Hmmmm? So the inn lady isn¡¯t the only one? As soon as I look at someone, they avert their gaze. What¡¯s happening? Is my hair messy? Doesn¡¯t seem like it¡­ Then, what¡¯s their problem? The ¡®breakfast¡¯ arrived. It¡¯s bread and fruits again. Whatever, it¡¯s food. Munch it down and leave the inn as soon as possible. Mhm¡­ The sun is right above me. It¡¯s noon already. I better hurry up. Walk through the streets. ¡­ No stares. More like, only subtle glances are directed at me. Just like at the inn, as soon as I glance over, their eyes wander off. What¡¯s up with that? That¡¯s even worse than being stared at! Did something happen? ¡­ Maybe because of what I¡¯ve done yesterday? They don¡¯t think of me as some genocidal maniac, do they? I just killed the wolves! And they weren¡¯t even real wolves! They were just summons! Finally at the guild. Let¡¯s enter. ¡°Oh! Ni¡­na?¡± Yes, it¡¯s me. What¡¯s with that pause, Harold? ¡°Did¡­ something happen?¡± Yeah, everyone is acting weird. ¡°Something wrong?¡± Answers please. Continuing to stare is not an answer. ¡°¡­ well it¡¯s fine, I guess.¡± No, it¡¯s not. Tell me what¡¯s wrong, dammit! Ugh! Whatever! ¡­ The whole thing ended up being brushed aside and the discussion started. It seems like one of the members was missing though. Still asleep? Well, we fought until the morning, so it can¡¯t be helped. Even without him, the discussion went on. It seems like I will be in charge of distracting the werewolf while trying to poison him. And in case he summons wolves again, I will aid the city defenses while they continue their fight. That¡¯s a lot of tough jobs. You seem to trust me an awful lot. I¡¯m still just an F rank adventurer, you know? Hmm? The way these ranks are handed out is really stupid, you say? Well, I don¡¯t disagree. If a rank is supposed to indicate strength, it¡¯s way off. Since I¡¯m an F rank, that ugly old guy should have been Z rank and not C. The talk went on. Eventually, the talk shifted to the backup strategy in case the wolves would be summoned. Since it didn¡¯t involve me anymore, I just sat there, bored. Out of that boredom, I chanted¡­ Status. Name: Nina Level: 11 Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Strength: 28/28 Endurance: 29/29 Speed: 38/38 Magic: 24/24 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband Kat gloves Kat slippers Enchanted handbag Skills: Cat soul (On) 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat Oh, it seems like I leveled up a bit last night. Hmm¡­ ¡­ Wait. Why does it say (on) next to the cat soul. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ It¡¯s been activated from the moment I woke up? Or maybe even since that siege? That would explain why people looked at me like I was some dangerous beast¡­ ¡­ But why? It usually turns off after I¡¯m done fighting. It¡¯s not supposed to stick around. Well, I should turn it off now¡­ But how do I do that? It was always automatic. Did something break? ¡­ ¡°Oh¡­? She¡¯s back to normal.¡± I did it. But I¡¯m still not quite sure what I did. ¡°Sorry¡­ about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ is that a skill?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­?¡± Is it surprising? Everyone did an ¡®Oohh¡­¡¯. I¡¯m pretty sure skills aren¡¯t that rare. Unless Kat changed that too. ¡°That¡¯s quite amazing¡­ I guess that¡¯s part of why you are so strong.¡± ¡°¡­ skills aren¡¯t that rare, are they?¡± ¡°No, not really.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°But transform type skills are.¡± Oh¡­ I see. "Yeah, yeah! It''s super rare! I''ve only seen one other guy with a transform type of skill!" One of the other party members chimed in. He seems a little too excited considering I¡¯m the one with that skill and not him. ¡°What did that skill do?¡± I¡¯m curious. ¡°Hmm, well, it made the guy really sturdy but also slowed him down.¡± So, something like a tank mode? Cool¡­ Although, I wouldn¡¯t want a skill like that. I rely on my speed. ¡°By the way, how did you get that ski- OW!¡± He got smacked. ¡°Don¡¯t go prying like that! You know the adventurer code!¡± Well, I wouldn¡¯t tell anyway. But thanks, magician lady. ¡°S-sorry¡­ I just got really curious¡­¡± Well, anyone would. After all, knowing the conditions to acquire a skill is already halfway to getting it. But I bet the requirements for this skill involves Kat, so¡­ It¡¯s impossible for you to get it. ¡°By the way, what is it called? And what exactly does it do?¡± Didn¡¯t you say prying is against the adventurer code just a second ago? Well, I guess it¡¯s fine to tell them¡­ ¡°Cat soul. It says it turns me into a wild animal¡­ and boosts agility.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why it felt so¡­ never mind.¡± Felt so what? ¡°Yeah! Even though you are a girl, you didn¡¯t look cute at all! OUCH!¡± He got smacked again. Can I do it too? Something about him ticks me off. ¡°H-hey I¡¯m sorry! I said too much! Please calm down!¡± ¡­ Cat soul turned on again. Seriously, why is it so easy to activate now? Let me turn it off¡­ ¡°T-thanks¡­¡± Shortly after that, the last party member finally arrived. It was a woman, who seemed to be a bow user. So we have: Two warriors, two mages, one archer and one¡­ Umm, what exactly am I? I¡¯m not really a warrior¡­ Since I rely on speed, I¡¯m something like a rogue or a thief class? Maybe ninja? I DO have these gloves, which are amazing assassination tools¡­ Let¡¯s say rogue, I guess. So, is this a balanced party? I have no idea. I¡¯m a loner. What would I know about party composition? The discussion gradually drew to a close and we parted ways. We agreed to meet up again at the guild before sunset. So, what now? I don¡¯t really want to leave the city and go hunting. And I¡¯m not that hungry yet. Hmm¡­ Hmmmm¡­ How do I kill time¡­ As I stand outside the guild and glance around the buildings, a thought hits me. I heard that the werewolf was able to climb houses and jump on top of roofs. If that ever happens I will need to chase him. And for that, should try doing the same as him. That¡¯s right! It¡¯s not like I¡¯m doing this just for fun! This is a serious research for the upcoming battle! ¡­ With that said, I can¡¯t let people see me. Once again, I find a dark alleyway without any people. This time¡­ no kidnappers! Hooray! Alright then, activate cat soul¡­ Hrrg¡­ ¡­ Cat soul (on) Success! It¡¯s a good thing I realized I can just look into my status to find out whether it¡¯s activated or not. Why didn¡¯t I think of that when I was training? Stupid past me. Now then¡­ I¡¯ve always wanted to properly use it ever since I have arrived in this world. Jump! And double jump! Yes! I¡¯m flying! And jump again! And jaaargh! ¡­ I crashed into a wall and fell back down. Why can¡¯t I do it even with cat soul? This isn¡¯t fair! I want my double jumps to work! I won¡¯t stop until I can reliably do at least one air jump! CH 12 – The cat meets the werewolf The sun is about to set. It¡¯s time to hunt the werewolf. Hmm? My air jumps? Well, I can somewhat do a double jump now. Triple and more is still too hard. Hopefully, that¡¯s gonna change¡­ Yes¡­ One day, I will fly in the sky! Anyway, back to the werewolf hunt. The initial plan is as follows: We split into three groups of two and roam around a designated area of the city. When a group finds the target, one person keeps the werewolf in check while the other one fetches the rest of the party. That¡¯s the most dangerous part of the plan. With three groups, we need three different people with the ability to fend off the werewolf one on one for some time. That was what took the majority of our discussion time. And in the end, we decided. Group one: Harold and Sena, the archer. Harold would stay behind and Sena would fetch the rest. Group two: Paul, the other warrior guy, and Claudia, the mage lady. Paul stays behind and Claudia informs the others. And group three: Me and the NPC perv- ahem¡­ Vincent. We discussed this for quite some time, but eventually came to a conclusion. The one to stay behind would be Vincent. Why? Because he can hold the werewolf with a spell for a few minutes. And I¡¯m quick. I can fetch the others within a few minutes no problem. Once the whole party finally regroups, the fight can start for real. And now, the hunt begins. We split into our groups and each went to our designated part of the city. That meant I would spend some time with Vincent¡­ Well, surprisingly, he stopped nagging me about my clothes. I wonder why. Maybe Claudia smacked him when I wasn¡¯t looking? She really likes smacking the guys for some reason. Normally, I¡¯m not a fan of pointless violence, but this time¡­ go ahead! But really, it was surprising. Vincent¡¯s only hobby isn¡¯t cosplay. Or rather, he says cosplay isn¡¯t his hobby at all. In reality, it seems like he has some kind of appraisal skill. It only works on battle equipment, but¡­ Still, no wonder he immediately asked about my clothes as soon as he met me for the first time. He knew about all of the ridiculous effects it had. But it seems like he didn¡¯t know it was blessed by Kat. If he did, he wouldn¡¯t be asking about the maker of this. Either way, he promised to keep my clothes¡¯ ability secret, so it¡¯s fine. As we walked through the empty streets, my nose picked up a smell. It was kinda familiar¡­ yet alien. The citizens all know about the werewolf and stay at home when the moon comes out. That meant there¡¯s only one option. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± I stopped Vincent and pointed in the direction where the scent was coming from. He nodded and readied himself. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± As I said that, I bent my knees and jumped. Then, I jumped again in the air and propelled myself just enough to land on a house roof. One glance back revealed the werewolf slowly marching through the street. It¡¯s a bigger version of one of those black wolves standing on two feet. And he seems quite angry. Saliva is dripping from his fangs. Let¡¯s hurry up. I kicked the ground¡­ or roof, and dashed toward the other groups. Right now, I get to jump on top of roofs like certain superheroes do! But it¡¯s not as fun as I imagined it. And it¡¯s all fault of these stupid slanted roofs! Why don¡¯t you build flat roofs, people? Oh well¡­ Harold and Sena spotted. ¡°We found the werewolf!¡± ¡°Wh- Nina?!¡± What? Are you surprised I¡¯m jumping on top of houses? Or are you jealous? Well, let¡¯s leave it for now. ¡°He¡¯s near Rennack¡¯s shop!¡± After informing them, I jump away and head toward the last group. I hope Vincent is holding on. Well, he has some backup incoming now, so I think it¡¯s fine. The last group spotted. ¡°We found the werewolf!¡± ¡°Whua?!¡± That was a real strange sound you just made. ¡°¡­ why are you jumping on roofs?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s faster.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°¡­ never mind, let¡¯s go! Where is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s near Rennack¡¯s shop!¡± I told them the location and went right ahead. What? Go together? No way. The sooner I get back, the better. These two will eventually arrive anyway. So once again, I hop onto a roof and dash out. I head straight to the place where I left Vincent. And I soon spot the werewolf. He is struggling to break out of a bind spell restraining him. Good job holding him down, Vincent. I don¡¯t hesitate for a second and throw myself at the werewolf with my claws extended. One slash gouges out his flesh and creates a wound on his back. He barks in pain. So loud¡­ ¡°You¡¯re back! What about the others?¡± Huh? Harold and the archer didn¡¯t get here yet? What¡¯s taking them so long? ¡°They are on their way.¡± ¡°Alright then, can you-¡± Vincent got interrupted by the werewolf tearing apart the bind spell. His roars got even louder. Ugh, a little too loud, don¡¯t you think?! It¡¯s gonna give me a headache! The werewolf turned around and clawed at me, but I easily dodged it by side stepping. Is he really this sluggish? Or is that the poison numbing his movements? Either way, it¡¯s much easier than I thought it would be. A punch aimed to crush me. Jump back to avoid it. A horizontal slash with his claws. Duck while clawing at his legs. Really¡­ Is it possible that I can take on him all by myself¡­? Irritated he can¡¯t land any hits on me, he stopped and glared in my direction. Shortly after that, he breathed in and¡­ My eardrums burst. Or at least that¡¯s what it felt like. The roar was so loud, I couldn¡¯t help but cover my ears and still fall down from the headache it gave me. At that moment, my thoughts were all scrambling to find a way to stop that ringing sound in my ears. I didn¡¯t even notice he closed in on me again and threw a punch at me. The punch stopped just short. I noticed he got entangled by a spell again. I could see Vincent opening his mouth and saying something. But I couldn¡¯t hear him. My ears still ringing. In the middle of that, Harold and Sena came to our aid. Harold dragged me away and probably said some worrying words to me. Meanwhile, Sena shot a few arrows at the werewolf¡¯s joints while he still struggled in his bindings. Holding my head, I gazed at Harold¡¯s mouth as it opened and closed. My thoughts still in chaos. But behind Harold, I saw the werewolf. His mouth opened and his belly slowly expanded. Not again! I immediately stood up and ran at the werewolf. My only thoughts were ¡®SHUT UP!¡¯ as I buried my claws in his stomach. I¡¯m not sure what happened after that. I blacked out. ¡­ Mhm¡­ Huh? What? Where am I? What is this place? I¡¯m lying in a bed¡­? Hmm, I¡¯m still wearing the Kat clothes. And my bag is on a small table near the bed. Oh, is this the medical facility? What did I¡­ ¡­ I was¡­ in the middle of a battle, wasn¡¯t I? The werewolf¡­ I stabbed him¡­ And then lost consciousness? Ah¡­ It was the roar, wasn¡¯t it? Damn¡­ To think my enhanced senses would be used against me¡­ Maybe I should take the headband off next time¡­ ¡­ Wait. Will there be next time? What happened after I dropped? The fact that I didn¡¯t die means someone had to save me from there¡­ And that would be one less person focusing on the werewolf. There¡¯s no way he can be beaten in a situation like that, right? Or maybe he was weakened enough from the poison? ¡­ Well, lying around won¡¯t tell me anything. Let¡¯s get up. Ugh¡­ I say that, but it¡¯s surprisingly difficult. Status. Name: Nina Level: 12 Strength: 14/29 Endurance: 21/30 Speed: 32/39 Magic: 19/24 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband Kat gloves Kat slippers Skills: Cat soul+ (on) 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat Huh¡­ My strength is halved¡­ is that why it¡¯s so hard to get up? Actually, all of my stats are drained. Why¡­? What drained me so much? Was it the werewolf¡¯s roar¡­? Maybe it¡¯s actually some sort of debuffing skill¡­? Hmm¡­ ¡­ Hmmm? Cat soul+? It leveled up? And it¡¯s (on) again¡­ Let¡¯s turn it off and see what happened to it then¡­ Cat soul+ Temporarily turns you into a wild animal. You gain bonus agility for the duration. You have mastered this skill and are now able to unlock its variants. Available variants: ¨C Oh, so it¡¯s one of those skills. I remember creating this sort of system to prevent status from getting cluttered with skills. Looks like Kat kept that in. But I have wasted enough time. It¡¯s time to get up. CH 13 – The cat feels bad for the werewolf It¡¯s still the middle of the night. Somehow, I didn¡¯t notice that when I woke up. I blame enhanced eyesight. Anyway, I need to find out what happened after I lost consciousness. That¡¯s that plan, but¡­ Even after leaving the room, I couldn¡¯t find anyone to ask. Well, of course. Everyone is probably asleep at this time. But screw that! I want information! Did they catch the werewolf? Or did he flee again? I need to know! I tried to exit the building, but the door didn¡¯t budge. In fact, none of the doors leading outside could be used. The entire building was locked. I can¡¯t get out. And busting a door doesn¡¯t seem wise. What a pain. Are you telling me I should just go back to sleep? I won¡¯t sleep until I get some answers! How can I sleep with all of this on my mind! Return to the room where I woke up. Open a window. Jump out. There we go. I¡¯m outside. What now, though? The guild is probably closed already. And there won¡¯t be any people walking around at this hour¡­ Maybe I can look for a guard who works at night? Hmm, let¡¯s try that I guess. ¡°Hello.¡± I¡¯m at the eastern gate again. So nostalgic. ¡°¡­ what are you doing here this late?¡± This guy is especially nostalgic. It¡¯s the guard who made me scrub the dirtied cart. Ah, all of the pain and embarrassement I suffered¡­ Ugh¡­ ¡°Do you know what happened? To the werewolf?¡± ¡°The werewolf? He was captured and put in a prison cell for now.¡± They¡­ succeeded? They did it! And the city isn¡¯t even being invaded by his summons! I thought for sure the werewolf would flee again. Ah, now I go and sleep peacefully. ¡°¡­ you know, I heard you were part of the subjugation.¡± He heard? I guess the others told him. ¡°But you sure are lively considering you collapsed during the hunt.¡± They didn¡¯t need to tell him everything¡­ I still feel like kicking myself for letting my strength turn into a weakness¡­ I got too haughty, thinking I¡¯m the strongest¡­ Ugh¡­ I learned my lesson, okay?! Stop looking at me like that! After finding out about the situation, I was finally able to calm down. With that said, I thought about going back to sleep. But the question was, where? I still should have one night paid for at the inn. But at the same time, if the medics find my room empty, it might cause some problems. In the end, I decided to return to the medical facility. The softness of the bed there decided it. It¡¯s way better than the bedrock at the inn. ¡­ Good morning. ¡°You¡¯re awake! I was so worried!¡± You didn¡¯t need to be, Vincent. My ability to regenerate is quite ridiculous. Actually, you should know about it, right? You saw all of these effects with your appraisal skill thing. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± And you Mrs. medic over there, you can stop your wide-eyed stare now. I know you are surprised by my recovery speed, but it¡¯s not like I was badly injured, you know? ¡°So, what exactly happened after I¡­ collapsed?¡± ¡°Right, so basically¡­¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. In short, after I stabbed the werewolf, he let out a momentary howl, before seemingly running out of breath. It appeared as if something got stuck in his throat. No matter how much he tried, his voice wouldn¡¯t come out. While he struggled with that, Harold once again rescued me and brought me to safety. The rest of the party soon arrived, and together, they fought the mute werewolf. Since he couldn¡¯t use his roar, there was no danger of the city getting sieged by his summons. With that handicap and my poison numbing his movements, the beast has been pacified and captured. But the question still remained. Why did he suddenly go mute? Was it something about the werewolf curse? Did he run out of breath? Or did my poison do that? With that question in my mind, we headed to where the werewolf was kept. Or rather, the man who carried the werewolf curse. After meeting up with the rest of the party, we headed to the prison. One of the guards there guided us to a special cell. It had bars made out of enchanted steel. The man inside was also tied with chains. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°¡­¡± No answer. According to Vincent, the cursed victim faintly remembers what he did during his transformation. I imagine he¡¯s not exactly thrilled about this whole situation. Knowing he transformed into a monster and attacked other people. I kind of feel bad for him. His head slowly rose up and his stare centered on Harold. His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Huh¡­ Is he perhaps¡­ still mute? ¡°Looks like whatever happened to him is still in effect¡­¡± Vincent came to the same conclusion. What now? We wanted to ask him a few things. But if he¡¯s like this¡­ ¡°I guess we will have to postpone this. Let¡¯s head to the guild for now.¡± Everyone agreed to Harold¡¯s proposal and left the prison. As we walked through the streets, several people approached us and thanked us for bringing down the werewolf. But, wait¡­ When did the word spread? This didn¡¯t happen when we went to the prison. Seriously¡­ Are we like¡­ heroes now? I didn¡¯t expect that. I mean, we DID repel a dangerous threat, but still¡­ The surrounding people switched from staring at me to approaching and thanking me. And while that¡¯s nice and all¡­ After a few times, it got genuinely annoying. Please go back to just staring. We¡¯ve arrived at the guild. Finally¡­ ¡°Well, let¡¯s discuss the rewards now.¡± Oh, rewards. Hmm¡­ If capturing a few kidnappers can net me two gold coins¡­ Subjugating a werewolf should be even more, right? ¡°Since it was a joint effort, let¡¯s split it accordingly.¡± Everyone nodded. ¡°Then, the Shining steel party will get six gold coins, while Nina and Vincent both get two gold coins each.¡± Shining steel. That¡¯s the name of the B party made up of Paul, Sena and Claudia. The rest of us simply joined them for this one particular quest. But it¡¯s not like we have joined their party permanently. But still¡­ Just two gold coins? That¡¯s the same as capturing a bunch of kidnappers! How can those hoodlums be compared to a beast of the night?! ¡­ Oh well¡­ ¡°Next¡­ Nina. You are allowed to rank up to E now.¡± Oh, a rank up. That¡¯s good. But it still doesn¡¯t feel like that rank is appropriate. ¡°Man, the ranking here is as dumb as ever¡­¡± Vincent seems to think the same. ¡°Well, the rank isn¡¯t just about strength, you know?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. A high ranked individual needs to be trusted as well, right?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°But still, I don¡¯t see a reason to mistrust someone, who risked their life protecting the city.¡± Huh? He¡¯s standing up for me? What is this? Is he actually a really nice guy¡­? ¡­ No, there¡¯s no way! I bet he just wants me to owe him a favor! And he will use that favor to nag me about the cat outfit again! ¡°Well, you aren¡¯t wrong¡­ but I¡¯m not the one to decide these things, you know?¡± ¡°Hah! Aren¡¯t you the guildmaster¡¯s best buddy? I bet you can make something happen.¡± ¡°¡­ I can try, I guess.¡± ¡­ Wow¡­ he actually convinced him. Wait. Does that mean I owe him a favor now? Ugh, don¡¯t give me that wink and thumbs up! It¡¯s creepy! ¡°Well¡­ bye.¡± Let¡¯s quickly leave. I don¡¯t like being around him anymore. ¡°Wai-¡± Too late! I¡¯m already outside! Hah! Just try to catch up with my speed! I¡¯m the faste-ARGH! Crash. ¡­ I¡¯m sorry Mr. passer-by. I didn¡¯t mean to ram into you. Please, forgive me. Well, that¡¯s the werewolf situation resolved¡­ I hope. I still feel a little bad about that guy with the curse, but I was told he wouldn¡¯t be harmed. Someone with a special skill will be hired to lift the curse and he should return to his normal life fairly soon. Since it wasn¡¯t his fault, he wouldn¡¯t have to pay reparations or stay in prison. Well, there¡¯s still the psychological factor¡­ but it should be mostly fine. Now then¡­ With this wrapped up, I think it¡¯s time to put¡­ ¡®THAT¡¯¡­ into motion. Let the operation ¡®Kitten bait¡¯ start! Heheheh¡­ Just you wait, kidnappers! I will milk you dry! CH 14 – The cats plan fails After lunch, I went to the inn and paid for a few more nights there. Then, I simply relaxed and waited for the night to fall. And after that... Fishing time~ A powerless cute girl roaming the streets alone at night. If that isn''t a juicy bait for kidnappers, then I don''t know what is. I wonder how many I''ll catch this time? Hehehe... Come out, come out wherever you are... ... The moon is quite pretty tonight. Even the stars are visible. Very much unlike a modern city. It''s nice. ... It''s taking a bit to find my prey... Or to get found by it... But I''m patient... ... Hmm, I wonder if that cursed guy regained his voice yet? I''ll go ask someone tomorrow. ... Come on... Where are the kidnappers? Last time, they jumped out at me as soon as I turned the corner! Since the werewolf is not a threat anymore, there''s no need to stay inside at night! So where are they?! ... "Oh... hello." It''s a patrolling guard. But not the one I know. "Hmm? What are you doing this late, miss?" "Shh..." I put a finger on my mouth and gesture him to be silent. He seems confused. "I''m playing a bait." "You are... what?" "The kidnappers! I look like a juicy target to them... so when they come, I beat them up and bring them to you!" Heheh... Are you amazed, Mr. guard? I''m basically risking my life to keep order in the city! "That''s... umm..." Why are you so unsure? Do you think I can''t handle them? It''s fine! "I don''t think that will work." ... huh? What? "Why not...?" "Well, it might, but..." "But...?" "I don''t think anyone will think of someone who fought a werewolf and survived without a scratch as a juicy target." ... The... ... But... ... Dammit! He''s right! The word has already spread. It wouldn''t be strange if these criminals also heard about it. Moreover, even if they don''t recognize my face, I''m pretty much the only person wearing an outfit like this. They simply have to stay clear of a girl wearing a cat outfit and they are fine. ... "Umm... miss?" What is it? Do you find it strange that my knees and palms are on the ground now? Or do you want to laugh at this fool who didn''t realize such a simple fact? WHICH IS IT?! AAAARGH! DAMMIT! I''M AN IDIOT!!! After headbutting a stone building enough times, I headed back to the inn and slept. When I woke up, I had some breakfast, I headed to the guild to ask about the mute werewolf issue again. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Still hasn''t spoken a word, they said. That''s a little concerning. What if he never regains his voice? That would really suck for him... And it would be quite annoying to get any information out of him too. It''s not even possible to make him write his thoughts since his reading and writing skills are poor. Stupid low literacy rate... Anyway. I''ll have to give up on my cashcows... ahem, capturing kidnappers. I mean... In theory, I can just get different clothes and continue trying to bait them. But that would mean putting myself in actual danger. At that point, it wouldn''t be easy money anymore. It would totally defeat the point of all of this. So... I''ll give up for now. Well... On the other hand, I haven''t gotten the chance to use my item bag yet. I think this is the perfect opportunity to do so. Let''s hunt some wolves again! Hello Mr. gate guard no.2. I still don''t understand how your shifts work, but whatever. My goal is to find out just how many wolves I can cram into this bag. How many wolves are equal to two tables and five chairs? Well, it should definitely be better than that cart. Let''s go. And that''s the first pack down. Hmm... It''s way too easy compared to the werewolf or a horde of his summons. Just a scratch is enough for the poison to kill them. And they are so slow, they might as well be standing still. Maybe I should try to take on a more difficult monster. Yeah, since I''m rank E, there has to be something better for me now. ... Hmm? It''s that scent again... The one I... totally didn''t mistake for the werewolf last time. The one that smells like the wolves, but a little different. I bet it''s some sort of variant or a stronger version of these wolves. Let''s find out! I put the last of the wolf corpses into my handbag and dashed in the scent''s direction. And I found exactly what I thought I would. A wolf bigger than the others featuring much darker tone of fur. It looked like the werewolf summon. Except it was even bigger. "Grrr, WHOOF!" Well, it still barks like a dog. But, I bet it''s much stronger than them! Yes, this will be a worthy challenge! Let''s do this! Jump forward. Swing my claws. Scratch his face. The wolf let out a pained howl and dropped to the ground. A few seconds later, he died. ... Or maybe not. It was no different from the normal wolves. Damn... I''ll really have to look for a harder quest in the guild. There ought to be something worthy, right? Maybe something like ogres or wyverns? Or a dungeon to conquer? ... Huh? Since when am I a battle crazed maniac? Look for something stronger to fight? Seriously... I bet that''s also the effect of cat soul. I should be more careful... I loaded the black wolf into my bag and headed back. On my way to the town, I killed a few more wolf packs and added them to my collection. At the end, I collected seventeen normal wolves and one black. More wouldn''t fit inside the bag. I guess that''s the limit for now. But since the capacity is based on my magic, it''s going to get bigger as I level up. What a convenient tool... I''m surprised it only cost two gold coins. Or actually, it was even cheaper than that, wasn''t it? Back at the eastern gate. It seems like gate guard no.2''s shift didn''t end yet. I wonder if gate guard no.1 gets enough sleep working like this... ... Hmm, maybe I should ask for their names. Nah, it''s easier to remember like this. As soon as I enter the city, the surrounding people gaze at me. But unlike the first time when I came here, it seems like they want to do more than just staring. Stay away! Don''t come and talk to me! I don''t care how grateful you are! And don''t try to pat me like an animal! Argghhhh! I jumped away. Then, I did a double jump and landed on top of a nearby house. People usually don''t walk around on roofs. A flawless escape plan, I must say. Just jump around till I get to the guild. Jump, Jump, Ju- Crack. ... The roof tile broke. ... Why did the roof tile break? Are you telling me I''m fat? Or was the tile just too fragile? ... I-it''s fine, right? I just have to pay the reparations and... "Hey! What''s going on?!" A man with dust on his head emerged from the house. The anger spilled out of him like water. The situation didn''t seem fine at all for me. It... Might have been a good thing I joined the subjugation party. The man was really angry I broke his roof, but it wasn''t as bad as I feared. Naturally, he ended up lecturing me to not stomp on other people''s property... But since I was something like the city hero, he let me off after I paid him reparations. ... That also means most of my money disappeared again. Housing sure is expensive... Ugh... It''s all fault of those people trying to talk to me! If they just left me alone, this wouldn''t have happened! Anyway... After all of that, I had lunch in a nearby diner before heading to the guild. This time, I walked on the ground like a normal human. But every time someone seemed like was about to approach me, I threw an angry glance at them. That seemed to take care of it. People went back to staring. Nobody approached me again. Yep, that''s good. "Miss, the guild master wants to have a word with you." As soon as I arrive at the guild, a receptionist tells me this. W-what happened? Did... Did the poison kill someone after all?! No, that can''t be... ... Hmm, maybe it''s about my rank. Harold DID say he would talk to the guild master about it, right? ... W-well, let''s just hope for the best. "This way, miss." I followed the lady inside. CH 15 – The cat receives a special request "Hello..." There''s an elderly woman sitting behind a desk. I''m standing in front of her desk, nervously looking at her. Even though her face is wrinkly, she still emanates pressure with her presence. Her braided blond hair contrasts with her black cloak. This is... The guild master? "Hello there. So, you are the one I heard so much about?" Ugh, it''s unpleasant to be scanned by her eyes. It''s like she''s evaluating goods found in a shop. "Yes... I''m Nina..." "Right. The kid in odd clothes strong enough to fight a werewolf." That''s one way to put it, I guess... No, actually, that''s quite rude... "Well, I''ll cut to the chase. From what I heard, you are probably strong enough to be B or maybe even A rank." ... Phew... So it''s about the rank. Not the poison. "But for an adventurer, strength isn''t everything." I know that... The whole trust thing is important, right? "For one, you need to be reliable." She squinted at me. "If you collapse at a crucial moment, you will be more of a hindrance than anything." "Y-yes..." I know exactly what''s she is referring to... But come on! I know I messed up in the past! Why did this turn into a lecture?! "Moreover, you need to be responsible. Going around crushing house roofs for fun is not good." "Gh..." T-that happened just a moment ago! H-how does she already know about that?! Can she read my mind?! Or does she have cameras in the city?! ... Also, it wasn''t ''for fun''! I did it to avoid people! It was 100% justified! "And you should also know the extent of your abilities. Your weaknesses and strengths included." Yeah... It''s about the time when I collapsed again, isn''t it? Ugh... "Well, with that said... I DO think you have a great potential... And it would be a great shame if you were stuck on these low level quests." O-oh...? So, is my rank going to be increased? "So..." She grabbed a paper on her desk and placed in front of me. "Here, read it." What is that...? A special quest...? Need an adventurer with these specs... Strong despite not appearing so... The contents... An escort mission... Expected ambush... The reward is... Huh... I looked upwards at the guild master. "This is a special quest from baron Heinzel. Normally, I would give this quest to someone else, but..." She points at a certain sentence written on the paper. "It''s this requirement. A person who is strong despite not appearing so." She leans back and crosses her arms. "Unfortunately, there aren''t really any people like that available... that is, except for you." I see... Well, I know I look weak. After all, I have already caught several kidnappers thanks to that fact. Even though they started to avoid me as of late... "If you do well in this quest, I''ll consider raising your rank a few times..." A few times, you say? Not just once? That sounds tempting... But, this special quest... The quest giver is a noble. And nobles are... THOSE kind of people, right? Arrogant, bossy and think they are superior to commoners. I don''t think I''ll be able to endure that... "Well? What do you say? Will you accept this quest?" ... This is... Urgh... I don''t want to. It would mean I have to cooperate with others. I''m terrible at that. And if that wasn''t enough, those ''others'' wouldn''t just be some regular adventurers. But nobles! Nobles and their guards or whatever! ... But if it means I can skip years of ''proving'' myself to raise my rank, then... The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Argh! "Well, I can give you some time to decide. But it would be nice if you accepted." "Okay... I''ll think about it..." "Alright then. Come here tomorrow morning and tell me how you decided." With that, I left her office. On my way out of the guild, I met the familiar trio again. Jun, Betty and Lisa. "Oh, it''s Nina!" "Hi." "Why were you in the back? Did something happen?" Lisa seems worried. But it''s all fine. "Uhm... I got a special quest." "A special quest?! Seriously? That''s quite something." "Wow... I heard only famous and highly trusted adventurers get those." Huh... But I got it because the guild master wanted me to prove myself, didn''t I? Isn''t the order mixed up? "Well anyway, we gotta unload our spoils, see you around." Wave my hand... ... Wait. I also need to do that. When I arrived, I got taken to the guild master''s room right away. There was no chance to empty my item bag. Yep, let''s follow them. I ended up going to the dismantling room along with the trio. There, I pulled out the wolves out of my item bag. The trio was surprised I already had enough money to buy an item bag even though I was broke a few days ago. But then came to the conclusion the reward from the werewolf must have been used to buy it. Well, it was actually from baiting kidnappers, but I won''t correct them. Anyway, after an employee inspected the wolves I brought, I got my money. All of the gray wolves netted me almost three big silver coins. As for the black one, they gave me seven silver coins for just the one. That''s way more than the normal ones even after deducting the dismantling costs. Apparently, it''s because it''s a beast usually hunted by rank D adventurers. Well, for me, it was no different from the normal gray ones. But I won''t complain. Extra money is good. Now... What do I do? Should I accept that quest? I don''t know... What if they come up with some unreasonable demands? I mean, just seeing the contents of that quest... It says I have to act as a powerless girl to lure out the criminals... And when they show themselves, I need to defeat them. That''s just... ... Huh? Wait a second... Now that I think about it... Isn''t that EXACTLY what I was trying to do last night? ... C-could this quest be the perfect replacement for baiting kidnappers? It''s almost like some has arranged this... It''s a little too perfect... ... But still, the nobles... ... No, actually, now that I think about it... Sooner or later, I''ll probably have to deal with nobles anyway. These clothes are basically pieces of powerful equipment. People will want to get their hands on it. And I can''t just assume everyone will be as nice as Vincent. Some might even send assassins after me just to get it... Having friendly relations with other nobles will come in handy at that time. And the first step to good relations is to do a quest for them. Right... I''ve decided. I''ll accept this quest! Bring it on! For the rest of the day, I took it easy. Walked around the town. Avoided people trying to talk to me. And had dinner before going to sleep at the inn. The next day, I went straight to the guild and had an employee bring me to the guild master''s room again. "I accept the quest." Said with confidence! None of that yesterday''s fidgeting! Your aura won''t scare my anymore! "I see. I''m glad." She smiled at me. "To be honest, this quest was probably aimed at you anyway." Huh? Is that so? "After all, it came in right after the word spread about your participation in the werewolf subjugation." She let out a sigh. "Well, anyway. I''ll inform them that we found a fitting adventurer. Someone will probably come pick you up tomorrow morning, so be here." T-tomorrow? Hey! I''m all hyped up NOW! Why tomorrow?! ... Well, I know that passing information and preparation takes time... But still! Ugh... What should I do the entire day? Kill wolves? Kill wolves. Sounds good. Let''s kill some wolves. "Now wait just a minute!" You don''t need to yell, Mrs. receptionist. "Don''t tell me your bag is full of wolves again!" "It is." Is that a problem? "This is already the third time today! And it''s not even noon yet!" I know. I can count. "Are you trying to make these animals go extinct?!" ... "Sorry..." Well... I guess that would happen if I kept killing them, wouldn''t it? They are just regular animals, so they don''t respawn like dungeon monsters... But, actually... Who cares! They are ugly, stinky and loud! Making them go extinct is doing a favor to the world! Don''t sigh like that, Mrs. receptionist. "This is the last one, you understand? If you bring in anymore today, the guild won''t buy them." "Wh-!" What is this oppression?! "Listen... your rank is E already, right? You can take on different quests and leave wolves for the beginners." Oh, the beginners... Right... If I kill all of the low level foes around here, novice adventurers won''t have anything to fight... "Fine..." As annoying as it is... I guess I''ll comply. So what now... How should I spend the rest of my day? "Oh, by the way." The receptionist called out to me again. "The man with the werewolf curse has finally spoken. I thought you should know about that." ... I guess my next action has been decided. CH 16 – The cat is poisonous I didn¡¯t know prison was the top hangout spot. Why are Harold and Vincent here? ¡°Hello.¡± I greeted them. But instead of greeting me back, Harold just looked at me and sighed. Rude! What was that for?! ¡°Hey Nina¡­ there¡¯s a question I would like to ask¡­¡± What is it, Vincent? Is it about my clothes again? ¡°What kind of poison comes out of these claws of yours?¡± It¡¯s about the clothes. But¡­ That¡¯s a very specific question. Why did he ask that? ¡°A deadly one¡­?¡± It killed the wolves, so¡­ ¡°Really¡­?¡± What¡¯s with that suspicious gaze¡­? Are you slowly turning into another Harold? ¡°Does it also by chance¡­ numb muscles and cause vocal cords to stop functioning?¡± ¡­ H-huh? What are you¡­ ¡­ Wait a second now¡­ ¡°Nina, a priestess specialized in dealing with curses got here the other day. And before she lifted the curse, she used a simple cure spell to remove toxins in the man¡¯s body. When she did that, he regained his ability to speak.¡± ¡°I-is that so¡­?¡± Are you telling me the poison had different effects than it had on the wolves¡­? Why¡­? ¡°In other words, his mute status was probably your fault.¡± ¡°Ugk¡­¡± You don¡¯t need to be so straight to the point, Harold! ¡°He was quite annoyed. Said his muscles felt stiff all these days¡­¡± ¡°Argh¡­¡± I get it! Stop it already! ¡°Well, as for the other thing we figured out¡­¡± Vincent squinted and looked at me. ¡°¡­ I guess we should tell her, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± Tell me¡­? What are you talking about? Does the man hold a grudge against me now? Did he swear revenge for poisoning him? S-surely not, right¡­? ¡°It¡¯s about the source of that curse.¡± Not revenge¡­ good¡­ The source of the curse, you say¡­? You mean he used some cursed item? Or did some evil mage cursed him? Or maybe he ate too much wolf meat? ¡°The cause¡­ is still unknown.¡± ¡­ huh? Unknown? Then why were you acting all secretive. I thought you might say something like ¡®an evil mage is set on destroying the city with his werewolf army!¡¯ ¡­ but I guess not knowing the source is even scarier, isn¡¯t it? ¡°From what he said, nothing out of ordinary happened to him in the days preceding his first transformation. Even after asking for all of the details, the priestess couldn¡¯t pinpoint the cause.¡± Hmm¡­ That could mean one of many things. 1. A regular item he used everyday was actually cursed all along. 2. Someone managed to place a curse on him without him ever noticing. 3. He has been cursed since long ago, but only now has the curse manifested. 4. He is lying. ¡­ if it¡¯s number one or two, anyone could get cursed and they wouldn¡¯t even know it. That''s scary... What if I turn into a beast one day...? Wait... I already do that, don''t I? Well... even more of a beast then...? ¡°In other words, be careful. This could just be a one-time incident, but there¡¯s no guarantee it won¡¯t repeat.¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. What a bad timing¡­ The day before I¡¯ll do a quest for some noble, you tell me there is an unknown danger somewhere? Yeah, this totally won¡¯t weigh on my mind at all¡­ I guess all I can do is hope there won¡¯t be any more werewolves. I visited the uncursed man after that. To describe his mood, ¡®angry¡¯ would be an understatement. Apparently, enduring pain from stiffened muscles for days isn¡¯t exactly fun. Who would have guessed? Well, I properly apologized to him¡­ But I still don¡¯t think he forgave me¡­ His stare could kill¡­ Are you sure his curse got removed? A-anyway, I¡¯m really sorry! After finally leaving the place, I let out a sigh. The poison in these claws. What exactly does it do? I had to find out. Since it was still early afternoon and I wasn¡¯t too hungry, I decided to go outside of the city again. Gate guard no.2 saw me off. By the time I encountered the first pack of wolves, I formulated a theory. The werewolf went mute right after I charged him and lost consciousness. At that moment, my thoughts were ¡®shut up!¡¯. So maybe my thoughts somehow changed the poison¡¯s effect? To add to that theory, there¡¯s one more thing. Before the battle, I was sure my poison wouldn¡¯t be able to kill him because he¡¯s sturdy. I thought to myself that it would only numb his movements. And that¡¯s exactly what it did. So, is that it? Does the poison¡¯s effect change depending on what I think will happen or want to happen? If yes, then these gloves are even more ridiculous than I first thought¡­ Found a wolf. But it seems like he didn¡¯t find me yet. Perfect. Slash. I cut him while wishing for the poison to paralyze. But it wasn¡¯t successful. Well, maybe it was¡­? He collapsed on the ground and stopped moving instantly. But his pupils kept rapidly moving around. After a few seconds, even his eyes stopped and he died. What is this now¡­ Did the two effects combine? Both deadly and paralyzing poison? Hmm¡­ That¡¯s weird¡­ Let¡¯s test it a bit more. I smell a group of wolves this way. Come! Become my test subjects! Rest in peace, test subject no.7. Your sacrifice was¡­ kind of worthwhile¡­? So, in conclusion¡­ I have no idea. The wolves always die. Sometimes after twitching a bit and sometimes they stop moving right away. Other than wolves, I also encountered a bear. But the results were pretty much the same. What is it then? Does the poison have different effects on humans then? Well, that could be true¡­ But, it¡¯s not like I can test that, can I¡­? ¡®Hey, mind being slashed by my poisonous claws?¡¯ Only some crazy person would eagerly agree to that¡­ But even if the effect is different on humans, it still wouldn¡¯t explain why the werewolf suddenly went mute¡­ If that was also the work my poison, why did it take so long to kick in? I just can¡¯t figure this out. Oh well¡­ It¡¯s getting late, I better return. This time, I got seven wolves and a bear. I wonder just how much a bear is worth? Hmm, if I get two silvers for one wo- ¡­ Wait. I was told I wouldn¡¯t get any money for bringing in wolves today, didn¡¯t I? Ugh¡­ I forgot¡­ Well, I¡¯ll bring the bear at least¡­ ¡°And that¡¯s three silvers and fifty coppers¡­¡± That¡¯s quite a bit. Almost double a wolf. ¡°I¡¯m glad you listened to me and didn¡¯t hunt any more wolves.¡± ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± Hearing my unease, the receptionist frowned at me. ¡­ What is with that response, me?! Now she is totally suspicious! ¡°¡­ how many do you have in there?¡± She pointed at my bag. ¡°W-what are you talking about? Haha¡­¡± Good freaking job, me! You are SO good at lying! Look! Those furious eyes of hers don¡¯t suspect a thing! A round of applause! ¡°S-seven¡­?¡± Oh no¡­ It got even worse. That stare is comparable to the uncursed man now. Did you also contract a curse that transforms you into a monster? ¡°Siiiiiigh¡­¡± That was one long sigh. And a spectacular facepalm as well. If all of that wasn¡¯t aimed at me, I would commend you. ¡°The guild will buy them at half price. But only because it¡¯s you. Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be so nice next time!¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± Huh¡­ I survived? Yay! I¡¯m still alive! But her annoyed gaze doesn¡¯t stop. Not even as we go to the dismantling room again. Seriously¡­ Are you perhaps gate guard no.1¡¯s sister or something? Please stop looking at me like that! Aaargh! Why do I always anger people?! ¡­ I¡¯m not gonna mess up tomorrow and end up being on a hit list of some noble, am I¡­? ¡­ Let¡¯s just sleep it off. Yep. That¡¯s the best solution. Just walk to the inn. Go up to my room. Take off the dress and slippers. Comfortably lie in the bed. And. Sleep it off. CH 17 – The cat meets a noble Rise and shine. Now that I think of it, it''s only the eighth day since I arrived in this world. And I''m already supposed to not only meet with a noble, but do something for them. Am I ready? Heck no. I expect messing up and angering the entire noble industry... They have an industry, right...? Well, whatever. I''ll just do my best to be careful! Even though the other side is a noble... I got out of the bed and dressed myself. Then, I went downstairs and had my classic bread with some fruits. I didn''t forget to tell the inn lady I would be leaving the city today. She kindly returned the money I paid for the extra nights I wouldn''t spend here. I said goodbye and left the inn for the adventurer''s guild. As soon as I entered the guild, a very butler-like old man came to my view. He stood right next to the entrance with his arms crossed. When he saw me, he walked up to me and spoke. "Good day, young lady. Would you happen to be Nina?" Yes, that''s me. Are you that someone who is supposed to pick me up? "Hello. Yes, I''m Nina." "My pleasure to meet you." He bowed with a hand on his chest. "My name is Rodrick. I am a butler of the Heinzel family. I am here to guide you to my lord''s mansion." Yep, he''s the escort. I must say, I didn''t expect it to be a butler. Well, never mind. Let''s follow him. But I''ll need to first get that quest document or whatever, right? "I have already picked up the quest agreement form. Shall we be on our way?" ... Hey. He just totally read my intention. Are all butlers like that? "... sure." "Then, let me lead the way." We walked out of the guild. It seemed like Rodrick''s presence discouraged a lot of people from approaching me. Nice! No more annoyances! Good job Mr. butler! Soon, we arrived at the mansion. It''s one I''ve already seen when I toured the city. But, it''s surprisingly small for a noble''s mansion. Two stories high with a small garden surrounding it. The building itself is only as wide as the inn I stayed at. Well, okay... I guess it''s pretty big. But it''s not like one of these grand epic megamansions I had in mind. The butler beckoned to the guards near the gate and they opened it for us. We walked through and entered the mansion. After that, we walked upstairs and stopped in front of one of the doors. Rodrick knocked on it three times. "Sir, I brought the adventurer with me." "Come in." A voice came from inside, prompting us to enter. Rodrick opened the door and let me inside. When I entered, I spotted a slightly obese man sitting behind a desk. He had a mustache and the top of his head was balding. Oh no... A fat noble with a mustache? Those are pretty much always the villains. He got up and walked over to me. "So you are the rumored girl imitating a beast person, huh?" Wha-! Is that something you say to a person you met for the first time?! Yep, he''s definitely evil! ... No, calm down. I didn''t come here to cause a scene. And I mean, he''s kind of right... "So, what''s your name?" Don''t you usually say your name first before asking that? "I''m Nina. You?" "... you don''t even know me?" Nope! Not the slightest of clues! ... I''m not being rude right now, am I? If he''s evil, he will totally just get offended now. "My name is Aldrick Heinzel, remember it." "... okay." You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. He didn''t get offended! Maybe he isn''t evil, after all? "Well then, Rodrick. What''s your judgment?" Hmm? Judgment? What is this about? "Well, it''s... difficult. She''s either absolutely perfect, or the worst possible choice." ??? What are they talking about?! I don''t like being left out when it concerns me! "See? Even now, I can''t tell whether it''s an act or not." WHAT ACT?! EXPLAIN YOURSELF! "That is true, she really does seem oblivious." THEN HOW ABOUT YOU START EXPLAINING ALREADY?! AAAARGH! ... Yep, I got angry. And yep, I almost stabbed them. But, no, I didn''t do it in the end. Well... I DID kind of activate cat soul and hissed like an angry cat... But all was forgiven. ... I hope. Well, at least they explained what they were talking about. Apparently, Rodrick tried to gauge my abilities on our way to the mansion. Simply by observing my movements and habits, he came to the conclusion that... I was a complete newbie when it came to combat. Yep, absolutely correct. But that didn''t make sense to him, since I was one of the people who defeated the werewolf. So he thought there were only two possibilities. 1. I''m merely acting to be an inexperienced girl to hide my true abilities. 2. I really am inexperienced and the werewolf thing was a fraud. He didn''t expect it to be option number three. 3. I''m inexperienced, but strong nonetheless. Well, it''s mostly my clothes that make me strong... And it''s also because cat soul allows me to fight without hesitation while remaining myself in non-combat situations. "So a transformation skill... I see. In that case, you really are perfect for this." Or so he said. Well, I read the quest form, but most of the details weren''t mentioned. Just that a strong person who seems weak is needed. And that I would board a carriage going to another city pretending to be harmless to attract the attacker. So in a way, I guess I really am perfect for it. "Well, let me explain the details now." Here we go. "The truth is, my daughter''s life is in danger." Huh... That got serious real quick. "I still don''t know who, but someone is after her life." Aldrick crossed his arms and continued. "On our way here, a large pack of wolves attacked us. Which wouldn''t be all that strange... However, their behavior wasn''t natural. They only aimed for my daughter with no regards to their own survival." That''s... awfully reminiscent of the werewolf summons, isn''t it? "Moreover, while my guards dealt with these wolves, I spotted a figure in a tree''s shadow. And just before the wolves were dealt with, that figure ran away." How suspicious... Did that person control these wolves? "But it didn''t stop there. When we arrived to Buanna, we heard the news of a werewolf appearing just the night before." He dropped his eyes to the floor. "And then... the day after the werewolf hunt ended..." Hey, what''s with that dark look on your face...? "Somehow... a wolf got into the mansion and invaded my daughter''s room." What?! Don''t tell me she- "Fortunately, the guards managed to kill the beast and save her." I see... So she''s fine. "But that one was the last straw... I want to catch whoever is behind this!" Yeah... Who the heck sends rabid dogs after a young girl like that?! A creepy stalker like that needs to be punished! "I want to catch him and make him pay for what he did!" That''s right! "And for that... you''ll disguise yourself as my daughter to lure him out and then we catch him!" Yeah! ... Wait, what? "Since you''re more or less the same height, we just need to give you a wig and some similar clothes." W-wait a second now! "And when that scoundrel appears again, we catch him!" "W-wait...!" "... is something wrong?" Yes, there is! "I... I can''t take this off..." I grabbed the Kat dress and pulled on it. "Huh...? Why not...? Is it... cursed?" "S... something like that." My response brought a frown to his face. It seems like this ruined his entire plan... Well, I CAN take it off, but... I''ll only end up turning into the weak girl that I look like. And even if I did try to disguise as his daughter... Would the culprit buy it? And even if he did, there''s no guarantee he would participate personally like in the first attack. This plan is just full of holes... "Then... may I suggest an alternative?" Rodrick spoke. "How about miss Nina pretends to be misstress'' friend?" "And let Deliah be used as bait anyway?!" "Excuse me, sir... but if it''s about misstress'' safety, leaving her in the mansion might be just as dangerous..." "T-that''s..." "So why not have miss Nina be her personal guard under the guise of being her friend?" Huh... That does sound like a much better plan. ... But, wait a second. "... but it''s still impossible. Doesn''t the entire town know about her? The culprit is bound to know her as well." Yeah... That''s the one problem with that. "That''s right..." Rodrick fell into thought for a second. "But actually, that shouldn''t be a problem either. The rumor is that a girl wearing clothing that imitates a beast person defeated the werewolf. But isn''t it possible to easily hide those beast traits?" Oh yeah... He''s right. I don''t need to take it off. Just cover it with something. Maybe a hat for the ears and keep the tail coiled under the dress...? Aldrick thought for a second before finally coming to a conclusion. "Alright. That might work." CH 18 – The cat is a charming girl Knock knock. Rodrick softly knocked on the door. ¡°W-who is it¡­?¡± A startled voice of a girl responded from the other side. ¡°It¡¯s me, Rodrick. May I enter?¡± ¡°¡­ go ahead.¡± With her permission, the butler opened the door and we entered. As soon as we did, a girl with curly blond hair came to my view. Age-wise, she looked to be sixteen or so, similar to my current appearance. She wore a light blue dress, which matched her eyes. All of her attention focused on me. She was probably either trying to figure out who I am, or just being baffled by my clothes. ¡°Good morning, Mistress. Are you feeling better?¡± Rodrick drew her attention. ¡°Yes¡­ thank you Rodrick. Umm¡­¡± But then her eyes wandered back to me. ¡°Let me introduce you. Mistress, this is Nina, the adventurer who agreed to help us.¡± ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Nina.¡± ¡°Miss Nina, this is-¡± ¡°Eh?! S-she¡¯s the adventurer?! But she¡¯s the same age as me!¡± Yep. All nobles are rude on their first meeting with me. Noted down and remembered. ¡°Excuse me, mistress. She might not look it, but she a very powerful individual.¡± She looked back and forth between me and the butler. I can clearly see the doubt in her expression. ¡°¡­ R-Rodrick, this isn¡¯t funny! I¡¯m really going to die next time!¡± She¡¯s traumatized, it seems¡­ But still¡­ Shouldn¡¯t you trust your butler a bit? ¡°Mistress, I assure you this is no joke or a trick. There is nobody better for the job than miss Nina here.¡± You aren¡¯t doing too well in convincing her Mr. butler. Look, she¡¯s almost crying here. She probably thinks you have abandoned her or something. ¡°Anyway, as I was saying¡­ Miss Nina, this is mistress Deliah Heinzel, the one you will be guarding.¡± I nodded. Yeah, I got it. But we should really do something about those pleading eyes of hers. ¡°Miss Nina, would you be so kind and show mistress your ability?¡± Yep, the master butler gets it. The only way to convince her is to show her. Well, let¡¯s do it then. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for underestimating you¡­¡± Aaand she¡¯s convinced. All it took was a quick spar with a few guards. I didn¡¯t use my claws of course, but it still ended in an instant. The strength increase on these gloves is quite something, isn¡¯t it? I wonder if those guards are okay¡­? ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I waved my hand at the apologizing noble girl. I mean, that¡¯s the point here, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m supposed to look weak at first sight. ¡°That was¡­ splendid. I didn¡¯t expect you to be this strong.¡± Mmm, compliments¡­ Keep them coming Rodrick. ¡°Now then, should we go over your disguise next?¡± I nodded. ¡°Then, Aisha, I will leave it to you.¡± As he said that, a woman in a maid dress emerged from behind Rodrick. An enviable chest, short brown hair and¡­ ¡­ Huh? Wait¡­ Are those¡­ animal ears? It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s a cat girl maid! A real beastkin unlike me! Wow¡­ This city only had humans, so this is my first time meeting an actual fantasy race! She looks so- ¡­ Umm, why is she staring at me like that¡­ It¡¯s uncomfortable¡­ Is she¡­ ¡­ Huh. W-wait a minute. I¡¯m wearing an outfit that imitates a beastkin, right? In other words, her kind. Wouldn¡¯t that be considered¡­ Extremely racist¡­? Oh no¡­ I haven¡¯t thought about that at all! What if she- ¡°Oh my god! You are adorable!¡± ¡­ Huh. I have been hugged. This is the exact opposite reaction I¡¯ve been expecting. W-why¡­? You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. She¡¯s totally infatuated with me! That makes no sense! ¡°I didn¡¯t know this level of cuteness was possible!¡± Don¡¯t rub your face on mine! And stop squeezing me like that! If this Kat dress didn¡¯t have defensive properties, I would turn into cat sauce! Someone! Help! Now, excuse me¡­ But why did I become a dress-up doll of this overly enthusiastic maid? And why is Deliah just watching from afar? You can¡¯t ignore your mistress, Mrs. maid! If you focus all of your attention on me, she won¡¯t be happy! ¡°And, there! You look gorgeous!¡± Hmm¡­? Did the torture session end already? Thank god¡­ The maid dragged me in front of a mirror and showed me my new form. Now¡­ who in the world is that person inside the mirror? The blond wig makes my hair look a bit like Deliah¡¯s. My usual short black hair is completely covered. Not a single black strand can be seen. And the wig kind of fits my yellow eyes. Not bad. These white gloves also perfectly cover my black Kat gloves. My hands are no longer shaped like cat paws. I have no idea how that works. But also not bad. However¡­ What¡¯s with this frilly pink dress? It¡¯s so big, it completely covers the Kat dress. You DO know that I will have to fight in this, right? I can¡¯t even walk in this, much less fight! Moreover, who in their right might would wear something like this?! I¡¯m not a doll on display! ¡°Umm¡­¡± Oh, the noble girl is speaking out! Save me! ¡°Oh, mistress! Look at her! Isn¡¯t she adorable?¡± No, it¡¯s not! My dignity is plummeting! And, what the heck?! Even when speaking to her, all your attention is on me?! What¡¯s wrong with this maid?! ¡°Yeah, umm¡­ Aisha¡­ she won¡¯t be able to fight in that.¡± I¡¯m saved! ¡°Eh?! Fight?! Why would you force someone this cute to fight?!¡± Wha- Hey! Did nobody tell her the point of all of this?! ¡°Aisha! She¡¯s supposed to be my guard in disguise!¡± Yeah! Tell her! ¡°B-but¡­ that¡¯s¡­ ugh¡­¡± Why are you making an expression like it¡¯s the end of the world?! I¡¯m not here to be dressed in pretty clothes! I have a serious job to do! ¡°Just give her something smaller¡­ something easier to move in.¡± ¡°¡­ I understand.¡± Oh, finally¡­ ¡°So, you aren¡¯t just really cute, but also a strong fighter, right? That¡¯s so amazing!¡± No, I¡¯m really not that cute. Please stop trying to crush me in your embrace. Hmm, this is better. A much shorter yellow dress. Just enough to cover the other dress underneath it. The Kat slippers¡­ were not a problem. Just like the Kat gloves, they seemed to have shrunk and adjusted their shape as soon as I put these shiny shoes over them. Is that one of the effects of these clothes? I don¡¯t remember anything like that¡­ I wish I knew about it sooner though. ¡°Oh my, you look cute in anything!¡± And¡­ this maid is getting a little creepy. We met for the first time not too long ago. Moreover, I¡¯m not really that cute as she says. In my opinion, Deliah is way prettier than me. And yet¡­ she completely ignores her and focuses on me. "Aisha, can you leave the two of us alone for a bit?" Deliah spoke up to the maid. ¡°Eh? ¡­err, yes, as you wish¡­¡± What¡¯s with that sad look? You are just leaving the room! It¡¯s not like you are never going to see me again! The door closed behind her and I was left alone with the noble girl Deliah. ¡°So¡­ where are you from?¡± A sudden question. I shall give my classic answer! ¡°From very far away¡­¡± ¡°¡­ and very far away is¡­ where?¡± Ugh¡­ No way! She¡¯s the first one to keep asking! What do I say now?! ¡°Err¡­ umm¡­¡± D-dammit! I¡¯m cornered! ¡°You can¡¯t tell me? Why¡­?¡± ¡°Well¡­ erm¡­ I¡­ it¡¯s that¡­¡± My are my improvising skills so bad?! ¡°Are you¡­ the one after my life?¡± ¡­ Huh? What¡¯s with that conclusion¡­? ¡­ Now that I look at her closely, there¡¯s fear clearly shown in her eyes. ¡°N-no! I¡¯m not!¡± ¡°So you really are¡­ can I at least ask why?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not!¡± ¡­ ¡°¡­ first arrived in this city just before the werewolf appeared.¡± Huh¡­ Now that I think about it, that was quite the timing, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°Refuses to reveal her origins¡­¡± Well, I can¡¯t just say I¡¯m from another world, can I? ¡°And charmed Aisha with some spell¡­¡± Cha- ¡­ Huh? ¡°She never acts like that! You obviously did something to her!¡± W-what?! But I didn¡¯t do anything! I really don¡¯t know why she¡¯s like that! ¡°It¡¯s obvious that you are here to assassinate me! S-so please¡­ a-at least tell me why¡­¡± ¡­ What do I do? I can¡¯t come up with any excuse or explanation. Just be honest? Would that even solve anything? She might just think I¡¯m crazy. ¡­ ¡°I am¡­ from another world.¡± ¡°¡­ what are you¡­¡± ¡°I arrived in this world just a week ago. The werewolf¡­ was probably a coincidence.¡± Yep, a blank expression. She thinks I¡¯m crazy. ¡°And I have no idea why that cat maid is-¡± In the middle of my sentence, something clicked. When I said ''cat maid'', a thought emerged inside my head. I quickly opened up my status and looked at the thing I have always ignored up till now. Blessing of the Kat Allows the user to wear equipment blessed by the Kat. The user is also sometimes able to communicate with the Kat at designated locations. Lastly, all feline creatures will become friendly. ¡®All feline creatures will become friendly.¡¯ A-are you serious?! Don¡¯t tell me¡­! Cat girls count as felines?! CH 19 – The cat is otherwordly All feline creatures will be friendly with me. Feline means catlike or resembling a cat. Aisha, the maid from before, is a cat beastkin. Yep. It all makes sense in the end. ¡­ No, it doesn¡¯t! What the heck is this! I thought I¡¯ll simply befriend some animals with that! But am I actually going to make a full-on harem of catgirls and catboys?! That sounds both amazing and horrifying! ¡­ Oh, I just remembered I was in the middle of something. Right¡­ There¡¯s a girl who suspects me of being the creep who kept harassing her with wolves. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry, you were right.¡± ¡°H-huh¡­?¡± ¡°I think I accidentally charmed your maid.¡± ¡°¡­ accidentally?¡± ¡°Cats¡­ and cat-like animals get charmed by me¡­ but I didn¡¯t think it would work on a beastkin¡­¡± Come on¡­ What¡¯s with those doubting eyes? I¡¯m telling the truth! ¡°¡­ is it a skill? Or a curse?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a blessing, it says¡­¡± But I guess you could call it a curse too. I wouldn¡¯t put it besides that god to give me a curse and call it a blessing. Seriously¡­ If that was ¡®being friendly¡¯, I¡¯m a little afraid to meet any other beast people¡­ ¡°And that¡­ another world¡­?¡± Yes, I¡¯m from another world. ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°Umm, you mean another country¡­?¡± Huh? ¡°No, it¡¯s another world¡­¡± ¡­ Wait¡­ You don¡¯t know about the concept of other worlds? W-well I mean, it IS kind of a weird and crazy concept, isn¡¯t it? But I took it for granted since I read and watched so much fiction in my previous life¡­ How do I even explain it to her¡­? ¡°Err¡­ it means that umm¡­¡± Yes, I know you are curious. But please, if you stare at me like that, the answer won¡¯t arrive sooner. It will only make me more nervous! ¡°This world has like¡­ countries and people and everything in it¡­ but there are other worlds with their own¡­. things inside them¡­ they have different laws¡­ like¡­ no magic¡­ no status screen and umm¡­¡± ¡°¡­ status screen?¡± ¡°Y-yeah, my world didn¡¯t have a status screen like this one¡­¡± ¡°No err¡­ what¡¯s a status screen¡­?¡± ¡­ What? She doesn¡¯t even know about that? Isn¡¯t it one of the most basic laws of this world? Just what is- Wait¡­ Something isn¡¯t right here¡­ Could it be¡­ People in this world don¡¯t naturally have a status screen? I have always assumed everyone has their own status screen they can access¡­ But what if it¡¯s only me? ¡°¡­ try to chant ¡®status¡¯ in your head.¡± No, I didn¡¯t escape from an asylum. Stop with those looks. ¡°Just do it!¡± ¡°Y-yes?!¡± I startled her¡­ Well, I would also be startled if a crazy person suddenly yelled at me. ¡­ but I¡¯m not crazy! ¡­ ¡°Umm¡­¡± It doesn¡¯t seem like it worked for her¡­ So is it really unique to just me¡­? No, but¡­ Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Didn¡¯t she mention ¡®skills¡¯ herself? How can she know about skills if she can¡¯t access the status screen¡­? ¡°¡­ what¡¯s supposed to happen?¡± ¡°Well¡­ you are supposed to see your name, level, equipment, skills¡­ and so on¡­¡± ¡°See my-¡± Her eyes widened and mouth hung agape. ¡°W-what is this¡­? Strength¡­ level¡­ magic¡­¡± Huh¡­? NOW it worked for her? ¡­ Okay, I don¡¯t know anymore. What¡¯s going on? Did I somehow give her the ability to open the status screen? No way! I didn¡¯t even do anything! I just told her what¡¯s in it! ¡­ Maybe telling her allowed her to imagine it better and thus realize it¡­? Argh! What¡¯s with that logic?! It¡¯s like from some cheesy TV shows! ¡®If you believe in it, it will happen!¡¯ As if! While I tried to figure out logic behind all of this madness, Deliah stood there, staring into empty space. Probably looking through her status screen. ¡°E-excuse me¡­ u-umm, how do I¡­ oh it vanished¡­¡± Was she trying to close the status? Looks like she succeeded. ¡°I umm¡­ I think I believe you now¡­ err yeah, I believe you¡­ probably¡­¡± That¡¯s good¡­ But what¡¯s with that overwhelming uncertainty¡­? ¡°So¡­ you really are here to help me, right¡­?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± My guild rank up depends on this quest! If I do well, I will skip months of boring low tier quests! ¡°Then-¡± Knock knock. A knock on the door interrupted her. She glanced at it and after a short pause she replied. ¡°¡­ who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Aisha. Can I come in?¡± Deliah looked at me and then back at the door. ¡°Go ahead¡­¡± The door opened and the maid entered. But¡­ She wasn¡¯t the only one. Something else entered with her. I didn¡¯t see what it was, though. And neither did those two. I couldn¡¯t see it, but I could feel it¡­ I heard it¡¯s light steps¡­ Smell it¡¯s scent¡­ An alarm rang in my head and I activated cat soul. ¡°Hiyaaa?!¡± I startled both of them when I did that. But I ignored that. I lunged at an empty spot next to Aisha and slashed with my claws there. Blood spurted out of the air and sprayed over me and the maid. She fell on her butt in shock while screaming. A second later, the intruder got gradually revealed. The corpse of a beast with white fur motionlessly lied there. Of course, it was a wolf¡­ What else, right? But¡­ An invisible wolf? Seriously? ¡°W-w-w-w-what just happened?!¡± Calm down, it¡¯s just wolf blood. I know it¡¯s gross, but the threat is gone. No need to panic. ¡°Was it¡­ invisible?¡± See? Learn from your mistress! She¡¯s so calm and collected! ¡­ Never mind, she¡¯s pale and shaking. ¡°Seems like it.¡± While the bloody maid lied on the floor and looked around, Deliah nervously stared at the wolf corpse for a few seconds. After those few seconds, she closed her eyes and gulped. ¡°¡­ Aisha, call everyone here!¡± But even though she¡¯s clearly shaken, she can still act rationally. How admirable¡­ ¡°R-right away!¡± The maid got up and dashed away again. ¡­ She¡¯s still covered in blood though. I expect to hear surprised screams in a second. ¡°How did you know¡­?¡± ¡°I have enhanced senses¡­¡± ¡°Really¡­¡± ¡­ Hey now¡­ Don¡¯t go back to distrusting me! I saved you just now, didn¡¯t I?! ¡°If you¡­ sense any others, warn me.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Hmm, maybe she still trusts me after all. But why did she emphasize ¡®sense¡¯? It almost sounded like sarcasm¡­ ¡°What hap- oh my god!¡± Ah, hello Rodrick. Just in time. ¡°Invisibility¡­ so that¡¯s how they got into the mansion¡­¡± Aldrick clenched his fists. ¡°Miss Nina¡­ could I bother you with searching the mansion to find whether there are more of them hiding?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± I¡¯m getting quite hungry though¡­ I¡¯ve only eaten the inn breakfast before coming here. And then I spent quite the while being used as a dress-up doll¡­ Oh well, I wouldn¡¯t want my meal to be interrupted by an invisible wolf, so I¡¯ll do it. For this task, I took off my disguise. I didn¡¯t know whether the culprit could see though the eyes of his minions, but I still took this precaution. ¡­ Even though he might have already seen me through the invisiwolf I downed. Or maybe not. I did it quickly and hit the eyes, so maybe this whole disguise plan isn''t a bust yet. No, but¡­ Then he would still know that there is someone who can instakill a minion of his¡­ Ugh, let''s just hope he can''t see. Time to search for the wolf assassins. The dining room, the servant¡¯s quarters, the attic, the garden. I searched through everywhere. But it seems like the culprit only sends out his furry spies one by one. I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s good or bad¡­ After I was done, I joined the Heinzel family for lunch. That¡¯s why the maid initially went to Deliah¡¯s room, isn¡¯t it? Anyway, even if I say the Heinzel family, it was just the father, the daughter and me. Deliah¡¯s mother isn¡¯t in this place. And the servants didn¡¯t join us at the table. All of that difference in status nonsense¡­ I think the only reason why I could join was because Deliah invited me. Are we friends now? I wouldn¡¯t mind¡­ After lunch, it was time to throw out the fishing line and wait for the fish to bite. In other words, I put on my disguise again and acted as a powerless girl. Maybe a little rushed, but I get why. It¡¯s just a father worried about his daughter¡¯s safety. Well¡­ Let us begin. CH 20 – The cat travels to another city A familiar carriage. It¡¯s the one I saw arrive a while back. I didn¡¯t know it was the Heinzel family¡¯s. What a coincidence¡­ Anyway, here¡¯s the plan. Me, Aisha, Deliah and her dad sit inside the carriage. Rodrick and two guards sit outside and take turns driving it. Our destination is a neighboring city called Kalamas. Apparently, that¡¯s where the Heinzel family¡¯s main residence is. They only come to their mansion in Buanna couple times a year. Coincidentally, it takes about four hours to travel between the two cities in a carriage. Not too far, but not exactly close either. We boarded the carriage and set off. Since the interior is shaded by these expensive-looking curtain things, I can¡¯t see outside. But it seems that we have already left the city. How do I know? Well, for one, I can no longer hear any people outside. ¡­ and also, the road got a good deal bumpier. Thank you Kat dress for reducing the damage done to my butt. I pity these two. They have to put up with this every time they ride a carriage. Anyway¡­ The curtains block my vision, so I can¡¯t see when the enemy comes. But that really doesn¡¯t matter to me. I can still hear and smell them. And even if I didn¡¯t, the carriage stopping or the sound of our guards fighting is sure to give me a hint. Everything is under control. I¡¯m ready whenever. ¡­ But it¡¯s quite boring in here. Deliah is anxious and doesn¡¯t talk. Aisha, the maid, is silent as well. Her father occasionally assures her everything is fine and nudges me to agree. Nothing much happens. Not even bandits or stray beasts wander into our way. Two hours went by already¡­ We are halfway to Kalamas. ¡°I was sure we would get attacked¡­¡± Seems like Aldrick started having some doubts. ¡°Maybe he gave up¡­?¡± Those are some hopeful words, Deliah. But I really don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case¡­ ¡°¡­ or he saw through our plan and is afraid of this girl?¡± That¡¯s possible¡­ But that would mean he can see through the eyes of his minions. And that¡¯s quite worrisome. You shouldn¡¯t worry your daughter. Look. Her anxiety just multiplied. ¡­ Still, I wonder what¡¯s the deal with this world¡¯s status screen. According to Deliah, her dad has never told her of anything like this. But it didn¡¯t seem like he purposefully hid it from her or anything. He simply didn¡¯t know about it either. But how is that possible? Could the status screen be one of the world¡¯s ultimate secrets? ¡­ That sounds ridiculous. But just in case it is, Deliah promised me not to talk about it to others. Incidentally, it seems like Deliah had a skill she didn¡¯t know about. ¡®Rational fear¡¯ It¡¯s a passive skill that allows the user to keep a calm and rational thought process even when at their wit¡¯s end. The weird part is that it doesn¡¯t suppress fear or surprise at all. It¡­ doesn¡¯t really make any sense¡­ But, I guess it explains her earlier behavior. ¡­ We can see the city gates already. No ambush. It was awfully quiet all the way through. ¡­ Even with the sight of a grand city, I can¡¯t keep calm. The enemy might be planning to jump us as soon as we let our guard down. He might create another werewolf in the city or just siege it with his invisiwolves. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Safety isn¡¯t assured yet. We passed the gates¡­ Arrived at the Heinzel family¡¯s much bigger main mansion¡­ Disembarked and unloaded everything¡­. And still no signs of anything or anyone hostile. I¡¯m confused. ¡°Miss Nina¡­¡± Why the anxious face, Rodrick? We all know this is worrying, but you have to stay calm. Don¡¯t be like me! ¡°I know you have already fulfilled what we have requested of you, but could we bother you to guard mistress for a little longer?¡± Oh, it¡¯s about that¡­ Now that he mentions it, the request was just to escort the carriage, wasn¡¯t it? Whether an ambush happens or not, I¡¯ve done my job¡­ Like hell! That would be so anti-climactic! Of course I¡¯m going to see this to its end! ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­ naturally, your reward will be raised as well.¡± Yeah, money is good. But that¡¯s not why I agreed. I hope you don¡¯t think of me as some greedy woman¡­ The evening passed and no incidents occurred. We had dinner together and the sun soon set. Afterwards, the butler came to me with¡­ a suggestion. ¡°¡­ together?¡± ¡°Yes, if there is an attack at night, you will be able to react quicker that way.¡± ¡­ Hold on a second here¡­ First of all, why does Deliah normally sleep in a bed big enough to fit both of us? Second, e-erm¡­ I don¡¯t know what I feel about sharing a bed with another girl¡­ I-I mean, we¡¯re kind of friends now, right? Maybe it¡¯s normal for friends to sleep with each other? No no, I know this is to guard her but¡­ ¡°O-okay¡­?¡± Well, I always found this whole ¡®girl¡¯s love¡¯ concept kind of cute¡­ But when I¡¯m involved, it feels really weird¡­ ¡­ No, this is a guard mission! Get your head out of the gutter, me! ¡°Thank you, we¡¯ll leave it to you then.¡± But still¡­ Why are they so trustful? I mean, I¡¯m not complaining¡­ But normally, wouldn¡¯t you be more careful around strangers¡­? Hmm¡­ ¡­ And don¡¯t tell me they got charmed by the blessing as well! There is nothing cat-like about them! Right! They probably just think I¡¯m an innocent little girl! And innocent little girls can¡¯t really be evil, right? Yes, that must be what they are thinking! Anyway! It¡¯s time to sleep. I¡¯m gonna protect my friend from anything that might want to attack her! What? I¡¯m gonna attack her? Shut up, me! I¡¯m pure as an angel! Dirty thoughts, begone! And¡­ Yes, I will sleep with all of this on. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m borrowing Deliah¡¯s pajamas, Mrs. cat maid. I can drop the disguise, but I¡¯m keeping on my full Kat set. ¡­ ¡°Good night.¡± ¡°G¡¯night.¡± Yep, it¡¯s just me and her lying on the huge bed in complete darkness. Enhanced eyesight or not, this is really¡­ unnerving. Urgh! Why can¡¯t I calm down?! ¡°Nina¡­?¡± ¡°YES!..erm¡­ ummm¡­ yes¡­?¡± Can I borrow your skill, Deliah? I kind of need it right now. ¡°¡­ what is¡­ the other world like¡­?¡± Huh¡­ The other world? Why is she interested in my old world? ¡°¡­ it¡¯s ummm¡­ more modern?¡± ¡°Modern¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ there¡¯s like¡­ cars, skyscrapers, mobile phones¡­¡± ¡°¡­ what are cars¡­?¡± ¡°Umm¡­ they are these¡­ metal things with wheels used for transport.¡± ¡°Metal carriages?¡± ¡°No err¡­ cars aren¡¯t carriages¡­ they don¡¯t need horses to move.¡± ¡°¡­ magic powered carriages?¡± ¡°No¡­ not magic either¡­ they burn fuel to go forward¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I¡­ see¡­?¡± The tone of your voice doesn¡¯t match your words though¡­ ¡­ Huh¡­ Wait a second¡­ Isn¡¯t this the fabled bedtalk¡­? Wow¡­ That¡¯s incredible. Unlike normal conversations, I can take my time answering since the other person might just think I¡¯m too tired to answer quickly! No pressure to reply as quickly as possible! This is amazing! All conversations should happen in beds! ¡­ Actually, no. They probably shouldn¡¯t. If a job interview were to happen in a bed¡­ That would be really awkward. We talked long into the night. About my old world. About Deliah¡¯s life as a noble¡¯s daughter. Our likes and dislikes¡­ It was really nice¡­ And even the bad guy took a hint and didn¡¯t attack! The next morning, I woke up before Deliah and got out of the bed. When my eyes wandered into the dresser¡¯s mirror, I found out that I had a big smile on my face. It took a few slaps to erase it. Though, that also dyed my face red. I didn¡¯t slap that hard, though¡­ CH 21 – The cat meets a gorilla ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°Good morning.¡± Huh, what is this? Why does your face not look sleepy at all? I was looking forward to seeing that! Knock knock. ¡°Mistress, it¡¯s time to wake- oh, are you both awake already?¡± Hello Mrs. cat maid. ¡°Good morning, Aisha.¡± ¡°Good morning.¡± I see your innocent smile. But I won¡¯t be fooled! Behind that mask are only malicious thoughts of wanting to hug me! ¡°I¡¯m glad nothing happened¡­¡± Yeah, no attacks. Suspicious¡­? Maybe. But at least I got to have a peaceful chat with Deliah. After breakfast, I idly sat around, waiting for the enemy. But nothing happened. Nobody attacked. No invisiwolves sneaked inside. I started to think that the criminal gave up. But that can¡¯t be, right? Villains like that always go to the extreme to get what they want! That¡¯s right! Maybe he¡¯s just waiting for the right moment to strike! ¡­ Or maybe I¡¯m overthinking this. While I waited for nothing, Deliah was busy studying. In reality, she goes to school in this city. Yes¡­ School¡­ The dreaded prison-like facility that forces you to learn nonsense. And on top of that, you have to put up with bullies! It¡¯s the worst place ever! Why would you voluntarily go there?! ¡­ Well, apparently this world¡¯s schools are a bit different. Only nobles and richer merchants can afford to send their children to schools. And it¡¯s also a lot less strict compared to my old world¡¯s schools from what Deliah has told me. The bullies are still there though¡­ ¡­ Lunch time. No signs of the criminal. It¡¯s starting to get really irritating¡­ Don¡¯t tell me my job is done! The bad guy is still somewhere out there! And I bet that he¡¯s plotting his next evil plan! The moment I let my guard down, he will strike! Dinner. Still nothing. Now I just feel like I¡¯m freeloading here¡­ And even getting paid for it! That feels really wrong! Where is that stupid stalker?! Come out and get captured! Dammit! ¡­ Ugh¡­ Well, at least I get to have my bedtalk with Deliah again. Nothing wrong with that, right? The next day it was time for Deliah to go to school. Hmm? Accompany you to school? Uhh, sure¡­ I have to guard you after all. ¡­ Err¡­ Well, you¡¯re right. It WOULD be weird for a little girl to be standing guard¡­ But, umm¡­ disguised as your classmate? T-that¡¯s quite¡­ I mean¡­ I thought it¡¯s really hard to get accepted into a school! Huh? It¡¯s common for the noble¡¯s children to have guards hidden among the other students? Just how much assassination goes on in this world?! Oh, it¡¯s to prevent bullying¡­ ¡­ But then, can¡¯t you use these guards to bully others as well? There are holes in this logic¡­ ¡­ Erm, fine, I guess¡­ I¡¯ll go with you¡­ But¡­ You better be thankful! I¡¯m going to that hellish place just for you! We are on our way to the child torture institution. Me and Deliah are inside, while Rodrick sits outside and drives the carriage. It¡¯s not the carriage we used to travel to this city. It¡¯s a different, a bit smaller, one. But there¡¯s still plenty of space for us. Now then¡­ Wolves? None. Suspicious people trailing us? A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. None. Again, it¡¯s very peaceful. Maybe the criminal really gave up? ¡­ Hah! As if I would believe that! ¡­ We¡¯re here. The school grounds are even bigger than your main mansion. So many kids dressed in extravagant clothes¡­ And armed people everywhere¡­ Those are probably the guards. Yeah¡­ This is nothing like the schools I know. ¡°Heeeey! Deliaaah!¡± Huh, it¡¯s a redhead. And she¡¯s sprinting at full speed this way. Is that your friend? Or should I neutralize her? ¡°You¡¯re finally back!¡± ¡­ I think suffocating hugs are a custom in this world. Are you okay, Deliah? Your face tells me you are in pain. ¡­ I should have neutralized her, after all. ¡°H-hi Mable¡­ it¡¯s only been a few days you know¡­¡± ¡°But it felt like months! I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡± Okay, I think it¡¯s about time you stopped squeezing her! ¡­ That¡¯s it! It¡¯s time to eliminate the threat! ¡°By the way, I didn¡¯t know you had a sister.¡± She glanced at me in my disguise, still holding Deliah in her grip. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Nina.¡± And I¡¯ll destroy you if you don¡¯t let her go right now. ¡°She¡¯s my step-sister¡­ she will stay in our mansion for a few days¡­¡± That¡¯s the fake backstory we¡¯re going with. Now, let her go or I¡¯ll- ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Mable!¡± U-ugh?! She changed aggro to me! It¡¯s good that you aren¡¯t crushing Deliah anymore, but don¡¯t do it to me now! I can feel it even with the Kat dress enhancing my defense! Are you a gorilla?! King Kong?! What are- ¡­ It¡¯s here¡­ Finally, the criminal decided to show up. It¡¯s subtle, but it¡¯s not something I¡¯ll miss. Even while getting crushed by the great red ape. I can sense it¡­ The scent of a wolf. It¡¯s weak, but it¡¯s definitely there. Behind me¡­ Watching me¡­? Dammit! This stupid gorilla! Release me! I need to take care of the real threat! ¡°M-Mable! Stop it already!¡± ¡°Oh! Sorry!¡± ¡­ I¡¯m released¡­ Yes. This corpse lying on the ground. That¡¯s me. ¡­ And the wolf scent is gone. I could have sworn there was someone¡­ Was it the criminal¡­? Or did I mistake it for something? How can a scent disappear just like that¡­? ¡­ It must have been my imagination! Not! As Deliah helped me get up, I whispered in her ear. ¡°The wolf is near¡­¡± She froze for a brief moment. The enemy disappeared as suddenly as he appeared. Part of me wanted to chase after him, but I decided to stay with Deliah in the end. What if it was just a bait, after all? I couldn¡¯t deny that possibility. While Deliah and the hug machine talked, I silently informed Rodrick about my findings. Naturally, he got worried and told me to be careful. But I assured him I¡¯ll do my job. Then, me, Deliah and the gorilla called Mable headed to class. And simply put¡­ Deliah lied to me. It¡¯s EXACTLY like the schools in my old world. The classmates form something like mafia groups and constantly engage in wars. Well, violence is prohibited, so it¡¯s mostly verbal. Noble ranks¡­ seriously, why do they care so much about that? Please leave me out of it. I care about your noble rank as much as I care about how many strands of hair grows on your head. ¡­ But unfortunately, we encountered one of those groups on our way to class. ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t the little girl and her gorilla! You¡¯ve got a new pet following you?¡± Pet?! Just so you know, I¡¯m not an actual cat! Moreover, I¡¯m wearing a disguise, so how could you even tell?! ¡°Get lost, Greg!¡± The gorilla spoke up. Oh, I see now¡­ So she¡¯s some sort of bodyguard? Now I get why you let yourself be squeezed by someone like that. It¡¯s a payment for her bodyguard duties! ¡°Shut up, I¡¯m not talking to you!¡± ¡­ Now, THAT¡¯S how I imagined a noble to be like. Thanks for confirming I wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Nina.¡± And your face looks very punchable. ¡°Heh, you¡¯re pretty cute. How about you be my concubine?¡± Five¡­ no six punches in the face. I think that¡¯s a fair amount. Hmm? What¡¯s with that ghastly pale face? Oh I see¡­ I accidentally activated cat soul and took a step forward. Good thing my claws didn¡¯t extend. I''m still trying to keep my disguise, after all. ¡°Ha-haha¡­ so you are accepting? What a cheap wom-¡± Seven. Any less wouldn¡¯t be a fair trade. Oh, he fell down. Perfect. Looks like he accepted his punishment. ¡­ A hand on my shoulder. What is it, Deli- ¡­ Why are you pale as well? Are you telling me to stop? But why? This guy deserves at least seven punches in the face. ¡­ Alright, fine¡­ I¡¯ll let him go¡­ ¡°¡­ scram.¡± I always wanted to say that¡­ And it worked. He and his goons ran away. I¡¯m pretty sure they shouted some cliche villain lines, but whatever. ¡°Wow! You managed to scare off Greg! How cool!¡± ¡­ and why are you not affected at all? I thought my cat soul scares people. Is there an exception for gorillas? Whatever¡­ Let¡¯s just go to the class¡­ CH 22 – The cat finds the culprit Oh hey, we are in the same class as that Greg guy. What''s with that look, Greg guy? You''re looking at me as if I killed your father or something. I hope you aren''t planning anything reckless. Because I AM going to stab you if you attack us. Ignoring him, we got seated. Conveniently, the spot to the right of Deliah isn''t taken, so I claimed it. To her left, the gorilla sits. Huh... It kind of feels like two knights protecting a princess. A gorilla knight and a cat knight...? What a sight to imagine. Oh look, the teacher is here already. Why does he look like a mad scientist? His gray hair is messy and he has circles under his eyes. I heard teaching is a stressful job but... "Quiet down now, the class is about to start... ah, that''s right. We have a new temporary student. Please introduce yourself." He''s looking at me. "Hi, I''m Nina." I stood up for about three seconds to say that before sitting back down. "That''s it...?" Yes, you don''t need to know anything else. After all, as you said, I''m here only temporarily. "... well, fine. Let''s start then." Yup, you should have been informed about my business here, so thanks for understanding. But why are all of the other classmates staring at me? Fun fact about me. I hate math. It used to be one of my worst subjects back on earth. I always only barely passed. ... But... This class is just too low level. Basics of multiplying? Aren''t you supposed to learn that when you are eight or nine? Most of the kids here are around sixteen! And only about five people in the entire class seem to understand these math problems! And those five people include me and the gorilla! ... Poor Deliah. She isn''t included in the elite five. It seems that she also isn''t that great at math. "H-how are you two so good at this..." Err, sorry... But I mean... I already know all of this stuff... "I practiced it a lot some time ago..." The gorilla is unexpectedly studious, isn''t she? "Me too..." "Ugh..." Don''t get depressed... Fight on! After the lesson, I got surrounded by our classmates. What is this? None of you have cat ears. Why are you saying I''m cute? And that group over there, can you stop glaring at me like that? Is a new student appearing really such a grand event? "Let''s get out of here!" The gorilla grabbed mine and Deliah''s arm and dragged us out of the classroom. Saved by a gorilla! Isn''t she a way better bodyguard than me? I feel ashamed now... We escaped to the school yard. A place filled with beautiful blossoming trees, singing birds... and several mafia groups. Great... "Oh, look who we have here!" Seriously, why is school so dangerous? You might as well just- ... It''s here again. The scent of a wolf. Where? In the yard? No. Outside. Where are you...? Where- There! A hooded figure! And it just ran away! I won''t let you! A quick glance at the gorilla. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. "Protect Deliah." Her expression told me she was confused. But it wasn''t the time to hesitate. I won''t let the culprit run away now! Dash. Jump. Double jump over the gate. Ignore the voices behind me. I can still somewhat smell it. He''s somewhere around here! The passing people are startled by my sudden movements, but I ignore them. I run into a dark alleyway where the hooded guy went. I make sure to not lose track as I turn the corner. Over here... Got you! I finally spot my target. A hooded figure holding some sort of staff. He''s trying to run away, but it''s futile. It seems like he has poor planning skills. The end of this path is blocked off. After realizing this, the figure stops running and turns to me, raising their hands. "W-wait!" ... a girl''s voice. That''s unexpected. "P-please don''t kill me! I-I just..." Begging for your life...? You are the worst villain ever! "Are you the criminal...?" I can see her tense up as I ask her. "I-I... u-umm... err..." That definitely means ''yes''. You are guilty! "N-no please wait... I''m sorry... I... hya!" ... As she stepped back, she tripped over a rock. And let go of her staff. It''s rolling over to me now. What is this, anyway? "Ugh... huh? N-no! Don''t touch it!" She said it too late. I automatically squatted and grabbed the staff. At the same time, something inside me exploded. "AGAARHRG!" I instantly collapsed with a scream. My instincts told me to let go of that staff. But I couldn''t. My hand didn''t listen to me and kept gripping it. "I''m sorry! I''m sorry!" The girl kept apologizing. But I was too busy trying to stay conscious to mind that. It felt like all of my organs ignited. My vision blurred and my sense of balance distorted. Every cell in my body screamed out in pain. It felt like an eternity. I just wanted it to stop. But it just kept getting worse and worse. I was on the edge of my consciousness, trying my hardest to not lose my mind. ... Is it over? Everything hurts... But compared to before, it has calmed down. Let''s try to get up... Ugh... Trying to push myself up feels like trying to lift an elephant. All of my muscles ache... ... The staff is gone. Where did it go? Whatever... Who cares about that thing... Finally, I was able to get up. The hooded girl is still over there. But she''s shaking. "D-did it work? A-are we friends now?" What are you talking about, you wench? Is this your way of making friends? Making people go through that torture? I hiss as I step toward her. "N-no way... the charm didn''t work...?" The charm, you say...? I see... So wearing this headband finally paid off. ... but what a crude way to charm someone. Wouldn''t you usually try to be nice instead? Whatever. Time to capture her. "W-wait please!" I will not. I dashed forward and pounced on top of her, pressing my claws to her neck. But as she fell on her back, the her hood moved out of the way and revealed her face. I was stunned for a second. Half of her face is that of a girl, as expected. But the other half... Was covered in gray fur. As if it was supposed to be half a wolf''s face. But due to her head shape still being human, she just looked... Hideous... Even the dirty gray hair of hers... "F-Fenrir!" Her sudden shout brought me back to my senses. But I was too late to react. A huge mass of fur materialized between me and the girl and tackled me. I flew away and crashed into a building. If it weren''t for the Kat dress, I would have probably died. And although I didn''t die, my ribs probably cracked. Coupled with the fact that my muscles still ached, I couldn''t get up anymore. ... Is this my end? I did my best to turn my head at the enemy. I saw a huge wolf with dark blue fur. A wolf so massive, it could easily dwarf a grizzly bear. Staring into his eyes made me feel fear for the first time. That was a monster I would have difficulty beating even in my top shape. But lying on the ground with my entire body in pain... It''s impossible. The girl climbed on top of the wolf''s back and collapsed there. He then stood up and stared at me. NO! STAY AWAY! DON''T COME NEAR ME! He didn''t listen to my internal screams. The monster stepped forward, carrying the girl. Every step made shudder. I''m gonna die... I''m gonna die. I''m gonna die! Please don''t! ... He''s right next to me. His enormous head is looming over me. I''m too scared to raise my head and look into its eyes. ... He turned away... And walked into the alleyway... ... I listened to his steps as they got further and further away. When I realized I have been saved, all of my tension got released and I lost consciousness. I think I heard some screams before that though... CH 23 – The cat can’t move Unfamiliar ceiling. Where am I? Ugh¡­ I can¡¯t get up. My entire body feels like it¡¯s been put through a woodchipper. I can only move my head. Hmm¡­ Is this a medical facility? It reminds me of the place where I woke up after the werewolf battle. Why am I- ¡­ Oh no¡­ I remember now. I finally found and caught the criminal. But then she summoned a huge wolf and I got tackled. They didn¡¯t finish me off and walked away. ¡­ What happened after that? Unlike the werewolf case, I had no backup. Which means¡­ They went ahead and¡­ Attacked the school?! Or¡­ ran away? ¡­ Which is it¡­? I need to know! But¡­ Ugh¡­ But I can¡¯t get up. Come on! I thought I have hyper regeneration! Why is- ¡­ Wait¡­ No, something is wrong¡­ I¡¯m not wearing my Kat clothes! What is this?! Who stole them?! ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Kuh¡­ It¡¯s hard to breathe¡­ Trying to raise my voice hurts¡­ And I can¡¯t even move¡­ This is the worst. What kind of torture is this¡­? Is this supposed to remind me of my last day on earth? Screw that! I don¡¯t wanna die this way again! The door opened. Finally someone¡­ A nurse? No, I guess they are called medics in here. ¡°Oh my, you are awake.¡± Yes I am. Now, give me back my regeneration underwear. I¡¯m in pain. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t move yet, you have a serious rib fracture. It¡¯s a miracle you are still alive.¡± It¡¯s fine! Just give me back my stuff! Argh! I know I usually don¡¯t talk much, but if I can¡¯t talk at all, it¡¯s frustrating! ¡°¡­ive¡­ back¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to speak either¡­ Just rest for now, okay?¡± Stupid woman! Don¡¯t ignore me! And don¡¯t rub my head with a smile! I¡¯m serious here! ¡°Alright, alright¡­ I¡¯ll call the doctor and we¡¯ll do a quick check-up on you, how about that?¡± I don¡¯t care about your comforting smile! Give me back my clothes! I don¡¯t wanna spend an eternity in bed again! ¡­ She left. Curse you! At least give me back the clothes! Or tell me what happened after I collapsed! Argh! ¡­ A few minutes later, the door opened again. The nurse returned along with an old woman in black robe. Umm, is that the doctor? I thought doctors wear white. ¡°Good morning, miss. I¡¯m here to do your check-up. Don¡¯t worry, though! I won¡¯t hurt you, so just relax.¡± I don¡¯t want a check-up! Just return my stuff and go away! No! I said go away! Don¡¯t strip me! DON¡¯T TOUCH ME! AAARGH! SOMEONE HELP! I have been violated. My chest, touched all over. Well, there isn¡¯t much to touch¡­ But still! ¡°Most of your ribs are cracked, but none of your vital organs were pierced. Truly, a miracle.¡± I wonder if that wolf did that on purpose¡­ Hah! No way! ¡°Well, it¡¯s much better than when you were first brought here, but still, make sure to rest and don¡¯t move too much. Try to avoid speaking as well.¡± ¡®Become a corpse¡¯, you say? ¡­ All of this would have been fine if you didn¡¯t take away my clothes! Where are they anyway?! ¡°Oh, by the way.¡± What is it? Are you going to make fun of my chest size? ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. The monster that attacked you has been defeated.¡± ¡­ Say¡­ What¡­? ¡°Well, I¡¯ll come back later to do another check-up. Until then, rest up.¡± Wha- Wait! Don¡¯t leave! You still didn¡¯t explain anything! Tell me what happened! Dammit! The door closed behind them. ¡­ Why are you doing this to me?! A simple explanation would be enough! A hint, or even a freaking riddle! Anything! ¡­ Great¡­ Now I¡¯m alone in an empty room and I can¡¯t move a muscle. And I''m too restless to fall asleep again... Forget about getting to hear what happened or getting my clothes back¡­ Right now, I think I¡¯m gonna die of boredom. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Hmm, maybe count cracks on the ceiling? Or listen to muffled sounds coming in through the closed window? As if! ¡­ Well, there¡¯s still one thing I can do. I can still look at my status. I wonder if anything changed? Name: Nina Level: 13 Strength: 7/30 Endurance: 11/31 Speed: 3/40 Magic: 21/24 Equipment: Hospital gown Skills: Cat soul+ 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat Ugh, no wonder I can barely move. Those are the lowest stat values I have ever had. Except for magic, I guess¡­ ¡­ And why is this cloth a hospital gown? I thought these buildings are called medical facilities and not hospitals. Whatever¡­ ¡­ Let¡¯s inspect cat soul. Maybe I finally unlocked a variant! Yeah, as if¡­ Cat soul+ Temporarily turns you into a wild animal. You gain bonus agility for the duration. You have mastered this skill and are now able to unlock its variants. Available variants: Panther soul ¡­ Oh¡­ I DID unlock a variant¡­ ¡­ Hah, of course I did! I was obviously just using reverse psychology! Everything according to plan! But, what is this¡­? Panther soul? When did I unlock it? Panther soul In addition to cat soul effects, it allows use of shadow magic and enhances stealth at night. Huh¡­ Alright. Another perfect skill for an assassin. Someone really wants me to become one¡­ But I still refuse! Also¡­ ¡­ Magic¡­ YEAH! FINALLY! I¡¯ll finally get to unleash all of my hidden potential! ¡°Argh, cough cough¡­¡± ¡­ What the hell, I can¡¯t even get excited? This sucks! Someone bring me my clothes already! Also, what¡¯s shadow magic? Does that mean dark magic? Or is this a special type of magic? Hmm, let¡¯s test it out! ¡­ not. If I can¡¯t even speak, what makes me think I can use skills? Yeah, I feel like just activating cat soul would kill me¡­ I guess I¡¯m just gonna keep being bored to death¡­ ¡­ A knock on the door. Huh? Who is it? Is the nurse back? The door swings open and in comes¡­ A redheaded girl. Mable, the gorilla. What is she doing here? ¡°Oh, hello there¡­¡± Hi. Sorry, I can¡¯t really speak¡­ ¡­ Also, you seem a little¡­ different¡­ ¡°Are you doing alright? You looked quite terrible when I found you in that back street¡­¡± Huh? You were the one to find me¡­? Not a guard¡­? ¡°Oh by the way, you don¡¯t need to worry. The monster has been defeated.¡± Yeah, I know that already¡­ But I still don¡¯t know who did it! ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you have questions¡­ but first of all, let ME ask YOU about something.¡± I really don¡¯t like this¡­ You are just a stupid gorilla! Why is your expression so serious?! "Ah, but I heard you can''t really speak, so just blink twice for yes or three times for no, got it?" Twice for yes and three times for no? Why not once and twice...? Well, whatever. I blink twice to answer. ¡°Good¡­¡± A smile¡­ But not the usual playful one. This one feels a lot more sinister¡­ ¡°Well, here¡¯s my question¡­ Do you think Hitler was wrong?¡± ¡­ What¡­? What kind of question is that? Of course Hitler was- ¡­ W-wait a second! I¡¯m pretty sure Hitler didn¡¯t exist in this world! How does she- ¡°Ah, I was right then¡­ you¡¯re also a reincarnated person¡­¡± Reincarnated person, she said¡­ ¡®Also¡¯¡­? She¡¯s a¡­ ¡­ No way¡­ That doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ ¡­ Wasn¡¯t this world made for me¡­? No¡­ I just specified what it should be like¡­ Nobody said other people similar to me couldn¡¯t enter it¡­ But¡­ I¡­ Ugh¡­ I didn¡¯t expect this¡­ ¡°Yeah, I was also surprised¡­ but I mean, there¡¯s no way a normal sixteen-year old girl can survive being tossed into a building so hard that it cracks¡­¡± Fair point¡­ No, I mean, the building cracked? Seriously? ¡°Moreover, double jumping should also be impossible¡­¡± That¡¯s true¡­ But why are you so observant¡­? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be a musclebrain? ¡°Those are probably the two skills you picked. Air jumping and high defense¡­ not a terrible choice I suppose¡­¡± Huh? Skills I picked? I didn¡¯t pick any skills! I randomed! And those two aren¡¯t even the skills that I have! It was the Kat clothes! ¡°Now, to elaborate on what I said earlier¡­¡± She came closer to me and put up her fist while smiling. ¡°I was the one to beat that monster¡­¡± ¡­ What the hell? You did? I know you¡¯re a freaking gorilla¡­ But that was a monstrously huge wolf! ¡°People think it was the school guards, but don¡¯t tell anyone alright?¡± ¡­ I answer by blinking twice. ¡­ But what does she mean? Did she stealthily help? How? ¡°Anyway! I¡¯m glad I finally found someone like me!¡± Back to your cheerful gorilla mode, huh? Also, what do you mean ¡®finally¡¯? You expected this? ¡°Well, let¡¯s talk later when you can actually reply. One-way conversations are no fun!¡± After that, she swiftly left the room. ¡­ Well¡­ At least one of my questions was answered¡­ But a whole lot more questions popped up¡­ Sigh¡­ Let¡¯s just get some rest¡­ ¡­ Hmm, but¡­ It feels like I¡¯m forgetting something¡­ ¡­ T-that¡¯s right! What happened to the criminal? Everyone just said the big wolf got taken down, but what about her?! Nobody even mentioned her! CH 24 – The cat gets healed Dear past me¡­ I hate you. You think that healing magic should be rare? Just because you don¡¯t want people to be immortal? Well, screw that! I¡¯m in pain now! Give me some healing magic! Ugh¡­ The worst part is this anxiety¡­ What happened to the criminal? Everyone happily told me the wolf was neutralized, but¡­ Not a single word of what happened to that girl¡­ ¡­ I remember she got on the wolf¡¯s back and rode off. Did she get off and ran away while the wolf went after Deliah? That¡¯s probably it¡­ But that means she will come back again¡­ ¡­ And it could be at any moment! Deliah could be in danger while I¡¯m just lying here, playing a corpse! ¡°Cough, cough!¡± ¡­ I hate being powerless¡­ If only I could get back my clothes¡­ ¡­ Alright! I got it! Here¡¯s the idea! Because of the blessing, only I can use the Kat clothes! And since it was granted to me by god, it¡¯s probably bound to my soul¡­ or something, right?! Right! Therefore! All I have to do is to will for it to return to me! Like a loyal horse coming back to its rider! Let¡¯s do this! COME FORTH! KAT PANTIES! ¡­ I-I SUMMON THEE! KAT BRA! ¡­ N-nothing?! Come on! I even yelled out these embarrassing lines! Well, I only yelled in my head¡­ but still! I¡¯m desperate enough to do something as dumb as that and yet¡­ Nothing happens! This is not fair! Why am I- Creak. Hmm? The door creeped open without anyone knocking. Who is- ?! After turning my head, I spot half a face covered in gray fur peeking from behind the door. As soon as our eyes meet, the head jumps up with its eyes widening before falling back under the door¡¯s cover. I-it¡¯s her! The criminal! Why?! I-is she here to finish me off after all?! Dammit! What do I do?! The face peeks at me again as I prepare for my impending death. After a few seconds of staring at each other, she steps inside my room. For some reason, she is not wearing the black robe from back then and instead has a white hospital gown wrapped around her¡­ ¡°U-umm¡­ are you okay¡­?¡± ¡­ What? Why are you acting all worried? Didn¡¯t you try to kill me? I thought we are enemies! I¡¯m confused! Are you just her twin or something?! Like hell! ¡°Ug¡­ gh¡­¡± But alas, I can¡¯t talk. So I can¡¯t even ask. ¡°O-oh no¡­ are you gravely injured?¡± Well, kinda¡­ ¡­ But seriously¡­ Why are you so worried about someone who pressed sharp claws against your neck?! You are too pure and innocent! It makes me feel bad for what I did! She comes closer to me with slow, careful steps and extends her hand over me. ¡°Tapi!¡± She shouts a word and something appears in front of me. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. As if emerging from a mist, a small creature of the size of my forearm materializes on my chest. It¡¯s a dog¡­ or a wolf, I guess. It¡¯s fur is pure white, but it has a three tatoo-like blue markings on its cheeks. Also, it seems to have¡­ two tails, each one as long as the rest of its body. ¡­ What is this? Even though it¡¯s a wolf¡­ It¡¯s so cute¡­ I wanna pet it! ¡°Agh¡­¡± Or maybe not! It¡¯s standing on my cracked ribs! Ugh! She¡¯s here to kill me, after all! How could I fall for this trap?! What is this?! Killed by having a cute wolf pup stand on me?! I¡¯m not interested in Darwin awards! While looking me in the eyes, the creature waves its tails up and down, alternating between them. A few bright particles of light come off of the tails and land on my chest. I watch in fear as this phenomenon happens, expecting a curse or something, but¡­ It feels¡­ better? Huh? Is this healing magic? So she actually wasn¡¯t trying to kill me? That¡¯s¡­ A relief¡­ ¡­ But, wow¡­ I didn¡¯t know whining about wanting healing magic would get me some¡­ ¡°Is it better now¡­?¡± The criminal¡­ no, the girl asks me with a smile. Her expression tells me she already knows the answer. ¡°¡­ yes.¡± I can talk again! Hooray! ¡­ But, that¡¯s about it. Even though it¡¯s easier, It¡¯s still hard for me to move. I¡¯m far from being fully healed. Yep, I still hate you, my past self. Not only is healing magic rare, it¡¯s not even that effective. ¡°That¡¯s good! Then¡­ umm¡­ goodbye¡­¡± She waves her hand while turning around and heading towards the door. The cute white wolf jumps off of me and follows her. ¡°Wait!¡± She jumps a bit before turning back to me. ¡°Y-yes?¡± Oh, she didn¡¯t just speed out after I called out to her. That¡¯s good¡­ I still need some answers. But what should I ask first? ¡°¡­ what is your name?¡± I guess the standard first question will do. Oh, but shouldn¡¯t I introduce myself first? ¡°I¡¯m Cana. What is yours?¡± Oh good, she isn¡¯t offended. More like¡­ She is smiling. If half of her face wasn¡¯t covered in fur, I would call it cute¡­ ¡°I¡¯m Nina¡­ say, why are you trying to kill Deliah?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Deliah¡­? Is that the name of that girl? A-and I¡¯m not trying to kill her!¡± Wait a second now! You didn¡¯t even know her name?! And what do you mean not trying to kill her?! What about the frenzied hordes of wolves and those invisible assassins?! ¡°I-I¡¯m just trying t-to¡­ eumm¡­¡± Yes? I¡¯m listening. It feels like you will have some really bad excuse. Your eyes are swimming. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m trying to get her to join Matoto¡¯s harem!¡± ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ I think my mouth is hanging open. Okay, so¡­ WHAT THE HELL?! YOU WANT HER TO JOIN A HAREM? WHAT KIND OF GOAL IS THAT?! ¡­ AND WHO IS MATOTO?! ¡°O-oh um¡­ harem is a¡­ gathering of girls, is what Matoto says¡­¡± Yeah, I know what a harem is¡­ ¡­ But¡­ What the hell is this Matoto guy doing? WHY IS HE MAKING A GIRL GATHER HAREM MEMBERS FOR HIM?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM?! ¡°Who is this¡­ Matoto?¡± I do my best to not let my anger show. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s umm, a friend¡­¡± Why is she blushing and looking away¡­? Is she in love with him or something¡­? ¡­ IS HE MAKING HER GATHER GIRLS FOR HIM KNOWING SHE IS IN LOVE WITH HIM?! I WANT TO PUNCH THAT BASTARD SO HARD RIGHT NOW! As my body trembles in rage, I hear the door creak open once again. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m back! ¡­ hmm?¡± The gorilla enters and greets me before noticing Cana. Did you forget how to knock? ¡°Who is-¡± ¡°Y-you!¡± Cana jumps back, and clenches her fists. Her face going pale and her teeth clenching. ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t you the girl that monster tried to kidnap?¡± Huh? Tried to kidnap? ¡­ I see¡­ Since she powerlessly lied on the wolf¡¯s back, she was thought of as a victim. ¡°S-stay away!¡± Cana makes another step back in response to the approaching Mable. She¡¯s really terrified of her for some reason¡­ Meanwhile, Mable is staring at her in surprise. She seems totally clueless as to why this girl is so scared. ¡°Calm down! I¡¯m not gonna do anything to you?¡± Mable raised her hands up and smiled. But that didn¡¯t calm Cana down at all. ¡°Y-you hurt Fenrir!¡± Ah, so that¡¯s it¡­ ¡°What are you¡­ oh, I see¡­¡± Mable seemed to have understood something. Oh no¡­ That¡¯s the same expression she had when she talked to me earlier. ¡°So you were actually the culprit and not a victim¡­¡± You are totally right, but please stop with that murderous gaze! Cana takes two more steps back, clearly afraid. The little wolf pup, who kept hiding behind her up till now, comes forward and barks at Mable. Knowing her, she would likely just hug and cuddle it. But her current cold expression suggest otherwise. ¡°T-tapi! Get back!¡± The little pup listens to her and hides back behind her legs. She extends her palm forward and her eyebrows furrow. ¡­ Oh no¡­ Please mind the incapacitated person lying in the bed over here¡­ Don¡¯t start figh- ¡°Cerberus!¡± CH 25 – The cat in the middle of crossfire There¡¯s a pitch black shepherd with red eyes. And it has three heads. Yeah¡­ I can see why you would call him Cerberus. But¡­ Could you not fight in here, please? The three headed beast and Mable stare at each other. Meanwhile, Cana seems out of breath. I guess summoning a big beast exhausts her¡­ Just like when she slumped down after summoning Fenrir. Neither one of them is making the first move¡­ The tension is quickly rising. ¡°S-stop!¡± The two girls look at me in unison. ¡°¡­ you can talk already?¡± Even when asking me, Mable¡¯s glare doesn¡¯t change. Can you quit doing that?! I¡¯m gonna have a heart attack! ¡°Y-yes¡­ she healed me¡­ cough!¡± Though, not completely. After a moment of silence, the redhead¡¯s glare shifts back to Cana. Even with the beast standing guard, Mable¡¯s intimidation makes her take another step back. Mable¡¯s eyebrows furrow. ¡°What is your goal?¡± Still such a cold tone¡­ ¡°W-what¡­? Umm, my goal¡­ ermm¡­¡± Ah, her goal¡­ That¡¯s quite awkward to talk about, isn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s help her out. ¡°Some guy called Matoto ordered her to capture Deliah so she can join his harem.¡± ¡­ Yep. Exactly the same reaction as mine. I think your eyes are gonna fall out of their sockets. Hey, what¡¯s with that reproachful look, Cana? I said it in your place so you didn¡¯t have to! ¡°¡­ how is she gonna join a harem if she¡¯s torn to bits by your wolves?¡± Oh, she¡¯s back to her glaring mode. And she¡¯s right. From what I heard, the herd of wolves totally aimed for her life and not for her capture. ¡°Eh? Y-you mean nightmare? Err¡­ I-I¡¯m sorry! I know he can be a little scary, b-but he wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone!¡± Huh¡­ First of all, Nightmare? That¡¯s such an edgy name to give to your black wolf. And¡­ Singular? I¡¯m pretty sure there were multiple wolves. ¡°What are you blabbering about¡­?¡± ¡°H-his illusions don¡¯t leave real injuries! I-I just wanted to scare the guards and then take that girl¡­ but they were too strong¡­¡± Illusions¡­? So the horde was just an illusion? Also, how many abilities do her wolves have up their sleeves?! Invisibility, healing and now illusions? They can do anything! ¡°¡­ then what about the werewolf?¡± Right¡­ The werewolf. How is a beast, who indiscriminately attacks people, supposed to help in capturing someone? ¡°The werewo-¡­ oh¡­ umm¡­¡± Cana¡¯s eyes float around the room. ¡°Well? Why did you turn an innocent old blacksmith into a werewolf?¡± So he was a blacksmith¡­? Wait, why do you know that while I don¡¯t?! ¡°T-that¡­ wasn¡¯t me! I¡­ err¡­¡± The Cerberus and the white wolf pup look at her with a sad expression as her gaze drops to the ground. It wasn¡¯t her¡­? If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. She¡¯s using an excuse like that NOW?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know who did it! B-but it wasn¡¯t me! A-and¡­ it wasn¡¯t¡­ Matoto¡­ probably¡­¡± ¡­ In other words, it was that Matoto guy again. He can curse others¡­? ¡°I see¡­¡± After a pause, Mable pointed at Cana¡¯s face. ¡°Your curse¡­ is it his doing as well?¡± ¡­ Huh? She is cursed? Well, I guess growing fur on your face is unnatural, but¡­ ¡°Y¡­yes¡­¡± ¡­ Seriously? He even cursed her? Is that guy trying to break the record for being the biggest jerk in the history or something? I never even met him and I already know he is my mortal enemy! Mable sighed and facepalmed. ¡°Look, we can get someone to lift that curse and-¡± ¡°No!¡± Cana interrupts Mable mid-sentence while covering the cursed half of her face with a hand. Mable¡¯s frown returns. ¡°Why not¡­?¡± That was me asking. I can¡¯t believe she would want to keep a curse like that. ¡°B-because then¡­¡± She turns to her two familiars with a sad expression. But then she lifts up her head and pumps her fist. ¡°B-because this is a special curse that can¡¯t be lifted!¡± An unliftable curse? That¡¯s horrible! Why do you sound so proud?! ¡°Can¡¯t be lifted, huh? Well, we won¡¯t know until we try.¡± Mable takes another step forward. In response, Cana tenses up and her minions growl. ¡­ Are we back at this? Is a fight inevitable after all? What can I do in this situation¡­? Do I heroically stand between them with my arms spread? Yeah¡­ no. Even if I was willing to test out my nine lives skill, I still can¡¯t move much. But if I don¡¯t do anything now¡­ ¡°Tapi, return! Cerberus, break out!¡± With her sudden instructions, the white pup vanishes just like it appeared and the three-headed beast turns around and runs past Cana. For a brief moment, I see one of its mouths glow before an explosion occurs. Luckily it¡¯s quite small and doesn¡¯t catch me in its blast, but the light blinds me for an instant. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere!¡± The gorilla runs at Cana and Cerberus, who are trying to escape through the hole in the wall. But she is too slow. The girl and the beast jump outside and sprint off. Only now have I realized we¡¯re actually on the fourth floor. Which is probably why Mable stopped her pursuit. What, a gorilla can¡¯t survive a fall from the fourth floor? I can see frustration in her eyes as screams from the outside arrive in the room. Mable clenches her fists and silently grunts. The guards as well as some medical staff immediately came here after hearing the bang. Mable told them a cursed girl sneaked inside and tried to kidnap me. But because she happened to visit me at the same time, it startled the assailant and made her forcefully break out. Well, it¡¯s almost true. But why did you make me into a damsel? Moreover, the kidnapping part was a blatant lie¡­ ¡°Miss, we will move you to another room for the time being.¡± Why thank you, medic lady. The breeze from the Cerberus-sized hole was really starting to get bothersome. Especially since I don¡¯t have my Kat dress, which would give me cold resistance¡­ Speaking of which, give me back my clothes! As I¡¯m about to ask for them, I see a nurse carrying a stack of black clothes in her arms. There¡¯s a tail sticking out of it and a cat ear headband lying on top. ¡°Give that back!¡± Still lying on the bed, I point to the nurse and demand my stuff. ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not taking it away.¡± ¡°Give! It! Back!¡± ¡°¡­ alright, calm down. I¡¯ll return it when we transport you to the other room, okay?¡± That¡¯s what I like to hear. Finally¡­ I can finally restore my true form again! Lying in a bed in another room. My clothes are folded up and resting on top of me. Is this a way to mock me? I need to equip them for the effect to kick in! But how can I dress myself in my condition?! After everyone left the room, Mable came back shortly after. This time, bringing Deliah along. It feels like an eternity since I last saw her¡­ ¡°It seems that she managed to escape the city¡­¡± Mable frowns while biting her lower lip. Hey, isn¡¯t that a good thing? It means that she didn¡¯t go and attack anyone. ¡°Well, at least we can calmly chat now.¡± Indeed. ¡°So¡­ about what you told me earlier¡­¡± As I try to bring up the topic of the whole reincarnator thing, she aims her death glare at me. I told you to stop with it! Why are you doing it again! ¡­ Is it because Deliah is here now? But I already told her about me. Were you trying to hide it from her¡­? ¡°¡­ I already told Deliah about me.¡± ¡°What..?¡± ¡­ Yep, that expression tells me I did something unnecessary. Well, I think I¡¯m gonna test the nine lives skill today anyway. CH 26 – The cat and the contradiction ¡°Umm, you are¡­ from another as well¡­?¡± Mable can¡¯t handle Deliah¡¯s innocent question and avoids her gaze. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°B-but¡­ weren¡¯t you daughter of a merchant?¡± ¡°Well¡­ yeah, I am. It¡¯s just that I remember my previous life, that¡¯s all¡­¡± Hmm¡­? Wait¡­ ¡°Umm¡­ so you two are different¡­?¡± Deliah looks between the two of us. ¡°¡­ different?¡± She doesn¡¯t understand. And neither do I. ¡°I arrived into this world just recently¡­ when did you?¡± I throw out a question to which Mable falls silent. ¡°Arrived¡­ recently¡­?¡± She seems shocked. ¡°What do you mean? You weren¡¯t reborn as a baby like me?¡± Huh¡­? Wait a second here. Something doesn¡¯t add up! ¡°No¡­?¡± A moment of silence follows. What¡¯s going on? This doesn¡¯t make sense! She was born as a baby and lived several years already? But how?! I literally specified the settings just before entering myself! ¡°Then, you are different from the others¡­?¡± ¡°Others¡­?¡± Now I¡¯m really confused. ¡°¡­ do you not even know about that?¡± About what?! ¡°Or are you¡­ the one being tested?¡± What are you talking about?! Mable seems to notice my confusion and fall silent for a moment. ¡°¡­ well, let¡¯s start from the beginning then.¡± Yep, do that! ¡°After my death in the previous world, I met with a being who called himself a god.¡± Me too. ¡°This god told me I would get a chance to reincarnate into a newly created world.¡± Newly created world, you say¡­ ¡°And gave me the option to choose two special skills of my liking.¡± Huh¡­ But, I got to completely customize everything¡­ Although, I wasted it because of the randomize button¡­ ¡°Of course, I was suspicious and asked him various questions. It would be stupid to just accept such a favorable deal blindly.¡± Ugh¡­ She just called me stupid. But I mean, what could I have done?! Nobody ever asked if I agreed with these terms! ¡°And long story short, he told me that this world exists as a way to test someone and that there would be many other reincarnated people.¡± Test someone¡­ So, I¡¯m supposed to assume that I¡¯m the one being tested, huh? Well, maybe it¡¯s not me¡­ But if yes, what am I being tested for? ¡°But he never told me what kind of test it was or what it was for.¡± Oh great, I love unanswered questions¡­ ¡°So, now¡¯s your turn.¡± Alright¡­ ¡°After I died¡­ I was given a customization screen.¡± ¡°¡­ a what?¡± ¡°I could completely customize what I was going to look like as well as my abilities. And I even got to decide the settings for the entire world¡­¡± ¡°You¡­ created this world?¡± Well¡­ Kind of? But, not really? I mean¡­ If you push a button on a coffee machine and it drops coffee for you, are you the creator of this coffee? ¡°D-does that mean¡­ that I¡­ that everyone I know¡­¡± Deliah is staring at her shaking hands. Oh¡­ Is she having an existential crisis? She just found out that everything around her, including her, exists because I pushed a button. ¡­ And if I set the world¡¯s parameters just a little differently¡­ She might not have existed. That¡¯s¡­ A little overwhelming to think about¡­ This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡­ But wait. There¡¯s still the question of how the time spent in this world doesn¡¯t add up. Maybe I was sent forward in time or something¡­? I can¡¯t think of any other explanation¡­ ¡°Well¡­ I guess we can¡¯t talk to each other as before, can we¡­?¡± That downcast look doesn¡¯t suit you, Mable. Look, you infected Deliah. ¡°B-but¡­ you are still Mable, right?¡± ¡°Well, yeah¡­ but I¡¯m also someone else¡­ I guess¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine! Everyone has secrets!¡± Deliah pumped her fists as she faced Mable again. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°A-and now that I know your secret, we are even better friends, right?!¡± Well, It¡¯s true that good friends share secrets¡­ But, aren¡¯t you taking this a little too well? I would be quite shocked if I were in your shoes. Hmm, must be her skill doing work¡­ ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t mind all this¡­?¡± On the contrary, Mable seems to be shocked. ¡°Of course not!¡± Aw, man¡­ I can¡¯t help but smile. It¡¯s nice to have a friend like that, isn¡¯t it? ¡°A..aha¡­ahaha! I don¡¯t know what I was afraid of!¡± Oh, she¡¯s back to her gorilla mode. And there is her Crushing embrace of the crimson ape?. I think Deliah is suffocating. ¡°You really are the best friend I ever had!¡± Hey, if that¡¯s really the case, you should avoid killing her now! Ah, she¡¯s finally released¡­ ¡°Ah, eh¡­ sorry, I got a little excited¡­¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s fine¡­¡± Is it really fine? You might want to rent one of the rooms here just to be sure. Hospitals are kind of like hotels, right? Eventually, Deliah¡¯s butler Rodrick came here and picked up Deliah, leaving me alone with Mable again. ¡°Well, now that we are alone and you can talk, there¡¯s something I need to make sure of.¡± Oh no. Is she gonna test my nine lives, after all? Didn¡¯t everything turn out fine?! You don¡¯t need to be mad at me for telling Deliah! ¡°We are allies, right?¡± ¡­ Yes? That¡¯s a really unexpected question. ¡°You are probably wondering why I¡¯m asking.¡± That, I am. ¡°Well you see¡­ I always found it weird how there are multiple reincarnated people and then one being tested.¡± What¡¯s with that glance? You are totally convinced the tested one is me, aren¡¯t you? ¡°So I thought, what if this ¡®test¡¯, is to kill every other reincarnator?¡± That¡¯s¡­ Not impossible. But even if it is, I¡¯m not going to do it. Heck, I don¡¯t even know what this test is for! Or what there is to gain if I pass! ¡°It makes sense, because god told me many of the other reincarnators would be ones with a rotten personality and hobbies.¡± Wow, what a thing to say¡­ Well, I just found out about a certain guy who curses girls and makes them gather a harem for him. Could he be a reincarnator as well? ¡°So¡­?¡± What does she expect me to say? I say ¡®Hah, no! We are bitter enemies!¡¯ and then she kills me right here, right now. Do you really think I would do that? ¡°Of course we are allies¡­¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± Stop¡­ With¡­ That¡­ Stare¡­ ¡°I-I don¡¯t know anything about this test¡­ or what the meaning of it is¡­ but I¡¯m not gonna kill people just because some god said so!¡± ¡­ Ugh¡­ Well if you keep staring, I will stare right back! It¡¯s a staring contest! ¡­ ¡°Hmm¡­ well, alright. I¡¯ll trust you. For now.¡± Good. But I wouldn¡¯t mind if it was forever and not just for now. Oh well¡­ I guess I need to show her she can trust me. Now, how do I do that¡­? ¡°Well! Since I trust you, you trust me as well!¡± Her switch flipped again¡­ And what¡¯s with that flawed logic? ¡°So, let¡¯s tell each other our abilities!¡± Hmm¡­ Well, why not? Unstoppable force. A passive skill, which makes her attacks ignore any armor or protection. It can be regulated to ignore even things like wind resistance. It¡¯s like the most overpowered offensive ability ever¡­ And¡­ Is that why your hug almost killed me even through the Kat dress?! You really need to learn how to control that skill! Clear mind. Another passive skill. It grants resistance to any mind-altering states, intimidation as well as most curses. It¡¯s like a better version of Deliah¡¯s skill, but also includes anti-charm, anti-curse and so much more¡­ What the heck? That¡¯s overpowered too! And I guess this is why she didn¡¯t even flinch while everyone else paled when I activated cat soul. ¡°You know, in a fantasy world, there are bound to be people who can use mind control and other nasty things. And I absolutely didn¡¯t want that!¡± Yeah, I get that reasoning. I¡¯m also glad to have anti-charm in my headband. ¡°And the other one is just so I can defend myself even without a weapon.¡± Unstoppable force can make her fingers as powerful as a sword. Even if she gets captured, she can easily force her way out. Also¡­ She said this was what allowed her to defeat Fenrir. She threw small pebbles from afar and then congratulated a nearby archer for his accuracy. And he totally believed it was his doing. Seriously? Didn¡¯t he find it suspicious his arrows weren¡¯t sticking out of the beast? ¡°And now you!¡± Yes. But first. Before I forget again. ¡°Could you¡­ erm¡­¡± This is actually quite awkward¡­ But it should be fine! We are both girls! ¡°Hmm? What?¡± ¡°Could you¡­ put all of this on me?¡± I point at my clothes. ¡°Huh¡­? Why?¡± ¡°It has special effects.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ is that so¡­¡± Wha- Hey, I hope you aren¡¯t thinking anything evil! ¡°B-but it only works on me!¡± She¡¯s startled. ¡°¡­ haha, don¡¯t worry! I wasn¡¯t planning on stealing it!¡± Yeah, sure! ¡°But you know¡­ are you sure you want me to dress you?¡± Yeah, is there a problem with that? ¡°I can¡¯t do it myself¡­¡± I can barely move, after all. ¡°Well¡­ I guess I need to tell you one more thing first. But this time, keep this secret from Deliah at all cost.¡± Hey, mixing your mischievous gorilla smile and your intimidation isn¡¯t fair! ¡°W-what is it?¡± ¡°I was a guy in my previous life.¡± ¡­ What? CH 27 – The cat gains a fanclub I have been seen by a man. Well, a former one, but a man nonetheless. Still, I didn¡¯t realize your gender could change when you reincarnated¡­ If I became a guy¡­ That would have been weird. ¡°I have seen something really cute¡­¡± You shut up! I tried to keep straight face, but your eternal grin made it impossible! Stupid pervert! Even telling me to not mind what she was in the past! As if I could do that! Ugh¡­ This is one of those things I will forever remember as my greatest embarrassement¡­ But I had no choice! All the medical staff just ignored me and Deliah wasn¡¯t here! Either Mable puts those clothes on me or I will keep being half-dead! That¡¯s right! My dignity is a small price to pay to be alive again! ¡°But you got quite the number of cheat abilities, don¡¯t you?¡± While she dressed me, I told her about my clothes and skills. It was actually meant as a way to distract myself from the situation¡­ But it wasn¡¯t too effective. ¡°I wonder how your nine lives work¡­¡± Yeah, I¡¯m also interested¡­ But. I hope you don¡¯t plan on suggesting something weird¡­ Don¡¯t look at me like that! I¡¯m not killing myself to test it! ¡°Also, why is everything cat themed?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ god decided that for me.¡± ¡°God, huh¡­¡± Yep, god. Hmm¡­ Now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t tried to find a shrine or a church yet. I don¡¯t remember seeing one in Buanna, but this city might have one. With the blessing, I should be able to talk to this god and ask what this ¡®test¡¯ is all about! Well, I doubt I will get a straight answer, but it¡¯s worth a shot. It¡¯s only been two days since the greatest embarrassement of my life. I¡¯ve been discharged from the medical facility. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it¡¯s just three hundred percent faster¡­?¡± ¡°I did¡­¡± I¡¯ve already regenerated to the point where I can get up and move. Well, there¡¯s still some pain. Not enough to be a problem though. But¡­ This is weird. Even with the underwear¡¯s boost effect, that was way too quick. Three hundred percent more means four times the normal, right? Which means, not even ten days worth of rest! There¡¯s no way that¡¯s enough for a rib fracture to get naturally healed! What¡¯s going on? Did Cana¡¯s healing have anything to do with this? That must be it¡­ I don¡¯t really see any other option. After my discharge, Mable picked me up as I was leaving. Are you skipping school? Why don¡¯t you go guard Deliah instead then? Oh, her father hired a new party of adventurers for that¡­? So, I was replaced¡­ Well, no helping it when I¡¯m incapacitated, I guess. Moreover, it seems like no attacks happened since Cana¡¯s escape. Hopefully, she gave up¡­ And hopefully, she realized that the Matoto guy is just abusing her. Feed him to your wolves, I say! After meeting up with Mable, we headed to Deliah¡¯s mansion. Even though I didn¡¯t catch the culprit, I still did my job of guarding. Say what you will, I completed this quest. So, naturally, I will go and get my reward for it. Of course, if by any chance Cana returns or that Matoto guy tries to do something, I won¡¯t just idly watch. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Although, it would be nice if we could solve it peacefully¡­ Cana is a really nice person. She even healed me¡­ After I pinned her to the ground with poisonous claws¡­ Yeah¡­ Just lift her curse, lock up that guy who cursed her and everyone will be happy! ¡­ Or maybe not. She said it can¡¯t be lifted, didn¡¯t she? Hmm¡­ But what if she just said it because she doesn¡¯t want it getting lifted? I¡¯m guessing that curse is what allows her to summon her wolf friends. Lifting it would mean separating from them forever¡­ As I get deeper and deeper into my thoughts, my cat alarm suddenly goes off. But before I can react to it, something lands on my head and disrupts my balance. ¡°Wha-?!¡± I wave my arms around in surprise and fall on my butt. ¡­ ¡°Meow!¡± It¡¯s a stray cat. Already playing with my hair as if it was a ball of yarn. ¡°Oh yeah, you did say that you charm cats and catgirls, right?¡± ¡­ right. I grab the cat on top of my head and hold it in front of me. It has black fur and yellow eyes. Similar to me¡­ ¡°Ohhh, you found your long lost brother¡­¡± Not that similar! I¡¯m still a human! And, last time I met him, my brother was a human too! Moreover, he¡¯s in a different world now! ¡°Hey, it¡¯s just a joke! No need to glare.¡± This is my payback for yesterday. An eye for an eye, a glare for a glare. ¡°¡­ well? What are you gonna do with it?¡± I get back up on my feet while still holding the cat. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it¡­¡± It¡¯s cute¡­ But I don¡¯t think bringing stray cats into a noble¡¯s mansion is a good idea. ¡°Oh? So cruel of you¡­ You capture men¡¯s hearts and then leave them hanging!¡± What are you talking about?! It¡¯s a cat! I¡¯m not doing this on purpose, either! And wait, why do you instantly know this cat is male?! I put the cat on the ground and turn around while fixing my hair. We attempt to leave it, but it follows us. Or more specifically, me. Ugh, these cute meows make this harder and harder! I just wanna pick it back up and pet it¡­ But I can¡¯t! There¡¯s work to do! ¡°Please, stop following me!¡± And you, stop grinning! I bet you are comparing this to some tragic love story or something! Oh? The cat listened¡­ It hung its head, turned around and silently disappeared into a dark alleyway¡­ ¡­ Damn, now I feel bad for it! It just wanted to be my friend and I pushed it away! Ugh¡­ ¡­ You! What¡¯s so funny?! Stop snorting while trying to hold back your laughter! You are even tearing up?! ¡­ Alright. That¡¯s enough. ¡°Ok, sorry, sorry! Pull those claws back!¡± You don¡¯t seem very sorry. Your grin never disappeared. ¡°No, seriously! I¡¯m sorry! It just reminded me of one scene I saw in a movie! I wasn¡¯t making fun of you!¡± Yep, I knew it. ¡­ Huh? What is this? That cat returned. And along with him, several other similar scents appeared. An army of cats emerged from the dark alleyway. ¡°Oh¡­ your fan club is here.¡± I shoot an annoyed look at her. She raises her hands and smiles while closing her eyes. ¡°What the heck¡­¡± I don¡¯t remember meeting any cats in Buanna. Why are there so many here?! Ugh¡­ The passing people are staring now! The black cat from before comes forward and looks up at me. ¡°Meow!¡± ¡°¡±¡±MEEOOW!¡±¡±¡± A cat choir. Huh¡­ What¡¯s going on? The cats are all jumping, waving their tails and meowing. ¡°Long live our new queen!¡± You, shut the f- ¡­ Actually. That might be what they are saying. It¡¯s like I was appointed to be their new leader or something. ¡­ How did this happen? I just met you! And even treated your former leader so coldly! Is it the Kat blessing? This is way beyond just ¡®friendly¡¯! It¡¯s almost like mind control! ¡°Well, what are you gonna do now, your majesty?¡± I should really punch her already. All of the cats left. The only one who persisted on following me was that male black cat. I named him Kuro after Mable¡¯s suggestion. Apparently, it means ¡®black¡¯ in Japanese. Well, I¡¯m not the greatest at naming either, so I can¡¯t complain. However¡­ Even though we gave him a name and brought him along, I still couldn¡¯t take him inside the mansion. Once we arrived, I told him I would return soon. And surprisingly, he listened and stayed behind. How come the cats can understand what I¡¯m saying but I can¡¯t understand they are saying? It¡¯s unfair! The guards recognized us and let us inside. CH 28 – The cat toys with a tomato ¡°And here¡¯s your confirmation of quest completion.¡± Well, that was quick. As soon as we entered, Rodrick pulled me aside and gave me the reward for guarding Deliah. It was quite the sum. I don¡¯t think even capturing kidnappers can compare to this. Before I left for the adventurer¡¯s guild, I went to say hi to Deliah. I didn¡¯t stay too long though¡­ Other than wanting to finally turn in the completed quest, I felt quite uncomfortable in there¡­ Those new adventurer guards were too¡­ Erm, unpleasant. I¡¯m pretty sure none of them ever had a girlfriend. And I feel really bad for Deliah now¡­ At least Mable stayed to protect her once again. Hmm¡­ Speaking of Mable. I wonder why she doesn¡¯t just reveal her abilities. Me and Deliah already know, but everyone else treats her like a little tomboy girl. Being a former man, I thought for sure that it would enrage her. But nope. I really don¡¯t understand that gorilla. As soon as I exited the mansion, an assassin landed on my head. Hello, Kuro. I¡¯ve kept you waiting, haven¡¯t I? Please don¡¯t mess up my hair too much this time. With my new companion, I headed to the adventurer¡¯s guild. Since this was another city, I didn¡¯t know the exact location. Thankfully, Rodrick was kind enough to give me directions, so I didn¡¯t need to wander. I stuffed the quest confirmation paper into my handbag. Totally forgot I had this thing. I let Rodrick take care of it while I moved around in my disguise. It¡¯s a good thing I did that. If I had it back when I got tackled by Fenrir, it would get torn for sure¡­ Anyway¡­ Kuro is suspiciously calm. Where did that playful attitude go? Hmm¡­? Oh, wait! He took off my headband! Don¡¯t play with that! Bad kitty! You know what attracts more attention than wearing a catgirl outfit in the middle of the town? Wearing a catgirl outfit and having a cat sit on top of your head. Yep, everyone turns their to look at me as I pass through. Didn¡¯t your mom tell you to not point at people? And you, please stop with that wide-eyed stare. Seriously¡­ And I thought I got used to it back in Buanna. Silly me. Getting used to being the center of attention? Hah¡­ Well, at least I finally found the guild. This place is a bit bigger than the guild in Buanna. And it also seems a lot rowdier. One table in particular has several rough-looking men sitting around it. They are really loud and seem to be drinking alcohol. Is this a bar or an adventurer¡¯s guild? ¡°Look! A toddler lost its way here! ghaha!¡± A toddle lost its way, you say? That¡¯s dangerous, someone should call his parents. Ignoring all the drunk yells, I make my way to the counter and call out to one of the receptionists. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± ¡°Yes? How can I help you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to turn in a completed quest.¡± As I say that, I pull out the paper. This time, Making sure to do it slowly, so people don¡¯t think it¡¯s space magic¡­ ¡°You are an adventurer¡­?¡± She looks up at Kuro and then back at me. ¡°¡­ yes?¡± Please don¡¯t mind the cat on top of my head. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. I think he just likes it there. ¡°¡­ alright. Please show me your card.¡± I reach into my bag and pull out my card. The lady takes it and starts checking the contents of the paper. At some point, her expression changes to one of surprise, but I ignore it. My focus shifted somewhere else¡­ I heard someone approach me from behind and attempted to attack me. In order to avoid it, I stepped to the right. A hand flew down to where my shoulder was a second ago. When I turned around, a bewildered bald man stood there. He must be here to pick a fight with me. Let¡¯s stare him down. Just like my teacher, the great red ape, taught me. That should scare him away, right? ¡°Do not fight here!¡± The receptionist interrupted our exchange. Huh¡­ I always thought of receptionists as these timid girls. But rather than intimidated, this one seems annoyed. ¡°Is it done?¡± And just as she wished, I discarded any and all thoughts regarding the bald man and asked her about the matter at hand. But instead of being thankful, she frowned at me! What¡¯s your problem?! ¡­ And what¡¯s with that mass laughter I hear behind me? Huh¡­? The bald man¡¯s head turned into a tomato. A very wrinkly tomato burning with anger. ¡°You have guts to ignore me!¡± Why do people like him always appear? ¡°I said! Don¡¯t fight!¡± And why is everyone so angry all of a sudden? ¡°Wick, do this one more time and I¡¯ll have you kicked out of the guild!¡± ¡°Wha-¡± ¡°No buts!¡± The tomato ripens. It seems like this tomato specimen called ¡®Wick¡¯ gets uglier when ripe. But thankfully, it turns around and leaves with a snort. Good job, Mrs. receptionist. ¡°Than-¡± ¡°And you miss. You shouldn¡¯t be starting fights like this!¡± Wha-?! What did I do?! Is dodging an attack considered a crime?! Should I just accept being hit when I can avoid it?! ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I know you were about to pounce on him.¡± ¡­ What are you talking about?! I wasn¡¯t going to kill him! It would only be a few bruises at most! No more than a month in a hospital, I promise! ¡­ And what¡¯s with your change of attitude?! I¡¯m pretty sure you thought of me as a lost girl just a minute ago! ¡°Anyway, I will need to call the guildmaster for this. Wait a bit here.¡± She left. ¡­ Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to wait then. Looking at the tomato back there, it seems to have changed back into a human. But not completely. Is he drunk? Ah¡­ He got up and is on his way here again. What now? She told me to not fight, but¡­ ¡°What¡¯s your name, brat?¡± What a brilliant second impression. Hmm¡­ Maybe I should just ignore him. I heard that if you ignore bullies, they will get bored and leave. ¡°Oi! I¡¯m talking to you!¡± You are talking to Kuro? How nice of you. But humans can¡¯t converse with cats, you know? ¡°You little!¡± Oh my, I didn¡¯t know tomatoes had veins. That¡¯s a lot of them popping at once. Shouldn¡¯t you go see a doctor? ¡°G-get back here!¡± But I¡¯m standing in place, you know? I¡¯m merely getting out of the way, since you seem to have been walking this way. I¡¯m so considerate! We would have collided if I didn¡¯t side step you just now! ¡°Grrrhaaa!¡± Oh, going back already? It would be nice if you could walk around me though. ¡°Stay still you little cockroach!¡± ¡­ I don¡¯t think this ¡®ignoring¡¯ approach is working. Should I knock him out, after all? ¡°I¡¯ll turn you into mincemeat!¡± He drew his sword. Well¡­ I think I can justify it as self defense now. It¡¯s time to- Suddenly, the black ball of fur on top of my head jumped. ¡°K-kuro?!¡± And landed on the bald man¡¯s face. ¡°Guaah! W-what the fuck?! Get off of me!¡± The man used his free hand and tried to peel Kuro off of his face. But despite his best efforts, he couldn¡¯t catch the nimble cat. Several scratch marks already appeared on his head. Sliced tomatoes are served? No¡­ I should stop him! I make use of my speed and close in on the struggling man. Without much effort, I grab Kuro off of him and take some distance again. Then, I hold him in front of me and frown. ¡°Bad Kuro! Don¡¯t do that!¡± I never had a pet in my previous life. But I know that you need to properly discipline them when raising them. ¡°DIIIIE!¡± And you¡­ CHILL OUT! A light punch to the stomach. That did it. He¡¯s knocked out. Time to get blamed by the receptionist¡­ Ugh¡­ Why does this happen every time?! Is this going to become my welcoming ceremony for entering every new town¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild?! CH 29 – The cat wears a furry hat ¡°Ghahaha! I guess you aren¡¯t a fraud.¡± An enormous man with beard covering his face is towering over me. I¡¯m pretty sure I could feel the vibrations in the air when he laughed. What is this¡­? A human? A bear? A sentient mountain? I can¡¯t tell. ¡°Guildmaster, a punishment should be issued for fighting inside the guild.¡± Ugh, it¡¯s that receptionist again. Does she hate me or something? ¡°Fighting? Didn¡¯t the other fellas say he drew his sword and she knocked him out in one punch? How can ya even call that a fight!¡± Oh! The bear gets it! ¡°No¡­ but still¡­¡± ¡°Ya need to relax a bit, Gwenna! This lil¡¯ lady didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± You tell her, Mr. guildmaster bear! ¡°On the other hand¡­ this lad should really cool down his head. Landing a shot on an oversized dog ain¡¯t even that great of an achievement!¡± That¡¯s right! It¡¯s his fault! ¡­ What oversized dog? ¡°T-that¡¯s true, but¡­ it¡¯s only natural to celebrate saving the town! If he wasn¡¯t there, the beast would run rampant!¡± You can¡¯t mean Fenrir, right¡­? Mable told me she tricked a guard into thinking he hit it with his arrow, while throwing stones herself. Was it this guy? But he isn¡¯t even a guard! He¡¯s a tomat- an adventurer! ¡°Heh! Ya¡¯re overestimating this lad¡¯s achievements.¡± That wasn¡¯t even him¡­ But I can¡¯t say the truth. I made a promise. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Oh no. The tomato is waking up. ¡°Wick¡­ Get up already!¡± Oh hey, the receptionist changed the target for her anger. I won¡¯t say I feel bad for him. He deserves it. ¡°W-wha- what¡¯s going on?!¡± Oh, that slap made a nice sound. And it woke him up, too. ¡°I told you to not fight! Do you want your guild membership taken away?!¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± That¡¯s strange. I have never seen a white tomato¡­ Is this some special exotic species? ¡°I warned you! Be happy the guildmaster is a kind man!¡± Oh. So he is a man, after all¡­ Not a bear or a sentient mountain¡­ ¡°Well anyway, ya two lovebirds take care of each other, I need to talk to this lil¡¯ lady, kay?¡± Lovers¡­? ¡°¡±W-we¡¯re not lovers!¡±¡± Perfect sync. I get it now¡­ So that¡¯s why she was so mean to me. Protecting her darling, is she? ¡­ Even though she seems mean to him too. Well, whatever. Time to go to the guildmaster¡¯s office. ¡°So, Nina, I have a question.¡± What is this? Why does everyone turn serious when talking to me in private? ¡°Are ya¡­ some kind o¡¯ apparition?¡± ¡­ Excuse me? ¡°A ghost? A vengeful spirit? Or¡­ is it still you, after all?¡± Is this a code question I need to answer for the rank up? I¡¯m confused¡­ ¡°What are you¡­ talking about?¡± A moment of silence. He looked straight into my eyes. I couldn¡¯t help but to nervously avoid his gaze. ¡°¡­ Ghahaha! Sorry, sorry! Please forget what I said!¡± What¡­? His serious mood is gone. ¡°Y¡¯see, ya just really reminded me of an old friend I had¡­¡± ¡­ Your friend is a vengeful spirit? ¡°But that¡¯s impossible. She went missin¡¯ over twenty years ago, after all.¡± The man nodded to himself while crossing his arms. Looks like he resolved the misunderstanding all by himself. Wait¡­ I remind you of someone who went missing twenty years ago? Yeah, that¡¯s impossible. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. She would have aged in that time¡­ ¡°Well, enough o¡¯that! Ya¡¯re here to have your rank increased, am I right?¡± He dropped the subject surprisingly quickly. I¡¯m still curious, but whatever. Just nod my head to answer his question. ¡°Aight, from what I read, I can raise ur rank up to D right away.¡± D, huh¡­ Even though I can effortlessly beat a C rank adventurer. ¡°But if ya complete nother C rank quest, then I can give ya even rank C.¡± Oh, good. ¡°Oh and, should be ¡®kay to bring up to three D rank or one C rank party members wit¡¯ you.¡± Well, I¡¯d be going alone anyway, so that doesn¡¯t matter. ¡°Well, that¡¯s it! Do ya want me to rank ya up to D, or should I wait? T¡¯would be nice if I didn¡¯t need to issue the D rank one since t¡¯will be replaced so quickly.¡± Is that so? Then I¡¯ll gladly do that one quest. ¡°I¡¯ll do a quest. Which one?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. Just pick one from the board. I¡¯ll tell the counter girls to let it pass even though ya¡¯re still F rank.¡± Let it pass? Oh right¡­ You can only do quests one rank above you. So normally, an F rank adventurer can¡¯t do C rank quests. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s the little furball¡¯s name?¡± He points at my hair. Or rather, at the so called little furball sitting on my head. Oh hey, I totally forgot about you. Aren¡¯t cats supposed to be very active? How come you are so quiet? ¡°He¡¯s Kuro.¡± ¡°Hmm, a good name! But I sure thought these furballs don¡¯t like humans too much. I guess you are special! Ghahaha!¡± The mass of beard moved. I think he is smiling. ¡°Well, that¡¯s all from me. If you need somethin¡¯ just ask one o¡¯ the counter girls.¡± What an energetic man¡­ I bet he would make friends with Mable really quickly. ¡°Okay¡­ goodbye.¡± I leave his office and head to the ground floor. The tomato and his gang are staring at me. That one receptionist too¡­ Whatever! C rank quest time! Let¡¯s see here¡­ Quests: Collect at least eight venom toad tongues. Escort a carriage through the Jawjock marshes. Collect a winter leaf. Subjugate a blue ogre, who settled in a cave south of Renie village. Hmm¡­ There aren¡¯t that many. Which one should I pick? Venom toads sound dangerous¡­ My ability set doesn¡¯t include resistance to venom. Escort a carriage through marshes would be really tedious¡­ I have no idea what winter leaf is, but it¡¯s probably really hard to get if it¡¯s a C rank quest. Hmm¡­ The blue ogre sounds like something I could try. But I bet he is really strong and I feel like I shouldn¡¯t get too cocky¡­ ¡°Hah! What a stupid hat!¡± Hmm? I heard a shout right behind me. Turning around, I see a girl with red hair tied into twintails. The orange dress she wears gives off the impression of ¡®fire¡¯. She is pointing at Kuro with her staff. ¡°Oh? It¡¯s alive? That¡¯s even weirder!¡± Oi, stop that. Kuro is hissing at you now. ¡°¡­ who are you? What do you want?¡± Since ignoring the bully didn¡¯t work last time, I¡¯ll try a different approach. ¡°Hmm? You don¡¯t know me? I¡¯m Ignis. More importantly, what¡¯s your deal? Wearing a cat on your head and all.¡± ¡°I can wear whatever I feel like wearing¡­ So, what do you want?¡± Her grin disappeared. She crossed her arms and frowned. ¡°I¡¯m wondering why there¡¯s this animal blocking the C rank quest board from the real adventurers, that¡¯s what!¡± Oh right¡­ I was standing here for quite some time, haven¡¯t I? ¡­ But, how am I blocking it! I¡¯m not even that tall! Unless¡­ Are you telling me YOU are the ¡®real adventurer¡¯? ¡°You are a C rank adventurer¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Are you jealous, little girl?¡± Who are you calling a little girl! Aren¡¯t you almost shorter than me?! ¡­ Okay, calm down. Don¡¯t give in to the provocation. I always do that and it never ends well. Turn around. Jump up. Tear off the blue ogre quest form. Walk to the counter. ¡°Hey! That was mine!¡± Too bad! It¡¯s mine now! Just keep walking and ignore that girl. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me, you!¡± Ah, is this what people call deja vu? I dodged her attempt to grab my shoulder. Well, unlike Mr. tomato, she didn¡¯t account for my dodging skills and fell over. People are staring at us? Who cares! Continue walking to the counter. ¡°Ugh¡­ I said! Don¡¯t ignore me!¡± You can¡¯t touch me. Even if I have my back turned to you, I can easily dodge your hand. ¡°Y-you¡­!¡± Ah crap, this is going to end just like last time, isn¡¯t it? Is there a way to peel her off of me? ¡°Grrrh! Alright! I get it! You aren¡¯t just a stupid-hat-wearing little girl! I have officially recognized you as my rival! Be honored!¡± I just felt some of my brain cells die. What¡¯s with this self-important brat? I feel like I should give her the same treatment the tomato got. ¡­ No, I¡¯ll just ignore her. I will avoid trouble this time! ¡°Hello. I would like to-¡± ¡°Hello! We would like to accept this quest as a duo party!¡± Wh- Hey! What are you going on about?! Get out! ¡°¡­ alright, give me your guild cards.¡± ¡°No, wait¡­ I wa-¡± ¡°Here¡¯s mine!¡± Quicker than I can complain, the annoyance brings out her card. ¡­ The receptionist checks it and writes something down before looking at me with her hand extended. ¡°Come on! We don¡¯t have all day!¡± Shut up you! How dare you steal my quest! ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me you lost it! You are such a scatterbrain!¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t! I have it right here!¡± I bring out my card and slam it on top of the counter while glaring at the girl. ¡­ ¡°Alright, Ignis, rank C and Nina, provisional rank D. I¡¯ve confirmed it. Good luck on your quest and be careful!¡± ¡­ What just happened? Why did I do that? I just accepted a quest along with a girl I met just a minute ago. CH K1 – Im a cat, I say! It''s her! There''s no doubt about it! That face! That voice! That name! It''s definitely her! ... What''s with that outfit though? I didn''t know she liked cosplay and cats that much. But I don''t mind! If she likes cats, that''s great! ... Because I am one right now! Ugh... Even this reunion with Nina is ruined by this! I swear, if I ever meet that god again, I''ll beat him up. This is so inconvenient! A cat can''t speak human words! All I can do is meow and purr! Well... At least I can understand what everyone says. I still don''t know why, but the spoken language in here is english. Not even a language similar to it, but perfect modern english itself! I''m still a cat though... Although, maybe being cat isn''t all that bad! If I went and messed up her hair in the previous life, she would yell at me endlessly! But as a cat, it''s totally excusable! Man... The squeal she made when I first did it... Priceless. But... She almost broke my heart back there. Basically shouting at me to stop following her... Ah, being a cat for so long, my mind must have gotten corrupted. Even though I didn''t get along with her all that well in my previous life... I just want to be loved by her now... Maybe I simply got too lonely since I only ever talk to other cats. But, what was I thinking? She obviously wouldn''t recognize me like this! Even after what that other girl jokingly said! I''m just a cat now! Well, luckily, I have a ''never give up'' attitude. And it paid off! I hastily gathered some nearby minions of mine and returned to her side! She must have been shocked. Yep, be proud of me! I''m basically the boss of a mafia gang. Even though all of its members are cats... But don''t misunderstand! I''m not handing over the leadership to you! I''m just showing you the fruits of my work! ... You can be the sub-boss or something... I won''t give up my hard-earned position! Anyway... What kind of name is Kuro? You just agreed to the first thing your friend came up with! Your laziness didn''t change at all! Well, whatever. What came next really surprised me... She and her teasing friend entered a bigass mansion! What the heck! Who are you in this world? Were you reborn as a noble''s child? Wearing these clothes, there''s no way you are a noble! How did you get connections with nobles this early in life! It''s not fair! I''m just a cat with no future to speak of and you enjoy tea parties with princesses?! Bullshit, I say! She told me to wait outside... Well, sure! Go and have fun with your friends while pushing me away! Ugh... ... What the hell is wrong with me? Is this the cat''s brain''s doing? We weren''t even that close in the previous life! I should stop acting like a jealous boyfriend! The guards are staring at me. Right. I''m a cat, not a dog. Instead of sitting and waiting, I should wander around. I think I''ll take the moment to inform my boys about the situation. I''m sure they are confused. The same me, who never gets attached to any human, is totally over this random girl they have never seen. I''ll need to explain it to them. Unexpected situation. Everyone understands why I was fawning over her. Nobody questions it. It''s like all of them were charmed or something. Well... Alright. That''s not a bad thing, I guess. It saves me some face. But there''s one thing that worries me. There''s a new person in town. A magician girl with red hair tied into twintails. Well, it''s not unusual for new adventurers or travelers to enter this city. But what Bax said is concerning. [That lil lass who came yesterday has somthin'' inside er.] [Something...? Is she pregnant?] [Nay, not that somethin''... I meant, a curse.] This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it A curse... The last cursed girl caused quite the mayhem. We should remain vigilant. [Tell Grato and his guys to observe her. You know what to do if something happens.] [Ay, boss. Right away.] "Oh! These kitties are talking to each other! How cute!" A random passing girl noticed us. Well, it doesn''t matter. To her, it all sounds like meowing. Even if I talked about destroying the world, she wouldn''t suspect a thing. "Oh, poor you! Where did you get that scar from?" She noticed Bax and the scar on his face. But before she could catch him, he jumped away. We both did. "Ah, wait!" No can do. I need to wait for Nina to come out. I really hope I can somehow tell her who I am. ... Or maybe I can keep it secret! There are many benefits to it... Such as... This! As soon as Nina walked outside through the mansion gates, I jumped on top of her head and made myself comfy. I wonder where she''s going next. I hope it''s not another one of her noble friends! If it is... I''ll mess up your hair again! ... People are staring at us. I guess this isn''t a very common sight. Me and my boys usually stay away from humans. Hmm... Another reason might be this catgirl outfit she is wearing. Who made this? And what is it even made of? I''m pretty sure people of this world haven''t created plastics. But this headband sure doesn''t feel like leather or metal... ... Ah, she took it back. Sorry, I was just being curious. The... Adventurer''s guild? Why are we here? Don''t tell me you registered as an adventurer! That''s so reckless! See! Even those bald strong looking guys agree, calling you a toddler! She made her way to the counter with me still sitting on top of her head. "Excuse me..." "Yes? How can I help you?" "I''m here to turn in a completed quest." Huh...? She already completed a quest? W-well... If you are that good, then... "You are an adventurer...?" The receptionist looks up at me and then back at Nina. No, I''m not her familiar. Whatever that quest was, she did it on her own. "... yes?" "... alright. Please show me your card." As requested, Nina shows the lady her card. F rank! So you ARE just a newbie! Huh? Why does the receptionist look so surprised? Don''t tell me you completed some high tier quest as a newbie! Suddenly, Nina took a step to the right. A hand flew down toward the spot where she was standing. Me and Nina turned around to spot a bald guy with a confused expression behind us. Hey, what is this! Aren''t you the guy who called her a toddler? Don''t touch her you stupid pedophile! "Do not fight here!" The lady at the counter intercepted. "Is it done?" And Nina immediately forgot that guy even existed. Wow, you really know how to piss someone off, don''t you? His buddies are laughing at him. "You have guts to ignore me!" Well, if things escalate any further, I''ll jump at him! Don''t underestimate my years of experience of being a cat! "I said! Don''t fight!" The receptionist intercepted once again. "Wick, do this one more time and I''ll have you kicked out of the guild!" "Wha-" "No buts!" Oh wow, she actually scared him off. I didn''t expect that. "Than-" "And you miss. You shouldn''t be starting fights like this!" Huh... Even Nina is getting chewed out for this. Isn''t that a little unfair? "Don''t look at me like that. I know you were about to pounce on him." Hey, that''s exaggerating! Nina is a peaceful girl! ... right? "Anyway, I will need to call the guildmaster for this. Wait a bit here." ... Man, this receptionist sure has an attitude. Didn''t even wait for Nina''s reply and rushed away. Nina''s head turned around and she looked at the pedophile back there. He looks drunk... And angry. Oh crap, he''s coming this way. "What''s your name, brat?" ... She ignores him. Nina... You shouldn''t pour oil into the fire. "Oi! I''m talking to you!" Dodged another one of his grabs. You are much more agile than I remember you... "You little!" But I feel like this is going to escalate if you keep going... "G-get back here!" He''s almost at the boiling point... "Grrrhaaa!" I should jump in... But... Ugh... "Stay still you little cockroach!" He''s out of breath. We didn''t even move around that much. "I''ll turn you into mincemeat!" He drew his sword. Alright. That''s it. Time for me to protect you! Attack! "K-kuro?!" I jumped off and mounted the man''s face. Don''t underestimate my sharp claws! "Guaah! W-what the fuck?! Get off of me!" Or my speed! I won''t be caught that easily! Suffer, you stupid pedophile! Suffer and- ... Huh...? What happened? I''ve been caught. "Bad Kuro! Don''t do that!" ... What. "DIIIIE!" The man''s final attempt to tackle her ended with a punch into his stomach. ... Hey, are you actually super strong now?! What happened?! "Don''t attack people! It''s bad!" ... Oh my god. Something is wrong with this image. I never thought I would be held up and lectured like a little child by my own younger sister... CH 30 – The cat on a joint mission I ¡°Well, now that we are teammates, we should get to know each other better!¡± We are not teammates. I wanted to do this quest on my own. You forced yourself into this. Moreover, I don¡¯t even know you! ¡°Come on now! Don¡¯t be so cold!¡± Shut up already! I¡¯m doing my best to not stab you! Be grateful! I made my way to the city gates with that annoying thing tailing me. Naturally, I¡¯m not going to take Kuro with me. If something like an ogre hit him, he would be a goner. I take him off of my head and put him on the ground. He gazes up at me with sad eyes. Ugh¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be right back¡­¡± ¡°Meow!¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t take you with me.¡± ¡°Meow¡­¡± I must endure his pleading eyes¡­ ¡°I promise I¡¯ll return as soon as I can¡­¡± ¡°¡­ meow¡­¡± It seems like he finally accepted. Good boy. ¡°What a sight¡­¡± Nobody asked for your opinion. Or rather, you were still around? Go away already! ¡°Well, I¡¯ll ask around whether someone is going to the Rennie village. You gather some supplies for the trip.¡± Who made you the leader? And actually, I never agreed to be in a party with you! ¡°I¡¯ll go on foot.¡± ¡°Wh- Hey, it takes almost half a day to get there on foot!¡± Maybe for you. But my speed is unmatched. I can get there quicker. ¡°Goodbye, then.¡± I hope to never see you again. ¡°W-wait! Ugh, fine! Let¡¯s go on foot! But at least help me gather the supplies!¡± As I said, we are not teammates. And I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll need supplies if I can get there quickly. ¡°C-come ooon¡­ don¡¯t leave me behind!¡± Alright. What¡¯s wrong with this girl? We literally met a few minutes ago. Why is she insistent on coming with me that much? She doesn¡¯t even have cat ears! And it¡¯s not like I¡¯m a protagonist of some poorly written harem story! Ugh, just remembering all of that nonsense my brother always forced me to read makes my head spin. ¡°Why do you want to follow me so much?¡± ¡°B¡­ because¡­¡± The heck is with that response? Knitting your fingers while avoiding eye contact? Don¡¯t tell me you really- ¡°Because we are rivals!¡± She¡¯s blushing. ¡­ Oh my god, I¡¯m in a poorly written harem story. No¡­ Realistically, she has to have some ulterior motives. Like getting rid of me, a ¡®rival¡¯ while I¡¯m not paying attention. Or stealing my clothes, since they qualify as high level equipment. Well¡­ If she is serious about it and isn¡¯t planning to do anything¡­ Maybe I should stop trying to push her away that much. I don¡¯t want to be like one of those dense protagonists who need everything spelled out for them¡­ ¡°¡­ fine. We¡¯ll go together.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°Y-yes! Erm¡­ er¡­ g-good!¡± I saw that fist pump. You don¡¯t need to act all dignified now. Rations, check. A tent for camping, which we won¡¯t need to do, check. Ropes for tying her up when she gets annoying, check. ¡°Let¡¯s go partner!¡± I might use them right away. Also, didn¡¯t you say we were rivals? Why are we suddenly partners? We pass through the gate with all the supplies stored in our item bags and look into the distance. According to her, we can get to the Rennie village by going in the direction of Buanna and then turning left as some point. Quite vague, but whatever. It¡¯s time to set out. Over my shoulder you go. ¡°Hya! Wh-what?!¡± Hmm, you dropped your staff. Let me pick it up for you. It would be bad if you were useless without it. I¡¯m so nice, right? ¡°W-wait! What are you doing?!¡± ¡°Running.¡± ¡°Wha-¡± Cutting her off, I dash forward. With cat soul active, it shouldn¡¯t take too long to get there. Ugh¡­ But her screams are annoying. It¡¯s nowhere near the werewolf¡¯s howl, but it still gives me headaches. I should plug her mouth with something. And tie her up, so she can¡¯t pull it out. ¡­ And then I¡¯ll look like a kidnapper. Well, darn¡­ Maybe I should temporarily take off the headband instead. Without it, my senses will fall to the level of a normal human. But I feel like that¡¯s a bad idea¡­ I guess I¡¯ll need to endure it for now. ¡°Is this where we need to take a turn?¡± We arrived at a crossroad and I put her down. Her legs are quivering. Is she imitating a harp? ¡°Y-y-you! W-why did you d-do that?!¡± What are you talking about? I picked the quickest method of transportation we had. Anything wrong with that? ¡­ Why are you touching your crotch? ¡°Ughhh¡­¡± The girl slowly walked away on her shaking legs and hid behind a tree. She didn¡¯t forget to show me her angry red face before that. The sound of a water stream hitting the grass soon reached my ears. ¡­ Oh, I see. She is wearing a dress. And the way I was carrying her, all the wind blew up her dress. That must have been quite cold, huh? Well, I couldn¡¯t tell. This Kat dress has cold resistance. It probably extends to my whole body since not my face nor my legs feel cold. This outfit seems more and more convenient. She¡¯s coming back already. Did you get stung by a bee? You look really angry. ¡°Let¡¯s go normally now!¡± ¡°I am going normally.¡± ¡°I mean walking!¡± Oh, walking. Well, I will have to refuse. I promised Kuro I would get back as soon as possible, after all. ¡°Alright. See you then.¡± I turn around but I¡¯m stopped before I can sprint away. ¡°Wh- wait!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to go together?¡± ¡°Because you are slowing me down.¡± ¡°¡­ do you really hate me that much?¡± ¡­ Okay. Stop. That obsession is abnormal. Are you hiding cat ears somewhere, after all? Maybe your grandma was a catgirl? Or were you a cat in your previous life¡­? Whatever the case¡­ ¡°Yes, I hate you.¡± ¡°Wh-¡­¡± Didn¡¯t expect that, did you? ¡°You called Kuro a stupid hat, stole my quest and only slowed me down up till now.¡± And pointed me in the direction of the village¡­ But whatever. ¡°¡­ sorry.¡± ¡­ And I didn¡¯t expect this. ¡°I just¡­ wanted to get to know you better¡­¡± Huh¡­ I¡¯m almost ninety percent sure the blessing is charming her. But even if it is¡­ It¡¯s partially my fault, isn¡¯t it? ¡°¡­ fine.¡± ¡°W-huat?!¡± I picked her up in a princess carry. ¡°Is this better?¡± Stop blushing already. I¡¯ll call you tomato the second. ¡°¡­yes.¡± She said it very quietly. But hey, that¡¯s what my enhanced hearing is for, right? ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± We set off once again. It shouldn¡¯t take too long till we arrive. Rennie village. Are you really allowed to call this collection of houses a village? Well, I guess so. What else would you call it? What is smaller than a village? ¡°Finally¡­¡± Hey, I carried you with care this time. What are you complaining about? Look. The sun is right above us. We made it here just in time to have lunch. ¡­ Wait. Is there a diner among those houses? I hope there is. I¡¯m not a fan of the dried meat we took with us. ¡°Let¡¯s meet the village chief and ask for the details.¡± No, let¡¯s eat. I¡¯m hungry. But I guess the dried meat will have to suffice. All of these houses seem to be family homes. There aren¡¯t really any shops or restaurants. Oh well¡­ I chew on a piece of meat as we walk to the biggest house in the middle of the village. CH 31 – The cat on a joint mission II In front of us is the village chief. We told him we were here to kill the blue ogre. And this was his reaction¡­ ¡°Young ladies, your jokes aren¡¯t funny¡­¡± He doesn¡¯t believe we are capable enough to fight an ogre. Why does everyone judge based on appearance? I mean, I don¡¯t know about Ignis, but I¡¯m sure I could at least cripple him with my poison. ¡°How dare you treat me like a little girl! I¡¯m THE Ignis, you know!¡± And you seem extremely haughty. You are the type of character who gets defeated first and then complains about foul play. ¡°The Ignis¡­? You can¡¯t mean the one who conquered the Iza dungeon on her own¡­?¡± Huh¡­? Are you actually famous or something? ¡°That¡¯s me!¡± Hmm¡­ You know, you can try looking proud all you want. But after seeing your teary red face, I just can¡¯t take you seriously. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that the rumored Ignis is older¡­ and, she¡¯s umm¡­¡± Hey, staring at a girl¡¯s chest is rude. No matter how flat she is. ¡°Those are just stupid rumors! People just can¡¯t believe I¡¯m so young and yet so talented!¡± ¡°Kh¡­¡± ¡°W-why are you snickering!¡± Sorry, I just can¡¯t shake the image of you barely standing on your quivering legs and saying ¡®I¡¯m so young and yet so talented!¡¯. ¡°¡­ well, no matter. You have an official document from the guild, so you must be somewhat capable.¡± Oh, finally. He still doesn¡¯t seem to have acknowledged us, but at least he gave us the green light. ¡°So, the problem we have is the blue ogre who settled inside a cave south of here.¡± We know that much, we read the quest. ¡°Although he hasn¡¯t attacked our village directly yet, our livestock is steadily decreasing.¡± Well, it¡¯s just a matter of time, right? ¡°And worst of all, the road to Heiliya is now unusable.¡± Heiliya¡­ From what I heard, Heiliya is a port city located south of here. Usually, this village is a key mid-point when it comes to exporting goods from there. But with the ogre there, all merchants take a detour. Obviously, that¡¯s quite bad not just for the port city but also for the village. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Do you have any other information on the ogre?¡± Hey, don¡¯t brush this aside! It¡¯s a problem affecting the whole village! ¡°¡­ from what I know, the ogre is alone. We haven¡¯t spotted any minions or any other ogres.¡± Well, that¡¯s good. But if you say it like this, I feel like we are definitely gonna run into a horde of ogres now. It¡¯s called a flag. ¡°So, it¡¯s just one ogre? That¡¯s easy then!¡± Hey, one flag was enough! Don¡¯t make it worse! ¡°That¡¯s right, if you really are the Ignis from the stories, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for you.¡± Stop with these flags! We rested for a bit before finally setting out. During our rest time, I checked my status and remembered something. Panther soul In addition to cat soul effects, it allows the use of shadow magic and enhances stealth at night. It¡¯s the variant skill I got after getting hospitalized! It was so long, I totally forgot about it! That¡¯s right! Magic! It says I will be able to use magic! ¡­ Now, I just need to find a way to activate it. ¡°Let¡¯s go, partner!¡± Again with that partner. Well, whatever. Let¡¯s go. We set off toward our extermination target. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. This time, we are walking. The reason for that is simple. We won¡¯t be using the main road. Naturally, the ogre¡¯s cave isn¡¯t right next to the road. Because of that, we have to travel through less comfortable terrain. Well, I mean, I could probably manage to run like before¡­ But I bet I would end up crashing into a tree that way. So, walking it is. But, the scenery sure changed quite a bit from when we traveled to the village. I think I could still call it a forest, but the trees are slowly thinning out. Instead, they are replaced by bushes and other smaller plants. The road also got quite a bit bumpier. There are many steep hills all around us. But the biggest difference are the things that live here. ¡°Gyaarh!¡± ¡°Ughaar!¡± ¡°Haargyi!¡± Green, ugly, small and holding some sticks. Those are goblins, right? Now that I think about it, I¡¯ve only ever fought wolves¡­ or people¡­ or wolf people. I mean, wolves were the only thing I could hunt near Buanna. And I would like to be glad that I finally found something new, but¡­ It¡¯s goblins, dammit! They smell worse than a homeless man who has been eating nothing but garlic for the past month! I really want to take off this freaking headband right now! ¡°Hah! I¡¯ll sweep them up in one spell!¡± Oh? Are you gonna fight? Yes, please take care of it. I don¡¯t want to get close to them. Maybe you can redeem yourself in my eyes if you get rid of them. ¡°Scarlet conflagration!¡± Wow¡­ You are actually shouting your attack names? Frankly, if that was me, I would find that too embarrassing¡­ Ignis lifts up her staff and it emits an orange glow. A moment after that, Ignis swings it horizontally and a big wave of fire flies forward. And just as she said, the goblins were swept up in an instant. Like grass being cut by a scythe. Some of them tried to block with their sticks, but that obviously didn¡¯t do anything. All that remained of them were charred corpses. Well, that¡¯s gruesome. And smelly. And also, you lit that bush on fire. Do you want to start a forest fire? Are you secretly a pyromaniac? ¡°Hahah! Foolish little things! You thought you could stand against me?!¡± Don¡¯t ignore the issue at hand. That fire is already spreading. And¡­ Why are you so proud for defeating a bunch of goblins? ¡°Fire fetch.¡± She extended her palm toward the burning bush and whispered another incantation. The fire jumped from the bush and snaked through the air before landing in Ignis¡¯ palm. Once all the fire gathered on it, she closed it and the fire was extinguished. Whoa. That¡¯s cool. So you aren¡¯t just a reckless pyromaniac. You even have a way to prevent wild fires! ¡°Heh, saw that? I told you I¡¯m strong!¡± If only your personality was a bit better. A little humility never hurt anyone, you know? We continued on, meeting a few other goblin groups. Ignis always took care of them in one clean sweep. Hey, maybe she really did solo a dungeon as the village chief said. It''s still hard to believe, but I suppose I can accept it. I guess that being a genius simply got into her head. ¡­ Hmm¡­? I smell some people over there. Or, no¡­ One person? There¡¯s also some wolf-like scents mixed in¡­ Huh¡­ This scent¡­ Is familiar¡­ ¡­ Cana? ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­ nothing.¡± Well, I can¡¯t be certain it¡¯s her. In fact, it could just be that some wolves and people are around and their scents got mixed. I mean, what are the chances of Cana being here? Well, much lower than some people and wolves being nearby, that¡¯s for sure. ¡­ But I¡¯ve already decided I won¡¯t be a dense protagonist! Even if the chance is small, I will have to prepare for her! She might have been nice to me, but if that Matoto guy orders her to attack me, she would probably do it. I can¡¯t let myself be one hit KO¡¯d again. And especially not when there¡¯s someone else with me now. We continued walking. Just in case, I turned on cat soul. I won¡¯t let us be surprise attacked. You don¡¯t need to look so worried, Ignis. I¡¯ve got this under control. The scent is gone. Thank you rain. You are the best. ¡°Ugh! Wasn¡¯t it sunny just a moment ago?!¡± Yep, it¡¯s suspicious. Not even ten minutes ago, these clouds gathered and the downpour started. No matter how good my sense of smell is, I can¡¯t sniff out scents that got washed away. Well, we found ourselves a nice little hole in a hill. It¡¯s shaped in such a way that water doesn¡¯t flow inside, so that¡¯s nice. Ignis also lit up a campfire inside. We have to be careful with it so we don¡¯t choke on the smoke, though. ¡°This stupid rain isn¡¯t stopping anytime soon¡­ let¡¯s just camp here.¡± You¡¯re right that it¡¯s not stopping. And we can¡¯t really do much when it¡¯s raining. ¡­ What? No, it¡¯s not because I¡¯m a cat and cats hate water! It¡¯s because Ignis is primarily a fire mage! She would be useless if we had to fight! And so, we decided to sleep. Well¡­ There¡¯s something I didn¡¯t realize before. But sleeping out in the wild is really dangerous in this world. Monsters or simple wild animals can find you and eat you while you are the most vulnerable. So, one would always need someone else to stay awake and keep lookout. Something I wouldn¡¯t be able to do if I was alone. I guess having teammates can be a good thing? ¡°Well, good night, partner! I hope you¡¯ll dream about how awesome I am!¡± ¡­ Even if those teammates are hella annoying. CH 32 – The cat on a joint mission III Even through the sound of rain, I can hear some movements nearby. Is that Ignis? She should be keeping guard. ¡­ I open my eyes. And spot the red haired girl¡¯s face right in front of me. ¡°¡­ what are you doing?¡± ¡°Eh?! Ah¡­ um, n-nothing!¡± Rolled away and leaned on the cave wall, looking away from me. What¡¯s with that? What were you trying to do? Did you try to kill me in my sleep? Well, probably not¡­ But the other option is¡­ ¡­ Er¡­ I hope you don¡¯t mind if I don¡¯t go back to sleep now. ¡°I¡¯ll take on the guard duty now.¡± ¡°Eh? Wait, I¡­¡± Hmm? What? You wanted to continue? ¡°¡­ alright then.¡± Don¡¯t look so dejected. It makes me believe you really planned to do something to me. She lied down and covered herself in the blanket she brought with her. Good night to you. Now then, time for the long and boring guard duty. The rain is still going strong out there. But I feel like even if it stops, there will still be problems. The humid air is bound to dampen her fire attacks. ¡­ Well¡­ In the first place, I meant to take on this quest all by myself. So even if she doesn¡¯t contribute much firepower, I think it¡¯s fine. I should be able to handle it. ¡­ I don¡¯t like the rain. Not only does it wash away all the scents, it also muffles sounds and obstructs vision. My enhanced senses are nearly useless because of it. It doesn¡¯t help that I¡¯m nervous about what I sensed earlier. If Cana really is here, she might be after me or Ignis. I admit that Ignis has a really annoying personality, but she isn¡¯t bad looking. On top of that, she¡¯s quite a powerful mage. A perfect target for a guy who wants to assemble a harem for himself¡­ Especially since he has a way to charm others. ¡­ Ugh, negative thoughts begone! If Cana is here, that means Deliah and Mable are safe, right? And I¡¯m not gonna let myself be defeated again! The only reason why I got wrecked last time was because a huge wolf suddenly appeared right on top of me! There¡¯s no way I could have dodged that even with my speed! But that won¡¯t happen again! That¡¯s right! I¡¯ll be ready next time! I pump my fist as I continue observing the falling drops of water. After a while of idly sitting there, a rhythmic snoring sound reaches me ears. Of course, it comes from Ignis. I didn¡¯t know she was the snoring type¡­ This is going to be annoying¡­ ¡­ Wait. Maybe I was snoring as well? And she got annoyed with me and wanted to somehow make me stop? Is that how the earlier situation came to be? ¡­ That¡¯s¡­ Totally possible¡­ I¡¯m sorry for thinking you are a bloodthirsty killer! Among the endless rain and snoring, I heard some other sounds. ¡­ What was that¡­? I¡¯m pretty sure I just heard something. Hmm¡­ Yeah, it¡¯s over there. It sounds like stomps accompanied by subtle vibrations. And some deep growls are mixed into it¡­ What could that be? It doesn¡¯t seem to be another goblin group. It¡¯s something bigger¡­ A big goblin? No¡­ That has to be the ogre, right¡­? The one we are looking for. The extermination target of our quest! Should I wake up Ignis? ¡­ No, I probably shouldn¡¯t. What would we even do? Fight it in this rain? That sounds like suicide. Ignis would be pretty much useless. And I don¡¯t want to fight under these conditions either. I guess I still just have to wait for the rain to stop¡­If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. More noises¡­ These are different. They are more numerous and higher pitched. These could belong to goblins¡­ But the previous noises didn¡¯t stop either. More like, they intensified now. What¡¯s going on out there? Is the ogre fighting a goblin group? I really want to go and look¡­ But this stupid rain won¡¯t stop! Argh! Who¡¯s making all of this rain anyway?! The way it started is too strange! When we left the village, there wasn¡¯t a single cloud in sight! But then, the downpour began and refuses to end! Why is this- ¡­ Suddenly, as if a god listened to me, the rain stopped. In about ten seconds or so, the situation went from a total downpour to no rain at all. The clouds dispersed and sunlight poked in through them. ¡­ Hey¡­ What¡¯s happening? Do I get whatever I want just by complaining about it? This is clearly unnatural! There must be someone behind this! And I bet I¡¯m going to find out who, if I go out now! The sun¡¯s position showed early morning. It seems that that rain lasted throughout the entire night. Alright. It¡¯s time to wake up this snore machine and set out. ¡°Wake up.¡± A tap on her shoulder. ¡°Ugh, huh?¡± Are you also the type who is bad at waking up? Come on now¡­ ¡°Gyah! What are you doing to me?!¡± I¡¯m waking you up. Why are you acting as if I was violating you? Who do you think I am?! ¡°The rain stopped and I heard the ogre. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Eh? Wh- uh, wait!¡± Oh, I¡¯m waiting. You are the one who is panicking. The disheveled hair, a bit of drool on your mouth and tangling yourself on your own blanket¡­ Yep, that¡¯s our great Ignis right there. How in the world did this person solo clear a dungeon? I¡¯m pretty sure firepower isn¡¯t everything. You also need some alertness and the ability to keep calm. ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡± Well, that was quick. You even tied your hair into twintails again. But the drool on your chin sure kills the image. It must suck to not have a pocket mirror, huh? I use my glove and wipe off her chin, then I turn around and head outside. For some reason, it takes a moment before she also exits the cave. Didn¡¯t she say she was ready? Now then¡­ I can still clearly hear what I think is the ogre. But the higher-pitched screeches subsided. Did he kill them? That¡¯s possible. Goblins are quite weak compared to an ogre, after all. ¡°This way.¡± I point in the direction we need to go and we set off. For some reason, Ignis¡¯ face is red. Already conjuring fire magic? I like the enthusiasm. I transition into a slow sprint and Ignis silently follows behind me. It takes only a few minutes before a certain scent enters my nostrils. Even though the rain should have washed everything away, I can smell it very clearly. Blood. It must be very fresh. A battle happened in that direction not too long ago. We dodge a few trees and climb over a steep hill. And that¡¯s when we see it. Dead goblins. Most of them seem to have been smashed or crushed by something big. Presumably, the ogre. But there is one exception. One of the goblins looks as if something sucked all moisture from its body. He looks completely dried out despite the recent rain. In its hand, it¡¯s clutching a peculiar staff with its length reaching almost two times the goblin¡¯s height. A fist sized blue orb placed on its tip shines dimly. ¡­ Well, that¡¯s not suspicious at all. A dried corpse of a goblin. The sudden rain that came and went as if someone pressed s light switch. And the ominous staff that doesn¡¯t have a single scratch on it. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­!¡± Hmm? Do you- Wait, what are you doing?! Don¡¯t touch that staff! That¡¯s obviously bad news! Having noticed so late, I couldn¡¯t prevent her from picking it up. But¡­ Nothing happened as she touched it. Huh? Was I wrong? ¡°¡­ do you know that staff?¡± ¡°I¡­ yeah. I¡­ read about it in a book, you see!¡± I see, I see. So¡­ Does that mean this is an internationally famous piece of treasure?! I don¡¯t believe you read a book about this specific staff! ¡°What is it, even?¡± ¡°It¡­ umm, it¡¯s a cursed staff.¡± So, it is¡­ But then, why are you fine holding it? ¡°It¡¯s fine! It only activates if you pour mana into it!¡± Is that so? ¡­ Does that mean the goblin over there was a mage? ¡°Once you pour just a tiny bit, all of your mana will be sucked out of you and turned into¡­ something.¡± Something? Like¡­ Rain? ¡°So! As a skilled magician, I will hold onto this! You might be in danger if you accidentally activated it!¡± It sounds more like you want to keep the loot for yourself. But sure. I don¡¯t wanna end up as a mummy. And I don¡¯t know how much it could sell for, but I¡¯m not really that worried about money right now anyway. I¡¯m only doing this quest for the rank up, after all. ¡°Be careful with it.¡± As I give my word of advice, my ears pick up the stomps again. This time¡­ There¡¯s multiple of them overlapping. This can¡¯t be just one ogre¡­ Village chief, why did you have to trigger these flags? Ignis put the cursed staff into her item box and we continued toward the sounds. CH 33 – The cat in her first real battle ¡°GUHYAAA!¡± ¡°GAAARHLG!¡± Today, I learned how to swear in ogre speech. ¡­ No, seriously. What¡¯s up with this? We found our target. A blue ogre about eight meters in height, grasping a tree in his massive hand. But, he¡¯s not the only monster around here. Standing opposite of him is a slightly smaller, green ogre, holding a much more refined wooden club, still tree-sized. And next to him, there¡¯s a handful of small green henchmen baring their teeth at the blue ogre. Unlike the goblins Ignis wiped out earlier, these are armed with more than just sticks. Swords, bucklers, helmets and even crossbows. This could get very dangerous. ¡°GAAAAAARHHH!¡± When I look closer, there are scars and scratches all over the blue ogre¡¯s body. I think it¡¯s safe to assume he wiped out those goblins we saw earlier and now is about to fight their buddies. ¡°We should wait till they exhaust each other and then jump in.¡± Ignis whispers a suggestion to me. And I agree with it. We might be relatively safe this far hiding behind bushes, but if we were to charge in right now, there would be too many opponents to take care of. They might even join forces against us. And so, we watched. ¡­ Or that¡¯s what we intended to do. But both of the ogres kept shouting at each other without making any moves. What are you? Politicians? Start fighting already! They kept on growling, which only drained my patience. But it seems like I wasn''t the only victim of that. Not being able to take it anymore, one of the goblins fired his crossbow at the blue ogre¡¯s head. And that¡¯s when I found out that ogre¡¯s skin is really tough. The arrow buried itself into his cheek, but no blood came out. Instead, the beast roared as it pulled the arrow out and snapped it in two. Surprisingly, the green ogre also got mad at the goblin who fired. Did he want to resolve it peacefully? I didn¡¯t know ogres had enough intelligence for that¡­ Either way, the fight finally started. One swing with the tree and two goblins were swept away like dust. The smaller ogre brandished his club and tried to counter attack, but his opponent easily caught his weapon and smacked his side instead. Oi, what is this? Why is the blue ogre so much stronger? Not only is he overwhelming the other ogre, he¡¯s also stomping his minions as if they were nothing. Is this really a C rank request? What kind of monsters will I have to face at B rank and higher?! While these thoughts ran through my head, I failed to notice a goblin flying toward us. ¡°Gyah?!¡± It landed just in front of us and gave Ignis a scare. Her voice prompted all the monsters to turn and look at us. ¡­ Uh oh¡­ ¡°¡±GUAAAAARGH!¡±¡± Hey, weren¡¯t you two fighting to death just a second ago?! Why are you in a perfect sync now?! ¡°Cover me!¡± I shout out to Ignis as I activate cat soul and jump forward. ¡°Leave it to me!¡± With that, the battle began. I zigzagged between the goblins charging at us while scratching then with my claws. Right as I got through them, I was met with downward tree smash from the blue ogre. I sidestepped the impact, but one of the protruding branches scratched my knee. That made me realize why he isn¡¯t using a smooth club like the other guy. Before I had the chance to get close to him and attack, the green ogre came with his club and swung it down. This one, not having any branches, I avoided with ease. And to follow up on that I did something I have only seen in movies up till now. Stolen novel; please report. I jumped on top of the club and ran up his arm! ¡°GRRRAAAARH!¡± He tried to pluck me off of him with his other hand, but I was too quick for him. Dashing forward, I flew by and scratched his neck with my claws. ¡°Sun strike!¡± As soon as I left the ogre¡¯s proximity, a fireball hit his stomach and he stumbled backwards. Looking back, it seems that Ignis took care of the goblins and was ready to provide support fire. While I played with these two fellas, the goblins swarmed her. But even if they possess better weapons and some wooden shields, it made no difference. I could only see goblin-shaped black piles of ash with smoke rising from them. However, that was only the goblins with swords. With the melee squad out of the way, the crossbow goblins already had Ignis in their sights. Naturally, I didn¡¯t let that happen. Before they could do anything, I ran through their group while slashing at them. I naively thought the poison would quickly finish them and thus didn¡¯t bother to aim for their vital spots. And that was when I saw three arrows fly toward Ignis. She dodged the first two, but the third one hit her and buried itself in her shoulder. ¡°ARGH!¡± Crap! I messed up! And the blue ogre is running at her now! I need to help her! I ran straight for her, but something big and green blocked my way. Even with his belly dyed black from the fire spell, the green ogre roared as he stood in front of me. The wound I gave him didn¡¯t even bleed. Ogres really do have thick skin, don¡¯t they? My poison probably didn¡¯t even enter his bloodstream. He held up his club for a sideways swipe. If I try to run past him, I will get hit. If I run around, I won¡¯t make it in time. There¡¯s only one option now. I ran at him and just before he swung his weapon, I jumped over it. Naturally, he was too tall for me to jump over his entire body like that. That¡¯s why, I used one of the tricks I practiced back in Buanna before taking on the werewolf. Double jump. I did a sweet somersault right above his head and landed behind him. I spotted Ignis, fending off the blue beast with her fire spells, but to no avail. Her legs were too small and slow compared to the ogre, she couldn¡¯t run from him. Right before she got hit byt the tree, I caught her in my arms and leapt out of the way. A loud sound echoed behind us. ¡°Are you okay?!¡± I gained some distance as I carried Ignis. The arrow in her shoulder looked painful. But better than if it hit her knee¡­ She wouldn¡¯t be able to move at all then. ¡°I¡¯m not! It hurts!¡± Hey, I know I said it must be painful, but shouldn¡¯t you be used to pain? You are a C rank adventurer! ¡°Okay¡­ let¡¯s hide for now.¡± Hearing angry growls behind me, I picked up my pace. Once we got far enough from them, I laid her against a rock and pulled out a bandage out of my item bag. I have no idea how to treat a wound like this¡­ Don¡¯t I need to disinfect it or something? No, wait. I¡¯m pretty sure illnesses shouldn¡¯t exist in this world. That¡¯s how I set it up. But if Kat changed that as well¡­ ¡°H-hurry up¡­!¡± Alright then¡­ I¡¯ll risk it. Worst case scenario, we¡¯ll pay for a healer! ¡°GYAAAAH!!!¡± I pulled out the arrow in one go. Blood spurted out of the wound and I hurriedly bandaged it up. Then, I pulled out a healing potion out of my bag and let Ignis drink from it. Well, I say healing potion, but it¡¯s not like it instantly heals wounds. It just speeds up natural regeneration and helps recover blood. It¡¯s not as convenient as making you regrow limbs after a single gulp. ¡°¡­ should I carry you to the village and take care of the rest?¡± Thinking about it, I might have been better off going solo. Thanks to my speed, I can dodge most attacks. And even if I get hit, I will regenerate almost instantly. The scratch wound on my knee is completely gone already. ¡°No! It¡¯s fine! I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Holding her bandaged shoulder, she insists on coming. Well¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ You would need someone in the vanguard to hide behind if you can¡¯t dodge or defend against projectiles¡­ And I¡¯m not really good for that. I dodge them myself. I don¡¯t block them. ¡­ Actually, how in the world did you reach rank C solo? ¡°Please¡­ I swear I won¡¯t drag you down¡­¡± So she realized she¡¯s dragging me down, huh? Well¡­ I don¡¯t want her to die. Just like with Kuro, I will have to say¡­ ¡°No.¡± ¡­ ¡°I¡­ have a way to immobilize those ogres. If I can use that, it will be easier for you.¡± Really, now¡­? Why didn¡¯t you use it sooner then? ¡°I need to get close to them to use it, so¡­¡± ¡­ I don¡¯t like this. What you are basically saying is¡­ You want me to carry you and get us near them. And while, yes, these ogres are really troublesome for me because of their thick skin¡­ This sounds really dangerous. ¡°What exactly is this ¡®way¡¯ you have¡­?¡± ¡°I just need to¡­ touch them. On the neck, if possible.¡± Just a touch? That seems¡­ Too convenient. Just what kind of ability are you hiding? ¡°What exactly does it do?¡± I need to confirm it. ¡°Well, basically¡­¡± CH K2 – She’s in danger, I say! Luckily, Nina didn¡¯t get punished for fighting inside the guild. It seems like the guildmaster is a nice guy. These huge bearded men tend to be nice to kids, don¡¯t they? He asked her some weird question about ghosts or something, but backed off right away. What was that about? She reminds you of someone you knew? Strangers remind me of people I know all the time! But even if they do, I won¡¯t invite them into my office and ask them whether they are vengeful spirits¡­ Well, whatever. More importantly, what the hell, Nina?! You are going to be C rank adventurer already?! What kind of quest did you do?! And how did you get so strong while still so young?! Did you train under an old wise man in the mountains since you were born?! This isn¡¯t fair! As I grumbled to myself, we walked back to the guild¡¯s main hall and Nina walked over to the quest boards. She needs to complete one C rank quest to be promoted, apparently. The easiest one seems to be collecting some venom toad tongues. Just buy some antidote and it should be no problem. On the other hand, that ogre one¡­ Shouldn¡¯t it be in B rank quests? A regular ogre might be fine, but the blue variant is way more dangerous. ¡°Hah! What a stupid hat!¡± Suddenly, I hear a very annoying-sounding voice behind us. When Nina turns around, I see a staff pointing at me. ¡°Oh? It¡¯s alive? That¡¯s even weirder!¡± Getting a better look¡­ This is the girl Bax warned me about! Red hair, twintails and a terrible attitude! Get away from us! ¡°¡­ who are you? What do you want?¡± It seems that Nina doesn¡¯t want to deal with her either. ¡°Hmm? You don¡¯t know me? I¡¯m Ignis. More importantly, what¡¯s your deal? Wearing a cat on your head and all.¡± I want to jump out at her again¡­ But knowing what happened last time, I feel like I will end up causing more trouble for Nina. Moreover, this girl is cursed. And I have no idea what kind of curse it is. I need to be careful¡­ ¡°I can wear whatever I feel like wearing¡­ So, what do you want?¡± You really are too good at making people pissed, aren¡¯t you? ¡°I¡¯m wondering why there¡¯s this animal blocking the C rank quest board from the real adventurers, that¡¯s what!¡± ¡®Real adventurers¡¯, huh? From what I gather, she¡¯s a fire mage. But I doubt she is skilled enough to be C rank. Or, is she somehow making use of her curse¡­? ¡°You are a C rank adventurer¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Are you jealous, little girl?¡± As if she would be jealous¡­ After she completes one quest, she will become C rank as well. Suddenly, Nina turned around, jumped and tore off the ogre quest. Completely ignoring the other girl¡¯s shouts, she made her way to the counter. Wait a second! It¡¯s good that you ended that conversation, but why did you pick the ogre one?! That¡¯s like the most dangerous one of the bunch! Ugh, I hope you are strong enough for it¡­ Well, if push comes to a shove, I will use my body to protect you! ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me, you!¡± Also, I feel like we have already been through this situation¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­ I said! Don¡¯t ignore me! Y-you¡­!¡± The only difference¡­ It¡¯s not a giant bald pedophile, but a little girl with a terrible attitude. ¡°Grrrh! Alright! I get it! You aren¡¯t just a stupid-hat-wearing little girl! I have officially recognized you as my rival! Be honored!¡± No, Nina. Don¡¯t even mind what she¡¯s saying. If you do, it¡¯s your loss! ¡°Hello. I would like to-¡± ¡°Hello! We would like to accept this quest as a duo party!¡± Argh! What is this hijacking?! ¡­ It¡¯s fine! Just ignore her! ¡°¡­ alright, give me your guild cards.¡± ¡°No, wait¡­ I wa-¡± ¡°Here¡¯s mine!¡± Nina! You need to speak up! ¡°Come on! We don¡¯t have all day!¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Don¡¯t go along with her nonsense! ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me you lost it! You are such a scatterbrain!¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t! I have it right here!¡± She brought our her card and the receptionist instantly took it. ¡­ ¡°Alright, Ignis, rank C and Nina, provisional rank D. I¡¯ve confirmed it. Good luck on your quest and be careful!¡± Nina, are you kidding me? If you don¡¯t speak up now, it will be too late! ¡­ Ugh, there you go getting pushed around by the loud types again. You really haven¡¯t changed much, have you? ¡°Well, now that we are teammates, we should get to know each other better!¡± I get why you angry, but it¡¯s also your fault, you know? If you simply said there¡¯s a mistake to the receptionist¡­ Or just went and picked a different quest. It would have been much simpler. ¡°Come on now! Don¡¯t be so cold!¡± Ignoring her now won¡¯t do much¡­ You only end up looking like a sulking kid. Don¡¯t tell me your mental age regressed after being reborn¡­ Well, it¡¯s kind of adorable¡­ But bad for your future! While I thought about such things, we arrived at the city gates. Nina lifted me off of her head and put me on the ground. Hey! Don¡¯t tell me you are leaving me behind! ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be right back¡­¡± Oh, hell no! Do you know how dangerous it can get? A regular ogre is already dangerous! But the blue variant can take on two or three of them and still come out on top! ¡°No, I can¡¯t take you with me.¡± Please, Nina¡­ Acting as a meat shield is literally the only thing I can do for you¡­ If I can¡¯t even do that, then why did I pick immortality as one of my skills? ¡°I promise I¡¯ll return as soon as I can¡­¡± This doesn¡¯t make me any happier¡­ It just means you will try to rush it. You will get careless and get hurt for sure¡­ Ugh¡­ But you won¡¯t let me go with you no matter what, will you¡­? ¡°What a sight¡­¡± Oh crap! I forgot about this girl! I bet my tail she¡¯s going to do something to her when they are alone! ¡°Well, I¡¯ll ask around whether someone is going to the Rennie village. You gather some supplies for the trip.¡± She¡¯s totally forcing herself into her party! This is not good at all! If I can¡¯t follow you directly, I will do it in secret! Nina and the cursed girl started some argument, but I ran off before hearing the end of it. Straight down a dark alleyway and next to a pile of barrels. I used my claws to tap on the barrel in a specific rhythmic pattern while meowing the password. [Open sesame] And as if by magic, the side of said barrel slid open like a door and let me in. Inside the barrel, there was a simple tunnel leading downward, which I followed. At the end of it, a dimly lit room spread out. A number of cats lined up next to each other with one in front of them. It was a small orange cat with yellow eyes. Grato, the leader of the surveillance division and his crew. [Boss, are you okay?! We saw you get close to the observation subject!] [I¡¯m fine. I don¡¯t think her curse activated.] [That¡¯s a relief¡­] [But I worry about Nina. She seems to have taken on a team quest along with the observation subject.] [Wha-?! That¡¯s not good! What if the holy maiden gets attacked by that cursed human?!] Holy maiden¡­ Is that what you call her? I feel like I should retort to that¡­ But there are more important matters at hand. [That is what I fear. And that¡¯s why I intend to discreetly follow her¡­] [Don¡¯t worry boss! Leave it to us! We-] [No.] [B-boss¡­?] [Nina is extremely quick. If she simply runs, you won¡¯t be able to catch up to her¡­ You know what I mean, right?] [¡­ I understand. I will contact Charn and ask for her help.] [Good. I will be waiting.] [Yes boss!] Grato and his goons then simultaneously meowed and dispersed through the various tunnels around the room. Nodding to myself, I also entered one of the tunnels and made my way to the audience hall. A big cat-like being colored brownish orange and covered with black spots. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would call it a cheetah. That is, if I didn¡¯t see the unnaturally long tail emitting a faint smoke-like substance from its tip. [What do you want, old man?] Same attitude as always. [I need you to track and keep an eye on someone.] [Hah? Is that a joke? Don¡¯t you have your puppets for that?] I don¡¯t like you calling my loyal minions puppets. But I will let it slide for now since this is urgent. [The target moves very quickly, even you might not be able to keep up.] [¡­ is that a taunt? Are you mocking me?!] [You will see for yourself¡­] An intense stare. Of course, she would be doubtful. She¡¯s very proud of her speed, after all. [Twenty day supply of sardines.] Oh, she accepted. [I can give you twelve day supply.] [Eighteen.] [Thirteen.] [Sixteen.] [Sixteen it is, then¡­] Looks like I will need to get on ¡®borrowing¡¯ more supplies from merchants coming from Heiliya. But that¡¯s a small price to pay to keep Nina safe. [So, who¡¯s the passenger this time?] [I am.] [¡­ boss himself is coming, huh? Just how important is this?] [Very important.] I think you can tell from my expression. ¡­ Or rather, I think you are regretting not wanting a bigger reward since this is so important. Using a secret tunnel only accessible to me and my people, we exit the city. I lay down on Charn¡¯s back and her long tail wraps around me and her belly, securing me in place. [So she has already gone, huh?] [Yeah, her aim is the Rennie village. Can you make it?] [You making fun of me, geezer?] Her stamina should be just about enough for that. Unless she¡¯s been training it since last time. [Hold on tight, we¡¯re going.] CH 34 – The cat defeats some ogres "A curse, you say...?" "Y-yeah..." So, let me get this straight... You had a curse placed on you in the past. Now, if you kiss someone, you will burn them from the inside? Or, at least that''s what they will feel like? That sounds horrible... It basically means you will never get a lover. ... And, it reminds me of last night. You loomed over me as if you were trying to kiss me... Fully aware of your curse... Something seems off... Why are you spilling the beans now? Aren''t you more or less admitting you tried to use your curse on me? I feel like I should be on guard against you now... But at the same time... You ended up backing out, so... I''m not sure. "Why the neck, though?" "It''s the most effective on the neck or lips. And, err..." Yeah, okay. I get it. Kissing an ogre on his lips sounds disgusting. Actually, even the neck would be gross. But if you say you are fine with it... "Okay then, let''s try it." We decided to go with a piggy ride this time. That way, I can still somewhat use my arms. The plan is to sneak up on them, I latch onto the ogre''s back with my gloves and Ignis does her thing. Just in case something goes wrong, I will grab her and run again. It shouldn''t be too hard to pull off... The hardest part is sneaking up on them. But again, that''s where the enhanced senses come in. I can see, hear and smell them before they can detect us. I just need to make sure to not make too much noise by stepping on fallen leaves and branches. Simple enough! Call me the master of stealth! No exclamation marks will appear above their heads! I''ll make sure of it! With the plan ready, Ignis mounts me and I head off in the direction where I can hear angry roars and stomps. At first, she wanted to hold onto the cat ears, but then discovered they weren''t real. I think it shocked her, but I explained it was just a headband. It''s good that she quickly accepted it. Though, it meant that now she was gripping my head and messing up my hair. Oh well... It didn''t take long to spot the enemy again. It was the green ogre, the blue one nowhere nearby. Did they separate to cover more ground searching for us? Seriously, I thought ogres are dumb! I have some things to rethink after this is over. Before the ogre noticed us, I circled behind him and approached his rear. I jumped on him from behind and sank my claws into his back. He let out a growl and jerked his body to the side. It was almost violent enough to shake off Ignis, but I quickly pulled out my left hand and caught her. She let out a girly shriek, but that''s probably because the hand I used to support her touched her butt. "Ugh! Take this!" As the monster thrashed around, I heard a smooching sound above me. Following that, an ear-piercing roar that made my head ache. I couldn''t help but quickly pull back my claws and cover my ears. Naturally, that meant I fell off of him. And with me, Ignis did as well. "GRHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARH!!!" After I landed on my feet and Ignis fell down right in front of me, the giant screaming creature in front of us toppled forward. His screams and convulsions didn''t stop. Not wanting to faint from the noise again, I took off the headband and placed it in my item bag. "THAT SHOULD DO IT." To make ourselves be heard over the ogre, we had to yell. "I''LL GO AND FINISH HIM OFF, WAIT HERE." After saying that, I headed off to the convulsing beast and jumped on top of it. I extended my claws and swiped at its neck repeatedly. My claws shaved off the thick protective skin and eventually, red liquid poured out. I stabbed right into it to inject the poison. A few seconds later, the loud roar subsided and the ogre stopped moving. But... With the loud noise gone, another sound entered my ears. "Nin-! AARGH!" I turned around in a hurry only to spot Ignis narrowly dodging a tree swung at her. There he was, the real extermination target of ours. The blue ogre. Since I took off my headband, my senses dulled and I didn''t notice his arrival. My feet jumped forward in an instant. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. But I wouldn''t make it. It seems like his earlier attack left a wound on Ignis'' leg and she fell under a nearby tree. The ogre held up the tree and plunged it down. "IGNIS!" I wouldn''t make it. I knew I wouldn''t. But I still jumped forward. Straight into the beast''s attack. Was it suicidal? ... No. Just before I did that, I felt something change inside me. It felt familiar, yet alien. It was like the effects of cat soul. But... Different. ... A small crater in front of the ogre and the nearby tree toppled over. The creature looked around. Its prey vanished. Not even a drop of blood remained. It sniffed with its nose and perked up its ears. It clearly felt confused. But even when it poked into the bushes and yelled at the fallen tree, nothing happened. It took a good few minutes until it gave up and turned around. And that''s when I decided to act. As it turned around, it faced toward the sun. Which meant, its shadow appeared behind him. Out of that shadow, I emerged, wearing my headband again and carrying Ignis in my arms. I tossed her on the ground and dashed forward. It seemed like the ogre noticed me and was about to turn around... But my claws, searing with black smoke, swiped over its back and made a huge scratch mark. It roared in anger and brandished its tree to swipe it my way. But before it reached me, I thrust my hand forward, pumping this new unknown power into the claws. And sure enough, the energy shot through the monster as if its thick skin didn''t exist. With a black spot on its stomach, it let go of its weapon and coughed up blood. But it didn''t think the battle ended just yet. As a last ditch attempt to do something, it raised its other arm. Futile. I poured power into my claws again and thrust it in the direction of its shoulder. The arm, it meant to strike me with, feebly fell down along with the rest of its body. I didn''t sever the arm, but it seemed like it wouldn''t be able to move anytime soon. As it lied on the ground, staring daggers up at me, I stomped on its face and ground my slipper into it. I stared into its eyes and coldheartedly muttered... "Die." ... before unleashing yet another power thrust right into its face. After that, the blue mass of flesh stopped moving for good. The battle officially ended. How disappointing. It only took a few hits after I took on this form. Hmm. Let''s see the status. Name: Nina Level: 15 Strength: 29/32 Endurance: 32/33 Speed: 43/45 Magic: 3/26 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband Kat gloves Kat slippers Enchanted handbag Skills: Cat soul+ (Panther soul on) 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat Hmph. Just as I thought. So, this is panther soul, huh? It''s powerful and finally lets me use magic. I like it. It made short work of this blue thing, which should have been quite strong. My thoughts are interrupted by some incomprehensible sounds coming from behind me. When I turn around, I spot their source. It''s Ignis, the annoying girl who forced herself to come with me and ended up being completely worthless. She''s lying on her behind, crawling back while staring at me in fear. "What? Did you finally realize just how worthless you are?" I walk toward her as I ask her a question. "You weren''t just worthless, I even had to protect you when you got injured. Only dragging me down." After stating these facts, my senses detect something off to my side. "... so she really is here." As I mutter that, a horde of pitch black wolves emerge from the forest. I jump back to gain a bit of distance and prepare to engage. But they stop in front of Ignis, and growl at me, as if to guard her. One of the wolves had a rider on it. A girl with gray hair and half of her face covered in fur. In other words... "Cana..." "I-Ignis! Are you okay?!" I see. They know each other. "W-what are you doing here?! I still haven''t- er..." ''Still haven''t'', huh? Well, I guess it should have been obvious. Cana told me that the wannabe harem king was the one to curse her. And then I meet another young girl with a powerful curse placed onto her, who insists on accompanying me. She probably planned to use her curse on me and capture me while I can''t move. Why she hesitated is beyond me. But I won''t give her a second chance. "Are you prepared to face my wrath?" A rhetorical question. I intend to attack even if you aren''t. I extend my claws and pour a bit more power into them. The shadows of the trees over to my left shall become my veil. I will hide in them and then jump out and slash... their... ... Huh? What... The hell am I even talking about? Why is my mind filled only with killing? Since when am I so brutal?! What''s wrong with me?! "I-it faded?" "It''s gone..." What faded? What is gone? Hey, if you know something, how about you tell me instead of staring at me like that? CH 35 – The cat tag team Just a second ago, my brain could only generate thoughts about killing. But the instant I poured power into my claws, my mind cleared up. ¡­ Poured¡­ Oh¡­ Name: Nina Level: 15 Strength: 29/32 Endurance: 32/33 Speed: 43/45 Magic: 1/26 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband Kat gloves Kat slippers Enchanted handbag Skills: Cat soul+ (On) 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat I get it now¡­ Panther soul¡­ Does it cloud my mind? Is it something like a forbidden technique that trades reason for power? ¡­ I¡­ should refrain from using that. Unless I get into a pinch. Luckily for me, it automatically turned off when I ran out of magic. I don¡¯t want to think what would have happened if I kept going¡­ Anyway¡­ I have a situation to deal with right now. There¡¯s a horde of black wolves staring me down, as well as their master, Cana. And next to her is the girl who I believed to be my teammate, Ignis. But from what they said, it¡¯s quite obvious she planned to betray me¡­ Ugh¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s run for now¡­¡± Cana grabbed her hand and dragged her over to a wolf to ride on. But¡­ ¡°No! Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Her hand got slapped away. Ignis¡¯ expression shows a mixture of anger and fear. ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Hmm, what is this? Infighting? That¡¯s unexpected¡­ ¡°Wh-what are you talking about?! We need to run away before she-¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m done! I¡¯m done with that guy! I won¡¯t return anymore!¡± Huh¡­ ¡®That guy¡¯ means¡­ The wannabe harem king, right? Wait a second¡­ ¡°Wh- what do you mean?!¡± Cana is in full panic mode. I bet she expected this even less than me. Hmm¡­ If I recall correctly, ¡®that guy¡¯ can use charm¡­ And I¡¯m pretty sure that would mean absolute obedience. So¡­ What¡¯s happening? Is she resisting it? Was it dispelled? Or am I wrong about the charm? Ignis glanced at me fearfully before looking back at Cana. I can¡¯t tell what¡¯s going on in her head. But, she probably feels cornered. ¡­ Just a moment ago, I verbally abused the heck out of her¡­ I don¡¯t think she sees me as an ally anymore. A stalemate. Ignis, surrounded by the wolves and confronted by Cana, can¡¯t make any moves. And Cana still seems taken aback by that rejection. This is such an awkward situation¡­ What should I do¡­? As we all stood there, staring at each other without saying anything, my ears picked up some sounds behind me. Not wanting to turn my back to the wolf horde, I perked up my ears and carefully listened. In a second, I managed to figure out what the sound was. ¡°Meow!¡± It was meowing¡­ ¡­ What? Is there a cat around here? It¡¯s approaching rather quickly¡­ And there are some deeper growls mixed into it. What is that¡­?Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡­ Well, since it¡¯s meowing, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not my enemy. I hope¡­ Come on, blessing! Do your thing! A moment later, the stalemate came to an end. Something jumped out from behind me and landed about a meter to my right. All eyes directed their focus at the new visitor. A cheetah¡­? With a black cat strapped to its- Wait, isn¡¯t that Kuro?! What¡¯s going on?! ¡°Meow!¡± ¡°Meow.¡± After their exchange, the cheetah unrolled its¡­ tail¡­ wrapped around Kuro and its own torso back¡­ and let Kuro free. He then jumped in front of me and hissed at the wolf army. ¡°W-what are you doing here?!¡± I then glanced at the cheetah with unnaturally long tail. ¡°And who is that?!¡± I didn¡¯t know you had a personal taxi! ¡°Meeerow!¡± Agh! Where is the cat speech skill when I need it?! After his confident meow, he turned to the wolf army and jumped straight up. He swung his paws and something flew out of them. For a second, I thought he shot out his claws, but that wasn¡¯t the case. He threw multitude of knives at the wolf horde, hitting everyone in the front line. Wh-?! What is this?! Are you a ninja cat?! Where were you hiding these knives?! ¡°T-tapi!¡± Panicking at the sudden turn of events, Cana summoned her white double-tailed wolf pup. ¡°Tapi, Put her to sleep!¡± And directed the summoned familiar at Ignis, making her to back away. ¡°No! Get away!¡± The wolf pup waved its tails and released some sparkling dust toward Ignis. She tried to take another step back, but her path got blocked by one of the black wolves. As the dust enveloped her, Ignis lost her strength and collapsed. She¡¯s planning on putting Ignis to sleep and running away with her! As if I would let that happen! Kuro jumped up again and shot threw another dagger volley at the horde. I moved right under him to make him land on my head before charging ahead with him. Cana just about finished mounting one of her wolves and putting the unconscious Ignis on it when she noticed us. ¡°Tapi, return! Run, nightmare!¡± They sprinted off while the rest of the horde swarmed me. Grh! There are too many! I keep clawing at them, but they just keep coming! Even with Kuro lending his hand¡­ paw, I can¡¯t get through them! But I can¡¯t let them escape! Dammit! How can she summon so many anyway! That feels too unreal! ¡­ Wait a second¡­ Did she call that black wolf ¡®nightmare¡¯? She mentioned that name back when she healed me. And I¡¯m pretty sure¡­ She mentioned something about illusions! Right! It feels unreal? That¡¯s because it isn¡¯t real! Even if it feels like it, they are all just illusions! The only real one must be the wolf she is riding! With this realization, I steeled myself and stopped counter attacking these illusions. I simply put my arms in front of me and ran through them. Since I didn¡¯t attempt to dodge anything, I got scratched and bitten all over. And it hurt¡­ But I noticed the pain quickly faded. Much quicker than it would if it was my regeneration fixing me up. This can work! Even I realize it¡¯s just some cheap trick, there is nothing to fear! ¡­ I just need to ignore Kuro¡¯s frantic meowing and clawing into my hair. Yup, it¡¯s gonna be alright. No need to worry. We got through the avalanche of fake black fur in no time. Back on track. I can see Cana riding away. But that sort of speed can hardly match me! I¡¯ll catch up in a few seconds! You can¡¯t get awa- Bam. A huge sword stabbed itself right in front of the escaping wolf and its rider. ¡°Gyaaah?!¡± The wolf ran right into the blade¡¯s side, crashing into it and throwing its passengers overboard. When that happened, I could only stop and stare in disbelief. ¡­ Kuro? What the heck? This goes way beyond a simple ¡®ninja¡¯! I can accept hiding small knives in your fur pockets¡­ But this sword is bigger than even you! ¡°N-Nightmare! Are you okay?!¡± Cana got up. But Ignis is still out cold. I hope that fall didn¡¯t break anything for her¡­ She was already injured enough¡­ ¡°Whoo-uhoof!¡± The black wolf was about to bark when another sword stuck his side. Wait, no! That¡¯s the same sword as before! At some point, it disappeared and then Kuro shot it out again! What is this?! Some spiritual sword summon technique?! ¡­ Cana has quite the despairing expression on her face. Now, she¡¯s cornered. Well, let¡¯s start with the questioning. ¡°So-¡± ¡°Fenrir!¡± Oh, come on! Out of a dark mist emerged the dark blue wolf and lunged right at me. But I¡¯m not someone to fall for the same trick twice. I put all of my strength into my feet and jumped sideways, narrowly dodging his tackle. But even as I landed up against a tree, the beast had already prepared for another charge. I tried to quickly stabilize my footing and dodge again. However¡­ Before I could do that, I saw a black ball of fur fall from my head. Sooner than I got the chance to yell out, I heard an impact. In front of us, a giant shield appeared and blocked Fenrir¡¯s tackle. ¡°Wha-¡± The shield disappeared right after and a volley of daggers appeared in its stead. The daggers bounced off of Fenrir¡¯s fur, but the beast still backed up and made sure to avoid daggers aiming for his face. When he got far enough, the volley stopped and the two animals stared each other down. In the corner of my eye, I noticed Cana, who has collapsed right next to Ignis. ¡­ Kuro?! What the hell?! What kind of monster are you?! CH 36 – The cats pet is convenient You know, I never expected to see a giant wolf of death to be challenged into a staring contest by a cute tiny cat. What''s more, it feels like I''m just some extra here... Since when did this turn into a battle between Kuro and Fenrir? I matter too, you know?! Perhaps feeling his disadvantage, Fenrir backed up to his unconscious master and breathed in before opening his mouth wide. Oh, not this again! I took off my headband just in time. The roar that came afterward way beyond any ordinary battle cry. This one literally shook the earth, toppled trees and gouged out the ground. Luckily, Kuro summoned his almighty shield to protect us. And although we weren''t blown away by the shockwave, I could still feel the vibrations and hear the deafening sound. Even while covering my ears and without the enhanced senses from my headband, I felt it. But perhaps I should consider us lucky. Because there was no follow up attack after that. When the air finally settled and Kuro put away the shield, Fenrir and Cana were gone. She got away... Moreover, on Fenrir... What''s going on? I thought Mable killed it. Is that another one? Or did it come back to life? This doesn''t make any sense... What remained after the battle, was only a small grassy area behind where the shield stood. Everything else turned into piles of mud by the shockwave. Right behind the giant cone of destruction, where its source stood, a lone red haired girl lied unconsciously. I quickly made my way to her and confirmed her breathing. She''s alive. Well, that''s a relief but... She was going to betray me... I don''t think I can just wait till she''s awake and be all buddy buddy with her. Hrm... ... Well! That''s what I got the ropes for, right? I set up a tent, tied up Ignis and put her inside. Honestly, I don''t think she''s going to do anything... But one can never be too careful, right? I can''t have her suddenly waking up and attacking me, now can I? After that was done, I walked outside and headed to the blue ogre corpse. The shockwave hit it and launched it quite the ways away. But it did almost no damage to the body. As expected of ogre skin... Now, how do I stuff this into my bag...? While brooding over what to do, Kuro and the cheetah with unnaturally long tail approached me. Oh yeah, where did you go when we fought? You look like a mythical beast. One would expect you to use some super strong magic. But you simply hid when the action started. Are you just a taxi...? The cheetah came near me and bowed its head. Right. The blessing... Well, I don''t really mind. I''ve always wanted to befriend a bigger cat. The catgirl maid doesn''t count. Kuro came over and glanced over to the ogre corpse while meowing. He then turned to me and tilted his head. ... Is he asking me what I''m doing? Hmm, he understands human speech... I think. "I don''t know how to transport this ogre... it won''t fit in my bag..." Well, not like he can help me with that, though... ... is what I thought. But contrary to my expectations, Kuro meowed happily and jumped on top of the ogre. And then, the entire ogre corpse vanished. "Wha-?!"This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Only a black cat in a sitting position remained in its spot, looking up at me and waving its tail. Are you a dog?! Wait, no...! What is happening?! Where did that ogre go?! As if to answer my question, Kuro turned to his left and waved its paw. After doing that, the ogre reappeared there and fell to the ground again. I could only stare in disbelief. ... In response to my speechlessness, Kuro looked at the corpse and it disappeared again. Then, reappeared behind him. And then disappeared and reappea- Okay, okay! I get it! Argh! What''s up with this! This isn''t some spiritual summoning skill like I thought! It''s like an item bag... but it''s a skill! What the heck?! That''s amazing! How in the world did you get that! ... And... How did you get your paws on THIS many daggers, huge swords and shields?! Are you some sort of war hero?! Or an underground weapon smuggling mafia boss?! This is outrageous! Are all cats like this?! Before I knew it, I was sitting on the muddy ground, holding my head. Kuro made use of this opportunity and jumped back on top of me. He wasted no time before he started playing with my hair again. ... Oh, no. I''m not gonna fall for this innocent cat act anymore! I know what you really are! I stood up, grabbed him and held him in front of me. "You are... a reincarnated invididual, aren''t you?" ... "M-meow?" Oi, don''t avoid my eyes by looking to the side! I''ll bring you closer and frown! There''s no meowing yourself out of this! I can see your mouth twitching and sweat(?) running down your forehead! Tell me your secrets! ... Ah, whatever. That''s not really a bad thing, is it? It''s not like that would make him my enemy... I mean, he saved me back there. So, let''s cut him some slack. ... But I won''t let him mess up my hair again! Drop him to the ground. "Well, never mind... so, what''s your deal? Why are you a cat? Did some witch curse you?" "Meow." "Hey, stop pretending already!" "Meow!" He shook his head. Huh... Perhaps, he can''t use human speech? Argh, what a pain... That means I can''t even ask him about the stuff Mable told me... Well... I can, but I won''t get an answer. As I hold my head, I turn around and spot the cheetah again. It''s looking at me in wonder. Hmm... I wonder what its species is called... I''m pretty sure regular cheetahs don''t have a tail three times longer than the rest of their body. How is that even beneficial? Doesn''t it just get in the way? Argh, whatever... I shouldn''t question the appearance of fantasy beings. "By the way, Ku-" Umm... I just realized. Since this cat is actually a reincarnated person... Doesn''t he have a name already? It sure isn''t ''Kuro''. "What''s your name, actually?" "Meow." Yes, you can''t speak. I get it. "Can you write it?" After giving a nod, the cat raised his paw and some daggers flew down, stabbing into the ground and forming letters. The letters read ''KENT''. Kent...? That''s... "Huh... my brother had the same name..." Kur- Kent looked at me, prompting me to continue. "What a coincidence!" "Meow!" I''m glad you agree. ... You agreed, right? It''s hard to tell. I really need to learn cat speech already! "Well, I guess I''ll call you Kent now. Or should I keep calling you Kuro?" "Meow." W-whoa! Was that a shrug? I have never seen a cat shrug. That looked so weird and yet so cute! Well, okay then! Who cares about the past! I''ll keep calling you Kuro! "Alright then, Kuro! Will you be a gentleman and carry the spoils of my quest with you?" "Meow!" Heh! I got a cheap workforce! This blessing can be really useful at times! ... Wait, I don''t want to turn into a cat slaver! I''ll need to reward him later. And that cheetah too. If it weren''t for him, Kuro would never get here in time. What kind of reward should I prepare... Well, they are cats... Some cat toys? No, I doubt those are being produced in this world... And Kuro might be offended, since he is presumably a human inside. Then, high quality cat food? Yeah, as if I can find something like that on the market. ... So, it has to be fish, right? Cats like fish, so let''s go with that! Hmm... Speaking of fish, I kind of want to visit that port town south of here. When the quest is done, that''s the first place I''m visiting! ... Waaaait! Back up right now! I can''t let my mind float in the clouds! There''s still a major concern I have right now! Cana and that harem guy! They are DEFINITELLY not going to leave me alone. I need to prepare for when they strike! That''s right... The fish rewards will have to wait. When I return to Kalamas, I need to warn Mable and Deliah. I''m sure if anything happens, Mable will assist me. As I thought about such things, I heard groans coming from the tent I set up earlier. But now, it''s interrogation time... CH 37 – The cat interrogates A red haired girl with twintails lying on the ground. Her legs and arms bound with rope. She¡¯s looking up at me with a fearful expression and a tear forming in her eye. I bet my brother would find that arousing¡­ He was that kind of idiot¡­ Hmm? Hey, Kuro! Don¡¯t be like my brother! Stop staring at her like that! ¡°Well-¡± ¡°I¡¯msorrypleasedon¡¯tkillme!¡± Wha- ¡­ Alright, she¡¯s more afraid than I thought¡­ Seriously¡­ Just what kind of aura did I give off when panther soul activated? A reminder for myself to not carelessly use it again¡­ ¡°Calm down¡­ I¡¯m not gonna do anything to you¡­ I just want some explanations.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m sorry! I was commanded to use my curse on you and take you away!¡± She just won¡¯t calm down, will she? Ah, whatever. Hmm¡­ It¡¯s as I thought. She planned on using her curse on me back in that cave while I slept. And capturing me was her goal all along. Well, it explains why she insisted on coming along no matter what. Normally, you wouldn¡¯t cling this much to someone you just met, right? Yes¡­ I have confirmed my life isn¡¯t a dumb harem comedy. That¡¯s good news. ¡°So¡­ you were commanded¡­ which means-¡± ¡°Yes! Mast- erh, that guy, who cursed and charmed me wanted to add you into his harem!¡± ¡­ Right¡­ Something like that almost happened¡­ I sure am glad you didn¡¯t do it in the end. But¡­ ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you¡­¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Ignis, ready to shoot another volley of words gradually quieted down. ¡°I¡­ when I first met you, I felt like my love for¡­ him¡­ began fading.¡± Huh¡­? When you met me? ¡°More and more. As I spent time with you, I felt my feelings for him turn from love and admiration into hate and disgust.¡± Wait¡­ What do I have to do with it? Does the blessing have some secret side effect? Or does the effect of my headband extend to nearby people? ¡°And¡­ my curse weakened as well¡­¡± ¡­ Your curse¡­ Weakened¡­? Are you serious? I¡¯m pretty sure that ogre went through a lot of pain. And you say that was a weakened version? ¡°Normally, even an ogre would instantly faint.¡± Oi¡­ Seriously? What the heck¡­ That guy is either a total jerk or an extreme masochist! What kind of curse are you putting on a teenage girl?! ¡°So¡­ umm¡­¡± Ignis looked around the tent. ¡°Where is¡­ Cana?¡± ¡°She got away.¡± ¡°Eh?!¡± Hey, what¡¯s with that reaction?! We tried really hard, you know?! But that Fenrir is just too overpowered! ¡°B-but what if she comes back and brings the others with her?!¡± I fully expect that. But it¡¯s not like that¡¯s going to happen right away, is it? Since she summoned Fenrir, she¡¯s probably going to be exhausted for a while.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it when they come¡­¡± Now then¡­ I don¡¯t think these ropes are necessary anymore. She isn¡¯t my enemy anymore, that¡¯s clear. ¡°Eek!¡± What? No, I¡¯m not going to stab you with those claws. You don¡¯t need to back off in fear. I¡¯m just going to cut these ropes. See? Like this. You are free now. ¡°Well now, tell me about these ¡®others¡¯¡­¡± Ignis lied there, staring at me, for a good few seconds before exhaling and giving me an answer. ¡°¡­ right.¡± She then stood up, took a deep breath and cleared her throat. ¡°There is the ¡®master¡¯, who has an ability to curse others. He¡¯s about my age and has brown hair. Cana calls him ¡®Matoto¡¯ for some reason, but he hates when she does that.¡± Heh¡­ I feel like it¡¯s just an edgy teenager who enjoys wearing black coats and calls himself things like ¡®the overlord¡¯ or ¡®master¡¯. And also gets irritated whenever someone calls him by his real name. ¡°His curses can do almost anything¡­ and also, he can not only curse people, but¡­¡± She then looks around the tent and spots her item bag. After walking over to it, she picks it up and pulls out an item out of it. It¡¯s the suspicious staff left behind by the goblin. ¡°¡­ also objects.¡± Huh¡­? Wait, are you saying this staff is one of his works? ¡°He has a habit of cursing random items and then gifting them to others or randomly tossing them away¡­¡± What the heck? Cursing items and then gifting them? Just how much of a jackass is he?! ¡°But he told us that a person can only be affected by one of his curses at a time¡­ and that¡¯s why I¡¯m fine touching this.¡± Hmm¡­ That sounds like something that¡¯s going to be relevant in the future. I¡¯m imagining a situation where I purposefully let myself be cursed with something minor just to be immune to his stronger curses¡­ Hah¡­ As if he would be so kind and placed a minor curse on me! Let¡¯s be realistic here! ¡°And then¡­ other than Cana, there is one more girl in his¡­ err, ¡®harem¡¯.¡± Huh? Just one more? I expected at least five. But it¡¯s only three¡­ or rather just two now? ¡°She¡¯s called Spectre. And her curse permanently turns her into a fog.¡± ¡­ Excuse me? ¡°She can still think and cast magic as a fog and If she focuses, she can turn back into a human.¡± That is¡­ Yeah. I see why you would call her Spectre. She would scare the living daylights out of me if I met her. Well, at least now I know about it and can come up with a way to combat her. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ very dangerous, maybe even more than that guy¡­¡± What? Even more than him? I¡¯m starting to worry now¡­ I still couldn¡¯t defeat Cana¡¯s strongest familiar even with Kuro by my side. If you add that guy and this Spectre girl into the equation¡­ I don¡¯t think I stand a chance. We better hurry back to Kalamas and request Mable¡¯s assistance. ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s quickly return to Kalamas.¡± ¡°Right!¡± We walked out of the tent and I dismantled it before putting it back into my item bag. ¡°By the way, where did the ogres go?¡± ¡°Ah that¡­ don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve taken care of that.¡± Well¡­ Kuro did, but¡­ I¡¯m not going to just give away his secrets, am I? Even if she already saw him throw these daggers, there¡¯s no need to tell her everything. As we get ready to depart, I decide to ask her something. ¡°By the way¡­ what were you planning to do once you used your curse on me¡­?¡± I could see her whole body jerk and her face go white as it got covered in sweat. She did her best to avoid eye contact with me. ¡°I¡­ er¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± Hey, just what did you have in store for me?! And it was just a theoretical question! No need for this total overreaction! ¡°¡­ since Cana said you are immune to charm, Spectre suggested to¡­ erhm¡­. torture you¡­ until your mind broke¡­ a-and then¡­..¡± Okay, stop! I regret asking! This is much worse than I expected! And¡­ Thank GOD for whatever dispelled that charm on you! If it didn¡¯t, all of that would actually happen to me! And I¡¯m not exactly a fan of being tortured till my mind breaks! ¡°Alright! I heard nothing! Let¡¯s just get going!¡± Yep, let¡¯s ignore the fact that I narrowly avoided fate worse than death! ¡°Eh? Ah, o-okay?!¡± This time, we are actually in a rush. I can imagine how angry that guy would be, knowing one of his girls escaped his grasp. As soon as the message gets to him, he will come after us. I have no doubts about that. Well, I feel bad for the cheetah, but I¡¯m going to run ahead with Ignis in my arms and Kuro on my head. If I put my heart into it, not even a fantasy cheetah taxi can match my speed. We stopped at Rennie village to tell the chief we got rid of the problem. Of course, he didn¡¯t believe us, so I had Kuro take out the big ogre corpse. When he did that, I got to see an old man imitating a frog face. Once that was done with, we departed for Kalamas despite the chief¡¯s offer to stay for a bit. The trip didn¡¯t take too long, but on our way, the sun set. When we finally arrived, I realized one important fact. I was starving. Seems to be the result of eating just a bit of dried meat since morning¡­ Well, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to be attacked right away. Let¡¯s go get something to eat for now. ¡­ Hmm? What¡¯s wrong with you two? Why the wobbly walk? Are you drunk? Oh¡­ I went too quickly? Car-¡­ err, Nina express sickness? Erm¡­ Maybe we didn¡¯t need to rush THAT much, did we¡­? I had such thoughts as we passed through the city gate. CH 38 – The cat meets the mafia Delicious. I didn¡¯t think we could get any decent food this late at night. But surprisingly, we found a nice night bar to eat at. There were many drunkards trying to approach us, but most of them scrammed after facing cat soul. And since cigarettes don¡¯t exist in this world, we didn¡¯t have to deal with smoke either! It¡¯s perfect! With that said¡­ Why have you two barely touched your food? Are you still sick from Nina express? Come on now¡­ It wasn¡¯t that bad, was it? Surely, modern bullet trains go faster than that, right? Well, I guess with those, wind isn¡¯t constantly smacking your face¡­ ¡­ Anyway! ¡°Do you know a place we could spend the night¡­?¡± Since it¡¯s so late, I worry that we won¡¯t be able to find an empty inn. ¡°Er, no¡­ not really¡­ I¡¯ve always slept at the base¡­¡± ¡®The¡¯ base? You mean, that guy¡¯s base? Hmm¡­ Speaking of which¡­ You know where his base is¡­ Maybe we could plot some sort of surprise attack¡­ ¡­ Nah. Since Ignis is free from the charm, she has no reason to not tell where their base is. They must have realized this fact. There''s no way they stayed in that base. Well, back to our problem¡­ ¡°I guess we will have to look around¡­ and hope we find an inn¡­¡± Therefore, you better finish eating so we can begin searching. ¡°Meow!¡± ¡°Hmm? What is it, Kuro¡­?¡± ¡°Meorw! Meeeeow!¡± ¡°Indeed, you are a cat.¡± ¡°MEOW!!!¡± Calm down, it was just a joke. But still, I don¡¯t understand what you are saying¡­ Ugh¡­ What must one do to get a skill or a magical item to translate cat speech? Kuro, annoyed his ¡®words¡¯ aren¡¯t getting through, jumped off of my head and sprinted out of the bar. ¡°Ah, hey¡­!¡± And got out of my sight before I could stop him. ¡°I think he hates you now.¡± ¡°Wha-¡± For a stupid non-joke like that?! ¡­ No, wait¡­ He might actually be really sensitive to the fact that he is a cat. Ah, crap! Did I accidentally make some sort of insensitive remark?! What have I done?! ¡°H-hey¡­ I¡¯m joking. I¡¯m sure he will come back. It¡¯s a cat, after all.¡± No, it¡¯s a man in a cat¡¯s body. You don¡¯t know that since I didn¡¯t tell you but still¡­ Argh¡­ Well¡­! Worst case scenario, my blessing will make him love me again! ¡­ W-wait a second. That¡¯s wrong! How is this different from the guy who charms girls?! Aren¡¯t I the same villain as him?! ¡­ Nonono! I¡¯m different! Totally different! I don¡¯t curse anyone! And since it¡¯s a passive effect, I can¡¯t help it! Yes, that¡¯s right! It¡¯s not my fault, therefore it¡¯s okay! Once we finished our meals, we left the bar and began searching. Both, for the inn we could spend the night at, as well as Kuro. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. And unfortunately, we didn¡¯t find either. Most inns were already closed, so we couldn¡¯t even get to ask whether there were any free rooms or not. And those that still had their doors open were all filled. ¡­ ¡°What now¡­?¡± Not a single inn we could stay at. We¡¯re homeless now. This is really¡­ ¡­ What¡¯s up with this?! Do we really have to sleep on the streets?! Despite what I look like, I¡¯m not a stray cat! Argh! ¡­ Speaking of cats¡­ Where Kuro go¡­? I thought I could simply track his scent and find him¡­ But that was naive thinking¡­ The scent disappeared in some alleyway between buildings. He really must be a ninja or something¡­ Ah, what to do now¡­ Just as I began to despair, Kuro¡¯s scent reappeared. I stood up from the cold unpaved ground and looked into the distance. Before long, the black cat appeared in front of us again. ¡°Meow!¡± ¡°Oh, there you are!¡± Strangely enough, he doesn¡¯t seem to be angry¡­ Was I mistaken, after all? ¡°Meow¡­¡± He turned around again and looked back at us. Umm, huh? Is he telling us to follow him? I looked at Ignis and we nodded to each other before following after Kuro. It got a little suspicious when he brought us to the same alleyway where his scent disappeared, but what happened next shocked me. He knocked on some barrel with his claws while meowing and a tiny door opened from it, as if the barrel was a house. A secret hideout?! Seriously! Who ARE you, Kuro?! Kuro beckoned us to enter the tunnel. Once again, I exchanged looks with Ignis. This time, neither one of us felt enthusiastic about it. ¡°After you¡­¡± Urg! A low blow! Fine¡­ Here I go¡­ I got on all fours and crawled inside. I heard Ignis and Kuro following me after closing the barrel door behind them. The tunnel wasn¡¯t very long. After a minute or so, we reached an open area big enough for us to stand upright. But it wasn¡¯t empty¡­ ¡°Cats¡­¡± That was my reaction to the sight in fromt of me. Something I could only refer to as a legion of cats. Small cats, big cats, long-tailed ones, triple tailed ones, even some with horns¡­ What in the world?! This is crazy! Is this some underground cat society?! Kuro stepped forward and sat in front of all the cats, as if he was their representative. And then, he meowed. Following after him, a massive choir of meows from everyone else shook the room. It almost made me faint, but I removed the headband just in time. I¡¯m getting pretty good at that, huh? ¡°W-what is this?!¡± Oh, the initial shock passed. Welcome back Ignis. As for what this is¡­ ¡­ I think someone took my joke literally. No, seriously. I didn¡¯t think Kuro actually WAS some kind of mafia leader! After the grand welcome, the cats dispersed, leaving behind only Kuro and one other cat who had a scar on its face. I felt like he kept throwing hostile looks toward Ignis, but that might have been just because I can¡¯t read cat expressions. For some reason, they blindfolded Ignis to prevent her from seeing things¡­ Just like real mafia, I guess? Well, not really. Real mafia would blindfold you before you even entered their base. But anyway¡­ I wonder why they didn¡¯t do the same to me? I guess boss himself introducing me must be pretty significant¡­ And also, there¡¯s the blessing at work. Either way, at some point, Kuro left us after meowing a goodbye and the scarred cat lead us through the hideout into a room with a double bed in it. Oh, and¡­ Absolutely nothing happened on our way there. That¡¯s right. I didn¡¯t see any cages with various cats, people or cat people imprisoned inside. Nope. That was just my imagination. Indeed. That couldn¡¯t have been real. No way at all. ¡°Ugh¡­ can I take this off already?¡± Seems like the blindfold isn¡¯t exactly comfortable for Ignis. How come? I could have used a blindfold when we walked through there. That way, I wouldn¡¯t have to see all those crazy hallucinations! ¡°Meow.¡± Is that a yes or no? Well, it seems like Ignis interpreted it as yes as she took of the blindfold. She looked around in wonder and her gaze ended up on the bed. ¡°We¡¯re¡­ supposed to sleep here?¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± Better than sleeping on the streets. That way, there¡¯s no danger of pickpockets. ¡­ But I feel like there is a different kind of danger in this underground base¡­ ¡°Well, alright then¡­ Good night.¡± ¡°Good night. Don¡¯t try to kiss me while I¡¯m asleep.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± CH C1 – Why did it take so long? ¡°Ignis betrayed me¡­?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Matoto looks really mad. What should I do¡­? I ran here as quickly as I could after waking up. I¡¯m exhausted¡­ I can¡¯t do much more to help now¡­ ¡°¡­ did that Nina girl do anything?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know¡­¡± She could have, but I have no proof. Matoto fell into a deep thought. I haven¡¯t seen him look this serious in quite a while. He looks so handsome like this¡­ ¡°Masteerrr¡­¡± A gust of chilling wind blew by me and a cold hand materialized on my cheek. I froze up in shock, even though I should be used to this already¡­ ¡°Spectre? What is it?¡± The one Matoto addressed was the ghastly girl, whose head appeared right next to mine. Even though Matoto gave her that name based on the curse she received, her behavior matches it as well¡­ ¡°Why don¡¯t we just kill that girlll¡­? She¡¯s dangerouuus¡­ It¡¯s not worth trying to capture herrr¡­¡± I hate when you whisper into my ear! Why do you do that if you aren¡¯t even talking to me! P-please go away! I felt exhausted just a second ago, but now I¡¯m all up on my feet! ¡°Keh, you might be right¡­ but it makes me want her even more!¡± ¡°Theeeen¡­ let meee handle herrr¡­¡± Stop playing with my hair and rubbing my waist! Please! I¡¯m gonna faint! ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not gonna send you alone. I sent Ignis last time and this is what happened!¡± ¡°But masterrr¡­ I¡¯m not as carelessss as herrr¡­¡± Aaah¡­ Finally separated from me¡­ Thank you¡­ ¡°I know that¡­ but she might be hiding more tricks up her sleeves. Moreover¡­ I bet Ignis already leaked the location of our base.¡± Matoto then looked at me. ¡°Go get some rest quick and then we¡¯ll relocate.¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± As per his commands, I leave the throne room and make my way to the resting area. Unlike the throne room, which is quite large, this room is barely big enough to accommodate the one bed in here. It¡¯s the bed Ignis brought with her when she joined us. Like the chair in the throne room, it¡¯s very extravagant. Finally, I get to rest¡­ But not for too long. We will need to move before Nina finds us¡­ Ugh¡­ I thought she was a nice person¡­ But those eyes of hers¡­ They were the eyes of a cold-blooded murderer. She would have killed Ignis if I hadn¡¯t intervened¡­ ¡­ And then, instead of thanking me, Ignis slapped me away and said she wouldn¡¯t return¡­ What happened to her? How could she just betray us like that¡­? I always knew she was the loud and irrational type, but¡­ ¡­ ¡°Tapi¡­¡± I summon Tapi and hug her closely. She lets out a soft growl before snuggling back to me. This is something I always do when I¡¯m nervous or stressed. It helps me relax. ¡­ I¡¯m afraid¡­ Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. But afraid of what? That she finds us here and kills Matoto? Yeah, that¡¯s it. But¡­ That¡¯s not all. There¡¯s something else¡­ Ever since I met Nina for the first time¡­ There was something in the back of my mind, nagging me. This¡­ Uncertainty. What did she do to me¡­? Am I going to turn on Matoto just like Ignis did? I don¡¯t want that¡­ ¡­ Speaking of Ignis¡­ I wonder what happened to her afterward¡­ Did Nina kill her? Torture her? Imprison her? ¡­ I feel bad¡­ I had the chance to save her. If I noticed there was something wrong sooner, I could have caught her and ran away much faster. Not to mention, after Ignis pushed me away, I stared like an idiot for so long¡­ Long enough for Nina¡¯s backup to arrive. What were these cats, anyway¡­? How could the black one conjure weapons out of thin air? ¡­ ¡°Cana! Let¡¯s get going!¡± ! ¡°Y-yes!¡± Looks like that¡¯s enough resting¡­ Time to go. ¡­ ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°Our new base¡­ Well, it¡¯s better than nothing.¡± In front of us is a big tree with a hole in its trunk. The bark is colored dark green and is in the process of rotting. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it suddenly crumbled down. ¡°I¡¯m sorrrrryy masteeer¡­ I couldn¡¯t fiiiind anything beeeterrr¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. We just have to reinforce it from inside and it will be perfect.¡± Despite its appearance, it¡¯s not a bad spot. Since it¡¯s in the middle of a swamp, people won¡¯t stumble upon it by chance. And the venom toad habitat is quite far from here as well, so it¡¯s relatively safe. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go inside and settle down.¡± We proceeded to walk inside the tree. There actually was a tunnel leading into a small cave system. It seemed to be something a giant mole family would dig up. Big enough for us to walk through without having to bend our knees. But there were no giant moles anywhere. They must have abandoned this place for some reason. After cursing the rotting tree with something that was supposed reinforce it, Matoto turned to me. ¡°Cana. Do you want to get stronger?¡± A sudden question thrown at me. ¡°Y-yes¡­?¡± After yelping out my response, I realized what Matoto meant. Whenever I summon Fenrir, I collapse. That means, I¡¯m always a burden when that happens. And that¡¯s just not acceptable¡­ ¡°How much do you wish to be stronger?¡± ¡°I¡­ if I could get stronger and be more useful, I would do anything!¡± Matoto gave me a warm smile. Almost as if he was praising my enthusiasm. ¡°Then, let me try something.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He got closer to me and extended his hand. ¡°I¡¯m better at this now¡­ so, I¡¯ll give you a stronger curse.¡± A¡­ stronger curse? That makes me feel a bit uncomfortable¡­ But I¡¯m sure it will be alright¡­ ¡­ Umm¡­ Thinking about it¡­ I thought Matoto can¡¯t modify a curse once it¡¯s set in place. Moreover, two curses can¡¯t be placed at the same time¡­ Which means¡­ ¡­ Huh¡­? What¡­ Is this¡­? Something in my mind just¡­ switched. It feels as if I have always had a closed box in my head. And now, it flung open. The man, who I always felt affection towards¡­ Now looks like my mortal enemy. Someone I want to punch as soon as I see him. Why¡­? What is this anger welling up inside me? ¡°And¡­ removed¡­¡± Ah, I see¡­ He removed my curse. And along with it, the loathsome charm. I¡¯m¡­ Free¡­? No¡­ Not yet¡­! He¡¯s going to curse me again! I can¡¯t let him do that! ¡°And now the new one¡­¡± A loud crack reached my ears. It came from my fist hitting his face. His body fell over and blood spurted from his nose. I¡¯ve punched him with all of my accumulated anger. The anger that was always locked away by the charm. ¡°MAAAASSSTEERRR??!!¡± Spectre materialized her entire body and kneeled over the unconscious Matoto. I stood there, staring at them as my fist still shook. ¡°YOUUUU! WHAT ARE YOU DOOOING?!¡± Her ghastly screech pulled me back to my senses. I have to escape. Before he wakes up, I need to run away. Far enough so that he won¡¯t catch me. I don¡¯t want to get cursed again. ¡°GEEET BAAACK HEEERE!¡± I ran. Sweat covering my face and ragged breath. But I didn¡¯t look back. I knew there wouldn¡¯t be any point to that. Spectre probably stayed with Matoto to make sure he¡¯s going to be alright. But even if she didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t see her chasing me. That¡¯s just how her curse operates. I can¡¯t see the wind. ¡°Nightmare!¡± I found the opportunity in between my breaths to summon nightmare. ¡­ But nothing happened. It took me a second to realize why. My curse is gone. The same curse which allowed me to summon my friends. It¡¯s gone now. ¡°T-tapi¡­ Shade¡­ Cerberus¡­ Fenrir¡­¡± None of them responded to my call. They are gone. Forever. Upon realizing this, my vision blurred with tears. But I didn¡¯t stop running. I wiped off my tears and continued going. I didn¡¯t know what direction to go in. I simply ran ahead. Away from my tormentor. CH 39 – The cat checks her phone Rise and shine. I slept with a girl again¡­ No, not like ¡®that¡¯! We simply shared a bed, because there was only the one. That¡¯s all there is to it. Nothing weird happened. More like¡­ If anything WERE to happen, I would be rolling on the ground in pain right now. I saw what happened to that ogre. It didn¡¯t look fun. Well, Ignis is still asleep and the scarred cat from last night left after leading us here. I¡¯m not sleepy anymore, so what should I do? Wander around Kuro¡¯s base? ¡­ No. Absolutely not. These ¡®hallucinations¡¯ I had yesterday were enough for me, thanks. ¡­ Also¡­ No. I¡¯m not going to ask Kuro what that was about. He wouldn¡¯t be able to answer anyway. And I mean¡­ There must be a good reason for it, right? He isn¡¯t some villain who would lock up innocent people and cats for no reason, right? He¡¯s been so nice to me¡­ There¡¯s just no way! ¡­ He has a secret underground base? And an army of cats at his disposal? Whatever! It¡¯s fine! If they he ever tries to do something bad, like kidnapping orphans or taking over the world, I can stop it with just a word! Right! He can¡¯t go against my wishes as long as I have this blessing! Well, then¡­ Now that I have my daily dose of reality denial, let¡¯s do something more productive. Let¡¯s see¡­ I should check my status. And actually, I should do that more often, shouldn¡¯t I? Since this world has a status screen, there¡¯s no reason to ignore it. Yes, that¡¯s right! From now on, I¡¯m going to check it every five minutes! ¡­ Wait. No! Stop it! This image of a modern day phone addict¡­! Get out of my head! This is not what¡¯s going to happen! I swear! Name: Nina Level: 15 Strength: 32/32 Endurance: 33/33 Speed: 45/45 Magic: 26/26 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband Kat gloves Kat slippers Enchanted handbag Skills: Cat soul+ 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat Let¡¯s see here¡­ Level fifteen. Huh¡­ Now that I look at it closer. Isn¡¯t that really low? Considering I pretty much took down that ogre all on my own, I expected forty or fifty at least. Hmm¡­ Well, I did set the experience requirement to get exponentially higher as the level rises¡­ But isn¡¯t this a little too much? Doesn¡¯t that mean that regular people don¡¯t even reach twenty or thirty? Argh, this is lame! What kind of RPG has you already grinding experience at level ten?! Nobody would play that! Sigh¡­ Well anyway¡­ Let¡¯s look at cat soul. Maybe I got another variant? Just kidding. I only want to examine panther soul more. Available variants: Panther soul Tiger soul ¡­ Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Is this what they call deja vu? I feel like this has happened before¡­ Isn¡¯t this exactly how I discovered panther soul? ¡­ Anyway¡­ Tiger soul? I¡¯m intrigued. Tiger soul In addition to cat soul effects, it allows the use of blaze magic and enhances physical strength. Ohhh, blaze magic? Does that mean fire magic¡­? No¡­ Since it has a fancier name, it must be better than fire magic! That¡¯s right! All games work like that! Well, this isn¡¯t a game but¡­ Anywho, it doesn¡¯t say ¡®turns you into a cold-blooded murderer with no empathy¡¯, so that¡¯s a plus. But at the same time¡­ Panther soul In addition to cat soul effects, it allows the use of shadow magic and enhances stealth at night. This one doesn¡¯t say it either¡­ But I think I somehow get it now. Cat soul and its variants alter my personality when active. That¡¯s right¡­ I¡¯m an innocent maiden! How could I fight a herd of wolves with my bare hands like some savage?! It¡¯s only possible because of cat soul! Cat soul+ Temporarily turns you into a wild animal. You gain bonus agility for the duration. You have mastered this skill and are now able to unlock its variants. ¡®Turns you into a wild animal¡¯. That¡¯s it. But. Then, there¡¯s panther soul. I already anticipated it would be stronger than cat soul. But I didn¡¯t expect that it would empower this ¡®wild animal¡¯ part as well¡­ Seriously¡­ Will this new tiger soul do the same? I hope not¡­ That would make it just as unusable as panther soul. Well¡­ I don¡¯t even know how to activate it. It might simply turn on by itself like panther soul. So when that happens, I better be careful. But, I wonder how I got it¡­ If it isn¡¯t based on my level, then there must be something unlocking these variants. Let me think here¡­ Maybe it¡¯s meeting a strong monster? I noticed Panther soul unlocked after Fenrir tackled me and I ended up in a hospital¡­ And now¡­ I got into contact with a blue ogre¡­? No, that doesn¡¯t make much sense¡­ Since this tiger soul is somewhat fire based, I doubt it came from killing an ogre, who has nothing to do with fire¡­ ¡­ But, there WAS someone who specialized in fire nearby, wasn¡¯t there? Did meeting Ignis give me this variant? Hmm¡­ But then¡­ What about my healing based variant from that wolf pup?! Or an enchantment based one from Vincent?! ¡­ Argh, I don¡¯t get it. I don¡¯t get it at all. Maybe I should stop trying to figure out. Yes. Let¡¯s save up my precious brain power. I¡¯ll get back to this puzzle once I gain yet another variant. And since now I¡¯m checking my pho- err, my status screen every five minutes, I will know right away if I gained one! Great plan, me! No need to rush anything! Patience is a virtue! Now¡­ Let¡¯s close the status window. Aaand¡­ Gee! I JUST looked at the list of cat soul variants! SURELY, there is NO WAY I already gained another one in those few seconds, riiiight?! Status! Available variants: Panther soul Tiger soul Aw man¡­ It didn¡¯t work this time¡­ Well, it was worth a try. Hmm¡­ Hmmm? Ohhh¡­ S-surely! There¡¯s no way the nine lives skill leveled up or gained some variants, riiiight?! 9 lives Upon death, you will be granted a new life again. This can happen up to 8 times. It¡¯s possible to replenish your lives by sacrificing another living being. This living being has to be emotionally close to you for this to work. Lives left: 8 Nope. It¡¯s the same as bef- Wait! Why are there only eight lives left?! What happened?! Did I secretly die while I wasn¡¯t looking?! Did someone assassinate me?! ¡­ Ignis? ¡­ Wait. Hold up¡­ Wasn¡¯t it at eight when I initially checked it as well? Now that I think about it¡­ Yeah¡­ It was already at eight when I first arrived in this world. I think I was just too overwhelmed with all of that info and didn¡¯t really react to it at all. But now that I stop and look at it¡­ It¡¯s weird, isn¡¯t it? Why would the NINE lives skill start off with just eight lives? Did that god make a mistake? Or¡­ Did my previous life count? ¡­ Does that mean I had this skill in my previous life as well?! I¡¯m confused! Argh! This isn¡¯t fair! Isn¡¯t a status window supposed to give you information?! I feel like I¡¯m walking away with more questions than answers after this! CH 40 – The cat and the two redheads ¡°Mghm¡­ huh?¡± Good morning Ignis. You sure took your time waking up. ¡°Where am¡­ oh¡­¡± Yeah, it¡¯s a little strange waking up in a room with no windows, isn¡¯t it? It almost makes you think you have been kidnapped and dragged into some underground facility¡­ ¡­ Well, that IS kind of what Kuro did to us, but¡­ ¡°Phew¡­ nothing happened while we slept¡­¡± Of course nothing happened! What did you expect? It¡¯s just the secret underground base of cats! What could possibly happen? ¡°So, what should we¡­ oh right! We should turn in the quest!¡± Wha- ¡­ Well, you sure know your priorities, don¡¯t you¡­? I thought you would be a bit more concerned about Cana and the others coming after us! ¡°What are you staring at me for? I need to keep my perfect track record! It¡¯s important, you know!¡± ¡­ Sure. Whatever you say. I guess you¡¯re the type to revert to your regular self pretty quickly. I mean¡­ Weren¡¯t you freed from a mind-controlling charm like¡­ yesterday? If it were me, I would still be thinking about that! ¡°So where¡¯s that cat? I don¡¯t think we can leave without asking him first.¡± You¡¯re probably right. I better look for him, huh? Argh, so I DO have to wander around this place, after all?! Dang it! ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right ba-¡± The door opened before I finished my sentence. ¡°Meow.¡± Oh, Kuro! My savior! ¡°Oh, he¡¯s here!¡± ¡°Meorw?¡± ¡°Yeah, we wanted to go to the guild and turn in our finished quest!¡± ¡°Meow¡­ meow!¡± ¡°Eh?! Ah¡­ oh¡­ err¡­¡± What¡­? You understand him? ¡°N-Nina¡­ sorry about how I forced myself into your party earlier¡­¡± ¡°¡­ it¡¯s fine.¡± I got quite annoyed back then, but it worked out fine in the end, didn¡¯t it? ¡°Meow! Meeeow!¡± ¡°Huh¡­? No, I¡¯m not charmed anymore!¡± ¡°Meow! Meow!¡± ¡°I swear! I¡¯m completely and utterly done with that jerk! If I see him again, I will burn his face off!¡± ¡°¡­ meow.¡± ¡°Yay! Thanks!¡± ¡­ How can you tell what he¡¯s saying?! Do you have a cat speech skill?! This is not fair! I¡¯m supposed to be the one with all the cat related abilities! ¡°Hmm¡­? What? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­ nothing. Let¡¯s go.¡± And you are coming too, little black cat. I hope you didn¡¯t forget the spoils of our quest are in your possession. ¡°Ugh¡­ do I have to wear this again?¡± ¡°Meow.¡± ¡°Fine¡­¡± Hey, I want a blindfold too! Or rather, the past me wants one! This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Who says knowledge is power? Ignorance is bliss! Let me unsee those things! ¡­ Oh well. It¡¯s not like it would help now. Let¡¯s just get going. Yep, the same way we came in. Just ignore the death glares from the prisoners¡­ They must all be bad people. No doubt about it. They deserve to be in those cages. Yes, totally. We continued on and headed for the same entrance we previously came in through. On our way out, the orange cat with a scar came to us and said something to Kuro. I¡¯m guessing that cat is something like his right-hand man¡­? Anyway, after checking the surroundings for any witnesses, we crawled out of the tunnel one by one. Kuro closed the barrel door behind us before jumping up and seating himself in his favorite spot, the top of my head. We then walked out of the dark alleyway onto the main street and made our way to the adventurer¡¯s guild. Or so was the plan. Unfortunately, on our way there, my senses picked up a familiar person. And it seemed like this person has noticed me as well. She approached and tried to surprise me. I almost got tackled. But thanks to my unmatched speed, I skillfully dodged. Eat dust! I¡¯m not letting myself be crushed again! ¡°Guah! ¡­ Nina! That¡¯s mean! Is this how you greet your friend?!¡± The gorilla, whose attack missed, turned to me and complained. Sorry, but I had a choice. Either, I get crushed, or I don¡¯t ¡®greet¡¯ you. I picked the option that allowed me to live, thanks. ¡°Oh, hello there¡­ you found a new friend?¡± Mable noticed Ignis, who seemed confused at the sudden flow of events. ¡°¡­ a-ahem! Hello, Nina¡¯s friend! Nice to meet you! I¡¯m the one and only Ignis!¡± After the initial shock passed, Ignis proudly held her chest up and introduced herself. ¡°Ignis¡­? Wait, you mean the adventurer Ignis? The tall and beautiful flame mage with large br-¡± ¡°YES, THE ADVENTURER IGNIS!¡± ¡°¡­ umm, but you look a bit¡­¡± ¡°Those rumors are a bunch of crap!¡± ¡­ A rumor that the adventurer Ignis is tall and has large chest? The Rennie village chief implied the same thing¡­ The heck? How did such a lie even spread? Only a blind man would say these things about Ignis¡­ ¡°Well, okay! Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Mable!¡± That was quick¡­ You¡¯re a lot like Ignis, aren¡¯t you? I feel like you two will get along. ¡­ Oh, right! I almost forgot! ¡°Mable¡­ I need to talk to you¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? Sure! Talk away!¡± ¡°No, err¡­ it¡¯s something¡­ serious¡­¡± I glance at Ignis, who looks back nervously. ¡°¡­ I see.¡± Oi, do you always make such a scary face when you get serious? I feel like you might have some kind of dual personality thing going on¡­ One cheerful and carefree and the other one dead serious. We walked off of the main street into an empty corner where nobody would hear us. ¡°So? What is it?¡± Mable still had her death glare mode on while Ignis nervously looked between me and her. Well, how should I start¡­ Maybe reintroducing them would do the job. ¡°Ignis, this is Mable. She¡¯s the one who defeated Fenrir.¡± ¡°Wha-¡± She turned her gaze back and forth from me and Mable before finally landing on Mable. I noticed cold sweat appear on her neck. ¡°¡­ so, that¡¯s what this is about.¡± Mable squinted her eyes, which made her look even scarier. T-this is the worst! Argh! Cat soul, activate! Hah! There we go! Now I¡¯m¡­ still quite intimidated¡­ Dammit! ¡°Mable, this is Ignis¡­ a former ally of that girl who summoned Fenrir.¡± ¡°A former ally, you say?¡± Ghg! The cat soul is not helping at all! Do I need to turn on panther soul to withstand this pressure?! Stop doing that already! Look! Ignis is trembling like a kitten, who is being glared at by a dragon! ¡­ Aaand she fell on her butt. Still shaking. ¡­ And the furball on my head is also shivering. ¡°So? Why ¡®former¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­ t-the girl from before¡­ is charmed by someone¡­ and Ignis was charmed by the same guy¡­ but now, that charm has been dispelled¡­¡± ¡°Oh, is that so¡­? Hmm, you didn¡¯t tell me you can dispel charms.¡± I didn¡¯t do it! ¡­ I think. Maybe I did. Well, that¡¯s not important here. ¡°The problem is¡­ that guy will probably be coming to get us, so¡­¡± ¡°So, you want my help?¡± ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± W-what? Why are you thinking about it? Are you not going to help, after all? ¡°Well, alright.¡± Oh, she agreed! ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡­ Umm, defeat them when they show up? That¡¯s not much of a plan, is it? Ugh, I didn¡¯t really think about this in detail! ¡°You don¡¯t have one¡­?¡± P-please forgive me! I-if it¡¯s my internal organs, you can have them! Just stay away from my soul! ¡°¡­ ah, well. Then I guess I¡¯ll take charge of this.¡± Oh¡­? You¡­ You will? That¡¯s great! Ahaha! Not only will you join us, but you will come up with a strategy as well?! This is great! I love you! ¡°But I¡¯ll want some compensation¡­¡± ¡­ My soul is still off-limits. ¡°Well now¡­ stay still for a second¡­¡± I¡­ I don¡¯t like where this is going¡­ W-what¡¯s with that mischievous smile?! No! Stay away! AAAARGH! Why meeeee?! My ribs are cracking! I¡¯m gonna turn into a cat soup! Let me goooooooooo! CH 41 – The cat locates a better meeting spot So, here¡¯s the thing. Thanks to the Kat underwear¡¯s effect, I can rapidly regenerate. Which means, minor wounds aren¡¯t even a problem since they heal nearly instantly. But it also means that I can receive non-lethal injuries one after another without a break. In other words¡­ If anyone ever captured me and decided to torture me¡­ ¡­ Ughhh¡­ What a scary thought¡­ I hope that never happens¡­ ¡­ Except¡­ It just happened! Seriously! This isn¡¯t funny anymore! You almost crushed my bones, you stupid gorilla! ¡°Ahh, hugging cute girls is always so refreshing¡­¡± How can you still call that ¡®hugging¡¯?! Isn¡¯t this a move some pro wrestler would use?! Argh, whatever! I recovered now, so I¡¯ll let it be¡­ But you better not repeat that! ¡°Well anyway, let¡¯s find a better place for this discussion.¡± Good idea. This dreary corner isn¡¯t the best of places to plan out a battle strategy. Especially not if there¡¯s a death gorilla who likes staring into your soul and crushing your bones¡­ Well, that aspect won¡¯t change even if we go elsewhere¡­ ¡°Where are you two staying at?¡± Why, at the secret underground cat base, of course! ¡°W-we couldn¡¯t find an inn last night¡­ s-so¡­¡± Oh, welcome back Ignis. You still look terrified of this ape. I bet seeing my torture session earlier didn¡¯t help either, did it? ¡°Wait, you slept on the streets?! That¡¯s unacceptable!¡± ?! She grabbed my hand! The torture is resuming?! ¡°Come with me! We¡¯re going to my room in the school dorms!¡± O-oh¡­ So, I¡¯m not about to get tortured¡­ What a relief. ¡­ Or, wait¡­ She said ¡®school¡¯, didn¡¯t she? That word itself already implies torture. Is she hinting at something¡­? Eh, I¡¯m overthinking it. Let¡¯s just follow her. Ah, school. The dreaded facility that exists for the sole purpose of torturing kids. Well, it isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯m visiting this place. Last time, I was an undercover guard for Deliah. And it ended with me encountering Cana and being sent straight into a hospital bed for several days. Yep, that confirms schools are bad. I really hope nothing bad happens this time¡­ ¡°Halt, show me your identifications.¡± A guard at the school gates? I thought we don¡¯t need any identifications since Mable just said to follow her¡­ What do we do now¡­? ¡°Here¡¯s mine. And these two are my guards, they haven¡¯t been issued an identification yet.¡± ¡°Guards¡­?¡± Oh, is this the story we are going with? Well, the gate guard is eyeing us with suspicion. I bet he thinks we look too weak to be guards. Maybe showing him our adventurer cards will work? Me and Ignis look at each other before nodding and bringing out our cards. ¡°C rank¡­ and a provisional D rank adventurers¡­?¡± Oh, yeah¡­ We didn¡¯t turn in that stupid quest, so I¡¯m still at this ¡®provisional D rank¡¯. Damn¡­ My rank up keeps being delayed! Well, it¡¯s not really that important right now, I guess¡­ There are other things to worry about. ¡°¡­ Ignis?¡± Oh, he read our names. And he stopped when he read Ignis. Does he recognize her? That¡¯s like the third person now. Well, I don¡¯t doubt that she is famous anymore. ¡°¡­ young lady, you shouldn¡¯t steal things from your relatives.¡± ¡­ huh? What kind of reaction is that? ¡°Relatives¡­? What are you talking about?!¡± ¡°Look, this is clearly stolen. It says it belongs to Ignis, the tall and beautiful female fire mage adventurer with large-¡± ¡°THAT¡¯S ME YOU JACKASS!¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°¡­ miss, there are limits to lies.¡± Well, I think the guard is unknowingly digging his own grave. Ignis looks lke she is about to explode. ¡°Alright then¡­ how about I prove it to you then¡­? BY BURNING YOU ALIVE YOU PIECE OF-¡± ¡°Hooold on there hothead!¡± Oh, Ignis got captured. In the ape¡¯s embrace, no less. She isn¡¯t burning anyone alive now. ¡°Sir guard, I assure you that these two are legitimate adventurers strong enough to act as guards.¡± Nope, after Ignis¡¯ outburst, there¡¯s no way he is believing you anymore. No matter how mature and professional you sound. Hmm¡­ Maybe we just need to show him directly¡­ It¡¯s said that actions speak louder than words, right? Well, here I go! Cat soul: activate! Do a little hop to make the cat on my head separate from me. Before he can fall back on my head, dash forward and circle around the guard. Jump on his back, extend my claws and put them in front of his face. ¡°Agh, wh-what?!¡± ¡°Nina¡­ that was a bit forceful¡­ but I guess it works.¡± It¡¯s the quickest way to make him understand! Literally! ¡°See, Mr. guard? They are definitely capable enough to be my guards! They are no frail little girls!¡± Well, technically I am. It¡¯s this Kat clothing that makes me overpowered. ¡°I¡­ get it¡­¡± Good. I can separate from you now. Come back here Kuro¡­ Sorry for throwing you away like that. ¡­ Hmm? What¡¯s with the pale face, sir guard? I wasn¡¯t going to kill you for real, you know? I even waved the claws in front of your face instead of putting them against your neck! Well, whatever. I¡¯m sure he will recover from this. Or rather¡­ It¡¯s good experience for him, right?! After this incident, he will realize just how weak he was all this time and then go on a journey of self-improvement! And one day, he will become a legendary hero! Yeah! That¡¯s right! And it¡¯s all thanks to me! ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± Uh, yeah. Right. Enough fantasizing. We made our way through the school yard and into the dorm building. There weren¡¯t many students or teachers walking around. It seems like classes are in session. Huh¡­ Does that mean Mable is skipping? Or does she simply not have classes today? Hmm¡­ As we approached the dorms, another obstacle appeared. An old woman with wrinkles all over her face, clad in dark blue robes and holding a wooden staff. ¡°Well well well, what do we have here?¡± She doesn¡¯t seem very pleasant. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the prodigious monkey.¡± Whoa, a teacher is insulting a student?! Pretty sure that would have gotten her fired in my previous world! Or wait¡­ Is she even a teacher? ¡°So? What do you think you are doing, smuggling outsiders into the dorms, hmm?¡± ¡°They are my guards, no need to worry.¡± ¡°Guards¡­ you say?¡± Oi, what is this sense of deja vu? Didn¡¯t we JUST go through this exact scenario?! ¡°Yep, guards. Now let us through. We¡¯re in a hurry.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ sure, sure. Go on through, then.¡± ¡­ Well¡­ That was easy. I thought I would have to do my back-climbing stunt again. Maybe she isn¡¯t as bad of a person as she looks. ¡­ is what I thought at first. But I ate my own words as soon as we passed her. I noticed Ignis turning around to where that old woman is, panic visible on her face. Naturally, I turned around too. ¡°Cold blast!¡± Only to have my face struck by a snowball. It knocked Kuro off of me. ¡­ ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°MEOW!¡± ¡°Hah, what shabby guards you have! If they get done in by just this much, what are they even worth?¡± ¡°Nina! Are you okay?!¡± ¡­ No need to panic, Ignis. ¡°Yep, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°¡­ huh? What the¡­ A-are you a monster?¡± What¡¯s with that sudden change of tone! Aren¡¯t you supposed to be concerned?! ¡°W-what! How are you unharmed?! That spell should have knocked you out!¡± Well, it¡¯s simple really. Although I have forgotten about it, this dress gives me resistance to extreme heat and cold. And it seems like it extends to my entire body, including my face. That ice spell from before? Shoving my head into a bucket full of lukewarm water would feel colder! ¡°Well, let¡¯s go.¡± I totally ignore the baffled old woman, pick back up Kuro and walk ahead. The two redheads follow after me. I think I heard someone say ¡®wait!¡¯ in an old woman voice, but eh¡­ We¡¯re in a hurry here! Cana and that guy might appear at any time! We need to figure out plan as soon as possible! As we ignored the yells behind us, we reached Mable¡¯s room. She pulled out a key and opened the door. The inside wasn¡¯t particularly spacious. Most of the space was taken up by two beds and several closets. ¡­ Wait, two beds? I guess that¡¯s for her roommate, huh? Err¡­ Is this really a good place to discuss our plans? What if your roommate comes back? ¡°Well, if you guys don¡¯t find an inn after this, feel free to sleep in Deliah¡¯s bed. She doesn¡¯t have classes today and rarely sleeps here even if she does.¡± Oh, what? Your roommate is Deliah? I thought she doesn¡¯t live in the dorms¡­ Well, I guess you did say she doesn¡¯t sleep here often¡­ But then, why even have a designated room in the dorms? Argh, whatever¡­ ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get started. First, tell me some details about who we are up against.¡± CH 42 – The cat finally ranks up We told Mable everything about our situation. And¡­ What¡¯s up with this? She came up with a countermeasure for everything. All kinds of curses from that guy¡­ All of Cana¡¯s minions¡­ And even three different methods to fight someone who turns into fog! I should be happy that we gained such a powerful and intelligent ally¡­ But¡­ Just¡­ Just who WAS she in her previous life?! An army commander? A mafia boss? A professional interrogator? She won¡¯t tell me when I ask! ¡®Let the past be the past¡¯. That¡¯s all she says. Ugh¡­ Fine¡­ Let¡¯s just stop thinking about it¡­ She¡¯s my ally now, and that¡¯s all that matters. ¡°So? Anything else?¡± ¡°I¡­ think that¡¯s everything. Wow¡­¡± Even Ignis is amazed. Well, of course she would be. No matter what kind of weird curse she came up with, Mable had an idea on how to deal with it. Seriously¡­ Should I call her admiral ape now? Or the gorilla commander? ¡°Well, then that¡¯s that. Now we just need to wait for them to come to us.¡± But I guess even she can¡¯t predict where their new base would be. Though, she did say she had a hunch¡­ ¡°Yeah¡­ so, what now? Are we finally gonna go and turn in that quest?¡± Right¡­ We should do that, shouldn¡¯t we? It¡¯s been delayed long enough. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯m going with you, since you are my ¡®guards¡¯ and all.¡± Oh right¡­ That was our setting to get in here. So if we were to leave all by ourselves¡­ That wouldn¡¯t really work, would it? ¡°Alright! Off to the guild!¡± And so, we left. We met that old woman on our way, but she didn¡¯t really approach us. She just stared at me with a frown. What is it? Are my cat ears bothering you? Well, don¡¯t worry. They are fake. This time, there are students running around. I guess the classes finished and now they are on a break. But with students running around, that means¡­ ¡°Oi there gorilla! Where¡¯s your princess?¡± Ah, bullies. The biggest human failures, who think kicking others down makes them better. Truly, the worst parasites of human society. ¡°What¡¯s this? You brought along some real cuties!¡± Hmm? Wait, I recognize them. This guy¡­ He¡¯s the one I met when I was on my guarding mission. I think his name was Greg¡­? Well, whatever. Didn¡¯t I scare him off with cat soul last time? Why is he picking a fight again? I thought he would learn from that. ¡°Get lost, Greg!¡± ¡°Oh, man! Are those cat ears under that cat?! I¡¯ve never seen a beast girl! She would make a nice pet!¡± ¡­ If I remember correctly, I still owe you eight punches into the face, don¡¯t I? Well, let¡¯s just add three more for what you just said. ¡°The hell are you! Get away from us, creep!¡± Yeah, you tell him, Ignis! And you Kuro, hiss more! ¡­ Not that it¡¯s gonna have any effect, though. ¡°Look at YOU, dressing up as a mage! Come on! Show me some magic tricks!¡± ¡­ Did he just give Ignis a permission to burn him? Wrong move, boy. She¡¯s already firing up. ¡°If it¡¯s magic tricks you wanna see¡­! Gah?!¡± Ah¡­ The hug machine pacified her again. Too bad¡­ ¡°Calm down¡­ don¡¯t murder them.¡± ¡­ I guess Mable is right. We should calm down. I mean¡­ Even if they are complete human failures worth less than a dead cockroach¡­ This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Murder is just not goo- ¡°Nina, you murder them instead!¡± Oi. Weren¡¯t you supposed to be the voice of reason?! ¡°Burning them is too messy! It¡¯s easier to dispose of the bodies if they are killed by poison!¡± ¡­ Well, you aren¡¯t wrong, but what the heck?! Seriously?! I really don¡¯t like the dark expression you have on your face right now! ¡°What¡¯re you mumbling about?¡± ¡­ Nothing. Let us proceed. Cat soul. Activate. That¡¯s right. I remember now. Last time we met, I was in a disguise. That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t recognize me. ¡°W-wha-¡± But now, you do. So, do you still want to make me into your pet? ¡°Y-you¡­?¡± Well, I said this last time as well, but¡­ ¡°Scram.¡± And just like mice chased by a cat, they desperately ran away. That¡¯s what I like to see. ¡°Aw, you didn¡¯t kill them¡­¡± Shut up, you! If you want them dead so badly, then do it yourself! I mean¡­ They are noble kids! If I do anything to them, I¡¯m gonna be a wanted criminal! It¡¯s not worth it! Hmm¡­? Ignis? What¡¯s wrong? I¡¯m glad you aren¡¯t scared like these bully-shaped chickens from earlier, but¡­ Why do you look so concerned? Hey, don¡¯t avoid my gaze! Tell me what¡¯s wrong! ¡°Well, let¡¯s just go now¡­¡± Fine¡­ Whatever. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll get over it. We walked outside the school grounds past the gate guard and continued to the guild. Before reaching it though, Mable separated from us, saying she had some stuff to do. And so, we went on without her. Once we arrived at the guild, we made our way straight to the same receptionist, who we accepted the quest at. ¡°Oh? You two? Didn¡¯t you accept a quest few days ago?¡± ¡°Yeah, about that.¡± ¡°What? Don¡¯t tell me you failed!¡± ¡°What? No! We finished it!¡± ¡°¡­ huh? Wait¡­ Do I have the right people?¡± The woman held her head and browsed through her papers. ¡°Ignis and Nina, right?¡± Oh, she remembers our names. ¡°Yeah¡­?¡± ¡°Sorry¡­ I think I made some kind of mistake¡­¡± Huh? ¡°What? What mistake?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I mistakenly gave you a quest to subjugate a blue ogre near Rennie village¡­. so, ummm, what was the quest you actually did?¡± What are you talking about? ¡°What? But that¡¯s the quest we did!¡± ¡°¡­ look here, there¡¯s no way you got there, defeated that ogre and came back this quickly.¡± Oooh, so that¡¯s what this is about. Well, I get what she means. If we were to go by carriage, it would take at least a few more days. But that doesn¡¯t apply to Nina express! ¡°Well, we have the proof!¡± Ignis reaches into her item bag and pulls out some paper. It¡¯s the confirmation of completed request from the Rennie village¡¯s chief. The receptionist takes it and reads through it. Huh? I didn¡¯t even know we got that. I thought the ¡®proof¡¯ was meant to be the ogre. ¡°¡­ indeed, it doesn¡¯t seem to be fake.¡± That¡¯s right. Now stop trying to find grammar errors in that text and give us our reward. ¡°So, what did you do with the ogre?¡± ¡°We have it with us!(You do have it, right?)¡± What¡¯s with that uncertain whisper? Of course I do! ¡­ Well not me. This cat on my head does. ¡°You have the ogre¡­? Oh, I see. You have item bags.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hmmm, then could you take it out now?¡± I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. There isn¡¯t enough space for the whole ogre. ¡°Well? What are you waiting for?¡± ¡°We have the whole ogre¡­ you know?¡± ¡°¡­ then let us move to the dismantling room.¡± Yep, let¡¯s do that. We move to a big warehouse-like room through a door in the guild and she points us at a big empty table in the corner. I poke Kuro to synchronize with me and pretend to pull out the ogre from my bag while he brings it out with his skill. ¡°¡­ are you kidding me?¡± What? Did you doubt we had it? ¡°Marty! Gasan!¡± She yells at two guys sitting in the opposite corner and they come over. She then tells them to start dismantling the giant mass of blue flesh before turning to me. ¡°Well, I heard you needed to complete a C rank quest to be promoted to C rank. So, congratulations! You¡¯ve been promoted to C rank!¡± Yay. Finally. I feel like it¡¯s long overdue¡­ ¡­ Huh? I¡¯m being arrogant? No no, there¡¯s a difference between arrogance and confidence! ¡°Congrats, partner! Now that we are both C rank, we can be rivals for real!¡± Partner or rival? Which one do you want me to be? Is it even possible to be both? I don¡¯t get you. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this? What happened to it?¡± A voice came from one of the men dismantling the ogre. He was pointing at the black spots on the ogre¡¯s skin. It¡¯s left shoulder, back and head. Oh¡­ Those are the spots I shot when I was in panther soul mode¡­ It left a mark. ¡°¡­ secret.¡± But I won¡¯t tell them that! I can¡¯t just blurt out a detailed description of my abilities to everyone! How does the saying go? A smart cat keeps her claws hidden! ¡­ Or was it a hawk? Eh, whatever¡­ ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Yep. Not telling anything. Hmm? What¡¯s up Ignis? You look nervous looking at those black¡­ spots¡­ Oh¡­ Bad memories, huh? Don¡¯t worry¡­ I won¡¯t use panther soul again¡­ Well, unless I¡¯m in a pinch, that is. We then walked back to the guild and I finally got an official rank up. A shiny new C rank adventurer¡¯s card! Let the adventures begin! ¡­ After we deal with sir cursealot, of course. CH 43 – The cat does miscellaneous activities After my rank up, the boring days began. Despite what I thought, Cana and the curse boy took their time going after us. And since we were anticipating their attack, we couldn¡¯t really go and do quests outside of the city. It would be like inviting them to ambush us. And while, yes, my enhanced senses can detect people setting up an ambush, this is a little different. I mean¡­ Since the last girl can turn into fog, there¡¯s no way for me to detect her. I could easily mistake natural fog for her, so I wouldn¡¯t recognize her. It would be real easy for her to sneak up on us. Materializing her arm while it¡¯s in my throat? No, thanks. I¡¯ll stay in the city. ¡­ Huh? She can do that even if I¡¯m in the city? W-well, that¡¯s true, but¡­! Surely, with so many people around she won¡¯t dare, right?! Moreover, we have three different ways to deal with her! And Mable¡¯s presence is vital for two of those! Since Mable won¡¯t follow us outside the city on all quests we want to do, we¡¯ll just stay in the city, thanks. And this is the problem. If we can¡¯t go do a quest outside the city, then what do we do? Quests inside the city? Yeah, no¡­ I¡¯m not very keen on that. I think I¡¯ll leave the toilet cleaning and rat extermination to the professionals. What¡¯s that? Cats are professional rat exterminators? Well, that has nothing to do with me, because I¡¯m not a cat! Hmm¡­ What now? To be honest, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any point in being tense about this. They¡¯ll strike at some point and I¡¯ll do my best then. But for now, I¡¯m not going to stress about it. Yes, just think of it as school exams. Getting nervous would be counterproductive. So¡­ Let¡¯s do other things! There¡¯s actually so much I wanted to do, but never got the chance. This is the perfect time for it. Well, before that, we gotta find an inn. While a secret underground cat base is cool, I don¡¯t really want to sleep there every day. And sleeping in Mable¡¯s room at the dorms also doesn¡¯t feel right. Getting our own place is better. And so we did. It¡¯s much easier to find an opened inn when it¡¯s daytime. Who would have thought? We got ourselves a nice room with a two single beds. What? We could have gotten a room with one double bed? Well¡­ We could have¡­ But, you know¡­ This is much safer. I don¡¯t want Ignis sleepkissing me and roasting me from inside. Yep, definitely want to avoid that. Well, now that we found ourselves an inn, it¡¯s time to go down my check list. First order of business. Find a church. What? No, I¡¯m not a believer! ¡­ Wait, actually¡­ Isn¡¯t it impossible to be an atheist after meeting god in person? Eh, whatever! Let¡¯s just find his church. There¡¯s gotta be one in this city, right? Well, that¡¯s what I thought. And I mean, I DID find some churches. But none of them were dedicated to Kat. In fact, it seems like nobody even knows a god called ¡®Kat¡¯. Huh¡­ How strange¡­ Did he give me a fake name? This isn¡¯t some online social site! No¡­ that can¡¯t be it. My equipment is literally named after him! There¡¯s no way that¡¯s a fake name! But then, what gives? Why does nobody know about him? Instead of Kat, every priest talked about a god called ¡®Nix¡¯. Who¡¯s that? Kat¡¯s nickname? I doubt it. I tried to somehow call out to Kat in the church, but nothing happened. Blessing of the Kat Allows the user to wear equipment blessed by the Kat. The user is also sometimes able to communicate with the Kat at designated locations. Lastly, all feline creatures will become friendly. Well¡­ Either I misinterpreted what the designated locations are, or I¡¯ll have to keep searching for a dedicated church. I¡¯m a little disappointed, but oh well¡­ Looks like my first yelling-at-a-god session will have to wait for later¡­ Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. After my visit to the church of Nix, a genius idea sparked in my mind. Back in Buanna, I tried to learn magic. But I couldn¡¯t learn anything because all books about magic were way too expensive. However¡­ Now, I have a master fire mage by my side! With Ignis, I¡¯ll learn proper magic in no time! And I won¡¯t even have to turn into an evil spawn of darkness to do it! Well¡­ That was the idea at least¡­ ¡°And then you release it forward and imagine it go boom!¡± Yeah¡­ That sounds impossible. I can¡¯t release mana from my body. That¡¯s the main problem, you know? Why are you skipping like five steps? ¡°Geez, are you so bad at this!¡± You, shut up! Your explanations are terrible! Moreover, didn¡¯t you say your curse is what awakened your talent for magic?! Don¡¯t compare me to a filthy cheater like you! ¡°Well, maybe you just have no talent for fire magic¡­¡± You say that, but I tried every element already! I thought I might have some aptitude for dark magic, because of panther soul, but no! Nothing comes out! All I can do, is mix the mana concoction inside my body! It¡¯s like shaking up an unopenable bottle of soda! It won¡¯t get out and it just makes me feel dizzy if I overdo it! It¡¯s useless! Argh, I should just stop trying¡­ Magic is just impossible for me¡­ Yeah, I¡¯ll move on¡­ Four girls, one cat. Welcome to our secret meeting Deliah. I sure haven¡¯t seen you in a while. ¡°So¡­ you are the girl he wanted to capture¡­?¡± Ah, right¡­ That¡¯s how it all started, huh? Deliah was that guy¡¯s target, but after I intervened, his focus shifted to me. ¡°I¡­ guess¡­?¡± I think she¡¯s a bit overwhelmed. We just told her all about the entire situation. Including the fact that Ignis used to be on the side that tried to capture her. Well, she¡¯s free from the charm now, but¡­ I have a feeling Deliah still might have some reservations about Ignis. ¡°Then¡­ erm¡­ I¡¯m sorry!¡± Whoa, headbutting the ground?! You didn¡¯t apologize nearly as much to me! And if I remember correctly, you planned to torture me until my mind broke! ¡°I-it¡¯s fine¡­ you were being controlled, right?¡± Ooh¡­ What a kind and forgiving soul you are¡­ ¡°You¡­ forgive me? T-thank you!¡± Tch, you didn¡¯t beg for MY forgiveness¡­ ¡­ What? No, I¡¯m not jealous! ¡°Yeah, umm¡­ by the way.¡± After Ignis sat back on the bed, Deliah spoke up again. ¡°Do you see that curse in your status screen?¡± ¡­ ¡°My what¡­?¡± Ah, right¡­ The status screen is sort of a secret, isn¡¯t it? Deliah didn¡¯t even know it existed before I told her. And I made her promise she wouldn¡¯t tell anyone about it. ¡­ It¡¯s fine. No need to look at me in panic as if you messed up. I only wanted you to keep it secret because I felt it would cause trouble back then. But I think it¡¯s fine now. ¡°Well then Ignis, looks like we will have thoroughly discipline you on how to not reveal a secret.¡± No, we don¡¯t need to go that far, Mable! Also, you already knew about status screen? I guess it comes naturally to those who played games in their previous lives¡­ ¡°Wh- get away!¡± Oi, what are you doing? Where did the serious atmosphere go? Stop touching her all over for no reason! Argh, I knew you were a pervert, but come on now! We were in the middle of something important here! ¡°Gyah!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± They fell on top of each other. Face on face. Brilliant. Close your eyes Deliah, this isn¡¯t appropriate for kids. ¡°A-are you okay?!¡± Hmm? I know you fell on top of her, but there¡¯s no need to panic that much, Ignis. Something like that won¡¯t cause injuries¡­ ¡°Augh¡­¡± Huh? Why is- Wait a second! Don¡¯t tell me¡­ You two kissed just now?! This is bad! The curse is gonna- ¡­ Huh? What is this¡­? ¡°Umm¡­¡± ¡°Auugmm¡­¡± Once Ignis got off of Mable, I got to see her face. She was completely red and her eyes swam around. She also kept babbling unintelligible words. ¡°¡­ Mable?¡± What¡¯s happening to you? Why- ¡­ Her crotch is wet. Deliah, cover your eyes. Right now. ¡°Ahem¡­ now that was¡­ an experience¡­¡± You aren¡¯t getting your dignity back. It¡¯s lost forever no matter what you do. Also¡­ I thought you are immune to curses. Didn¡¯t you have a skill for that? Or maybe you are merely immune to being cursed? And when something or someone else is cursed, you aren¡¯t immune to their side effects? Hmm¡­ I guess that¡¯s it. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­ My curse weakened that much¡­¡± Weakened, you say¡­ This¡­ is the extremely weakened version of your curse, you say¡­ You know¡­ I find it disturbing that even the watered down version puts someone in such a state! I mean¡­ Is this the joke? Whenever you kiss someone they will feel hot inside?! Is that what it was actually meant to do?! That guy is a total sicko! Was it just something for lewd purposes?! And then he screwed up and increased the effect by a million percent?! I¡¯m SO done! When I meet him, I won¡¯t even ask any questions! A straight full-powered punch into his face will be my greeting! ¡°A-anyway¡­ about this ¡®status screen¡¯¡­¡± Right. We were talking about that, weren¡¯t we? ¡°What is it supposed to be? Why is it such a serious secret?¡± It¡¯s not a serious secret. Mable just tried to joke around. And paid for it. ¡°Well, in short it¡¯s¡­¡± CH 44 – The cat and the veteran gorilla "Curse of the succubus... one point three percent..." Yep, if you know what the status screen contains, you can view it. So that''s how it works... ... Now... What the heck did you just say...? Curse of the succubus?! So it really WAS meant for lewd purposes?! Where is that guy?! I have an urge to turn his face into a scratch toy! "One point three percent...? As in, only one point three percent of its true power...? Are you kidding me?" And that''s the other concerning thing. It seems like someone cranked up the power level of that curse way too high. And by someone, I mean the guy who I have an urge to cut, of course. "But why is it diminishing? What did you do, Nina?" Don''t ask me! I have no idea! But... I don''t think I can continue denying I''m involved. After all, the curse started weakening when we first met. First, it removed the charm, which seemed to have been a last minute addition to the whole thing. And following that, the burn kiss effect weakened as we traveled together. I mean... If Mable were to experience what that ogre did... I don''t think it would end with just... erm... whatever ''that'' was. "If I were to guess, I would say it''s probably part of the blessing. Think about it! What kind of apostle of god would succumb to mere mortal curses? The blessing must be negating them!" Apostle of god? Where did that title come from? You think me and Kat are the best buddies or something? Sorry, but that''s not the case! In fact, I intend to chew him out when I finally get the chance to speak to him! Seriously... Leaving a maiden in an outfit like this in the middle of some forest?! ... Well, he did kind of save me from being sent to hell, didn''t he? Normally, I wouldn''t get to live a new life after dying. ... Now I feel like my anger is unwarranted. I''m like a child throwing a tantrum. "Nina...?" Ah sorry. I got lost in thought. What were we talking about? Oh yes, the curse. "Well, anyway. If you really negate curses, then we have a fourth way to deal with Spectre, don''t we?" Oh, Mable has a point. If I can delete her ability to turn into fog, it''s gonna be much easier to catch her. ... But then again, it took me this long to erase Ignis'' curse and it''s not even completely gone yet. Hmm... "By the way..." What is it Deliah? "Why don''t you... err, tell about this to the officials?" ... Good question. Why ARE we keeping everything secret? That guy is a threat to everybody, isn''t he? "Hmm... wouldn''t that be risking revealing a lot of our secrets?" Huh? What are you talking about? "What secrets?" To the inquiring Ignis, Mable smiled mischievously once again. "Oh, you want to know even more secrets now...? You are so naughty..." "G-get away from me!" ... There''s something wrong with this scene... Why is Ignis backing away form Mable now? Wasn''t Mable the one paying the price last time? I don''t get it... "Haha well... now for real, I don''t want the world knowing my true abilities. So if you plan on informing the guild or the city officials, I think I''m gonna sit this one out..." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Eh?! You''re gonna abandon us?! You can''t do that! I already paid you in advance! "W-why...?" Even Deliah can''t believe Mable''s words. "Look here kids... Standing out is bound to attract attention of some big shots." Well, that... is undeniably true. But it''s not necessarily bad, right? "So what? More fame is never bad!" Mable showed a bitter smile in reaction to Ignis'' retort. "Haha... sure. You think that now... but as time goes on, more and more attention will be focused on you... a lot of people will begin to have high expectations from you while others will try to trip you up at every step..." ... Huh... I have never seen you with such a distant look... "And then... the never-ending game of trying to keep up with the pressure will begin... it will become the meaning of your life... even if you decide to quit, you won''t be allowed to..." ... Silence filled the room. Everyone looking at Mable in wonder. "... well, anyway! I want to live my life freely and experience as much as I can! That''s why, I don''t want to stand out!" ... Who were you...? In your previous life...? After Mable''s heavy monologue, our meeting disbanded. Nobody felt like talking after that. Well, I don''t know... I feel like she was exaggerating a bit. But who knows? I have never been famous. Maybe she has a point. After leaving the school grounds, we separated once again. Kuro walked off somewhere and Deliah went to her mansion along with her butler, leaving Ignis in the dorms. Meanwhile, me and Ignis headed back to the inn we were staying at. And despite her usually energetic mood, Ignis didn''t speak single word on our way there. Once inside, I lied down on my bed and pulled out a couple coins from my bag with my tail. I''ve gotten pretty good at controlling this thing. Now, I can even hold several coins without dropping them! ... Ah... I dropped one. Well, I still need more practice. "Say..." Oh, the silent monk spoke! "Do you think I should stop correcting people when they mention I''m supposed to be tall and stuff...?" Huh? What are you talking about? You want to let the false rumors about you spread? Why? This isn''t how placebo works, you know? Your chest won''t grow just because a lot of people believe it should be large. "B-because... if people don''t recognize me, it might be better..." ... Oh, I see... It''s about what Mable said, isn''t it? Don''t worry about it. Just keep being yourself. "It''s fine... Mable was just exaggerating..." "You think so...?" Yep, totally. She talked all about a never-ending game of trying to keep up... But isn''t keeping your real self a secret even worse? You''d have to constantly hold back! That''s even less freedom! "... you... I think you''re right! Screw that scary gorilla!" Your mood switches quickly as always... "What could she possibly know about all of that, anyway?! She''s the same age as me!" Well, not really... She probably has years of experience from her previous life. "Gah! I was so stupid for even considering words of that musclebrain!" I think you are going a bit overboard here... No need to triumphantly stand up and hold your fist high like that. Especially when... Knock knock. ... we have guests. The door opens and in peeks Mable''s face. Ignis freezes up in her position and sweat appears on her pale face. Mable sends Ignis a sweet smile, which... probably wasn''t as sweet as it appeared to me. Seeing it, Ignis trembles. Still in her triumphant pose. "Hello there, it''s time for another meeting." Why hello there... It hasn''t even been an hour since our last meeting... But I guess it makes sense considering who you brought along... The door slides wide open and reveals the other person. Grey hair and black robe with its hood pulled down. A cute girl, holding her hands together while avoiding gaze with everyone in the room. Mable is holding her shoulder with an arm, making sure she can''t run off. Her scent is very familiar to me. As well as her face... Or at least, half of her face. "Y-you are... Cana?!" The other half of her face used to have fur all over it, making her look hideous. But now, it''s gone. CH C2 – Why are you helping me? Heavy breathing. Vision blurring. Stomach rumbling. But I can¡¯t afford to stop running. It¡¯s been at least one whole day since I escaped him. I thought Spectre would chase me down, but nothing happened yet. In reality, I should have been more concerned about the wildlife. No matter how cute, bears are still dangerous. If I wasn¡¯t as good at climbing trees, it would have already been over for me. ¡°Guh¡­¡± But I know he will come back for me one day. I¡¯m sure of it. I know him more than anyone else. He¡¯s coming for me. I need to hide. ¡­ But how? How can I hide from Spectre, someone who can enter closed rooms like it was nothing? There¡¯s only one solution I can think of¡­ ¡°Are you okay, miss?!¡± I¡¯m lying on the ground in front of the city gates, exhausted. The guards stationed here just saved me from a herd of goblins, who were chasing after me. How come they are so nice to someone like me? Even after everything I did¡­ ¡°Come on, can you stand?¡± But this is wrong¡­ Why are they helping me? ¡°A-arrest me¡­¡± A weak voice leaves my mouth. A plea to put me in a place that should be safe from them. And what¡¯s more¡­ It¡¯s where I belong for what I¡¯ve done. ¡°Huh? What are you talking about? Come here, tell us what happened.¡± But they ignored me¡­ And brought me to their post instead. Why? Just arrest me! I¡¯m a criminal! I couldn¡¯t gather enough energy to say it out loud. Or to resist being carried inside the guard post. But even after the guard put me down on a chair and sat down nearby. ¡°Don¡¯t worry miss, you are safe now.¡± You don¡¯t understand¡­ I won¡¯t be safe as long as he¡¯s still alive¡­ ¡°Arrest me¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? What did you say?¡± ¡°PLEASE ARREST ME!¡± I finally gathered enough energy to shout it out loud. But¡­ a second later, while staring at the shocked guard, my eyes began tearing up. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m¡­ a criminal, s-so please arrest me¡­¡± Why does my stomach cramp up when I say it? I¡¯m such a coward¡­ I can¡¯t even accept the punishment I deserve without fearing it. ¡°Calm down miss¡­ I don¡¯t know what you did, but I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t serious enough to lock you up for it.¡± Of course it was! I helped that maniac! I kidnapped Ignis for him! I injured those slave traders when we picked up Spectre! How is that not serious enough?! ¡°Alright, look here.¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The went to a cupboard and grabbed a white plate before putting it in front of me. ¡°Just touch it and channel your magic into it. If you really are a criminal, then we¡¯ll know.¡± I see¡­ It¡¯s one of those¡­ With that, there should be no mistake then. I touch the plate and channel my magic just as he said. The plate lights up and some red text appears on it. ¡°¡­ what¡­ is this¡­?¡± He probably really believed I¡¯m making fun of him. But with this, he can no longer say I¡¯m innocent. ¡°Kidnapping¡­ stealing¡­ even wounding innocent people¡­?¡± Yes¡­ All of it is true. Now¡­ arrest me¡­ The guard looked at me with a serious expression. I couldn¡¯t help but avoid his gaze and hold my arm. I¡¯m going into prison now. I¡¯m scared¡­ This country doesn¡¯t have slavery, so I won¡¯t become a criminal slave¡­ But what if my crimes were severe enough and I¡¯m executed? I don¡¯t want to die¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s better than being his slave¡­ But I still don¡¯t want to die¡­ Suddenly, the door flies open and someone comes inside. ¡°Heyo, Bert! Hmm¡­?¡± A girl with red hair, wearing a school uniform. I have seen her before¡­ It¡¯s that one¡­ The girl who defeated Fenrir with just a random stone. Our eyes locked. I remembered when I last met this person. Those eyes could kill with a mere look. I¡¯m¡­ going to be killed now. I froze up. Even my breathing stopped. My demise was imminent. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t just barge in here! I¡¯m in the middle of something, you know!¡± ¡°¡­ oh! There you are!¡± The girl smiled sweetly and walked over to me. It felt like death coming to reap my soul. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere! ¡­ sorry, what did you say, Bert?¡± She turned around to the guard and adressed him. ¡°¡­ you know this girl?¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s my friend! Wait¡­ why are you here? Don¡¯t tell me you did something bad!¡± And then she turned back to me and pinched my cheek, pulling me out of my daze. ¡°Well¡­ yeah, look at this.¡± The guard showed her the plate with my criminal record. ¡°What?! What¡¯s with this broken thing?!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean, this is just exaggerating! Since when is inviting a friend over called ¡®kidnapping¡¯?!¡± ¡°Huh¡­ is that what it really means? But I was sure¡­¡± ¡°What? You really thought a timid girl like her would be able to kidnap someone?!¡± She pointed at me and the guard¡¯s eyes followed her finger. I instinctivelly averted my gaze. ¡°Well¡­ not really, but the plate¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t this happen in the past already? Like when those two kids took candies from each other and it registered as theft?¡± ¡°¡­ you¡¯re right. But what about the ¡®wounding innocent people¡¯ part?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ you know, calling a pillow fight ¡®wounding innocent people¡¯ is just stupid. You might as well call tearing a map ¡®destroying the world¡¯!¡± ¡°¡­ I see. But then, why did your friend insist on being imprisoned herself?¡± ¡°Whaaa? Why did you do that! You are really too harsh on yourself for such details!¡± I couldn¡¯t keep up with what was happening and only let out some incoherent noises as my response. ¡°Come on now! Cheer up!¡± She put her hand on my head and rubbed it. ¡°Well? Can we go then? Or do you insist on imprisoning an innocent girl due to your broken plate?¡± ¡°Fine, fine. I get it.¡± The guard then turns to me. ¡°Sorry about scaring you, miss. And be careful the next time you go out, alright? These goblins are more dangerous than they appear.¡± ¡°Huh?! You went outside without me? How dare you!¡± She said such things in a playful tone while dragging me off of my chair. My feet still felt tired, but I was forced to follow her. Together, we went outside of the guard post and went inside the city. And then¡­ She put her arm around my shoulder and whispered into my ear. ¡°Your curse is gone, I take it?¡± That style of speech reminded me of Spectre and my body shuddered. I gave a weak nod to answer her. ¡°Good¡­ so the charm is gone as well, right?¡± I nodded again. ¡°Very good¡­ let¡¯s meet up with the others now.¡± Even if I wanted to say no, I couldn¡¯t. With her arm around my shoulder, we slowly walked through the streets. CH 45 – The cat is surprised There¡¯s a small animal in the room, and it isn¡¯t Kuro. Well, it¡¯s actually a human girl. But she behaves exactly like a scared small animal. It¡¯s not very surprising, though. We were enemies not too long ago. ¡°So, he removed your curse himself¡­? Is he an idiot?¡± I agree with Ignis. He¡¯s an idiot. Anyone disagrees? No? Then I guess it must be true. Mhm, democracy is good. ¡°H-he said¡­ he would give me a stronger curse¡­¡± And you were about to happily accept it? What a horrible thing that charm is. I bet you would even jump off of a cliff for him in that state¡­ Thank you for the anti-charm headband, Kat. ¡°But isn¡¯t that curse what allowed you to summon Cerberus and the others?¡± Instead of answering, Cana dropped down her head and stayed silent. I could see her clenched fists. I guess that means yes¡­ As far as I can tell, her summons were her friends. Although she¡¯s free from the curse, she lost something like her family in the process¡­ ¡­ No¡­ They aren¡¯t really gone forever, right? She just can¡¯t summon them anymore. But it¡¯s not like they are dead. Right¡­? ¡°Well, cheer up¡­ you are finally free, aren¡¯t you?¡± There goes Mable, rubbing her head and encouraging her. But I think it has the opposite effect. I mean¡­ Aren¡¯t you the one she scared of the most?! Look! She jolts every time your hand touches her hair! ¡°By the way¡­ how did you two find each other?¡± ¡°Oh I just happened to run into her in a guard post by the eastern gate.¡± What? How do you just ¡®run into¡¯ someone who is inside a guard post? I¡¯m pretty sure it isn¡¯t some hangout spot. That would be like meeting up with a friend inside a police station. ¡°My dad is a friend with one of the guards there, so I often stop by to say hi.¡± Huh¡­ Right. You have parents. Where are they, even? I have never seen them¡­ I¡¯m sure somebody mentioned you were a merchant¡¯s daughter¡­? Are your parents traveling merchants? ¡°This girl tried to get herself arrested¡­ can you believe that?¡± ¡­ Well, she healed me even though we were enemies, so I figured she was kind and caring. But I guess she¡¯s also quite conscientious and feels guilty for what she did under that charm¡¯s effect. It¡¯s fine to be a little selfish, you know¡­? ¡°What?! Why?!¡± Ah, Ignis. A girl who felt no remorse at all for trying to kidnap and torture me. Cana¡¯s complete opposite. ¡°B-because¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ you were being controlled. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± I don¡¯t know why you are still trying, Mable. You think she will think of you as a dependable older sister if you pamper her now? She has seen your death glare back in the hospital, remember? ¡°But you sure are lucky to have escaped¡­ did Spectre not chase after you?¡± Right¡­ How did you literally outrun air? And without your summons at that! ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ she probably stayed behind¡­¡± ¡°Huh? How come?¡± ¡°I-I¡­ I punched Matoto and then ran¡­¡± ¡­ A timid girl like her actually resorted to violence? Well¡­ It¡¯s not that surprising. I would punch him too. Heck, I would punch him more than just once! ¡°You punched him?! Hahahaha! That¡¯s great! It¡¯s perfect! Ahahaha!¡± Ignis, I don¡¯t intend to reprimand you for laughing at that, since it¡¯s about punching ¡®that guy¡¯¡­ But holding your belly and tearing up is overdoing it, don¡¯t you think? ¡°Ahem¡­ Well anyway¡­ this changes up our plans a bit.¡± Mable gathers our attention and starts speaking again. ¡°First of all¡­¡± ¡­ Thirty-one sheep¡­ Thirty-two sheep¡­ W- What?! No, I¡¯m not sleeping! It¡¯s just that¡­ Mable really likes the minute details! I mean¡­ With Cana¡¯s summons out of the picture, this is going to be easy! Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Do we really need to overprepare this much?! ¡­ Huh? I¡¯m getting too cocky? No, I¡¯m not! It¡¯s called confidence! ¡°Now for the last thing¡­ I don¡¯t think she would pass as my guard like you two, so she can¡¯t sleep in the dorms with me.¡± Oh right. She has nowhere to stay, does she? ¡°It¡¯s fine! She can sleep with me here! We used to sleep together anyway!¡± ¡­ You always slept together? That¡¯s really¡­ ¡­ No! Stop! Go away dirty thoughts! ¡°Alright then. That works.¡± Mable nodded to herself. ¡°Well, it¡¯s getting a bit late, so let¡¯s dissolve this meeting.¡± Huh? When did the night fall? I didn¡¯t even notice. Is it because I dozed off¡­? N-no! As I said, I wasn¡¯t sleeping! ¡°I¡¯ll be going then. Good night!¡± Good night, Mable. Don¡¯t scare too many monsters in your dreams. Mable opened the door and left after smiling at us. Once the door closed I heard a sigh. Cana¡¯s entire being relaxed and she slumped down. Right after that, Ignis sat next to her and hugged her. ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ the big brute is gone now¡­¡± ¡­ Well, that¡¯s one way to console her. I can¡¯t even refute the ¡®big brute¡¯ part. Mable is the tallest one of us and she definitely qualifies as a brute. ¡°Ignis¡­ I-Ignis¡­¡± ¡­ She started crying. Did everything finally catch up to her once she relaxed? ¡°T-thwey¡­ are all gone¡­ sniff¡­¡± They¡­? ¡­ You mean the summons? ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay¡­¡± Cana clings to Ignis while she gently rubbed her head. Huh¡­ They must have been genuine friends¡­ I thought they were just forcced to work together by the charm¡­ But that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case. This is quite heartwarming¡­ ¡­ Why are you looking at me like that, Ignis? Are you telling me to leave? Am I in the way now?! F-fine! I¡¯m gonna let you two have your moment! Goodbye and have fun! I sneaked outside of the room and closed the door behind me. I then walked to the inn¡¯s main hall and looked around the empty place. Umm¡­ But it¡¯s night. What am I supposed to do? I guess I¡¯ll just wander around the city. ¡­ Kidnapper baiting? I shouldn¡¯t be as well known in this city, right? Hmm¡­ Yeah, I haven¡¯t done this in a while. And it¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything better to do. Let¡¯s go then. I exit the inn and start my night tour of the city. Only some bars and inns are open at this time of the day. And even those are relatively quiet. It¡¯s kind of creepy, actually¡­ The fog doesn¡¯t help either. ¡­ Wait, fog?! Could that be¡­?! I tense up and look around myself. It seems like all of the streets are enveloped in this fog. There are no signs of anyone nearby. ¡­ I feel like I should return¡­ This could very well be this ¡®Spectre¡¯ girl¡­ ¡­ But, at the same time¡­ I can¡¯t sense anyone else around. If this fog is Spectre, then she¡¯s alone. Which means, she¡¯s here to just observe¡­ And if that¡¯s the case¡­ I can just¡­ let her. Since she¡¯s near me, her curse should gradually weaken. I just have to keep my guard up in case she tries to attack. ¡­ I kept walking in silence, perking up my ears and nose for any tiny change. But nothing happened. The fog doesn¡¯t seem to be moving. She¡¯s either very good at pretending to be a regular fog or I¡¯m just overthinking everything¡­ Down a dark side street. The perfect place for any attackers to show up. One step, two steps¡­ I expect an ambush from above. Three steps, four steps¡­ Or I can be surrounded, just like back in Buanna. Five steps¡­ Maybe she will materialize with knife already on my neck. ¡­ I¡¯m on the other side of the small street. Nothing happened. Well, that was anti-climactic. I mean, I¡¯m glad I wasn¡¯t attacked but¡­ I want this farce to be over already! Being holed up in this city sucks! I want to go out and do some quests! Hmm¡­? Oh, looks like someone¡¯s gonna come after all. Not the Spectre girl or kidnappers though. ¡°Meow.¡± Hello Kuro. Where have you been all day? Something quite surprising happened when you were away. ¡°Hey¡­ Cana¡¯s curse is gone¡­ She came to us earlier today.¡± ¡°Meow, meow. Meow!¡± Huh? Why are you not surprised at all? ¡°Mreow!¡± You want me to follow you again? Umm, sure¡­ What do you want to show me? Did you perhaps already defeat and capture Spectre and that guy? Haha, yeah right¡­ But really, what is it? I follow Kuro into another side street and see the scene of him knocking and meowing a secret password into a barrel. The second time doesn¡¯t quite have the same shock value, but it¡¯s still astounding to see. We crawl down the tunnel and into the secret cat hideout. This time, there is no cat orchestra ready to burst my eardrums. Kuro leads me deeper into the base and we arrive at¡­ The prison part of the cat base. Come on! Why here?! I don¡¯t like this place! These caged people have glares almost as bad as Mable! Kuro ignores me and walks to a special-looking cage. Unlike the others, this one is shaped like a dome and has some wires running along its bars. The cat gets close to it and waves his paw, creating fog inside the cage. Huh? Are you trying to create some ambient effect? ¡°Meow!¡± As if activated by his voice, the wires running along the cage¡¯s bars light up. ¡°GYAYAAAAAAH!¡± And the fog lets out a loud scream. A second later a shape of a person appears from within the fog. A figure with long pale white hair falls down. ¡­ Umm¡­ Is that¡­ Who I think it is? ¡°W-what is¡­?!¡± The figure stands up in a hurry. Looking closer, it¡¯s actually a really tiny girl, probably around eight years old. And she¡¯s stark naked. ¡°Y-you?! E-erhm¡­ yooouuuuu¡­!¡± ¡­ What was that¡­? Are you trying to sound like a ghost? ¡°Eh¡­ w-why can¡¯t I¡­?!¡± She¡¯s gripping the cage¡¯s bars, panic visible on her pale face. ¡°Meow!¡± ¡­ Yes. I get it, Kuro. You captured someone who is supposedly even more dangerous than the final boss. Good job. CH 46 – The cat hears a scream In this world, there are many unanswered questions. Such as, what happened before the big bang? Or, what is the meaning of life? Or... "Let me go! Let me goooo!" ... how in the world did this happen? "Meow!" What? You know the answer to that question? Well, that hardly matters, because you can''t tell me! To me, it might as well be the same level of mystery as the meaning of life! "Meow...?" Well, never mind... ... You know, I thought your storage ability can only store inanimate objects. Does a girl transformed into a fog also count as inanimate? Or can you actually store people...? That''s scary. Aren''t you the most terrifying kidnapper in the world? Even I wouldn''t be able to do anything against that. "GAAAH! MAASTEEEEER! MASTERRRRR!!!" And this girl is loud. Jeez. To make someone this obsessed... That charm is really evil. "Meow...?" Nothing. I''m just shocked. That''s all... ... Actually, what are these wires and stuff? How did you prevent her from turning into a fog again? Is this some skill-jamming technology? Or rather, curse-disabling? That''s incredible, isn''t it? "MAAAST-" "Shut up!" That''s right. Be startled by my cat soul. Stop your whimpering. It''s really annoying. "You... are you Spectre?" "Ugh... W-why do you care!" I guess that''s yes. Ah, man... How long will it take to remove her curse? What do I even do to remove it? Do I touch her? Or can I just be near her? I still don''t know what exactly weakened Ignis'' curse. "Kuro... can I bring the others here?" "... meow." ... Well, a nod is a nod. No matter how unwilling you seem. I bet you worry about revealing your secret base to too many people, huh? Well, besides me, Ignis already knows about it. And I mean... Even if she were to tell someone that the cats are controlling this city''s underground, who would believe her? She would look like one of those tin foil hat-wearing fanatics. "Okay... let''s bring them." Oh, but... It''s the middle of the night, isn''t it? I doubt I can just enter the school grounds to fetch Mable. And I feel like I should let Cana rest a bit. She seemed really worn out. "But it''s a little late now... let''s bring them tomorrow." "Meow." For now. Let''s go to the inn and sleep. "W-wait! Let me out of here! You can''t do this to me!" What are you talking about? We''re enemies. Do you expect us to give you a room in a five star hotel? Think again! A brat like you needs to learn some modesty! Look! That small boy with empty eyes, who''s holding his knees! He sure got used to this place! ... Okay, I went a little overboard. Now I feel like a jerk. Let''s just go. While ignoring the shrikes of a literal spectre, we walked out of the base. Kuro closed the secret door and jumped on top of my head. Though the fog was annoying, I didn''t worry about it since it couldn''t have been a hidden assassin anymore. What a relief. As I finally entered the inn and walked over to our rented room, I heard soft breaths on the other side of the door. Not wanting to wake them up, I silently opened the door and slipped inside. On one bed, I saw Ignis and Cana sleeping while embracing each other. How nice. ... No! This time, I won''t let dirty thoughts take over me! They are just two friends who are glad to see each other again without any charm or curse. That''s right. As a former adult, I need to lead by example and act like an adult! Now... Let''s crawl into their bed and make this a threeso- No! My bed is over there! Argh! ... What is it Kuro? Do I look like my brother now? He was a serious skirt chaser. I probably got infected. Yes, it''s all his fault. Well anyway. Good night. I take off my dress and slippers before crawling into my bed and closing my eyes. ... Awoken by a distant scream. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. I open my eyes and rise up. Looking around the room, I see Kuro and the two girls still asleep. The darkness outside the window tells me it''s still night. What is this? Who dares interrupt my sleep? Well, if I didn''t have my headband, I might not have even heard it, but still. What happened? Listening closer, I made out more than just one voice. And they vary in volume, which means they aren''t even near each other. What is this about? Why are there people screaming in the middle of the night? Is the city being sieged like with the werewolf? I hope not... I got up and walked over to the window. Putting my ear on the glass should give me a better idea of what''s going on outside. "Gaaaah! Where is that cat?! I''ll sever its head and present it to master!" "S-someone help me!" "Haha, you look like the perfect specimen! Let me take a closer look!" "Hey, are you alright?!" "What''s going on?!" "Oh it must be nice being a human, huh? Let''s change that!" "T-this guy appeared out of nowhere!" "Sufffeeeer...! For maaasteeer!" A mixture of everything. I couldn''t tell what was going on outside. But it seemed like a mayhem. And... That last voice. I recognize it. It belongs to the girl who was supposed to be locked up in Kuro''s base. "Kuro! Ignis! Cana! Wake up!" I woke everyone up in a hurry. Kuro woke up right away and Cana followed after rubbing her eyes. It took a slap to wake up the heavy sleeper that was Ignis. "Whoat?! Why did you s-" "Something is happening!" I quickly put on my dress and slippers and opened the door. The others noticed my serious attitude and followed me. Once we got to the inn''s main hall, someone was waiting for us there. "Oh, there you are. Master was right about waiting for you here." A tall woman sat in one of the chairs. She looked at us through her long wavy purple hair, which covered her right eye. Her left foot resting on top of her right knee, her hand holding her chin and the black dress gave her the impression of elegance. ... I didn''t notice her at all. How is that possible? She has... no odor...? "The heck are you! And what do you mean by master?" Ignis was the first one to speak up. As always. "Oh, aren''t you two the ones who betrayed master?" "Mast- wait, you mean that guy?!" "Such a cruel woman you are... betraying master and then not even-" "Meow!" Kuro interrupted her. "W-what! That cat?!" And she got really startled. She even stood up from her seat. Her haughty demeanor nowhere to be seen. ... Now that I think about it... I saw her in one of those cages in the cat base. How did she escape? I thought Kuro''s prison was impossible to escape from! Did ''that guy'' help her escape and put his curse charm on her while he was at it? ... Also, where did she get that dress?! It''s nothing like that rag she had! "Tch! I guess I''ll have my revenge right away then!" She waved her hand and Kuro jumped in front of us to intercept whatever was going to come. ... But nothing did. She merely held her hand forward and looked at Kuro with angry eyes. ... "Is that how it''s gonna be? Then let''s see just how much you can hold!" I got confused, as did the other two girls. But seeing as Kuro wasn''t even responding, I figured she must have done something. Well, I don''t intend to just idly wait here! She''s obviously the bad guy here, so let''s knock her out for now. I circled around the room and tried to approach her from the left. But before I could have reached her, I ran into something and bounced back. "Gha! Wh-?!" A giant shield blocked my way. Kuro''s shield. "Meow!" "Ohoh, are you sure you have time to protect your little friend?!" Protect? I see... So her attacks are invisible. And I shouldn''t get close to her. Got it. I''ll back out. I jump back to the other girls as the shield disappears again. The staring contest between the mysterious woman and a cat continues. But it''s quickly broken by a third party. "Sun strike!" "Gyaaah!" Ignis shoots out a spell toward the woman and she barely dodges it. "Y-you brat! How dare you interrupt my revenge?!" "Shut up! This is really stupid! What are you even doing?!" I''m with Ignis on this one. What kind of battle is this? "Meow! Mreow?" Kuro turns around and looks at Ignis. "Huh? What is it? ... you want me to...?" "Meow!" Kuro points to his tiny cat nose. "O-oh! I see! But I..." "Meow!" And then spits out a weird masquerade mask at Ignis. It''s orange and has cat ears-like patterns on top of it. "Is this... enchanted?" "Meow!" "... alright then, I''ll take care of her!" ... Okay, what are you two even going on about?! And what''s with that mask? "Go on! I''ll deal with this stupidly oversized pair of meat sacks attached to a woman!" Whoa, what a way to call someone. Why does everyone care about boob size so much? Also... Is this clich¨¦ really happening? When party members split off one by one to fight an enemy? Hmm... Actually... I''m the protagonist, right...? That means I''ll get to punch the final boss... In other words ''that guy''... Well, I approve! Let''s go! Good luck, Ignis! "Meow meow!" "You think I''m letting you get away?!" "Sun strike!" A good way to say ''yes, you are'', Ignis. I like it. "Gnh! This brat!!!" Ah, all of her previous elegance is gone. Well, I guess she IS a villain, isn''t she? This kind of attitude is better for a villain. But anyway... From what I gather, that mask is supposed to protect her from whatever the invisible attacks are, right? Well, sure... I just hope you are strong enough Ignis! Show us you aren''t only good at cowering in fear from Mable and my Panther soul! We left the building with Ignis covering us. But as soon as we did, another person showed up. "Ahh, here you are you little piece of shit! Time for revenge!" A guy completely covered in beard and messy hair staring daggers at Kuro with crazed eyes. This one was also imprisoned in the cat base. Well... Let the gauntlet begin...? CH 47 – The cat treats an asylum patient Hello there, dear asylum patient. Are you getting enough sleep? Those bloodshot eyes of yours are telling me you don¡¯t. Also, you should brush your hair once in a while. You won¡¯t attract many ladies with such disheveled hair. ¡°FACE THE WRATH OF A MIGHTY HERO!¡± ¡­ There are too many things wrong with that sentence. Please tone down your fantasies, dear asylum patient. Even though he stood several meters away from us, the asylum patient raised his arm as if trying to smack the air. But contrary to what I expected, flames suddenly sparked up in his hand and a flash of light followed. His hand now held a long sword, with its tip still burning. ¡°DIE!¡± And then he swung at the air. Obviously, that wouldn¡¯t reach us though¡­ Clank. ¡­is what I thought. But to our left, there¡¯s Kuro¡¯s shield. It blocked the asylum patient¡¯s sword. His sword extended mid-swing¡­? ¡°Hah! You think you are funny?! Using my own creations against me?!¡± Oh, so that¡¯s how it is¡­ You have some kind of magic or a skill to create weapons and armor. And Kuro snatched this shield off of you¡­ Heh¡­ Kuro¡¯s storage skill seems more and more unfair as time goes on¡­ ¡°Take this!¡± The asylum patient dropped the ridiculously long sword and pulled back his arms again. More flames sparked between his hands and a spear with a flaming tip came into existence. Clank. The shield relocated to be in front of us just in time to block the extended spear. ¡°What¡¯s wrong you little shit?! Is blocking all you can do?! Why don¡¯t you steal my weapons again huh?!¡± What an intense hatred¡­ Well, I guess now I know where Kuro got all of these weapons and the shield. Although there¡¯s still the question of¡­ Who the heck is this guy? Another reincarnator? I really wouldn¡¯t be surprised, to be honest. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you protect both of your lackeys against this!¡± Huh¡­? Wait, did he just call me and Cana Kuro¡¯s lackeys? The man spread his arms apart and flames appeared in each one of his hands. This time, it¡¯s a pair of chakram-like weapons. He threw them simultaneously at us and they flew in an arc, approaching us from both sides. Kuro blocked the left one with his shield. And the right one¡­ Well¡­ You should have said you wanted to play catch, dear asylum patient! Yoink! There we go. Didn¡¯t even prick my fingers on these spikes. Mhmm! I¡¯m not exactly a pro at flying disc games, but with my speed, grabbing this out of the air really isn¡¯t a problem! ¡°Wh-! Grrrrgh! I¡¯m not done yet!¡± He just won¡¯t cool down his head, will he? Well, here you go Kuro. Put that chakram in your storage. Aaand¡­ Good luck with this guy! ¡­ What do I mean? Well, you know¡­ According to the clich¨¦ pattern, you¡¯ll now separate from us to battle it out with this maniac. Next, there will be Spectre and then finally, ¡®that guy¡¯! The numbers match up perfect- Huh¡­? Wait, no¡­ This is wrong¡­ If Kuro fights this guy one on one, that would leave only me and Cana. And if I am to fight ¡®that guy¡¯ myself, that means Cana has to take on Spectre! Impossible! There is no way Cana could defeat Spectre one on one! Especially not after she lost her summons! ¡­ D-does that mean Cana is actually the secret protagonist of this whole thing and she¡¯s the one who will get to punch that guy?! No way! I want to do the punching! Clank. Clank. Clank. Okay, okay. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. I should stop thinking about silly things. This is starting to get dangerous. ¡­ Wait, can¡¯t I just knock him out? Right¡­ Unlike that woman from before, he doesn¡¯t have anything preventing me from getting close, does he? Yep, let¡¯s knock him out. A repeat of what I tried last time. Dash out of Kuro¡¯s protection. Circle around and approach him from the left. Aaand, punch his side. ¡°Gaah!¡± After a distinct crunching sound, he got knocked down. He held the spot where I punched him and groaned in pain. I probably broke some of his bones. ¡­ Huh¡­ Did I do it? How surprisingly simple. I expected for him to block it with a small shield at least¡­ But I guess he can¡¯t make them instantaneously. Well, works for me! ¡°Got him!¡± Thumbs up over to the girl and cat. ¡°Meow!¡± That¡¯s right! Praise me! I knocked out a mid-boss with one punch! Hmm? What is it Cana? Why do you look terrified? It¡¯s just cat soul I turned on. It shouldn¡¯t be that bad! ¡°MEOW!¡± Kuro¡¯s loud voice knocked me out of my thoughts. I reflexively jumped out of the way. Looking back, I saw the asylum patient holding a knife stabbed through the place I stood at. What?! You can still move?! No fair! That was supposed to be one hit KO! ¡°Grh! You damn bitch!¡± How can we cool this one¡¯s head? Should I just kick him till he faints? That would just make me seem like a bully¡­ But¡­ I can sense a lot of people approaching this place. We should finish this up as soon as possible. Hmm¡­ Some of those people are the prisoners from the cat base¡­ Ah, there¡¯s Mable and Deliah among them too. I¡¯m glad they are together. It means Deliah is safe. Nothing can get through that gorilla bodyguard. ¡°I¡¯LL RIP YOUR LIMBS OFF!¡± Okay, this guy is really getting annoying. I don¡¯t even feel like calling him an asylum patient anymore. He¡¯s just an obsessed madman. What should I- Suddenly, I heard a loud bang behind me. Everyone instantly turned around only to be welcomed by a flash of light. The right side of the inn was on fire. It took me a good second to realize what this meant. ¡°I-IGNIS!¡± Cana screamed out the name of our teammate, who we left inside. I watched as the inn turned into wreckage and several screams resounded from it. The shock stopped me in my tracks for a good few seconds. But an angry yell from behind woke me up. ¡°GOT YO-ARGH!¡± I jumped away and looked at the madman. His extended hand dropped the sword he was holding as he slumped down again. There was a hole in his forearm. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t let your guard down, you know?¡± I heard a reprimanding voice coming from one of the side streets. My eyes turned to the source of that voice. And there she stood. Carrying a handful of small stones and looking at me. A gorilla in the costume of a girl with red hair. ¡­ I looked back at the man spasming on the ground. Blood poured out of the pebble-sized hole on his forearm. I looked at Mable again and cold sweat formed on my face. This¡­ This is not okay! That skill of yours is way too scary! It¡¯s like you have a sniper rifle on you at all times! One that can fire big rocks instead of tiny bullets! No wonder you defeated Fenrir! Why w- Wait! The inn! Ignis! We need to save- ¡°Argh, what the hell¡­¡± Huh¡­ It¡¯s Ignis. She¡¯s covered in soot¡­ But other than that, she looks completely fine. ¡°I-Ignis!¡± And there¡¯s Cana hugging her friend. She doesn¡¯t even care about the soot. ¡°W-what happened there?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! She started mumbling something explosive gas and it took too long, so I just shot her! But then she exploded!¡± Huh¡­ Explosive gas? I see¡­ So her ability had something to do with gases? That¡¯s why her attacks were invisible. And now that I think about it, that¡¯s probably also why she had no odor. ¡­ Also, what happened to that woman? Did you literally blow her up¡­? That¡¯s¡­ really morbid¡­ ¡°Er, what about the inn? Is everyone inside alright?¡± Right¡­ Did that explosion injure anyone? ¡°¡­ let¡¯s check.¡± How irresponsible, Ignis! Did you just blow up the place and then walked away without the tiniest care in the world?! This isn¡¯t like in one of those superhero movies, where you can destroy everything as long as you defeat the villain! There are consequences! Well¡­ I¡¯m surprised. The worst injury was a stubbed toe. Among the civilians, that is. The purple-haired woman though¡­ ¡­ Let¡¯s be positive. She¡¯s alive. But only thanks to one of the people staying at the inn, who had some experience with treating third degree burns. She will probably stay unconscious for a bit, so we don¡¯t need to worry about her suddenly attacking us for now. ¡°Now then¡­ What¡¯s going on? Why are there people with weird skills all over the city? Is it related to the curse guy?¡± Good question Mable. But I think the answer will have to wait. There are three more people outside the inn. All of which are former prisoners of the cat base. CH 48 – The cat lacks asertiveness ¡°There¡¯s three more people outside.¡± Just these words were enough to make everyone stop in their tracks. Even the inn guests are worried about what I just said. ¡°You mean three more of these dangerous criminals?!¡± Yes, Mrs. inn guest, dangerous criminals, or mid-bosses for short. ¡­ This is pretty bad, isn¡¯t it? If they have something to prevent me from getting close like that scent woman, this will be a problem. But, on the other hand¡­ If they don¡¯t, this will be really simple. Hmm¡­ Well, we have a gorilla with a sniper rifle now, so it should be fine. And actually¡­ Why even wait for them to make their first move again? I¡¯m the quickest creature in a one kilometer radius! I can simply knock them out before they can activate their abilities! Yep, sounds good! Let¡¯s go with this! ¡°Cover me.¡± I turn on cat soul and nod at Mable and Ignis. After seeing Ignis nod back, I put my hand on the door handle, swing it open and jump outside. But what I see is different from my expectations. There aren¡¯t three mid-bosses armed and ready to fight me. Only one small boy stands there dragging some rags in both of his hands. He has white hair and expressionless red eyes. However, I don¡¯t let myself get distracted this time and charge right at him, burying my fist in his gut. ¡­ Or so I intended. But my fist got stopped by the boy¡¯s palm. ¡­ What¡­ W-whaaat?! T-this has never happened before! How can someone react to my super amplified speed?! Aren¡¯t I supposed to be the fastest? A-and I¡¯m supposed to be pretty strong as well! How could he stop it with just one hand?! ¡°That hurt¡­ you are too quick¡­¡± !!! I¡¯m in a bad spot now! He¡¯s gonna counter attack! I quickly tried pull back my hand and jump away from him. And my expectations were betrayed once again. The boy easily let go of my hand without attempting to hold me back. ¡­ He isn¡¯t even making a stance or any counter moves at all. He¡¯s simply staring at me. Is that it? Does he think I¡¯m not even worth getting ready for? Am I going to get instantly knocked out now?! ¡°Well, calm down¡­ we¡¯re not enemies.¡± ¡­ Say what? Was I mistaken? ¡­ No¡­ I¡¯m sure I have seen him in the prison¡­ ¡°Boss¡­ sorry, I messed up a bit.¡± The boy suddenly starts apologizing. But not to me¡­ ¡°Meow.¡± ¡­ Kuro? Why is a boy, you held in a prison cell, calling you ¡®boss¡¯? And why is he apologizing? What¡¯s going on¡­? ¡°Some guy broke into the base and freed all the prisoners¡­ and charmed them.¡± Some guy¡­ In other words, ¡®that guy¡¯. But¡­ Why are you acting as if you aren¡¯t one of the prisoners? Were you some sort of secret double agent all along? That¡¯s ridiculous¡­ ¡°It took me a bit before I dealt with the charm he put on me¡­ but by that time, all the prisoners have scattered around the city.¡± The boy then pulled forward the rags¡­ no¡­ the people, he has been dragging with him. One of them is a golden-haired girl. The other one is a cat-eared¡­ guy with half white and half black hair. Both of them are out cold. ¡°I caught two and¡­ oh, you got two as well¡­ that means only the blue cat, the blond guy and the new girl are left¡­ and that curse guy.¡± A blue cat¡­? ¡­ Wait, how did he know we caught two? He can see the madman lying over there, but the woman is still inside¡­ ¡°Ah right introductions¡­ I¡¯m Veras¡­ and I¡¯m¡­ like you two¡­ as well as boss.¡± The boy points at me and at Mable in the back. He then nods at Kuro. ¡­ You are¡­ Like us? So¡­ A reincarnator? ¡°Yep, that.¡± Is that so¡­ ¡­ Huh? Wait. I didn¡¯t say it out loud. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Did he just- ¡°No, I don¡¯t do mind reading¡­ your expression is just too easy to understand.¡± Erk¡­ S-shut up! That¡¯s basically mind reading! ¡­ Don¡¯t nod to his words, Ignis! ¡°Well anyway¡­ what did you mean you are like them?¡± Ah, right¡­ Ignis still doesn¡¯t know about this whole reincarnation business. Should we tell her? Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t see why not. Seeing as ¡®that guy¡¯ is most likely a reincarnator as well, she should know. ¡­ I don¡¯t think this is a good time for lengthy explanations though. ¡°Oh, you want to know more of our secrets¡­? What a naughty girl¡­¡± ¡°S-stop that!¡± ¡­ Are you two a comedian duo? I thought we are in a serious situation right now! Ah, whatever¡­ We can tell Ignis after this is done with. ¡°¡­ anyway, the curse guy is probably still in the base, I¡¯ll leave him to you¡­ I¡¯m gonna go searching for the other prisoners¡­ ah, can you take these with you¡­?¡± The boy, Veras, pulls the two people and drops them in front of us. ¡­ Umm, are they still alive? If yes, are they going to jump scare me while I carry them? I hope not. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­ they should be out for a few more hours¡­¡± Yes. Thanks for the confirmation, Mr. mind reader. Now, can you stop doing that? ¡°Meow! Meow¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­? It¡¯s fine¡­ I needed some exercise anyway¡­ and it¡¯s night, so the timing is perfect.¡± I have no idea what kind of understanding those two came to¡­ But I guess we are going into the cat base to catch ¡®that guy¡¯ now. ¡­ Why do I feel like my actions are always decided by someone else? Maybe I should learn this ¡®assertiveness¡¯ thing. Well, whatever¡­ We would have gone to the cat base anyway. ¡°Well, we¡¯re going back to Deliah¡¯s mansion. Good luck to you!¡± Oi Mable! Why do you keep running off?! You are our greatest firepower! Don¡¯t do this to me! ¡°I¡­ I think we should go with them!¡± Oh! You tell him Deliah! Don¡¯t let that wild gorilla escape! ¡°¡­ it¡¯s gonna be dangerous, you know?¡± Hey¡­ are you her mom? I thought you aren¡¯t going because you want to keep your abilities secret and stuff. But is it actually because you want Deliah to be safe? ¡°I know. But separating from everyone is even more dangerous!¡± Good point. ¡°Well¡­¡± Oh, you aren¡¯t going to say no to these eyes, are you now? ¡°Fine.¡± There we go¡­ Wow. She defeated the gorilla. I should sign up for some assertiveness lessons from her. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go!¡± Yeah! ¡­ Umm, I just realized¡­ The inn guests were listening to our conversation. I see some of them cheering while others are simply staring in confusion. One is even holding a sword and glaring at Veras. And there¡¯s also a few coming towards us. ¡°Hey, you kids¡­ you know who¡¯s behind this whole mess?¡± Well yeah. Pretty much. Nod to confirm. ¡°Then¡­ you think you are strong enough to handle it?¡± Well, I don¡¯t know. But probably, yeah. ¡°Of course we are! I¡¯m the great Ignis! Nothing can defeat me!¡± Indeed. Nothing can defeat you. ¡­ Except for a gorilla¡­ Being carried over my shoulder¡­ Sleep-inducing dust¡­ Err, you have too many weaknesses. ¡°I-Ignis? You are?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡­ Ah, here it comes again. The moment where they bring up the unrealistic image of Ignis. And then she¡¯s gonna shout at them because they were wrong. ¡°I see¡­ so that¡¯s you. Then, you must be Nina.¡± Huh¡­? Unexpected situation. Not only did he not bring up the false image of Ignis¡­ Why does he recognize me as well? ¡­ I guess I¡¯m the only girl with fake cat ears walking around, huh? Nod to confirm. ¡°Hmm, I see! In that case, we have nothing to worry about! Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll guard that injured girl and this guy inside the inn! We¡¯ll leave the bad guys to you!¡± Erm, sure. Never mind that you, an adult, is sending a bunch of kids to save the city while staying behind himself. It¡¯s like a plot for some clich¨¦ fantasy adventure story. ¡­ Or maybe he just knows we are much stronger than him. After all, we have Mable, Kuro, Ignis and myself. Cana and Deliah probably won¡¯t contribute much, but I¡¯m confident we can protect them. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get going then!¡± And with that, we set off. The inn guests went back inside and I took the two unconscious people from Veras. Hmm¡­ This black and white-haired guy has cat ears. I have to make sure to stay way from him when he wakes up. Really don¡¯t want a repeat of what happened with a certain maid¡­ Hmm, but what if he- Smack. ¡°Gyaaah!¡± Huh¡­? Umm¡­ What? Mable just smacked the air¡­ And the air screamed. ¡°Oh, it works! Haha, this is great¡­¡± What work- Oh! The fog! I totally forgot Spectre could be hiding in it! Smack smack smack. ¡°Gah! Guh! W-gyah!¡± H-hey¡­ Umm¡­ ¡°Argh! Gaaah!¡± Aren¡¯t you going a little overboard? Smack. With that last one, a naked girl fell out of the fog. Her butt colored bright red. ¡°Wh-a h-how?!¡± ¡°Oh? The naughty girl still talks back? Looks like more punishment is needed!¡± ¡°No! Wai-gyaaah!¡± ¡­ Didn¡¯t Ignis say this girl is even more dangerous than ¡®that guy¡¯? This is the second time she got easily captured. ¡°Kaaaah! Guuuhaaa!¡± Someone should stop them already¡­ CH 49 – The cat is sealed If this was a game, what exactly would ¡®turn yourself into fog¡¯ mean? Well¡­ Since nothing can really damage you in that state, I guess it would be ¡®increased defence¡¯? Hmm, I really don¡¯t know about that logic¡­ But that¡¯s what it seems to be. I mean¡­ Seriously?! Mable¡¯s cheat defence-piercing skill just got even more ridiculous! Who would have thought she can use it to punch Spectre out of her fog form?! ¡°There there¡­ the scary gorilla won¡¯t hurt you anymore¡­¡± I question your actions Ignis. Even if she is your former teammate, she¡¯s an enemy now, you know? ¡°G-gooo awaaaay traaitooor¡­¡± And you, your words of denial have no credibility if you cling to Ignis like that. That forced ghost roleplay doesn¡¯t help either¡­ ¡°Hey¡­ are you sure we can just let her walk with us like this?¡± Of course we can. With me here, she isn¡¯t running away in this form. And with Kuro, she can¡¯t escape as fog either. Together, we are the perfect jailers for her. ¡°Leave her alone already!¡± Oh man. She¡¯s talking back at the gorilla. How brave. ¡­ Why does Cana seem uncomfortable now? She keeps glancing at Spectre with a concerned expression. Weren¡¯t those two allies as well? Hmm¡­ Maybe a mischievous ghost isn¡¯t very compatible with silent and righteous wolf summoner. Well, you don¡¯t need to worry, Cana. We¡¯re headed to the prison right now, anyway. We can just shove her in there until her curse is gone. I don¡¯t know how exactly this curse dispelling of mine works, but we can figure it out. ¡­ Argh, here we go again. I can sense another ex-prisoner. What is it gonna be this time? A complete pushover? Someone I can¡¯t approach? Or another double agent? ¡­ Well, at least it seems like most civilians hid themselves already, so I don¡¯t need to worry about random people getting caught up in this. ¡°Another one. Over there.¡± I stop everyone and point in our foe¡¯s direction. As the others prepare their stance, I turn on cat soul and wait. A few moments later¡­ Someone appears on the rooftops. ¡°Oooh¡­ my¡­¡± A blue cat. No¡­ A cat girl with light blue hair and fur. She¡¯s squatting with her hands touching the ground and her tail is slowly waving behind her. Her eyes are looking right at me and¡­ she¡¯s licking her lips. ¡­ Well, this isn¡¯t good, is it? She has cat ears. That means trouble. ¡°I like you! I¡¯m going to keep you forever!¡± Yeeeep, this sounds like trouble, indeed! I should knock her out before she advances her plan of ¡®keeping me forever¡¯! After putting down the two people I was carrying, I jump. I form a fist and prepare to punch her side just like I did to the madman. And right after landing I bury my fist into her side. ¡°Ow!¡± But it barely does anything. What?! I didn¡¯t want to break her spine so I held back! Was that a mistake?! ¡°Oh, you came to me yourself! But you¡¯re being a little forceful¡­¡± Argh, not this again! I should get awa- ¡­ ?! What?! I can¡¯t move! My legs are stuck! ¡­ My arms too! Even my eyes and my mouth?! What¡¯s happening?! The catgirl moved her mouth as if to speak while looking at me. But no sound reached me. In fact, I can¡¯t hear anything at all anymore. No wind blowing. No voices talking. Nothing. What did she do?! Is this an invisible skin-tight barrier?! ¡­ W-wait¡­ Isn¡¯t this really bad? I can¡¯t breathe like this! Am I not going to suffocate?! As I despair over my situation, I see the catgirl sidestep as a fireball flies in between us. Since I can¡¯t hear anything, it feels like watching a movie with sounds turned off. Gh¡­ This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Okay, I¡¯m not going to suffocate. Something is gently pushing air through my lungs. I can feel my belly expanding and retracting. But I can¡¯t move it myself. But¡­ Argh! What is this torture?! Not being in control of anything sucks! I envy Mable now! If I had her skill, I would have easily broken out of this¡­ Whatever it is! Just when I think this, I see a pebble hit the cat girl¡¯s right shoulder. The stone bounces off and she staggers while grabbing the shoulder with her other hand. She seems to shout something in anger at whoever threw it before leaping from the rooftop. Wait¡­ Who threw that? That couldn¡¯t have been Mable, right¡­? If it was, then that shoulder would have exploded. But it merely bounced off like a normal pebble. ¡­ Hold on a minute. Something doesn¡¯t seem right. Not only that pebble¡­ She also tanked my punch without much of a problem. Is she using her weird barrier skill to protect herself as well? ¡­ No no no. Pebbles thrown by a gorilla would have pierced that without a problem! Just what is her secret?! Suddenly, I feel vibrations and a see flash. The roof under me collapses and I fall down. Gah! ¡­ Wait. That didn¡¯t hurt at all. The heck? I¡¯m on the ground, lying on my side. Since I still can¡¯t move my eyes, I can only see forward into one of the side streets. But there¡¯s one strange thing about all of this¡­ I¡¯m not directly touching the ground. It¡¯s as if I was covered in something. Something invisible¡­ Or¡­ Wait a minute. Now that I focus on it, there are some lines in the corner of my vision. They make everything seem a little distorted. As if I was seeing the world from¡­ Inside a crystal?! ¡­ Hello Deliah. You look quite panicked, looking at me. And, yeah¡­ I¡¯m in quite the pickle. Sealed inside a crystal and all¡­ But¡­ Isn¡¯t there an enemy nearby? Or rather, she¡¯s right behind you! ¡­ Well¡­ I¡¯m guessing someone on the outside tried to warn you as well. But you should have jumped away instead of turning around. Now we¡¯re both stuck inside crystals. ¡­ Well, at least now I know how I look like in here. It¡¯s pretty and shiny¡­ I wish I could make something like that too. Argh¡­ Why am I so calm, anyway? I¡¯m sealed inside a crystal. Unable to move a muscle. But still conscious. And here I am, admiring the very crystal I¡¯m in! Isn¡¯t this even worse than death?! Or rather¡­ I have nine lives, so dying is definitely better than this! Argh! If only I could move my eyes and see what was happening! Did everyone get sealed into a crystal as well? Or are they still fighting? I don¡¯t know! I have no idea! I¡¯m looking into the wrong direction! Deliah though, she¡¯s looking out into the open. She¡¯s seeing everything that¡¯s happening. I wish someone turned my around! ¡­ What¡¯s with me? Was I always this whiny? The answer is yes. Shut up me. No, you shut up. ARRGH! Am I going crazy already? Well, that was quick. Maybe I should keep myself busy with something. How about¡­ Ah yes, the status screen. Let¡¯s take a look. Why not? Name: Nina Level: 15 Strength: 0/32 Endurance: ¡Þ/33 Speed: 0/45 Magic: 26/26 Equipment: Kat underwear (sealed) Kat dress (sealed) Kat ear headband (sealed) Kat gloves (sealed) Kat slippers (sealed) Enchanted handbag (sealed) Skills: Cat soul+ (*&#$&@) 9 lives (*&#$&@) Special: Blessing of the Kat ¡­ Huh? ¡­ There are¡­ Too many things I want to comment on. Zero strength and speed¡­ sure I¡¯m in a crystal, I can¡¯t move. But infinite endurance?! Just how powerful is this crystal?! Moreover, what¡¯s with the ¡®sealed¡¯ tag next to all of my equipment pieces?! Is that the reason my punch didn¡¯t do anything? Because the strength bonus was nullified? Argh, dammit¡­ ¡­ Alright¡­ I get all of those things¡­ At the very least, I understand what they mean. But what is the garbled text next to my skills? It looks like one of those translation errors or censors. What does it mean? Maybe she tried to seal my skills as well but failed for some reason? Let¡¯s see¡­ Cat soul activate. Cat soul+ (on) Yep, I can still use it. Perhaps sealing skills granted by god isn¡¯t possible? ¡­ But then, why are my equipment pieces sealed? This doesn¡¯t make sense! Ah, whatever¡­ At least with this, I might be able to get out, right? It will be dangerous for everyone around here, but¡­ ¡­ Panther soul. I don¡¯t know how to activate it. But that doesn¡¯t stop me from trying! CH 50 – The cat is envious Argh! I hate the universe! I want everyone to suffer and die! AAAAAARGH! Pain! Agony! Death! Cat soul+ (on) ¡­ Well¡­ It seems like I can¡¯t activate panther soul by imitating what I¡¯m like when it¡¯s active. But how do I do it then? What did I do last time? I wanted to save Ignis from being crushed by that ogre¡­ Huh¡­? Isn¡¯t that the complete opposite? I mean¡­ Acting to save someone else would turn me into an apathetic bloodthirsty killer? What¡¯s up with that! Well, nevermind¡­ Let¡¯s do it then. I want to save all my friends! I want to beat up that cat girl and put her back into prison! And most importantly¡­! I want to get out of this stupid crystal! Cat soul+ (on) AAARGH! Come on! Activate, panther soul! Why am I the only one who can¡¯t even utilize her skills properly?! Kuro uses his storage like his own limbs! And Mable is¡­! Well, maybe not Mable¡­ I can¡¯t say she has control over her skills when I remember her death hugs. ¡­ But still! At least she got to pick what she got! I got completely random ones! Stupid Kat! Gah! If only I could use magic without panther soul! Look at Ignis! She¡¯s the master of fire magic and she¡¯s still so young! In the meantime, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to light a campfire or create a light breeze! This is not FAIR! ¡­ Ah, did I do it? It¡¯s the same sensation as back then¡­ No, it¡¯s a little different, isn¡¯t it? I¡­ I don¡¯t feel like killing everyone¡­ I just feel a little salty¡­ Very salty, actually. ¡­ Well¡­? Cat soul+ (Tiger soul on) Oh, I see¡­ It¡¯s the other one. How fortunate that this one doesn¡¯t make me want to kill everything¡­ It only makes me want to kill myself. ¡­ One is less than everything¡­ Very fortunate indeed¡­ ¡­ Ugh¡­ This feels terrible. I wanna finish this up quickly. So, how about this? Just like with panther soul, I naturally know how to use this ¡®blaze magic¡¯. And how convenient¡­ It¡¯s perfect for getting out of here. Let¡¯s start then. I start gathering mana all over my body and slowly leak it out. A silent sizzling sound enters my ears. Oh, it works¡­ Good. Let¡¯s go out in a flash then. One, two¡­ ¡­ Argh, my eyes¡­ So much steam everywhere. Thank god I can finally blink at least. My eyes would really hurt if I still couldn¡¯t close them. ¡°Wh-what?!¡± Hmm? Oh, the steam finally cleared up. Look at you, blue catgirl. You look very shocked. Am I the first one to break out of your crystal? ¡°Meow?! Meow!¡± Ah Kuro¡­ Are you the last one standing? I see Deliah, Ignis, Cana¡­ and even Mable all stuck inside crystals. How pitiful¡­ Looks like Spectre booked it. Maybe we should have restrained her as Mable suggested. Oh well. I make a step left and touch the crystal in which Deliah is sealed. And just like the one I was in, it instantly turns into steam and frees her. Though unlike me, she seems to have lost consciousness. Dang. I wish I was her. I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with this crap if I passed out. ¡°Ooooh¡­ you are even more amazing than I thought! I¡¯m keeping you for sure now!¡± Ah this again. Give me some of that positivity, will you? Maybe I can steal some of it if I knock her out. Let¡¯s try that. I jump forward. But I can feel my speed is not what it usually is. It seems that my equipment is still sealed even outside the crystal. How bothersome¡­ ¡°Oh, you¡¯re coming to me again! Our love is mutual!¡± Ah yes, I love you. Now hand over your energy and enthusiasm. My claws extend and I swing my arm. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it She jumps back to avoid it. But everything is going according to the plan. Kuro uses the distraction I made and throws out¡­ A beach ball. It hits her head from behind and she falls over. Right into my loving embrace. ¡°Wh-huh?¡± ¡°Your turn.¡± I stab my index finger¡¯s nail into her neck and watch as her face pales. Hmm, I¡¯m sure you always wanted to find out what it¡¯s like to be sealed in that crystal. Well, this paralysis is a little different, but it still prevents you from moving. ¡­ Ah, but I never properly investigated when the poison kills and when it simply paralizes, did I? Sorry, but you might die. ¡°Ag..hh..egh¡­¡± Hmm, or maybe you won¡¯t. You look pretty paralyzed and not too dead. ¡°Meow¡­!¡± Hmm? Oh, you want me to free everyone else? Sure, I can do that. Or wait¡­ Can I? Name: Nina Level: 15 Strength: 30/32 Endurance: 32/33 Speed: 42/45 Magic: 9/26 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband Kat gloves Kat slippers Enchanted handbag Skills: Cat soul+ (Tiger soul on) 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat Ah, well this isn¡¯t good. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have enough magic to free everyone. ¡°I¡¯m running low on magic¡­ it won¡¯t be enough.¡± ¡°¡­ meow!¡± Hey, where are you going? Don¡¯t just run off, Kuro¡­ Ah dammit. I guess he went to fetch some magic for me¡­ What¡¯s up with that? That makes no sense. Hmm¡­ Maybe he has an item that recharges magic? That¡¯s so convenient¡­ Where did you get it? I want one too. ¡°Ag..hg..h¡­¡± Well, the good news is that the poison isn¡¯t deadly. The bad news is¡­ This catgirl keeps wriggling around and making these noises. And actually, I think she¡¯s enjoying her predicament. Even though she should be in pain, her face is red and she¡¯s grinning. Is she one of those so-called masochists? I¡¯m glad I got out of that crystal. There¡¯s no telling what this pervert would do to me¡­ ¡­ Ah man, she seems to be having so much fun¡­ Not like I want to swap places with her, but still¡­ Even though she¡¯s in such a situation, she¡¯s able to have a great time¡­ I envy that¡­ ¡°Meow!¡± Ah, you¡¯re finally back. Hmm? Is that Veras behind you? ¡°Hey again¡­ you look different¡­ oh, tiger soul, you say¡­?¡± I didn¡¯t say anything, you know? Stop reading my mind. Or rather¡­ Why don¡¯t you give me that ability of yours? I would make a better use of it. ¡°Anyway¡­ what¡¯s the problem here? Hmm¡­? Mana, is it? Sure, I can transfer some to you¡­ I¡¯ll use that cat then.¡± Actually¡­ If I don¡¯t need to talk to communicate, feel free to read my mind all day long. It¡¯s much easier this way. ¡­ What did you mean ¡®use that cat¡¯, by the way? Veras approaches me holding the catgirl and touches her forehead. In a few seconds, her incoherent grumbles disappear and she passes out. What is this? Don¡¯t you have too many skills? Super reflexes, ability to withstand my punch, mind reading and now mana transfer and putting others to sleep? Everyone else has two at most¡­ This is clearly unfair. How about you transfer one or two of these skills along with the mana to me? ¡°Here you go.¡± Extending your hand for a handshake? So you don¡¯t need to touch my forehead or anything? Dang, your skills are really convenient, aren¡¯t they? I wish I had some of them. Instead of these two broken skills that only work sometimes. Oh well¡­ Shake shake. Thanks for your mana. Hmm? Did you really give me some mana? I didn¡¯t feel anything. Let¡¯s look¡­ Magic: 30/26 Oh what? Not only you gave me mana¡­ It¡¯s over the cap? How the hell is that even possible? This is clearly cheating. I want your skills even more now. Argh¡­ Let¡¯s start freeing everyone, I guess¡­ ¡­ ¡°I¡¯m free¡­ That was horrible!¡± ¡°Y-yeah¡­ no wonder Deliah and Ignis fainted.¡± ¡°By the way¡­ what are you¡­ doing, Nina?¡± Hmm? Me? Don¡¯t mind me. I just want to dig a hole and jump inside. That¡¯s all. ¡­ Seriously! I thought panther soul was bad news! But what¡¯s up with tiger soul?! That negative mindset¡­ That constant jealousy! It makes me wanna barf now! I mean¡­ Sure, powerful abilities usually have drawbacks¡­ But¡­ Depression¡­? What kind of drawback is that?! I¡¯m never going to use it ever again! Not even in desperate situations! ¡°Well, I guess now we have to wait for them to wake up¡­¡± ¡°No need for that.¡± Veras walks over to the unconscious girls and touches their foreheads. In an instant, they open their eyes and jump. ¡°Gyah?! Wha-?!¡± ¡°What is¡­?!¡± He can even wake people up? That¡¯s really too convenient¡­ ¡­ No, stop! I¡¯m not jealous of it! I just think it¡¯s cool! Arrrgh! ¡°H-hey¡­ are you really alright, Nina?¡± I¡¯m¡­ absolutely fine. I just need to walk it off. CH 51 – The cat skips ahead ¡°Halt!¡± Why hello there, Mr. guard and his friends. Why are you pointing your spear at us? Do you perhaps think we are the criminals? ¡°What is it? We are in a hurry!¡± Yeah, you tell them Ignis. I want to wrap this up and go back to sleep already. ¡°Y-you are all under arrest! If you resist, we will use force!¡± Yep, he thinks we¡¯re the criminals. What a pain¡­ Ugh, what should I do now? As I thought of how to best handle this, Deliah, of all people, stepped forward. ¡°Stop! I am Deliah Heinzel, daughter of the Heinzel family.¡± Oh, I almost forgot you were a noble girl. How nice¡­ We can make use of that now. ¡°Wh- Heinzel family, you say?!¡± ¡°These people aren¡¯t the criminals. In fact, they are actively working to catch the real culprits.¡± Deliah turns at me and points at the unconscious trio I¡¯m carrying. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± C¡¯mon, why do you keep doubting her? Can¡¯t you just get out of the way already? ¡°¡­ but where are your guards, young lady? Don¡¯t tell me those kids¡­¡± ¡°You dare doubt our abilities?! I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯m the great fire mage, Ignis!¡± Ah there she goes again. This is going to be such a headache¡­ ¡°Ignis¡­? You mean, the Iza dungeon conqueror¡­? Isn¡¯t she supposed to be tall and have large rack?¡± ¡°Kch! Those are all false rumo-!¡± ¡°Yeah, you could be her younger sister or a daughter at best¡­¡± ¡°What?! How dare-¡± ¡°Ah, maybe she just looks up to the real Ignis and likes pretending to be her-¡± ¡°That¡¯s it you pieces of-¡± Argh! Stop it! All of you! I had enough! I thought there might be some hope, seeing how the inn guests reacted. But no! This is the standard, isn¡¯t it? This always has to happen! ¡°H-huh¡­?¡± What? Are you surprised how quickly I placed down these three and pacified you with a hug? Don¡¯t underestimate my speed. ¡°Stop it.¡± Her body shook as I whispered into her ear. ¡°And you too. You are wasting our time.¡± I release Ignis and look at the guard group in front of us. Some of them make a step back. ¡°H-hey¡­ those are fake cat ears.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she that kid from the rumors?¡± ¡°The quick ogre subjugation?¡± ¡°Her name was Nina, wasn¡¯t it?¡± More useless chatter. ¡°Yes that¡¯s me. Now get out of the way before I-¡± ¡­ Now it¡¯s my turn to get pacified by a hug. ¡°¡­ what are you doing?¡± ¡°You¡¯re starting to look really scary you know?¡± What are you talking about, you useless gorilla? And why is Veras touching my head? ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t drain it away. You have to calm down by yourself.¡± What¡¯s that supposed to mean? ¡­ Status¡­ Name: Nina Level: 15 Strength: 28/32 Endurance: 30/33 Speed: 41/45 Magic: 26/26 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Kat gloves Kat slippers Enchanted handbag Skills: Cat soul+ (Panther soul on) 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat I see¡­ Panther soul turned on somehow. So that¡¯s why you all seem like good-for-nothings worth less than a pile of dust now. ¡­ Well then¡­ Should I find a way to turn it off¡­ Or should I just find the curse guy and finish him off while in this state? The answer is¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do.¡± I escaped from Mable¡¯s hug by merging with the shadows. Veras almost caught me and used his sleep skill on me, but somehow, I was quicker. I skipped past the guard group and spoke to everyone without materializing. ¡°I¡¯m going on ahead. I¡¯ll return with that guy¡¯s head.¡± A series of panicked yells followed. However, nobody knew which way to look. I was perfectly hidden within the shadows. The night stealth perk from panther soul probably helped too. Well then, with that useless bunch out of the way, it¡¯s time to finish this. From what Veras said, there should be one more escaped prisoner, as well as Spectre and the curse guy. Now, unless shadow magic can hit fog, which I doubt, I can¡¯t do anything about Spectre. And the last prisoner¡¯s abilities are unknown. That means my sole target is the curse guy. The one behind everything up until now. ¡­ I said I would bring back his head. But I have a fair few questions for him. So cutting off or breaking his limbs will have to do for now. ¡­ Hmm¡­ I¡¯m making progress controlling myself in this form. I even decided to not kill my enemy right away. How nice of me. ¡­ A little while later, I discover the cat base entrance. Or what¡¯s left of it anyway. Those criminals sure didn¡¯t lose any time trying to figure out how to properly open this. Appreciated. It saves up time and mana for me now. Let¡¯s go inside. My body slides inside the shadow once again and I head down into the cat base. As soon as I reach the main hub, where the cat choir once welcomed me, I materialized. Hmm¡­ So not all the prisoners escaped, huh? I can still sense many of them in the prison area. Though, one is on the other side of this base. That must be the last escapee. As for the curse guy¡­ It¡¯s hard to tell. There are many unknown scents around here. Other than him, these could simply be random people who entered this place on accident after discovering the entrance. I guess I¡¯ll have to check each and every one of them. I dive back into the shadows and begin my search. On my way through the labyrinth that is the cat base, I meet several groups of armed people. Some of them look like typical city guards while others are probably adventurers or mercenaries. Of course, I don¡¯t stop to talk to any of them. And since I¡¯m in the shadows, nobody even took notice of me. Other than these groups, there are many unconscious cats littered all over the place. What a mess. Most of them seem to still be alive, but I can¡¯t be bothered to check. My goal is to take down the curse guy. I haven¡¯t met him in person yet, but I should be able to tell who he is from the descriptions given by Ignis. ¡­ Short brown hair. Half-closed brown eyes. Looks around eighteen years old. Wearing a black cloak. Surrounded in fog. That¡¯s him, isn¡¯t it? Exactly the edgy appearance I imagined. Well then¡­ I don¡¯t think he noticed me yet. So the element of surprise is on my side. I materialize behind him and form a fist with my left hand. A full powered punch aimed at his left shoulder follows. ¡°GAAAAAAAH?!¡± He neither dodged, nor blocked it. This resulted in him flying through the room in a spinning motion and falling onto his back. But I wasn¡¯t done yet. Accumulating mana in the claws on my right hand, I stabbed at his other shoulder and shot through it. His screams intensified as his eyes teared up and his face paled. ¡°M-MAAASTER?!¡± Out of the fog came the naked little girl for the third time now. She kneeled down by the crippled ¡®master¡¯ and fell into a panicked state. Since she didn¡¯t pay any attention to me, I decided to attack her as well. A shadow magic shot aimed at her bent knees. It hit without any problems and she joined her loved one in his screaming performance. But that only lasted a second before she turned at me with a mixture of anger and fear in her expression. ¡°Y-youuuuuuu!¡± She turned back into a fog after that and surrounded me. In reaction to that, I retreated back into the shadows. With that, neither one of us could attack the other. ¡­ But¡­ After observing the fog into which she turned, I noticed a part of it seemed darker than the rest. It reminded me of the black spots I left on the ogre I attacked with shadow magic. So that¡¯s how it is¡­ Maybe she isn¡¯t as invincible as Ignis said. Jumping out of the shadows again, I concentrated more shadow magic and shot slightly above the black spot. A pained yelp followed and another black spot appeared in the fog. A few seconds later, Spectre materialized holding her side and sitting on the ground. There was only fear in her expression now. ¡­ Argh¡­ It¡¯s over¡­ I¡¯m out of mana. ¡­ I¡¯ve really done it now, haven¡¯t I? Sure, the final boss went down without any problems but¡­ ¡­ Better at controlling myself in that form¡­? Which idiot said that?! CH 52 – The cat is a villain Hmm... What to do now...? It seems like I''m surrounded by a lot of people. They are all armed and the look in their eyes definitely can''t be called friendly. Ugh... It seems like someone saw me mercilessly knock out the curse guy and Spectre. Moreover, their screams attracted even more people. ... Well, damn. I''m all out of mana, exhausted and still a bit depressed. The correct way to handle this would be to talk myself out of it... But look... There are two unconscious injured kids near me with faces twisted in fear. And then there''s me with my tired expression and cat soul turned on... Even if nobody saw me do the deed... From an outsider''s perspective, I must obviously seem like the villain here. There''s no helping it, right? ... No no no... Give me a break! Come on, me! Talk yourself out of this! "Wai-" "Heavenly slash!" Argh, they won''t even let me talk. One of the adventurers yelled out his special skill move. It''s really just a forward jump accompanied by an overhead slash... In other words, the most telegraphed attack in the history. Side step it. Place one hand on top of his sword and the other one below his stomach. Aaaaand... there you go. A beautiful somersault. You should work on your landing though. Crashing into your friends with your body upside down won''t net you ten points from the judges. "Wh-?! Be careful! She''s stronger than she appears!" Oh come on... Can we stop this already? Just this night, I had to fight so many people... And I even used both tiger soul and panther soul. It takes a toll on me, you know? "Can we pl-" """Arcane bindings!""" Still won''t let me talk... Argh! I''m so tired, I heard the same thing from three different directions now! ... Wait... There actually are three of them. Are they sisters? Triplets? Near the three kneeling mages, vine-like purple ropes sprout from the ground and head straight for me. I pull out my claws and flex my body while clawing at the ropes. I forgot about this, but the Kat slippers have a perk of making me very flexible, don''t they? Who would have thought it would come in handy in such a situation? Well, it still feels like playing a bullet hell game... "N-no way!" Yes way. But, please don''t do that again. It''s a pain to deal with. Still... I didn''t expect to cut these magical ropes so easily... ... Hmm?! Oh, come on! While I was busy dodging, they ''rescued'' Spectre and the curse guy! Damn... This is all wrong! They are the bad guys here! Don''t tend to them now! What if they wake up and go crazy on us? "Stop! You''ll get cursed!" Oh, there we go. I finally forced my tired self to yell at them. Good job, me. That ought to solve everything, right? ... Hey, Mr. knight... Why did you just look at the black marks on their bodies and then turned at me with an angry expression? I think you misunderstood something. "You... vile monster!" What? There''s a monster nearby? Sounds dangerous. You should all run away and leave me alone already. ... No, stabbing that huge lance at me isn''t running away. You''re doing it wrong. Ah, well... Not like an attack of this magnitude can hit me, can it? I just have to move my head out of the way and- "Ignite!" Huh? The tip of the lance just burst out in fire. What a cheeky trick... But then again, there''s no way such a flashy move can hit me. Since all of its firepower is concentrated on the lance''s tip, all I have to do is run toward the knight. A nice pat on his belly with my fist should pacify him. ... But there are still too many people here. This used to be a secret underground base, you know? Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Isn''t this a little too pitiful to have so many outsiders in here now? "Ken! What do we do against this monster?!" "Kgh... prepare the Grand seal! I''ll distract her!" "U-understood!" ... You know that I can hear you, right? How do you plan on distracting me when I know you are going to try to distract me...? Well, never mind. It seems like it''s impossible to resolve this peacefully. ... What? I didn''t try very hard? Shut it, me. When I''m this exhausted, talking takes even more action points than dodging an undodgeable binding spell, you know? And even then, they wouldn''t listen anyway. Look, they all seem very eager to defeat me. And it''s not like I''m in that one story about ninjas where the enemies love talking to each other before their inevitable battle to death. ... Argh! Screw this. Let''s just grab those two and run. "Heavenly sl-aaaargh!" After watching this guy do another amazing somersault, of course. ... Well then... I approach one of the mage triplets, who tended to the curse guy and Spectre, and gave her a light punch into the stomach. Of course, she couldn''t react to it at all and my hit successfully stunned her. After dealing with her, I grabbed the two over my shoulders. People around me tried to stop me with everything they had. Arrows, swords, magic spells... Well, luckily, this place has surprisingly tall ceilings for a base that''s supposed to be used by small cats. Tall enough for me to jump out of the way and over everyone. Very convenient. "She ran! After her!" Ah, yes. Come chasing after me. I''m not trying to mislead you or anything. That''s right... Right this way... Away from the prison area. And when I inevitably lose all of you due to the difference in our speed, I''ll circle around and head back there. Well, I''m not very familiar with the entire layout of this place, but I can more or less guess which way to go. This place is very interconnected, after all. ... "She went over there!" Yes, I went over there. Shoo, shoo! Ah, there we go. Finally, a straight path to the prison area. And most of them are still searching in the opposite direction. Good good... Now I can just place these two in a cage and be done with it... ... Not. What''s up with this? Why are you guys here already? Didn''t the bloodthirsty me of the past tell you I would return with that guy''s head? ... Come on... I get why Ignis, Cana and Deliah are avoiding eye contact with me... But why do even you look so nervous, Mable? "Meow!!!" "Hey... I got''em." A thumbs up signifies mission complete. ... You can stop with your stares any moment you want... ... T-the sooner the better... ... P-please? "Meow! Meow!" What is it Kuro? Are you mad at me too? Huh? Pointing at the cage over there? Do you want me to put those two inside? Sure, I can do that... ... Hmm...? Oh, hey. You already put the blue cat and the others back in their cages. That''s good. Wouldn''t want her escaping, now would we...? I walked over to the cage Kuro pointed me to and opened the door. I stepped inside and put those two down when suddenly... Clank. The cage door closed behind me. "Huh...?" "Meow!" H-hey, what are you doing? You''re supposed to lock it after I walk outside. W-why does everyone look so serious all of a sudden...? Am I being punished for earlier...? As I grab the cage''s bars and plead with my eyes to let me out, the wires running along the cage''s bars suddenly light up. I feel something weighing down on me and I drop on my knees. It''s as if all my strength left me. W... Wh- W-w-w-w-what?! Wait, no! Am I being betrayed right now?! N-no way! T-that''s not happening, is it?! I looked up at everyone in panic. I-Ignis! Do something! Mable?! ... D-deliah...? ... I''m scared... Why... Why is this happening? Was I too naive to trust everyone? Is this what I get for acting so carefree? "... it''s not working." Huh...? Did Veras say something? "Well... sorry for the abruptness, I guess." W-what? What''s happening? "It''s... based on the blue cat''s skill. It''s supposed to seal all your magic and skills... but it''s not working." I... Don''t understand... "Sorry Nina! This guy said this can disable that scary skill of yours... It''s not like we were planning on keeping you here as one of the prisoners!" ... Is that... So... "Wh-?! She''s crying! Why is she crying?! Hey, you! It was your idea! Apologize to her!" Ah, what am I doing... Isn''t this a total overreaction? Maybe not... Being betrayed and imprisoned by my friends would be... Ugh... "Stop dodging! Bow down your head and properly apologize, you jerk!" ... Uhh, but... Didn''t panther soul run out already? Why would you still need to seal my magic and skills? CH 53 – The cat is a hero Name: Nina Level: 15 Strength: 21/32 Endurance: 29/33 Speed: 38/45 Magic: 1/26 Equipment: Kat underwear (sealed) Kat dress (sealed) Kat ear headband (sealed) Kat gloves (sealed) Kat slippers (sealed) Enchanted handbag (sealed) Skills: Cat soul+ (Cheetah soul on) 9 lives (*&#$&@) Special: Blessing of the Kat ¡­ Where did this come from? Cheetah soul? I don¡¯t remember seeing anything like that in the variants. Did I just unlock it? I¡¯m confused¡­ ¡­ And also¡­ This is really strange. I didn¡¯t notice it at all¡­ More like, I don¡¯t feel any different with this active. With panther soul, I became a bloodthirsty murderer. And tiger soul made me seriously depressed. But this¡­ I can even calmly think everything over. That would have been impossible with the other two¡­ ¡­ There has to be some sort of catch¡­ What is it¡­ Hmm¡­ I guess I do feel a little sleepy. But that has nothing to do with cheetah soul¡­ ¡­ probably. Or maybe it does? ¡°S-so yeah¡­ can you turn it off now?¡± Sure thing. I¡¯ll just wait for my magic to be depleted and- Oh wait¡­ Magic: 1/26 Yeah. This is the problem¡­ Unlike the other two variant souls, this one doesn¡¯t want to go away. Or more like, I think this turned on AFTER I depleted my magic through panther soul. So¡­ Tough luck. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Urk¡­¡± Don¡¯t worry about it, Ignis. Eventually, it¡¯s gonna go away on its own. Or maybe it will be gone after I get a good night¡¯s sleep. Actually, that¡¯s a good idea. Sleep. I want it. Let¡¯s sleep. Who cares about an uncomfortable bedding. Inside a cage is good enough. ¡°Huh? Are you alright?¡± Good night. ¡°¡­ Nina?!¡± ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Ugh¡­ What the¡­ I feel like my entire body has been put through a grinder. What happened? ¡­ Huh? My eyes open and spot a strangely familiar, yet unfamiliar ceiling. This¡­ Isn¡¯t the inn room¡­ Wait! Isn¡¯t this the medical facility?! I get up in a hurry and look around. Yeah, it totally is! Why am I here again?! Argh¡­ Well, at least I can move, unlike last time. And they didn¡¯t steal my clothes either. ¡­ Okay, but seriously. What happened? Let¡¯s think back¡­ I returned to the inn and saw Ignis and Cana asleep, so I also entered my own bed¡­ ¡­ Right! The whole prison breakout thing! How could my brain just skip all of that?! Okay, okay. So how did it all end? I¡­ I beat up the curse guy and Spectre. Yes. And after that, I put them inside a cage. That¡¯s good. And then¡­ ¡­ And then, what¡­? Why can¡¯t I remember anything after that? If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Did I just fall asleep since I was so tired? Yeah, as if! That makes no sense! Why would they bring me here if I simply fell asleep?! As I yelled inside my head, I got out of the bed and made my way over to the door. As soon as I opened the door and stepped outside, my ears immediately picked up a thud sound to my right. And when I turned my head, I saw Ignis with her eyes wide open and her staff lying on the ground. ¡°N-Ninaaa!¡± H-hey¡­ What¡¯s with the exaggerated reaction? Okay, okay¡­ You aren¡¯t Mable, I¡¯ll let you hug me. But why are you crying? ¡°Ugh¡­ I-I thought you would never wake up!¡± Now, that¡¯s just¡­ ¡­ W-wait. ¡°How long did I¡­¡± ¡°You slept for four days!¡± ¡­ Wha-WHAT?! Four days?! Are you kidding me?! That can¡¯t even be called sleeping anymore! That¡¯s a coma! ¡­ B-but why? Why did I fall into a coma? And moreover¡­ How did I even survive it? I doubt this place has the technology to keep a comatose person alive. Wouldn¡¯t I need that drip feed thing to keep me hydrated and stuff? ¡°A-anyway! Never use it again! Promise me!¡± Huh? Never use what? ¡°Promise! Me!¡± Okay, okay! I get it! I don¡¯t get it, but I get it! Don¡¯t frown at me with these teary eyes! ¡°Okay¡­¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Oh, that¡¯s a nice smile¡­ ¡°By the way¡­ are you fine walking already?¡± Umm, right. I¡¯ve been out for four days. And the only effects of that is that my whole body hurts a bit. But that¡¯s about it. I don¡¯t even feel all that hungry or thirsty. It¡¯s weird¡­ ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Hey, since when are you so worried about others? I¡¯m starting to doubt whether I¡¯m really awake or this is just a dream. ¡°Alright, if you say so¡­ let¡¯s go to the guild then.¡± Hmm? The guild? I thought I would go meet the others first. Or are they at the guild? Is that what you¡¯re trying to say? After Ignis picked up her staff, we walked down the hallway and stopped by the medic¡¯s lounge to tell them I¡¯m leaving. They did some quick check-up or whatever and determined that I really am fine. After that, we headed out of the building toward the adventurer¡¯s guild. ¡°It¡¯s been quite hectic these past few days¡­¡± Huh? ¡°Explaining everything to the public, the guildmaster, the city lord¡­¡± O-oh¡­ Right¡­ Of course, this isn¡¯t something you could have swept under a rug, was it? Several people with strange skills invaded the city and the underground cat base has been discovered¡­ What even happened to it? Are Kuro and his cats gonna be alright? ¡°Times were tough for those who weren¡¯t asleep all day¡­¡± H-hey¡­ Your concerned tone is all gone. Now it feels like you¡¯re angry with me. As we talked, we made our way to the adventurer¡¯s guild. ¡°Now then¡­ prepare for your punishment!¡± Punishment?! What are you- Ignis flung the door open and everyone inside turned to us. ¡°Everyone! The hero has awoken!¡± ¡­ Huh? ¡°Uoo! Little missy is awake!¡± ¡°Hooray!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a miracle!¡± Wha-?! I¡¯m surrounded! H-help! ¡­ Stop grinning and help me, Ignis! Gyaaah! What is thiiiiiiis?! Put me down! C-come on! I don¡¯t like this! Aaaargh! ¡°Hey lads! I don¡¯t think lil¡¯lady appreciates your rough treatment!¡± A-a savior?! Thank you, sentient bear mountain guildmaster! ¡°S-sorry, I guess we got a little excited haha¡­¡± ¡­ Excited? Touching me all over and tossing me into the air makes you excited? ¡­ Yeah, I think I¡¯m just going to ignore that bit¡­ ¡°Haha, well anyway, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re so lively lil¡¯ lady! I was really worried about you!¡± Uh, yeah. Sure. This very lively me just let herself be captured by these people¡­ Even though I should have been able to dodge all of them no problem. ¡°Come with me, I¡¯ll handle your rank up right now!¡± Sure¡­ ¡­ Huh? Wait, what rank up? ¡°Hmm? Did your friend not tell you? For capturing number of dangerous criminals, the city lord and I agreed you deserve a rank up to rank B!¡± Wait a second! I thought raising in rank is supposed to be difficult! Didn¡¯t I need to go on a really troublesome quest just to get to rank C?! ¡°Don¡¯t be so surprised missy! One of them would still be quite the feat, but fending off nine dangerous criminals with just the two of you? That¡¯s something else!¡± ¡­ There¡¯s something weird about what he¡¯s saying¡­ First of all¡­ It wasn¡¯t just the two of us. There was also Kuro¡­ Umm¡­ But common people won¡¯t believe a cat has any fighting power. And also Mable¡­ ¡­ Who insisted on not revealing her powers to the public. And¡­ Veras¡­ Who might have been considered one of the criminals¡­ ¡­ Okay¡­ I get it. Since Cana and Deliah are non-combatants, it really was just the two of us from their perspective. Yes. But¡­ Nine dangerous criminals? That doesn¡¯t add up¡­ We have the woman who got blown up by Ignis¡­ Then the mad weapon creating guy¡­ The blue cat, who seals skills away¡­ And then¡­ Spectre and the curse guy? That¡¯s five at most. ¡­ Plus the three others Veras took care of. Okay¡­ And if they counted Veras as one of them¡­ That would be a whopping nine people. Is that what you¡¯re trying to say? ¡­ But¡­ I don¡¯t know how I feel about taking credit for all of that¡­ ¡­ ¡°And there ya go. Congratulations on your rank up!¡± Yeah¡­ Umm¡­ Sure. It doesn¡¯t feel like a big achievement considering it happened on accident. Well, the reward for capturing all of these people is pretty juicy. I think I can live in luxury for quite some time with the money I have now. ¡°By the way, as a B rank, some influential people might start giving you special requests from now on, so be careful!¡± Urk! Influential people = nobles, right? Okay, I know Deliah and her family are nice, but I bet most nobles aren¡¯t! If I get a request from some super self-important rich boy, then I¡¯m definitely refusing it! ¡°Oh yeah. You should also go see the city lord. He¡¯s been waiting for you to wake up.¡± Ugh¡­! I tripped a flag! City lord must mean a noble, right?! Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s going to request something from me right away! CH 54 – The cat’s friend is talkative After I returned from the guildmaster¡¯s room, I met up with Ignis, who was waiting for me in the main room. We then left the guild and went back to our inn. Yeah, the inn. The city lord can wait. On our way to the inn, Ignis told me about everything that happened when I was out. First¡­ The secret cat base¡¯s existence was announced to the public. And the city lord forbid civilians from entering it while ¡®his men¡¯ were sent to investigate the place. But¡­ He didn¡¯t actually send anyone to investigate¡­ Because he already knew about the base. And he knew Kuro and Veras as well. In fact¡­ They apparently have some sort of deal with each other¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t know what to think about this. How much more mafia boss-like can that Kuro get? An underground base with VIP prisoners? Double agents hidden among the very same prisoners? And now, secret ties to corrupt officials?! ¡°I was surprised too! Just what in the world is that cat?!¡± I know, right?! It just makes me wish I was able to understand cat speech more and more! Let me interrogate that little furry! ¡°Oh, by the way¡­ about mast-¡­err about that curse jerk¡­¡± Did you just almost call him ¡®master¡¯? Seriously¡­? I guess old habits die hard, huh? ¡°It seems like you got him good¡­ he can¡¯t move either of his arms¡­¡± Umm, what¡­? ¡­ Oh wait¡­ Right¡­ I kind of¡­ Full-power punched his shoulder, didn¡¯t I¡­? And then shot his other shoulder with shadow magic¡­ Urk¡­ Well, I know he was my enemy¡­ And I DID always dream of punching him¡­ But¡­ That was a bit overboard, wasn¡¯t it? He must have fainted from pain back there. ¡°Well, he deserved it! So, good job on that, partner!¡± ¡­ You don¡¯t hold much sympathy for him, do you? I guess that¡¯s to be expected, considering you were under his control not too long ago¡­ ¡­ After that, I expected Ignis to keep on talking, but she went silent instead. She merely kept glancing at me and then quickly away again. Almost as if there¡¯s something she needs to bring up but doesn¡¯t really want to¡­ What is it? You are making me nervous here! Did something bad happen, after all?! ¡°Hey¡­ umm¡­¡± There she goes¡­ What is it then? ¡°Mable and that vampire guy told me something¡­ strange¡­¡± Vampire guy¡­? Who are you talk- Wait, do you mean Veras? Err¡­ Well, I know his face is quite pale and his red eyes are scary, but you don¡¯t need to call him a vampire¡­ ¡°They said that you¡­ that they, you and all the prisoners and even mas-¡­ the curse jerk are weird ¡®reborn¡¯ people or something¡­¡± Umm¡­ Yeah, ¡®weird reborn people¡¯, I guess that¡¯s one way to label us. ¡­ Also, did you just say ALL the prisoners? Seriously? I had my suspicions with some of them, but¡­ All of them? That¡¯s¡­ Kind of ridiculous¡­ And also quite suspicious¡­ It¡¯s been not even a month since I came to this world. And I¡¯ve already met so many fellow reincarnators. Is it really that common? It can¡¯t be¡­ ¡°And Mable also told me you are¡­ err¡­ even weirder¡­ the weirdo among those weirdos, she said¡­¡± Yeah, thanks¡­ A weirdo among weirdos. Stolen story; please report. That¡¯s a title I always wished I had. ¡°I-I¡¯m just repeating what she said! I don¡¯t think you are a weirdo!¡± ¡­ Yeah, sorry. Cat soul turned on. It¡¯s a reflex at this point. I wish the variants were as easy to turn on and off as this. ¡°A-anyway¡­ is that really true?¡± Hmm? Yeah, yeah. Of course it is. I¡¯m the queen of weirdos. It¡¯s true. ¡°Erk¡­ umm¡­¡± Don¡¯t worry about it. Look, it¡¯s the inn we stayed at. We can continue our little weirdo discussion inside. ¡­ By the way¡­ Didn¡¯t you blow this place up? Why is it still standing? Or rather, why is it in perfect shape? ¡­ Oh¡­ I see¡­ The planks on that side have a slightly different color. They must have patched up the hole you made in it. That was really quick, wasn¡¯t it? I was out for¡­ Four days? Four days to fix that giant hole? Dang. Good job, whoever did it! After showing some admiration toward an unknown person, we entered the inn. And as soon as we did, many surprised gazes were thrown at me. Naturally, this happened on our way here as well, but I ignored all of them. And I don¡¯t plan on changing my strategy now! Quickly! Grab Ignis and sprint upstairs! I can¡¯t even imagine what these people want to tell me, but if it¡¯s anything like the adventurers at the guild, I don¡¯t want any of it! I had my today¡¯s fill of being thrown into the air, thanks! ¡°Gyhaaa?! Wha-¡± Shush. Don¡¯t open your mouth. You¡¯re gonna bite your tongue. Just shut up and enjoy the ride. ¡­ Here we are. Our beloved inn room we had reserved. Now let¡¯s enter and continue our conversation about weirdos. ¡­ After Ignis stops shaking again. ¡°Wha-why did you do that?!¡± What? It¡¯s not my fault! Those people downstairs were going to talk to me! Of course, I would run! That¡¯s only natural! And I wouldn¡¯t leave a teammate behind, now would I? ¡°Ugh¡­ you are seriously just¡­¡± ¡°¡­ a weirdo?¡± ¡­ What¡¯s with that deep sigh and a facepalm? You should know that talking is my weakness! Stop judging me already! Argh! ¡­ After a little while, we finally continued our conversation. I ended up telling her about the whole reincarnation business. Well¡­ I know that in a lot of stories where the protagonist is in a similar situation to mine, he will keep it secret at all costs. But I don¡¯t really see a reason why¡­ Just like Deliah, Ignis didn¡¯t even seem to fully understand the concept of other worlds. And even then, it¡¯s not like I need to be ashamed of who I was in my previous life. ¡­ unlike a certain someone who was probably some sort professional assassin or mass murderer in her previous life¡­ Or a certain cat, who continues his mafia business even in another world¡­ ¡­ Well, anyway. Ignis¡¯s reaction to the fact that I set the parameters for this world was quite weak as well. I¡¯m guessing she didn¡¯t get the implications¡­ Well, it¡¯s fine! You don¡¯t need to understand! It spares you an existential crisis like Deliah had! All is good in the world. As we talked, I noticed a familiar scent coming up to our room. I looked at the door, which prompted Ignis to do the same. The door suddenly flung open and in came the other roommate we had. ¡°I¡¯m back! I heard-ugh¡­¡± Hello Cana. I get that we don¡¯t really know each other very well, but there¡¯s no need to make that kind of face as soon as you see me. ¡°Oh, welcome back! Look who decided to wake up!¡± Don¡¯t poke my cheek. It¡¯s not nice. ¡°Y-yeah¡­ erm¡­¡± Well, how is this gonna develop¡­? We met a bunch of times as enemies. And we haven¡¯t really interacted much after her curse was broken. So¡­ ¡°I-I¡¯m really sorry! And thank you very much!¡± Wha-?! Hey, no need to bang your head against the floor! It¡¯s not a big deal, okay?! You were charmed! Stop it already! What am I supposed to say in this situation?! ¡­ Hmm? What is this? A pat on my shoulder? ¡°Let her do this at least¡­ she should at least be able to atone for what she did¡­¡± ¡­ Ignis¡­ Your words would carry a lot more weight if you apologized to me in a similar fashion. You are guilty of the same thing, you know? ¡°A-anyway¡­ Cana¡¯s been with that guy since the beginning.¡± So she was the first one¡­? Huh¡­ ¡°She¡¯s also the one who kidnapped me and-¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorryyyy!¡± ¡­ How do I resolve this situation? CH 55 – The cat isn’t the only one It took a while, but Cana finally stopped her endless stream of apologies. Seriously¡­ Aren¡¯t you overdoing it with that conscientiousness of yours? Compared to Ignis, who had no remorse at all¡­ You two are like the polar opposites! How do you even get along so well?! I don¡¯t get it! ¡°And guess what, Nina! Cana registered as an adventurer as well!¡± Hmm? Wait, what? She¡¯s an adventurer now? How¡­? Weren¡¯t her wolves her main fighting power? ¡°I-I just took on one easy gathering quest¡­¡± I see¡­ I guess she¡¯s trying to start a new life, huh? I don¡¯t know what kind of life she had before the curse, but she probably can¡¯t return to it anymore¡­ Well, registering as an adventurer is a good way to start, I think. After all, I did the same thing, didn¡¯t I? ¡­ But she doesn¡¯t have overpowered equipment from god, does she? It¡¯s gonna be a bit tougher for her than it was for me. ¡°Now then! I think it¡¯s time to think of a party name for ourselves!¡± ¡­ hmm? Wait¡­ Party name¡­? You mean¡­ Us three¡­? ¡°I suggest, The ignited maidens!¡± Hold on a second! I see you sneakily including your name in there! I disagree with this! ¡°Eh? Er¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± Look, Cana also has her doubts. Or rather¡­ Let¡¯s back up a step here! Is it really a good idea to let Cana join us on our quests? She¡¯s pretty much a beginner when it comes to this while we are already taking out ogres! If she could still summon the wolves then sure, but right now, the skill gap is too wide! ¡°What? You guys don¡¯t like it?¡± Of course not, you blockhead! Or rather, that¡¯s not the point here! ¡­ Hmm? We have another guest. But this one is too cool to use doors, apparently. I stand up from the bed and walk over to the window before opening it. ¡°Meow!¡± Argh?! Kuro¡­! I get that you are glad to see me again, but¡­! S-stop it! You¡¯re messing up my hair again! ¡°Meow! Meow!¡± Yes, yes, I get it! Sorry for worrying you and all! ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you! I haven¡¯t seen you in a while!¡± Yes, it¡¯s the mafia boss cat, who supposedly has some deals with this city¡¯s officials. Man¡­ Who would even believe that? I mean, look at him! He¡¯s rummaging through my hair, begging to be cuddled right now! Is that what you imagine when you say ¡®mafia boss¡¯? I don¡¯t! ¡°Meow! Meow!¡± What is it? Do you want me to stroke your belly? ¡°Oh, he probably wants you to go to his base again¡­¡± What? The base? Isn¡¯t it supposed to be ¡®under investigation¡¯ by the city lord? Well alright¡­ ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go then!¡± Hmm? Wait. You too? ¡­ Heh¡­ Where are the times when that base was a secret one? Nowadays, everyone can just stroll in like it¡¯s a shopping center. ¡°Eh¡­ okay¡­¡± Cana doesn¡¯t seem too keen on it. Well, it¡¯s not like she has to come along, is it? ¡°Meow.¡± Yeah yeah. Let¡¯s go. We exited the inn and headed straight for the cat base¡¯s entrance. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. It used to be hidden in a dark corner of some unnamed street¡­ But now¡­ It looks like a regular staircase leading into a cellar. That is, if there weren¡¯t those two guards standing in front of it. I can¡¯t see their expression because of their helmets, but I feel like they are staring at me. ¡°Meow!¡± The guards don¡¯t respond to Kuro and silently move aside. Huh¡­ There isn¡¯t even a need to talk? That¡¯s¡­ Amazing! I wish that worked on everyone! We walk past the two and descend into the base. There are more unfamiliar people inside. If my nose isn¡¯t mistaken, there¡¯s about twenty of them all throughout the base. Wait¡­ So there ARE some people sent by the city lord. I guess that even if he doesn¡¯t need to investigate this place, it would be strange if he didn¡¯t send anyone. We walk toward the prison area once again and pass some of those people on our way there. Just like the guards, they don¡¯t say anything. It¡¯s now that I notice their expression looks a little hostile though¡­ What is this about? Without getting an answer, we arrive at our destination. The first thing I notice, is Veras. He¡¯s also back in his cage¡­ What¡¯s up with that? I thought his double agent role is over. I mean¡­ Everyone already knows the truth, so it¡¯s pointless to pretend. Other than him, I see the curse guy lying in the corner of his cage with Spectre hugging him. All of the other prisoners who escaped that night are making weird moaning and squealing noises as they notice us. With the exception of the ¡®blue cat¡¯. Her face turned red and she turned to the side without making a noise as she hugged her knees. Did the poison get removed? She doesn¡¯t look very paralyzed anymore. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake¡­ perfect timing. I was really getting tired of these guys making noises.¡± Oi, Veras¡­ I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯s because I have never seen you smile, but¡­ Your expression is a bit creepy right now. ¡°Meow!¡± The black cat jumped from atop of my head and approached the cage Veras was in. ¡°Hmm? What is it boss?¡± ¡°Meow! Meow.¡± Veras silently nodded to Kuro¡¯s cat talk, still wearing his creepy smile. Ugh¡­ Again, why does everyone but me understand what Kuro says?! It¡¯s unfair! ¡°You know I have no idea what you¡¯re saying, right boss?¡± ¡­ Never mind¡­? ¡°Meow¡­¡± The wires running along his cage suddenly stop glowing and Veras¡¯ expression instantly changes to the apathy I¡¯m so familiar with. ¡°Ah, dammit¡­ well, let¡¯s get this over with.¡± Veras stands up and looks straight at me. ¡°So for start, everyone in these cages¡­ except that naked little girl clinging to that guy¡­ is a reincarnator.¡± He points over his shoulder at Spectre. ¡°Well, you already know that.¡± I do, but you shouldn¡¯t know that I know it! Ignis just told me about it earlier today! ¡°Anyway¡­ there are two things we all have in common.¡± He raises two fingers. ¡°First, we were all granted two skills of our choice¡­¡± Two skills of our choice¡­? Nonsense! I didn¡¯t get to pick anything! I got one skill that only has drawbacks and one that I would rather never use! ¡°The second thing we have in common is¡­¡± What¡¯s with that bitter smile? ¡°None of us were particularly¡­ ¡®good¡¯ people in our previous lives¡­¡± ¡­ What are you accusing me of?! I¡¯m innocent! ¡°Sociopaths, Murderers, Pedophiles, Assassins, Mad scientists¡­ you name it.¡± No! I refuse! I do not fall into any of these categories! ¡°But¡­¡± He points his finger at me. ¡°You are the first exception¡­¡± ¡­ Alright! I¡¯m clear! ¡°Not only that¡­ you even got this ¡®blessing¡¯ from a god¡­¡± That I do. Although, sometimes it¡¯s more of a curse¡­ ¡°In other words, you were chosen to do¡­ something.¡± ¡­ Ugh, dammit! I knew it wasn¡¯t so simple! ¡®I just want you to have fun¡¯, my butt! ¡°And the rest of us, ¡®scoundrels¡¯, were meant to be your obstacles¡­¡± What the heck¡­ But why? And what is that goal that I have?! ¡®Just having fun¡¯ definitely can¡¯t be called a divine mission! ¡°Last thing¡­ what¡¯s the name of the god who picked you up?¡± Hmm? It¡¯s Kat. ¡­ Wait. The way he worded it¡­ ¡°Oh, Kat¡­ same as boss then. For me, she introduced herself as ¡®Nix¡¯.¡± ¡­ Another god? And wait, I heard that name before! It¡¯s the god worshiped in the church I visited! ¡°And that¡¯s not all¡­ from what these people said, there¡¯s at least one more god in play here.¡± Multiple gods¡­ Okay, I get that. But¡­ What are you getting at? ¡°¡­ which means, if Kat can have a chosen one, why can¡¯t the other gods have one as well?¡± CH 56 – The cat is curse-proof Other ¡®chosen ones¡¯¡­? The implications are¡­ We¡¯re gonna fight each other to death, isn¡¯t it?! No! I refuse! In the first place, wasn¡¯t it me who decided this world¡¯s settings? Right! Even if these ¡®others chosen ones¡¯ exist, they have to be just some bootleg versions! I must be the true chosen one¡­! ¡­ But now that I think about it¡­ The world isn¡¯t exactly as I made it¡­ Some details are different¡­ I thought Kat just made adjustments himself, but¡­ Could this world actually be an amalgamation of all the chosen one¡¯s settings? ¡­ Argh, dammit! I don¡¯t like this! I don¡¯t like this at all! ¡°Well that¡¯s that¡­ I have no idea what kind of mission you have¡­ or whether you are supposed to compete or cooperate with the other chosen ones¡­¡± Compete or cooperate¡­ R-right! It¡¯s not necessarily going to be a deathmatch! Silly me, overthinking everything! ¡°With that said though¡­ there are many of the regular reincarnators on the loose¡­ just look how many your br- ¡­ boss encountered during his life¡­¡± My boss¡­? You mean, Kuro? He¡¯s not my boss! I¡¯m his boss¡­! I think¡­ Anyway¡­ Seriously? Are you trying to tell me all of the prisoners here were encountered, defeated and captured by Kuro alone? This little kitty is ridiculous¡­ ¡­ And¡­ ¡®during his life¡¯¡­ Are you implying that some of these people have been locked up in here for years? I know that they are bad people, but¡­ That¡¯s a bit cruel, don¡¯t you think? ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s about it. Could you please turn it on again, boss?¡± ¡°¡­ meow.¡± On Kuro¡¯s command, the wires lit up again and the creepy grin returned to Veras. With that, he plopped back down. I really don¡¯t understand this guy¡­ Why is he so happy about having his skills sealed? ¡­ Oh wait¡­ I think I get why¡­ If his skill is mind reading and he can¡¯t perfectly control it¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that mean his mind is constantly bombarded with people¡¯s thoughts? Of course, you would be happy to have it turned off! ¡°Oh right¡­ that part got deleted didn¡¯t it¡­ well, whatever you are thinking¡­ mind reading isn¡¯t one of my two skills¡­¡± Oh, stop trying to confuse me now! I mean, what else could it be?! You always know what I¡¯m about to say and you can even understand Kuro! ¡­ And ¡®one of my two skills¡¯¡­ Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll believe that as well! You are basically omnipotent! There¡¯s no way you only have two skills! ¡°Well¡­¡± He looks around the other cages before looking back at me. ¡°Believe what you will¡­ now, shall we remove these stupid charms and curses?¡± Hey, why can you tell what I¡¯m thinking even with your skills sealed?! ¡­ Hmm? Wait. Did you say ¡®we¡¯? ¡°¡®Energy flow¡¯ is one of my skills¡­ it allows me to¡­ transfer things. Like mana, stamina¡­ and curses too.¡± Huh¡­ Is that so¡­ So it wasn¡¯t a skill to put someone to sleep¡­? You just drained away her consciousness or something? ¡­ Wait, but if you say ¡®transfer¡¯ things¡­ That means, someone¡¯s gonna get cursed in their place¡­ Don¡¯t tell me you are planning on dumping it all on me! ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wanna get cursed!¡± ¡°¡­ but you won¡¯t get cursed¡­ You absorb curses.¡± ¡­ Huh? ¡°See that girl¡­?¡± Veras points at Spectre, still hugging the curse guy. ¡°Her curse is almost completely gone.¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Say what? How did that happen? I didn¡¯t even do anything! ¡­ And why is she still clinging to him if it¡¯s gone?! ¡°And also¡­ that guy kept mumbling something about trying to curse you but it not working.¡± No, wait¡­ At what point did he try to curse me? I ambushed him and knocked him out instantly! ¡°So yeah¡­ I concluded that you somehow absorb curses.¡± ¡­ I¡¯m not buying it! If you¡¯re wrong, I will be stuck with countless curses on me! Do not want! ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡­ Hello Ignis. Somehow, I forgot you and Cana came with me. You were suspiciously silent for being Ignis. ¡°Hey, it makes sense, doesn¡¯t it? The longer I spent with you, the weaker my curse became!¡± Well, sure¡­ We already decided I have some sort of hidden curse negating ability, but¡­ That doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t be cursed myself! ¡°A-actually¡­¡± Cana spoke up. ¡°Back when we first met¡­ I dropped a cursed staff and you grabbed it¡­ and¡­¡± ¡­ And I went through a very unpleasant experience. Yes. ¡°You didn¡¯t get cursed! R-right?!¡± Well¡­ I didn¡¯t, but¡­ ¡°I-it was almost like you took over the curse instead¡­¡± What the heck are you talking about? If that thing really was cursed, I did a very bad job of negating that curse. ¡°That staff, huh¡­¡± A new voice catches everyone¡¯s attention. It came from the cage behind Veras. It¡¯s the curse guy, still lying on the ground unable to move either one of his arms. I expected him to either be angry or scared in his situation. But for some reson, his voice didn¡¯t show signs of either¡­ Only apathy and indifference. ¡­ When did he wake up? His eyes were closed when we walked in. Did he pretend to be asleep? As everyone¡¯s gaze landed on him, he turned his head to the side. ¡°¡­ the curse on that staff was supposed to melt down the wielder¡¯s body into tar, turning them into a black slime¡­ and it clearly didn¡¯t work on you. So, the vampire¡¯s right.¡± ¡­ It was supposed to do WHAT?! Melt me down into-?! What the hell?! ¡°YOU! Y-you sick jerk! What did you give Cana to carry around?!¡± I very much support your feelings, Ignis! ¡°Jerk? Who¡¯s the jerk here, you traitor?¡± ¡°Gh¡­¡± In response to his words, Ignis clenches her teeth and fists. ¡°I gave her a way to protect herself without having to summon anyone¡­ is that why I¡¯m a jerk? Not the woman who punched me as soon as I removed her curse?¡± This guy¡­ Has a seriously twisted personality! I mean¡­ What an excessive way to protect somebody! Why didn¡¯t you just give her a remote controller to a nuclear warhead?! ¡°T-that¡¯s! I¡­ ugh¡­¡± Cana¡­ I don¡¯t think you have to make excuses to that guy¡­ ¡°¡­ well anyway. You absorb curses. The end. Yeah¡­ The first boss hard counters me. Thanks a lot, god.¡± I really don¡¯t know what to think about this¡­ Or rather, did you just call me ¡®the first boss¡¯? What is this to you?! A video game?! ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to punch you! I just¡­ it came down all at once and I¡­ couldn¡¯t hold myself¡­¡± You don¡¯t need to apologize to him, Cana! That guy¡¯s head is messed up! ¡°Yeah¡­ sure¡­ whatever you say¡­ it¡¯s my fault for being so naive¡­ for believing we could be friends and all that crap¡­¡± You know, if you want someone to trust you, maybe you shouldn¡¯t curse and charm everyone you meet! ¡°Hey, you! Stop that already!¡± Holding Cana, who couldn¡¯t stop biting her lips and staring at the floor, Ignis shouted at him. ¡°What is it¡­ milady? Shouldn¡¯t you prepare for your engagement with a certain old man¡­?¡± These few words made Ignis back up and clench her teeth. ¡­ Milady? Engagement with a certain old man? The heck¡­? ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m thankful you pulled me out of that!¡± Ignis burst out again. ¡°B-but¡­ that is that and this is this¡­!¡± ¡°Oh is that so¡­? So favors have a time limit¡­? Is that how women work?¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡­ Just¡­¡± ¡°Whatever¡­ why don¡¯t you kill me already? I bet you would enj-¡± ¡°Master! Don¡¯t say that!¡± The last person still on his side clung to him with tears in her eyes. ¡°¡­ you¡¯re the last one¡­ but you¡¯re also going to betray me sooner or later.¡± ¡°N-no! I would never do that!¡± ¡°Sure you wouldn¡¯t¡­ that¡¯s what they said too.¡± ¡°N-no! I really-¡± ¡°AHAHAHAHAHA!¡± ¡­ Our attention is once again drawn elsewhere. It¡¯s the ¡®blue cat¡¯, laughing hysterically. ¡°Ahaha¡­ ah, man¡­ you are such a loser¡­¡± Everyone was stunned by her words. Even the curse guy. ¡­ Wasn¡¯t she charmed by him? Why did she call him a loser? Something¡¯s off here¡­ ¡°This is so funny¡­¡± She glanced at the curse guy with a smirk. ¡°You cursed yourself, didn¡¯t you? Ahahahah!¡± Only her laughter echoed through the place as everyone fixated their stares on Matoto. CH 57 – The cat figures it out ¡®You cursed yourself, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ Say what? How did she come to that conclusion? ¡°C¡¯mon, say it! You messed up and ended up cursing yourself!¡± I¡¯m confused¡­ As is the curse guy. ¡°Y-you¡­ weren¡¯t you¡­¡± ¡°Charmed? Hahaha¡­ are you stupid? You think that would work on me?¡± No, wait. Why DIDN¡¯T it work on you, then?! Lately, I feel like everyone but me has some hidden aces up their sleeves! ¡°Well, come on! Say it! ¡®I-am-a-lo-ser!''¡± ¡°Shut your trap! How do you even know about it?!¡± This is getting a little out of hand¡­ Dammit¡­ I came here to hear the grand story of gods and chosen ones¡­ And now, I¡¯m listening to bickering of a lose- err, the curse guy and a rude catgirl. ¡°M-master¡­ you are cursed?¡± With a hint of annoyance, he glances at the girl clinging to him and then averts his gaze again. ¡°Yeah, a curse that¡¯s impossible to remove and doesn¡¯t even show up in the status!¡± Oi, seriously? Why would you curse yourself like that? ¡°Because god thought it would be funny to set it up this way¡­ I made a single tiny mistake and ended up like this!¡± Oh¡­ So that¡¯s it. Hmm¡­ It makes sense, I guess. If you are given a strange new ability, you would naturally want to try it out. But with a dangerous ability like this¡­ What if you accidentally set the target to be yourself instead of whatever you meant to curse? ¡°S-so¡­ what does it do?¡± Cana asked carefully. ¡°Hell if I know! Probably makes everyone want to turn on me!¡± No, as I said¡­ The only reason those two ¡®betrayed¡¯ you is because you kept them on a leash with that charm! ¡°Ahahaha¡­ well, aren¡¯t you in luck? That cutie over there can suck it up for you if you beg really nicely.¡± I don¡¯t need him to beg¡­ Also, don¡¯t say ¡®suck it up¡¯! That¡¯s way too easy to misunderstand! Matoto glances at me momentarily, but turns his head away again with a scoff. ¡°I told you it¡¯s impossible to remove!¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­ you idiot¡­ you can¡¯t use logic when dealing with her.¡± Hey! What¡¯s that supposed to mean?! ¡°My aether crystal is supposed to seal every skill and curse¡­ and yet, she broke through it.¡± That¡­ Right¡­ How DID I break through it? At first, I thought you can¡¯t seal god-granted skills, but¡­ Seeing so many reincarnators, it¡¯s hard to believe she never tried it on them. So, why am I the first one to break out of it? Is it because of this ¡®chosen one¡¯ business¡­? He stares at me silently, expression still full of hostility. ¡°¡­ do whatever you want.¡± Oi¡­ Are you a tsundere? That feels really out of place¡­ Moreover, I hate when people can¡¯t be honest! ¡°¡­ well, you can do it later. The city lord probably wants to see you first.¡± Veras spoke up again, reminding me of the city lord. Oh yeah, the guildmaster told me something about that, didn¡¯t he? And I guess if I want to remove this guy¡¯s curse, I will take a bit, so I ought to do it later. ¡­ Hmm? Wait¡­ Didn¡¯t someone say Spectre¡¯s curse got already removed? I don¡¯t remember spending a whole lot of time with her though¡­ Definitely much less than with Ignis, that¡¯s for sure. ¡°Hey Nina¡­ shall we go then¡­?¡± Are you unconfortable here, Ignis? I guess that¡¯s understandable¡­ Alright, fine! I¡¯ll figure this out later! Let¡¯s go meet that lord guy first. It¡¯s better than dealing with the curse guy. ¡­ probably. I haven¡¯t met the lord yet. Argh, whatever! ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I turned around and beckoned to Ignis and Cana. Without any further discussion, we left. I think the catgirl yelled something creepy at me, but¡­ Whatever! Ignore it! ¡°Meow!¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. As Kuro jumped on top of my head again, Ignis and Cana followed after me. Our departure from the base was very silent. Those two probably still have the curse guy on their mind. Seriously¡­ He made THAT Ignis feel bad! What a guy. ¡­ Anyway, these random people in the base are getting annoying. Can¡¯t they tune it down with those hostile stares of theirs? They are the ones sent by the city lord, right? He should really tell them so stop being so rude¡­ Honestly! Are they angry that I didn¡¯t go to their boss right away and instead went here? Ugh¡­ Well, at least there were none of them in the prison area. I guess they are forbidden from entering there? After finally exiting the base, we headed straight for the city lord¡¯s mansion. Of course, I had no idea where that was, so I let Ignis lead the way. As we walked through the city, a few people looked at me and began whispering among each other. It reminded me of the werewolf incident in Buanna¡­ Which was the curse guy¡¯s fault as well, wasn¡¯t it? Huh¡­ Wait¡­ Did he single-handedly make me into a hero in two different towns? Wow. Now that¡¯s what I call an efficient villain! On our way to the mansion, I remembered I haven¡¯t checked my status in a while. Name: Nina Level: 16 Strength: 32/32 Endurance: 34/34 Speed: 46/46 Magic: 27/27 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband Kat gloves Kat slippers Enchanted handbag Skills: Cat soul+ 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat Hmm¡­ Oh? Level sixteen? I remember it being stuck at fifteen for a long time. Looks like I finally broke through that wall. Good good¡­ Now let¡¯s see. Did I randomly get another cat soul variant? Available variants: Panther soul Tiger soul Cheetah soul Lion soul ¡­ Huh? ¡­ ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong? Why did you stop?¡± ¡­ Not one, but two new variants? Where do they keep coming from?! Wait¡­ Cheetah soul¡­ Why do I feel like I already had that¡­? I¡­ I used it, didn¡¯t I¡­? After knocking our Matoto and Spectre and running out of magic¡­ It turned on automatically¡­ Right, right¡­ Why is my memory from that time so blurry? I feel tired just trying to remember¡­ Ugh¡­ What does it do, anyway? Cheetah soul In addition to cat soul effects, it allows the use of flow magic and enhances agility. Flow magic¡­? ¡°Nina¡­? A-are you alright?¡± Sorry Ignis, but¡­ ¡°Give me a second¡­¡± I know we were on our way to the lord, but¡­ Whatever! I used him as an excuse to leave the cat base anyway! He can wait! I want to get to the bottom of this! Lion soul In addition to cat soul effects, it allows the use of aura magic and enhances all senses. Aura magic¡­ Again, something really vague. What does flow and aura magic do? And more importantly¡­ Where did all of this come from?! Ugh¡­ I slowly start walking again while holding my head. ¡°Nina, seriously! What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡­ Hmm¡­ Maybe she can help me figure this out? ¡°I got two new cat soul variants.¡± ¡°Eh? Y-you mean more of those scary forms?¡± Scary forms¡­? Well, I guess she only really saw panther soul. Of course, she would call it a scary form. ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s¡­ uhh¡­ good for you?¡± That¡¯s not the point! ¡°I¡¯m wondering where they came from.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­ hmm¡­¡± She put a hand on her chin and fell into thought. ¡°It must be because you beat that guy, right? That god, or whatever is rewarding you for punishing bad people!¡± ¡­ I regret asking you. Or rather, didn¡¯t you feel bad about the whole situation just a minute ago?! How can you already be joking about it! ¡°Umm¡­¡± Cana raised her voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t it¡­ the curses?¡± The curses? What are you- ¡°Y-you absorb curses¡­ is what he said, right?¡± ¡­ Absorb curses¡­ ¡­ That¡¯s¡­ I¡­ I noticed panther soul in the medical facility after facing off against Cana and Fenrir. Which was after I supposedly absorbed the staff¡¯s curse¡­ ¡­ And tiger soul¡­ I found out about that after finishing the ogre subjugation with Ignis. After absorbing her curse¡­ And now¡­ Veras said Spectre¡¯s curse was gone¡­ And Matoto mentioned he had a curse that wasn¡¯t visible in the status screen¡­ Therefore, he wouldn¡¯t know if it was gone¡­ After beating up those two¡­ I gained two more variants. ¡°N-Nina?¡± ¡­ It¡¯s not the blessing! It¡¯s cat soul! It absorbs curses and turns them into variants! CH 58 – The cat sniffs some flowers Cat soul absorbs curses. Now I know why every variant has a nasty drawback... Each of them originally came from a curse, after all! Everything suddenly makes sense! Argh... What''s up with this, though? Why would Kat give me an ability like this? Could he actually be some sort of evil god of curses...? ... Well, whatever the case, he''s a jerk. This only adds a few minutes of my angry shouting to our next meeting. Now then. With one mystery out of the way, I guess we ought to head to the city lord''s mansion. Well... I''m not looking forward to it. I hate having to deal with such people. But the matter of fact is, there''s a cat sitting on my head. And that cat has a deal with this lord guy. One that allows him to operate a secret underground cat mafia in this city. There''s no need to fear anything, right? Yep, maybe I won''t even have to talk to him at all! Let''s go then! Before we reached the mansion though, my nose picked up a familiar smell. I stopped in my tracks once again. "Nina...? Something wrong again?" "... brace for impact." "Huh?" Ignis wore a stupefied expression. But that soon disappeared as a familiar voice entered our ears. "Niiinaaaaaa!" There it is! A giant red demonic monkey appeared! And she''s running straight at me with her arms wide open! Cat soul, activate! I''m not losing to that this time! Oh! She jumped at me! Perfect! Now she can''t change her trajectory! Alright! Side step it! Grab her arm and leg...! Aaaand, do a somersault! Haha! There we go! I neutralized the threat! I won''t let myself be crushed this time! ... Hmm, maybe that was too rough? It made quite the loud crashing sound... Nah... I bet she''s fine. ... Hmm? I feel like I did this kind of maneuver to someone else not too long ago. When was that...? "N-N-Nina! You are mean!" Oh, look at that! She''s completely unharmed! As expected of a gorilla. I bet she used her cheat skill to soften the landing. ... But, wouldn''t that completely gouge out the earth below her? "NI-NA! Are you listening?" What? Of course, I''m listening! I have enhanced senses! I''m listening more than anyone else ever could! "Ah whatever... I''m just glad you''re finally awake." Oh, she gave up on hugging me! I won! Nice! I''ll take your facepalm as a compliment! "Oh, but that new form you showed us before going all comatose... don''t you dare ever use that again!" Huh? You''re saying the same thing as Ignis. And I still have no idea what you''re talking about. "Y-yeah! Don''t do it!" "I... I also think you shouldn''t use it..." ... Oh right. Cheetah soul, right? I think that''s what they are referring to. Well... Don''t worry. After all, I have no idea how to actively turn on any of the variants. So banning me from using it is like banning me from getting a cold. I can''t really control it, you know? And anyway, why are you all so scared of it? I wish I could remember what I did... But I guess forgetting is the drawback... Or maybe the drawback was the coma...? "Anyway, where are you headed? There''s... something I wanted to discuss with you." Oi, why the serious face again? I might be semi-used to it, but you''re scaring poor Cana. "We were on our way to the lord''s mansion. He wanted to talk to Nina, apparently." If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.Oh, Ignis is used to it as well? Not bad. Also, thanks for being my mouthpiece. "The lord, huh... alright, let''s talk later then. See ya!" What? You''re just gonna leave now? Well, alright. ... Hmm... What does she want to talk about, I wonder? Eh, it''s all of the reincarnation business I bet. Whatever! Let''s g- ... Umm... You know. People have been staring at us before this, but... I feel like it intensified now. ... It''s because of the gorilla-shaped imprint in the ground, isn''t it? Yeah... She DID use that cheat skill of hers after all, didn''t she?! I thought she wanted to keep her abilities secret! Isn''t she contradicting herself now? Argh, whatever. It''s her problem. Let''s get out of here! "Let''s go." I beckon at Ignis and Cana and we sprint away from the crime scene. Yep, let''s not worry about it. I''m sure the ground will even out again quickly enough. It''s no concrete, after all. In no time at all, we arrive at the mansion. Wow... Now this... THIS is what I expected when I first saw Deliah''s home. It''s gigantic! Deliah''s mansion can''t even compare! Just look at this! Guard armed with fancy-colored armors! Giant garden with countless people tending to it! And the main gate is made out of gold?! ... Well, it''s probably just gold-coated and not pure gold, but still! "Hello." I approach one of the guards. "State your business." "Oi, wait. Look at that. It must be her, right?" What are you pointing at? Oh, my tail? Sorry, but even though I can move it, it''s just as fake as the ears. Although you can''t see the ears since Kuro is resting on my head. "Excuse me, but are you Nina? The adventurer?" "Yes." "I see... well, the lord has been expecting you... however, he is currently busy. Would you mind waiting in the reception room?" Oh, what? He''s busy? Well, darn... I guess it''s only natural. This isn''t a game, where all NPCs just stand in one spot, ready to respond to you at any moment. ... didn''t I reprimand someone about thinking reality is a game a moment ago? Well, anyway! "Sure." "Alright. This way then..." One of the guards lead us through the gate and into the garden. But the moment the gate opens, I don''t even take a single step and the overwhelming surge of scents from all the blooming flowers rush past me. My eyes tear up and I reflexively inhale with my mouth. "A-ah...!" "Huh?" "ACHOOOO!!!" ... There''s snot all over my glove now. And I seem to have thrown Kuro off. ... What the heck?! How dare you use my enhanced senses against me again?! Weaponizing flowers isn''t fair! As my eyes tear up and another sneeze gets ready to rip, I grab my headband with the other hand and pull it out. "N-Nina? Are you alright?" No, I''m not! I already had my enhanced hearing used against me, but this is just ridiculous! Urgh... Okay, I think the second sneeze is subsiding. There won''t be another round of this... Argh, dammit... Everyone is staring at me. Was that sneeze really that loud? Please stop staring! And also, can someone give me something to clean my glove? This is really gross! ... "Here you go." "T-thanks..." We went inside the mansion and settled in the reception room. One of the maids was kind enough to wash my glove before returning it to me. Argh... I didn''t expect this. Am I alergic or something? I didn''t really wander around flower gardens that much back on earth, so... Wait, that wouldn''t really mean anything anyway, would it? This isn''t the body I had back on earth. No, I bet it''s this headband''s fault! Argh! Kat! Why did you give me this headband if a simple flower can nearly kill me?! Enhanced senses suck! ... But if I don''t wear this, someone might try to use charm on me... And I won''t be able to detect my enemies before they ambush me... Damn it! How do dogs do it? They can sniff out criminals, but flowers don''t kill them! This is not fair! Stupid dogs! You make me look bad! ... Sigh... "Meow...?" Oh, hello Kuro... Don''t worry. Everything is fine. I just got a little worked up. Yeah... I just have to take off this thing whenever there''s a flower field. Simple enough, I guess. ... What''s taking the lord so long? I forced myself to come here and he can''t even make some time to meet me? Hah, what did I expect... He''s someone who got bribed by a cat! That already drops my impression of him to rock bottom! ... Finally, the door opens and a maid enters the room. "Excuse me. Miss Nina, lord Kalamas is expecting you." CH 59 – The cat is out of the bag Villain detected. He has a mustache and his scalp is balding. There¡¯s no way he isn¡¯t a villain, right? ¡°Welcome to my humble abode¡­ My name is Theo Kalamas.¡± And I just realized he has the same name as the city¡­ Or rather, the city has the same name as him. Which means one of his ancestors named this city after himself! What an arrogant thing to do! He definitely can¡¯t be a good guy! ¡­ Well, for now, I should introduce myself at least. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Nina.¡± No need to make it long. ¡°Good to finally meet you¡­¡± He smiles and nods to himself. But I won¡¯t be deceived by his false mask! ¡°Please sit down.¡± He points to one of the sofas in the room and walks over before sitting on the other sofa opposite of it. I do as I¡¯m told and sit down. Cana and Ignis follow me. ¡°I wanted to thank you for helping with the incident a few days ago. If it weren¡¯t for you, the city might have suffered great loses¡­¡± Eh, that¡¯s exaggerating. Even if I didn¡¯t help, there¡¯s still Mable, Kuro and Veras¡­ Those three are way stronger than me anyway, you know? ¡°Of course, I have prepared an appropriate reward. Along with the guildmaster of this city, we decided you deserved to rank up!¡± What? Another one? No, wait. He must be talking about the same one. ¡­ In other words, he¡¯s sending me back to the guild from where I was sent. It¡¯s an infinite loop! ¡°So, after we are done here, please visit the guild and-¡± Before he finishes his sentence I pull out my rank B adventurer¡¯s card and hold it up next to me. ¡°Oh, so you already did. Brilliant!¡± You seem way too happy about this. How suspicious¡­ Am I playing on top of his palm by getting the rank up? Is he going to extort me later to ¡®pay him back¡¯¡­?! ¡­ Calm down, me. These imaginations are getting out of hand. ¡°Ah, I would also like to thank you for raising Kent.¡± What? Thank me for raising my brother¡­? ¡­ No wait, Kuro told me his actual name was Kent, didn¡¯t he? So¡­ I raised this cat? That¡¯s news to me. ¡°Meow!¡± ¡°Ahaha, don¡¯t be surprised. I was already told you were the one to raise him.¡± Hold on¡­ Who told you? Was it Veras? Why did he tell you such a lie? ¡­ Is it to protect my real identity or something? Well, okay, I guess¡­ ¡°Well now, let¡¯s get into the main topic, shall we?¡± Uhh, sure. What is the main topic? ¡°Oh, but I have to warn you¡­ I¡¯m about to say some highly classified information¡­ under no circumstances are you to talk about this to anyone.¡± Hmm? Are you trying to make a serious expression? It¡¯s not working. You only make yourself look more villian-ey. ¡°The only reason why I¡¯m telling you all of this is because you are already involved¡­ and because Kent trusts you so much.¡± ¡°Meow.¡± Huh¡­ Well, you might think it¡¯s because ¡®I raised him¡¯. But it¡¯s actually because he¡¯s charmed. ¡­ What? It¡¯s not my fault! I can¡¯t help it! It¡¯s this blessing! ¡°In other words¡­ if you don¡¯t think you can keep it secret, I advise you stop me or to leave the room.¡± Yeah, yeah. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m talkative anyway. Your secret is safe with me! And if I don¡¯t hear you out, it¡¯s gonna bother me anyway! ¡°A final warning¡­ if you let it slip at some point¡­ something bad might happen to you¡­¡± Oh my god! I hate people like you! Just say it! Stop dragging it out! ¡°I-I think I¡¯ll leave.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Huh? Ignis? Did his threat scare you? Come on now¡­ You simply have to stop talking whenever someone asks you¡­! ¡­ Uh, yeah, actually¡­ It would probably be better if you left. ¡°M-me too¡­¡± Cana too? Ugh, what is this peer pressure?! Do you want me to walk away with them now?! No! I will persevere! ¡­ A wild butler appeared and lead the two girls outside. Once the lord confirmed I wouldn¡¯t budge, he told me his story. And¡­ How should I say it¡­ It was¡­ ¡­ Way too long! I couldn¡¯t care less about your childhood and your first love! What does it have to do with the cat base and the reincarnators?! ¡­ Oh? You got attacked by one of them? They injured your wife¡­? But then Kuro saved you? Hmm, hmm¡­ Oh, so that¡¯s it. The underground base is actually a failed attempt to build a sewer system¡­ And the reason why people didn¡¯t know about it is because it was really old¡­? Erm, are you kidding me? You left a series of underground tunnels under the city for several generations? Isn¡¯t it like¡­ dangerous? One little earthquake could cause a cave-in and bury the entire city¡­ Not that I¡¯m an expert on this stuff, but¡­ ¡­ and anyway! You seriously just gave out such an enormous real estate to a cat? I get that he saved your life, but¡­ Oh? There¡¯s more to this? Secret research¡­? The king¡¯s orders¡­? Now we¡¯re getting somewhere. This feels a lot more like a national secret! Mhmm, please continue. ¡­ So you are keeping the reincarnators locked up to research their skills? Hmm, I see¡­ I guess it makes sense. Their skills are leagues above what you can normally get in this world. Naturally, other people would want to harness such power for themselves¡­ ¡­ Wait, you actually succeeded? What? The sealing cages are a product from one of the reincarnator skills? ¡­ Oh yeah¡­ There WAS someone who could seal skills, wasn¡¯t there? The blue cat and her¡­ aether crystal, I think she called it. Hmm¡­ Interesting¡­ I always thought skills are just that. A person¡¯s skill. But they are an actual ¡®thing¡¯ that can be extracted¡­? That¡¯s weird! And it doesn¡¯t make sense! And¡­ it¡¯s kind of gross. Is it like a surgery? Do you have to wear a white bloodstained facemask as you close in on the patient with a drill needle scissors in your hand?! ¡­ Wait. Wait wait wait. No. This is pretty bad for me, isn¡¯t it? I have ¡®nine lives¡¯! I still don¡¯t know how it works, but isn¡¯t this basically immortality?! No way! If they found out about this, I would become their prime target! Immortality is the wet dream of every rich and evil guy, after all! Ah crap! ¡­ Ok, calm down. Who knows about this so far? I told Deliah¡­ and Mable¡­ and I think that¡¯s it right now. Alright¡­ I don¡¯t think Mable will tell anyone¡­ After all, I¡¯m also holding onto her secret! And Deliah is a smart girl! She¡¯s not like Ignis, who talks without thinking. ¡­ Phew¡­ I think I¡¯m safe. I just need to make sure nobody else finds out about it. Simple enough. ¡°And finally¡­ one of the greatest secrets of the world¡­¡± Oh, it¡¯s getting suspenseful?! Where¡¯s my popcorn?! ¡°It¡¯s a¡­ concept, that¡¯s pretty hard to grasp.¡± Well, that¡¯s fine! I read enough sci-fi and fantasy stories! My imagination is pretty good! ¡°Every person has it¡­ this ¡®board¡¯ of information about them, hidden from everyone else.¡± Board of information¡­? Ohh¡­ ¡­ Wait, do you mean status screen? ¡°If you believe in it and wish for it to appear, it will¡­! We call it the status screen!¡± Argh, I knew it! Seriously?! The status screen is the world¡¯s ultimate secret?! That¡¯s laughable! ¡°I know, I know¡­ it¡¯s very hard to believe. But it¡¯s true! Just try it!¡± No, I know it¡¯s true. I¡¯m only baffled because you say it¡¯s super secret! Argh, dammit¡­ How is that even possible? Surely there has to be the odd person who accidentally opens it once in a while, right? And from them, it should spread like a wildfire! ¡­ Or those individuals might simply think it¡¯s their personal ability and keep it secret. Oh, dammit! ¡°It¡¯s alright if you can¡¯t open it¡­ Only the reincarnators seem to have this ability naturally, after all¡­ It took even me a good while to do it as well.¡± ¡­ Hmm? Does he not know that I¡¯m also a reincarnator? Huh¡­ What did they tell him about me? Only that I was Kuro¡¯s caretaker and nothing else¡­? Well¡­ I guess that¡¯s for the better. If he knew I was a reincarnator, he might inquire about my skills, after all. ¡°Meow¡­¡± Yeah. Thanks Kuro. You saved me from a lot of trouble. Now I won¡¯t be hunted for my immortality! ¡°Well, that¡¯s it for my story. Any questions?¡± Not really. Only¡­ why did you have to include that beginning part?! Do you want me to write a biography for you? ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, I guess this is it for me. I wish you good luck on your further endeavors.¡± Long and exaggerated as always, huh? ¡°¡­ goodbye.¡± After I got up, his butler lead me outside of the room and into the reception room again, where Cana and Ignis waited. CH 60 – The cat wraps up We¡¯re outside the city lord¡¯s mansion. Next stop: the cat base. I still need to clean up the curses from everyone. But I don¡¯t really need Ignis and Cana to come with me¡­ I guess that¡¯s why they excused themselves and went to the guild to do a short quest¡­ Hah¡­ Well, sure! Let me handle all the dirty work while you two have fun! Argh¡­ Well, whatever. Not like their presence would speed up anything. And thus, equipped with a cat on my head, I walked back to the cat base¡¯s entrance. Ah, what a pain¡­ I wonder what horrible variants I¡¯ll get from the curses. So far, they were all named after a cat of sorts. Panther, tiger, cheetah and lion. What other cats are there? I guess jaguar¡­ leopard¡­ puma¡­? Hmm¡­ But it¡¯s a bit strange. All of those are animals from earth. But do they even exist here? It¡¯s supposed to be a fantasy world, so¡­ Rather than a tiger or lion, why not a saber tooth tiger or a manticore? Huh¡­ Can I get variants based on this world¡¯s felines¡­? I think I¡¯m onto something¡­ As I thought about such things, I made it to the entrance. Naturally, there is still the guard-shaped gate in front of it. ¡°Meow.¡± Oooh, nice! This gate is voice-activated! A simple meow and it opens! Thank you, Kuro. I walked downstairs and quickly made it to the prison area, ignoring the random people around. And it seems like I came in the middle of a lunch break. The blue cat is devouring a bowl of some bread and fruits. And over at the curse guy¡¯s cage¡­ There¡¯s a scene straight from some Japanese romcom. ¡°Say ¡®aah¡¯.¡± ¡°A-ah¡­¡± Spectre brings the spoon into his mouth and he swallows it. There¡¯s no hiding his red face. ¡­ Well, alright. I get that it¡¯s difficult for him to eat if both of his arms are crippled¡­ But wasn¡¯t he cursing the entire world before I left?! Now he seems like the happiest guy in the world instead! Grrr, I¡¯m so jeal- I mean, this feels wrong! ¡°Oh¡­ you¡¯re back already¡­ did those two not come with you this time?¡± ¡°They went on a quest.¡± ¡°Ohoh! The cutie is back to cuddle us till the curses are gone?!¡± This blue cat¡­ ¡­ Actually, what¡¯s her name even? I kept calling her ¡®blue cat¡¯ just because that¡¯s what Veras called her at first. But she has a name, right¡­? ¡­ On the other hand, I¡¯m terrible at memorizing names. And blue cat is just easier to remember. So¡­ whatever! ¡°Hmm¡­? What are you say-?¡± ¡°Shhhhh¡­¡± Huh? What¡¯s up with that? Why are you shhing Veras? Moreover, didn¡¯t you have a grand reveal about how NOT cursed you are? Why would I need to remove a curse from you if you don¡¯t have one? ¡°You know¡­ well, whatever.¡± Veras was about to say something, but decided not to. ¡°That¡¯s right. Now come and cuddle me!¡± ¡°You said you aren¡¯t cursed¡­¡± ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Oh man. Her expression went from excitement to absolute despair in just three steps. It almost looked like a slideshow. ¡°I thought you used to be a scientist¡­ aren¡¯t you supposed to be smart?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Well, whatever. I¡¯m not here for her, anyway. Onto the main topic. I walk over to the cage with Matoto inside and lock eyes with him. ¡°Your curse¡­ I already absorbed it.¡± Well, I¡¯m not 100% sure, but since you say you can¡¯t see it in your status, there isn¡¯t a good way to confirm it anyway. ¡°What-gRUGHUGH?!¡± ¡­ Spectre. I would appreciate it if you didn¡¯t shove bread into his mouth when I¡¯m trying to talk to him. ¡°Eh? S-sorry, master!¡± The guy gulps it down and faces me again, as if nothing happened. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡­ know how it works now¡­ and I can tell when I absorb a curse¡­¡± Well, no need to tell him the details. I¡¯m not like some crappy villain, who tells the hero every detail of her grand plan once she has him trapped. ¡­ Not that I¡¯m the villain here! ¡°¡­ and you think I¡¯ll believe you?¡± Huh? Oh, come on now! Can¡¯t you just say ¡®Oh, is that so? Ok, I understand.¡¯? Why does everything have to be so difficult?! ¡°You made Ignis and Cana betray me, broke both my arms and threw me into a cage to rot! Why should I believe someone who ruined my second chance at life!¡± No, hold on¡­ You uncursed Cana yourself! ¡­ And still, it¡¯s your own fault for being a supreme jerk! ¡°M-master¡­¡± Seeing her loved one explode in rage, Spectre held his shoulder to calm him down. He briefly looked at her and let out a sigh. ¡°You know, maybe if you didn¡¯t curse your companions, they wouldn¡¯t turn on you.¡± Oh? The cat recovered. ¡°What else could I do?! Everyone hated me! The only one who talked with me was Cana¡­ and I¡­ I couldn¡¯t risk losing her!¡± Oi. What¡¯s with those tears? Are you gonna go into some very deep and tear-jerking backstory? Please don¡¯t! ¡°Hah, you really are an idiot¡­ the reason why nobody trusts you is because you don¡¯t trust anyone either.¡± ¡°Grh¡­ Whatever¡­ it¡¯s all over now. Not like I¡¯ll get another chance now.¡± ¡°Hahaha, what are you talking about? This is a criminal rehab center, you know?¡± ¡°¡±Huh?¡±¡± Both me and him had the exact same reaction. ¡°You think these cats just stockpile criminals in here¡­?¡± ¡°W¡­ what are you¡­¡± ¡°Of course not, you idiot! You are here to better yourself! Ain¡¯t that right guys?!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Eh, sure¡­¡± ¡°Shut the F*CK UP ALREADY!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re just embarrassing.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­ I like this bread¡­¡± ¡­ I don¡¯t think they all share your feelings. And this just became even weirder¡­ Are you saying that some of you aren¡¯t evil criminals anymore? Or rather¡­ Are you saying YOU aren¡¯t a malicious criminal anymore?! Even though you admitted the curse charm didn¡¯t work on you and you STILL attacked us?! I¡¯m not buying it! ¡°Meow¡­¡± ¡°¡­ well, that WAS the intent after I swore loyalty to boss¡­ But most of them still refuse to cooperate.¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. In other words, this whole ¡®criminal rehab center¡¯ is just hopes and dreams? That¡¯s a shame¡­ ¡­ Also, why do I feel like these people aren¡¯t charmed by him anymore? Nobody is even defending him, getting angry for him or sucking up to him¡­ except for Spectre, of course. ¡°Oh, by the way¡­ we removed the curses from the rest¡­¡± ¡­ You what?! How?! Why?! ¡°Well¡­ since she wasn¡¯t cursed¡­ I just transferred them over to her and she nullified it¡­¡± ¡­ You could do that?! All this time?! Why didn¡¯t you do it sooner?! ¡°Ahahaha¡­ well, I didn¡¯t know curses are so similar to skills, you know? I only recently found out I can nullify curses as well.¡± So that¡¯s it¡­ ¡­ Now, the question is¡­ Does ¡®recently¡¯ mean BEFORE or AFTER you attacked us?! ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s that, I guess. Thanks for your help. And don¡¯t worry¡­ we¡¯ll take good care of those two.¡± Ah, back with your creepy smile, huh? You really like having your skills sealed, don¡¯t you? Well, good for you, I guess? ¡°No no no! We aren¡¯t done yet! I want some cuddles!¡± ¡­ On the other hand, this person is clearly dangerous. There¡¯s saliva dripping from her mouth. She must be feral. We should sedate her. ¡­ And the curse guy. Even though he has been given another chance, he¡¯s still staring daggers at me. He must really hate me, huh? ¡­ Well, that¡¯s his problem! None of my business! Let¡¯s bail out of here! If I¡¯m lucky, I¡¯ll catch the girls in the guild before they leave for their quest! ¡°Okay. Bye.¡± I wave my hand and dash out before anyone can stop me. In a matter of several seconds, I¡¯m back at the surface jumping over the guard-shaped gate. And I notice that at some point, Kuro jumped off of my head and went back to the base. Well, that¡¯s alright. I¡¯m sure he has a lot of stuff to do, being a boss of an underground organization and all. Next stop: Adventurer¡¯s guild¡­! ¡­ is what I would like to say. But as soon as I entered the main street, I could sense a certain presence approaching me again. A rematch so soon? Well, I won¡¯t give up my winning streak of one! Come at me! Cat soul, activate! ¡°Nina!¡± A cat VS. a gorilla! Round 2! Fight! ¡­ ¡°¡­ what¡¯s with that pose?¡± ¡­ Nothing. Please forget it. So, what was it that you wanted to discuss? ¡°Well anyway, where are you headed now? Or, are you free?¡± ¡°The guild.¡± I want to catch the girls before they go, but it¡¯s not super urgent. ¡°Oh¡­ well, can I accompany you there? I want to talk about something.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± And so, I braced myself for more mindblowing plottwists about this whole reincarnator business and perked up my ears. But the words that took me by surprise. ¡°Actually, while you were out, I got a letter from my parents.¡± Huh? Parents¡­? Umm, right¡­ You have parents¡­ That¡¯s completely normal¡­ But why does that notion seem so impossible to me¡­? And¡­ What kind of parents do you have¡­? Do they know the truth about you? Or do they simply think of you as this oddball tomboy? ¡­ I digress. What was it about the letter? ¡°They said they would be returning to Nieze in about two months you see¡­¡± Nieze? What¡¯s that again¡­? It sounds familiar¡­ Oh yeah! Wasn¡¯t that the name of this kingdom? Right, right¡­ So her parents were abroad and are gonna return soon? ¡°Well, it¡¯s still a bit far off, but just wanted to ask you this.¡± Yes yes, what is it? ¡°I want to surprise them and meet up with them directly at the port! So, I wanted to ask you girls to be my escorts for my journey there.¡± Huh? That¡¯s¡­ Pretty sweet of you. But, do you really need escorts? ¡°Don¡¯t give me that ¡®do you really need escorts¡¯ face!¡± Oi, we got another mindreader in our midst! ¡°It¡¯s not very realistic for a feeble merchant¡¯s daughter to venture out that far on her own and be completely fine, you know?¡± Well, I guess¡­ If you wanna keep going with the whole hiding your abilities nonsense, then it¡¯s not as simple. ¡°And I would rather have you girls then some random adventurers I don¡¯t know.¡± Good point¡­ But with that personality of yours, I expected you to be friends with countless adventurers already. ¡°So? What do you say?¡± ¡°¡­ sure.¡± But why are you asking just me? Are we a 1+1 package? With Ignis being the +1? Or actually¡­ Cana would be joining us now, right? Well, I guess it should be alright¡­ ¡°Alright! Thanks! I¡¯ll tell you the exact date later!¡± Aaaand, there she goes again. Well¡­ I mean, we are going to a port city, right? I said I would buy some fish for Kuro and the cheetah-like cat as a reward for helping me back then. Two months is pretty long, but hey. Why not use this opportunity? And since it¡¯s near a sea, it might even be a good spot for relaxing! Lying on the beach and sunbathing while listening to the ocean waves? Mmm, sounds nice¡­ Yep yep, it was definitely a good idea to agree to that! Nodding to myself, I make my way to the adventurer¡¯s guild. And as soon as I enter, some people confront me. Fully armed and wearing a nervous expression. Hello there. I recognize you bunch. You were the adventurers who attacked me before I fell into coma. Right, this guy¡­ I remember now. You¡¯re the somersault professional! And there are the mage triplets! So, what¡¯s this? You want a rematch? Alright then! Come get some! I¡¯m just in the right mood for some excercise! ¡­ Hmm? Why is your leader stepping forward? You don¡¯t need to do one versus one, you know? Just attack me all at once, like back then! ¡°H-hey, umm¡­ we heard you woke up, so we¡­ we wanted to apologize.¡± ¡­ Well, that¡¯s unexpected¡­ Last time, you attacked me on sight without even bothering to talk. Since I¡¯m kind of town hero, I expected for you to say things like ¡®Calling this vile monster a hero is a disgrace!¡¯ or ¡®Show your true colors, beast!¡¯ ¡°We acted too rashly¡­ we didn¡¯t even talk to you¡­ so, er¡­¡± Well, yeah. Shoot first, ask questions later. That¡¯s what you did. Except, it never got to the ¡®later¡¯ part. ¡°If there¡¯s something we could do to make up for that¡­¡± Hmm¡­ What does one do to apologize for trying to kill someone? Maybe I should make them do everything I say for one day? Or have them give me some of their priced possessions? ¡­ What? I should just wave my hand and forgive them? No way! I wouldn¡¯t dare trample down on their sincerity and forbid them from apologizing! These clich¨¦ goodie two shoes protagonists are all idiots! ¡°Oh hey Nina! You¡¯re already done? Hmm¡­? Who are these people?¡± Oh, hello Ignis¡­ hi Cana. Do you have a suggestion for how they should apologize? I¡¯m liking the one day slave idea. ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t you Ignis?¡± Huh? They recognized her? Even though she isn¡¯t tall and stuff as the rumor goes? ¡­ Oh man, your face is beaming right now. Are you really that happy to finally be recognized? ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s me! The great Ignis!¡± There you go with the self-praise again¡­ ¡°So what were you talking about with my partner?¡± ¡°Well¡­ we just¡­¡± ¡°We wanted to say sorry to her¡­¡± Just as the leader started losing his words, one of his party members helped him out. ¡°Huh? What for?¡± ¡°W-well¡­ back during the incident, we selfishly attacked her just as she dealt with the criminals.¡± ¡°And we didn¡¯t even try to talk to her¡­¡± ¡°Oh! You mean when she was in that horrifying form?¡± What¡­? Horrifying form? You¡¯re making it sound worse and worse! ¡°Eh? W-well¡­¡± ¡°I know what you mean! When you see that, your instincts just scream to kill it or to run away! Talking to her seems like suicide!¡± Wait! What¡¯s up with that?! Why are you suddenly bashing me now?! I thought you are my ally! ¡°W-well¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you need to apologize at all! Or rather, it should be Nina who should apologize!¡± What?! No! I don¡¯t want to be their slave for a day! ¡°Erm, no¡­ I¡­ uhh¡­¡± ¡°Come on, Nina! Say sorry!¡± ¡­ This girl¡­ I forgot she¡¯s the pushy and annoying type. Why did I accept her as my teammate again? ¡°Say ¡®IIII-aaam-sooo-ryyy!''¡± Stop touching my jaw. I¡¯m not a hand puppet. ¡­ I put my hand on her shoulder and look her into the eye. ¡°Eh? N-nina?¡± You know¡­ You are exactly the type of person I always hated dealing with. Back then, I simply went with the flow and partied up with you. But thinking about it¡­ We have a terrible compatibility, don¡¯t we? I should just- ¡°W-wait, wait, wait! I¡¯m sorry! I went too far okay?!¡± ¡­ Oh? Did cat soul activate? I see¡­ I think it turned into some sort of defense mechanism. It naturally turns on when I¡¯m pressured now. ¡­ Ah, you know what? Whatever¡­ I wanted to just disband this party and return to doing everything solo. But rather than that¡­ ¡°Guha!¡± A light punch into her stomach. And over my shoulder you go. ¡°Eh? Wha-¡± ¡­ it¡¯s it better if I simply fix your habits? That¡¯s right¡­ I don¡¯t know what kind of parents you had, but they did a terrible job of raising you! Let this adult show you how to properly behave! ¡°Bye.¡± Don¡¯t be so surprised Mr. adventurer leader. Although her personality is lacking, this girl has some amazing amount of long ranged firepower! It¡¯s exactly what I need from a teammate since I¡¯m all about melee combat. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting her slip away! ¡­ Oh yeah. About that apology¡­ Eh, whatever! Just forget it! ¡°All forgiven.¡± Thumbs up and a smile! ¡°Eh? Er¡­ umm¡­ o-okay?¡± Hahaha¡­ Me? A goodie two shoes protagonist? Oh, please! I just have better things to do right now! Such as reeducating this insolent loli! ¡°W-waaait! Stop!¡± Come along Cana! We have a lot of work to do! Before we do Mable¡¯s request, we¡¯ll become a proper party! I¡¯ll let you witness the birth of a new Ignis! ARC 1 ¨C The cursed maidens: END Arc 1 – Character summary Nina Alternative names: the cat, weirdo Age: 16 appearance-wise, 21 inner age Likes: Yuri, Videogames Dislikes: Social interaction, Authority figures, Math Skills: Cat soul, Nine lives First mentioned in: Chapter 1 First appeared in: Chapter 1 Description: The main character of this series. She¡¯s quite taciturn and talks very sparingly, even when in a one on one conversation with someone. The only reason why others can often tell what¡¯s on her mind is because her emotions show clearly on her face. Her current appearance is what she looked like in her previous life when she was sixteen. She has short black hair, yellow eyes and is below average in terms of height. She¡¯s actually shorter than any other character introduced so far, except for Veras and Spectre. As for her chest, most girls her age would complain about how non-existent it is, but she¡¯s not one to care about such petty things. When activating cat soul, she changes a little bit. In this form, the ¡®aura¡¯ she gives off switches from ¡®a young girl¡¯ to ¡®a predator¡¯. She becomes a little more comfortable speaking out loud and her mood isn¡¯t as visible on her face. She¡¯s also less affected by fear, making it ideal for fighting. However, despite feeling different to the onlookers, her actual appearance doesn¡¯t change at all. Panther soul is her ultimate poker-winning mode. The only thing others can read from her expression when she turns on panther soul is ¡®she¡¯s gonna kill me¡¯. It corrupts her personality into a ruthless bloodthirsty killer with no sense of empathy. As for her appearance, it doesn¡¯t change much except for the black flame-like fog she emanates. During tiger soul, her personality also gets corrupted, but in a very different way. It makes her depressed and jealous of everyone around her. Her thought process turns very cynical and negative. And unlike panther soul, this has some lasting mental effects even after it has been turned off. Her appearance changes a little more in this form. The tips of her hair glows with a red-ish/orange tone and even her Kat clothes turn orange with several black stripes remaining, imitating the appearance of a tiger. Cheetah soul is similar to panther soul, but at the same time, it¡¯s a complete opposite. People around Nina feel death, just like with panther soul. However, it¡¯s not a murderous and violent death they expect, it¡¯s more of a ¡®I¡¯m going to slowly wither away¡¯ kind of death. Nina¡¯s physical appearance also changes. Her clothing and hair turns brownish orange, she gains black spots all over her body and clothes, dark circles under her eyes and the air around her turns into a white fog shaped like ghastly screaming faces. This variant seemingly activates on its own when Nina runs out of mana and then gradually exhausts her until she falls asleep. When in this sleep, her regeneration is severely reduced and she will not wake up untill she has fully restored her mana. Her actual energy levels before the soul''s activation have an impact on how reduced the regeneration will be. Lion soul is the last variant Nina unlocked, but since she hasn''t found a way to activate it yet, it''s effects are unknown. Equipment: Even after so long in the new world, Nina has not gotten her hands on any regular equipment yet. She became completely reliant on the claws from her Kat gloves as her weapon and her dress in the place of armor. She purchased an item bag back in Buanna from Rennack¡¯s treasures, but since she met Kuro, it too has become a little obsolete. Kat dress: It¡¯s a black one-piece dress extending slightly above Nina¡¯s knees. As it is a gift from a god, the material it¡¯s made out of is unknown. It grants resistance to both physical and magical attacks and gives an invisible boost to endurance. Since Nina rarely gets hit thanks to her speed, it¡¯s still not clear how good this ¡®resistance¡¯ is. But it¡¯s good enough to at least protect her from instant death when tackled by a legendary wolf beast and hitting a wall. An additional bonus this dress has, is to neutralize heat and cold, which extends to Nina¡¯s entire body. Again, the limit of this is unknown, but it¡¯s good enough to render a low tier ice spell powerless. Kat underwear: It¡¯s composed of two pieces. The black cat-shaped panties and the black cat bra. This piece of equipment is the definition of convenience. It automatically resizes to always fit the wearer no matter how much they age or how much ¡®fat¡¯ they put on, and it even automatically gets rid of dirt. The cherry on top of the cake is its boost to regeneration of all stats. This means Nina heals quicker, recovers mana quicker, recovers from fatigue quicker and so on. Kat headband: A black cat ear headband. This piece is a double-edged sword in many ways. It enhances all of the user¡¯s senses, which doesn¡¯t just include the five main senses, but even ones such as sense of balance or sense of time. The truth is, Nina would have a lot of trouble running at max speed for a long time without wearing this as she would get dizzy or disoriented and end up tripping or crashing into a tree. The headband¡¯s other ability is to resist charm. It¡¯s a very handy effect, which, despite what Nina initially thought, hasn¡¯t come into play yet. Lastly, it gives an invisible boost to magic, which, except for extending the space of her bag, is pointless unless she turns on one of the cat soul variants. Kat gloves: Every assassin¡¯s wet dream. They allow the user to cling to any surface, including straight walls or even the ceiling. The gloves also have extendable claws, that seemingly seem to materialize out of thin air. The claws secrete poison with varying effects. Sometimes, it kills the victim, and at other times it paralyzes or mutes them. Lastly, it boosts the wearer¡¯s strength, making a punch from even a puny little girl like Nina send an adult man flying. Currently, these gloves are Nina¡¯s main, and also her only, weapon. Kat slippers: Cat shaped slippers. They also come with knee socks, which automatically creep up the owner¡¯s legs when the slippers are worn. The knee socks quickly retract when the wearer goes to take the slippers off. Due to this, Nina doesn¡¯t even know about this function. The main benefit these slippers give is enhancing the wearer¡¯s flexibility and giving them the ability to air-jump. The flexibility has been shown to be enough to dodge a barrage of magical vines moving in a chaotic way, while the air-jumps are still something Nina needs to properly learn. Even with her enhanced sense of balance, doing it continuously is too difficult for her. The slippers are by far the piece that gets the least amount of spotlight as it¡¯s easy to forget that they are what boosts her main stat, speed. Fun fact: Nina never won a game of poker and blames it on bad luck rather than her inability to bluff. Comment: ¡°I¡¯m not actually a cat, you know?¡± Deliah Alternative names: Noble girl Age: 17 Likes: Peace Dislikes: Assassins, Math Skills: Rational fear First mentioned in: Chapter 17 First appeared in: Chapter 18 Description: The first heroine to be introduced in the story. Although she suspected Nina to be a dangerous person out to kill her at first, they eventually became friends. She is by far the smartest character introduced. Due to this, she has been praised since young age and given special education. Thanks to her doting father, she¡¯s been given a free rein on what she wants to do, but since she was always busy studying, she hasn¡¯t thought about her future too much yet. Despite her intelligence, math is the one subject she could never conquer. She¡¯s a beautiful young girl with curly blond hair and blue eyes. She¡¯s a bit taller than Nina, even counting her headband and her bust is slightly bigger as well. Though, since she always wears extravagant clothes all the time, it¡¯s hard to notice. Despite not being a reincarnator, she possesses a skill, which is quite rare at her age. But of course, its power and overall usefulness is nowhere near the skills granted by gods the reincarnators have. Equipment: She always wears over-the-top beautiful dresses, even if the situation isn¡¯t appropriate. Her father is to thank for that. Fun fact: She used to prefer dogs to cats. But due to obvious reasons, that has changed. Comment: ¡°I wonder what that ¡®other world¡¯ looks like¡­?¡± Mable Alternative names: Gorilla, The great red ape Age: 18 appearance-wise, unknown inner age Likes: Cute girls, Hugging Dislikes: Traitors, Bullies Skills: Unstoppable force, Clear mind First mentioned in: Chapter 21 First appeared in: Chapter 21 Description: A merchant¡¯s daughter and Deliah¡¯s friend, who turned out to be a reincarnator. Other than revealing she used to be male, she refuses to talk about her previous life. She says leaving the past be and looking toward the future is the way to go. She¡¯s usually cheery and carefree, but whenever she turns serious, her presence could make a lion tremble. Nina thinks this ¡®serious mode¡¯ is her true nature and that the cheery attitude is just a facade, but she wouldn¡¯t ever dare say that out loud. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Mable sports shoulder-length red hair, although unlike Ignis, her hair isn¡¯t literally red, but has an orange hue instead, which sort of matches her brown eyes. She is about a head taller than Deliah, making her the tallest one of the girls. And ironically, despite being a former man, she has the largest bust among the girls as well. Her unstoppable force is by far the single most powerful offensive skill to be introduced yet. No matter how amazing someone¡¯s defense is, she can break through it with just a pinkie flick. The only weakness this ability has, is that she needs to actually hit the target. Speed types like Nina are a natural counter to this skill. Her other skill is clear mind, which is supposed to protect her from any mind-altering effects like charm, as well as curses. However, seeing as Ignis¡¯ kiss worked on her, it seems that although she cannot be cursed, other cursed person¡¯s curse can still work on her. Equipment: Mable doesn¡¯t use any notable pieces of equipment, because she mostly relies on her skills and her own wits. She wears the school uniform most of the time though. Fun fact: The identity of Mable¡¯s previous life is a mystery to everyone, including the author. Comment: ¡°Living your life to the fullest is the most important thing of all!¡± Cana Alternative names: Wolf gal, Weirdo Age: 17 Likes: Animals (all of them(even spiders and cockroaches)) Dislikes: Matoto, Violence Skills: ¨C First mentioned in: Chapter 17 First appeared in: Chapter 22 Description: The cursed maiden number one. She¡¯s a very timid, but conscientious person. She usually hates violence, but due to the charm, she often found herself in a situation where she had no choice. This regret and frustration got pushed into the back of her mind and once the curse got removed, it erupted all at once. She¡¯s now looking for a way to keep living as Nina¡¯s and Ignis¡¯ party member. When she was cursed, her eyes were colorless and half of her face was covered in grayish fur. But with the curse¡¯s removal, her eyes gained a light blue tint and the fur on her face disappeared. Her hair is still grayish silver though. She¡¯s as tall as Nina, if you count in the cat ear headband. With her curse gone, she went from someone with a great battle potential to a powerless girl. She¡¯s currently trying to learn how to use a bow, but has trouble releasing the arrow when there¡¯s a cute animal in her way. Equipment: She used to wear simple robes with hoods just to hide her face, but now that her curse is gone, Ignis took her to a clothes store and picked out a nice hunter outfit for easy movement, as well as a white dress to wear on free days. Fun fact: Cana¡¯s name was derived from the word ¡®canine¡¯, meaning ¡®relating to or resembling a dog or dogs¡¯. Comment: ¡°I want to see Tapi again¡­ and shade too¡­ and nightmare¡­ and¡­¡± Ignis Alternative names: Iza dungeon conqueror Age: 18 Likes: Fame, Friendly people Dislikes: False rumors, Scary people Skills: ¨C First mentioned in: Chapter 29 First appeared in: Chapter 29 Description: The cursed maiden number two. She¡¯s the loud tomboy type on the outside, but often gets timid and scared when under pressure. She¡¯s very easygoing about most things, which means her mood can change on impulse, but it also means she can adapt to unexpected situations pretty quickly. She wears the clich¨¦ hairstyle of all tomboy girls, twin tails, and her hair color is deep red, which happens to be her favorite color. It also goes well with the fiery style dress she wears all the time. She has brown eyes and is about the same height as Deliah, but her chest is as pitiful as Nina¡¯s. For some unknown reason, a false rumor about her appearance has spread and it annoys her quite a bit. In terms of abilities, she¡¯s an expert fire mage. You would be hard-pressed to find someone at her skill level and still this young. However, that hasn¡¯t always been the case. Before getting cursed, she had absolutely no talent when it came to magic. Although she doesn¡¯t like to admit it, the curse really helped to discover her hidden potential. And it didn¡¯t fade even after the curse depleted. Equipment: Sunshine, the fire staff: It¡¯s a weapon Ignis took a great liking to after discovering it inside the Iza dungeon. It boosts the user¡¯s fire-based magic and can also act as a catalyst for various spells. Ignis thought long and hard to come up with a good name for a fire staff and settled on ¡®sunshine¡¯ in the end. Fiery dress: Her favorite dress from the times before she got cursed. It doesn¡¯t actually have any magical properties. She just likes how it looks. Fun fact: Her hair used to be golden blond before she got cursed. Comment: ¡°Why does everyone think I¡¯m a tall woman with large chest?!¡± Spectre Alternative names: ¨C Age: 13 Likes: Master, Master, Master, Sometimes Ignis Dislikes: People hurting master, People insulting master, Gorillas Skills: ¨C First mentioned in: Chapter 37 First appeared in: Chapter C1 (38-39) Description: A young girl who was sold into slavery by her parents at young age. Because of this, she suffered from severe depression and social anxiety. She eventually gave up all hope on ever living a normal life. However, that changed when a knight in a shining armor (Matoto in some rags) riding on a white horse (more of a black wolf) appeared, beat up all of the slave dealers (the wolves did most of the work) and rescued her. It was a love at first sight. She threw away her previous name given to her by those despicable parents of hers and accepted a new name from her beloved master. Even without a charm, she is the most dedicated among all of Matoto¡¯s harem members and never hesitates when ordered by him to do something. Some might call her ¡®love¡¯ an ¡®obsession¡¯ or ¡®yandere¡¯, but let¡¯s ignore that. Appearance-wise, she has a small build, long white hair and pale blue eyes. Since her curse transforms only her into a fog, but ignores any clothing and accessories, she got used to always being naked. When cursed, she had the ability to freely turn her body into a fog and back again. With her cursed absorbed by Nina, this ability has mostly gone away. However, she retained some of her talent for wind and fog-based magic, even though she had none before the curse. Equipment: Literally none. Fun fact: After ¡®obtaining¡¯ Cana, Matoto wanted to have four girls, one for each of the classical elements. Spectre was supposed to be ¡®air¡¯. Comment: ¡°Master is so cool and beautiful and kind and¡­¡± Kuro Alternative names: Kent, Boss, old geezer Age: 18 as a cat, 33 as a human previously Likes: Nina, Power Dislikes: Being a cat Skills: Immortality, Pocket dimension First mentioned in: Chapter 27 First appeared in: Chapter 27 Description: A reincarnator, who is actually Nina¡¯s brother from their previous lives. She still doesn¡¯t know that though. He¡¯s the type of person who likes to be in charge and above others. However, due to Nina¡¯s blessing, he often reverts to a docile pet cat when she¡¯s around. The god, who reincarnated him was, no other than Kat. Kuro took it as a cruel joke of an evil god and swore to get revenge one day. Appearance-wise, he looks like your regular black cat with yellow eyes. If he stood by a regular black cat, it would be very difficult to differentiate between them. Having single-handedly defeated half a dozen of other reincarnators, leading a secret underground organization and having ties to a city lord, he is arguably the most powerful character in the series so far. His pocket dimension allows him to put inside anything he wants, although if he is¡¯t touching the object, it takes a bit more focus to store it. Taking out the object is possible in many different ways. He can simply drop it on the ground or he can launch it, turning it into an offensive skill as well. He mentioned having immortality, but not much is known about it. Equipment: Kuro hides countless weapons and other utility items in his pocket dimension, using them when the situation calls for it. Fun fact: He can actually store live people in his pocket dimension. But he never tried it since he always assumed he couldn¡¯t. Comment: ¡°Meow¡­ me-¡­ MEOW MEOW?!¡± Translation for Kuro¡¯s comment: ¡°You know¡­ I-¡­ WAIT, WHY AM I NOT BEING TRANSLATED?!¡± Matoto Alternative names: Jerk, Curse guy Age: 18, unknown inner age Likes: Girls~ Dislikes: Girls¡­ Skills: Cursed blessing, ??? First mentioned in: Chapter 24 First appeared in: Chapter C1 (38-39) Description: A reincarnator and the main antagonist of this arc. Due to certain experiences in his previous life, he lost all ability to feel empathy and turned into someone who thought of others as simple objects or NPCs in a game. For that reason, even if Cana and Ignis were friendly with him, he wanted to make extra sure they wouldn¡¯t betray him and placed a charm on them. Ironically, that was the very reason they ¡®betrayed¡¯ him later on. He has short brown hair and eyes and is about as tall as Mable. Matoto is another victim of Kat¡¯s pranks. Wishing for an ability to enchant things with various effects, he has been given ¡®cursed blessing¡¯. It¡¯s a very hard to master skill, which allows him to curse and bless (mostly curse) objects and people with varying effects. Unfortunately, before he learned how it even works, he ended up placing a very powerful curse on himself, which always made people act on their true feelings when dealing with him (eg. hate for most people, or friendliness for Cana at the beginning). As a reincarnator, he is supposed to have two skills, but his other skill is still unknown. Equipment: When in public, he made it a habit to hide his face under a hood. But when alone with his girls, he likes to wear just pants and nothing else. He also carries around a couple of small pebbles in his pockets, serving as catalysts for when he wants to make use of his curses. Fun fact: He used to live in a simple village where he became friends with Cana. It was when he tried to show off his powers to her that he accidentally cursed her. Following that, they were both chased out of the village. Comment: ¡°Maybe¡­ this wasn¡¯t such a bad experience, after all¡­¡± CH 61 – The cat obtains a sword It¡¯s been almost three months since I first found myself in this world. I arrived in late February and it¡¯s mid May now. The time sure flies¡­ Well, the first month of my life here was especially busy. Becoming an adventurer, learning how to properly use my powers, thwarting plans of an evil guy who cursed people¡­ Yeah, a lot has happened in just the first month. Ugh¡­ And that curse guy was the grumpiest grump to ever grump, that¡¯s for sure. Like an angry dog, who barks at everyone who walks by. Well, at least at the beginning¡­ But in just a few weeks in his little cage, he has completely mellowed out¡­ And it¡¯s all because of that creepy little girl we call Spectre. It¡¯s like, as long as she can be by his side, she doesn¡¯t care about anything else. I treat those two as a single person at this point. They even have the same reactions. Oh, but¡­ Even though I heard they are more approachable nowadays¡­ They still hate me with a passion. Not sure why¡­ It¡¯s probably because of how I beat them up back then and even crippled both of the guy¡¯s arms. Well, the one I punched has already been healed, but it seems like the one I used shadow magic against can¡¯t be healed even with magic¡­ What a messed up ability I have¡­ But enough of that. What about me and my party? Well, long story short, I succeeded in reeducating Ignis! ¡­ What? I really did! I¡¯m the one to decide things now! ¡­ But the joke is¡­ I don¡¯t talk all that much. Most of the time, she suggests what to do next and I approve it. ¡­ Nothing has changed! How did this happen?! Why am I so bad at dealing with people?! Ugh¡­ Well whatever¡­ It works, so I shouldn¡¯t complain too much. That aside. Cana picked up archery. And she¡¯s surprisingly good at it. I just wish she didn¡¯t hesitate when it came to releasing her arrows¡­ I mean, I get that you would rather be petting those animals than shooting them, but when a bear is charging at you, it¡¯s a different story! She¡¯s really weak when it comes to animals¡­ Luckily, monsters don¡¯t qualify as ¡®cute animals¡¯ in her eyes, so hunting those has been part of most of our quests lately. Still¡­ Even if we have one front liner and two back liners, everyone in our party focuses on offense. We¡¯re a party of glass cannons! Sounds like a bad idea, doesn¡¯t it? Indeed, it is. I confirmed that notion the other day. We were out and about exterminating an oversized goblin nest. And I got so distracted reveling in slicing them up that I didn¡¯t notice one of them coming in to flank the girls. ¡°Gyah?!¡± Cana¡¯s scream made me notice it. But I was too far away from her to do anything. By the time I got close enough to be of any help, she¡­ ¡­ Sat there on the ground, completely unharmed, staring at a headless goblin corpse. We were all confused by that chain of events. But of course, at the time, we didn¡¯t have time to investigate what was going on and continued our extermination. And afterwards¡­ ¡°Hey, Cana! What did you do back then?¡± As always, Ignis asked what dwelt on my mind as well. ¡°I¡­¡± Cana couldn¡¯t help but stare at her hands in disbelief. ¡°I summoned¡­ Cerberus¡­?¡± That sentence alone shocked both of us. How is that possible? Wasn¡¯t her curse dispelled months ago? Why can she use her summons? ¡°Really?! That¡¯s awesome! So, you were like me!¡± I wanted to question what she meant by ¡®like me¡¯, but I already knew the answer. Ignis, prior to the curse, couldn¡¯t use magic at all. It¡¯s the curse that awoke her talent to fire magic. And even after I absorbed the curse, she remained to be an excellent fire magician. In other words¡­ Why wouldn¡¯t the same be true for Cana? ¡°B-but¡­ how? Why?¡± Of course, this is a little different. Ignis maintained all of her abilities after the curse, while Cana seemingly lost them. But with this¡­ There¡¯s a chance her talent for summoning magic isn¡¯t dead, after all! And if we have those summons, our need for a tank gets solved as well! Naturally, this is something we went to investigate right away. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Summoning magic is really rare. Pretty much every person capable of using it became a court magician or something similar.¡± And that¡¯s the answer we got at the guild. In other words, there isn¡¯t anyone we can ask to teach Cana. We can¡¯t just waltz into a castle where the royal family resides and ask to be taught super rare magic. ¡­ But you didn¡¯t need to be so blunt with it Mrs. receptionist. You completely shot down all of Cana¡¯s hopes and dreams. ¡°It¡¯s okay! You don¡¯t need some old geezer to teach you! You are smart! You can learn it on your own!¡± I agree. I don¡¯t see a reason why she couldn¡¯t learn it by herself. ¡°O-okay¡­ I¡¯ll do my best!¡± That¡¯s the spirit! Speaking of learning one¡¯s abilities. I tried doing it as well. ¡­ No, I don¡¯t mean moving my tail! I mean, cat soul variants! Sure, they all have a serious drawback, but¡­ Each of them provides me with unique magic. Yeah, that¡¯s right. Shadow, blaze, flow and aura magic¡­ I¡¯ve asked around and nobody seems to have heard about any of these. Which means they are all even rarer than summoning magic, or maybe even completely unique to me! How can I miss out on something like that?! That¡¯s right! This is why, I¡¯ve been practicing! The results: I¡¯m able to activate panther soul at will now, and cheetah soul will activate whenever I run out of mana. Tiger soul and lion soul though¡­ I couldn¡¯t make them activate no matter what I did. ¡­ Oh, but. Saying I activated them doesn¡¯t mean I learned how to cope with their drawbacks. Though, fortunately, cheetah soul only makes me sleep for one or two days now. As for panther soul¡­ ¡­ ¡°G-get away from me! Argh!¡± ¡°Calm down, you piece of trash. I¡¯m trying to help you.¡± Argh, this idiot won¡¯t stop thrashing around. I thought he wants the shadow out of his shoulder, so he can move again! Seriously, if it weren¡¯t for me wanting to practice removing those shadows, I wouldn¡¯t even bother. ¡°Guargh!¡± ¡°M-masteeer!¡± ¡°There we go.¡± I yoinked it back and absorbed it. Why he is writhing in pain down there? He has no balls whatsoever. Truly a piece of trash. ¡­ And what about the spectators? Your horrified gazes are annoying. I just helped him, you know? Or are you staring because you still can¡¯t believe my skills can¡¯t be sealed by this thing? ¡°I-is it done¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I answer Ignis and then turn to the pitiful pile of meat on the ground before lightly kicking it. ¡°Hey you. Try moving your arm.¡± It stares at me in anger and fear, but obliges anyway. And voila, although it¡¯s shaky and his face is twisting in pain, it can move. Good. Looks like killing and destroying aren¡¯t the only things I can do in this form. Now then¡­ Turning back is¡­ A bit trickier. Other than emptying my mana and inevitably turning on cheetah soul, I can close my eyes and try to calm down. I guess it can be called a type of meditation. Well, let¡¯s do it then¡­ They won¡¯t let me out of this cage until I turn back. Technically, I could slip into the shadows and easily escape, but¡­ I don¡¯t want to stay in this form anyway. And that¡¯s about it. Panther soul is the only one I can more or less keep under control. I still have no idea what ¡®flow magic¡¯ from cheetah soul even is. And the other two won¡¯t activate. Well, at least something. ¡­ What am I whining about? Panther soul is really powerful! Shadow magic can pierce an ogre¡¯s skin and the wounds it causes are incurable by anyone other than me! How is that lackluster?! ¡­ Well, it¡¯s not. Compared to those around me, I¡¯m very strong. That isn¡¯t what¡¯s bothering me. The problem are the other ¡®chosen ones¡¯. I might be strong in relation to average people, but what about people who also have a god¡¯s blessing? If it really does come down to a battle to death, I need to be prepared. And if I don¡¯t have mana to use panther soul and its magic, I will be at a significant disadvantage. That¡¯s why¡­ I decided I need a weapon. And guess what? There¡¯s a reincarnator who has the ability to create weapons! The problem is¡­ He¡¯s very uncooperative and hostile to¡­ well, everyone. But luckily, he has a weakness. That¡¯s right¡­ One thing that can make him cooperate with us. And that one thing is¡­ Spicy food. He loves it. ¡­ Yeah¡­ I don¡¯t understand it. We brought him some piping hot and super spicy meal and he happily made a weapon for each one of us! Cana got a cool looking bow with white wing patterns. Ignis got a staff with a skull, which radiates red light from its mouth and eyes. And I got a short sword¡­ with a cat on it. And the whole thing is colored pink for some reason. Is he harassing me? The space between the hilt and the blade is occupied by a smiling cat head. And apparently it¡¯s pink because of the metal used. Some whatchamacallit gibrish-ium, which is one of the sturdiest metals in the world, he said. But still¡­ I¡¯m not a fan of pink color. So what did I do? I painted it black. With shadow magic. Yep. Nothing wrong with it, right? Now I have an ultra-sturdy black sword that inflicts a status effect, which makes you unable to heal! ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ That sounds like an item that would drop from the final boss! How did this happen?! CH 62 – The cat visits a friend This sword¡­ Is even better than I expected. I thought I can only use shadow magic with panther soul, but¡­ It seems that, although it¡¯s significantly harder, I can still move existing ¡®shadows¡¯ I created in the past. More specifically, I can make the shadow in my sword leak out and use it to attack. I thought doing it often would quickly deplete the shadows and I would have to repaint it, but¡­ When I tried emptying the sword and making it pink again, it didn¡¯t work. It¡¯s like, the shadow somehow multiplied or generated more of itself or something¡­ Well, it¡¯s a bit weird, but hey! At least I won¡¯t have to keep supplying it! And also, it means that the sword is an amazing weapon and only I can use its full potential! I like it! It¡¯s like a sentient magical hero sword, that chooses its owner! ¡­ Except it¡¯s all black and evil. And if someone else touches it, instead of lightly pushing them away, the shadow creeps into their hand and causes an incurable wound. Huh¡­ So, it¡¯s more like a cursed demon sword? ¡­ W-well, it¡¯s fine! It¡¯s my weapon, so nobody else should touch it anyway! Let¡¯s think of it as an advanced anti-theft measure. Yep, that¡¯s all it is! Now then, it¡¯s almost June already. I thought we would have gone to the port city already, but Mable¡¯s parents keep delaying their arrival. Typical business people! It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s modern earth or a fantasy world! Those who deal with money never have time for anything! Well, it¡¯s not like we can¡¯t visit the port city until then¡­ I wanted to kill two birds with one stone, that¡¯s all. Oh well¡­ Instead of idly waiting, I decided to visit Deliah in her mansion. This time, not as a bodyguard, but as her friend. That¡¯s what I planned on doing¡­ But of course, you wouldn¡¯t let someone, equipped with a suspicious sword radiating evil, enter a noble¡¯s house. So I handed the sword to the butler to take care of it and went ahead¡­ not. Nobody but me can safely touch this sword! I explained that to him, but he seemed a bit skeptical. Moreover, I got called out by the nearby guards as a liar! Come on! Why don¡¯t you believe me?! Do you really have to test it? Eh, one of the guards happily volunteers¡­? Well, if you really can¡¯t have any other way¡­ ¡­ ¡®I told you.¡¯ is what I would like to say¡­ But I didn¡¯t expect his entire hand to turn black after a single touch. Does he have an elemental weakness against shadow magic? Or maybe the sword didn¡¯t like him? ¡­ Well, he called me a liar, so the sword must be like a dog, lashing out on his owner¡¯s behalf, right? Yes, that must be it! Good boy, sword! I like you even more now! ¡­ Also, this guard guy sure knows a large variety of swear words. I had to turn on panther soul right then and there to treat him. But seeing that, I think they got an even worse opinion about me now¡­ Dammit! I¡¯m just trying to visit a friend! Why is it so difficult! ¡°How about putting it into an item bag?¡± O-oh? That¡¯s a good idea, sir butler¡­ ¡­ Actually, why don¡¯t I have any sheath for it? You normally put your sword into a sheath when you aren¡¯t using it, right? And how come nobody ever pointed that out to me?! ¡°Here, try this.¡± That¡¯s a pretty fancy looking item bag. I hope it survives having my sword inside of it¡­ ¡­ I put it in. It didn¡¯t explode or turn black! Yep, that¡¯s right! That proves this sword isn¡¯t evil or cursed! Now then! Onward to meet Deliah! The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Oh, you are just gorgeous!¡± ¡­ How did this happen? I only intended to visit a friend. Why is this cat eared maid dressing me up again? I don¡¯t need a disguise anymore! ¡°I was right! You really are the cutest thing in the world!¡± Sometimes, I hate this blessing¡­ ¡°So¡­ how is it going?¡± I don¡¯t like the look on your face Deliah! I can¡¯t tell whether you find this funny or pitiful! ¡°I-it¡¯s alright¡­ I have a new sword¡­ and stuff¡­¡± It¡¯s hard to talk when there¡¯s a maid brushing my hair and flailing around with various dresses. Why won¡¯t she pay attention to her mistress instead of me?! ¡­ Well, I know why. But it¡¯s still just¡­ ¡°A sword¡­?¡± Oh, is she¡¯s interested? ¡°Rodrick told me you brought in a suspicious cursed sword, but¡­¡± Why is that butler spouting such lies?! ¡°It¡¯s not cursed¡­!¡± ¡­ Well, I made it by infusing it with shadow magic. Which came from panther soul. Which is a curse turned into a skill variant. So¡­ ¡­ No no no! If you filter a fruit juice three times, it¡¯s no longer a juice, but simple water! This is the same, right?! You can¡¯t call it a curse anymore! ¡°Umm, okay¡­¡± You¡¯re not buying it either?! Come on! I swear it¡¯s just a highly personalized sword, that doesn¡¯t like when others touch it! You also wouldn¡¯t like it if strangers touched you, right?! ¡°Aaaand, done! Look, you look fabulous!¡± ¡­ No, I look ridiculous! What¡¯s up with the frilly pink dress and an enormous pink bow on my head?! I hate pink! How about I dye this black as well?! ¡­ Please stop giggling Deliah. This is serious business! ¡°What do you think mistress?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­? Ooh, she looks¡­ faaabulous~¡± ¡­ Someone, please put me out of my misery. As if answering to my call, the door suddenly crashed open and the butler stormed in, completely out of breath. ¡°Rodrick?! What are you-¡± ¡°Miss Nina¡­! The sword¡­!¡± ¡­ I don¡¯t like where this is going. I jump out of my seat and run up to the butler. ¡°Where is it?!¡± I don¡¯t even wait for him to answer and pick him up. ¡°Whua¡­?! I-it¡¯s downstairs!¡± I follow his directions, and we soon arrive at the basement. There, several guards are encircling something. When they move out of the way, I can see exactly what I expected¡­ My sword is lying there on the ground with the black flame-like shadows snaking out of it. There are also black pieces of torn leather nearby, probably the item bag. Oh, come on! I rush up to the sword and pick it up as some of the people behind me gasp. As I do that, I try to absorb the leaking shadow magic back into me to stop it from rampaging. Slowly but surely, it calms down and the flames vanish. ¡­ My head hurts. ¡­ Status. Name: Nina Level: 19 Strength: 36/37 Endurance: 31/39 Speed: 50/50 Magic: 67/32 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband Kat gloves Kat slippers Enchanted handbag God-slayer shadow cursed sword Skills: Cat soul+ 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat More than twice over the maximum¡­ That¡¯s¡­ crazy. And what do you mean ¡®God-slayer shadow cursed sword¡¯?! Putting aside the exaggerated name, why does even the status screen insist that it¡¯s cursed?! ¡­ Hey, you know¡­ You can stop staring at me already¡­ ¡­ Didn¡¯t your moms teach you it¡¯s rude¡­? ¡­ Okay! Fine! I get it! It¡¯s a cursed sword! It¡¯s a seriously bad-news evil cursed sword with an ominous name! Arrrgh! CH 63 – The cat is evil Apparently, shadow magic is like a virus. But instead of using a living being as the host to spread, it uses things that conduct magical power. Such as¡­ a certain pink metal this sword is made out of. That¡¯s the conclusion Deliah made. And it makes quite a bit of sense if you put it that way¡­ ¡­ Huh¡­ Well¡­ Good to know. Now¡­ What should I do about this thing?! Thinking about it, I don¡¯t REALLY need a sword, do I? My claws should be enough for the odd monster. And if I ever face off against the other ¡®chosen ones¡¯, I¡¯ll make sure to use the cat soul variants anyway! So what now? If I leave it lying somewhere, it¡¯s gonna run rampant! So, I gotta find a way to either uncurse it or keep it stable even when I¡¯m not around¡­ Or carry it around everywhere I go¡­ Ugh¡­ I¡¯m seriously an idiot! Oh, I don¡¯t like that it¡¯s pink? Well, let me INFUSE IT WITH SOME EVIL MAGIC! What the heck was I thinking? Can someone punch me the next time I come up with something like this? Well, first stop: the church. This magic is more or less something granted to me by a god. And these people are pretty close to gods! Moreover, they must have some experience with curses as well. Surely there¡¯s someone there who can purify it, right? ¡°Where¡­ in the world¡­ did you get this¡­?¡± That¡¯s some serious amount of sweat come off of your head¡­ Aren¡¯t you going to get dehydrated, Mrs. priestess? ¡°We¡­ err, we found it in a dungeon¡­?¡± ¡°¡­ why a question?¡± Come on Ignis! Be more persuasive! ¡°Never mind! Can you do something about it?!¡± ¡°¡­ I have never seen a curse like this. Are you telling me it¡¯s bound to this young lady? Poor you, being cursed by this vile object¡­¡± Uhh, yeah. Let¡¯s put it that way. Never mind that it was ME who cursed IT. ¡°Come this way, we¡¯ll see what we can do.¡± I followed her and we entered the back room. She told me to sit down for a bit and before fetching something from an adjacent room. The thing she brought back was a golden scepter with a ring pattern surrounding the tip and wings growing out of it. It gave off the impression of being holy. ¡­ a complete opposite of my sword. ¡°Now let me see- huh?! What?!¡± She lightly touched the sword with her staff, but as soon as she did, the shadow jumped onto the staff and began spreading. ¡°N-no way! The holy scepter!¡± ¡­ Is that staff made out of that pink metal too? Well, that would be bad. I better absorb it back before another cursed weapon is born. I hurriedly stood up and turned on panther soul. ¡°Gyaaah!¡± That made her instantly drop the scepter and scream in terror. ¡­ Oh shut it. I¡¯m gonna clean it up, so stop your screaming. Aaand¡­ There. It¡¯s golden again. You can stop cowering now. ¡­ Ignis, why are you looking at me like that? It¡¯s irritating. Want me to punch you? ¡­ Well¡­ That went great! The sword is as cursed as ever! And on top of that, I think the church has marked me down as an evil demon! Fun times ahead! Ughhh¡­ Can one of my variants give me time travel magic so I can undo this? ¡°Hey it¡¯s not that bad, right? At least you got an amazing weapon!¡± Your words don¡¯t help me Ignis. Or rather, they make me feel even worse! ¡°W-well¡­ how about we ask someone who knows more about magic items? Maybe if we can¡¯t remove it, we can somehow contain it¡­?¡± I guess that¡¯s our plan B for now¡­ But I don¡¯t really know anyone who- Oh wait. I DO know someone like that. Back in Buanna, there¡¯s a shop specialized in magical items, right? Right, I¡¯m sure the owner will know a thing or two about cursed items! The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Let¡¯s go! I¡¯ve been rejected. Well¡­ Since it takes a few days by carriage to get to Buanna from Kalamas, I wanted to run there instead. But Ignis adamantly said no when I went to grab her and carry her. Come on, do you want me to go alone? You¡¯re mean¡­ ¡°I-it¡¯s your fault anyway! So take responsibility!¡± ¡­ Fine¡­ ¡°Er¡­ I¡­ can go with you¡­¡± Oh? Have I not been abandoned by the world yet? ¡°Eh? L-listen! You DON¡¯T want to go with her! You don¡¯t know what she¡¯s like when she¡¯s in a rush!¡± Hey, that¡¯s not nice! Why are you shooing her away?! It¡¯s not like I¡¯m gonna carry her on my shoulder like I carried you back when we first met! ¡­ Hmm¡­? But¡­ How else would I do it? I have nothing to put my sword into, so one of my hands will already be occupied. And that means I can¡¯t really princess-carry her, can I? ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s fine. I can handle it.¡± ¡­ Well, if you say so¡­ Nina express stopped some distance away from Buanna¡¯s gates. From there, we walked inside. But¡­ What¡¯s up with this? This girl is much more resilient than Ignis. Far from shaking or feeling dizzy after the journey¡­ She simply dusted herself off and stretched after I stopped. Is she simply tough, or is Ignis fragile? Hmm¡­ ¡­ Oh my¡­ Is that you, Mr. gate guard? I haven¡¯t seen you in ages! ¡°Hmm? Aren¡¯t you¡­?¡± ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Nina!¡± To my greeting, he rose his eyebrows and half-opened his mouth before turning it into a smile. ¡°Hey. Welcome back to Buanna. I heard quite a number of rumors about you.¡± Oh, what is this? Am I famous even here? ¡°Things like bringing an ogre corpse with horrified expression back into the guild¡­ nearly killing the employer you were escorting¡­ and stuff like that¡­¡± Hmm¡­? H-hold on a second! Isn¡¯t that only the bad things?! You heard nothing else about me?! And wait! I didn¡¯t try to kill that guy! I didn¡¯t even touch him! And anyway, there was a goblin archer right behind him so I had to act quickly! ¡°Hahaha¡­ I¡¯m kidding. I also heard you saved the town from an underground criminal organization. Good work on that.¡± ¡­ T-this gate guard¡­ I can never win against him¡­ ¡°By the way¡­ I can¡¯t help but notice the¡­ thing¡­ in your hand.¡± Hmm, you mean the sword¡­? Wait, no! That¡¯s another one of my blunders! Please ignore it! ¡°Umm, that¡¯s why we are here¡­ we were hoping to find someone, who can deal with the curse on it.¡± Oh? Cana is substituting for Ignis as my mouth piece? Nice! ¡°Curse, huh¡­ well, Rennack knows a lot about magical items, he might help you with that.¡± Yeah, that¡¯s exactly the man we¡¯re planning on visiting! ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t hold you any longer. Well, your identifications, please.¡± We hand over our adventurer guild cards, and he smiles as he checks them. ¡°Cana Rank D and¡­ Nina Rank B¡­ so it was true.¡± He then hands them back to us and lets us through. ¡°Good luck with that thing.¡± We wave at him and enter the town. ¡­ Buanna. It¡¯s the first town I visited when I initially got into this world. Quite nostalgic¡­ It feels like it¡¯s been just yesterday since I had to scrub that cart dirtied with wolf blood¡­ ¡­ Why am I remembering THAT of all things?! As I reminisced about the city, we made our way to a nearby diner, before heading to ¡®Rennack¡¯s treasures¡¯. ¡°Welcome! Hmm¡­? Oh! If it isn¡¯t missy! It¡¯s been a while! And you even brought a friend!¡± ¡°Hi.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± The bearded man nods to himself before turning to me again. ¡°So, is that thing in your hands the reason why you are here?¡± As expected, he immediately understands our purpose. ¡°Y-yeah¡­ it¡¯s cursed, so¡­¡± ¡°Cursed¡­ are you alright carrying it with you? You look fine at first glance, but¡­¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m immune to it.¡± ¡°Hoh? Is that so? Let me take a closer look at this then¡­¡± After a warning to not directly touch it, I lift it up and let him inspect it. He rubs his beard, squints his eyes and mumbles some incoherent words, before standing upright again and crossing his arms. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about this¡­ but it might be the work of the evil god.¡± ¡­ Evil¡­ god? I¡¯m an evil god? What kind of plot twist is that?! ¡°You know about the world¡¯s gods, right?¡± ¡°Umm, it¡¯s Nix, the goddess of life and Torta, the god of earth, right?¡± Oh? Thanks for the quick religion lesson Cana! ¡­ Wait, where does Kat fit into this? ¡°Right. That¡¯s what¡¯s taught everywhere. But the truth is¡­ there¡¯s one more god¡­ probably.¡± Probably? I would say, most certainly! ¡°I don¡¯t have any concrete proof, but I think there¡¯s a third god¡­ an evil one. And he was banished by the other two a long time ago. All of the records about this god must have been erased.¡± ¡­ So it really is an evil god?! Give me a break! I don¡¯t want a blessing from an evil god! ¡­ Wait! Are you sure he¡¯s been banished?! Why can a banished god forcefully reincarnate people from other worlds?! This doesn¡¯t make sense! ¡­ Okay, let¡¯s relax. He said he isn¡¯t certain and that the records were erased. No need to overreact to this. ¡°Now, from my experience, blessings and curses are two sides of the same coin.¡± Well, yeah. This ¡®blessing¡¯ I have sure feels like a curse at times. ¡°I¡¯ve seen some techniques of removing blessings from items, so it might work on curses as well.¡± Ehhh, only from items¡­ Well, let¡¯s hope this works! CH 64 – The cat obtains a sheath "No good, huh? I guess an evil god''s curse wouldn''t be as easy to remove..." ... Dammit... it failed. I''m really not sure what to do at this point... The only option left is to simply carry the sword everywhere I go. But that''s just... "Well, cheer up! This might not have worked, but how about you try putting it into a sheath?" Well, that''s what I planned to do earlier. But seeing as it managed to break even an item bag from inside of it... "You see... I had a cursed sword with a sheath here... and then someone came along and haughtily bought just the sword, leaving me with the sheath. Not sure if this thing is gonna do anything to hold back the curse on your sword but... how about it? Wanna give it a try?" Oh? A sheath designed for cursed swords? I wonder if that''s gonna work... Well, at this point, I''m willing to try anything! Bring it, please! Rennack went into a back room and returned with a sheath. It didn''t look very cursed, anti-cursed or otherwise special in any way. But since I had money to spare, I decided to buy it and give it a go. Well, even if it doesn''t work, I would feel bad for not compensating Rennack in any way. He DID try his best, after all. I tried putting the sword into the sheath and it seemed to fit perfectly. But... nothing seemed to change. Well, it''s a good thing that it didn''t burst out right away, but the item bag also took its time before it tore. I guess we''ll have to wait and see. We left the shop and noticed the sun was already about to set. Since we didn''t intend to travel at night, we quickly found an inn to stay at. And luckily for us, the one we found even served us a dinner for a small extra fee! ... Hmm. I feel like I''m spending a lot of money lately. Well, it''s fine! Money exists to be spent, right? I got plenty from all the C and B rank monster subjugation quests! And it''s not like I''m saving up to buy my own mansion or something like that! After the dinner, we went to our room to sleep. Since the sword only seems to act up whenever it isn''t close to me, I decided to put it on a table a bit further from where I slept. I''m not taking off the headband so, I''m sure I''ll notice if anything happens! ... The next morning. Cana''s incoherent mumbles woke me up. And when I opened my eyes and looked around, I realized what was happening. There was... something black linking my leg and the sword. The shadow magic leaked through the sheath without damaging it and went straight for me. And it didn''t even wake me up. Heck, I didn''t even NOTICE until I saw it! ... What the heck is wrong with that sword?! It''s like an overly attached pet! It sneaks out of its designated sleeping place(table) and crawls into my bed! ... Also, this sheath... I''m glad it didn''t break, but it''s doing a terrible job at blocking the magic. ... Wait a minute... No no no! Don''t tell me the sheath is cursed as well now! Didn''t I want to avoid cursing more stuff?! Argh, I''m so dumb! Why did this happen?! "U-umm..." Go ahead and laugh at my stupidity, Cana! Ugh, dammit. This sheath was useless after a- Midway through my thought, I grabbed the sword and attempted to pull it out of the sheath. And the moment the blade was exposed, even more grotesque black tentacle-like shadow magic... things burst out from it. I immediately pulled the sheath back over it, calming it down again. I could only stare at the sheath as it sprouted smaller versions of these tentacle things. ... So it DOES work?! It just doesn''t block ALL of it?! Are you kidding me?! This sheath is even more useless than I thought! The amount of shadows leaking is the same as before! Except, it''s a blunt weapon now! And on top of that, if I unsheathe it, it''s gonna go nuts! The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.I only added onto the weight I gotta carry around with me! Argh! This is hopeless! Hopeless I say! I''m fated to forever carry an ominous evil sword with me now! "How about... you ask the one who made that sword for a sheath...?" ... Oh. There''s still someone who can think rationally around here. That''s right... If that guy can create a sword out of that whatever-ium, which conducts magic well. I''m sure he can make a sheath that insulates, right? Or actually... Now that I think about it... This sword''s hilt isn''t not covered by the sheath. And even though I painted it with shadow magic as well, it doesn''t seem to leak any of it. ... Alright. If I can get sheath made of whatever the hilt is made of, this might work! I''m betting on you, super rude spicy food-addicted self-proclaimed hero! With our plan C in mind, we signed out of the inn and went to Buanna''s market to buy the best spices we could find. And after that, we swiftly headed out of the city and back to Kalamas. The guard I know seemed to be on a break when we passed the gate. On our way back though, we made a stop. Why? Well... I got curious. If the sheath leaks this much of the shadow magic... Just how crazy is it if I remove it completely? How bad is it after one night of not being close to me? "I... don''t think this is a good idea." It''s fine! If it goes out of control, I simply have to absorb it just like before. Alright! Step back a bit Cana! This might be a little- GYAH?! I slid off the sheath in one motion. And by doing that, the magic erupted, making the sheath shoot off and stab itself into a tree. Yes, a blunt sheath stabbed itself into a tree. Coincidentally, the thing that appeared after the sheath flew off also looked like a tree. A pitch black tree with ominous leafless moving branches. ... Yep. I made a mistake. This thing is absolutely huge. I didn''t expect this. ... I''m sorry Cana! I should have listened! B-but it''s fine! I''m not a real cat, so I won''t let curiosity be the end of me! Oh, nonono! I''ve got this under control! I composed myself and ran to the sheath stuck in a tree to pull it out. After doing that, I realized there''s not a good way to put it back on. The shadow magic ''tree'' extended far beyond the sword at this point. Argh, dammit! Fine! I just gotta stuff it back into it! Like an overfilled bag of clothes prepared for a vacation trip! If it fit before, it will fit again! Panther soul! "I-i-is is over?" Ugh... I guess so...? This was real rough... And... Magic: 47/32 I ended up absorbing a good chunk of it. ... But no worries! It''s back in the sheath! And until I get my hands on a better sheath, it''s staying there! Hop on, Cana. Let''s go. "What the F*CK is THAT?!" A brilliant first reaction. Well... He''s not really a blacksmith, but I guess he would be mad to see a weapon he made in such state. "What did you do to it?!" Look, I''m sorry. I didn''t know shadow magic is this nasty! I swear I won''t use it on weapons again! "That looks pretty bad..." "Meow..." Not you guys too! Argh! I know! I messed up, alright?! "Ugh, well... since you DID go out of your way to give me this..." Well, at least he seems to be enjoying his spicy noodles. "I guess a sheath made out of adamantium would work... It''s really hard and impenetrable even for magic." Oh another nonsense-ium. Or actually, this one sounds familiar... Didn''t a certain superhero named after an animal have a skeleton made out of this stuff? Well anyway... If it''s impenetrable by magic, this might work. Although, I''m always skeptical since these variants never seem to follow standard rules... The cage wires turned off for a couple minutes and the guy made a red metallic sword sheath. "Here, try it." He hands it over to me and I... realize that it''s big enough to go over the previous sheath as well. What, so this sword is SO bad that it needs two layers of protection? W-well, I can''t deny it... I put the sheath on and fasten it with the little mechanisms at the hilt. And unsurprisingly, nothing happens. I decide to test it by leaving it a bit further from me while I go and ''talk'' to Kuro. And after over an hour, when I checked back on it, nothing seemed to change. The sheath, although quite thin, didn''t let any signs of magic out. It didn''t even seem to change its color to black. Well... I think I finally managed to tame this thing. Intermission - Evil sword: END CH 65 – The cat sets out "Nina! I got another letter from my parents!" Oh hello Mable. I feel like I''m hearing it a lot lately. Last time, you said they got caught up in something and would arrive a bit later. It''s almost mid-june now. Relaxing on the beach, anyone? "They boarded a ship and should arrive in Heiliya next week!" Oh? Ooooh?! So it''s finally happening? We are finally going to the port city?! Wow, that took forever! But it''s a good timing. It''s getting pretty hot, so going to a seaside city is perfect! "So how about it? Are you guys busy with quests or can we set out today?" "We finished a big quest yesterday... we can go." "Yay! Perfect! I''ll get the others and meet up with you guys at the guild after lunch!" She storms off and leaves me in the middle of the road. ... Hmm? Did she say ''the others''? Who does she mean? Aren''t I supposed to get Ignis and Cana? Or is she hinting at the horrific possibility that she managed to clone herself?! Oh no... ... Yeah that''s enough for a daily dose of overthinking things. She probably means other merchant''s kids or something. Well, better let those two know then. Later, in the afternoon. Me, Ignis and Cana sat inside the guild, waiting for our gorilla-shaped cargo to appear. But unfortunately, other passing adventurers wouldn''t stop pestering us about this and that... I guess it''s the downside of being famous. At first, it was just Ignis, but since we''re in the same party, it spread over to me and Cana as well. Incidentally, me and Ignis are still at rank B, while Cana recently made it to C rank. I''m told A class is reserved only for the most trustworthy and veteran adventurers and S ranks are handed out only if the country''s royalty as well as at least three guildmasters from different cities unanimously agree to it. ... Well, I don''t really care about ranks. With rank B, we can take quests up to A rank. And there are no S rank quests. In other words, this is already the top. We can do any quest we want. Those two other ranks are something like bonus content after beating the final boss. ... Why am I making video game analogies again? "B-by the way miss... where did you get that sword?" Ah, the age-old question. Which came first? The sword? Or my fist in your face as a reward for asking it?! "C-calm down Nina!" Shut up! I hate being reminded of this thing. It used to be a small short sword just fit for me. But with the addition of two sheaths, it got a bulkier. And also, I can''t lift it without my gloves. Like, at all. Adamantium might be impenetrable but it''s also super heavy! This sword is useless! I can''t even unsheathe it unless I want to unleash hell upon the world! It might as well be a crappy club! "Hey! I''m here!" Oh hey. Our cargo has arrived. And she''s dragging some people behind her. Who are these two guys that resemble one another? "Oh, finally! I thought you forgot about us!" "Haha, I wouldn''t dare!" Well, the two redheads sure get along. So, how about introducing those two now? "Hey, young ladies! I''m Michael and this is Ryan!" Good. So... Who are you? I''m bad at remembering names. If you don''t tell me your identities, I''ll end up remembering you as these two twin guys with black hair and beard whose muscles are pitifully inferior to the guildmaster. "They are my dad''s friends! Fellow merchants and all that, you know?" Oh, I see. So my earlier guess was right. Well, maybe not. They are pretty far away from ''kids''. "Hahaha that''s right! I''ve heard about you girls a lot! We''re really lucky to have you as our escorts!" Well, okay. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.But it won''t be free for you two! Mable only gets a pass because she helped us so much and because she''s our friend! ... and because she''s a girl. I mean, of course a girl would get preferential treatment over two big sweaty guys, right? I''m definitely not being sexist here! "Well, this won''t do! We''ll have to properly fill in a request and then you''ll accept it. We can''t be cheating!" Huh. Well, that works too I guess. Actually, is that why Mable had us meet in the guild? "Hey, Mrs. receptionist!" "Welcome to the guild! What can I do for you?" "Yeah, we would like to make a special request!" As Michael... or was that Ryan...? ... As one of those two went to officially register a request for us, we chatted with Mable and the other Michryan. "So here''s the plan. We''ll use Ryan''s carriage as our means of travel, and we''ll have a short stop at the Rennie village. Sounds good?" Ugh, carriage? Those things are so slow though... "Nina, don''t give me those ''I can run faster'' eyes!" But I AM faster! You know it very well, Ignis! "Even if you can go faster, there''s no way to carry all of us!" ... Wanna bet? "... and there''s no reason to rush, is there?" "Haha... young lady is right, it will take about two days by carriage to get to the port. We''ll still have plenty of time!" Ugh... Fine... This is gonna be a real boring trip, isn''t it? "Alright, we''re back!" Oh the first Michryan is coming back. Now- Huh? Cana''s coming back with you? Holding the accepted quest form already? I didn''t even notice she left! "Well, shall we go?" I guess so. Oh, but I think I should tell Kuro we''re going. Last time I didn''t tell him when we left for a quest, he threw a tantrum. We finally left the guild and headed toward the western gate. Though, I excused myself and said I would meet them there as soon as I can and headed to the cat base. The cat base... Doesn''t have guards anymore. It has been ''closed off'' and barricaded after the lord finished ''investigating'' it. In other words, it has returned to its previous state. Funny how that works. I come near the boxes and tap on them rhythmically with my claws. "M-meow meow..." But I gotta say... This password system is a little embarrassing to use. I''m not an actual cat okay?! A hole opens up in the box and I crawl inside. After reaching the end of the narrow tunnel, someone already waiting there greets me. An orange furred cat with a scar on its face. I think someone told me its name as some point, but... I forgot. "Meow?" "Uh, I just came here to tell Kuro... I''ll be leaving for the escort quest for Mable now." "... meow." The cat nods... or bows? And scurries away. Huh. I guess I got the message across. Time to go to the gate. With a bit of luck, I''ll be there first! Not losing any time, I crawled back through the passage and closed it behind me before dashing off. I chose a shortcut through the smaller streets where passersby wouldn''t get in the way. And just as planned, I arrived at the western gates way before anyone else. Ha! I won! "Umm, miss... please don''t suddenly land here like that." Sorry Mr. gate guard. But winning this race was absolutely necessary. As someone specialized in speed, losing a race is simply unacceptable! ... That said. They are too slow. Maybe I really didn''t need to rush so much. Oh well... I guess I''m just gonna sit here and wait for them. "Miss..." What? I made sure to sit in a place where I won''t get in the way! "Never mind..." What an odd guy... Aren''t guard supposed to be confident and stuff? Why is he so timid around me? ... Is it the sword? It''s the sword, isn''t it? It''s already covered, but most people still remember. They remember the terror of- ... Hmm? A familiar smell. Why is he... Oh, don''t tell me... "Meeeow!" Yes, hello Kuro. I left you a message that I''m leaving. Please don''t tell me you want to come along. "Meow, meow!" No, it''s just a boring escort mission. Nothing is gonna happen! "Mreeeow!" What about your base? Are you sure you can leave it alone for several days? "... meow." Ugh, fine! I''ll take you with me! "Meow?" "... yeah sure." "Meow!" Aaaand, my signature hat has been reobtained. Well, I don''t really mind him coming along. His storage skill is very useful for traveling. "Heeey, Nina!" Oh hey. They are finally here. "Didn''t you say you had some business to take care of?" Well, yeah. "It''s done." What are you so surprised for, Ignis? "So, is the cat going with us?" "Meow!" "Yes." "Oookay then! Let''s hop onto the carriage and get going then!" Oh? Ooooh... You mean that carriage over there? Yeah I knew I smelled someone familiar form inside. It''s the two Michryans. I guess fetching the carriage is what took you so long, huh? Well, enough stalling. Let us go! To the port city! CH 66 – The cat, on the road ¡°Hand over your valuables and-GUAAHA?!¡± Ah, bandits. Mysterious and rare creatures I wouldn¡¯t normally find when traveling from one city to another. It¡¯s only when I board a carriage instead of running that they come and pick a fight. Well, of course they would. The guards of this carriage are three underage girls. And my infamy¡­ ahem, I mean, my fame hasn¡¯t had the chance to reach their ears yet. There¡¯s no television or internet in this world, after all. ¡°T-that kid¡¯s a monster!¡± What? Come on now! The fur on Cana¡¯s face is long gone! Don¡¯t go calling her a monster! ¡°Surround her! There¡¯s no way she can-GAH!¡± Nice. They all lined up next to each other into a circle. All I had to do then was to take my club and do a little spin dance. I feel majestic now! Mmmhm! ¡°Ninaaa? Are you done over there?¡± I would love to say yes. But there are two more hiding behind a bush. They might be trying to snipe me with arrows. Well, their stealth is pretty good, but they can¡¯t hide their scent from me! Here we go! Time to clean up! ¡°Holy hot damn, and I thought miss Ignis was the strongest one among you.¡± Stop joking Michryan no.2. She¡¯s just the loudest one! ¡°No way! Even if we all ganged up on Nina, we wouldn¡¯t even leave a scratch on her!¡± Oh, praise me more! That¡¯s right! I¡¯m the strongest! Muhahaha! ¡°Well, it makes up for her weak head at least.¡± ¡­ Ignis, I would like to test the poison in my claws again. Please, be my test subject. ¡°Waitwaitwait! I¡¯m sorry! I take it back! You¡¯re super smart!¡± What is this? My sarcasm detector is sensing something from your direction, Ignis. ¡°Gwahahaha! You kids sure are good friends!¡± Indeed. Ignis is such a good friend, I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t mind helping me test these claws! Come on! Stop squirming! Accept your divine punishment! ¡°But still, these bandits sure are dumb. To think they would attack a carriage guarded by the cursed maidens!¡± Well, as I said earlier, they don¡¯t have a television or the internet to research that stuff. Also, can you stop calling us ¡®the cursed maidens¡¯? It¡¯s one of the dumb names Ignis came up with and for some reason, it ended up sticking. But it¡¯s totally inappropriate! Cana Isn¡¯t cursed anymore! Ignis¡¯ curse barely exists nowadays! And I was never cursed to begin with! ¡­ If you don¡¯t count this ¡®blessing¡¯, that is. ¡­ Or this sword that became a club now. ¡°Hahaha, right? Miss Nina didn¡¯t even need to unsheathe that sword of hers!¡± Oi. I said it¡¯s a club now. If the sheath ever comes off, it better happen when I need to fight the other chosen ones or when I get a chance to beat up Kat. After all, it has an edgy over-the-top name that includes ¡®god-slayer¡¯ somewhere in there. It¡¯s like my ultimate trump card. Don¡¯t think of it as some random sword! ¡°Ah, by the way, your weapons are also quite impressive.¡± Hmm? Oh, you mean Cana¡¯s bow and Ignis¡¯ staff? Yeah, just like this armageddon-bringing piece of junk, they were also made by that grumpy spicy food addict. But they were made out of a different material. Another sort of blahblahblah-ium, which apparently, is half-alive¡­ Or so I¡¯m told. Well, I don¡¯t really understand it. It reacts to the user feelings or whatever. For example, when Cana loads an arrow into the bow and pulls the string back, the wings on it retract and the string shines, loading energy into the arrow. And on release, the wings spread out majestically. It actually looks really cool. And the staff is like an upgraded version of what Ignis used before. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. It similarly reacts to her thoughts and intentions to empower her spells. In other words, they both have an excellent and reliable partner in the form of a weapon. And then there¡¯s me and this club. ¡­ Okay, fine. It¡¯s my fault it ended up this way. I¡¯ll stop complaining now. ¡°Ah, but I¡¯m impressed how quickly miss Nina went back to Kalamas and back here again. All while dragging behind those bandits.¡± What? I told you I¡¯m way faster than this four-wheeled snail! And sure, dragging them on a rope made them scream out loud, but the bruises from grinding against the ground are not big deal. I mean, they all survived the trip! No room to complain for people who turn to crime! The only reason we didn¡¯t kill them was because I could deliver them to the guards back in the city this quickly! They better be grateful! ¡°Hold on tight, we¡¯ll be arriving at Rennie village in about ten minutes now!¡± Ah Rennie village. We went to subjugate the ogres here with Ignis back then¡­ Well, we traveled here for a couple other quests after that, but I still connect this village with Ignis¡¯ pitiful face after I carried her for the first time. ¡­ Heh¡­ ¡°Huh? What¡¯s with that smug smile, Nina? I don¡¯t really like it for some reason.¡± Oh it¡¯s nothing¡­ Don¡¯t worry about it. ¡­ ¡®The great Ignis!¡¯ Pffft¡­ ¡°Hmmph! I KNOW you¡¯re thinking about something nasty!¡± What? I would never think about nasty things! I only remembered the good stuff! ¡°Grrr¡­¡± Come on now. Take this as a punishment for what you said earlier. Unless you authorize me to test my poison on you, of course. ¡°¡­gh¡­¡± I knew we could come to an agreement. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Even though it took a lot longer than if I simply sprinted, it didn¡¯t feel as long. I wonder why that is¡­ Is someone messing with my perception of time? The village chief welcomed us with open arms. He seemed really nice. And apparently that wasn¡¯t just because we once saved this village from the ogres. But also because the two Michryans are well-known here. They often use this village as a checkpoint on their import route from port Heiliya to Kalamas. And when they stop here, they give the villagers some of the fish they carry in exchange for being allowed to stay the night here. Anyway¡­ The chief sure has a big house, being able to house all six of us plus a cat. Did he use to have a huge family or something¡­? I feel like I shouldn¡¯t ask. Yep, let¡¯s just go to our assigned places and go to sleep. The next morning¡­ We had breakfast at the chief¡¯s house and then kept going south, toward the port city. Apparently, it¡¯s still far away. If we set out right away in the morning, we should arrive in the evening. I¡¯m tempted to just run, I¡¯ll restrain myself¡­ I mean¡­ At least I have something to look forward to! I wonder what Cana and Ignis are gonna look like in swimsuits¡­ Hehehe¡­ ¡­ Umm¡­ There ARE swimsuits in this world, right? ¡­ Oh dammit! I¡¯m fantasizing about stuff! Go away stupid bandits! ¡°Halt! Leave yo-ARGH?!¡± I leapt out of the carriage before he could even finish. What? I¡¯m being rude? Nonsense! What kind of idiot waits for their enemy to finish speaking?! Do I look like a ninja with a fox sealed inside of her?! ¡°What is- Wait! I-it¡¯s her! Run! We don¡¯t stand a chance!¡± Hmm? What is this? Do they know me? ¡°What are you panicking about?! It¡¯s just a-GARGH?!¡± Hmm, well whatever. I don¡¯t like fame. Getting rid of some crazed fans works in my favor. ¡°Scorching blast!¡± Oh? There¡¯s a mage among them? Seems like a high-tier bandit group. To the fireball approaching from my left, I swing my tail to extinguish it. Unfortunately, the tail barely does anything and the magic hits me anyway. ¡°I-I got her! Ahahaha! She wasn¡¯t so strong af..ter¡­. all¡­.¡± Well, I wanted to act all cool and deflect it with just my tail¡­ But even if that didn¡¯t work, I still have resistance to heat and cold. Thank Kat it¡¯s strong enough to negate a fireball like that. But still¡­ ¡°Aaaaaargh! Run! That thing¡¯s a serious monster!¡± This is such a bother though. I don¡¯t feel like dragging them all the way over to Kalamas now. ¡°Ugha!¡± Well, maybe we can just take them along to Heiliya? ¡°AAArgh?!¡± Eh, but that would mean we have a bunch of loud hooligans with us¡­ ¡°Ueha!¡± Oh, wait! I got it! ¡°G-go away! Go awaaaay-AAAARGH!¡± I¡¯ll use the poison in these claws! That¡¯ll incapacitate them, right? And with a bit of luck, they won¡¯t die! ¡°¡­ actually, little miss is seriously scary. I¡¯m starting to feel bad for the bandits.¡± ¡°Y-yeah¡­ shouldn¡¯t someone stop her?¡± ¡°You can try it if you dare¡­¡± ¡­ I can hear you back there. CH 67 – The cat… cries a bit I hate everything. We finally reached port Heiliya yesterday, handed in the incapacitated bandits, confirmed the finished request at the guild and the two Michryans went their way. Then, the four of us found an inn and spent the night there. And the next morning¡­ We woke up the sound of rain. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s fine¡­ I¡¯m sure it will stop soo-¡± DON¡¯T set off a flag, Ignis! If you say it will stop soon, then it will continue raining for the rest of the week! ¡°I guess you can¡¯t go sightseeing when it¡¯s like this, can you?¡± Yep, rain sucks. It ruins vacations. More specifically, MY vacation! We can¡¯t go to the beach like this! Ugh¡­ Alright. I got it. Here¡¯s the plan. I¡¯m gonna walk outside. Point my sword toward the clouds. And then unsheathe it. That ought to disperse them, right? ¡°Ah well¡­ strolling around is a no, but we can visit some indoor places I know.¡± Oh? Like what? ¡°I know of a great public bath nearby, it¡¯s a really nice place to relax!¡± ¡­ Oh no you don¡¯t! Don¡¯t think I forgot your secret! I bet you want to touch our naked bodies while saying ¡®it¡¯s okaaay, we are all girls after all!¡¯! ¡°Oh, sure! That would be really refreshing!¡± What?! Don¡¯t fall for it, Ignis! It¡¯s a trap! ¡°Okay¡­ sounds good.¡± Et tu, Cana?! ¡°Meow!¡± ¡­ No¡­ Cats aren¡¯t even allowed there¡­! ¡°C¡¯mon Nina! It¡¯s valuable bonding experience!¡± Do you think I¡¯m gonna be tricked by that innocent smile?! I know what your true goal is! ¡­ ¡°I promise I won¡¯t do anything, okay?¡± ¡­ In other words, you WERE going to do something! Ugh¡­! Stop with that sincere smile! Y-you¡¯re making me fall for your trap! Argh! ¡°Fine¡­¡± ¡°Yaaa-¡­y?¡± But¡­ If you break that promise, there¡¯s a set of claws itching to stab something. I believe that¡¯s a fair deal. ¡°Phewwww! This feels nice!¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± ¡°Meow!¡± ¡­ Why are cats allowed in here? Or rather, why isn¡¯t anyone else in this place? Did you reserve this place beforehand, Mable? Just to savor us all for yourself?! ¡°Come on Nina! If you keep standing there, you¡¯ll catch cold!¡± I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to this. Without the Kat clothes, I can¡¯t even properly fight back if this carnivorous gorilla decides to jump at me. And I mean¡­ I don¡¯t need to bathe, anyway! Thanks to the underwear¡¯s effect, I¡¯m always perfectly clean and sweet-smelling! ¡­ Yeah, I never bathed after coming to this world. I didn¡¯t even wipe myself or washed my hands. ¡­ Doesn¡¯t that just make me sound like I¡¯m some homeless person?! No, even those occasionally tend to their hygiene, right?! ?! Wha-?! I¡¯ve been seized! ¡°Come in already!¡± Why are you holding my arms like that?! And why is Cana helping you?! I¡¯m being betrayed by my teammates¡­?! Argh, my overreliance on the Kat gloves strength boost is backfiring?! I can¡¯t escape the grip of these two! My fate is unavoidable! Splash.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡­ Ahh¡­ Hot baths are the best¡­ Even though the weather is mostly warm these days. Still¡­ How long has it been since I got to just lie down in a bath like this? Back at the hospital, I could only have my body wiped. Mmm¡­ Silly past me resisting the hot water. This was definitely worth it! ¡°And then¡­ a wolf materialized out of thin air!¡± Oh, Ignis is telling her life story¡­ I wasn¡¯t listening all that much. I was too busy savoring this feeling. What was it about again? You were the youngest daughter of some noble family on the fall? And so you were to be sacrificed¡­ wed to a rich old man, to save your family from breaking apart? ¡°I thought to scream at first¡­ but then I noticed the wolf carried a letter in his mouth!¡± Eh¡­ Cana is blushing. Well, we already know this ¡®wolf that materialized from thin air¡¯ is¡­ erm, was one of her summons. ¡°He bent forward and left it on the floor before disappearing again!¡± What a roundabout way of doing things. ¡°And when I opened that letter¡­ I regained my hope¡­ my vigor! My will to live!¡± Yeah¡­ To think you used to be depressed all the time¡­ You must be exaggerating. I can¡¯t imagine it. But I guess it makes sense, considering you were pressured so much by your family and all¡­ Too bad you went from one crappy manipulating environment to another. ¡°And so, I wrote a reply to that letter¡­ even though I didn¡¯t even know whether the wolf would come back¡­¡± Oh stop trying to make it all dramatic. We all know the ending! ¡°But he did! The next morning, he appeared again and I handed him the response letter!¡± Oh boy, this is getting into a Romeo and Juliet territory. Let me guess, that guy then mystically appeared, and carried you away like a prince charming. ¡°And right before I was handed over to that old man, he and Cana appeared and took me away!¡± Yep, I knew it. ¡°Oh, how romantic!¡± ¡°Y-yeah¡­ except he then cursed me and put me under a charm¡­¡± Truly romantic! ¡°It was pretty painful¡­ I felt my insides burning¡­ even my hair changed from blond to this.¡± Romeo and Juliet has nothing on THIS love story! ¡­ Man, I know that case is long solved already, but listening to this makes me wanna punch that guy again. Didn¡¯t he realize that if she¡¯s writhing in pain, maybe his way of doing things isn¡¯t ideal? ¡°¡­ anyway! Your turn Nina!¡± Huh? What do you mean my turn? Am I supposed to tell you all my life story? No way! I didn¡¯t agree to this! And anyway, it¡¯s not even all that interesting! ¡°Come on now! I¡¯ll tell my story after you!¡± ¡­ Huh? Mable is gonna tell us her life story? Seriously? ¡­ I¡¯m a little scared about finding out who she really was¡­ But I¡¯m also really curious¡­ ¡­ Alright, fine! Here goes! My boring story of nothing! ¡°Umm¡­ I was born in a small city¡­ I had one brother, he was about two years older than me¡­¡± Yep, that brother¡­ He used to really pamper me and show me a lot of stuff¡­ ¡°Oh! A brother? I didn¡¯t know you had one! I bet you really love him!¡± ¡­ ¡°Huh¡­?¡± I wonder what kind of expression I¡¯m making. Mable was smiling just a second ago, but now she¡¯s taken aback. ¡°I¡­ HATE HIM!!!¡± ¡°Meow?!¡± After all, his kindness only lasted as long as I was healthy. ¡°I¡­ contracted an unknown disease when I was seventeen¡­ and spent the rest of my days in a bed.¡± Yeah, he visited me a few times when all of that started. But after we had a little dispute, he visited me less and less¡­ And in the final year of my life, nobody¡­ Not him, nor the parents who gave up on me long ago. I didn¡¯t get a single visitor. Video games and web novels became my only way to fill all the emptiness in me¡­ But even those were limited¡­ I was allowed to use a tablet only at set times and I couldn¡¯t even visit the¡­ umm, more ¡®exciting¡¯ websites. ¡°Eh?! But I thought you are sixteen!¡± ¡­ I do look like that now, don¡¯t I? Maybe it¡¯s all intentional¡­ To give me my body before the illness¡­ If that¡¯s the case¡­ I¡¯m not sure whether to thank Kat or to hate him even more¡­ ¡°He¡­ my brother¡­ he stopped visiting me after we had a fight¡­ instead, he would go on dates¡­ with some random girls he met online¡­ and left me to die¡­ alone¡­¡± I hope he also died alone. That kind of jerk who only pretends to be nice when it¡¯s convenient for him¡­ Guh¡­ Why are you making me remember this? I hate you guys too! ¡­ ¡°It¡¯s fine now¡­ don¡¯t cry¡­¡± ¡­ I¡¯m not crying¡­ You¡¯re¡­ crying¡­ And stop pretending to comfort me¡­ I know it¡¯s all an act¡­ Just so you can get to hug me¡­ And touch my hair¡­ ¡°Come here leader¡­ cheer up!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t die alone again¡­¡± You guys too¡­? I can¡¯t shake you all off without the Kat gloves¡­ It¡¯s not fair if you team up on me now¡­ And the stupid tears¡­ won¡¯t stop either¡­ Ugh¡­ I hate this¡­ I hate it¡­ I hate¡­ everything¡­ CH K3 – I’ll do it later, I say! ¡°I¡­ HATE HIM!!!¡± I¡­ I expected that¡­ I really did, but¡­ Even so, those words stabbed me like a poisoned dagger. How long has it been? I remember we had a dispute over something incredibly petty¡­ And afterwards, it felt awkward to visit her again¡­ I knew I should have gone and made up with her, but I kept delaying it¡­ I was finally forced to go by my girlfriend at the time. She went with me to encourage me. But for some reason, Nina seemed even angrier than before and threw us out. I gave up on her that time, simply because I didn¡¯t know the reason for her anger. But now I get it¡­ She got mad because I brought my girlfriend with me. She was jealous. Something like ¡®he gets to hang out with girls while I¡¯m stuck in a hospital bed all day¡¯. I wish I understood this back then. Years went by, and I stopped visiting her altogether. I thought she hated me anyway, so what would be the point¡­? Still, something at the back of my mind kept nagging me to go and try to make up again. But I always decided to do it ¡®later¡¯. ¡®I have time¡¯, I thought. There¡¯s no need to rush. ¡­ And on a date with my new girlfriend, I got a call from the hospital. ¡°We are sorry to inform you¡­ but earlier today, your sister has passed away.¡± I didn¡¯t know what to say. That sentence hit me like a truck. I made a mistake. I didn¡¯t realize there was a time limit. I postponed it for too long. There is no ¡®later¡¯ if she¡¯s dead. I couldn¡¯t go and apologize to her ¡®later¡¯ now. It was too late. Way too late. My regrets wouldn¡¯t let me sleep for a long time. My life after that consisted of a lot of alcohol and even more women. It wasn¡¯t my fault that she died, but¡­ The expression her corpse had¡­ it kept haunting me. I couldn¡¯t forgive myself for being such a terrible brother. I was in a slump for very long, until ¡®she¡¯ pulled me out of it. ¡®She¡¯ was the girl who saw my frozen expression when I got that call from the hospital. The one I had a date with at that time. Erica¡­ Thanks to her, I managed to move on and started a family with her. With the birth of our son, it began to seem like my life gained a meaning. ¡­ Until we had a car accident and I died. I don¡¯t even know whether my wife and son survived it or died with me¡­ The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The ¡®god¡¯ wouldn¡¯t tell me. All she said was that the world I would reincarnate in, will have Nina in it. Like reopening an old wound and stretching it out to inflict more pain. I was reborn as a cat. ¡­ And after the initial anger and depression passed, I made it my life mission to find and apologize to Nina. Along the way, I subjugated lowlifes similar to me and tried to set them straight. All just to become a better person. To show Nina I¡¯m not such a scumbag anymore. ¡­ But when I finally found her¡­ And I hesitated to reveal who I am¡­ I feared she would yell at me and kick me away if she knew my true identity. I really am pathetic, aren¡¯t I¡­? ¡°You alright now?¡± ¡°¡­ yeah.¡± Look at that¡­ A girl who aimed to kidnap her when they first met does a better job of supporting her than me. I¡¯m disgusted with myself¡­ ¡°Meow?!¡± Wha- Someone picked me up. It¡¯s the other redhead. ¡°I wanna talk to you about something. You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± I¡­ don¡¯t like that sinister smile. Don¡¯t tell me she figured out who I am¡­! ¡°You are that brother aren¡¯t you?¡± Argh¡­ She really did¡­ Is it because I reacted so much when Nina said she hated her brother¡­? Ugh, what is she gonna do to me? Scold me? Beat the hell out of me? ¡­ I¡¯ll accept whatever my fate is¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­ I¡¯m not gonna judge you¡­ I don¡¯t really have any right to do that¡­¡± ¡­ If you say so¡­ ¡°But, you see¡­ you should really tell her who you are.¡± B-but she¡¯s gonna cut me with that sword if she finds out¡­! ¡°When she said ¡®hate¡¯, it really means ¡®love¡¯, you know?¡± ¡­ That¡­ doesn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°She just missed you and got angry that you were neglecting her.¡± Umm¡­ You may be right¡­ But she has friends now. I think it¡¯s better if she forgets about this brother of hers and keeps on going. ¡°I¡¯m sure she would be happy to see you again¡­ to know you are looking after her.¡± That¡¯s¡­ ¡­ Yeah¡­ You¡¯re right! What am I hesitating for?! I¡¯ll go and-! ¡°So Nina, what if your brother was one of the reincarnated people and you got to meet him again?¡± ¡­ Both me and the gorilla girl froze and watched Nina who fell into deep thought. Nina then grabbed the sheathed sword and held it with both hands. ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll stab him to death with this!¡± A furious expression creeps up onto her face as she smashes the ground with it. ¡­ O-o-o-on the other hand¡­ L-let¡¯s wait a bit with revealing my identity¡­ Y-yes, that sounds like a better idea¡­ ¡­ But¡­ There¡¯s still something that bothers me¡­ From her story, she died, met god, created this world, and then was sent into it right away. Time-wise¡­ that¡¯s impossible. After her death, I lived full ten years before getting into that accident. And even after my reincarnation as a cat, eighteen years went by¡­ That¡¯s a total of twenty-eight years where Nina just¡­ didn¡¯t exist¡­ anywhere. Did that ¡®god¡¯ manipulate time in some way¡­? Why¡­? And why specifically for Nina? Why was she ¡®chosen¡¯¡­? CH 68 – The cat finds a peculiar shop A-hah! The rain only lasted one day! It¡¯s back to sunshine again! I knew blocking Ignis from triggering a flag would work in my favor! Mmhm! Also, good thing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING happened yesterday! That¡¯s right! After Ignis told her backstory, we all happily went back! I TOTALLY didn¡¯t cry like a little baby! I mean, c¡¯mon¡­ Me? Cry? Hahaha¡­ ridiculous! ¡­ On the other hand, Mable said she would share her story after mine, but it never came down to that¡­ Well¡­ Not like I urgently need to know it. I was just curious. But that¡¯s not important! Now¡­ It¡¯s beach time! ¡­ Umm, but the sand is gonna be all wet now, isn¡¯t it? Ugh! Stupid rain haunts me even though it¡¯s long gone! Also, I wonder where Kuro went. After what happ-¡­ what DIDN¡¯T happen yesterday, he meowed something at me and sprinted away. He looked really serious and determined about something. But I haven¡¯t seen him since then¡­ I wonder where he went. Maybe something urgent suddenly came up? Hmm¡­ ¡°Hey! I¡¯m glad you¡¯re cheerful today!¡± Hey, what are you talking about, Ignis? I¡¯m always cheerful! I am the definition of cheerfulness! ¡°Well, today, we hang around and relax, right?¡± That¡¯s the plan. And since we can¡¯t go to the beach yet, how about we look for something to wear when the time finally comes? Yes¡­ To the swimsuit shop! ¡­ If there even is one around here. With Mable as our guide, we strolled the city, looking for a swimsuit shop among other things. Most importantly, though, she showed us the beach part, which actually lied outside of the city. I guess this place IS mainly a port, so having people mess around in the water would trouble the sailors. And as expected, the beach was empty, most likely because the sand was all wet and disgusting. Afterwards, we visited the heart of the city. All sorts of shops and facilities lined up in front of us. The usual inns, bars, the market and the adventurer¡¯s guild donned the streets. However¡­ One of the buildings stood out like a sore thumb. Me and Mable immediately paused for a second and exchanged perplexed looks. It seems like this wasn¡¯t here when she last visited the port. And while the two of us felt uneasy about what we were seeing, Ignis and Cana viewed the showcased goods with interest. ¡°This looks pretty cute¡­¡± ¡°Why are there servant¡¯s clothes right next to this¡­?¡± Yes. This shop displayed everything from a maid outfit to a bunny costume. In other words. A cosplay shop. ¡­ This shop¡­ There¡¯s another reincarnator behind it, isn¡¯t there? I¡¯m pretty sure people of this world would find most of these outfits exotic or outright nonsensical. After all, there is a maid outfit right next to glossy princess dress! ¡®Preposterous!¡¯ I hear an imaginary noble say. ¡­ Now, the question is¡­ Should we go in? I mean¡­ If I remember correctly, someone said the reincarnators are all supposed to be bad people. Like assassins and mad scientists and whatnot¡­ Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! And seeing as these costumes are meant to fit smaller body sizes¡­ I think I have a pretty good idea of what kind of ¡®bad person¡¯ the owner is¡­ ¡­ And thus, the four brave heroes steeled themselves, grabbed the door by its handle, opened it and stepped inside. ¡°Welcome custome- ohh! What an adorable group of young ladies!¡± Yep, this guy¡¯s face screams ¡®suspicious¡¯. People like him are dangerous. I will need to stay vigilant at all times. ¡°Hey! It¡¯s a really nice shop you have here!¡± Mable took the initiative and walked toward the guy. ¡°I like the design of these clothes, did you make them?¡± ¡°Ahaha, that¡¯s right! I made all of them myself!¡± Well, that confirms it. The culprit turned himself in right away. Mable then swiftly pulled an arm around his shoulder and whispered things to him. ¡°These girls are under my protection¡­ if you try to do anything weird, I¡±ll let you know that god gave me a skill much more destructive than simple clothes making¡­¡± She made sure to lower her voice so nobody but the shop keeper would hear, though, I still heard her. Well, good job establishing the pecking order, Mable. He seemed confused for a second before it hit him. He then followed Mable¡¯s gaze to me and I¡­ waved at him with my claws extended while briefly activating cat soul. Yep, I think we got the message across. I bet he thinks Cana and Ignis are also overpowered reincarnators now. He won¡¯t try anything weird with that! Now we can freely look around without any fear! ¡°D-d-did any of my works c-catch your attention, m-my d-dear customers¡­?¡± ¡­ Well, he¡¯s doing his best to not paint his pants brown, that¡¯s for sure. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a natural skin color on his face. ¡­ Maybe this was a bit too much. Maybe the ¡®reincarnators are all bad people¡¯ was just a coincidence up till now, and he¡¯s just an innocent cosplay enthusiast. Did we do something cruel to an innocent man¡­? ¡°Can I try this¡­?¡± Cana came forward carrying a maid outfit. ¡°Huh? Why that?¡± Ignis seemed perplexed. Being a former noble, she must still be associating it with servants. ¡°It matches my hair color¡­¡± Huh¡­ It does, doesn¡¯t it? It¡¯s half white and half black. Goes perfectly with gray hair. ¡°Umm, yeah but¡­ well, okay! I¡¯ll try this one!¡± Isn¡¯t that a japanese school uniform¡­? No wait, that¡¯s actually a sailor uniform, isn¡¯t it? Well, it¡¯s red instead of blue, so maybe not quite. ¡°O-okay, you can u-use the changing room here to try it on. P-please take your time¡­!¡± Oh, calm down already. I know you are scared that Mable¡¯s gonna punch a hole through your head, but you¡¯re only making yourself seem more suspicious. ¡°Umm, erm¡­¡± Hmm? Why are you looking at us now? Oh¡­ You want us two to try something on? Eh¡­ Well, I don¡¯t like to admit it but¡­ I¡¯m already kind of cosplaying aren¡¯t I? And I doubt Mable is interested in stuff like thi- ¡°Oh, this looks great!¡± Wha- Is that a bikini? Why would- ¡­ Oh right¡­ We wanted to go to beach, didn¡¯t we? And there¡¯s no way you can wear a male swimsuit¡­ ESPECIALLY not you. ¡­ Hmm, I should get a swimsuit as well, shouldn¡¯t I? But in here, all that fits me are those blue school swimsuits¡­ ¡°Behold! The great Ignis makes an appearance!¡± Oh would you look at that¡­ It¡¯s the ¡®hyperactive tomboy schoolgirl with twintails¡¯ archetype. She fits it to a T. Well, aside from the skull staff she¡¯s wielding. ¡°Umm¡­¡± And here comes Cana. She almost seems like someone took a photo and put it through a black and white filter. Who said gray hair is ugly? Just call it ¡®silver¡¯ and be positive! Dang, this maid uniform fits her way too much¡­ ¡°Come on Nina! Try something! How about this?¡± Huh? A nurse outfit? Err, why that¡­? ¡­ Oh¡­ I get it. I¡¯m supposed to extend my claws and say something about how the injection isn¡¯t gonna hurt, aren¡¯t I? Well, I refuse! This is starting to get weird! How about we get out of here?! ¡°Hey Nina¡­ it¡¯s the last missing piece!¡± What? Last missing- ¡­ A bell choker?! Hell no! I¡¯m not anyone¡¯s pet! I¡¯m out of here right now! I¡¯ll see you later! I barge my way out of the shop and leave the three behind. Once outside I breathe out a sigh. Seriously¡­ Why is a shop like this here? CH 69 – The cat on a beach Peer pressure is terrifying. It makes you do things you wouldn¡¯t normally do. Even the kind of stuff you know you¡¯ll regret later. And for what? Just so you fit in with other people? ¡­ What I¡¯m trying to get at is¡­ I bought the bell choker from the suspicious man¡¯s cosplay store. Yes, I ended up giving in. And I regret everything about it. Now I look like someone¡¯s pet. It¡¯s the worst. ¡­ I got used to the Kat outfit because I can¡¯t see myself when I¡¯m wearing it¡­ But this bell is different! The constant ringing keeps reminding me of my situation! Argh! You know what?! I¡¯m just gonna put it in my bag and leave it there forever! I don¡¯t care that I wasted money on it! That thing does not belong on a maiden¡¯s neck! ¡­ Now then, Mable¡¯s parents should arrive in about four days or so. In other words, we still have a few free days left. Well, since it¡¯s already so hot out and the sand has mostly dried up, it¡¯s time for a beach episode! Ah yes¡­ While I was at it, I also bought a one-piece school swimsuit at that cosplay store. ¡­ Meanwhile, everyone else got bikini. What¡¯s up with that?! Grrr, come on Ignis! Why do you need a bikini when you are so flat?! Gah! I have no allies here¡­ Still, it¡¯s convenient how the dress readjusted its size when I put the swimsuit over it. One day, I¡¯ll sit down and figure out the specifics of this. Yep, just another entry in my endless list of things to figure out later. Of course, I¡¯ll get to it eventually. But, I have priorities. And my priority right now is to have fun on the beach! Mmhmm! ¡­ Here we are. There aren¡¯t many people here. Is it unusual to relax on a beach in this world? Ignis and Cana seemed a bit confused by the notion as well when I first brought it up. Hmm, I guess most people don¡¯t have as much free time as the average modern earth person. Well, whatever! It¡¯s better if there aren¡¯t many people! Crowded places are the worst, after all! Yep, let¡¯s wholeheartedly enjoy this! ¡­ Umm¡­ But, now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t swam in years. How do you do it again¡­? Just kick my feet and paddle my arms, right? Eh, whatever. I¡¯ll figure it out as I go. I mean, how hard could it possibly be? ¡­ ¡°Gaaaaaaaaaaaah! H-heeeelp¡­!¡± ¡°Stop kicking! How am I supposed to pull you out like this?!¡± ¡­ Fun fact. Swimming with an incredibly heavy sword makes you sink fast. I¡¯m surprised I managed to stay afloat for so long. Ugh¡­ I think I flooded half of the beach with my furious kicking and paddling. All in an attempt to stay above the water¡¯s surface. ¡­ What? Put down the sword before going swimming? Well¡­ obviously! I¡¯m not that dumb! I¡­ I just¡­ Err¡­ Forgot about it. Y-you know! It¡¯s that moment when you carry around a bag on your back for a long time that you forget it¡¯s even there. Of course, normal people probably wouldn¡¯t forget about an extremely heavy sword on their back¡­ But it seems like my boosted strength backfired. ¡­ Why do I feel like a lot of the Kat outfit benefits are double-edged swords? Loud sounds stun me because of my enhanced hearing¡­ Fragnant flowers send me into a sneezing fit¡­ And now this¡­ ¡­ Come on now! This isn¡¯t fair! When a protagonist gets a power-up, it¡¯s supposed to only be a plus! Argh! Damn you, reality! ¡°So, Nina¡­ can you even swim?¡± Stop looking at me with those pitying eyes! Of course I can swim! All it takes is kick and paddle a bunch! Gah! Stupid non-believers! I¡¯ll show you what I can do! Here I go! I dash forward and dive into the water. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. And as soon as I hit the surface, the water floods my nasal cavities and makes me cough uncontrollably. ¡­ ¡°Nina. Come here, I¡¯ll teach you how to swim.¡± This isn¡¯t faaaaair! In every show ever, people always dive in head first! But realistically speaking, isn¡¯t that suicide?! What kind of sorcery do they use to protect their nose?! This makes no sense at all! ¡°Okay, hold my hands and lie on the water like this¡­ and then kick your feet to stay afloat.¡± I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m doing this¡­ I¡¯m supposed to be an adult already! How embarrasing is it that I can¡¯t even swim?! Grrr! Stop it, Mable! Your ¡®oh, she¡¯s so cute¡¯ face doesn¡¯t make it any better! ¡°You¡¯re doing great Nina! Just like this!¡± Ugh¡­ I feel like a little kid being taught how to swim by her mom. Me, who can slay ogres on her own is in THIS kind of situation¡­ I think I¡¯ve hit a new low¡­ Argh¡­ ¡­ Now that I think about it, Mable was also there when I couldn¡¯t move and needed to change my clothes, wasn¡¯t she? In other words¡­ She has been the cause for all of my most embarrasing moments thus far! I get it now! It¡¯s all your fault! You are the source of all evil! Damn you! I¡¯ll get my revenge one day! Just you wait! ¡­ Ahhh¡­ Lying on the beach, enjoying the warm sun¡­ Swimming? Pfft¡­ I¡¯ll let the kids play around in the water! A proper adult should just relax nearby while keeping an eye on them! That¡¯s right. I didn¡¯t give up on learning how to swim or anything of the sort. I simply decided to relax while enjoying the sun¡­ ¡­ Even though I can¡¯t feel any heat because of the heat resistance of the dress. And I can¡¯t really take it off out here in the public. ¡­ Argh! What happened to my dream vacation?! This was one disappointment after another! Why do things never go the way I want?! Look at them, having fun and splashing water at each other! Grrr! I bet someone staged all of this! Y¡­ Yes! That must be it! First, they used rain magic to ruin the first day! T-then hired that cosplay shop keeper¡­! A-and then¡­ Made me forget¡­ how¡­ to swim¡­? ¡­ I¡¯m so pathetic. I can only blame everything on others. Seriously¡­ What¡¯s wrong with me? Ugh, I bet the curses I absorbed are corrupting my mind¡­! ¡­ I¡¯m doing it again. Just calm down, me. I only need to- ¡°GYAAAH!¡± Huh? Was that Ignis? Hmm? Why is a giant blob of water looming over them? Or rather, why is some water sticking on Ignis and Cana and pinning them to the sand¡­? Oh wait¡­ That¡¯s not water, is it? Sticky and gooey¡­ That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s a slime, isn¡¯t it? Hmm, seems like those few people who were here are long gone already. Did they run from the slime? Or did they simply leave when I wasn¡¯t paying attention? ¡°Take this!¡± Oh, Mable¡¯s punch gouged out a nice chunk out of it. ¡­ But it regenerated right away. Well, what a thing to behold. A monster who can survive Mable¡¯s punch. Bleh¡­ I bet Ignis could have fried it in one shot. But not when she¡¯s stuck under all of that gel¡­ ¡­ Hmm. Won¡¯t those girls suffocate like this? I guess I¡¯m gonna help them. ¡­ What a funny timing. I JUST activated this form. Cat soul+ (Tiger soul on) Yep, this¡­ Argh, goddammit¡­ I¡¯m gonna feel terrible after this¡­ Oh well¡­ Let¡¯s deal with it. Stand up. Sigh. Jump forward. Hello there sir slime. You may have pinned down my teammates and rendered Mable¡¯s skill useless¡­ But there is absolutely nothing you can do about me. So¡­ Do me a favor. And evaporate. I get close to it and drive my claws straight through it before releasing blaze magic. An explosion of steam momentarily blinds me. But after a brief moment, all that¡¯s left of it is a magic stone lying in the sand. ¡°Gmmghgmmghmmm!¡± As well as a pair of girls covered in slime. Sure. I¡¯ll get rid of that too¡­ Just don¡¯t move. Or I might evaporate you by accident¡­ Oh wait¡­ You can¡¯t really move right now, can you? Well, whatever¡­ ¡­ Ugh, is that the joke? Is this all I can ever do in my life? Fight monsnters? Am I punished for trying to have fun? ¡­ Even though Kat told me to have fun¡­ This isn¡¯t fair¡­ ¡°There there¡­ you did a good job¡­ it¡¯s gonna be fine¡­¡± Stop rummaging through my hair, Mable¡­ It¡¯s not helping¡­ ¡­ Ugh¡­ Seriously, this tiger soul¡­ It has the worst drawback of all, and yet, blaze magic is so powerful¡­ The ability to evaporate anything related to skills and magic¡­? It¡¯s basically an instant-kill move for slimes who are made out of pure magic¡­ And moreover¡­ It just¡­ It SOUNDS like that kind of ability I will have to use one day for a greater purpose¡­ I¡¯m not looking forward to that day. CH 70 – The cat meets true weirdos Well, now I know why people usually don¡¯t go to beach to have fun in this world. It¡¯s slimes. They blend in with the water to ambush unsuspecting victims. You can¡¯t even effectively exterminate them. Even for me with my enhanced senses, it¡¯s hard to detect them. They don¡¯t give off any noticeable scent and look exactly like water if you don¡¯t notice their core. According to the guild staff, there were some casualties in the past and most people avoid the beach nowadays. Only those who are strong and vigilant enough to deal with them go there. ¡­ Well, why didn¡¯t you say anything, Mable? Were you relying on me saving the day? Geh¡­ After boldly stating ¡®these girls are under my protection¡¯? Have some shame¡­ Well, anyway¡­ The beach was a bust. But fear not, me! There are plenty of other fun things to do! Such as¡­ Hehehe¡­ Well, you know¡­ I¡¯m not that famous in this place yet. People don¡¯t know what I¡¯m capable of. In other words, they are inclined to think of me as some sort of weak and gullible catgirl¡­ That¡¯s right! Operation ¡®Kitten bait¡¯, attempt number two! Let¡¯s go! It¡¯s the evening after the whole beach ordeal. Despite feeling like an absolute piece of trash earlier today, I feel great now! Good thing the tiger soul¡¯s after-effects don¡¯t last very long. Of course, I left the sword back at the inn and went alone. The other girls are already asleep, so all I had to do was to sneak out of the room. Not that difficult. Weeell, then¡­ Let¡¯s see now¡­ Is this city also riddled with kidnappers? I hope so! ¡­ That¡¯s kind of messed up that I¡¯m hoping for it, isn¡¯t it? Eh, whatever! Let¡¯s hunt! I slowly walk through the dark streets as I look up at the shiny moon. I purposefully pick the places without much traffic. And exactly as I expect, I soon find myself surrounded. Nyahaha, all according to the plan! ¡­ Did I just do a cat giggle in my head? ¡°Well, hello there little missy¡­ what are you doing here all alone?¡± What? Why, I¡¯m trying to bait out people like you, of course! ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to wander the streets at night¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! How about you let us take care of you¡­?¡± Wow, you guys are so creepy¡­ Nice! Now I don¡¯t need to feel any remorse for what¡¯s about to happen! Prepare for- ¡°NOT SO FAST!¡± ¡­ Huh? A voice echoes in the narrow street and everyone looks up to see the source. It¡¯s two small silhouettes standing on top of the buildings. Both of them are wearing a black cloak and something like a top hat, gripping it in a way to cover their eyes and only show their grin. As I freeze at the appearance at the two bizarre characters, they jump down right next to me, each of them positioning themselves between me and one of the kidnapper groups. Taking a closer look, they are wearing odd masquerade masks and are barely taller than me. One of them has moonlight-blue hair and eyes while the other has sunset-red hair and eyes. I can¡¯t tell whether they are girls or boys though. ¡°W-who the hell?!¡± One of the criminal blurts out what everyone here is thinking. ¡°W-wait¡­ I know you! Aren¡¯t you guys-¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°In the brightest day!¡± ¡°In the darkest night!¡± ¡°Do not dismay!¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°For we, will fight!¡± ¡°¡±WE ARE THE PHANTOM HEROES! THE TWINS OF JUSTICE!¡±¡± Bam. They strike a pose with an open hand in front of their face. ¡­ The¡­ What¡­? Excuse me? WHAT? THE? HELL?! ¡°H-hey, let¡¯s run! These guys are-¡± ¡°The hell are you on about?! Do you seriously think I¡¯ll run from little kids playing heroes?!¡± Oh, one of the guys decided to charge us. Collect myself, me! I gotta do somethi- ¡°Gaaaha?!¡± Huh¡­ What happened? He suddenly floated up and smashed into the side of the wall. ¡°Foolish evildoers! You think your evil can surpass me? The elemental twin?!¡± ¡­ Can you¡­ Talk like a normal person? Also, what¡¯s up with that? The elemental twin? Your hair is red, so why are you using elements other than fire? ¡°Gh-wha-?!¡± Meanwhile on the other side, yet another one of the kidnappers tried to charge us and failed. This time, he¡¯s lying on the ground bound with thin string. ¡°Futile! There¡¯s no way you can touch me, the string twin!¡± ¡­ Oh I get it. I see now! I never went outside to bait kidnappers¡­ I went to sleep and this is just a crazy dream! Ahaha, well that explains everything! ¡°Aegh!¡± ¡°Gueyah!¡± ¡°AAAAAAAAA!¡± But those screams are strangely realistic. Hmm¡­ ¡­ Hmm? All of the kidnappers are already out cold and bound with strings. That was¡­ really quick. ¡°Are you alright, miss?¡± ¡°¡­ yes?¡± ¡°¡±Glad to hear that!¡±¡± ¡°Now then, please take care miss!¡± ¡°The night is dangerous!¡± ¡°And if anything feels amiss¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget to call us!¡± It¡¯s really annoying having to look back and forth to- Huh¡­? They disappeared. ¡­ Wait, what? WHAT? Nonono, what is this?! Not just their appearance, but I can¡¯t even smell their scent! HOW?! Is this some sort of instant teleportation?! Impossible! ¡­ I slowly take off my right glove and then use my fingers to pinch myself. Ow¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s not a dream, is it? ¡°We heard someone has been attacked here! What happ-¡­ huh?¡± Oh¡­ Hello, sir guard. Well¡­ Eh¡­ You see¡­ Even if you ask me what happened¡­ I have no idea. ¡­ ¡°Phantom heroes¡­?¡± ¡°Twins of justice¡­?¡± Yes. It¡¯s as cringy as it sounds. ¡°Haha¡­ it¡¯s kids playing heroes, isn¡¯t that adorable?¡± It would be¡­ If it weren¡¯t for the fact that they were genuinely strong. And also the fact that they somehow managed to prevent me from being able to track them¡­ It¡¯s not easy to fool my enhanced senses, you know? ¡°Well, cheer up! From what you said, they don¡¯t seem like bad people, do they?¡± Well, not really¡­ But I have a sneaking suspicion that they are reincarnators. That instant teleport ability can¡¯t be the product of simple magic. Especially not if they are young kids. ¡­ And something tells me I¡¯m gonna meet them again. ¡°By the way, what were you doing out at night all alone?¡± Urk¡­ ¡°Umm¡­ observing¡­ the moon?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a pretty terrible liar, aren¡¯t you?¡± Lie? What are you talking about? I have never lied in my entire life! ¡°Well, whatever. I¡¯m not gonna pry.¡± Oh, she dropped it. Nice. ¡°Let¡¯s have some breakfast, shall we?¡± Just as Mable suggested, we exited our room and walked downstairs into the inn¡¯s lounge and ordered breakfast. And that¡¯s when¡­ My nose picked up a familiar scent. Or rather, two familiar scents. ¡­ I knew I would meet them again. But this is way too soon. At a table far away from us, there sat a boy and a girl in their teens, eating breakfast and chatting. Both of them had black hair, the girl longer than the boy¡¯s. They looked nothing like what they did yesterday. But I still knew their true identity because of their scent. ¡°She was way too cute! I wanted to rub those cute kitty ears of hers!¡± ¡°Haha, yeah! I wish I could hug her!¡± ¡­ I have a feeling I know what they are talking about. But let¡¯s ignore it for now, shall we? I walk up to their table and look at them. They stop their conversation and look at me with a smile. ¡°Umm, do you need something?¡± Wow, perfect actors, aren¡¯t they? They didn¡¯t even flinch when I approached them. ¡­ Now, what do I say? ¡®I know it was you two!¡¯ ¡®Are you not embarrassed?¡¯ ¡®Hello, I believe we haven¡¯t met before.¡¯ ¡­ Hmm¡­ I got it¡­ Put on a nice smile aaaand¡­ ¡°Hello, twins of justice.¡± Oh, these shocked expressions¡­ I love it. Let me savor it¡­ Hehehe¡­ Revenge is sweet. CH 71 – The cat is a ghost? ¡°Hello, twins of justice.¡± ¡°W-what might you be talking about, miss?¡± ¡°A-are you trying to say we are THE twins of justice? The p-phantom heroes? Ahahaha¡­¡± Dang, they are cute. I bet this is the first time someone found their true identity. Well, then, what shall we do with this? ¡°Hey Nina. Someone you know?¡± Mable and the others come to us. ¡°Found them. It¡¯s those two.¡± ¡°Those two¡­? Oh, you mean THOSE two?¡± ¡°N-no! We aren¡¯t ¡®those two¡¯!¡± ¡°A-also, we have no idea what you are talking about!¡± Forget what I said about being good actors. Seems like they didn¡¯t have a script ready for when this happens. ¡°Haha, come on now. You don¡¯t have to be embarrassed about it.¡± Mable goes in to pat their heads. But the boy suddenly stands up, points to the ceiling and shouts. ¡°Tactical escape!¡± And then both of them disappear again. ¡°¡­ whoa. They really vanished.¡± ¡°I thought you were exaggerating¡­¡± Yep. They are gone. Their scent as well. I can¡¯t track them at all. ¡­ They sure know how to overreact. Sigh¡­ I don¡¯t think this is the last time I met them. They will want to figure out how I saw through their ¡®disguise¡¯, no doubt about it. ¡°So, Nina? What are you gonna do about them?¡± Well, nothing. I mean¡­ They aren¡¯t bad people. They DID save a defenseless little catgirl (me) from kidnappers, after all. Their enthusiasm is just a tad too high, that¡¯s all. ¡°Well? Aren¡¯t you gonna track them down?¡± ¡°¡­ nah.¡± I¡¯m sure they will come to me naturally. ¡®Accidentally¡¯ bumping into me later and whatnot. ¡°Well alright¡­¡± We silently went back to our table and waited for breakfast. While we ate, Mable spoke up again. ¡°Oh, by the way! I¡¯m visiting one of dad¡¯s friends today, wanna come with?¡± More of your parent¡¯s friends? Who could it be? Michryan no. 3? ¡°Hmm? Another friend? Who is it?¡± Ignis posed the question I had on my mind. As always, good work, my loyal mouthpiece. ¡°Weeell, he owns a magic tool shop. It¡¯s the one I showed you in the tour, remember?¡± Magic tool shop¡­? Umm¡­ Uhhhh¡­. Suuuure, I remember what you mean! Totally! ¡°A magic shop? Hmm, do we need any magic tools?¡± Well, I certainly don¡¯t. The last item I obtained now has ¡®god-slayer¡¯ in its name. I don¡¯t feel like I need any more. ¡°Haha, well I don¡¯t plan on buying anything. I just want to visit her.¡± Well, sure. Why not? There¡¯s not much I planned to do anyway. Hmm? Go to the beach again? Hahaha¡­ No. And so, having decided that, we finished our food and headed straight to this magic tool shop. On our way, we walked past the cosplay store. I saw the owner through the window flinch as I looked at him. Since now I knew he wasn¡¯t a bad guy, I waved my hand and smiled at him. But forced smile and robotic hand wave told me he was traumatized. Eh¡­ I kinda feel bad now¡­ Well, it¡¯s fine! He¡¯ll get over it! At the destination. The sign above the door has a picture of a crystal ball next to a wand. Not waiting for anything, Mable boldly grabs the door handle and opens the door as the bell rings.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Heyo! Matty!¡± The old lady sitting in the chair behind the counter put aside the book she has been reading and greeted us. ¡°Oh, Mable! It¡¯s been a wh-¡­¡± But as soon as she noticed me, she completely froze. For a good two whole seconds or so, she stared at my face. ¡°¡­ Nina?¡± Huh? What? ¡°A-ah, sorry young lady. You just reminded me of someone, hahaha¡­¡± She tried to brush it off, but everyone in our group looked at her in confusion. ¡°Eh? You two know each other? I had no idea!¡± Only Mable kept her cheery attitude. However, her response brought the serious expression back to the woman. ¡°What¡­? Y-you really are Nina? No way. How? This is¡­¡± ¡°Err¡­ Matty? What¡¯s wrong?¡± I would also like an explanation¡­ I have never met this woman before. But for some reason, she acts as if we¡¯re old friends¡­ ¡°Even the way you communicate with just your expression¡­ it¡¯s really you¡­¡± Well, sorry that I don¡¯t like talking! Now, explain yourself! ¡°¡­ w-wait¡­ I see now¡­ you¡¯re a ghost, aren¡¯t you? A vengeful spirit. A-are you here to punish me?¡± What¡¯s up with that?! You are the second person to tell me this¡­! ¡­ Wait. That¡¯s right. The Kalamas¡¯ guildmaster had a similar reaction! Explanations please! ¡°Hey, calm down Matty! As you can see, Nina here is made of pure flesh and blood!¡± There¡¯s no need to put your arm around me and pull on my cheek, Mable. ¡°S-so, a zombie?¡± Enough of that! ¡°So, you aren¡¯t the Nina that I know?¡± Pretty sure I¡¯m not. Or rather, how come me and this other Nina have so much in common? The same face, same habits, same personality¡­ It¡¯s¡­ kinda creepy, to be honest. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say the Nina you know went missing ages ago?¡± Right, that. She went missing twenty years ago. Even if I count my days on earth, I would have been a baby at the time. ¡°You are probably just misremembering! It¡¯s been so long, after all.¡± That¡¯s the most likely scenario. But, the guildmaster also misremembered¡­ Is that a coincidence? ¡°I guess so¡­ Nina never wore anything like that, after all.¡± Well, excuse you! You don¡¯t need to look at me as if I¡¯m the most bizarre thing in history! ¡°Still¡­ the resemblance is astounding¡­ a-actually, wait a moment here.¡± The woman, ran to the back of the store, leaving us waiting. ¡°Well, I sure didn¡¯t expect that! Who would have known Nina is a body-stealing ghost!¡± You! Your jokes are not- ¡­ Body¡­ Stealing? ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± She suddenly returns, carrying a set of leather armor too small to fit her. Rather¡­ I think that¡¯s something that would fit ME. ¡°Can you¡­ try this on? It was Nina¡¯s old adventurer armor. It¡¯s all that¡¯s left of her.¡± ¡®All that¡¯s left of her¡¯? That¡¯s sounds kinda disturbing! What even happened to her?! ¡°Oho! More dressing up!¡± What? No, I don¡¯t really wanna wear that! ¡°Come on, come on! You¡¯re the only one who didn¡¯t try an outfit back in that store!¡± And for a good reason! Ughhhh! What¡¯s with those four pairs of puppy eyes?! This kind of warfare isn¡¯t fair! It fit perfectly. And not only that. I have never worn this in my life¡­ Yet, it feels like this belongs to me. As if it was made for me. ¡°¡­ Nina¡­¡± And she¡¯s even crying. I don¡¯t get this at all! ¡°By the way, what was Nina like? The one you knew, I mean.¡± ¡°Well¡­ about twenty years ago¡­¡± And thus, her extensive backstory began. All those years ago, her, the man who is now Kalamas¡¯ guildmaster and ¡®Nina¡¯, created an adventurer party. They already knew each other from the village where they grew up, so it was only natural. Gerrud, the guildmaster, was the frontliner with a sword, while Matilda, or Matty, as Mable calls her, worked as a mage. Nina though¡­ She couldn¡¯t use any magic whatsoever¡­ And her skill with the sword was clearly inferior to Gerrud as well. The one thing she excelled was speed. ¡­ So far, this sounds disturbingly a lot like me. Continuing¡­ One day, an injury to her lower leg tendon crippled her for a few days. And although she recovered, she never regained her former speed. She became a hindrance to the team. Dead weight. But her teammates kept encouraging her. And it seemed like the pressure made her do something drastic. One day, when the rest of her party woke up in their inn room, Nina was gone. A letter left by her read ¡®I¡¯m going to train myself. I¡¯ll return soon.¡¯ Mixed feelings welled up in the two. They were happy for Nina¡¯s determination, but also felt quite worried. And their worries were spot on. A few days later, a nameless adventurer came to guild carrying Nina¡¯s armor covered in blood. He found it lying in the forest near the city. ¡­ A city¡­ Called Buanna. ¡­ She vanished at the same place where I first woke up. This¡­ This is not a coincidence anymore! Kat! You hear me?! What is the meaning of this?! Just who¡­! Who AM I?! CH 72 – The cat wants answers ¡°Umm¡­ what are you doing?¡± In front of me, I stacked up the Kat dress, gloves, slippers, and headband along with the bell choker. Then, wearing only my underwear, I kneeled in front of the whole pile and put my hands together. Come on Ignis. What do you think this looks like? I¡¯m trying to make a tiny shrine to Kat so I can talk to him! ¡­ Or rather, yell at him! There¡¯s just too much I want to hear from him at this point! Like¡­ Why am I absorbing curses of all things? Or what about the other ¡®chosen ones¡¯? The thing about him being an unknown ¡®evil¡¯ god? And now, the most disturbing thing¡­ What IS this body that I¡¯m living in right now? Where did it come from? When I died back on earth, Kat gave me this body which, at the time, seemed like a bit younger version myself. I thought he just did some god magic to recreate my body or something. A serious perverse stalker, who knows my body better than me, that¡¯s what I thought. But now that I heard about this other Nina of the past¡­ Clearly, something is wrong here! Am I ¡®stealing bodies¡¯ like Mable pointed out? Was her body put into stasis for twenty years just so I could live in it now? Either way, this is really disturbing to think about! Mind of the earth Nina, and body of this world¡¯s Nina¡­ who went missing twenty years ago. What am I supposed to be? A Frankenstein¡¯s monster? ¡­ And what happens if I die? Is the nine lives skill linked to ¡®me¡¯, or this body? This is too much! ¡°¡­ Nina?¡± But I¡¯m not getting an answer¡­ What do I do to contact that god of jerks?! Since the people don¡¯t even know about him, there are no churches or shrines! Do I have to search for some ancient ruins to find one? What the heck?! ¡°Hey Nina¡­ just don¡¯t think about it too much. I know it probably feels unnerving for you, but¡­¡± But what? Do you want me to stay ignorant? To keep ¡®having fun¡¯? How can I possibly do that? I can¡¯t¡­ I just can¡¯t! Kat told me there is no goal for me. That I¡¯m only supposed to have fun. But that¡¯s clearly not the case! There must be a reason for all of this! And I¡¯m going to find out what it is! Right! I finally have a goal! To find out what my real goal is¡­! ¡­ Wow. That sounds dumb. And I don¡¯t even know where to start. Ugh¡­ ¡°Come on now! Cheer up! This isn¡¯t like you!¡± Is it not? I think that frowning whenever you hug me is pretty normal for me, Mable. On that note, please stop squeezing me already. ¡°Or, you know¡­ wanna ask us for help? We can join you on your quest of self-discovery. More heads are always better, no?¡± ¡­ That would be nice¡­ But it¡¯s not like I need your help¡­! ¡°Oi, you just thought you don¡¯t need my help, didn¡¯t you?¡± Get out of my head! ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± W-what? ¡°Well anyway. There¡¯s a cat outside the window, put some clothes on so we can let him in.¡± Huh? A cat? Oh¡­ A cat. ¡­ ¡°Meow¡­¡± So it¡¯s you, Kuro. Where were you all this time? ¡°Meow.¡± He produced a paper in front of him, probably pulling it out of his storage thingy. The entirety of paper featured one sentence in large font. ¡®I¡¯M SORRY¡¯ I was taken aback by this sudden apology. I didn¡¯t understand why he needed to apologize. As I stared at it, completely baffled, he produced yet another paper. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. This time, it was a very crappy drawing of¡­ someone? I tilted my head, trying to figure out what it is. It reminded me of something, but I couldn¡¯t put my finger on it. And then it hit me. It¡¯s a character from an anime I used to watch in my previous life. ¡­ What? Where did this come from? Why are you¡­ giving this to me? Or rather, why do you know what I used to watch? Another paper. ¡®I had the real deal with me that time as well¡­ but you chased me out before I could show you.¡¯ My confusion only grew with that sentence. What does he mean by ¡®real deal¡¯ and ¡®that time¡¯? ¡®I¡¯m sorry I stopped visiting you.¡¯ Two seconds after reading this line. The cogs in my head finally clicked into place. ¡°Y-you¡­¡± Kent. My brother. He said he would bring me a poster from that convention, didn¡¯t he? But then we had a fight and he stopped visiting me¡­ I ended up dying before he could keep his promise. I shut my gaping mouth and bent down to grab the cat before lifting it up to face me. ¡°You are Kent?!¡± Are you serious?! This little overpowered mafia boss cat under the effects of my blessing¡¯s charm is my- Why is- When did¡­ What?! ¡°Meow¡­¡± ¡­ Well¡­ Okay, I admit¡­ You DID tell me your real name was Kent when I asked back then¡­ But I didn¡¯t think you were¡­ ¡­ ¡°Meow¡­?¡± ¡­ Oi. I just remembered something. ¡°M-meow?¡± Now that I think about it¡­ Weren¡¯t you in the public bath with us back then? I bet you really enjoyed the sight, didn¡¯t you?! ¡°M-m-¡± What? Why was I not mad at you before knowing who you are? Oh please! I was always mad at you! I just chose to ignore it! That¡¯s right! HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE AGAIN LIKE THIS YOU STUPID WOMANIZER! ¡­ Well, good thing Mable dragged the other two out of the room at some point. I wouldn¡¯t want them to see this disgraceful behavior of mine. Right, right¡­ I don¡¯t know much about the anatomy of cats, but it seems like they are sturdy enough to not have their tail torn off by being hammer thrown like in the Olympics. Or rather, isn¡¯t my strength boosted with these gloves? How come you didn¡¯t turn into a bloody puddle after all those punches? Also, I¡¯m impressed. You are the first non-humanoid who survived my poison. Good job living, my amazing brother. I might just fall for you. Just kidding. Who would actually fall for someone like you? ¡­ Sigh¡­ Alright. I think it¡¯s time to calm down. He already looks like I put him through a shredder. If I keep going, he might really die. I should let it be already. ¡°¡­¡± He¡¯s not even meowing anymore. Yeah¡­ It¡¯s time to stop. I came up to the shivering cat and sat right next to it. A few seconds of silence before I spoke up. ¡°So¡­ how did you die¡­?¡± Noticing my calm voice, he probably realized his punishment is over. He stayed silent for a while before producing another paper with text on it. ¡®Car accident¡¯ A car accident¡­? Huh¡­ I expected a truck would be your end¡­ What with your obsession with all these reincarnation novels. Well, close enough, I guess. ¡®My wife and son were with me¡¯ W-wife and son?! ¡°At that age¡­?!¡± Seriously, this womanizing piece of- ¡®I was 33¡¯ ¡­ Say what? ¡®I died ten years after you¡¯ Ten years?! How is that possible?! Weren¡¯t you in this world even sooner than me?! That doesn¡¯t add up at all! ¡­ I guess there¡¯s one more thing I have to ask Kat. They just keep piling up, don¡¯t they? ¡­ ¡°Did I have a funeral¡­?¡± ¡®Yes¡¯ ¡°Were¡­ mom and dad there?¡± ¡®Yes¡¯ They were, huh¡­? I guess they needed to keep up appearances¡­ ¡­ ¡°By the way¡­ what¡­ was it?¡± The cat didn¡¯t seem to understand my question. ¡°That illness I had¡­ what was it?¡± What killed me? What made us drift apart? What caused our parents to abandon me? ¡­ I actually didn¡¯t care for the answer too much. But my spite spoke in my stead. I needed a culprit to hate. ¡­ ¡®I don¡¯t know¡¯ ¡®Tney nevef figured ir out¡¯ ¡­ There¡¯re typos in that last one. Did you write it just now by dispensing ink at the right spots? No, that¡¯s not important. What do you mean they never figured it out? Did I have some sort of super rare one in a quadrillion disease? ¡­ No, of course not. This is all way too suspicious¡­ And I¡¯m willing to bet Kat knows about this as well¡­ Argh, come on now! CH 73 – The cat receives bad news ''You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.'' That''s quite the famous line, but I guess it''s true. Kent''s second life as a cat started out heroically, defeating reincarnators who abused their powers, and putting them in their place. But eventually, he created a shady underground organization, and used the captured people for experiments, working in collaboration with the government. Huh... Why do I feel like that if I didn''t have my feline charm he would have attacked me as well? ... Well, never mind. Back to the important stuff. Apparently, there is a tribe of cat beast people near this country''s capital city. And they worship a god who is neither Nix, nor Torta. A third, unknown god. Kat...? ... Well... Mable got this information from a merchant, whose friend was recently in the capital, where a few of those idle rumors went around. In other words... ''a friend''s friend''s friend heard something''. Yeah. Not a very reliable source of information. But, it''s the best lead I currently have. So, yes. After we greet Mable''s parents and all that, my goal is to visit the capital and try to find this tribe. That''s my current plan. In the meantime... There really isn''t much to do anymore. We have already exhausted all attractions of this city. I even went ahead and took a goblin den extermination request and finished it in a few hours! I am THIS close to going back to the cosplay shop and trying everything in there out of boredom! Ugh... Baiting kidnappers? Been there, done that. I expected the twins of justice(lol) to heroically save me again, but they didn''t show up. Maybe they left the city already...? That''s kind of disappointing. I know they would be annoying, but... Anything would be better than this boredom! Mable''s mom and dad! Hurry up and arrive, will you?! It''s already been seven days! What? A delay of a day or two is normal? I don''t care! Come on now! "Meow...?" Tell me Ku-Kent. Do you have an underwater organization as well? Please send your catfish spies to investigate how much longer we will have to wait. What? There is no such thing? Hmph... How disappointing. Well, do you at least have a branch office of Cat mafia in the capital? Let me onto some of those cat tribe gossips. I really wanna know if they are true or not. "Meow." He drew out a paper. ''I sent someone to the capital yesterday'' Oh, good. But the capital is really far away, isn''t it? About a week on carriage from Kalamas, or so I heard...? It''s just waiting, waiting and more waiting these days... Three days later. We all started to worry whether something happened. And our worries were spot on. We came into the guild after our breakfast, and ran into a commotion. After asking around, we found out what happened. This morning, a man sailing on a single plank reached the port. ''Our ship got attacked by pirates.'' That''s what he said. ... The man was a merchant. A business partner and a friend of Mable''s parents. They sailed aboard that ship together. But the ship sunk and everyone aboard got captured. Only he managed to hide in the water and barely swim his way back to the port. ... What... The hell...? Pirates? The ship sank? Everyone got captured? Are you kidding me? This is just... ... I don''t think I have ever seen Mable cry. That huge gorilla crying just doesn''t look right. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.The sight of Ignis and Cana consoling her also seems... ... Well... It''s not that odd, is it? Unlike me, who never liked her parents, and didn''t get new ones here, Mable grew up with these people. And she loved her parents. But now... Ugh, dammit! We gotta go and rescue them! I just hope these pirates didn''t- "FRET NOT! FOR WE HAVE ARRIVED!" A familiar voice resounded in the guild, drawing everyone''s attention. It''s those two kids playing heroes again. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°In the brightest day!¡± ¡°In the darkest night!¡± ¡°Do not dismay!¡± ¡°For we, will fight!¡± ¡°¡±WE ARE THE PHANTOM HEROES! THE TWINS OF JUSTICE!¡±¡± This again... Why are they coming out now? I''m seriously annoyed... "We shall rescue the innocents!" "And defeat the evil pirates!" "We won''t even ask for two cents!" "Leave this to us! The justice''s pilo-" "Shut up." My silent, yet oppressive whisper silences the twins. In fact, I feel like everyone in the guild made a step back when I said that. "H-how dare you interrupt-!" "You think this is a game?" I interrupt them again and cross my arms as I stare at them. The two of them shrink under my stare as I approach them. "O-o-of course not! We-" "Then stop trying to feed your own ego." "W-we''re not feeding our ego!" "T-that''s right! We just want to help!" Help, huh? Then why are you disguising yourself and always doing everything on your own? That''s not helping. That''s just trying to be in the spotlight. "Oh really? How long did it take to come up with those rhymes just now?" "E-...er...umm... f-five minutes?" "That''s five minutes spent on boosting your ego instead of helping." Hmph... Looks like that shut them up. Well, whatever. If I spend any longer here, I will become a hypocrite. "Mable, Ignis, Cana." """Y-yes?!""" ... "What''s with you lot? Why are you staring so much?" "Your... hair..." My hair? What''s up with my- ... Did my hair grow in volume? Or rather, it''s like my hair is floating, expanding into all directions. What is- Gah, never mind! We can''t be losing even more time now! "Never mind this. Let''s get the details of where the ship sank and set off." The girls didn''t respond and silently followed me. As I made my way to the counter, everyone moved out of the way automatically. The receptionist seemed very nervous while she told me the details. And as I collected my thoughts and prepared to leave the guild, one of the twins called out to me again. "Wait! We''re going with you! We''ll prove that we aren''t just boosting our ego!" "Suit yourself." I didn''t slow down or turn around to respond to them. There''s no time to lose with their childish games. According to the information I got, it''s been over two days since the pirates attacked and captured everyone. On our way to the harbor, I tell my plan to the girls. "Mable, get us a ship, a captain and a crew, I''ll come with you. Cana, Ignis, go to the city and buy a compass and a map of the sea if you can. Don''t waste time if you can''t find the map." ""Y-yes!"" We split off. Me, Mable and the twins head to the docks. Right as we arrive, Mable catches a nearby sailor and asks him whether there''s a ship we could borrow or buy. He sends us over to another sailor, where Mable starts negotiating. Since I wouldn''t be much of help with that, I walk near the water and lean in to look at myself. My hair... Looks ridiculous. It''s shorter, but every strand stands on its end, making it seem like it has more volume. Rather, it looks like... A lion''s mane. Well... Figures. Status. Cat soul+(Lion soul on) As expected. This is lion soul. But... That''s wrong, isn''t it? I''m pretty sure female lions don''t have manes. And it must look pretty dumb to have this mane while wearing a dress. Add this to my list of complaints for Kat. "A''right, you''ve got a deal, lil lady!" "Thank you very much!" Hmm, seems like the negotiations are done. Now we just have to wait for Ignis and Cana. "Hey ya dogs! Prepare ''er to set sail! We''r goin on a rescue mission!" """Aye sir!""" Hmm, the captain has quite the loyal crew, doesn''t he? Well, he better. We''re paying quite a bit for this. "We''re here!" Good. They have the compass and the map. Now, nothing is stopping us. If I''m not mistaken, this lion soul enhances my senses even more. I hope that''s enough to find them. If not, I''ll need to think of different plan. CH 74 – The cat and mouse game There are thirteen people on this ship. Me, Mable, Ignis, Cana, the idiot twins, the ship''s captain and six crew members. Is that enough to overthrow a bunch of pirates and rescue the hostages? Well, unless there is an army of reincarnators waiting for us, I alone should be enough. ... By the way, it seems like we left Kent behind. ... What an unreliable brother. Getting left behind while we go on a rescue mission. How did someone like him become a mafia boss? Seriously... Well, anyway... I can''t see anything other than water right now. And there''s no guarantee we''ll run into those pirates. They might just hide in their cove or whatever. If that happens, I''m not sure what to do... "Hey Nina... are you alright?" "I feel great." I''m not sure why you guys keep asking. Sure, this lion soul probably has some drawbacks as well, but I don''t feel anything weird right now. Meaning, something will probably happen after it''s turned off. That''s why, I''ll keep it on for now until this matter is settled. I can''t risk falling unconscious for three days or something similar. And as for my mana reserves... I thought there was a danger of running out and having lion soul turn off. But I figured out a trick ragarding my sword. Even with so many layers of protection, it still leaks a tiny amount of mana. And since that mana was originally mine anyway, I can reabsorb it even if I''m not in panther soul form. And so, if I don''t actively use my mana, I won''t run out. ... Well, other than keeping an eye out for any potential pirates, there wasn''t much to do. And it turns out that doing the mana absorption from the sword leaves me with a bit surplus. So, I decided to experiment. With aura magic. The magic that comes with lion soul. Just like shadow and blaze, it''s quite unique and probably really strong if I can use it correctly. So, what does it do? Well... It radiates ''something'' from me and affects my surroundings. If I don''t pay attention to it, it seems to radiate ''fear'' or ''respect''. That''s the reason why everyone acted the way they did at the guild. But that''s not where its capabilities end. I can change its effect and do all sorts of things. Freeze the water around me, and make the nearby people shiver. A chilling aura. Or I can radiate pressure, which prevents anyone from getting close to me while pushing away nearby objects. A pressure aura. ... Though... When I say, people shivering or not being able to get close to me, it''s not quite as you might think. It''s in the physical sense, yes. But also in a psychological sense. Pressure aura only gently pushes objects aside, so people should have an easy time overcoming that. But they can''t. Their body refuses to move any closer... Or so everyone said. Hmm... So it''s a magic to make literal metaphors? ''Pressure'' and ''chilling feeling''? Interesting... Though, I''m a little concerned. What if I try to make everyone ''fired up''? Will they literally catch on fire and burn alive? I better be careful with this... ... Stop. A few hours of sailing, we finally discovered something. Tiny island covering about the same area as an average house in Kalamas. And since no trees or plants grow on it, it only appeared as a sand mound sticking out of the sea. Clearly, there are no pirates to be found there. ... Or so we are meant to think. "Can you dock at that island?" "Ay, we can. But why there?" "I can smell humans from over there." "... ya can smell ''em? Aight'' then. BOYS WE ARE DOCKING AT THAT ISLAND!" """ROGER!""" Somehow, my eardrums didn''t burst from him yelling right next to me. Aren''t I supposed to have enhanced hearing? Or is it enhanced in other ways in this form? This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.Well, I won''t complain. We disembarked on the island and I put my nose to work. It didn''t take long until I located the source. Several pieces of cloth buried a few centimeters underground. No actual humans here. "It''s a miss, huh..." That''s not neccessarily the case, Mable. Even something like this can be a clue. "Are there any other small island around here?" "Ay, there''s bunch of ''em, but we usually avoid these, cuz it''s a pain to sail ''roun em." Hmm, I see. A bunch of islands sailors tend to avoid. Now doesn''t that sound like the perfect base for pirates? "Lass... you don''t want us t'' sail to every one of ''em, do you?" Of course I do. You already got paid, so don''t complain. Or what? Are you scared? "... ah, I''ll be damned! ALRIGHT BOYS! WE''RE SAILING THROUGH THE SATAN''S WARTBED!" """ROGER THAT CAPT''AN!""" ... Satan''s wartbed? What a name. ... Also, I didn''t know this world had the concept of satan. I guess since Nix and Torta are ''good'' and nobody knows about Kat, the role of an evil god needed to be fulfilled by someone, huh? Well, anyway. Let''s go. ... Second island. Also has human scents. This time, a little digging uncovered a box full of bottles of alcohol. The ship''s crew got really happy, but the captain reminded them they had a job to do before they were allowed to drink. We sailed on. Third island. A golden pendant. Once again, a layer of sand covering it. ... Hmm... I see now... "T''s already gettin'' late... Ya dogs better be ready to keep sailing all night!" """GOT IT CAP''AN!""" "No. We will spend the night here." """Huh?""" "If we get attacked while everyone is tired, it won''t end well." "Ay... ye''r right. But I thought you''d force us to keep goin'' all night..." Who do you think I am? I don''t run a slave business. ... Sorry Mable. I get that you want this to proceed as quickly as possible, but... There''s more to this than I''m letting on. That''s right. I''m not planning on sleeping just yet. A little wink at you. Surprised? Confused? Whatever it may be, I think you understand I''m planning something. That little nod of yours confirms it. Well then... Time to set up camp and then pretend to sleep. ... Us girls plus the twins are in one tent while the ship''s captain and crew members are in another one. Naturally. You wouldn''t want maidens sleeping in the same tent as rowdy sailors, would you? Anyway... Cana and Ignis fell asleep pretty quickly. The twins too. However, Mable, knowing I''m up to something, stayed awake. As for me, I''m waiting for the fish to bite. ... What''s all this about? Well... Here''s the thing. Every time we dug one of those things out of the ground, I sensed a tiny disturbance in my aura. The first time, I barely even noticed it. The second time, I decided to ignore it. But the third time, I figured it couldn''t have just been a coincidence. These buried objects were rigged to send out some kind of signal once dug up. Though, a very weak one, that spread out in all directions. Meaning, I couldn''t simply follow it to find the receiver. That''s why... ... Oh, they are here. Will you look at that. Criminals work fast, don''t they? "Mable. Get ready." To my whisper, Mable puts on a serious expression and nods. For a few seconds, I heard silent footsteps outside our tent. I waited patiently for the perfect chance. And then finally, a hand grabbed the tent''s entranace cloth and slowly pulled it aside. At that moment, I shot up out of my sheets and tackled the culprit as well as his buddy. "Ag...ghh?!" With my fingers gripping their necks, they could do nothing but let out weak grunts and pointlessly struggle. Of course, I''m way stronger than them thanks to my gloves. There''s no way they can tear me off of them. "There you are, you little rats." Upon closer inspection though, the two people don''t really look like pirates. It''s an adult man and a woman in ragged clothes. Those two seem more like the prisoners, don''t they? Hmm... It might just be a disguise, I can''t let my guard down. "Nina! Are you-... huh?" Mable immediately came running and also noticed this oddity. Yes, they really don''t look like bad guys. But the fact is, the man had dropped a bottle of something he was carrying when I gripped him. And I don''t need to even check up close to know that it''s filled with some sort of drug. Poison, a sleeping pill, muscle numbing serum? It could be any of those. But anyway... If I choke them to death right here, that won''t solve anything, now will it? I let go of them and they drop down, holding their throats and cough repeatedly. A moment later, I intensify my aura to make them think twice about trying anything. ... Though, I might have overdone it. The woman passed out and the man wet himself. Eh... It''s fine. I can still get information out of him. I grab his clothes and pull him closer, making his eyes meet mine. "Who are you and who sent you?" CH 75 – The cat interrogates ¡°I-I-h-hai-I¡­¡± Indeed. I have overdone it. You can¡¯t even get past the ¡®I¡¯ in your sentence. But it¡¯s not my fault. You intended to drug us, so I needed to destroy your resolve. I mean, how was I supposed to know you would break this quickly? ¡°Mm¡­ ¡¯tis a paralyzing poison. Good thing ya¡¯ noticed em lass.¡± I¡¯m not sure why the captain has experience with paralyzing drugs, but good job identifying it. ¡°These are the culprits? They look too pitiful to be evil¡­¡± You twins should shut your mouth. If you judge how ¡®evil¡¯ someone is by their appearance, nobody will take you seriously. ¡°I-h-I-ai-hai-¡­¡± But we aren¡¯t really getting anywhere, are we? Did I traumatize him? This aura magic is ludicrous. I barely even turned up the dial and this happens. Ah whatever¡­ ¡°You guys interrogate him.¡± Let me just go to the tent and listen from there. I¡¯m sure he will get calmer once I¡¯m out of sight. ¡­ Also, can someone change his diaper already? It really stinks. ¡­ I¡¯m lying in the tent all by myself while everyone else is trying to make that man talk. It¡¯s taking really long¡­ Almost half an hour already, and he still can¡¯t even say a full word. Come on now! I¡¯m suppressing my aura, so it shouldn¡¯t have any effect anymore! Why can¡¯t- ¡­ Oh well¡­ If the first batch doesn¡¯t work¡­ I guess we can always ask¡­ the other group. Four¡­ no, five of them this time. Damn, where did they come from? Does the enemy have some sort of instant teleportation? What a bother. Let¡¯s go knock them out. ¡°We should- gha?!¡± Hello. Didn¡¯t expect the back of this tent to suddenly burst open, did you? ¡°Who- AGH!¡± Now now. It¡¯s dangerous to open your mouth. You could bite your tongue off. ¡°Gfu!¡± ¡°Egh!¡± ¡°Gha!¡± There we go. Knocked them out and nobody wet himself this time. Hmph¡­ These people¡­ I bet they were supposed to ¡®clean up¡¯ after we all got paralyzed. But they ended up getting cleaned up themselves. ¡°Nina?! What is-¡­ huh?¡± Hey, Mable. Just in time for interrogation part two. ¡°Who are they¡­?¡± ¡°Janitors.¡± ¡­ Now then. We have seven captives. And one of them could have some sort of ability to teleport. This is problematic. If that someone wakes up and instantly teleports everyone away, we will be back at square one. So, we decided to separate the five new captives and waited for each one of them to wake up. Me, Mable, Ignis, Cana each guard one of them while the twins guard the last one. I guess it¡¯s a good thing we brought those two with us, huh? Eh, there¡¯s still the captain and his crew, so it¡¯s not like they are irreplaceable. Anyway¡­ It took a bit for the man I¡¯m guarding to wake up. And when he did, I heard a lifetime worth of swears in a few seconds. What an experience. But I think he got an even more unforgettable memory from our exchange. Though, unlike the man we interrogated before, he kept his speaking ability afterward. ¡°W-we are all just some insignificant underlings¡­! P-please d-don¡¯t k-¡± ¡°Of who?¡± ¡°T-¡­t-the pirate king.¡± The pirate king¡­? Seriously? Did I hear that right? Someone ACTUALLY calls himself a pirate king? Or is it just those guys calling him that? ¡°And who is that?¡± ¡°H-h-he¡­¡± Stop avoiding my gaze and answer. Or what? Are you telling me that the ¡®pirate king¡¯ is scarier than me?The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°He¡­ l-looks like some kid. But he¡¯s stronger¡­ than anyone¡­¡± ¡­ Argh, looks like a kid, but is overpowered? This smells of reincarnation. ¡°Stronger than anyone? What does that mean?¡± ¡°H-he¡­ you¡­ no matter what you use against him¡­ he can use it too¡­ he¡¯s unbeatable¡­¡± ¡­ A copy skill? Is that what you are saying? What a cliche. And¡­ What a bother. Hmm¡­ There are only a few ways to beat someone who can copy skills of his enemies. Let¡¯s see¡­ a) Defeat him in a single blow. A surefire way to beat almost anyone. b) Use an item he doesn¡¯t have and can¡¯t copy. A master swordsman will still lose to another master swordsman if he lacks a sword the other one has. c) Keep changing your strategy into something that beats your previous strategy. Bait him into copying something and then use something that counters it, simple. ¡­ But all of those assume that copying is all he can do. If he has another ace up his sleeve however¡­ I have to prepare another plan. ¡°Gyaaaah! L-Leo!¡± A scream came from the twin girl. What happened? I let go of my captive and rushed to where the twins were supposed to be. But instead of the twins and their captive, only Lina, the girl twin, was sitting there. ¡°Where did they go?¡± ¡°T-that man said he would tell Leo some secret, so he got closer for him to whisper into his ear and¡­¡± ¡­ I already can¡¯t help but facepalm. ¡°And then they both glowed and disappeared!¡± Did you really fall for something like that?! You not only let the guy with teleport escape, but he also reverse-captured your brother?! ¡°What happened?!¡± The rest of the gang is here. Ugh¡­ The second time around, your explanation makes you look even dumber. And I¡¯m not the only one who thinks that. Look. Mable is livid. ¡°I-it should be fine! It¡¯s Leo, after all! I¡¯m sure he can just teleport back without a problem! J-just wait a few minutes¡­¡± Right, he can instantly teleport, can¡¯t he? ¡­ Except, why should it take a few minutes? Is the teleport not instant, after all? Or is there something you aren¡¯t telling us¡­? ¡­ A few minutes later. We finished interrogating the people we had while we waited for the idiot twin¡¯s heroic return. Turns out that the two people who were here to poison us were just disposable slaves to the pirate king. They had no other choice but to obey him. After them, the ¡®janitor¡¯ squad arrived to transport the new captives back to their base. Just in case the slaves wouldn¡¯t do their jobs, the whole group was supposed to be strong enough to beat any average sailor group with force. Of course, with just me being here, we aren¡¯t an average sailor group anymore. Apparently, this was the first time they were beaten, let alone beaten by a single person, in a few seconds. ¡­ Anyway¡­ What happened to the twin who was supposed return in a few minutes? It¡¯s been quite a bit longer than that. ¡°Any second now¡­¡± Are you doubting your own words? I don¡¯t like the expression you are making. ¡°Any s-?!¡± Oh, there we go- ¡­ That is not the other twin. It¡¯s a teen girl, I have never seen before, dressed in ragged clothes. Looks like yet another slave. She¡¯s trembling while looking at the ground and holding up a sign¡­ ¡®If you want to see the boy again, send your strongest to duel with me. This girl will be your guide. -The pirate king¡¯ ¡­ Oh, you have got to be kidding me¡­ ¡°W-what?! L-Leo¡­¡± This girl is breaking down. What happened to your cocky attitude? ¡°The strongest one to duel¡­?¡± Yeah¡­ It¡¯s a letter of challenge from the final boss. This sure escalated quickly. ¡­ And I¡¯m pretty sure this is a trap. But still¡­ It¡¯s not like I can decline, can I? Hah¡­ I¡¯ll show him who the true king is! ¡­ The hell? I¡¯m a girl. Why would I need the title of a king? Must be lion soul infecting my brain¡­ ¡°What do we do Nina¡­?¡± Well, it¡¯s simple. ¡°We-gha!¡± Wha-?! ¡°Nina?!¡± What¡­ the hell? My aura just shrunk back into me and shook my entire being. I coughed out some blood. What is this? Was there a time limit on this? Did I exceed it? Shit¡­ Why now! If I keel over now, who will face the pirate king?! ¡°P-panther?!¡± What¡­ My hand¡­ It¡¯s giving off the black smoke¡­ The same I give off when I¡¯m in panther soul. ¡°Tiger?!¡± ¡°Cheetah¡­?¡± It seems like¡­ I cycled through all of the other souls. Anger, depression, sleepiness¡­ Each cycle shook my entire being again. I feel like I got hit by a storm of razorblades. But I¡¯m not bleeding. What the hell¡­ What the hell?! Is this the drawback of lion soul?! Why?! All the other ones were psychological! What¡¯s with this insane physical pain?! Argh¡­! I can¡¯t¡­ ¡°¡±¡±NINAAAA!¡±¡±¡± CH 76 – The cat is crazy Ugh... I hear noises similar to voices. My vision is completely blurred. My entire body is in pain. ... I''ve really done it now, haven''t I? I thought I was smart, compensating the mana loss by getting it back from my sword... But who would have thought something like this would happen...? ... Well, the good news is, I''m in great pain. Which must mean that I''m still alive. Amazing. ... And also nonsensical. My senses are so messed up, I can''t even tell whether I''m sitting, lying down or being carried! So... How am I still conscious?! Ugh... Why does this always happen...? Every time I try a new cat soul variant, I end up regretting it. Sure, they were originally curses, but come on! The drawbacks keep getting worse! I wouldn''t be surprised if the next one just outright killed me and sent me straight to hell! ... Alright, calm down. I''m getting used to the pain. Is there something I can do? What about looking at my status...? ... uhm, nope. Can''t even read any of that. What the hell? I thought status is something in my mind. Why does my actual eyesight matter...? Ugh... I guess my mind is in chaos as well. But really. What should I do? How long am I gonna be left in this state? Out there, they will have to duel with the pirate king! And if he has the copy ability, that means he can use his goon''s teleport, and might be able to copy Mable''s destructive skills as well! That sounds like a disaster... ... But... Then there''s me. What would happen if he copied my skills? Would he get the nine lives...? That sounds like a bad idea. Well, I still don''t know what it does... But no villain should have access to immortality or a way to revive themselves. That just spells trouble. Argh... But thinking about all of this is pointless since I''m in this state! When is this gonna end?! ... I think I''m going crazy. Ain''t that right, Nina? Indeed, Nina. I''ve lost sense of time. It could have been an hour, or it might have been years. There''s no way to tell. Hmm. Well, at least you have someone to talk to. Right. But you are still me, aren''t you...? In other words, it doesn''t help at all! I''m stuck in limbo and the only one I can talk to is you! Hey, calm down! I''m stuck here with you as well, you know?! Sorry... I''m just getting impatient. Ugh... What should we do? Hmm... Oh, oh, I have an idea! Since we are in this weird spiritual state, maybe it allows us to talk to Kat? ... that came out of nowhere. I mean, what makes you think that? Well, you know the cliches, right? This kind of state is what allows the protagonist to talk to ghosts and spirits and whatnot. Are you saying Kat is a ghost? Well, he''s equally annoying and mysterious, so... Eh, sure. So, how do we go about doing that? I dunno... Something like focus and try to call out to him? That''s really vague, but I guess we can try. Kaaaaat! Are you here, you prick?! ... Nothing. Let''s try to put more oomph into it. KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT! ... Hmm, I guess that was just wishful think- "... you called?" ... This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.O-oh...? It connected! ... Wait, it connected?! Is that really Kat?! "It''s me alright... do you need something?" Hey, he''s being weirdly cautious compared to when I last heard him. Is it really Kat? "... hahaha, what are you talking about, honey? I''m still the same cheery Kat we all know and love!" Oh, there we go... Anyway! I''ve got a ton of questions for you! "My, how adorable! My little girl came to mama to ask questions!" You shut your-! Huh? Mama? "Hmm? Something wrong?" ... hah! You just called yourself mama, idiot! "And what about it...? Oh, I get it! You thought I''m male, didn''t you?" What?! You aren''t?! "Ah, I guess I never showed you my appearance, did I? Well, let me remedy that!" Huh?! The blue box with text dropped down to the floor and transformed into... a human? No... It''s a woman, but she has cat ears. And two tails. One of them searing with darkness darker than the black void around me while the other shines brighter than the sun. Her eyes are similar, one of them white and one of them black. I can''t tell whether her hair is pitch black or pure white, and the aura she gives off is equally ambiguous. "Hello-" Punch in the face. But my fist phased through it. "Oh, such violent love you have for me!" What?! No way! I finally met the source of all my suffering and I can''t even get a single punch in? Dammit! This is not fair! "Settle down my love! Let''s have a nice heartwarming family chat!" I don''t remember ever becoming your family, evil god! And don''t just comfortably sit on this void as if it was nothing! "Ah, so cruel... to call me, your loving caretaker, evil..." Your fake crying won''t convince anyone! "Haha, that''s where you''re wrong, my dear! Nix falls for it all the time, you know!" Well then he''s an idi- ... Wait, what? Nix...? "Yep, Nix. Something wrong? I thought you know the other two gods already." I know them, but...! Aren''t you supposed to be an evil god in opposition to those two?! "Oh, that''s right... you were lead to believe that, weren''t you? Well, it couldn''t be more wrong, hahaha!" Don''t just laugh it off! "Of course us three are best friends! Don''t let yourself be fooled by fake news, silly!" ... "Hmm, but you aren''t completely wrong if you say I''m an evil god." What... do you mean...? "I''m the god of balance! In other words, I''m both good and evil!" ... That''s cheap. "Hahaha." Enough of this! Answer my questions now! "Ah, what an aggressive tone... are you in your rebellious phase?" ... First, what''s up with the ''chosen one'' business? Do the two other gods have people just like me? "Oh, for sure! Those two other girls are exactly like you! Same name, same appearance, same voice, same personality and even the same flat chest and dirty mouth!" You! That''s not what I...! Ugh... Second... What''s your goal in all of this? Why are there other reincarnators and why was I ''chosen''? "For fun!" Don''t give me that nonsense! What ridiculous reason is that?! "Nonono! Fun is serious business! Don''t make fun of fun!" ... "That is your real mission in this world! Have fun! I''m serious!" ... I''ll figure out what it really is. Just you wait. "Oooh, you don''t know what having fun really is? Poor you, I didn''t realize-" Stop twisting my words...! ... Third question... Why did you give me the ability to absorb curses...? And what does nine lives do? "Hmm... you''re wrong. I didn''t give you any skills." What...? "I only gave you that cute outfit and my blessing! You developed those skills on your own!" ... Stop spouting bullshit already! I don''t remember making myself such disturbing abilities! "Hahaha, your true nature shows in these skills!" You were the one who made them! "Nonono, I''m telling you, I didn''t! You took the blessing and made those skills out of it!" ... Then, it''s just the blessing, isn''t it?! You''re still the one at fault! "No way! You are the only one who got these skills after receiving my blessing!" Don''t give me that! You are just trying to make me feel special! "But I mean it, you know? It''s the reason why you were... er, chosen, you see?" ... I''m not buying it. What''s so special about me? ... And what''s with the mouth zipping motion? "Classified information! Hehe... Well, you might figure out when you meet the others. So, good luck!" You little... "You''re the little one here, though?" Shut up! "Weeell, anyways. I need to get going already. I''m quite busy, you see?" What?! Get back here! I''m not done with you yet! "Sorry, but I really am busy! Bye bye!" You...! ... Her image just blurred out and gradually disappeared. I''m left alone in this void again. Argh... Damn it all! CH 77 – The cat awakens What an experience. Indeed, I finally got to meet Kat and ask her something. Yeah, but¡­ None of her answers told me anything. Like, seriously? The other chosen ones are EXACTLY like me? What are they? My long-lost sisters? Clones? ¡­ Or am I the clone¡­? Stop thinking about that nonsense already. Kat was obviously just making fun of me. I should instead think about what the purpose of it all is since she wouldn¡¯t tell me. You¡¯re right¡­ Hmm¡­ That ¡®secret¡¯ is suspicious¡­ What¡¯s so special about me that she completely refused to say anything? Maybe my purpose is to figure that out? And when I find out, everything will make sense? Well, maybe. Or she could have just tried to mislead us. A red herring? I wouldn¡¯t put it beside her. She is the same person¡­god¡­goddess, who claimed that my skills are my own product. Yeah, obviously! These cat themed skills are made by me and not by that catgirl goddess! Hahaha, let¡¯s be real now! Dial down the sarcasm, will you? Yeah, sorry. Also, she said that I made it out of the blessing somehow. So maybe it¡¯s not complete nonsense¡­ What do you mean? Well, she said I¡¯m special, right? Right. So¡­ What if the thing that¡¯s special about me is that I have some kind of skill-creating powers? Hmm¡­ Now that¡¯s an interesting theory¡­ Why would that be the case, though? I don¡¯t know! I¡¯m just latching onto the clues! Well, should we try to create a skill then? Sure sure. Wait. Can we see the status screen yet¡­? ¡­ Ooh! Name: Nina Level: 20 Strength: 38/38 Endurance: 40/40 Speed: 0/52 Magic: -12/33 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband Kat gloves Kat slippers Skills: Cat soul+ (Cheetah soul on) 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat I can see it again! I think I finally went fully unconscious at some point. Can¡¯t even feel the pain anymore. It¡¯s great. ¡­ Wait. Wait wait wait¡­! Just a second now! Is that a minus?! I have negative mana?! WHY?! HOW?! ¡­ Why are these limits even there? I already managed to break through and go over. And now I¡¯m in the negatives. Seriously, what¡¯s the point?! Look, cheetah soul is turned on somehow. It normally turns on when I deplete my mana, so I guess negative mana counts as well? Ugh, why does this all feel like nothing more than a buggy game? ¡­ Anyway¡­ Where was I¡­? I was trying to create a skill. Right right. Kat said I somehow used her blessing to make these two. What exactly could she mean? Hmm, maybe it needs to be something related to cats¡­ The ability to sleep through the entire day? Come on¡­ I¡¯m joking, I¡¯m joking¡­ Umm¡­ How about the ability to hurl furballs? Wow. Sounds very useful and not disgusting at all. I¡¯m impressed with the great ideas, me. Well, I¡¯m trying my hardest to come up with something! The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Okay, what about the ability to always land on our feet, then?! That¡¯s really stu- ¡­. Actually, that might not be terrible. That way, even if our air-jumping with the slippers goes wrong, we won¡¯t crack our skull when we land. Ah-ha! Let¡¯s do this then¡­! ¡­ Alright, what do we do? Err¡­ Well, we apparently did it unconsciously last time, so¡­ ¡­ Argh! Why is life so difficult! Calm down, me! It¡¯s fine! Just try to focus or something! Like when we called out to Kat! Fine. But I don¡¯t expect this cheap power of believing to work again. That only works in kid shows, after all. Good good, say more of that. Reverse psychology might kick in. It¡¯s not¡­ Whatever. Let¡¯s do this. HNNNG! SKILL CREATE! ALWAYS LAND ON FEET SKILL, GO! ¡­ Is that what you want that skill to be called? Shut up, I¡¯m concentrating. Hnn- ARGH?! GYAH?! ¡­ What did you do?! What was the tremor?! I just tried to make a skill! ¡­ Then, maybe it worked? Let¡¯s look¡­ Name: Nina Level: 20 Strength: 38/38 Endurance: 40/40 Speed: 0/52 Magic: -21/33 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband Kat gloves Kat slippers Skills: Cat soul+ (Cheetah soul on) 9 lives Special: Blessing of the Kat UHH, NOPE! And somehow, we dropped even further in the negatives now! How does that even work?! I don¡¯t know! ¡­ Hey guys. ¡­ Huh¡­ What¡­? Where did you come from? I¡¯m not sure. I just¡­ happened. Ugh¡­ The last thing is need is another alter ego in my head¡­ I¡¯m seriously going crazy, aren¡¯t I? Yep. Yep. Don¡¯t agree with me! ¡­ Alright, Nina the second, what is our situation? Bad. I feel like our body is being thrown around. And¡­ The Kat outfit disappeared from the equipment in our status. And in its stead, we got ¡®slave rags¡¯. ¡­ So, everyone got captured by those pirates? And they even stripped me naked? Seems like it. Well this is just getting better and better, isn¡¯t it? Ugh¡­ Nina the third, how is it on your end? Eh, I can¡¯t figure out how to use this skill-creating ability. Or rather, we don¡¯t even know if we have an ability like that! Why am I doing something so pointless?! No progress on your end, then¡­ Nina the fourth, what about you? No good, Kat isn¡¯t answering anymore. We either can¡¯t connect anymore, or she is ignoring us. Damn¡­ That stupid troll of a goddess! Hey, calm down, first. We gotta stay positive! Ugh, well I guess so¡­ But fifth¡­ More alter egos keep popping up. And I¡¯m running out of jobs to give them! Ah¡­ Hmm? What is it, fourth? Well, I heard a cough¡­ I think it was Kat¡¯s. ¡­ So she¡¯s really just ignoring us! That little¡­! ¡­ Argh, I¡¯m so tired of this. Pretty ironic, isn¡¯t it? I thought that being unconscious is supposed to be relaxing. Not for me apparently. This is the most stressful coma I have ever experienced. I didn¡¯t even know one can be aware they are in coma! There¡¯s always a first time¡­ ¡­ Ugh¡­ I just wish we could do something¡­ ¡­ ?! An impact! Something hit us! Yes, we all felt that, second! What was it?! I¡­ don¡¯t know! E-everyone! Look at the status! Magic: 1835/33 What the heck?! Weren¡¯t we in the negatives just a second ago?! What¡¯s with this ridiculous overflow?! We¡¯re regaining consciousness! Prepare for take off¡­! ¡­ Eyes. Opened. A prison cell. And a sea of black flames. I¡¯m in the middle of them. ¡°Holy shit! What¡¯s with this sword?!¡± There¡¯s someone. A boy. Wearing my Kat clothes. Holding my sword. Unsheathed. The blade was pointed at me and all the accumulated shadow mana hit me. I see. I get it. ¡°Oh, hey! She woke up! Ahahaha! Is this thing her personal alarm clock or what?!¡± Around me. Cana, Ignis, Mable, the twins and the ship¡¯s captain and crew. They are all being swallowed by the black flames, screaming. That¡¯s not right. You are supposed to enjoy the sensation. I guess I can take it off of you if you don¡¯t want it. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s with that dumb look, girl? Are you surprised to be in a cell? Thank your friend who lost to me!¡± Lost to you? I see. So, you are the pirate king. ¡°Hah, are you trying to break free? Those chains are special! They not only seal magic, but even skills!¡± Is that so? Then why haven¡¯t they extinguished the shadows yet? Have you thought about that? ¡°¡­eh?¡± And¡­ If something as simple as chains could hold me down, how would I ever be able to kill you? Have you thought about¡­ that? ¡°Y-you burned through them?!¡± I¡¯m not sure why¡­ But I can use blaze magic in this state. I wonder what state I¡¯m in? Cat soul+ (Panther of wrath on) What a fancy name. Did panther soul level up? Well no matter¡­ This is quite a strange sensation. I feel completely calm inside. And at the same time, I feel an unparalleled rage toward that one person in front of me. ¡°How can you control that much mana so freely?!¡± How? Simple. All of this mana originated from me. It belongs to me. But more importantly¡­ Flow magic. The thing I get with cheetah soul. I finally know what it does. That¡¯s right¡­ It allows me to control the flow of mana. Any mana. That¡¯s the joke. When I¡¯m out of mana, cheetah soul turns on. And in that state, I should be able to manipulate my opponent¡¯s mana. But¡­ Since I had no mana in that state, I couldn¡¯t figure it out. What a blessing this ¡®panther of wrath¡¯ is. I can use all of my variant soul¡¯s magics for some reason. ¡°¡­he¡­hehehe! I get it! So you are the strongest one of them all, aren¡¯t you?! Not that other bitch!¡± And you. You made a grave mistake. Making an enemy out of me was not smart of you. I open my mouth and see the boy shudder. A distorted voice leaves my mouth. ¡°DIE!¡± CH W1 – Panther of wrath Nobody knew what would happen if the sword is unsheathed. The girls warned him that it¡¯s a bad idea. But he didn¡¯t listen. As soon as he loosened the sheath a bit, it instantly shot out from all the pressure inside. A massive surge of blackness spewed out of the sword and hit the prisoner¡¯s cell in front of him. ¡°Holy shit! What¡¯s with this sword?!¡± That was the pirate king¡¯s first reaction. He has never seen such a concentrated mass of mana before. Moreover, mana this sinister and frightening. But looking at the damage it caused, he noticed she woke up. The girl who was unconscious since the very beginning, her eyes were open, peeking through the sea of shadows all around her. ¡°Oh, hey! She woke up! Ahahaha! Is this thing her personal alarm clock or what?!¡± The pirate king laughed at her predicament. All while her eyes wandered around the cell and noticed her cellmates. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s with that dumb look, girl? Are you surprised to be in a cell? Thank your friend who lost to me!¡± The girl looked back at him and attempted to stand up. But the chains held her down. ¡°Hah, are you trying to break free? Those chains are special! They not only seal magic, but even skills!¡± And then. ¡°¡­eh?¡± The chains crumbled and let out a black smoke, which blended in with the surrounding darkness. ¡°Y-you burned through them?!¡± As he stood there dumbfounded, all of the black flames in the cell began moving in a swirling motion around the girl. The other prisoners, who were covered with is just a second ago, were clean again. Though, all of them have already long lost consciousness. ¡°How can you control that much mana so freely?!¡± The mana continued to unify and covered the girl in a thick cloak, only letting her red eyes peek through. ¡°¡­he¡­hehehe! I get it! So you are the strongest one of them all, aren¡¯t you?! Not that other bitch!¡± The pirate king felt excited. He would get to fight someone really powerful, after all! ¡­ However, that excitement soon turned into fear. Where her mouth should have been, the cloak opened, revealing even blacker black than the cloak itself. ¡°DIE!¡± Her distorted voice carried the aura of pressure and chill. The pirate king froze up for a fraction of a second. And that fraction of a second was enough for the monster to somehow bypass the cell¡¯s bars and close in on him with her claw already ready to swing down on him. Swish. Crash. The ground beneath him cracked and a wave of darkness bled through the surroundings as she swung her arm through the empty air and wedged it into the ground. ¡°S-so you are a monster, huh?!¡± The voice came from a few meters away from where the pirate king stood just a second ago. He dodged at the last second by teleporting. However, in his panic, he left the Kat clothes as well as the sword behind. The almighty undefeatable pirate king stood there naked, pointing at the ¡®monster¡¯ with one hand while covering his crotch with the other. The shadows around the ¡®monster¡¯ immediately swallowed up the items he left behind and the unsheathed sword appeared in her hand. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not gonna yield to an animal!¡± The boy turned his head to one of the surrounding prison cells and did a hand grabbing motion in the air.Stolen story; please report. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what I can do!¡± But the monster didn¡¯t care. She leapt at him again at speeds quicker than he could parse, raising her sword, which leaked shadow mana like an open water tap. But her advance got stopped by something invisible. She bounced back with a clinking sound. ¡°Hah! How is that! An indestructible magic barrier! You¡¯re trapped again! Now-¡± But his victorious stance didn¡¯t last long. The swor sword cut through the air and its tip touched the barrier. As the leaking shadows touched it, it went out in a puff of smoke. ¡°What?!¡± His moment of shock was enough for the monster to close in and do an overhead slash with her sword. She only barely missed his skull and instead sent his left arm flying, while releasing a burst of shadow mana into a wall behind him. ¡°GAAAAAH!¡± The sheer air pressure made the pirate king fly away, splattering blood from his armless shoulder all over the ground. But the monster didn¡¯t give him any breaks. She dashed at him once again. This time though, a blast of wind sent her flying the other way. A barrage of fireballs closely followed, bombarding the airborne monster, but not really dealing any damage whatsoever. ¡°Mirim! G-get over here!¡± The boy¡¯s voice echoed in the spacious rocky room. But before any answer came back to him, the sword¡¯s blade, still overflowing with shadow mana, approached him once again. A side swing meant to decapitate. The sheer circular pressure from it created a black mini-tornado. But as it settled, the monster¡¯s prey was nowhere to be found. And this time, not even her ears or nose could detect his location. Upon realizing her target escaped, the monster roared. ¡°WHERE ARE YOU?! PIRATE KING?!¡± She stood in place as her cloak extended down to the floor and crept through the room. A few seconds later, the monster turned its focus to a certain spot. A place, with two feet-shaped imprints in the shadow rug. ¡°THERE YOU ARE¡­¡± The shadows converged once again, swirling around the sword this time. The monster held the sword in both of her hands and pointed it at that spot. She pulled her arms backwards. And then, stabbed it forward again. That motion released an unimaginable surge of mana, gouging out the floor and walls as if digging through soft snow. The whole place shook as the shadows ate through whatever got into their path. If anyone carefully observed the spectacle from the side, they would notice the light coming from objects behind the attack being warped. Almost as if space itself got torn. However, that distortion only lasted for a brief second before it got corrected. ¡°H-holy shit! You are crazy!¡± Only a pinkie¡¯s length away from all the destruction, the pirate king lied on the floor, sweat covering his pale face. ¡°B-boss! What¡¯s going-¡± Finally, someone came from upstairs and peeked into the room, freezing upon seeing the state it¡¯s in. ¡°Mirim! Get Toel! Quick!¡± Holding his bleeding shoulder, the pirate king shouted instructions at his underling, before returning his attention at the living calamity in front of him, not daring to look behind him at the destruction. The monster¡¯s cloak of shadow magic has been used up quite a bit, now allowing the pirate king to see her actual body shape instead of just a black mass with eyes. ¡°Y-ye-GRRH!¡± The underling woman had the air punched out of her lungs before she even finished replying. She keeled over and fell on the floor, desperately trying to catch back her breath. The monster who punched her turned to the pirate king again. ¡°YOU WILL NOT RUN AWAY.¡± But as the monster said this, she could see him doing the same grabbing motion at the prison cell. After he did that, he grabbed a random piece of rubble and threw it at her while screaming in desperation. The monster did not care for his pitiful acts of desperation and simply deflected the rubble with her free hand. ¡­ not. The stone pierced through both her hand and the shadows covering it, making it burst in blood. The monster grimaced and looked at her broken hand. And then at the pirate king, who had the expression of shock. Which changed to an evil grin. ¡°A..ahahaha! So she wasn¡¯t a useless idiot after all! HAHAHA!¡± With the sudden influx of adrenaline, he stood up with another stone in his hand. ¡°What is it, monster?! How does it feel to be injured by your own friend¡¯s ability?!¡± CH 78 – The cat misses Ugh, what should I do¡­?¡­ He copied Mable¡¯s unstoppable force skill. And my left hand is out of commission now. ¡­ I gave him hope now¡­ He thinks that he can defeat me with that¡­ Well¡­ Let¡¯s correct that misconception. I cover my left hand with the shadows, using them as a bandage before leaping forward. The idiot in front of me tosses more stones my way, but they are way too slow for the current me. It¡¯s a joke. After dodging a handful of these stones, I¡¯m once again right next to him with my sword held up high, ready to finally finish him off. But noticing that, he throws an arm in my direction, hoping to get a direct hit in. Since his arms themselves could be empowered by the unstoppable force skill, I make sure to avoid them as well. And then. Swish. My blade hit his neck. And didn¡¯t cut through it. Instead, it stopped my weapon completely. The boy¡¯s head is a ball of sweat. But even then, he cracks a mocking smile. ¡°Ha¡­h-haha!!¡± He¡­ Used that skill on his own neck¡­? Now, that is unexpected¡­ For the first time on our battle, I back off with a jump and assess the situation. ¡°W-w-what¡¯s wrong?! Weren¡¯t you going to kill me?!¡± He sure is full of himself now. Troublesome¡­ So troublesome¡­ What¡¯s the best way to kill him, I wonder? ¡°Take this!¡± Another serving of pebbles pass by me as I think of a new strategy. Hmm¡­ I¡¯m still in this weird panther of wrath mode. I should make use of my tools. ¡°Stay still you little rat!¡± Rat? Wrong animal, idiot. ¡°Gh¡­?!¡± Chilling aura. ¡°Wh-¡± And right after that¡­ Close the gap and slash him. Don¡¯t give him a chance to do anything. It¡¯s over for you. My sword comes down once again. And is stopped mid-air by something invisible. ¡°UAAAAAH!¡± The pale-faced boy runs at me with his fist readied to punch me. I¡¯m once again forced to take my distance. That invisible shield again¡­? Didn¡¯t he steal Mable¡¯s skills just now¡­? It seems like I made a wrong assumption. Since he didn¡¯t use any magic after stealing Mable¡¯s skills, I thought he can only use one set of stolen skills at a time. ¡­ Or maybe that¡¯s still true? Did he use unstoppable force on¡­ the air? What a headache¡­ ¡­ But still. He should be running out of mana and energy soon. Just like me¡­ Magic: 615/33 Funny how I call this overflow ¡®running low on mana¡¯. ¡­ Well then. Since he likes deflecting my sword swings so much¡­ I can attack from afar instead. Another one of those blasts should finish him off. If I mix blaze magic into it, I should be able to break through even unstoppable force, as it nulifies magic and skill effects. And finally, if I freeze him with aura magic, he won¡¯t even be able to dodge it. Sounds good. Well, it¡¯s gonna be hard doing so many things simultaneously¡­ But it¡¯s all for the sake of killing him, so I have to do it. Here we go. ¡°G-gh¡­!¡± Freezing aura. Now be a good boy and stay there. Gather up the shadow mana around my sword¡­ Pull it back¡­ Apply blaze magic¡­ And¡­! DIE! A mass of shadows surged forth once again. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. But just before I released the blast, I noticed an unknown person by the pirate king¡¯s side. I was so focused on combining my magics, I didn¡¯t notice his backup has arrived! But it doesn¡¯t matter. They are both frozen by my aura and the blast is coming. There¡¯s no hope for yo- ?! The blast shook the ground tore through the wall behind them. But even then, compared to the first blast, this one was much weaker. Once the dust has settled, those two were nowhere to be found. They disappeared without a trace. ¡­ But I knew it wasn¡¯t because I pulverized them¡­ No¡­ It was the teleport guy¡­ He helped him get away¡­ They¡­ escaped¡­ ¡­ He got away. The one I wanted to kill more than I ever wanted anything else. I¡¯m mad¡­ Am I mad¡­? Why do I feel so serene? I should be fuming. Angry that the little cockroach managed to slip by my fingers. But for some reason, my wrathful feelings suddenly vanished. This is really odd. What happened? Magic: 1/33 Cat soul+ (Cheetah soul on) Ah, how dumb of me. I basically used up all of my mana. That¡¯s no good. If they were to teleport back now, I would have a hard time fighting them. Well, let¡¯s hope they are too scared to return¡­ And if they do come back¡­ ¡­ I¡¯ll think of something then. Also, it seems that the woman I punched ran away. I guess she was the one to inform the teleport guy who bailed the pirate king out? Ah, the rest of their group probably evacuated already. I can¡¯t hear any sounds upstairs. Ouch¡­ My left hand is still broken. Dang, this might take a while to heal¡­ Even with my regeneration boosted, this is no laughing matter. Oh well¡­ But seriously, what a tough opponent that was¡­ Or as the past, really angry, me said, what a cockroach. I even got an enormous mana overflow and a brand-new battle mode and it still wasn¡¯t enough to do him in. Well, maybe I was just a little too rash with my moves¡­ Hmm¡­ ¡­ Hmm? Not that I think about it, why didn¡¯t he attempt to steal MY skills? Surely, a jerk like him would be enticed by a skill called nine lives. He even took the Kat clothes and put them on himself, which looked terrible, by the way. So, why didn¡¯t he try to steal my skills? Does he need to fulfill some conditions before he can skillsnatch? Like, the target has to be unconscious¡­? No wait¡­ Didn¡¯t his goons say he could steal skills mid-battle as well? Huh¡­ Eh, whatever. Thinking about that is too tiring for me. I better check up on everyone before I fall into coma. Let¡¯s see¡­ Ah that barred off place, right. I half-forgot about that place. But somehow always remembered to aim these blasts the other way, and made sure that the idiot¡¯s magic didn¡¯t fly over there either. ¡®Panther of wrath¡¯, huh? Strange how there was only one target for all that wrath. During panther soul, I¡¯m wrathful at everything around me. Really now, what is up with that¡­ I walk up to the cage, thinking about this new totally-not-ominous-sounding battle mode I just used. First thing I do is cut away at the bars with my unsheathed whateverium cat sword to get inside. Since I can¡¯t creep inside the shadows right now, I have to move through reality like other mortals. Several swings later, I cut out a piece out of one of the bars and manage to enter inside again. There, my companions, the twins, and the whole ship¡¯s crew lied unconscious. Let¡¯s see¡­ I took away most of the shadow mana from them when I transformed¡­ But not quite all of it. Hmm, I see now¡­ This ¡®flow magic¡¯ of cheetah soul¡­ is quite the thing. If I try, I can control any nearby mana at will. How did I not figure this out sooner? I must be dumb. Well then. Come to mama, mana. Oo, that¡¯s quite a bit, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m surprised everyone is still alive with that amount¡­ But I¡¯m glad they are. ¡­ Ah, dammit. Looking at everyone just sprawled on the ground like this makes me wanna join them. No no no. Focus, me. I need to stay awake. But it¡¯s so hard¡­ Argh¡­ Where are all the split personalities when I need them? Now there¡¯s nobody to keep an eye on me, making sure I finish tending to everyone before I fall asleep. Oh well¡­ They were products of me going crazy anyway. Not like I would ACTUALLY want to have six distinct selves shouting one over another inside my head. I like it when it¡¯s more quiet. It¡¯s perfect for naps¡­ ¡­ No, I said¡­! Stay focused, me! Argh¡­ This tiredness of cheetah soul is so annoying¡­ It¡¯s like the instinct of wanting to breathe. I am doing the equivalent of holding down my breath here. ¡­ And there¡­ That¡¯s everyone. Now, what should I do with this cute ball of spooky mana? Hmm¡­ Can I¡­ absorb it? Huh. Now, that¡¯s an idea. Maybe if I restore my mana with that I won¡¯t go comatose? Alright, it¡¯s worth a try. Here I come. Chomp. Mmm¡­ Tastes like chicken. Just kidding. It really doesn¡¯t taste like anything. I¡¯m eating air. Slightly spicy air. Well, the question is, did it do anything? Magic: 2/33 Cat soul+ (Cheetah soul on) Nope. So pointless¡­ Ah dammit¡­ It was worth a try, I guess. But I really can¡¯t take this anymore. This is too suffocating¡­ ¡­ Good night. CH 79 – The cat reflects Ah, I can see the light. Pure whiteness in front of me. Has my time finally come? I can extend my arm towards it, but I can¡¯t reach it¡­ Wait. Why are there irregular bumps in that light? Huh. That¡¯s not light. It¡¯s just the white ceiling. Oh, dammit. Where am I? A bed? ¡­ Am I in a medical facility again? Well, I guess that¡¯s to be expected. I passed out because of cheetah soul. I wonder just how long it¡¯s been though. Or rather, does this mean the pirate king didn¡¯t come back and everyone got safely out? Hmm¡­ I got up and looked out of the window. Where is this hospital, anyway¡­? Am I back at Heiliya? I can¡¯t see the ocean from here¡­ There are too many buildings in all directions¡­ And none of them look familiar¡­ ¡­ Oh, that¡¯s right¡­ That guy had a teleport ability, so their base could have very well been on the other side of the world¡­ Ah, crap¡­ ¡­ Where are the others? I better find them and let them know I¡¯m awake. Done scanning the town through the window, I decided to go outside directly. It seems like they didn¡¯t strip me this time, and they even left my completely-curse-free sword by my bed. After grabbing it and putting it on my back, I opened the door and walked into the hallway. As soon as I did, a doctor-ish looking man noticed me and pestered me with things like ¡®oh, you are awake?¡¯ and ¡®you shouldn¡¯t be moving yet!¡¯. Reluctantly, I let him examine me before he let me leave. Well, at least he told me some useful information. First¡­ We¡¯re in the capital. Oh, boy. We really aren¡¯t in Heiliya. On top of that, the capital? The place I was planning on visiting later? Perfect. ¡­ Although, I feel bad for Kent. My past lion self left him in the port city. Oops. Well, he said he has spies in the capital, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯s gonna find out where we are sooner or later, right? Anyway¡­ The doctor also told me what happened to everyone else. According to what he said, everyone is alright. So, that¡¯s good. I walk out of the building and look around to get my bearings before heading towards the place where the others supposedly are. On my way there, I think about what happened back there. There is a lot to take in¡­ All of the things Kat told me, this ominous ¡®panther of wrath¡¯ thing¡­ Really, god of balance you say? How is this balanced at all? Every cat soul variant has been quite disturbing, and this new thing really takes the cake. They are not very different from the curses they originated from¡­ ¡­ Huh? Wait. If she said ¡®god of balance¡¯, would that mean¡­ That I can absorb blessings as well? Since they are the opposite of curses? Would that balance me out more? Hmm¡­ Well, I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think I can take everything she said at face value. Moreover, wouldn¡¯t it be really rude to just steal someone¡¯s blessing? I mean, I wouldn¡¯t mind if I was cursed, and someone slurped that curse away. But if I had a blessing, I would get pretty mad if someone just- ¡­ Wait. But I DO have a blessing! Blessing of the Kat Allows the user to wear equipment blessed by the Kat. The user is also sometimes able to communicate with the Kat at designated locations. Lastly, all feline creatures will become friendly. Heheh¡­ Haha! That¡¯s it! I¡¯m gonna try to absorb my own blessing¡­! ¡­ Except, wouldn¡¯t that already happen by now? I know that I sap curses simply by being near someone with that curse. So if the blessing is literally attached to myself¡­ ¡­ Argh! Stupid contradictions! Whatever¡­ If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. For now, let¡¯s take a step back and look at this ¡®panther of wrath¡¯. Mmm, let¡¯s see¡­ ¡­ Hmm¡­? Cat soul+ Temporarily turns you into a wild animal. You gain bonus agility for the duration. You have mastered this skill and are now able to unlock its variants. Available variants: Panther soul Tiger soul Cheetah soul Lion soul It¡¯s¡­ Not there?! What the heck?! Was it all a dream or something stupid like that? Nonono, no way it was! Clearly, there¡¯s something wrong here. Maybe if I examine panther soul¡­? Panther soul In addition to cat soul effects, it allows the use of shadow magic and enhances stealth at night. It¡¯s still the same¡­ Gh¡­ The culprit got rid of all the evidence. Now, there¡¯s no lead to go off of. Damn¡­ Perhaps it was just a special temporary state when I was overloaded with the mana from my sword? Will it happen again if I repeat that¡­? ¡­ What am I thinking? I DO NOT want that to happen again! I could demolish a town with that blast! Nope, nope, nope! Stop thinking about that manifestation of evil! Think about nice things! That¡¯s right! The whole balance thing! I¡¯ll try consciously absorbing my own blessing! Uoooo! Come on, me! Absorb that useless feline harem maker and create something nicer out of it! Hnnnng! Gulp. ¡­ What? I felt like I just swallowed something. But not in a physical sense at all. What did I just¡­ Wait, it couldn¡¯t be¡­ Name: Nina Level: 20 Strength: 38/38 Endurance: 40/40 Speed: 52/52 Magic: 33/33 Equipment: Kat underwear Kat dress Kat ear headband Kat gloves Kat slippers Enchanted handbag God-slayer shadow cursed sword Skills: Cat soul+ 9 lives ¡­ It¡¯s gone. GONE. WHAT. Did I just eat the blessing?! How did I do that?! Why did I do that?! Wha-ughghhh! ¡­ Blessing of the Kat It¡¯s back¡­ I¡­ Hurled it back out. ¡­ This is not funny. I¡¯m weirded out. Is it normal to eat and vomit back vague things like blessings? It¡¯s not, right? I just experienced something insane, haven¡¯t I? Oh, jeez. Literally everyone on the street stopped whatever they were doing and are staring at me. What¡¯s your deal? Have you never seen a girl dressed in cat outfit almost vomit in the middle of the street? ¡­ Ok fine, I would be surprised if you have¡­ But still! Stop staring! Argh, fine! I¡¯ll just run away! The simplest solution! Off I go! ¡­ Well, here I am¡­ The inn where everyone is supposedly staying. ¡­ But I don¡¯t feel like meeting everyone just yet. There are still so many things on my mind. Why is the ¡®panther of wrath¡¯ not showing? Why can I treat an immaterial blessing like an object? Ugh¡­ Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m gonna figure it out anytime soon. So might as well just think about it later¡­ ¡­ No! What¡¯s with this procrastinator mindset?! I¡¯m gonna think about it NOW! I can¡¯t keep going with this ¡®whatever happens, happens¡¯ attitude! Back there, everyone got captured, and it would have been seriously bad if I didn¡¯t suddenly get that power-up! I can¡¯t rely on it randomly happening again! I need to get some time to investigate all of this! ¡­ Sigh¡­ But if I suddenly disappear without saying a word, they would be worried. I guess I¡¯m gonna go in, and tell them I need some time alone or something¡­ Well, here goes nothing. Chapter G1 – Thou shall not panic The ethereal ground beneath me shakes as I stomp forward. Even though sweating shouldn¡¯t be necessary for gods, I feel my face getting drenched. Was everything he said true? I can¡¯t believe it. I make my way to the observation station. A dome shaped crystal-like structure with a small pond in the middle. There¡¯s already someone there, lying next to the pond and staring into it, while waving her two contrasting tails around. ¡°KAT!¡± I shout at the carefree woman, and she lazily looks up at me. ¡°Oh, Torta. What¡¯s up? Is it my turn already?¡± ¡°No, Nix just took over. But more importantly! He told me some disturbing things!¡± ¡°Disturbing things¡­? You mean, about my piece?¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s all true?!¡± I can¡¯t stop myself from yelling. ¡°Calm down now¡­ what did he even tell you?¡± ¡°Your piece tore through the fabric of the world with sheer force¡­!¡± ¡°Oh that, don¡¯t worry. I fixed it immediately. I don¡¯t think anyone even noticed it.¡± She waved her hand as if talking about fixing a minor roof leak. ¡°That¡¯s not the point, you idiot! If she can break through the fabric of the world, then that¡¯s a serious issue!¡± Fuming, I stare down at Kat. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s fine, I said. She needed a whole month¡¯s worth of time to gather enough power to make only a tiny dent into the fabric. She won¡¯t-¡± ¡°ONLY A MONTH?!¡± This idiot really doesn¡¯t know what this implies. Given a few years or so, even WE could be in danger! ¡°I already reinforced the world¡¯s structure a bit and created a function to repair itself when a similar crack appears. Stop worrying so much¡­¡± She said with a sigh. As if I was blowing this out of proportion. Is she insane? If I recall correctly, her piece managed to create something which has ¡®god-slayer¡¯ in its name. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! If she somehow manages to break into our divine realm, we would no longer be safe! ¡°Trust me¡­ I have this under control.¡± A serious expression¡­? How very unlike you, Kat¡­ ¡­ But I guess you ARE the most powerful one of us. I guess, I¡¯ll trust you for now. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± ¡°Good.¡± And there comes the deceptive smile. Anyway¡­ That wasn¡¯t the only disturbing thing I heard from Nix. ¡°Another thing. I heard your piece temporarily split.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ yeah, she did¡­¡± Kat furrows her brows for a second before continuing. ¡°But it happened while she was unconscious and only her soul split. It looked quite bizarre to be honest¡­¡± ¡°Looked¡­? You looked into her soul?¡± ¡°Ehh¡­ she somehow managed to call out here in the divine realm, so I responded.¡± WHA- Did I just hear right? Her piece managed to send a message to the divine realm?! ¡­ No, why am I getting surprised? Mine does it almost on daily basis. ¡°Eh, there were six of them at the end, but when her body woke up, they all fused seamlessly again.¡± Six of them¡­ That would have been a serious problem if they hadn¡¯t fused again. But still¡­ This is very concerning¡­ ¡°Kat¡­ I¡¯ll be honest. This whole thing sounded like a decent plan at first, but I don¡¯t like it anymore. It¡¯s becoming more and more dangerous.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I get what you¡¯re saying¡­ but do you have any other ideas?¡± I don¡¯t. This has always been a last ditch effort. But I still don¡¯t like it. ¡°¡­ guess not. Look, Torta. I know you hate uncertainty, and that this plan is riddled with it. But one thing that IS certain, is that if we don¡¯t do anything, we won¡¯t last.¡± ¡­ Dammit¡­ I hate to agree with her¡­ ¡°Then at least tell me, why are you antagonizing your piece so much, Kat?¡± She always makes fun of her and leaves her hanging. And I never understood why. ¡°Antagonizing¡­? Well, I guess I am¡­ but that¡¯s not the point.¡± ¡°The¡­ point¡­?¡± What is she talking about? ¡°You see¡­ the pieces feel natural hatred towards us.¡± Yeah, I know that already. Even if my piece acts all respectful, I can feel her animosity. ¡°So I decided to make her hate me for real, while also making her love me!¡± W¡­ Huh? What is¡­ ¡­ What are you talking about, you dumb furry?! ¡°I studied humans quite a bit! And there¡¯s this thing called love-hate relationship. It¡¯s when you hate someone enough to want to punch them on your first meeting, but at the same time, you love them so much that you can¡¯t ever imagine losing them!¡± ¡°What in the void realm are you talking about?!¡± ¡°I made her want to beat me up, while at the same time not wanting me to die! It¡¯s the perfect safety measure!¡± ¡°¡­ you¡¯re still gonna get beaten up if it comes to that.¡± ¡°Ahahaha¡­ better than being killed¡­?¡± I don¡¯t understand this woman. How can such an idiot be a powerful deity? I thought humans are dumb, but this one is just¡­ ¡°Anyway! Looks like my piece finally woke up again! Time to continue watching!¡± ¡­ Have you evolved from a human, perhaps? You look very much like a lazy human watching that ¡®teevee¡¯ thing. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Suddenly, Kat froze with her mouth agape. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°S-she just¡­ ate my blessing¡­¡± ¡­ What?