Chapter 84

In the activity report, I have revealed the character designs, so please take a look if you like.

※I recently found out that many of the silent readers are not aware that you can earn 2 points with a bookmark.

Just by bookmarking a work on Narou, you can earn 2 points, so please be sure to bookmark your favorite works.

Even if you don't leave a comment or review, the author will feel like, "I'm looking forward to it!" if there are bookmark points!

That day, Yūri went out to buy groceries with Camille, who was on kitchen duty. The incident happened on their way back. Luke, who had been hopping around Yūri's feet obediently, suddenly started moving on his own as if he had discovered something.

"Luke?"

"Hey, what's wrong with Luke?"

"Quu, Quui!"

The two reluctantly followed Luke, who seemed to be saying, "This way!" It was fortunate that the groceries were in a magic bag, so the load wasn't heavy. They had bought quite a bit today, probably because the vendors at the market were good at selling and gave them freebies. If the weight had been normal, they would have bought even more, enough to make Camille, who was carrying the load, collapse by now.

Don't worry, Yūri, with his experience as a househusband, negotiated the prices properly. So, it wasn't a waste of money. Probably.

"Luke, what's wrong?"

"Quu! Quui!"

"Um, a kitten?"

"Oh, really. It looks exhausted, is it okay?"

What Luke indicated was a kitten crouching in the shade of a building, motionless. The kitten, with its golden-brown fur, didn't move at all. When Camille approached and stroked it, the kitten twitched but didn't move any further. Worried, Camille picked up the small kitten. The kitten was docile as Camille lifted it, and the warmth of its body reassured Camille that it was alive.

"Is it injured?"

"It doesn't look like it. ...Hey, Yūri, can you appraise it?"

"Oh, right. Hold on a sec."

Yūri, who often forgets he has the cheat skill "God's Eye," tends to forget that appraising something is a one-shot deal. To him, the world's strongest appraisal cheat is just "convenient for picking out ingredients." He might have only recently realized it could be used for "managing the health of companions." ...Why, I wonder.

As Yūri was looking at the kitten, he noticed something odd before activating "God's Eye." He stared at the kitten intently and then spoke.

"...Hey, Camille. Isn't this kitten not wearing shoes?"

"...Huh?"

"And isn't it not wearing clothes?"

"...It is."

They hadn't noticed because the kitten was curled up, but for some reason, the kitten was wearing clothes and boots. At that moment, they understood. This was definitely not a normal kitten. No matter how laid-back Yūri was, he couldn't think a kitten wearing clothes and shoes was normal. ...Because in this world, there is no culture of dressing pets in clothes. It might exist in Japan, though.

Camille gently placed the kitten back on the ground. He loved cats, very much. Yūri also loved kittens and found them adorable. However, they sensed trouble from the kitten in front of them. Fortunately, it didn't seem injured. They were also afraid of accidentally appraising it and getting information they didn't want. They felt it would be better not to get involved.

"...Camille"

"Yūri"

"Let's go home."

They looked at each other and nodded. They shouldn't pick up trouble. If they had picked up a normal kitten, they might have been told to "find a new home for it" or "do something when it gets better." But a kitten wearing clothes and shoes was definitely not normal. The thought of bringing it home was terrifying. Their decision was not wrong.

However, Luke betrayed them. Perhaps realizing they had decided to leave the kitten behind, Luke stretched out a part of his body and tossed the kitten onto his head, then held it in place with his squishy body, half-buried in himself.

"Luke?! Don't eat it!"

"Quui"

"Wait, you're not going to eat it? What are you going to do?"

"Quikyuu!"

"Hey, Luke! Wait! What are you doing?"

"Seriously?! Is he planning to bring it back on his own?!"

When scolded for not eating, Luke shook his body from side to side to deny it. In response to the question of what he was going to do, Luke chirped happily and, with the kitten still on his head, started moving back to their hideout, hopping along. The sound was leisurely, but faster than usual. Yūri and Camille hurried to follow but couldn't catch up. As expected of a super-rare mutant slime. His stats were still unmatched.

By the time Yūri and Camille, out of breath, finally caught up with Luke, the overly intelligent slime had already entered the hideout. Aroll, who greeted them, gave them a look that said, "What are you doing?" They didn't do anything wrong, though.

"Aroll, stop Luke."

"Stop? Hey, Luke, what did you do?"

"Quu?"

Luke chirped up at Aroll. Aroll, the only one who could fully communicate with Luke, stared at the slime, who was pretending to be innocent. Unable to withstand her gaze and the gaze of the white snake coiled around her neck, Luke chirped again.

"Ququui"

"...Ah, I see."

"Quu"

"I understand that too."

"Quuquu!"

"...But, is it okay to bring it back?"

"Quui"

Luke turned away, and Aroll sighed. Yūri and Camille, who had been watching the situation, caught their breath and looked at Aroll. The skilled 10-year-old monster tamer, looking very troubled, pointed to the kitten on Luke's head and spoke.

"That cat is a Warkitten. It seems it was in danger of being taken by someone strange, so it was rescued."

"..." "..."

"Let me clarify, Warkittens are not monsters. They are considered monsters in some areas, but they are people in animal form. Apparently, it was hungry and dizzy, so he wants you to prepare some food for it."

"...Luke"

Yūri collapsed on the spot. First, he wondered what a Warkitten was, but decided to skip that for now. The real issue was, why did Luke think it was okay to bring back a hungry kitten? Well, Yūri had once brought home Luke, who was disguised as a hungry puppy, so Luke might have followed his example. Conclusion: Yūri might be to blame.

Luke, still hopping, headed to the dining room with the kitten on his head. Yūri, sighing, followed, as did Camille. Aroll, though clearly annoyed, followed as well, perhaps realizing it would be troublesome to leave it alone. ...A high school boy being watched by a 10-year-old.

"Aroll, what do Warkittens eat?"

"They eat almost anything. Oh, I think they don't like onions, though?"

"...So, they are still cats in that sense."

Yūri, looking at the object that appeared to be just a kitten, sighed. He wouldn't have known it was a Warkitten if Aroll hadn't said so. It was probably because the kitten was still young. According to Aroll, Warkittens and Warwolves are a race that can stand on two legs and use their hands dexterously like humans, while retaining the appearance of cats or dogs. Some say that anthropomorphic animals branched off from them. Anthropomorphic animals are a race with human bodies and animal ears and tails.

Not knowing what to give the kitten, Yūri decided to serve the leftover rice from breakfast. While thinking about what to make, he ended up making... cat rice. No one questioned why he chose that. In fact, Aroll and Camille didn't even know what it was.

Just rice mixed with bonito flakes. Essentially, cat rice. A dish made by mixing rice with miso soup or bonito flakes, it's a quick and easy meal made from leftover rice. In the past, when pet food was not common, people in Japan would give their dogs and cats leftovers. The name "cat rice" has stuck, even though it's a strange dish.

"...Well, this might not be good..."

Just as Yūri was about to put away the cat rice, a small hand reached out and touched the bowl. Before he could react, the kitten on Luke's head sat up, snatched the bowl of cat rice, and started eating, face first.

"...Wh-What? It's eating cat rice??"

"Yūri, isn't that supposed to be livestock feed...?"

"Well, it's rice for cats, called cat rice, but I didn't expect it to eat it."

"Meow!"

The kitten, apparently having finished the bowl in one go, lifted its face. Rice grains were stuck all over its face. In that state, the kitten held out the bowl to Yūri. It was still on Luke's head.

"...Um, is cat rice okay? I can make something else."

"Meow!"

"...You like it?"

"Just mixed with bonito flakes!?"

In response to Camille's mutter, Yūri exclaimed. No seasoning was used, just rice mixed with bonito flakes. How could it be so happy with that? Or was it that hungry? Reluctantly, Yūri took the bowl and made more cat rice. The kitten, eager for more, meowed impatiently.

In the end, the kitten ate three bowls of cat rice. Yūri, Camille, and Aroll were all puzzled by how such a small body could hold so much. The kitten, now full, wiped the rice grains from its face with its hands, licked them off, and ate them all, then purred contentedly and fell asleep on Luke's head.

...It was like a full, sleepy child.

"...Aroll, what should we do with this kitten?"

"...I don't think a Warkitten child would be here."

"...So, it's lost?"

"Quu"

"Luke, be quiet for now."

"Quui"

Yūri called out to Luke, who was happily hopping with the sleeping kitten on his head. Even if Luke couldn't understand the words, he seemed to sense what Yūri meant. It was probably something like, "Let's live together." Aroll's scowl confirmed it.

"...If I appraise it, can we find out where it's from?"

"...Warkittens are people, though."

"Right. But it's an emergency."

"...Yeah."

"...Indeed."

Aroll and Camille nodded in agreement with Yūri's suggestion. One might wonder why they didn't contact their mentor. There was always one mentor left at the hideout. ...But, if you're perceptive, you'll know. Today's babysitter was Professor Jake, who was completely unreliable.

Yūri gently activated his "God's Eye" and appraised the kitten, which was sleeping contentedly. He collapsed on the spot when he saw the information. The information he didn't want to see. Yūri, who muttered, "Why?" was not at fault.

"...Yūri?"

Aroll and Camille, looking at him curiously, saw Yūri with a half-crying, half-laughing face. He wanted to share the information he had confirmed with them. He didn't want to bear it alone.

"...The race is listed as Royal Warkitten."

"..." "What?!"

The word "Royal" hit Yūri like a blunt object. Even Yūri, who was unfamiliar with the world's norms, could guess. "Royal" usually referred to royalty. Aroll, muttering, "No way," and Camille, holding his head in frustration, could only look at Yūri, who gave a dry laugh.

Once again, Yūri and his companions had picked up a source of trouble. Pray for them.

The kitten they picked up wasn't a kitten, right?

No, it was a kitten. Just a Warkitten child.

So, the next story will also be about the kitten. Hehe?

Looking forward to your comments and feedback.