The sharp, icy voice filled the meeting room, freezing the atmosphere in an instant.
‘Oh no…’
‘That guy’s done for.’
“Huh? Care to say that again?”
As the man was met with a piercing glare from sharp, yellowish eyes, his heart pounded as if it might burst.
‘Damn it…’
“I’m sorry!”
He immediately bowed his head, almost slamming it against the table.
Instinctively, he knew that was his only way out.
“I’ll let it slide this time.”
Nine had no intention of directly punishing him.
There was no need to make the atmosphere any more tense than it already was.
‘Better to just confirm ownership of the forest and leave it at that. No need to escalate things.’
Nine wasn’t as strong as some other spirits, so it was crucial to rely on wit.
Avoid making unnecessary enemies and achieve maximum results with minimal effort.
After calculating his next move, Nine spoke again.
“So, you were planning to develop the forest, is that right?”
“Y-yes, that’s correct.”
“We thought the forest no longer had an owner.”
“We consulted with Lady Selene, and she said it wasn’t an issue…”
‘So, things changed once I became the forest’s owner.’
The owner of the forest.
With Nine taking over the position that had been vacant for nearly a century, everything had shifted.
‘Becoming the forest’s owner was a result of coincidences, but it’s a position I needed. I have to solidify my standing.’
Preventing the forest’s development and rebuilding the Hunting Department were part of Irina’s main storyline, but becoming the forest’s owner also came with many benefits.
‘Now that the forest is entirely under my control, I can quietly prepare for the future here.’
With a clear dark force at play, Nine needed a place where he could operate without being noticed.
The long-neglected forest was the perfect place for such covert activities.
The dense woods were easy to get lost in, and the abundance of wild animals made access difficult.
“Well, I’ll let the development plans slide for now. If I hadn’t shown up, things would have gone ahead as planned. But… now that I’m here, the forest’s development is off the table.”
“Understood.”
“Spirit, may I ask a few questions?”
Nine turned his attention to Gideon, who had addressed him respectfully.
‘This guy… the headmaster.’
Though not a prominent figure, Gideon was like a hidden herb, always appearing during critical moments.
In the original story, he was a supporter of the protagonist, so Nine felt an odd sense of familiarity as he looked into Gideon’s eyes.
“Sure, go ahead.”
“Might I ask where you are from?”
Nine had anticipated this question and had a prepared answer.
“The Great Forest.”
“The Great Forest…!”
“That’s a forbidden land!”
The Great Forest, covering a third of the western continent, was a vast, untouched wilderness, making it the perfect cover story.
It was known for being a place where spirits rarely appeared, and its inner workings were a mystery.
‘As expected, they don’t suspect a thing.’
Nine’s lie took advantage of the fact that little was known about the ecology of spirits.
No one here could trace Nine’s past.
No human would venture into the Great Forest to investigate a spirit’s origins.
Except for one.
“My… the Great Forest. You’ve come from far away. May I ask what brings you to the academy?”
“I was traveling out of boredom. Then I happened to cross paths with the young lady of the Linnaeus family.”
“I see. And as for taking on the role of the forest’s owner…”
“I was just playing around as a cat, thinking I’d leave eventually. But the spirits wanted me to take on the role, so I accepted.”
“Understood.”
Gideon nodded at Nine’s response.
The truth didn’t really matter.
You couldn’t force a spirit to reveal the truth, and doing so would only turn other spirits against you.
‘Now the forest development issue won’t come up again.’
Though he had been against the forest’s development, Gideon had lacked a solid reason to oppose it.
Nine’s appearance had resolved the issue easily, and Gideon felt grateful.
‘I should send him a gift later.’
“Spirit, may I ask what you plan to do in the forest…?”
A question from an old professor, grasping at straws as the meeting wound down.
Nine turned to look at the professor, whose eyes sparkled with curiosity despite the tense atmosphere.
“I’ll rebuild the Hunting Department.”
“The Hunting Department? But it’s already been disbanded. How would you—”
‘Time to drive the point home.’
“Even if the times have pushed hunters into the shadows, this academy shouldn’t forget its roots. It was founded by the great hunter Pelisec, after all.”
“I see…”
The old professor looked at Nine with a touched expression.
‘No one will bother me anymore.’
By invoking the name of Pelisec, the founder of the academy, Nine had ensured no one would dare oppose or question him.
Doing so would risk being labeled as someone without principles, ruining their reputation.
And no one in the meeting room was willing to take that risk.
“Then, if we’re done here, I’ll take my leave?”
“…Might I ask your name?”
“Nine.”
With that, Nine stepped onto the windowsill.
—————
“Should we go here?”
“Yeah!”
Momo excitedly jumped into the new hideout.
After spending some time searching, they had found a hollow in a tree.
It wasn’t very spacious, but that made it perfect for their hideout.
Cats instinctively loved small, cozy spaces.
“Nine! Come in too!”
“Alright, alright. Can you come out for a second?”
I laid down the blanket and cushion I had brought, spreading them on the floor of the hideout.
They were housewarming gifts from Orca.
“So soft!”
The dark, comfortably snug hideout.
It reminded me of the hideout I lived in as a child.
My mother had brought all sorts of things to make it as warm as possible.
But it was still cold, so I spent winters huddled close to her.
Back then, I never imagined I’d have a hideout in the middle of a vast forest instead of a smelly back alley.
When I first opened my eyes, I thought I’d barely survive each day and die soon after.
This world is a harsh place for a tiny cat.
“…No point dwelling on the past.”
Thinking about it now won’t bring back my dead siblings.
I let out a soft laugh and stepped into the hideout.
The hideout was carved into a large tree in the forest.
It’s not like anyone would complain about me hollowing out a tree here.
It’s not like fairies live in it or anything.
“No more hiding under scary humans’ houses when it rains~!”
“Scary humans, huh.”
Is that any way to talk about the old gardener?
Well, I guess he could seem scary to Momo.
He’s big and has a rough look, typical of someone who’s been through battles.
If I were an ordinary cat, I’d probably keep my distance too.
…Well, that’s all in the past. Time to focus on what needs to be done.
“Momo, come here.”
“Okay!”
As I lay down in the hideout and called Momo, she naturally settled near my chest.
This isn’t a garden; it’s the forest.
I can’t just let her roam free.
I can’t always be with Momo.
“Momo, stay still.”
“Why?”
“Just stay still.”
I shrunk my body to about Momo’s size and began rubbing my head against her.
You might wonder what I’m doing, but for a cat, it’s a natural thing.
A cat’s scent glands are behind their ears.
By marking Momo with my scent, I could ensure the forest creatures wouldn’t dare mess with her.
In the garden, this wasn’t necessary, but the forest is dangerous.
There might not be anyone stronger than me, but there are plenty of creatures that could easily prey on a cat.
Living with Irina is fine, but I don’t want to rely on her too much.
Even if I do, having a hideout is good for emergencies.
“Nine, that tickles~!”
[Oppa, it tickles!]
Momo’s laughter echoed through the hideout.