“Whoo-whoo—”
I wake up to the distant hoot of an owl and stretch my limbs.
Has it already gotten this late?
The weather is warm, and the surroundings are quiet—it seems I’ve overslept.
“Mmm… Nine…?”
“Get up. We’re going deeper into the academy today.”
The time of humans has passed, and the time of beasts has come. Now is the time to get to work.
If I don’t start greeting the neighbors soon, things are going to get annoying.
It’s been two days since I arrived here, so it’s about time to step out of the garden.
What am I doing, you ask?
What else?
I’m going to meet the dangerous neighbors.
In fact, this is more important than stockpiling can openers.
If securing can openers is about managing food sources,
then meeting the neighbors who live nearby is a matter of survival.
Think about it.
In a world where goblins, orcs, dragons, and spiders the size of elephants roam, how fragile is a cat?
In 21st-century Korea, the natural predators of stray cats have mostly been “humanized” and are virtually nonexistent, but here, even more terrifying creatures are alive and well.
In such a place, failing to assess the dangers around you isn’t just careless—it’s downright insane.
And it’s not just monsters.
Owls, eagles, wild dogs, raccoons… the traditional predators are still very much present in this world.
To survive, you have to be more diligent and quicker than anyone else.
Especially at night.
“You can’t sleep anymore…?”
“Be honest. You were a house cat, weren’t you?”
Why is this kid so clueless?
If you’re a stray cat, shouldn’t you at least know what to do at night?
I’m starting to wonder how this guy has managed to survive this long.
“Uh, I lived with humans when I was little… but I got kicked out pretty quickly…”
So, he’s one of those cats who grew up with humans.
His clumsy movements suggest he didn’t learn the necessary skills to survive in the wild.
It’s a pity, but in the wild, such circumstances are as common as dirt.
Take me, for example. I had six siblings, and I’m the only one left.
They all died in various ways.
I don’t feel any familial love, so it’s just a bit sad, that’s all.
Cats have many kittens because only a few survive.
To ensure survival, you have to produce many and hope at least a few make it.
“Whatever. Just follow me. I’ll teach you as we go.”
Without waiting for the brown-furred cat’s response, I jump off the bench.
I don’t care if he follows or not.
That’s entirely up to him.
But if he doesn’t follow, his chances of living a full life are slim.
Stray cats don’t live long to begin with.
At three years old, I’m already considered a seasoned veteran.
My time is running out.
Of course, I’ve been meticulous about my health, using my 30-gram brain to its fullest, so I’m much healthier than other stray cats.
I might live another three years or so.
I’d like to live much longer, but that’s not up to me.
I’ll just live as long as I can and then be buried in a sunny spot.
“I-I’ll go with you, Nine…”
At least he’s not completely clueless.
I lower my voice and lead the brown-furred cat out of the garden.
As we leave the garden, the lingering chill of winter and the icy blue moon envelop us.
It’s quite cold for living outside.
Though it’s nothing compared to the freezing sea breeze at the port.
“Nine, where are we going?”
“To meet the local bosses.”
“Local bosses? What’s that? Something tasty?”
“If they hear you say that, they’ll eat you up.”
“I don’t want to go!”
When you move to a new place, it’s customary to greet the neighbors.
That greeting might be a matter of life and death, but it’s better to make an impression.
That way, you reduce the chances of being ambushed unexpectedly.
This academy has as many hidden dangers as its thousand-year history.
“Stay close. If you fall behind, something might attack you.”
“A-attack? What kind of thing?”
“Anything.”
We walk along the wall surrounding the academy.
“N-Nine! Look over there! There are so many people standing…! And a weird smell!”
“Do those look like people to you? They’re just scarecrows.”
Is this the knight training ground from the original story?
The training ground, large enough to fit two decent-sized halls, emits a strange smell.
The scent of sweat seeping into the ground from the men?
Most of the knight trainees are male, and dozens of them roll around on the ground, sweating like crazy, so it’s a plausible guess.
Or not.
It’s not my business to know whose smell it is.
Since it’s not a pleasant smell, I avoid the training ground and keep moving forward.
There’s someone I need to meet in the knight department.
“This must be the knight department building.”
“Knight department?”
“You know, the guys covered in gray stone. They come from here.”
“I don’t get it…”
Yeah, I figured you wouldn’t…
It’s hard to explain things from a cat’s perspective.
Since it’s not an important conversation, I brush it off and head toward a tree near the knight department building.
If my memory serves me right, this tree should have…
“A new guest, I see. You must be new here.”
“I’ve only been here for two days.”
“A newcomer, then.”
Claws that could tear through my fragile skin in an instant.
A sharp gaze that makes every hair on my body stand on end.
A faded beak that looks ready to peck at my flesh.
A giant owl, almost as large as an eagle.
Irops, the monstrous owl raised by Galeon, the head of the knight department, looks down at me with interest.
“By the way, it’s quite bold of a newcomer to wander the academy in the middle of the night… Fascinating.”
“When you move to a new place, it’s only right to meet the neighbors, isn’t it?”
It’s better to let them know early on that I’m not a winter delicacy.
At my response, Irops lets out a hearty laugh and looks at me with curiosity.
“You’ve got guts. You must know how dangerous this place is for a little one like you.”
No, it’s not curiosity—it’s a measuring gaze.
If he doesn’t like me, I’ll be torn apart.
The moment the gaze of the academy’s top predator changes, my life will be as fragile as a candle in the wind.
But since I came here expecting to meet him, it’s not hard to pull out the prepared words.
“Sometimes, to survive, you have to charge into danger!”
“A good mindset.”
His gaze softens.
The owl, who could tear apart a grown man in an instant, seems to like my answer.
“So, you came to greet me?”
“You, and the others. It’s good to make acquaintances.”
“Alright, go ahead. Don’t forget to take that coward hiding over there with you.”
“…Sigh.”
I glance at the brown-furred cat hiding behind a tree, peeking at me and the owl, and let out a sigh.
“What are you?”
“A cat.”
“Really? I can’t tell. Why don’t you come closer?”
“To eat me?”
“Oh my, you’re quick, aren’t you?”
A creature as large as a mountain, with a voice as sweet as honey, making it all the more sinister.
I lock eyes with the snake looking down at me, its mouth watering.
A massive body reminiscent of an anaconda.
Strangely shimmering purple skin.
Selene, the wise snake guarding the magic department.
“Let’s not be so hostile. We’re neighbors living in the same academy.”
“What an amusing thing to say.”
The snake laughs with a cheerful voice.
Though it’s just a hissing imitation of laughter.
Every time the snake’s unique cry slips into my eardrums, my 30-gram brain shakes violently.
A headache pierces my brain, threatening to knock me over.
But I can’t collapse.
If I fall here, she’ll say, “Oh my, it’s dead~ I can’t leave a corpse here, so I’ll clean it up~” and swallow me in one bite.
To avoid that fate, I have to hold on.
Sigh—
Did I bite off more than I can chew by meeting them all at once?
Still, it’s better than meeting one each day.
Going back and forth would be too much trouble.
“You’re quite bold for a little one.”
“I’ve got guts to spare.”
“Hehe, you’re an interesting one.”
Perhaps sensing that her gaze is making me uncomfortable, Selene looks away.
Whew, I think I’ll live.
Maybe I should put some distance between us now.
“I came to say hello today. I’ll come by to chat sometime.”
“Oh my, a chat? What a fun little thing!”
“See you later!”
I grab the scruff of the brown-furred cat, who has already fainted, and move away from Selene.
Just in case the brown-furred one becomes Selene’s unappetizing snack.