Chapter 31: Cat…cat lady?

“Um, w-wait, don’t talk right now, I’m a little busy…”

Faced with her archrival suddenly sitting down beside her, Keti hurriedly waved her hand, signaling that she had no time to talk, then turned her head back, staring intently at Alice, Layla, and Sylvia’s side.

The other patrons in the restaurant had clearly noticed the three eye-catching girls as well.

However, Alice didn’t seem to enjoy being watched by so many people.

She quietly lowered her head, making it almost impossible for Keti to see her aggrieved expression at that moment.

But that didn’t stop people from recognizing them.

Very soon, Keti heard someone begin to whisper:

“Hey, aren’t those the ones from the Hero Party? Did you hear, they tried to take down Ancient Behemoth Augujadel today and got totally wrecked…”

“I can tell, they’re all limping, must be seriously injured, huh?”

“Heh, everyone was bragging about how amazing they were before, but now look at them. I bet someone else is going to snatch the rewards from the Country of Giant Beasts raid…”

As the surrounding discussions grew louder, Alice bit her lip in frustration.

On her youthful face, veins faintly bulged above her brow.

After a while, because her injuries hadn’t healed yet and she didn’t want to cause any more trouble, Alice barely managed to hold back her anger.

Then, the blonde twin-tailed loli didn’t even bother ordering food and simply tossed the task to Layla and Sylvia, before heading straight to the corner of the restaurant.

Huh?

They…went to fight Ancient Behemoth Augujadel today?

And judging by their state, it didn’t go well at all. 

Not only did they lose, they look pretty banged up.

Wait, wait…….. wait a minute!

Just as Keti was worrying about her ex-party members’ predicament, suddenly, the silver-haired beauty noticed something odd.

No…no way, why is Alice walking this way?!

In an instant, Keti thought she was about to get caught.

No…it can’t be, right? 

Is Alice’s eyesight really that sharp? 

Even after I’ve changed so much, she could still recognize me at a glance?!

The silver-haired beauty hurriedly shrank back, trembling as she hid behind the sofa, her little face turning pale as she panted heavily.

Um…no, no, she probably won’t, right? 

Gulp……can’t see me, can’t see me~

Good…..good grief.

Next to her, Lynn looked at the panicked girl, then glanced at Alice, who casually sat at the table behind them, and couldn’t help but chuckle.

Pop~

This little one is really just worrying over nothing~ 

Besides himself, probably no one could imagine that the person here now is actually Keti.

Well, maybe that sounds a bit self-important, but it’s true.

Even Keti’s childhood friend had no idea that her Keti-kun was sitting just behind her.

The two of them were separated by just two sofa backs~

***

A moment later, Lynn leaned close to the flustered girl, then whispered in Keti’s ear with a magnetic voice:

“No need to be so nervous, they just picked that spot to eat…..Still, what a coincidence to run into them here. Want to go say hi~?”

“Hiss…..s-s-say hi to the Minotaur?! Ugh—”

Keti was speechless at Lynn’s suggestion, her lips twitching hard.

She was already hiding so much, how could this guy suggest something so bizarre?

This…..

Hiss

Wait, wait!

Seeing Lynn’s mischievous grin, Keti finally realized—this guy was doing it on purpose!

“Oh~ So you don’t want to? But just now, I saw you worrying about your teammates’ injuries, you know…What a tsundere, saying one thing and feeling another.”

“Are you worried you can’t face them like this~? Want me to go greet them for you? I could tell them that Keti-chan is right here~”

Hua “No no no no…please, don’t…I beg you, I-I-I’ll do anything, just please don’t……”

The silver-haired beauty panicked and waved her hands frantically.

Her archrival grinned wickedly, then silently took out a pink Cat Ear Hair Ornament.

“Who told you to ignore me just now, little kitty? You already promised me you’d properly apologize~ So…let’s start now~”

Ah…gah gah gah………

Ugh!!!

Staring at the Cat Ear Hair Ornament in Lynn’s hand, for a moment, Keti even forgot that Alice, Layla, and Sylvia were sitting right behind her.

The silver-haired beauty’s face instantly flushed a deep red, her big, adorable eyes swirling in confusion, her breathing growing hot.

Why does this guy always have these props ready?!

H-h-he…doesn’t he have some kind of hobby of training girls to be…his pets or something?!

After a while, Keti nervously swallowed.

Of course, she was extremely resistant to all this, because……..

She was a boy, after all!

Suddenly being made to wear a Cat Ear Hair Ornament and become a catgirl or something, this is just way, way, way……too humiliating!

Suddenly remembering that her three greatest weaknesses were sitting behind her, and not wanting to lose her job for such an important reason, it seemed…..

Keti really had no choice……

Awooo~

No, forget it!

After a moment, Keti bit her lip quietly, forcing herself to accept it.

This…..this was all just to get that magical item from Lynn that would help her manage class discipline, and to scrape together enough rent!

Y-yeah, that’s it, it’s…it’s just meowing a couple times, I-I can handle it!

Endure humiliation, endure humiliation!

Today’s endurance is tomorrow’s sweet revenge!

Grr, Lynn you bastard, I’ll never forget this day, I’m writing it down in my little notebook as soon as I get home.

Once I become an Official Teacher, enter the Magic Tower, and stand on equal footing with this guy, I’ll get my revenge for sure!

Keti silently swore to herself that from now on, she and Lynn would truly be archrivals, never to coexist!

The silver-haired beauty silently took the Cat Ear Hair Ornament from her archrival’s hand and quietly put it on her head……

Gulp……what was I supposed to do next?

So, so weird…..

Wearing this thing feels so weird!

The shame in her mind made Keti momentarily forget what conditions her archrival had set just now.

F-forgotten, h-h-he…if he doesn’t say anything, I just won’t do it…

And so, after becoming a catgirl, the silver-haired beauty froze in place again.

After a while, Lynn, having enjoyed watching the girl’s cute and awkward appearance, suddenly reached out, wrapped an arm around her slender waist, and…pulled her right into his embrace!

“Good girl, next step, sit on my lap, then…look right at me~”