Chapter 31: Champ Tiger Creed (5)

[An unidentified scale. It is imbued with chaotic energy.]

A rainbow-colored scale.

At first glance, it looks exactly like a dragon’s scale, making it seem like an extremely expensive and rare material…

But it’s a fake.

Although it does contain some power and shouldn’t be completely dismissed,

it’s still a fake.

And it was also the cause of the disaster in Act 1.

Sigh.

Now that the overall outline has been revealed, it seems like it’s time to make a choice.

I tried to ignore the chilling energy enveloping my entire body and jumped out of Kazein’s arms.

“Shouldn’t we touch it…?”

“It’s closed, right?”

Sigh.

I don’t know how much of the original story I need to overturn.

If I follow the flow I know, these two should die.

As victims and as pawns in the scheme.

In the original story, this incident had to happen to even get a glimpse of the mastermind’s tail… but this is reality.

I have no intention of letting Can Opener No. 1 die.

But I’m not sure where to start interfering.

I don’t know where this world, which has deviated from the original rails, is headed.

And if I act too hastily, there’s a high chance of unintended consequences.

In the worst-case scenario, the mastermind might notice and try to kidnap or kill me.

If I try to save Kazein, there’s no way to avoid the mastermind’s attention.

It might be possible for a while, but eventually, they’ll notice.

…In the end, it seems I’m destined to walk a tightrope.

Honestly, I thought being reborn as a cat would mean I wouldn’t have any influence on the original story, but getting entangled like this means the option of staying uninvolved is completely gone.

Especially since there was no clear protagonist in the original.

In the end, someone has to take on the role of the protagonist.

…Sigh, curiosity killed the cat, they say.

I’m exactly that.

I guess naming myself “Nine” was a good idea.

After a brief moment of reflection, I opened my mouth.

“Don’t even think about touching that.”

Not in cat language, but in human words.

“Senior, just now…”

“Reni spoke…?!”

The effect was dramatic.

Both of them looked at each other and let out a scream.

“My name is Nine. Not some name that sounds like I’m about to be kidnapped to an island.”

“Uh…Uh…”

“Is it that surprising for a cat to talk? There are talking snakes, you know.”

I threw out a casual remark to gauge their reactions.

It was partly to see how they’d react, but also to make sure my presence didn’t stand out too much.

“Se, Selene-nim was Pelisec-nim’s familiar! She’s famous enough to be in history textbooks!”

“I’m just an ordinary cat who happens to speak human language.”

“Since when are you an ordinary cat?!”

“Since when? Look here.”

I opened my mouth and let out a cat meow.

Marina glared at me, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing, then crossed her arms and asked me.

“Are you a spirit beast?”

“Nope.”

If I were a spirit beast, would I be worrying like this?

I’d have beaten up the masterminds from the start so they wouldn’t even have a chance to scheme.

In this world, spirit beasts are basically monsters.

They’re not just rare.

Each one is like a raid boss.

“But how can you speak human language?”

“I guess I picked it up from listening to humans every day?”

I couldn’t exactly say it’s because I’m a reincarnated person, so I had to brush it off.

My answer must have still seemed suspicious because Marina continued to look at me with doubt in her eyes.

“Are you sure you’re not a spirit beast?”

“Kazein, you’re a graduate student, right?”

“Haha…”

“Senior? Shouldn’t you be defending me here?”

“I can’t believe it either, but Nine isn’t a spirit beast. Spirit beasts have a unique aura. But Reni, or Nine, doesn’t have that, right?”

Well, spirit beasts are extremely rare, and Selene rarely shows herself, so it’s understandable that people wouldn’t know.

Most people have only heard rumors about them.

But a spirit beast, huh?

“I’m kind of interested in becoming a spirit beast. I’m getting pretty old, you know.”

I’m a whopping 3 years old.

For a stray cat, that’s a pretty precarious age.

It’s a good thing I’ve been taking care of my health and living cautiously, or else I might have already become fertilizer or be rotting away in some unnoticed corner.

“You’re already half a spirit beast, so what’s the big deal?”

“I’m just a cute cat.”

“Did you just call yourself cute?”

“Is there any human who would deny that cats are cute?”

If I just open my eyes wide and look up at them, there are plenty of humans who would offer me food.

Looks like Can Opener No. 1 didn’t train me well.

“I kind of want to punch you…”

“Shut up and close the box already.”

At my command, Marina obediently closed the box.

Then she approached me and poked my cheek with her finger.

“Do you know what that is?”

“It’s a fake dragon scale, imitating the scales of an evil dragon.”

“Evil dragon…? That evil dragon?!”

“The evil dragon I know?!”

The words I mentioned caused both of them to scream in unison.

The term “evil dragon” does have a strong impact.

It’s a symbol of terror on this continent.

“How do you know that? I only sense a strange energy from it—”

“The energy emanating from it doesn’t seem evil…”

“Animal intuition. Did you think I stopped you from touching it for no reason?”

I couldn’t tell them the truth, so I made up an excuse.

Fortunately, instead of arguing, both of them turned their attention back to the box.

“Do you think what Nine said is true?”

“I don’t know. It’s too sudden.”

“If you don’t believe me, take it to the blond kid. No matter how well the energy is hidden, a grand mage should be able to figure it out.”

After Act 2 begins, if you bring a scale dropped by a monster to the depressed Ruyen, he can instantly identify it.

He makes the protagonist do all sorts of things.

It’s a limitation of the game to highlight the protagonist, but I wonder how it will be here.

“Senior, I’ll go wake the professor.”

The junior hurriedly ran out of the lab.

The truth will be revealed once the kid arrives… 

Should I talk more with Kazein?

I jumped out of Kazein’s arms and landed on the table.

Then I scratched my neck with my hind leg and asked.

“Got any food? I’m bored.”

“Food? Just a second…”

Kazein walked over to the lab shelf and took out a small box, pulling something out of it.

“…Why are dried anchovies in there?”

“I didn’t have anywhere else to store them…”

Whatever.

As long as I can eat it.

I leisurely picked up the dried anchovies from the box and put them in my mouth.

Mmm, fish is the best.

“I was really surprised. I had no idea you could speak human language… So…”

“I know everything you’ve said. Like when you badmouthed the professor…”

“P, please keep it a secret?”

“I’ll forgive you if you bring me food every day.”

“Thank you.”

Can Opener No. 1 let out a sigh of relief.

“Honestly, I’m still amazed. A cat I met by chance can speak human language… Is this fate?”

“I don’t know.”

Fate.

I never really thought much about it, but hearing it from someone who was destined to die soon feels strange.

“So you know all about my research too…”

“Not really. You hardly talked about your research in front of me.”

You only badmouthed the professor a bit, but you never really discussed your research.

When I scolded her, Kazein awkwardly laughed and cautiously reached out to me before hesitating.

“Can I pet you?”

“You don’t mind?”

“That’s part of the business. You gave me food, so I should provide some service.”

“It feels weird hearing a cat use that kind of word…”

Kazein looked at me with a puzzled expression as she stroked my back.

“Treat me normally, just normally.”

“It’s a contradiction to treat an abnormal cat normally, isn’t it?”

“Fine, don’t then. The important thing is that I saved your life.”

“How does that work?”

Did she not understand?

It was a bit abrupt.

I had to leave out the parts I couldn’t explain, so it was bound to sound a bit far-fetched.

“What do you think will happen if you make medicine out of that scale?”

“…If what you said is true, it would be dangerous, right?”

“Exactly.”

It would become extremely dangerous.

You’d turn into a monster that spreads chaos everywhere.

“I saved your life. You should be grateful.”

“Uh… thank you?”

“If you’re grateful, bring me more food from now on.”

“Haha… My wallet’s been pretty light lately…”

“Aren’t you getting paid for working under the blond kid?”

“The professor just lets me use the lab in exchange for doing odd jobs. He gives me some support, but… it costs a lot…”

I see.

Well, that backstory isn’t important.

What’s important now is how to make use of this scale.

This scale is clearly a malicious object, like mint chocolate on pizza, but it can still be used to our advantage.

“Kazein! Is it true that the cat can talk?!”

The door slammed open, and the blond kid burst into the lab.

“Yes, Professor. It’s true.”

“Reni! Say something!”

“My name is Nine. And stop shoving your face in mine.”

I pushed Ruyen’s cheek away with my paw as he leaned in with sparkling eyes.

“This is amazing… In my hundreds of years of life, I’ve never seen a talking cat!”

“Are they that rare?”

“Cats have never become spirit beasts!”

“Is that so?”

Since this small talk isn’t important, let’s cut to the chase. 

Check this out. 

Your student received a very dangerous item as a gift.

I used my claws to pry open the tightly sealed box.

The lid opened, revealing the contents inside.

“This is…”

Is this really the same kid who was acting like a child just a moment ago?

I watched as the blond kid pulled the box closer and began examining it.

The look in his eyes was so serious it was almost unsettling.

After about five minutes, the kid finally looked away from the scale and spoke to Kazein.

“Your sponsor sent this? Something like this?”

His voice was cold.

A chilling aura filled the lab, something completely unexpected from Professor Ruyen.

Everyone froze, unable to move at the professor’s unexpected demeanor. 

Kazein swallowed hard and nodded.

“Yes. It’s true.”

“Even I had to stare at it intently to notice something suspicious…”

“Is it really that bad?”

“I’m taking this with me. You two must not say a word about it. Understood?”

“…Yes!”

“Marina, can you seal this properly and come with me?”

“Yes!”

Marina and Professor Ruyen quickly left the lab with the box.

I quietly watched them leave and then spoke.

“When are you meeting the sponsor next?”

“…In a week, at the guild headquarters.”

“Take me with you in a week.”

“They’ll look at you weird if I bring a cat—”

“Just drop me off somewhere nearby. I’ll sneak in on my own.”

It’s a bit earlier than in the original story, but there might be some clues.

Whether we find anything or not, it’s worth a shot.

“…Okay.”

Kazein nodded seriously at my words.