Did she… shrink?
Vyea froze, her mind filled with thoughts of finding her daughter, and for a moment, she seemed a little out of it.
“Turn into, hmm…”
The pink-haired shorty pondered for a moment before replying solemnly, “Like a child under ten years old. Or, are you planning to revisit the scene of your own crime in this childish body, as some sort of memento?”
“I’m not here to argue with you this time.” Vyea shook her head and got straight to the point.
“I want to ask for your help—to find someone… or maybe a certain monster. But the information I can provide is limited, so it might be difficult and take more time and manpower. Of course, if you’re unwilling, that’s fine. I’ll leave right away and won’t trouble you further.”
“Aiya, how could I possibly refuse to help you, Sis?”
Hua Shiyu immediately hopped down from her chair. Looking at Vyea, who was now a bit shorter than her, she couldn’t help but find the scene amusing.
At first, she’d been startled by Vyea’s sudden visit, but once she learned it was just about finding someone, she understood.
No wonder.
“As long as you agree to one condition, Sis, I’ll mobilize everyone I can to help you find that person—or monster.”
“What condition?” Vyea asked.
“Let’s not talk about the condition just yet.” Hua Shiyu waved her hand with a smile. “First, tell me who you’re looking for and what they—or the monster—look like. If it’s beyond my abilities, I won’t be able to help anyway. Once I’m sure I can, then we’ll discuss terms.”
Vyea let out a breath of relief and agreed at once.
“Alright!”
Fengxiang Town.
Dawn approached, and the wind was fierce.
Adventurers and Demon Hunter Knights were searching the town, with their people stationed along every side road branching off the Main Road.
“Did you hear? Some bigwig in the royal capital lost their pet cat, so we’ve been ordered to find it…”
“A knight’s armor is supposed to bear the sigil of guardianship, but now it reeks of catnip!” a Demon Hunter Knight complained as he rummaged through wooden crates near the alley.
“Heh, twenty warhorses sniffing cat pee through the streets, three mid-level mages digging through garbage with tracking spells—let’s just hope, when the Southern Frontier Defense Line finally collapses, all these elites are still busy combing a damn cat’s tangled fur!”
“Keep your voice down… Do you want to lose your head?”
“Did you hear, that bigwig’s cat can even take human form!”
“A monstergirl cat?”
“Not a monstergirl, a Magic Cat! A Magic Cat that can turn into a human girl! I heard its collar is inlaid with Magic Crystal Stones and Binding Gemstones…”
“Good heavens! A Magic Crystal Stone! Just one could enchant break-arrow tips for hundreds of frontline soldiers for three days! Those folks sure live in luxury!”
When the Priory’s morning bell rang—
A group also arrived at the St. Catarina Monastery.
“Your Highness Lilian, how did such an absurd order pass the review of the Three Councils and get sent down?” The Old City Lord, his hair and beard white, was furious. “Shouldn’t your Godlord Church at least give us an explanation?”
“I’m sorry… This order bypassed our Church and was issued directly. I’m just as puzzled.” Lilian lowered her gaze slightly, showing her apology.
The priests standing on either side were silent, their heads bowed.
As the silence lingered, the Old City Lord, with nowhere to vent his pent-up anger, finally just looked up at the Saint Catalina Statue at the center of the church and deliberately raised his voice:
“Honored one, you’d better pray to the Cat God—after all, the lives of us lowly folk are worth less than the fleas shaken loose when a cat sneezes!”
No sooner had he finished speaking than the Divine Water Bottle in the priest’s hand glowed with a strange red light—they knew these blasphemous words had already reached the Sanctuary Domain.
Lilian shook her head slightly, letting out a barely audible sigh.
The Old City Lord left in a huff. According to that damned order, he’d have to personally assist in this grand cat-finding operation!
“Meow~ Achoo!”
The black cat lying atop a little girl’s head suddenly sneezed heavily. She rubbed her nose with her paw, her golden-red feline eyes full of confusion. What’s going on? Why can’t I stop sneezing this morning?
“Kitty Sis, did you catch a cold?”
“Nonsense, meow! I am a mighty ninth-tier expert with the powerful body of a Hellcat! How could I possibly catch a silly human illness like that—Achoo!”
No sooner had she finished than the black cat sneezed again, lost her balance, and rolled off the little girl’s head.
Luckily, the girl was quick and caught her before she hit the ground.
The black cat stared up at the sky, speechless, a white bubble of snot hanging from her nose.
Damn it, which accursed human is casting a spell on a law-abiding, kind, and adorable cat like me?!
“Achoo!”
“Kitty Sis, stop making noise! The knights are coming! Let’s hide in the bushes!”
“I can’t hold it, meow…”
There was a brief rustle as the little girl, clutching the black cat’s nose, burrowed into the bushes, motionless.
A knight on horseback, wielding a long halberd, passed by the bushes, a strong whiff of catnip in the air. Laughter floated over from a noble’s carriage in the distance:
“What’s this now, is His Excellency the City Lord’s honor guard learning how to trim a cat’s claws? Hahaha…”
The raucous laughter faded away, and so did the scent of catnip.
The little girl crawled out of the bushes with the black cat in her arms and let go of the hand covering the cat’s mouth.
As soon as her hand was free, the black cat started yowling.
“Meow meow meow! What is that smell? It’s driving me crazy, meow! Let me down, I’m going to rob those knights!”
Whap!
The girl smacked the cat on the head, making her head tilt, “Get a grip, Kitty Sis! They’re looking for you!”
The black cat: “C! N! M!”
Whap!
“Meow!”
Arbitration Office.
Execution Room.
Sitting across from each other at the Custom Walnut Desk, Vyea and Hua Shiyu each had a cup of hot milk in front of them, as if they were old friends… though they both looked like elementary school students.
Hua Shiyu took a small sip of hot milk, glanced at Vyea across from her, and licked the milk foam from her lips.
“My dear sister, if you ask those special professionals who are good at tracking, maybe you’ll find what you’re looking for even faster.”
“It’s fine. This is already making enough of a stir.” Vyea sighed softly, holding the milk but not drinking it. “It’s not easy for humans these days, and I plan to visit the frontline myself.”
“Then we have a deal.”
Hua Shiyu suddenly stood up, both hands braced on the desk as she leaned toward Vyea, her cherry blossom-pink eyes sparkling with laughter.
“We’ll do our best to legalize the monstergirl’s status and minimize all matters concerning you and Antler City… Wait, no, these are all the work of those cultists and have nothing to do with the pure and innocent Vyea!”
Vyea paused, “Are you mocking me?”
“Aiya aiya, why would you think so badly of me, Sis?”
Hua Shiyu tried to take Vyea’s hands wrapped around the hot milk, but Vyea pulled away, so she could only pout pitifully.
“Sis~ Sis~ Just slay a few more monsters at the frontline for us, okay? You’re so powerful, and I really like you! Leave the rest to me~ With the help of the All-Seeing Eye, I’m sure I’ll get everything done perfectly for you!”
“Mm…”
After finishing her milk, Vyea placed her cup and the All-Seeing Eye on the desk, preparing to leave. She still needed to head to Fengxiang Town—time was running short.
“Big Sis Vyea!”
Suddenly, Xiaolu’s figure appeared by the table, as if she had something to say. Vyea, standing at the door, turned at the sound, met Xiaolu’s worried gaze, and gave a gentle smile.
“Goodbye.”
Hua Shiyu: “?” Was my dear sister saying goodbye to someone?
She looked at the newly closed door, then at the green gemstone and the still-warm milk cup on the desk.
“Maybe… I should wish her well too?”