CH59 — Yoshi

「 M-meow!!! 」

The cat does not like me. That much becomes clearer when the sun has fully set in this house of mine. Along the way back home, the cat lightly tries to wriggle its way out of my grasp.

At first, I assumed it was because I’m holding it the wrong way. The Lim family said the right way to carry a cat for beginners was to do a princess-carry style, the cat tucked to my chest face up, with both of my hands holding its shoulder and its bottom.

As soon as I got inside the house, however, the cat jumped out from my chest and hissed at me, legs stretched out with a glare that, ready to pounce.

It was only when I arrived that I realized I had no idea about anything when it comes to taking care of a cat. I don’t have a cat’s bed nor a litter box.

Food is something I can work around at the very least. I mean, cats always love fish, right? Thankfully, there was some freshly cooked fish lying around in the house that had just arrived this noon.

「 You haven’t eaten now have you? Here, kitty. 」

The cat bares its fangs and hisses. Its sharp eyes never leave me, even when I dangle the fish in front of it.

Now I’m starting to wonder whether my assumptions regarding cats' dietary needs are true or not.

「 Okay… How about this instead… 」

I put the fish onto a plate, gently set it down on the floor, and take some steps back to give it distance.

The cat doesn’t stop its gaze on me, even though I clearly left the food for it to eat. Isn’t it hungry? Or it’s just…

「 You really do hate me, huh?  」

…Ironic.

I picked it up from the Lim family, thinking it had been mistreated. I thought that by bringing it here, I could treat it better than they did.

I should be frustrated at this cat. I saved it from a household that considers it useless. I took the cat promising towards myself and the cat that I will treat it better, just because I feel sorry for it. But instead, I get treated like an enemy.

With all that said, I’m surprised by myself with how I’m completely fine with it. Even with its hostilities to its new owner, who’s trying his best to treat it, there’s something about this cat that reminds me of something. It's at the tip of my tongue, but I cannot recall it no matter how hard I try.

「 My master, why would you stoop so low for a mere beast? 」

A flash of purple light flickers right between me and the cat. In a split second, a black portal splits open, Shen — my goddess — steps through it as if she’s demanding me to notice her.

The room goes cold, with her warmth at the center of it all.

Shen bows, lower than courtesy demands. Her dress follows the movement down, falling away to reveal what a proper bow would conceal. Her hands clasp at her waist in a show of propriety. The neckline exposes everything from her thin collarbone to the full curve of her breasts.

She definitely wants me to look. To gain my attention. Shen is growing bolder than ever before. She’s chipping away at my defenses against her advances slowly but surely.

「 My master~ 」

Her attention is fixated on me as she takes small steps, forcing me to pay her attention when I’m supposed to be taking care of the cat. I know this, but I can’t stop.

「 Forget the vile thing. Be with me. 」She cups my cheek with her hand,「 with your servant who treats you the way you deserve. 」

She stares directly into my eyes with the same intense affection that she always has.

「 Not with this… thing, 」She turns her gaze towards the cat with disdain,「  who hisses and bites the hand that feeds it. 」

The cat hisses back, louder than ever before.

Her gaze on the cat is no longer disdainful. She’s looking at the cat differently now. Quieter.

「 Looks like the cat hates you, too, Shen. 」I say, trying to ease the tension between them.

「 Of course. 」Shen's voice is flat, and she does not take her eyes off the cat,「  I hate it too. 」

…So much for a quiet night.

The god amongst dragons — Naga, is genuinely threatened by a three-legged cat. I want to say that it is just a cat. A broken pet in dire need of a better home. Shen is still my… w-woman. It’s a huge difference. Married people still own pets after all. So why would Shen be jealous of a cat? Would I be jealous of Shen if she owns a pet? A special someone?

Shit. I might be—

「 Tonk. Tonk. 」

The knocks on the main gate just outside the inner courtyard reverberate and cools the atmosphere. A visitor? Strange… I don’t recall expecting anyone at this hour.

「 Another one dares to disturb my time with my master?! 」Shen mutters, arms folded across her chest.

I ignore her for now. A visitor at this time of day must have something urgent.

I pull the door open.

「 Greetings, Renald Alderhide. 」

What I see is Werner Duvine raising his hat, then, in one smooth motion, rests it on his chest.

…That's the kind of greeting a man uses to court a woman, you know?

「 Sir Werner. How are you? Wasn’t expecting you to come here unannounced. Please come in. 」I say unbothered, trying to forget his inappropriate greeting as I pull it wider.

「 No need, I just got back from an urgent meeting with the guildmaster and other seniors of ours. I was trying to find a carriage to go back home, but since I’m already here, I might as well check in on you. 」

So he does his duties after all. I thought he would be on another lookout for other luxurious Veinardian items.

「 How’s the meeting with the Lim family? 」Werner asks.

「 So-so. I already sent back their terms to the guild without any trouble. 」

「 See? I know you can do it. How’s the- 」

Werner then looks across my back, his head leaning far right. I follow his general direction.

Shen is standing there with a faint smile. Behind her back, the slight tip of her sword peeks into view, while her right hand remains hidden from sight. Really, Shen?

「 Wait. Who is she? 」Werner nonchalantly asks, seemingly not noticing the weapon that I sure hope she won’t dare to use.

「 She’s my… girlfriend, Shen.」I choose the words carefully.

His body slightly recoils, right eye raised, seemingly perplexed and curious.

Shen blooms into a full smile. Flickers of purple light particles emerges behind her back. Both of her hands are holding her cheeks.

She’s definitely pleased with the title. Thankfully, the sword is gone.

「 Never took you for a dragon lover. 」Werner says, slightly surprised, looking at me now.

「 Apparently so. 」I say dejectedly,「 How about you? A charming man like you surely has a lover or two. 」

「 Of course not. It would be a miracle for a beautiful Veinardian woman to come to Kasanra. 」

「 Oh, do tell me what’s your type then? 」I ask to try to strike up a small talk.

「 The woman of my dreams would be a Veinardian woman who lives in Hasten. With blonde hair and emerald eyes. Where she owns a nice bakery and serves daily bread for the common people. Pastries would be nice, but a good, decent bread is the highest indicator of a great baker. 」

That’s quite intriguing. I expected him to yearn for a noble Veinardian woman. Not a high noble born one, of course. Those would be unreachable for a non-hereditary nobleman such as him. A simple Baron's daughter or, at most, a Viscount's daughter would be realistic. One who is versed with the intricacies of Veinardian unique school of magic, 《School of Aegis magic》, wears the latest fashion trend, and eats Veinardian cakes.

Things that scream Veinardian culture.

Instead, he wants a simple baker's woman. Albeit a Veinardian woman. I suppose beneath his faux pas and obnoxious fashion taste, he does enjoy the simpler side of things.

This side of him, however, does make me clueless on how to follow up after that revelation.

「 With that note, I will take my leave. 」Werner says, seemingly to stop the conversation from going further,「 It's good to see you back after the whole ordeal. I will be back tomorrow in the morning. There’s something I would like us to discuss. 」

「 Another discussion over Veinardian silk, Sir Werner? 」I lightly tease him.

「 I wish… 」Werner sighs, his eyes slightly lowered.

Seems like he wasn't able to get the silk that he mentioned before. After all of my troubles of getting into an impromptu meeting. At least I got the cat from it.

「 By the way, what’s that cat's name? 」

Shit. I should’ve known.

It didn’t even cross my mind.

「 Judging by your silence, you haven't given it a name? Come on, you should know better. Give it a name already. 」

What would the cat’s name be?

Neko…? Too obvious for my Japanese tongue, and feels very uninspired.

Kuro…? The cat does have all-encompassing black fur. But it's the same uninspired name. The cat, even with its hostility, deserves a far more inspiring name with a hidden meaning to it.

What other characteristics does the cat have other than its black fur? It’s very hostile towards someone new who’s trying to take care of it to the best of my abilities. It’s a broken cat with a missing leg, and it’s called a useless cat by its previous owner…

Y̵̙̽o̷͓͘s̷̈́͜ḩ̶͛ḯ̶͕ņ̷̎o̶̍ͅb̶̝̚u̵̞͝ ̷̣͌Ř̷̰y̴͔͝ǫ̴̆-̴͈̈

Yoshi…

I don’t know why, but I keep gravitating towards that name…

It sounds like something from my old world. From Japan. I should've named the cat something Kasanran. The cat is local from here after all.

So why does it feel… right?

Werner is waiting. Whatever the reason, it’s still a good name for the cat.

「 Yoshi. That will be the cat’s name. 」I say.

「 Great, 」Werner replies flatly, seemingly not caring at all,「 make sure to buy a cat’s carry cage. We leave for the Mojowoso kingdom in a week. It will be a long journey. Bye-bye~ 」

Yoshi. That sounds like a great name. Even if I don’t know why.

I close the door. And continue where I left off.

Yoshi, even with its missing left rear leg, springs out of the big main room into the big courtyard this house has to offer, into the bushes at the far corner, leaving me clueless on what Yoshi is up to.

In the inner main room, a shadow veils Shen’s face, leaving her expression unreadable.