7 The Cat Kins P.2

The cat kins remained trembling in a prostrate position as Shiro slowly descended the cliff, her bright white skin reflecting the dawning sun.

Shiro expressed her displeasure with the demi-humans, who couldn't protest against a divine entity. They believed in a divine beast resembling a white tiger, and bowing to seek forgiveness was also a form of reverence for their god.

"///How will you pay for this outrageous act? Not only did you show no gratitude to the one who saved your kind, but you also disrespected my master?///" Shiro yelled again as she approached the prostrating demi-humans.

"///Please forgive us, sister of our god.///" The cat kins apologized in unison, except for the male demi-human who first attacked Lucifarge.

"///I don't want you to apologize to me; you need to apologize to my great master Lucifarge. You, why are you not apologizing?///"

The other four didn't protest and apologized to Lucifarge right away, but it appeared that some people were stubborn and refused to give up their pride. Shiro glared and growled at the male who didn't speak, prompting him to finally break and scream in agony. He couldn't accept the fact that they needed to bow down to a hobgoblin, a member of the monster race.

"///I don't really get why we need to bow down to that hideous being.///" He spoke in hushed tones, but Shiro, with her heightened senses, could hear him. Intent on assaulting him with her paw, she was stopped by Lucifarge's intervention.

"Now, this does not sit well with me. I was born with a monster body, yet I am not as horrible as you describe. Maybe I'll include your species in the future beings I'll save, but it won't work for you. I didn't need their gratitude, Shiro, so let's go. Gods' wrath will be poured out on him," Lucifarge spoke in a human language.

The demi-humans understood every word he said, causing them to freeze. The words 'save' and 'punishment' rang continuously in their heads as Lucifarge distanced himself from them. Finally realizing why such a monster existed, one from the god's realm sent down to the land to save them, they trembled more in fear of impending punishment for their ingratitude and harm.

[Tema, you may want to utilize the reward.]

Lucifarge paused, contemplating the usefulness of the reward Tema mentioned. The notion of easily obtaining gratitude seemed far-fetched to him, especially considering his monstrous nature.

'Use it.' After granting Tema permission to utilize the reward, a shout echoed from behind. The young boy he had saved earlier ran towards him, wrapping his arms around Lucifarge's left knee.

"///Please, let me thank you for saving me.///" Lucifarge stood there with his lips slightly parted, surprised by the cute display of gratitude from the child, who exhibited a more mature attitude than many adults.

Lucifarge smiled, following the child towards their village. Pausing for a moment, he glanced at the prostrating demi-humans. "You can raise your heads," he said, understanding the significance of their gesture.

Entering a forest saturated with the scent of spruce, tall trees emerged in his vision, allowing only a hint of sunlight. Lucifarge felt his foot press against slimy algae as they delved deeper into the forest, revealing houses nestled in the trees one by one.

Mesmerized by the cat kins' tree dwellings, some built around massive trees and others atop substantial branches, Lucifarge set foot into the village. The villagers, initially alarmed, refrained from attacking him, thanks to the presence of Shiro.

Finally arriving at their destination, they stopped in front of a modest house constructed on a tree. Crafted from brown spruce wood and uncarved lumber, it emanated a simple, yet comfortable vibe.

The child opened the door energetically, entering to hug a woman cat kin. She warmly embraced the child, expressing her gratitude for his rescue. Lucifarge couldn't help but blush upon seeing the woman wearing more revealing attire, showcasing the fair skin of the orange cat kin beast folk.

"Oh my. Thank you for saving my child. Even though you're from a monster race, you've shown kindness being followed by divine beasts. Once again, I would like to show my gratitude." The woman bowed to Lucifarge, who responded with a smile. However, the pleasant atmosphere took a turn when the child whispered to him about what happened next. The woman's eyes turned into a glare, and she hurriedly went outside.

After a few moments, she returned, carrying a young and beautiful female beast folk aged 12-15 with black hair, similar to the boy who attacked him. Lucifarge realized the poor girl might be sacrificed for her brother's transgressions. The woman presented her to Lucifarge and bowed once again.

"Please forgive us for my kins' insolence. Not only did you save my child, but you also ignored their behavior. I fear the heavens' punishment on him, and as a gesture of forgiveness, please accept this girl as your servant. I am confident that this is a blessing for her, given your kindness. Please use her as you see fit."

Lucifarge couldn't help but curse internally at the woman's suggestion. 'Slave? Really? I know I'm going to become a demon lord, but what can a kid do?'

[I suggest that you accept the girl as your slave as a stepping stone for your mission.]

'Okay! Okay!'

"I see. Alright. I accept her as my slave. Please raise your head. I haven't introduced myself yet. I am Lucifarge." Lucifarge changed the topic, noticing the pitiful expression on the girl's face.

"Please forgive me. I am Lucy, the village chief, and this kid is my child, Uni, and on my right is Ru."

Lucifarge nodded and approached the girl, Ru. He attempted to soothe her by stroking her head, but it seemed to frighten her, so he stopped.

"You'll become my first follower." Before Lucifarge could continue, he was interrupted by noises from outside.

He heard shouts and screams from the villagers, accompanied by meows and roars, leaving him confused. Turning to Lucy, he noticed the disappearance of her previous sweet demeanor.

"Can you explain what the ruckus is all about? From the look on your face, I know you have a clue."

Lucy, flustered by Lucifarge's pressing tone, trembled for a moment before speaking.

"Tiger kins visit our village weekly, demanding 'taxes' and harassing us along the way." She stated, but Lucifarge wasn't satisfied with her answer and pressed for more information.

"I see. So, because you're rejected by human society, you were left with no choice but to seek help from tiger kins. That's why you live inside a forest. I thought it was normal and ignored my confusion about why cats live in the forest, but now I am convinced of the reasons. I can't promise you much, but I'll step into this mess. Afterward, I'll take responsibility, as I have an obligation." Lucifarge sounded more authoritative as he stood up, approaching the door. However, after some thought, he paused and asked Tema.

'Tema, how can I create a dimensional space biome? I want to hide Shiro and Purity so that the tigers won't be wary of how they will act in front of me.'

[A condition should be met where using your mana, you will use another dimension where particles are the same as a normal biome you want to create. Some apply gravitational forces, but you can easily create a dimension by picking up 1 dimension in this universe and duplicating the ones you want included.]

'Argh! I can't understand. Does that really exist on Earth?'

[It does, but this explanation is vague since rules from Earth and here do not apply. With the flexible particle mana has, you can easily create a dimensional biome.]

Lucifarge took a deep breath and focused his mana on his palm. Despite not fully grasping the theories or explanations Tema provided, he attempted to create an environment suitable for the Fenrirs to judge the tiger kins properly.

Immersing himself in the darkness of his imagination, Lucifarge slowly crafted a space that would suit the Fenrirs. After a few moments, he manifested a door linking his position to the newly created biome. Feeling a bit nauseous after the process, he thought about the effort he put in.

*ding*

[Requirements for <Dimensional Biome> successfully met, you learned active skill <Dimensional Biome>]

[You earned +6090 MP]

'Ah. So my mana depleted that much? That's why I felt nauseous for a second, huh.'

Lucifarge ushered the Fenrirs into his dimension to conceal them. As he attempted to open the door, it suddenly broke from a forceful kick coming from outside.

"So, the monster's scent that is bothering us is from your house, village chief. Now that you broke the agreement, we can take you as one of our playthings."

The manner in which the tiger kin spoke snapped Lucifarge into action. He retaliated by throwing a powerful punch, connecting with the tiger kin's face and smashing through the wooden walls of the house.