Fluffy

Aradia's room lacked the opulence found in Drusilla's and was not as spacious as a mansion. Instead, it was quite modest in size and furnishings. The room contained only the essentials - a bed, a wardrobe, a table, and a dressing table. There was not even an additional seating option available.

The minimal amount of furniture present in her room gave the illusion of ample space.

The white curtains danced gracefully in the gentle breeze, allowing soft rays of sunlight to pour into the room, illuminating every corner and creating a warm and inviting ambiance. The sunlight filtered through the sheer fabric, creating a dappled pattern on the floor. The curtains swayed like a symphony, with the light breeze as the conductor, adding a touch of tranquility to the room.

Aradia winced and let out a sharp hiss as she gingerly applied the medicinal paste to her bruised skin. Enduring the pain was a challenge for her, and she knew it would be difficult. And if she said it was hard to bear then it truly was. She was no stranger to pain. After all, she didn't grow up as pampered and sheltered as Drusilla.

"Have you been hurt?"

Aradia didn't even turn her head when she heard that question. She didn't need to look to know who asked that question. No one usually came to her room. And even if anyone came to call her, they'd still respectfully stay outside the room. Only this one cat had the authority to leisurely stroll into her room as if it was his personal back garden!

Yes, it was a cat!

The cat suddenly jumped onto the bed and came to Aradia's side.

This cat had a white, soft, silky coat. His eyes blue as the ocean and he walked with a purposeful gait with an upright posture which showed his arrogance that was deeply rooted.

Aradia picked up a kitten when she was young. The kitten was weak and close to dying. Aradia's heart softened seeing such a cute but pitiful cat. So, she brought it home and nursed him back to health. She really liked her cat until this thing actually started talking and almost scared her to death!

And no, Aradia didn't have a weak heart. She could actually accept a lot of strange things.

She was taken aback back then because this cat chose to talk only when she was undressing to take a bath before him. Just recalling the scene made Aradia want to throw this cat away once again. But she couldn't do it.

"Fluffy! How have you been?" Aradia exaggeratedly raised her voice and hugged the cat into her arms. Of course, it wasn't a soft, gentle, or loving hug. She was just taking her chance to aggravate this cat.

"You, little girl! Get your paws away from my noble self!" The cat hissed and wanted to scratch Aradia's face. But in the end, no matter how annoyed this cat was, he still didn't scratch Aradia's face. "When is it your turn to touch this lord?"

Aradia clicked her tongue in disappointment with a 'tsk' sound and said in resignation, "Here I thought you missed me, Fluffy!"

"Watch your words," said 'Fluffy'. "Stop calling me Fluffy already. That cutesy name doesn't live up to my honorable status. If you want to call me, you can call me 'lord'. I'll reluctantly accept it." One could clearly hear the pride in that voice even if it sounded soft like a cat's meow.

Aradia decided to ignore this cat's claptrap. She was already quite used to this cat's quirky way of talking.

In the end, it was 'Fluffy' who had to give in once again. And he suggested, "How about calling me Neville? I have said it thousands of times over the years. Don't ignore it as always. It's my name. I have the right to pick one!"

"No," was Aradia's curt response. "When a child is born, he doesn't have the right to pick a name for himself. When I was born, no one consulted me about whether I wanted to be called Aradia or not. In the same way, you don't have a choice. I raised you, I get to call you whatever I want."

'Fluffy'... Ahem!... Neville was actually helpless before this girl. As always, he could only swallow down the insult of being called 'Fluffy'!

"This lord asked if you're hurt," asked Neville seriously.

"It's nothing," replied Aradia offhandedly. Not wanting to speak about the shame of losing to that hateful guy. But she suddenly felt the urge to cough and she couldn't hold it back. Eventually, she spurted out some black blood that looked really scary.

Neville jumped far away from her protecting his shiny coat. He looked as white as snow and unsullied. How could he allow Aradia to mar his noble body? It was unacceptable!

Aradia wiped her mouth with a silk handkerchief and gritted her teeth so hard that it felt like she was about to break them.

"I thought it was nothing," commented Neville. Walking leisurely over to her side, he used his soft paw to pull back her sleeve and looked at the shocking bruise on her wrist. "You didn't tell me, you're going to a battle." Neville's blue eyes bore into Aradia's purple ones as he said, "I sent you to pick up the Blue Flake. How did you end up in this condition? If someone doesn't know any better, they'd say you're dying."

Aradia stared back at him as she reassured him, "What's there to worry about? Didn't you say I can't die that easily? And I told you, I'd do everything to survive. If I managed to survive until now, I'll be able to live in the future too."

Neville put his paw on her wrist and Aradia felt a soft current flowing throw her body. She looked at this arrogant and prideful cat once again with a complicated feeling. Neville never had anything nice to say to her but he had always been her biggest support since she picked him up.

This was why she couldn't throw him out even if she wanted to.

He was the source of warmth in her cold world back then.

"Who did it?"

"I don't know," answered Aradia honestly. "But if I saw him again, I'm gonna make him pay with his life!"

Neville's blue eyes gleamed with an inexplicable light at her words but he didn't comment. He had already noticed the energy flowing in her body that made her puke blood and tortured her. And from that, he already deduced that she won't be a match for the other person.

Especially when she didn't even have a speck of energy in her own body.