Black Cat

The voices of children happily playing together were harmonious to listen to. Adding that to the peaceful noise of the townfolks joyfully talking to each other with the sun blazing above me like a fiery ball in the sky. It was a-dazzle with splendid and soul-swelling experience.

We finally landed at our destination in the small town of Winterhill; the town that's near the Herbaria Mountain. Clara, Adelle, and I are passing through the crowded street, being the main center of attention from any passerby. Regardless of our attention, the townfolks here are giving me some suspicious vibe. Or was it just me?

"Hey, Clara. Want to walk around the town before going to the inn?"

"I'll join you guys."

"Okay... Let's go book a room first."

Instead of Clara, Adelle was the one who responded to my question. Following our little conversation that time, Adelle reverted to her usual self. She's an odd one. But what do I expect? She's a heroine. What's more, she's the 'main'. Weirdest of them all.

We entered a tavern inn around the center part of the town. Upon entering, the strong reeking scent of liquor and cigar tackled my nose. When we got in, people glanced over at us and then some group of drunkards smiled sinisterly, sitting at the table while drinking, fixing their gazes over the two women beside me.

I frowned upon seeing their gazes, then I let out an intimidating aura. All the drunkards who are looking at them trembled in fear, cowering in their sit as they averted their gazes away. Not only me, but Adelle also exuded an intimidating aura directly towards them. For Adelle, it's just a normal occasion. She's used to it.

Ignoring them, we head off to the receptionist of the tavern. The receptionist was a normal human woman with a friendly demeanor.

"Hello, staying for a night?"

"Yes—"

"One room three-beds, please."

Adelle interjected in the conversation with a friendly smile on her face. Normally, I would be happy with these kinds of situations, but I'm dumbfounded by the unexpected.

"I understand. Here are the keys. Please head that way. And, enjoy your stay."

The receptionist bowed her head to us, and Adelle took the keys leading the way.

"What was that for? Why did you choose one room?"

"Trust me. It's better this way. We can't let our guard down. We need to stick together at all times."

"Okay..."

I replied to her, confused. But I could feel the hint of seriousness and awareness in her voice. I glanced over at Clara to answer my question about Adelle's decision, and she nodded to me. That means it's really a thing. However, I still can't get my head around it. At how, Adelle nonchalantly made that decision despite knowing I'm a guy, whom she sees as a lecher.

"It's your first mission outside the kingdom, right Claude?" Adelle said, with her back against me.

"Yeah. Why do you ask?"

It's true. It's my first ever mission that's outside the kingdom. Most of my mission would only take weeks or days, depending on the difficulty.

"Nothing. Just a reminder that you need to stay vigilant toward other people at all costs."

"You're the last person I can think of saying that to me."

Adelle halts her steps and looks at me in contempt.

"What? There's nothing wrong with it."

"Fine... You lecher."

After saying that, Adelle continued walking.

"Ah! Hey, I told you to stop calling me that! I demand you to stop calling me that! Hey! Adelle!"

Adelle completely ignores me and continues walking down the corridor. As I follow Adelle, I stumble across familiar-looking people who are also walking in the corridor toward the staircase. The four people from before.

"Ah! You're the one who defeated the four-armed gorilla!" The woman with red hair shouted and pointed her finger at me upon seeing me. Her name would be Aria if I recall correctly.

"Oh! It's really him! How are you? You suddenly disappeared, that day."

Samuel, the guy who has brown hair and a plain appearance. He exuded a friendly demeanor which makes him likable and approachable, the complete opposite of the handsome guy with black-red hair. He rushes in front of me, shaking my hands rapidly.

"Wow! Your hands are rough!"

"Alright-alright, fanboy. We need to go downstairs to eat lunch. Plus, it looks like he's busy with his girlfriends. Sorry for troubling you."

Elaine said the woman who's wearing a witch outfit matching her bewitching beauty. Looking closely, I could see her pointy ears. It's smaller than Lily's pointy ears. Furthermore, Adelle didn't show any reaction to what she said nor showing any kind of expression. As for Clara, she took that chance and snuggles my right arm while showing the same expression as Adelle.

"Eeeh... But I want to talk more..."

"No, it's okay. I don't mind."

Samuel dejectedly looks at me. Then the handsome fella named Alvin pulls Samuel away, dragging him down the corridor.

"No, you don't. We're running late, we still need to catch up. Sorry for the trouble."

The two women followed behind him, as Samuel waved her two hands at me. However, as I watch them from a distance, I saw Alvin looking at me briefly with a thin smile displayed on his face. I narrowed my eyes on his back, pondering over the funny feeling that I'm sensing from him.

"Young master, Claude?"

"Ah, Clara? What is it?"

"Ms. Adelle already went ahead."

"Ah shit. That woman!"

I chased Adelle until we reached our room. She opened the wooden door revealing, a room large enough for an entire family to live in, and the musty odor that smell gave me a sense of coziness and safeness. Three pendant lights at the ceiling lighting up the entire three-person bedroom powered by a magic stone. There are three separate beds with white sheets and cushions on top of it, aligned together at the side of the room with little tables in between them.

On the walls, there's nothing but a plain-looking dilapidated wooden wall. Also, there's a small coal fireplace that could be seen graced in a wall beneath a marble mantelpiece. The floor in the room was wooden, and it creaked whenever I stepped on it.

"Wow, this is a pretty pleasant room despite the tavern being shabby. The walls, floors, and the ceiling are quite scruffy, but the beds and furniture are still in a mint condition."

As I made that remark, Adelle, who's taking out her clothes neatly, responds to me in a calm manner. "Please be respectful and refrain from insulting this establishment, Claude. We are guests. Its basic courtesy."

"She's correct, young master Claude."

"Okay..."

Neither I expected Adelle to scold my behavior and Clara agreeing with her.

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With our stay in the inn, Clara and Adelle stayed behind the room preparing their equipment before we meet the client who requested the mission of exploring the cave in the Harberia Mountains for materials. Since I don't really carry any equipment or weapon other than my sword; I chose to look around to see if I see anything that may fancy me.

As I walk around the town, I wore a hood to not make any unnecessary attention from people, so I could walk around the town in peace without the townfolks or other people bothering me.

The majority of the people that are staying here are human, which baffled me even though it's not surprising because back in the neighborhood where Stephanie and I live. The demographic of the people living in that neighborhood are human.

From what I understand about this world, the human population is higher because of their innate ability to reproduce faster than any other race. Humans may have a lower life expectancy between around 80-130 years old, but there's their ability to reproduce to compensate for that part, unlike the elves.

While leisurely looking around, I stumbled across a black cat with two tails and two blue eyes, and an additional golden eye above its forehead. Lounging at the ground outside of the alleyway, staring at me. It caught my attention, and since I adore fluffy creatures; I tried to call it.

"Hello, little one~ Come here~"

I walked closer to it with my open palm lowered, trying to lure the cat to come with me. Surprisingly, it went to me, placing its head in my hands cutely. The cat rubs its head repeatedly to the palm of my hand.

"Meow~!"

"Awww~"

I picked it up and carried it into my arms while stroking its silky, sweet fur and touching its soft paws.

"Purrrr~ Meow~ Meow~"

"Hehehe~ Who's a good cat~"

During my days as a patient in the hospital, whenever I'm strolling around outside to breathe some fresh air in my wheelchair. These were the days before where I can still move my upper body. I would see cats lazily lying around, or sometimes would sit in my lap, and I would pet them—A way of coping mechanism.

I was about to bring the cat with me back to the inn, but it jumped out of my arms and entered the dark alleyway. I followed the cat in the narrow, dark alleyway with nothing in my mind but petting the cat.

As soon I entered the alleyway, a blinding light deprived my vision. Then I heard a white noise in both of my ears, as it feels like it's about to rupture my eardrums or tearing them out. I screamed in agony, but I can't even hear my own voice.

A while later...

I opened my eyes.

What blooms before me, an enchanted, mysterious forest with trees colored of the sea. The cool breeze shuffled through the everlasting tree, as it casts a vague shadow upon me with magic particles falling from its leaves, immersing me as they glisten brightly. The enticing ruffling sound of the leaves brushing against trees was pleasing to hear, giving a harmonic melody to my ears.

"What... Where am I?"

I noticed that everything around me looks surreal. Because of that, I slapped myself, waking myself up back to reality; however, I can guarantee that everything that I'm seeing right now is real. I walked into a nearby tree touching it, to see if I can touch it or if it's just an illusion.

"How... I could feel it... Huh...?"

I look down at my feet. A trail of white smoke appeared in between my legs, leading in a direction in front of me. However, I'm skeptical of whether to follow it. Then a voice of a woman whispers softly in my ear, calling me.

"Claude."

Above me, I saw Diana floating with her usual smile.

"Diana? What are you doing outside?"

"Someone called me. Even now, it keeps calling my name. It's a voice of a woman. The way she calls me, I can say she's crying for help."

"A voice? I don't hear it."

"Hm... Weird... Analyzing our surroundings, I would say she's probably the one who called us here. I don't know how we ended up in here while I'm in stasis. But did you enter in a portal? Because I'm certain we are in a dimension."

"Ah. Yeah, I did. I followed a cat into an alleyway... Wait a minute. Where's the cat? I swear it went in the alleyway. Am I seeing things now?"

"Hahahaha, you're so cute~ It probably lured you in. I can even find a way out of this place... Hm... Why don't we search for the owner of this place?"

"Are you sure, Diana?"

"Of course~ Trust me. I mean, the peaceful atmosphere in this place could be deceiving us. Plus, we can't leave here without the owner's permission. We're at its home. I can't even sense the space interval to leave the place."

"Okay, fine... If you can't even do anything about it, then we don't have any other choice."

"Sorry..." Diana lowered her gaze.

"It's fine. We can't do anything about it."

I smiled at Diana, reassuring her she's not at fault.

"Well then. Let's go meet the owner of this place."