The next day, at the first hint of dawn.
Vieya turned over and sat up. That octopus-like feeling of being bound, together with the heavy pressure on her stomach as if a stone were pressing down, had made her night’s sleep anything but pleasant.
“Dumpling... hehe... my veggie dumpling...” Jasmine, lost in so dream, rested her head against Vieya’s chest, hugging tightly onto the soft, warm human-shaped pillow in her arms.
This little brat... at least she didn’t drool.
Vieya slipped out of Jasmine’s hold and stuffed the real pillow into her arms, then grabbed the black cat sprawled across her thigh by the scruff of its neck and flung it off the bed with a smack.
Smack!
The black cat hit the floor, stunned. She instinctively looked up at the expressionless Vieya, bewildered. “ow?”
“ow my ass, ow!”
Vieya pointed at the blossoms of muddy pawprints staining the sheets and quilt, gritting her teeth.
“You went out last night and ca back without washing your damn paws, didn’t you?”
The black cat fixed her eyes on the evidence. What a lovely snow-on-plum-blossom painting it made!
Her gaze shifted guiltily aside, forcing a grin.
Kids, that wasn’t .
I really did wash my paws... just forgot the back ones.
“You’re going to wash all of this clean, and... my sleep pants too.”
The blanket she’d bought with a few copper coins earned from pawning wine bottles had been soiled in one night.
Vieya’s voice wasn’t loud, but it left no room for argunt. “Don’t let co back and find it still dirty. Or else take the whole bedding set out and throw it away!”
“I’m not your maid... this is cat abuse. I’ll report you to the Human Animal Protection Association!”
“Heh. You damn cat.”
Vieya flexed her hardened fist.
“Mama, are you going out?”
Sensing danger, Jasmine, who had been pretending to sleep, jumped in to play peacemaker.
If Cat-sister got hit, that was fine—she had thick skin and could take a beating.
But if Mama ruined her health from anger, that would be terrible.
If Mama got sick, then who was going to fill the hole in my heart where mother’s love should be?!
“I’m going to buy breakfast for you two first, then stop by the Adventurers’ Guild to see if there are any commissions suited to .”
Once her daughter was awake, Vieya’s tone softened. She glanced coolly at the black cat sulking with an aggrieved face.
“This stupid cat still has her wanted posters pasted all over the streets. Sotis I really do want to turn her in for bounty money.”
“Turn in? Who does that to a cat? After all this ti together, you’d sell for a handful of coins? What about our friendship? Our bond? ...ow, don’t glare at like that. Fine, fine, I’ll wash it, alright!”
Under Vieya’s dangerous gaze, the black cat submitted. She suddenly realized:
Unlike most monster girls who didn’t care about cleanliness, Vieya absolutely hated having her things ssed up and dirty...
Just like humans: so had morning tempers, so got irritable when hungry, and so would endure anything for coins—even risking their own life on the other side of the scale.
Helcat had lived among humans for a long ti, and she had observed them closely.
Unlike simple-minded monsters, humans’ pressure points were all over the place.
Thinking of this, Helcat’s mood sank.
Maybe, aside from her body, Vieya was closer to humans than to sli girls.
In that case, the one who had been wrong first... was herself.
“Sorry. ow.”
The black cat lowered her head to apologize.
Vieya blinked, then let out a breath. What the hell was she doing, anyway?
Quarreling with a cat first thing in the morning.
“It’s fine. Have you ever washed clothes before?” Vieya asked the important question.
“No... but what’s so hard about that?”
“Forget it. I won’t let you wash.”
She couldn’t stand the thought of dirty bedding any longer.
Vieya turned her eyes away, giving up on reasoning with a monster. It was about as reliable as telling a dung beetle not to roll donkey shit ho.
Walking to the door, she pulled the topic back on track.
“Do you two want to co out for breakfast with , or should I bring so back for you?”
“I want to go with Mama!” Jasmine raised her hand.
The black cat hesitated, then whispered:
“What about ?”
“Suit yourself.” Vieya left without concern, her air saying go if you want, stay if you don’t.
At the door, Jasmine stealthily waved her hand at the black cat.
Co on!
After filling their stomachs, they once again arrived at the Adventurers’ Guild entrance. Vieya stood watching the throngs of all shapes and sizes bustling past, a little lost in thought.
This was her “third” ti here—not ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) in number of visits, but in state of mind.
The first ti, she had still been the Hero, leading her squad across this land filled with magic and strange creatures.
The sa monster could be wanted for its heart, or for its whip, or simply for its death...
So while fulfilling the grand missions handed down by the great figures, she would also pick up side commissions of the sa target, killing two or even three birds with one stone.
The second ti, she had only recently beco a monster girl. Lost, unsure where her path lay, she would slip into the city alone, taking simple commissions to earn money for booze and oblivion.
The third ti was now.
“Mama, can I be an adventurer too?” Jasmine clung to Vieya’s sleeve as if it were the last lifeline of a drowning person.
The crowded streets and the endless hawkers’ shouts both thrilled and frightened her...
A candied-haw seller not only called out but also actively sought out children to pitch to. When he tried to sell to Jasmine, though, she shrank back, pressing herself desperately against Vieya.
The world she’d seen through books’ words was nothing like this. The world before her eyes was vivid, living, brimming with energy.
“How much for the candied hawthorn?” Vieya asked the scrawny vendor, stroking Jasmine’s fluffy head.
“Two copper coins a skewer, five coins for three. If you’d like, miss, I can give you a discount...”
“No need. Three skewers.”
“Alrighty! Five coppers.”
With the three skewers in hand, Vieya gave them all to Jasmine, leaving the girl montarily dumbfounded.
“Mama, you’re not eating?”
“I don’t like sweets.”
Vieya smiled, pinching her daughter’s cheek. “They’re all yours.”
“Thank you...”
Her voice was so quiet it was almost inaudible. She lowered her head slightly, hugging those three small skewers of candied haw, as if she were holding the whole world.
“Hoh? Which noble’s little lady has co out to ‘experience life’ this ti?”
As soon as Vieya stepped into the wide Adventurers’ Guild hall, she drew the attention of the adventurers. Their bodies kept their previous motions, but their eyes were all on her.
“Register her for an Adventurers’ Guild entry certification.”
At the receptionist’s counter, Vieya slapped down her own gold-rank Adventurer’s badge, then pointed at Jasmine clutching her candied haws.
“Bronze rank is fine.”
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