Chapter 81: Two Cats (1)
Gale, Sercia, and Calix were struck speechless with silent shock. Unlike Elwin, who wore a radiant smile, Jana stood there quietly, not understanding what was going on but reading the room.
With over half of the six people present having gone quiet, a dreadful silence filled the space.
“……”
“……”
“……”
The expressions of the Spero members were uncannily identical—as if pressed from the same mold. Eyes widened, jaws dropped, their faces contorted in utter disbelief.
Their gazes were all fixed on one point.
“Ha, haha… I mean, so…”
At the end of those gazes stood a small-framed boy.
Hake, the cat Beastkin. He clutched his slightly drooped ears with both hands, his tail dragging all the way to the ground, its tip swaying side to side.
“L-Long time no see…?”
He finally managed to say something after hesitating for a long while.
That one line set it all off. Like throwing a rock at a glass jar already cracked from shock.
“Y-You—how are you even alive?!”
The reactions of the group, frozen like a paused scene inside a Viewing Orb, burst forth all at once.
“N-No, that’s not right. A dead person can’t just be alive. That’s it! A ghost! You’re a ghost, aren’t you?! I-I taste horrible! If you’re taking someone, pick a noble-born young master or something!”
“What in the world…?! Hake, you were alive all this time?!”
“I’m curious too. I could’ve sworn you were bitten in half by a Manticore before I intervened. How are you alive?”
It was only natural. Who wouldn’t be shocked when someone thought to be dead stood before them like nothing had happened?
But among them, one person reacted more intensely than anyone else.
“You—answer properly!”
Surprisingly, it was Sercia Edelweiss.
“You were alive… perfectly fine… so what have you been doing all this time?!”
Until now, Sercia had always tried to maintain a calm and rational demeanor.
But this time, she was openly expressing her emotions—her entire body subtly radiating mana.
As if she could no longer hold back the emotion boiling within like molten lava.
“Hey, lady. Why are you so worked up all of a sudden? Calm down.”
“…? I hate to admit it, but I agree with that bastard—for once. Calm down, Sercia.”
To Gale and Calix, who thought they had a decent grasp of Sercia’s demeanor from their time with her, her current reaction felt completely off.
And strictly speaking… weren’t the three of them barely connected to Hake?
The ones who had any real ties with Hake were his fellow non-human peers—Batan, Melasa, Natuia, and Frau, who had once formed an alliance under the name “Non-Human Union.”
“……”
She knew. She was aware.
That she wasn’t even directly involved. That she was merely a third party. That her questioning Hake like this was crossing the line—just venting frustration.
She had no right or obligation to blame him.
‘I swore I wouldn’t react emotionally like this again.’
But even so, Sercia had her own reasons—her own justifications.
If she were to defend herself, it was that she simply couldn’t help it.
“Why… didn’t you tell Melasa you were alive…?!”
She—Sercia…
—Miss Sercia. This was all my fault. If only I had been stronger… strong enough not to endanger anyone else’s life…
…couldn’t bear to just watch that “witch” suffer.
—Then that gentle, kind girl wouldn’t have had to die protecting someone like me… she didn’t have to…
No—it was simply unbearable.
Sercia Edelweiss could not stand to see a kind and gentle witch like Melasa suffer.
—Hello? You’re the new youngest one, right?
Because every time she saw such a witch, Sercia couldn’t help but think of Sokia.
Her precious witch.
“……!”
Sercia’s unusually intense reaction seemed to stir something in Hake. His expression turned strange.
As if he were in pain. As if he understood—just a little.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to deceive anyone… No—I guess it was deception, but it wasn’t intentional.”
Hake mumbled incoherently, then dropped his head in shame, like a criminal before a judge.
“Wh-What happened was…”
As Hake trailed off, looking like he might cry, Elwin gently stepped in and picked up where he left off.
“I saved him. Hake was using his powerful Unique Magic to fake his death. He wasn’t actually dead.”
“…El, Elwin? You did that?”
Sercia’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit as Elwin nodded.
He then began explaining slowly—Hake’s true identity, and the conspiracy and hidden truths behind the “616th LAMPAS Hunter Exam.”
“Wow! So there was that kind of deep plot behind what we went through? …Tsk! That Depicio place really was a madhouse.”
“…Ha! They planned to fully occupy Mediale? How absurd!”
“Ah… so that’s how it was. I get it now. A double agent… then hiding he was alive makes sense.”
Once they heard it all, everyone clicked their tongues in unison, mocking Depicio’s foolishness.
There was no way they could’ve succeeded while Elwin Krieger, Mediale’s guardian, was still alive and well.
“That Depicio would plot such a thing… I feel ashamed…”
“I… I understand how you feel, White Moon.”
Only Jana blushed in embarrassment. Hake, noticing this, offered her a quiet, understanding comfort.
Back when they were still in Depicio, addressing the “White Moon” first was unthinkable—but now both had turned their backs on that place.
Feeling a surge of camaraderie, Hake mustered every ounce of courage he had and approached Jana.
“When I left Depicio, I gave up the title White Moon. So please just call me Jana. May I call you Hake?”
“…! Ah, yes, of course! Miss Jana! It’s an honor!”
“Hm, Hake. You don’t need to use honorifics either.”
“N-No way, I couldn’t possibly!”
Jana accepted the young cat-boy’s courage with warmth—though perhaps a little awkwardly.
“Haha.”
Watching them with a soft smile, Elwin suddenly grew curious.
What would their reactions be if they found out Mediale’s downfall had been a predetermined future?
“But I really don’t get this guy. I mean, kid, you probably don’t get it either! But what on earth made them think they could invade Mediale, guarded by the terrifyingly strong Top Hunter of Yellow?”
Gale almost named Elwin, but noticed Jana nearby and adjusted his words—since she didn’t know Elwin’s identity.
“Something’s fishy. Feels off. Hake, do you know anything?”
“A grunt like me? I just followed orders. Disobeying meant death for me.”
“…You’re a lot more cynical than you look, cat. Then what about you, kid? Got any guesses?”
“Hm, well. I do have a few suspicions.”
Elwin chuckled softly, but his gaze sharpened.
“But nothing concrete yet.”
Elwin had already upended the entire LAMPAS plot from the start. Expecting the story to follow the original was nearly arrogant.
In the original, Depicio tried to invade Mediale to eliminate future threats—the Hunters who might one day stand in their way.
But now, Elwin Krieger—an undeniable Outsider—was present in this world.
Naturally, Depicio’s motives and reasoning would have to shift.
Of course, even so, their wretched ‘ideals,’ hardened over time, would still remain.
—The total overthrow of the Batevil Kingdom.
And—
A kingdom of non-humans, by non-humans, for non-humans.
Like a certain madman yearning for eternal life, Depicio’s ancient desire was nothing but sheer obsession.
“I intend to find out. Through this invasion of Mediale… what exactly is Depicio aiming for?”
Turning his body toward something, Elwin continued.
“You’ve watched long enough, haven’t you? Time to come out.”
“Gah! Y-You! Who are you talking to? …A ghost?!”
“Elwin? There’s no one over there.”
The others were puzzled—Elwin had spoken while looking at empty air, where no presence could be felt.
Rustle—rustle—
Beneath a towering tree, in a thick cluster of low bushes.
Hidden in deep shadows—or perhaps simply overlooked entirely.
The bushes rustled slightly, and then something small popped out.
“Meow!”
A black cat. With unusually bright yellow eyes.
“…Huh? A cat?”
The cat walked right up to them and sat nearby, casually licking its paw.
“Hm.”
Narrowing his eyes, Gale observed it for a while before speaking with a dignified air.
“Just looks like a normal cat. The kind you’d see in any alley.”
“Nothing unusual about it.”
“Meow?”
The cat flopped over and began showing its belly, prompting a few of the party members to blush slightly.
“Should I try luring it with snacks? Here, kitty kitty~”
“…It’s cute.”
But at that moment, Hake scowled as if he’d seen something vile and muttered under his breath.
“That shameless posture… the very picture of audacity. A gesture so arrogant, you’d think the word ‘shame’ doesn’t even exist in its mind… Could it be?”
His expression turned stony in an instant. Hake grabbed the black cat by the scruff of the neck and lifted it roughly.
“Hey! What the hell are you doing?!”
The others moved to stop him, but Hake shouted in frustration.
“Don’t be fooled! This thing can’t be trusted! A deceiver, a manipulator—urgh!”
Just as he was about to throw it, the cat scratched his hand and flipped midair, landing gracefully.
Then, with a sly grin, it spoke.
“You haven’t changed at all. Still so laughably blind when you get worked up.”
Astonishingly… the cat talked! And fluently, at that!
Even with sarcasm!
“You bastard, Nero!”
As Hake glared with seething hostility, the cat smirked.
“Don’t be a fool. Think about our position. You and I are both Depicio traitors, aren’t we?”
“T-That’s…!”
“Don’t forget where you stand.”
“…Grr!”
While everyone else stood frozen at the absurd sight of a talking cat…
The feline, having jabbed at Hake, leisurely walked over and rubbed against Elwin’s feet.
“Let me introduce him.”
Elwin picked the cat up and held him out to the others.
“This is Nero Chase, a fellow Hunter from my cohort—and a senior Hunter.”
“Pleasure to meet you-nya!”
To everyone’s astonishment, the cat raised a paw and greeted them.