Chater 78: The Cat and the Box
“…Do you realize how dangerous that was?”
As we wandered aimlessly after leaving the church, I couldn’t hold back my complaints to Dogeon.
I didn’t even bother bringing up his attitude toward the gods or divine power—there was no point since he clearly didn’t understand those things. But there was still plenty to say, especially about the danger he’d put himself in.
Gloria had let it slide this time, but if her paranoia had gotten the better of her, or if she’d started to suspect something was off, Dogeon could’ve easily ended up with more holes in him than a sieve.
To me, Gloria seemed like the type who wouldn’t hesitate to act.
The aura of someone who had killed before was unmistakable—it was a reasonable suspicion.
“I wasn’t being reckless. I had my reasons. The information I had about Stefania was something she couldn’t refuse.”
“…Still. What if?”
What if you got hurt?
I wanted to say it, but I knew it wouldn’t matter. Telling him it was dangerous wouldn’t stop him—if anything, it would only make him more eager.
That’s just how guys are.
…Unless, of course, I locked him away somewhere completely safe and isolated from the outside world. Not that I’m saying I’d imprison Dogeon.
…Probably not. Even I couldn’t be sure. If it was the only way to keep him safe…?
Hmm. Tough call.
“Hey, don’t worry. At least the two of us have enough skill to buy time to escape if things go south.”
He sounded confident, though I wasn’t so sure. I didn’t know the extent of Dogeon’s magic, but it certainly didn’t seem strong enough to match those divine blades.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that something might go horribly wrong someday.
“…Ugh, fine. Let’s drop it. But hey, didn’t you say you had a cat? I didn’t see it anywhere… Don’t tell me you abandoned it already?”
Even the day after the party, the pet supplies in Dogeon’s room looked untouched.
If he planned to get rid of it that quickly, why had he gone all-in on preparing to keep it in the first place?
“Oh… about that…”
Dogeon hesitated, looking like he knew he’d done something wrong.
At least he had the decency to feel guilty about it.
But on the flip side, it made him worse—knowing it was wrong yet still abandoning the cat? That was just vile.
I don’t like cats, but irresponsible people are even worse.
Dogeon had always seemed so dependable.
I never imagined he could be that kind of person.
“I was going to keep it, but… it ran away. It slipped out when I left the door open for just a moment.”
Hmm. It sounded like a hastily made excuse.
Honestly, it seemed more plausible that he’d never intended to keep the cat at all.
But then again, he had bought a bed and litter box. If he wasn’t planning to use them, why go to the trouble of buying them? That didn’t add up.
“…Are you being serious?”
I couldn’t be sure if he was lying or not, so I decided to press a little further.
“…Yeah, I’m serious. I didn’t think it’d bolt that quickly. I wanted to take care of it…”
Could he really be faking that expression and tone? Dogeon looked genuinely regretful.
If a pet I’d picked out suddenly ran away, I’d probably feel pretty upset too. Maybe I was being too harsh.
“Ah… so that’s how it is. Sorry for bringing it up…”
“Why are you apologizing? It’s the cat’s fault.”
I had more things to ask him—like why he’d been acting so friendly with other girls lately, or why he’d been meeting Anastasia alone. But now didn’t seem like the right time.
“…Want me to catch it for you?”
Dogeon seemed down, and if the cat was the root of the issue, maybe catching it and bringing it back would fix things.
“What? I mean, if you could, that’d be great. Thanks, but… it seemed really wary of people. I don’t think even you could catch it…”
Even after being abandoned by the cat, Dogeon was more worried about it than upset.
Oh, don’t worry, buddy—or should I say big bro…? No, maybe big sis fits better. Either way, I’ve got a plan.
“Just tell me where you’ve seen it hanging around. I’ll catch it and bring it back in no time.”
Back home, I’d once gotten a wild hawk to perch on my arm. I regretted it immediately, of course—it was ridiculously heavy, had sharp talons, and terrifying strength.
I couldn’t understand animals, but I could make them understand me.
If a hawk listened to me, a cat would be easy.
“…I usually saw it near the flowerbeds by our dorm.”
Flowerbeds, huh? That’s not far.
No point in delaying, so I grabbed Dogeon’s hand and started heading toward his dorm to gather the supplies I’d need to lure the cat.
But this time, Dogeon didn’t let me drag him along as easily as before.
“…You’re not coming?”
The usually pliant Dogeon, who would let himself be dragged along with barely a word, was oddly immobile this time. Curious, I asked him why.
“Sorry. I made a promise to Anya. It’s important, and I can’t delay it or bring you along. It won’t take long, though…”
Ah, so he had plans with Anya. And he didn’t think to tell me.
I guess spending time with me isn’t important, huh?
The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed them. I’ve been clinging to Dogeon a lot lately, and maybe I should give him some space.
Everyone deserves some privacy, after all… as long as he’s not using it to charm another girl.
Then again, maybe that’s just his destiny as the protagonist of a harem story.
When women throw themselves at you without any effort on your part, what can you do? If I were living his life, I’d probably enjoy it too.
“…I see. Well, have a good talk! I’ll wait for you…”
Yeah, go ahead and have your cozy little chat with her.
Meanwhile, I’ll be out here, catching a cat for you.
“…Sorry. I’ll make it up to you later—take you wherever you want to go.”
No need for that. Just being around is enough.
No need to make promises or drag it out—better to move on quickly.
My first stop? The dumpster.
Why the dumpster? I needed a box.
Despite being a dumpster, the academy’s cleanliness standards made it surprisingly tolerable.
I quickly found a sturdy cardboard box in good condition.
Having gotten what I came for, I should’ve left immediately. But I spotted a box just the right size for me to fit into.
…No one’s around. What harm could it do?
When I was younger, I nearly suffocated after crawling into a box and getting stuck, so I’d always been wary of enclosed spaces. But this box didn’t lock, and I could tear it open if needed.
Just once.
I glanced around nervously before carefully crawling inside.
“…Huh.”
It was cramped and dark, and for a moment, I felt a bit short of breath. But soon, the snug space felt oddly cozy.
Warm and safe. Maybe I could stay here a little longer.
It was that same comforting feeling of “just five more minutes” you get when lying in bed.
If I compared it to a bed, the box was worse in every way—dirtier, less comfortable. And yet, somehow, it felt better.
I stayed there for a while, savoring my secret moment of peace.
Who knew boxes could be this great?
But my bliss didn’t last.
From far away, I suddenly felt a massive collision of mana and divine power.
Startled, I clumsily tumbled out of the box. I’d never experienced a shockwave that intense before.
Grabbing the box I planned to use for the cat, I rushed outside—but everything was eerily normal.
…What? That felt like a bomb went off. But the campus was completely peaceful.
Focusing my senses, I tried to pick up any signs of disruption. But all I heard were girls giggling, boys exchanging dirty jokes, and the general hubbub of campus life.
…Maybe I imagined it?
Confused, I decided to focus on the task at hand.
Heading toward the flowerbeds by the dorms, I finally spotted the cat.
True to Dogeon’s description, the moment it saw me, it began retreating cautiously. It would probably bolt at the slightest provocation.
Well, you should’ve been more selective about who you run from.
Locking eyes with the cat, I sent it a very clear message.
-Get into this box now, or I’ll kill you.
The cat, apparently unwilling to die, obediently climbed into the box I’d placed on the ground.
“…Good kitty.”
It was scruffy, but nothing a good bath couldn’t fix.
Since I was the one who caught it, I had no doubt Dogeon would take excellent care of it.
As for the name… That wasn’t my decision to make.
It was up to Dogeon, the cat’s rightful owner.
Carrying the box with the bedraggled feline inside, I headed to Dogeon’s room.
-The person who lives here will take care of you. If you run again, you’ll die by my hands.
The cat, trembling without making a sound, seemed to understand.
With that settled, all I had to do was wait.
Dogeon said he wouldn’t take long, so I busied myself setting up the cat’s supplies.
I poured litter into the box, set up the cage, and placed the food where it was easy to find.
…
…Dogeon’s late…