When I heard a rustling in the snow-covered bushes, I slowly lifted my face from my arms and listened attentively. The nature spirits swirled around me, but something had caught their attention. My gaze focused on the bushes, their branches swaying gently in the icy wind. Curiosity drove me closer. Carefully, I pushed the branches aside and peered into the depths of the bush.
There, I discovered something fluffy and black, curled up into a small bundle. At first, I looked back at Raven and Isabella, who watched me attentively from a safe distance. To avoid scaring the creature, I decided not to call them over.
My attention returned to the animal and I noticed red spots in the snow near it. Was it injured? As a precaution, I applied my healing magic to the animal. It immediately started to move. Surprise washed over me as I realized it was a cat. It was the first time I had seen a cat in this world. Its pointed ears and long, fluffy fur fascinated me. The cat opened its large, round, violet eyes and rose to its feet. Its fur shimmered with a purple-blue hue.
Although it was a wild creature, I couldn't resist the urge to pet it. I gently extended my hand and watched the animal closely, whispering softly, "I won't harm you... I just want to touch you for a moment, please." It sat still, staring into my eyes. Then I felt it â my hand touched the silky, soft fur.
In that moment, all my sadness and shame seemed to vanish. I wanted to bury my whole face in its fur. The cat appeared so tame and lovable. It was likely that she already belonged to someone. "I'll help you find your way home," I promised as I carefully lifted the cat from the bush. She was cute and cuddly. In my heart, I wished to keep her, but I knew it wasn't an option, especially if she already had someone who was probably desperately searching for her.
I approached Isabella and Raven with the little cat in my arms. "I found a lost kitten," I told them, raising the fluffy creature. They stared at the animal in my arms. Raven drew his sword and warned me with a stern tone, "That's not a cat. Drop it immediately. It's extremely dangerous." Isabella added hurriedly, "It's a demon beast."
"Demon beast?" It was hard to believe because before me sat a tiny, innocent-looking kitten. Isabella continued to explain, "Demons can take the form of animals, monsters or humans. They possess great magical powers and are extremely merciless."
A demon... this sweet little creature? I hesitated for a moment because I really had no idea how dangerous demons could be in this world. Perhaps I should listen to Raven and Isabella. But then, I heard a soft "Meow," and my heart stopped. The sweet cat meowed, looking at me with its big, round eyes, full of need.
"Can't I really keep him?" I whispered sadly to myself, looking at Raven and Isabella with pleading eyes. Isabella sighed and said, "I will report to the Duke. In the meantime, I'll leave the demon beast in your care." She nodded to Raven and walked away. Raven lowered his sword, but he kept it within reach, his gaze fixed on the demon beast.
I really didn't want to meet Tatsuya now, especially after the incident this morning. I looked at the cat and held it in front of me. "Are you really a demon?" The cat remained silent, of course not understanding my words. I couldn't quite grasp the fuss surrounding the situation. Maybe black cats were considered bad luck here and were thus labeled as demon beasts?
While I contemplated, Tatsuya arrived with Sir Silberstein and a group of knights. They were all armed and in their combat gear. "Step away from the demon beast immediately," Tatsuya commanded me. My emotions were still wounded from this morning and now he was scolding me again. "No!" I shouted back, enraged by the whole situation. It all just got to me. Everyone stared at me in disbelief. "He hasn't done anything and I'm going to keep him!" I declared rebelliously and stormed off towards the estate.
Someone from Tatsuya's entourage asked with concern, "What should we do, Duke?" He replied calmly, "For now, nothing. If it poses a threat, Raven should eliminate it immediately." Meanwhile, he watched me stomp away.
When I reached my room, I gently placed the cat on the floor and then threw myself onto my bed. I screamed into my pillow to release my frustration and shame. Maybe it was really a deadly creature, and I should have acted more sensibly instead of just storming off. But in that moment, I couldn't control my emotions. I felt so ashamed. Even Ryota would probably have acted more maturely in my situation. The cat jumped onto the bed next to me, looking at me. Even if they could tell me, I still couldn't believe that something so cute could be evil. I turned onto my back, holding her up in the air. She was so well-behaved and trusting.
I contemplated whether I should ask Raven, who had already sneaked into the room, for more information about demon beasts. However, in the end, I decided against it and turned to the nature spirits instead.
They explained to me that demon beasts were feared due to their power and cunning. However, it hadn't always been that way. In the past, they had peacefully coexisted with humans and even formed pacts with them. Through these pacts, demons could share their magical powers with humans. In return, the demon received a tiny piece of the human soul, allowing them to experience human emotions. But it didn't take long for humans to begin hunting and enslaving demon beasts to seize their power. They tricked the demons and forced them into making pacts.
However, the demons began to rebel against humans and steal their whole souls. Since then, a tense relationship existed between humans and demon beasts. Especially the church continued to hunt and kill demon beasts to this day. The story was truly sad. But if demons hated humans so much, why were you so calm and trusting? I wondered as I gazed at the fluffy little creature in my hands.
"I won't harm you and I won't allow anyone to hurt you. I'll take care of you, provide you with food, and give you a warm place to sleep. You're free to leave anytime and do as you please. I just ask that you don't hurt anyone unless your life is in danger," I said to him, even though I wasn't sure if he understood me. "Meow." Was that an affirmation? It certainly felt like one. "Do you have a name? You can't exactly tell me. How about... Midnight?" I asked him.
Suddenly, he was enveloped in a bright light and his fur shimmered once more. "What was that?" I asked, surprised. Raven rushed to the bed and analyzed me. "How do you feel?" he inquired with concern. "Completely normal. What's going on?" I was puzzled by Raven's worry.
"You've just made a pact with the demon. I need to inform the Duke, in case the demon hasn't already stolen your soul," Raven explained with a serious expression and hurried off.
I gazed at Midnight. I didn't feel any different. "I haven't stolen your soul," a deep voice echoed in my mind. Confused, I looked around until my gaze fell back on Midnight. "You can speak?" I asked him in astonishment. "You're a peculiar human with very odd thoughts," the voice replied. Thoughts? Can you read my thoughts? "Not just yours, but everyone's. Only you can hear my voice because I made a pact with you" he explained.
Raven, Isabella, and Tatsuya burst into the room. Tatsuya, bearing the weight of seriousness and determination, approached me, his hand gripping my chin firmly as he seemed to peer deep into my soul with his penetrating eyes. There was a moment of tension before he finally released his hold. Swiftly, he unsheathed his sword, his movements precise, his target clear: Midnight. "I should have eliminated you immediately," Tatsuya thundered his words at Midnight, his eyes filled with resolve.
However, before the scene could escalate into a violent act, I positioned myself protectively between Tatsuya and Midnight. My expression was a mix of determination and bewilderment. "What are you doing?" I snapped at Tatsuya in anger. "Midnight hasn't done anything and I'm fine," I added with a tone of conviction. Tatsuya stared at me intently, his gaze still marked by stern determination. But then, after a moment of contemplation, he sheathed his sword.
He turned to Isabella, who was standing in the doorway, and gave clear instructions: "Isabella, fetch Dr. Weber. He needs to examine him thoroughly." I had originally intended to protest, but the stern expression in Tatsuya's eyes and his ominous gaze forced me into silence.
In a fit of anger, Tatsuya asked me once more, "If it's not your soul, what did you promise the demon then?" My response came trembling, yet with unwavering conviction. "Nothing," I explained. "I just told him he could live here in peace. Raven was there," I added and glanced briefly at Raven, who affirmed my words with a nod.
Finally, Dr. Weber entered and began examining me thoroughly. He conducted the examination with great precision, but despite his efforts, he found nothing abnormal.
Bonus: Midnights point of view
As my strength waned, I trudged through a harsh, icy landscape, my body covered in wounds. The constant fear of being pursued by humans had driven me to the brink of despair. Eventually, my arduous journey led me to an unexpected place, a location where magic seemed to permeate the very air. The powerful magical vibrations in the atmosphere drew me in, and my weakened legs led me to a protective thicket of snow-covered bushes.
I lay down there to catch my breath and tend to my wounds, but also to hide from potential enemies. When I opened my eyes, I saw a young human standing over me. My instincts screamed for caution and I prepared for a surprise attack. However, what followed was entirely unexpected.
I felt my pain fading away and my wounds healing. Confused and curious, I gazed into the eyes of the young human kneeling before me. His thoughts seemed to flow out of him and they were so different from anything I had ever experienced.
"A cat? How cute!" the human thought. "What adorable round eyes and those ears. Its fur looks so soft... What I wouldn't give to touch it." These thoughts were filled with wonder and affection and it seemed like he felt no fear in my presence.
His thoughts continued: "I'd love to bury my face in its soft fur and kiss those sweet little paws." It was as if he admired me, as if he found joy and fascination in my company. This connection between a human and a demon beast was something entirely new to me.
I pondered how to respond to this unusual situation. "Perhaps I'll let him live for a while" I thought. His touches were pleasant and gentle and maybe in his presence, I could learn more about this enigmatic human.