Ch. 3 To Survive As A Cat (1)
[Didnât you know? Well, I suppose you wouldnât.]
âMyaaag!â (Of course not!)
[You were a stray, weak in a group but good on your own. During the times you felt lonely, however, you would cry. You had an insatiable curiosity, but didnât have much to sustain your whimsical moods. Despite your strong artistic disposition, most donât seem to understand you, and while youâre affectionate towards the people you let close, you appear crazy otherwise. Is that right?]
I wished I could strangle the bird, but I opened my eyes and remembered that I was facing an angel of death. Even if it was giving me a new chance of freedom, to talk about my past life like thatâ¦
Anyway.
âYayaaan?â (So I have fur?)
[Because youâre a cat.]
âMyaaa?â [Tail?]
[Itâs functioning. Youâre certainly fine. You can go to the human world right away. Good, good.]
I took stock of my four paws, the thin black hairs covering my body, and my improved vision and full flexibility. Oh my god! I really was a cat. And obviously meowing.
âMiyaaaag!â (What the hell!)
How could I have died and become a cat? How was I turned into this?! I trembled and yowled in consternation at this bizarre experience, but the bird spoke in a more relaxed manner.
[When you become more familiar with the body, you can even speak human words. Such is the skill of the otherworld!]
âMyag myag! Niyaang, nya nya nya! Nyang!â (Iâm not doing it now! How does a cat speak human? The vocal organs are different in the first place!)
[I can understand what youâre saying.]
âKyaak!â (You charlatan!)
[Perhaps youâre more nervous since you became a cat? Well, donât worry too much. While you look like a cat from the outside, the vessel is undoubtedly of otherworldly make. We use them to spy on the human world. Itâs natural that humans donât understand the principle.]
Vessel? I remembered the crow from earlier, and connected it to the image of a black cat.
âMyamyagâ¦mya mya mya mya mya?â (Is it because of the angels of death that the crow and black cat are unlucky?)
[Thatâs correct. If we wear it and are nearby, someone is sure to die.]
âMyaag?!â (And you gave it to me?)
[Thatâs why we wear white ones these days. Itâs the new style after humans started to treat black creatures with ill intent.]
The small white bird gave a graceful flap of its wings. What kind of sins were inflicted on those poor innocent crows and black cats?
[Oh, and the nice thing is that when you accumulate enough energy, you can transform into a human. So what do you think? Is it the right feature for you?]
âN-nyaang?â (H-human?)
[Yes, you need to collect a certain amount of energy to do so. The vessel is fundamentally modeled after yokai, so you will need to obtain yin energy.]
âMya mya?â (How do I get it?)
[The easiest way is to absorb moonlight every night. With thatâ¦you can turn into a human for a day with a monthâs worth of moonlight. The vessel is a little outdated, so itâs not very efficient. In contrast, with this birdâs body, it probably takes about fifteen days?]
I was astonished that there was such technology from the otherworld. I calmed my mind, and concluded that this vessel was not so bad, as long as my soul was safe and I could turn into a human. Perhaps then I could visit my mother.
Recharging by moonlightâ¦It was a concept I didnât fully understand, but it was better than my soul wandering around naked.
[Nyaâ¦nyayang.] (Thank you.)
[â¦Iâm sorry that it came to this.]
[Nyaâ¦] (Iâ¦)
I had given up hope when I thought death was inevitable, but now I could live as a human at least one day a month. A seed of gratitude nestled in me.
My mind was still somewhat numb from all this information, so I studied my body, flexing my paws and extending my claws. The angel of death continued to speak.
[That will keep you alive for about a year. In the meantime, I will rebuild your human body, so bear with meâ¦]
âNyanyangâ¦?â (Just like the original?)
[Of course. Your new body will be created exactly as it was. And the catâs body will transform into the shape that your human soul remembers.]
âYaaong, niyaang nyanyanyang nya?â (So, is there anything I have to watch out for?)
[Hmmm. Perhaps other demons or angels of death. But the other angels of death will only see you as a cat, and you will be completely camouflaged among them. Although once you go straight to the human world, youâll have to stay there for a year.]
After a brief pause, the bird tilted its head, its black eyes shining.
[I will be very busy rebuilding your body. Try to adapt yourself to the human world in the meantime.]
It returned to its businesslike tone. I wondered what was going to happen next, but I shut my mouth and nodded. I still couldnât believe I was a cat.
[And while you are in that body, I cannot sense your energy. It is intended to hide your identity completely. It is because of these safety features that I gave you this vessel.]
âYaang? Niyaang! â (What? Then what should I do when you need to find me!)
[Weâll set up a meeting time in a year.]
I wanted to cry. Because I was in the body of a cat, however, I couldnât make facial expressions.
âMyaaâ¦â (I seeâ¦)
[Thereâs no cause for worry. As long as youâre in there, there wonât be much danger. The vessel is designed to be the armor for an emissary and has the power to protect the soul.]
The angel of death added a few more notes. Although the vessel could repel bad luck, large accidents should be avoided. I could live without eating, but I would still experience hunger and excrete waste if I ate. Academics and doctors absolutely had to be avoided. My physical capabilities were now far superior, making it easier to wander aroundâ¦
I lost track of how long I listened to the angel of death drone on about the details when finallyâ
[Letâs go now.]
âNya?â
[To the human world.]
The birdâs tone turned urgent. I watched it as it flew over my head and then settled between my ears. I wondered what would happen next, when suddenly, a white light appeared over my head and spread over my body, and a strong wind blew.