Chapter 360

Meowcom [Part 2]

“Meow!”

*rustle rustle!*

“Mew mew!”

*rustle rustle!*

“Oomeow!”

*rustleee!*

The cats dragged the unwilling tailless whip scorpions out of their cave to accompany them exercising. Nevertheless, the tailless whip scorpions also had fun moving their bodies around. The cats were so agile even though they only had four legs. Trying to catch them during tag was an arduous task.

*rustle rustle!*

*rustle rustle!*

*rustle rustle!*

The tailless whip scorpions decided to take advantage of their numbers and cooperated to surround Kan-chan, who became “it.”

“Mew mew?!”

“Mew meow!”

(I’m being surrounded?!) Kan-chan looked over his surroundings restlessly.

(T-That’s the canned cat food formation, meow!) Chou-chan

exclaimed.

*rustle rustle!*

The tailless whip scorpions surrounding Kan-chan were closing the distance bit by bit.

“Meow, mew meow!”

(Heh, not bad… But, still too naive!) Kan-chan looked up at the sky.

There was no way the tailless whip scorpions could leap.

*rustle rustle!*

(We won’t let you!) The tailless whip scorpions stretched their first walking legs into the sky without giving up.

But then, Ryuu-chan’s eyes suddenly shone.

“ “Mew mew mew!?” ”

*rustle rustle!?*

Kan-chan, Chou-chan, tailless whip scorpions: (What is it about?!)

“Meow mew, mew mew mew.”

Ryuu-chan: (Something will fly towards here…)

“ “Mew mew?” ”

Kan-chan, Chou-chan: (Something? What is it?)

“Oomew meoow, meow!”

Ryuu-chan: (Something I don’t know what it is, meow! It’s not like I can understand everything from my precognition!)

“Meow meow meow!”

(If you don’t know what it is, then let’s cat-ch it, meow!) Kan-chan’s eyes glinted.

“Meoow!”

(If it’s approaching, then let’s move somewhere with a better view, meow!) Chou-chan suggested.

*rustle rustle!*

(We will help you!) The tailless whip scorpions were also full of enthusiasm.

Then, a *boom* like the sound of fireworks was heard from a distance.

“Meow?”

Kan-chan pricked up his ears to determine the direction of the sound’s source and broke into a dash toward it.

“Meow?”

(It’s coming) Chou-chan also chased after Kan-chan

.

“Meow meoow meow!”

(We don’t know what’s coming. Be careful) Ryuu-chan shouted before following behind her two sons.

*rustle rustle~!*

The tailless whip scorpions tagged along with the cats (in swarms).

♠♠♠

“HAHAHA! Good job!”

Joanna rejoiced even when still tied up.

Although she was reluctant to carry out the plan, she would be in great danger if this plan failed. She still found her own life more precious than the lives of the Royal Capital people.

“Ah… So you’ve fired it, huh.”

Joshua muttered while blocking his ears, that was now ringing from the artillery firing sound.

“Humph. You are obviously only feigning calmness out of pride, and it’s very unsightly, little boy. With this, the Royal Capital will turn into a sea of fire!”

The words Joanna spewed out made you think of a cliché villainous line, no matter how you heard it.

“Can you refrain from using such a loud voice? My ears are still ringing…”

Joshua swayed his head to check his hearing.

“Foolish! Still worrying about your ears… Don’t you get it? The innocent people of the Royal Capital have now become prey to the artillery shells. The house you live in, the academy you study in may be engulfed in flames. Oh, your parents and friends may not be alive! Or maybe they still are but are now suffering under the rubble. And it’s all caused by your carelessness. You have failed!”

Joanna hurled abuse at and blamed the boy for things too heavy for him to bear.

‘I have to crush this boy here and now, or else he will be a dangerous threat to the Empire in the future,’ thought Joanna. She deliberately chose and strung together terrible words that even made her nauseous.

“No, the one who instructed the artillery firing was you, Joanna-sama, and the one who executed it was that… tiny man over there. It has nothing to do with me. Even if the Royal Capital had turned into a sea of fire and many innocent and honest people died, that would be the result Joanna-sama, who gave out instructions, and the tiny man over there bring based on your own firm will, judgment, and responsibility. Even though there are newborn babies, young people working hard towards their dreams, kind shopkeepers and seamstresses, warm-hearted painters, and small children in the Royal Capital… you have intentionally robbed them of their future. Sigh… How cruel… I could never bear such a thing. Just how many families, lovers, and friends were separated by death because of that artillery… How terrifying…”

“Ugh!”

Joshua’s counterattack was genuinely nasty.

He returned the curses Joanna threw at him by several hundred-fold.

‘Does this boy have a mind or steel or something,’ Joanna gritted her teeth.