A Blissful Kitty Nap Beneath the Dappled Shade Chapter 5

[xuebingcode]

Chapter 5

Mithra: I can tell it’s nothing special from its magic. What would you even do with it?

Faust: Hey, that’s rude to the deceased. …Anyways, there’s still a little more to read. 

“P.S. You may have already met this little one, but there is a cat who is wearing a collar made from a magic tool of mine.”

“His name is Seda.”

Rutile & Mitile: Seda!?

Riquet: That’s the little brother of the eastern merchant who went missing in this valley…

Akira: No way, did he get turned into a cat…?

Faust: “You already know that when you lift this spell of mine a countercurse will be unleashed. I am using that magic collar as a catalyst so that Seda will receive the effects instead.”

“And do not worry, for he put on that collar in understanding of all the conditions.”

“In truth, I had intended for you to get caught in my spell in order for this countercurse to take effect, so that Seda may become a complete cat. That is all.”

After finishing the letter, we all looked at one another with questions in our eyes. 

Akira: Uhhh…so to turn back to normal, we need to collect those collars from the cats and purify them, but then…

Lennox: When the purifications are all over, the missing child…Seda, will receive the countercurse and become a “complete cat”.

Shino: What, so Seda isn’t a complete cat right now? Are his legs still human?

Rutile: T-That’d be pretty frightening to see…but there’s a chance he’s like us and not transformed completely. 

Mitile: But they wrote that Seda knew all this would happen and put on the collar to become a cat anyway…?

We then heard a noise behind us.

When we turned there was a cat who was pushing the cat door slightly open, sneaking a look our way. 

Akira: (Ah…it’s the grey cat from earlier.)

Bradley: Oh.

Older Wizards: …

The older wizards’ cat ears stood up in awareness of the grey cat, and Shino’s cat ears turned backwards in curiosity.

Saccy’s head turned left and right as it began to sniff at something, trying to catch a certain scent.

The suspicious cat seemed like it didn’t know what to do for a moment, but finally made its mind to come through the cat door. 

With a strangely purposeful stride, it walked up to the edge of the carpet, and began sharpening its claws on the wooden floor.

Akira: …? This one’s a little weird. Usually cats sharpen their claws on carpets…

Grey Cat: …!

Faust: Yes. But that one isn’t a cat. He’s a human who was transformed into a cat…Seda, right?

Rutile & Mitile: What!

Grey Cat: …M, Meow…

Riquet: You’re right! This is a human’s voice! A human trying to imitate a cat!

Seda: S-Shut up! You, you guys are trying to…erupt, disrupt the peace of the Valley! The spirits will be mad at you!

The grey cat…or Seda, turned his body sideways, and his fur stood on end. He began crab-walking with the tips of his toes. 

Akira: (He’s doing the standard  ‘you wanna come at me?’ pose…)

Rutile crouched down in front of Seda, who was cautious of us, and bent over to meet eyes with him.

Rutile: Seda. We’ve been searching for you. Your brother is worried, you know.

Seda: Huh…he is?

Rutile: Mmhmm. But…you want to become a cat, right Seda? That’s what the Cat Wizard wrote in his letter.

Lennox: Would you tell us why, before you become a cat? We have to make a report to your bro–

Seda: Shut…Shut up! Who cares about my brother! I’m not going home!

Rutile: Yes, and it’s your freedom to choose so, I understand. It’s just that he’s very worried, so–

Seda: I don’t care!

Interrupting Rutile’s words partway, Seda growled threateningly.

He lowered his body close to the floor, and widened his eyes at all of us, black pupils dilated. 

And finally, he sent a sharp glare to Faust. 

Seda: You’re the curseworker neighbour. 

The old man said that you’re a loner wizard who’s always by himself…but you’re not alone at all!

Faust: …Even if you tell me that…

Seda: You’re a liar! Stupid! A…uh, stupid liar!!

Bradley: You need more words in yer dictionary. 

He spat verbal abuse with quite some power and only a little vocab. Finally, he ran out the cat door. 

Mitile: Ah! He left…!

Mithra: What was with that kid? Why was he mad at you?

Faust: Like I know. He didn’t seem to be happy that I was with others I guess…

…

Akira: (...Hm?)

I watched his expression from the side. 

I thought he’d reply to Seda with “I’m only with them for now, I usually am alone.” or something. 

I couldn’t understand what he was feeling, with his ears and tail barely even moving. 

Shino: Should we capture him with magic?

Faust: No, it’s fine. Let’s let him be for now.

Rutile: I think so too. I’m guessing he’s younger than Mitile or Riquet, so we should give him some time to calm down. 

Akira: Got it.

Mitile: Okay, then we should go and find cats with collars to get rid of the curse. I’ll go search outside.

Rutile: I’ll go with you. How about anyone else? Riquet?

Riquet: No, I will search inside the manor. When I’m with Mitile, I get the urge to headbutt him. 

Mitile: Whaaat…ehehe. I actually get the urge too. Pounce…

Riquet: Pounce…

Mithra: Rutile. Where is the protection charm I gave you?

Rutile: I have it right here! Look, it’s the crushed orange.

Mithra: It’s not an orange but the head of a magic beast. Whatever, as long as you have it. Arthim. 

Rutile: Mmreow…why did you pluck at my cat ears like that?

Mithra: It’s a spell you cast from the top of your head. It’s for protection, so you can go off walking around outside while I do the exact opposite. 

Lennox: Right, the cats outside are wary of us after the commotion we caused.

It’s best we don’t go out in large numbers, so you two can go outside first.

Rutile: Okiedokie!

Mitile: I’ll go and pick some catnip for us!

Faust: Alright, we might as well split into these two groups then. Let’s start searching this room. 

Riquet & Akira: Yes! 

And so we started our hunt for cat collars. However–

Lennox: To lift the spell we need to remove their collars and purify them…so we have to manage to get the collars off the cats first.

Shino: If we use magic it’ll be instant right? 

Faust: No, that counts as interfering with the spell. It’s okay to use magic to gather the cats, but removing their collars should be done with our hands.

However, cats run away if you chase after them. We could ignore them until they come over to us, or bait them with food and toys…

Mithra: What a pain. Arthim.

Riquet: Mithra! You have to wait until Faust finishes speaking!

Casually casting a spell to move objects, a few collared cats float up into the air. 

The sleepy cats were now awake, the black pupils in their eyes expanded once they understood what was going on. 

Angry Cats: Owaaaa~...

Urrrrrrr…

Shino: Hey, they look pissed off.

Akira: M-Mithra! You should stop that, now!

Mithra: What are you so afraid of? They’re just beasts. They can’t do anything.

He snapped his fingers with composure, and the cats all swarmed onto Mithra. 

The many cats were stuffed into his open arms, and then–

Angry Cats: Gyaaaa!!

Mrya! Gya! Gya!

Mithra: Ow!! Hey, don’t…

Angry Cats: Hissaaah! Kaaaa!

Shaaaa!

They bit and clawed at him without mercy, and writhing in desperation to get out, the cats dashed from Mithra’s embrace. 

Tracing and erasing with his finger the scratches they left on his nose, Mithra’s eyes narrowed threateningly.

Mithra: You damn cats…

Bradley: Dude, don’t lose your cool over some cats.

Riquet: Besides, that was entirely your fault, Mit–

Mithra: Don’t think you can run from me.

And thus began a heist from the ceiling to the floor. 

The cats being chased kicked down anything they could as they ran throughout the house.

Mithra’s spells and his own wagging tail knocked objects over as well. Because of that chaos, uncollared cats not a part of this chase began running around too.

Faust: Hey, get it together!!

Lennox: Calm down, Mithra. Half of the cats have hidden themselves away now. 

Bradley: Watch your tail, bud. And check out the yarn on you. 

Mithra: …

…Haaaugh…

This is such a pain…this is why I don’t like animals.

He started slamming his tail to the floor in anger.

At some point in the chaos he got tangled in yarn all over as Bradley pointed out. 

Akira: (He’s in a bad mood now…)

As soon as he laid down on the carpet, a single cat shifted out from the shadows of the cat tower.

It wore a pale green collar on it, and after a big yawn, it relaxedly stretched out its plump and rotund body. 

Akira: Did that cat…just wake up?

Riquet: Was it sleeping the whole time? In the middle of that?

Shino: What a carefree cat.

It glanced over at us, and lost interest right away. Instead, it slowly took a few steps forward.

Walking up close to a Mithra who was gazing upwards, it leaped with a second thought onto his stomach.

Mithra: Ughh, heavy…what’s with this one.

Faust: If you want to catch it, stay like that. It might run if you move so suddenly.

Examining its position, the cat circling in place eventually sat on his stomach. 

And gently, its eyes relax and it begins to purr.

Carefree Cat: …Purrrr…

*pat pat*…*paw paw*…Purrrr…

Akira: (It…it’s kneading him! It’s kneading Mithra’s stomach like bread! Cute…! What am I watching!!)

Lennox, who was closest, came towards them without making a sound.

Lennox: I removed its collar. Forsettao Meiuvat. 

He recited his spell, and the collar he picked up gave off a faint and clear light.

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