Free Web NovelAfter the Hero left, the two monster girls stared at one another in silence.
In the end, it was the livelier catgirl who broke the awkward quiet:
“Are Heroes always this dedicated? It’s not even dawn yet.” ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
Vieya shook her head. Outwardly her expression was calm, but inwardly she let out a long sigh.
That little girl who used to beg her for mercy after just a short session of sword practice, sneaking off to slack and read storybooks—now she had grown up.
“Helcat, did you do what you promised me?”
“Mm... which one?”
The black-haired, red-eyed catgirl froze, blinking her beautiful, lively eyes. Then she seemed to remember, glanced at the deadpan loli, and gave a dry laugh:
“Haha, don’t worry! Unlike you humans, when I say something I mean it! Since I promised you I’d tell you before I send my pets into the city to find food, then of course I’ll tell you!”
Helcat thumped her slightly raised chest in reassurance, her intoxicating wine-red eyes full of earnestness.
She really did seem to be quite serious.
Should I be nicer to her, then?
Vieya’s heart softened for half a second, then quickly hardened again. Once was enough.
Vieya was not the kind of big fool who would fall into the same pit twice.
“...Then, Helcat.” Vieya chose her words carefully.
“What is it, meow?”
“As a great demon, why are you willing to sign an unequal pact with me?”
“It’s an exchange. You’re going to teach me how to raise humans, meow.”
“That’s all?”
“Of course.” Helcat swished her fluffy black tail, then hesitated. “If you feel you’re losing out, I can lend you my tail to touch~”
By the end she had somehow puffed herself up smugly. “The feel is super soft, super nice, meow. I’ve never let another living thing touch it before. You should be grateful!”
“...”
She had a Justice Value of –800, judged to be extremely evil, and yet here she was acting as ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) ridiculous and carefree as some kung fu panda chosen one.
Vieya wanted to say something, but found she had nothing to say.
Ignoring the catgirl who was trying to seduce her with a tail, Vieya instead rummaged through the wardrobe for clothes that suited her.
Inside the huge birch-wood wardrobe, there were plenty of clothes in her size: childish and innocent dresses, simple everyday wear, elegant formal gowns... and, per her request, quite a few coats in all sorts of colors and styles.
“Favors are really useful... if only they could be reused.”
After a moment of thought, Vieya picked out a plain, easy-to-wear black overcoat.
Other clothes and dresses were just too much hassle. Nothing beat a coat.
Throwing it on over her small frame, even if it was a bit oversized, it didn’t matter at all.
It suited her.
Inwardly giving herself an approving nod, Vieya then turned to remind the catgirl, who was sneaking around with who knew what:
“When it’s light out, make sure you move my things from the second floor of the Hunter’s Knife Tavern over here.”
“Cough, cough!”
Helcat, who had been secretly sipping tea, stuck out her tongue after burning it, then stammered: “You’re going out this late? That Hero just told you not to wander at night...”
“...”
Seeing Vieya walk off without a backward glance, Helcat hastily set down the cup.
“Hey! Wait for me, I’m coming too, meow!”
That night.
The moon hung high, stars faint, and the cold wind was biting.
Vieya stood on a high wall, her hood shadowing her delicate face, her coat fluttering in the wind.
This human border town was neatly laid out, its roads and houses strictly planned.
To prevent monsters from charging straight in should the outer walls be breached, two more high walls had been built inside as buffer barriers.
These two walls divided the town into three sections: the core district, the commercial district, and the commoners’ district.
Between the commercial district and the commoners’ district stood the first high wall—the one where Vieya now was.
Using the darkness and her small frame, Vieya easily avoided the city guards patrolling atop the wall.
As for Helcat, she hardly needed to worry. If she wanted, she could stand right in front of a guard and draw a turtle on his face, and he still wouldn’t notice.
“Meow, meow, so you’ve always dreamed of being a ranger, huh.”
In the moonlight, Helcat stretched lazily, her scarlet eyes scanning the town below.
Suddenly, she froze as though struck by revelation. Covering her pink mouth, she exclaimed softly:
“So you came to see what that purple-haired girl is up to, didn’t you? Hehe, are you worried she’ll get hurt, meow?”
Turning her head slightly, her pure profile lit by the moon, her golden-red eyes sparkled with curiosity:
“You... aren’t you caring a bit too much about that Hero?”
“None of your business.”
Vieya bent her knees and leapt lightly from the wall, descending like a swift night owl.
The catgirl gave a small, displeased hum, kicking at a pebble by her feet.
Whoosh!
Clang!
A patrolling guard touched his helmet, glancing back. Behind him, the high wall lay in darkness, lit only by the faint glow of scattered torches.
“Lanchi, stay in formation!”
The leader’s sharp voice came from the front.
“Ah—coming, coming.”
Tonight, the wind was far too noisy.
