Under the moonlight, a girl and a cat traversed the rooftops—silent, nimble, like sprites under the moon.
They crossed streets, passed through alleys, climbed windows, and scaled buildings.
In less than a single night, the girl had already learned a great deal through her genius-level powers of observation.
"Mm~ If I land like this, I won't make a sound~"
"One hop, two pushes, and up the tree!"
"So you have to twist like this before jumping to get higher."
The girl mumbled to herself with a furrowed brow. The surrounding air, tinged with the fresh scent of catnip, filled her with a strange sense of excitement.
The pursuit continued until they finally reached a tall wall. The black cat leaped effortlessly to the top, but for the girl, the wall seemed insurmountably high.
"Darn it, you're cheating!"
Pardofelis pouted, scolding her teacher.
The black cat looked down from its high perch, casting a triumphant glance at the little girl. Its eyes were as beautiful as stars in the night sky.
Unfortunately, that star soon vanished.
The black cat turned and left without a trace, leaving the girl staring blankly at the sky. A moment later, she stomped her foot in frustration.
It was happening again. Ever since she could remember, everyone had been leaving her. The pedestrians on the street, the homeless man who had looked after her, even the warm midday sun.
But what did it matter?
The little girl told herself as if to comfort herself. One day, she would find a place where she could bask in the sun every day, a place where she wouldn't have to worry about food or clothing, a place…
"Meow~"
The little girl's thoughts were interrupted by a familiar cat's cry from behind her.
"What's this?"
She turned her head and saw not one, but many pairs of shining stars.
At the head of the group was a young boy. His red eyes, like the finest gemstones, were reflected in hers.
"Hello there, little one," Fu Li said, stroking the black cat he held in his arms. He was just a kid, yet he possessed a strangely reassuring aura.
"H-hello?" The girl was a little dazed. She finally knew where that scent that had been surrounding her all day had come from.
"Hmph…" Fu Li's smile widened as he gently handed the well-behaved black cat to the girl.
"Care to get acquainted? My name is Li. And you are?"
"My name?" The girl snapped back to reality, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I'm Pardofelis. You can call me Pardo. An old grandpa gave me that name."
Normally, she would have run away the moment she saw someone. But whether it was because of his age or that inexplicable sense of security, she felt no urge to flee.
It was only then that she realized she had unknowingly arrived on the roof of a coffee shop—a cat cafe, known by the thugs of Twilight Street as the 'Death Cat Cafe'.
"Heh… Pardo… Felis?" Fu Li repeated the name slowly, as if savoring each syllable, before lightly hopping off the wall.
The multitude of cats followed him down. Fu Li pushed open the shop door below and brought out a pizza, still steaming.
"Would you like some?" Fu Li invited.
"This…" Pardofelis hesitated.
She had heard that the owner of this shop was a little boy who, despite his young age, was a living demon.
But Pardo's cat-like intuition told her he meant her no harm.
After a moment's hesitation, perhaps because she hadn't had a full meal in a very long time, Pardofelis followed Fu Li's example and jumped down.
"Well… if you insist?"
Though she said this, she was still ready to bolt at a moment's notice. This was the way of survival for a child like her in Twilight Street.
However, that vigilance began to melt away bit by bit the moment she stepped into the cat cafe.
A warm fireplace, cats cuddling together for warmth, and delicious, fragrant pizza—it was an environment the girl had never experienced before.
"Um, can I really eat this? Or, can I sit down?"
Looking at this place, which seemed like paradise, Pardofelis glanced down at her own tattered clothes and the few dusty footprints she'd left on the floor. She couldn't help but shyly curl her cute little feet.
"Of course you can." Fu Li, seeming not to care at all, pulled out a chair for her and smilingly pushed the pizza towards her.
"Hurry up and eat before it gets cold. Oh, are you worried I poisoned it?"
Thinking of a cat's cautious nature, Fu Li smiled, tore off a slice of pizza, and ate it himself, an action that immediately put her at ease.
Seeing this, Pardofelis finally sat down cautiously, picked up a warm slice, and began to eat in small bites.
Instantly, the sweet flavor of the cheese and the savory taste of the ham exploded in the girl's mouth. Her back straightened slightly, making her look just like a little kitten enjoying the sun.
Before she knew it, the pizza was gone. Realizing this, Pardofelis lowered her head in embarrassment.
"Um, sorry. I finished it."
"It's fine. I prepared it for you, after all." Fu Li waved his hand with a smile and stated his purpose.
"I was once an orphan too. So, would you like to move in and live with us? Everyone here can be your family."
Family?
The girl's eyes clearly wavered. She seemed to hesitate for a few seconds before asking cautiously, "If I refuse, will I be able to leave here alive?"
"Pfft…" Hearing her question, Fu Li couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
But seeing the girl's anxious expression, he managed not to laugh too loudly and said with a sigh of resignation, "Of course not. Pardo, I'm not some kind of demon."
"Indeed, I can see that you're a child who loves to be unrestrained, who loves freedom. So…"
Fu Li's smile faded, and his expression turned serious.
"If you ever want to find a safe place to rest, the room on the far left of the second floor will always be reserved for you. You're welcome here anytime."
"But…" Pardofelis couldn't help but stare with wide eyes, confused. "Why are you being so nice to me? There's no one like you in Twilight Street."
"Why?" Fu Li tilted his head and thought for a moment. "Perhaps you remind me of my old self? Or perhaps it's like we're old friends meeting for the first time? You can interpret it however you like."
"Or you can simply think of it as having one more nest to come home to."
As the night deepened, Pardofelis finished her meal. Taking the sleeping bag Fu Li had given her, she hesitantly bid farewell.
What no one noticed was that high atop the sanatorium, a still-young Aponia sat on the roof, silently watching everything unfold.
---o---
[You extinguished the lights and sent a few of the larger cats to secretly follow Pardofelis and protect her.]
[Now that you have found Pardofelis, you don't plan to slack off any longer. You prepare to pay a visit to a good friend from your previous life.]
[The new Godfather of Twilight Street, Anderson.]