Akane Nanao: [Kazuma, where are you?]
Kazuma: [I'm at the Old School Building. Don't come over, it's raining heavily.]
Akane Nanao: [Someone saw Sakurazawa Tomomi leaving with you earlier. Are you two doing something naughty?]
Kazuma:
It's not about whether Tomomi and I are doing something inappropriate right now. The problem is that my cat wants to do something inappropriate! Kazuma put his hand to his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.
Akane Nanao: [I know, I know. The important thing is that a second-year senior came looking for you earlier. It was Miyajima Sakura, a senior from the Kendo Club. She left after seeing you weren't there. Kanna Hiiragi is beside me now, so we won't disturb you~]
Akane Nanao sent a few cute stickers and then ended the conversation on LINE.
Miyajima Sakura? The Kendo Club?
Looks like she still cares about losing to me last time.
Kazuma replied with a heart emoji, then put away his phone and looked at the beautiful, cherry-blossom-haired girl sitting in front of him, as well as the black cat crouching beside her. He cleared his throat. "Next, we should talk about something serious. Ahem… Tomomi, shouldn't you be heading home?"
"Kazuma, are you chasing me away right after we finished? It's still raining so hard outside—you're so heartless," Sakurazawa Tomomi said, pretending to be resentful.
Kazuma: "…"
His eyes flickered. It's just too embarrassing to talk about those things in front of you. I want to talk to this mischievous little cat alone.
"Tomomi, I won't let you get caught in the rain. I have an Anywhere Door that can send you straight home."
Kazuma took out the red Anywhere Door.
"I'm not going back!" She shook her head firmly. She had just become Kazuma's woman—how could she bear to leave so soon? She wished she could stay by his side twenty-four hours a day. "Kazuma, let me stay here with you. Don't worry, I won't laugh about what happened earlier."
She stared seriously at the small figure crouching on the ground. "I can also tell that this cat is a little strange."
Kazuma scratched his head helplessly. "It was my fault for letting her see… that scene. No wonder she learned that behavior."
"But… it's just a cat," Sakurazawa Tomomi said in disbelief. "Even if it saw something, it's still just a small animal. Why would it do something so strange?"
"She's not an ordinary cat. You've seen my special ability," Kazuma said as he gently stroked the cat's fur. "Before, she might have been an unremarkable stray cat. But now she's different. She's a completely new existence after evolving and mutating."
Yes, Kazuma had already discovered that her evolution was complete.
Much faster than his own.
However, judging from her appearance alone, it was impossible to tell what had actually changed. Kazuma observed her carefully. Her body seemed slightly larger, her figure graceful, and her temperament elegant. If you didn't know better, you might think she was some noble cat.
Pat.
"Acting elegant is useless. Who told you to do that earlier…" Kazuma lightly tapped her head.
"Meow…" She lowered her head pitifully, her small face full of grievance.
"I think she's still very cute, and her expressions are very human-like," Sakurazawa Tomomi said with interest. "She feels like a magical cat from a fairy tale. So it's fine, Kazuma—don't worry about it."
Why are you even more open-minded than me?
"She'll be led astray by you sooner or later," Kazuma muttered. "Anyway, I was planning to give her a name. Seeing how mischievous you are, I'll call you Pipi… Pipi Cat?"
"No, don't."
"It's useless to object—huh?"
Kazuma and Sakurazawa Tomomi froze at the same time.
The girl slowly raised her hand and pointed at the black cat on the ground, her voice trembling.
"Kazuma! She… she just spoke?!"
The evolved little black cat looked at her master and, for the first time, spoke in a human voice—soft, silvery, and slightly clumsy, like a young girl learning to talk.
"Master… no good… name… listen…"
Gulp.
Kazuma swallowed hard.
She really spoke. This evolution had actually given her the ability to speak human language. Kazuma felt a surge of excitement. She could talk. Her intelligence had clearly reached a human-like level. If that's the case… would transforming into a human form someday really be impossible?
"If you don't like it, what name do you want?" Kazuma crouched down and scratched her chin.
"Master… give… me… name…"
"Hmm… how about Tom? A divine cat named Tom~"
"No… good."
"Gokou Ruri? That sounds nice…"
"No… don't."
You're really picky. You really are a noble lady among cats.
Kazuma wasn't annoyed—instead, he found it fascinating. He looked at the elegant and beautiful black cat. "Then… Luna? How about Luna?"
The little black cat immediately showed a happy expression.
"Meow~ Luna… like…"
She liked that name.
"Master… like…" Having received her name, Luna rubbed herself affectionately against Kazuma's leg, her large eyes becoming even more charming.
Although her speech was still clumsy, her meaning was clear. Luna was expressing her affection for her master. After evolving, her intelligence had clearly surpassed that of ordinary animals. Kazuma picked her up.
"Luna, how old are you this year?"
"Meow?"
"Answer in human language."
"…Don't… know."
A human-like look of confusion appeared on her face. Her age… she didn't remember.
"Then what about your parents?"
"…Also… don't… know…"
She had forgotten everything. Little Luna's expression turned sad. Combined with her silvery, delicate voice, she looked heartbreakingly pitiful.
"Luna, then do you know… what you did earlier?" Kazuma asked meaningfully.
"Meow~ Master… I don't know…" Luna put on a confused expression. Her speech was already becoming smoother. Kazuma gave her a suspicious look but didn't pursue it further, placing her back on the ground.
The beautiful black cat lowered her head. A faint blush and shy expression quietly appeared on her face—hidden from her master's view.
"One last question. Are you a boy or a girl?"
"I… of course… I am a girl…" she replied quickly, almost anxiously. How could she possibly be a boy? Master was really…
She was a little sister~
Sakurazawa Tomomi watched from the side, clicking her tongue in amazement. A cat speaking human language would cause a global sensation—headline news everywhere. But Tomomi simply looked at Kazuma with a gentle smile. Because it was related to him, no matter how magical it seemed, she wasn't surprised anymore. She had already grown used to it.
She couldn't help but speak to the cat.
"Luna, Luna, do you understand your changes? You can speak human language now~"
"Meow." Luna glanced at Sakurazawa Tomomi, arrogantly raised her head, didn't answer, and simply meowed.
"Kazuma, am I being disliked?" Sakurazawa Tomomi asked with a sad expression.
"She's rather cold toward outsiders. Kanna and the others were the same at first. If you spend more time with her, it'll get better," Kazuma said.
Luna suddenly stood up from the floor. Her body froze for a moment, then she suddenly pounced! In that instant, Sakurazawa Tomomi couldn't even see clearly what happened.
She could only see a black shadow flash past.
"Chirp chirp chirp—"
The wagtail on the windowsill seemed startled, flapping its wings and flying upward with noisy cries. Meanwhile, Luna moved like a rabbit, bursting forward instantly. She leaped onto the window, then without stopping, kicked off the wall twice.
Like a ghostly shadow darting through the room, she reached the little wagtail near the ceiling in the blink of an eye.
Smack!
Her paw struck it precisely.
"Chirp chirp chirp…"
Carrying the struggling little bird back to Kazuma, Luna wore a proud expression, clearly wanting praise.
"Master~ I've become even stronger~"
She was well aware of the changes in herself.
The only one injured was the poor little wagtail.
This little kitty, who had been silly and adorable before, had now transformed into a fierce hunter, catching the wagtail effortlessly. Sakurazawa Tomomi couldn't forget what she had just witnessed. She stood there motionless, stunned and speechless.
Kazuma, however, had expected it.
If Luna hadn't evolved, she would have needed to ambush the wagtail from behind to catch it. Otherwise, she would never have succeeded. Her current speed and agility were completely beyond human visual perception.
Looking at the little wagtail again, it lay motionless, pretending to be dead, filled with despair. An opponent who had once been evenly matched with her was now completely overwhelming. Kazuma quickly rescued the wagtail and said with exasperation, "Luna, you're amazing, but don't do this to your companions next time."
"Chirp chirp chirp~"
The little wagtail buried herself in her master's arms, crying in grievance.
"Meow… I understand," Luna nodded quickly.
"Kazuma, this is incredible," Sakurazawa Tomomi exclaimed repeatedly as she crouched down. "So Luna can catch mice too? I won't have to worry about mice or bugs anymore. Luna, can I touch you?"
"Meow~ Go ahead~"
Wow, she's getting cuter and cuter.
Makes me want to raise one too.
The thunderstorm continued. Violent rain slammed against the windows, the crackling sound endless. The sky gradually darkened, and the Old School Building, shrouded in heavy rain, seemed to carry an eerie and unsettling atmosphere. Lightning split the sky from time to time, briefly illuminating the room.
"Meow?"
While Kazuma and Sakurazawa Tomomi were preparing dinner, Luna, who had been lying nearby, suddenly twitched her ears. She curiously looked toward the door and quietly walked out.
The black cat moved through the darkness with elegant steps, making no sound at all. She silently observed the abandoned rooms and classrooms, feeling that something was off.
Rumble—
A sudden flash of lightning illuminated the window—and the corridor beyond. In that fleeting light, the beautiful black kitten stood quietly, her dark pupils reflecting the glow as she stared at a door that had somehow opened.
Luna felt no fear at all. Instead, she lowered her body, ready to spring, as if preparing to attack.
"Meow?"
But soon, she relaxed again and returned to normal.
*****
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