"I accept."
After realizing that being a bounty hunter really could make money, Sora didn't hesitate at all and agreed decisively.
"Let's sign an eternal contract for life!"
Not to mention Kuroneko, he also badly needed money. Now that there was a legal and reasonable way to generate wealth, only an idiot would refuse.
"Phew..."
Ruri let out a breath of relief upon hearing this and looked up happily.
"Sora-kun really agreed?"
"That's right."
"That's good..." Ruri clutched her chest, finally setting her mind at ease. "I thought Sora-kun would hesitate or even refuse."
"Why would I refuse?"
"Because..."
Ruri stammered, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
"Because mortals are always bound by all sorts of moral concepts... Using special abilities to make money, wouldn't that be a bit too vulgar?"
"As long as it's not scamming, kidnapping, extorting, or stealing, making money through your own abilities isn't shameful at all." Sora's tone was serious. "In this world, only when you have financial freedom are you qualified to say you aren't interested in money."
Making money!
Making lots of money!
This is the correct way to use a Witch's power!
An ordinary person who suddenly acquires a special ability and chooses to use it to earn honest money, rather than taking a crooked path, has absolutely no reason to be criticized.
"Sora-kun is indeed not a foolish bipedal beast."
Ruri looked over with sparkling eyes. She felt like she had found a like-minded comrade, and an exceptionally joyful, sweet smile quietly blossomed on her small face.
This was the first time Sora had seen Kuroneko's smile. Her eyes curving into crescents, the faint dimples on her cheeks, and two rows of perfectly clean, pearly white teeth... It had to be said, it was super cute, completely stunning Sora for a full two seconds.
Girls are always very sensitive to a boy's gaze. Noticing the change in Sora's eyes, Ruri quickly suppressed her smile. She sat up straight with a blushing face, swiftly opened her schoolbag, and pulled out a notebook.
"This is the Book of the Eternal Contract..."
I'm sorry, no matter how you look at it, it's just a very ordinary notebook.
"Once we sign our names, the bonds of destiny will be formally established until eternity..." Ruri spoke with maximum chunibyo energy, her expression deadly serious. "Those who break the contract will suffer a lifelong curse!"
Sora raised his right hand. "May I ask what the curse entails?"
"Um..." Ruri clenched her small fists, hesitating for two seconds. "The curse is terrible. If you break the contract, you will lose every video game you ever play!"
That's entirely a curse you just made up on the spot, right! For someone who doesn't play games, that curse is completely meaningless!
"Here, hurry up and sign it, Sora-kun..."
Ruri swiftly scribbled something in the notebook, then handed both the pen and the notebook over.
"Use this pen. It requires fresh blood to activate the contract."
Hey, hey, it's clearly just a red ballpoint pen. Don't make it sound so scary!
Sora reached out to take it and saw a line of large text written in red ballpoint pen, looking crooked and scrawled like ghost talismans:
[Lord Kuroneko and the Foolish Bipedal Sora Forge an Eternal Alliance]
Sora remained expressionless.
"Why am I a foolish bipedal beast?"
"B-Because we can't use real names when making a contract... just sign it quickly!"
"..."
After finishing their bento, Sora and Kuroneko left the roof together.
"Sora-kun, do you have any club activities this afternoon?" Ruri looked up, speaking softly. "If not, let's head out as soon as school ends?"
Anyone could see the missing cat poster at the intersection. In case the cat was found by someone else first, the 100,000 yen reward would be gone. So, they had to hurry.
"I'm in the Go-Home Club." Sora shook his head. "We can leave right after school."
Ruri's eyes lit up slightly upon hearing this, the feeling of finding a kindred spirit growing even stronger.
"I haven't joined a club either."
(Cattle and sheep always flock together; only fierce beasts walk alone... Sora-kun really is my kind!)
Sora stopped at the staircase. "Then I'll see you at the school gate after school?"
"Mhm."
Ruri hurriedly nodded in agreement.
"..."
The two afternoon classes passed in a flash.
The dismissal bell soon rang.
Sora grabbed his schoolbag and briskly left the classroom.
"Eh, Sora seems to be in a big hurry?"
Holding a piece of bread, Anna ate as she looked at Sora's retreating back in confusion.
"That's a bit strange, should I follow him and take a look..."
Just then, a girl walked over.
"Anna, a new ramen shop opened in the shopping district. It tastes super amazing, and there's a discount for the grand opening. Do you want to go eat ramen together?"
Anna's eyes instantly brightened. She devoured the bread in her hands in a few bites.
"I want to go! Of course I want to go!"
Sora walked out of the school grounds and looked up to see Kuroneko standing in a corner, waiting expectantly.
"Ruri-san, sorry to keep you waiting."
Sora stepped forward and raised a hand in greeting.
"I just arrived too." Ruri slightly tilted her small face up, glanced at Sora, and quickly lowered her head. "Let's head to the train station first?"
"Okay."
"The lost contracted beast definitely won't have run too far, it should still be around its owner's house." Ruri shared her thoughts in a soft voice. "We'll go directly to a nearby park and ask the other stray cats for help."
"There should be the owner's phone number on the missing cat poster, right?" Sora reminded her. "Let's call and confirm first to see if the cat has already been found by someone else. After all, half a day has passed. If it hasn't been found, it won't be too late to head to the park."
"Sora-kun's words make sense." Ruri nodded seriously. "I almost forgot that the contracted beast might have been found by someone else."
Twenty minutes later.
Following behind Kuroneko, Sora stepped off the train at a platform.
"The thing pasted over there is the missing cat poster."
Ruri raised her right hand, pointing to a wall not far away.
The two walked over together. Sora quickly read the contents clearly. It was exactly as Kuroneko had said at noon.
"Umm..."
Ruri stammered, a look of distress appearing on her small face.
Sora looked down.
"What's wrong?"
Ruri's face flushed slightly as she lowered her voice. "W-When traveling through endless worlds, I have always been completely alone. I'm not good at dealing with foolish mortals..."
I see.
Sora understood in his heart.
Humans are often full of contradictions. For example, the Kuroneko in front of him: on the internet, she was the chunibyo Fallen Heavenly Beast, Lord Kuroneko, but in reality, she was timid and afraid of strangers.
"Leave the communication with the cat owners to me from now on."
Sora pulled his phone from his pocket, dialing the number as he spoke.
The call connected quickly.
Ruri subconsciously stood on her tiptoes, gently grasping Sora's sleeve with both hands, wanting to listen in.
Before long, Kuroneko heard the words she wanted to hear:
"There's still no news about my chubby orange cat..."
The lost cat had not yet been found by anyone, so the two of them still had a chance and hadn't made a wasted trip.
Sora hung up the phone and looked at the bright-eyed chunibyo girl beside him.
"Let's go, we need to hurry to the park. That orange cat could be found by someone else at any time."
"Mhm." Ruri's eyes sparkled. "I know where the park is. Sora-kun, just follow me."
Sora quickly realized something.
"You saw the missing cat poster this morning, which must have been on your way to school... so that means, Ruri-san actually lives nearby?"
"That's right..."
Ruri pursed her pink lips, suddenly feeling a bad premonition welling up in her heart.
We won't run into any acquaintances, will we?
No!
Please absolutely do not let us run into an acquaintance!