The Big Gray Cat of Lanqi's Household

Afternoon. Saint Creti Monastery residential district, Professor Landry's estate. "Whew... Now that the time to leave Brillda is actually drawing close, I suddenly feel a little reluctant to go." Lanqi yawned faintly, sitting at the dining table with a newspaper in hand. After visiting Violet this morning, he and Hyperion had returned to their residence in the monastery. "Back when we first arrived in Brillda, time didn't seem to pass so quickly, but when the moment to pack up really arrived, it truly felt as though it came far too fast," Hyperion agreed. She had finished eating long ago, yet she lingered at the table chatting with Sigrid, showing no hurry to leave. Neither of them could say for sure whether they would ever return to Brillda in the future; every parting might well be their last glimpse of the place. "Life is full of once-in-a-lifetime encounters. Wasn't it just about the same when you two left Herrom on the Northern Continent?" Sigrid leaned against the table, resting her chin on her arms as she turned her head toward Lanqi and Hyperion. "To be honest, I really miss Michula and the Milford family," Hyperion said with a sigh. During her time on the Northern Continent, the household of Count Milford had looked after her, and her adoptive sister, Michula, had accompanied her all the way from the Milford Domain to Herrom. Hyperion missed them dearly; that place had felt like another home on the Northern Continent. "There'll be plenty of chances. This bishop can take you back to Herrom whenever you like." Sigrid patted Hyperion's shoulder with evident pride. The Protos Empire along the southern coast of the Northern Continent was her home turf. Originally, she had only planned to take a vacation in the Southern Continent, but now it looked as though she might stay here for quite a while—perhaps even making it another home. By now it was already one in the afternoon, and lunch was drawing to a close. The three sat around the dining table chatting, waiting for Tata, who was still savoring her meal. Within the spacious, bright ground-floor dining room, the midday sun cast quiet, dappled silhouettes of foliage through the windowpanes, softly touching every corner. Outside in the courtyard, occasional gentle breezes blew through, carrying the faint, drowsy fragrance of the garden. A fine linen tablecloth was spread across the long dining table, accented with delicate embroidered petals. The silverware and stemmed goblets were arranged in immaculate order, and every course from the kitchen had already been served. The dish with the most left over was a large platter of golden, crispy fried chicken wings. Each was evenly glazed with a secret sauce, striking the perfect balance between sweet and spicy while exuding a savory aroma. Slices of freshly cut lime dotted the rim, lending a refreshing touch to the dish. "The ingredients in Brillda are truly wonderful. Once we're back in Ikerite, we won't be able to buy fruits and vegetables specially supplied by Saint Creti Monastery anymore." What Tata currently favored most, however, was a bowl of rich tomato beef brisket stew. A few vivid green basil leaves floated on its lustrous crimson surface, and the tangy tomato broth blended seamlessly with the fragrant notes of pepper, carrots, onions, and potatoes. Tata ladled it into her mouth spoonful by small spoonful, an expression of sheer bliss gracing her face with every swallow. Next, her fork reached for a thinly sliced pan-seared lamb chop. Cooked to utter perfection, the lamb revealed a tender pink center with clean, distinct grain. Drizzled with a thick green pepper sauce, the mild sting of the pepper harmonized beautifully with the meat's succulence. A few roasted cherry tomatoes rested alongside it, rendered sweet and juicy by the heat—another favored target of Tata's fork. "Meow, meow, there's still a little dessert. Would you like me to bring it out now?" A moment later, Boss Cat floated out with the final freshly prepared dish: a crisp Elsaya Sanctuary salad. Crisp lettuce was scattered with crunchy croutons, shavings of Elsaya Sanctuary cheese, and lightly seared shredded chicken, all drizzled with a sweet and tangy yogurt dressing. "Yes, please," Talia nodded in request. "Right away, meow." Boss Cat drifted back toward the kitchen. Suddenly, Talia noticed several pairs of eyes fixed on her. She turned her head to find that Lanqi, Hyperion, and Sigrid had all stopped talking, their gazes collectively resting on her as she ate. "Why are you... looking at me?" Talia paused her fork in midair and asked. "Watching you eat with such relish is making me hungry all over again," Sigrid replied with a trace of hesitation. Lanqi and Hyperion nodded in complete agreement. "Care for an extra bite?" Talia asked Sigrid tentatively. Lanqi and Hypey were definitely stuffed, but having someone share her meal always made the food taste even better. "Then let's dig in!" Sigrid walked over to a nearby cupboard drawer, retrieved a set of utensils, and prepared to have a light taste just to keep her company. "And that's everything served, meow." Boss Cat returned promptly, presenting a basket of freshly baked garlic bread. Its golden crust glistened with butter, releasing an irresistible aroma of roasted garlic and cream. Sigrid took a roll, tore it open to reveal a soft, airy crumb, and popped a piece into her mouth. "Delicious," Sigrid said contentedly. Indeed, watching Tata eat was the best appetizer. The final dessert for lunch was a tiramisu. The rectangular cake was layered with ladyfingers, coffee, mascarpone cheese, and cocoa powder, exuding a deep aroma of espresso, its top dusted with a velvety coating of cocoa. Sigrid knew Talia loved this dessert, so she didn't vie for it, simply passing the plate over to Tata. "Boss Cat, did you know? I heard from the War Gods that the Creti Empire seems to be planning a divine beast statue in your honor." Hyperion waved, beckoning Boss Cat over, and pulled him into a warm hug. In Brillda, the black cat was now revered as an auspicious omen, also known as the Storm Prison-Quelling Beast. Rumor had it that capturing this divine beast would grant boundless good fortune. "Meow?" Being elevated so high by the Creti Empire actually made Boss Cat a little nervous. He was only capable of basic biological functions and casting slightly advanced wind magic. Every day, just hearing about Emperor Loren working like a pack mule made Boss Cat terrifically afraid that the empire might come to draft him as well. "Don't worry, Boss Cat. If anyone tries to pet you the moment they see you, just turn into an underage felinoid. No one would dare lay a hand on you then," Lanqi offered helpfully. While black cats might be overwhelmingly popular in the Creti Empire right now, the felinoid beastfolk were another matter entirely, enjoying comprehensive protection under the law. "Why do I feel like turning into a cat person would be even more dangerous, meow...?" As far as Boss Cat could recall, he had only turned into a cat person once, and he was captured on the spot. "It's fine, Boss Cat. Stick with me, and I'll whisk you away like the wind whenever you need," Hyperion said confidently, lifting Boss Cat and setting him atop her head. "Antanas and Sinora are waiting for me outside campus. We agreed to meet at one-thirty, so I'm heading out to find them now." She stood up and bid the three farewell. Boss Cat had spent the entire morning bustling in the kitchen and was eager to get some fresh air, so he gladly let Hyperion take him along. "Hyperion, come home early," Talia called out while chewing on her bread. "I know! Antanas, Sinora, and I won't wander too far. We'll just hang out around town." With Boss Cat perched atop her head, Hyperion waved and hurried out the door. "Don't worry, Tata. Just focus on eating. Hyperion is no longer that fragile girl who needed your protection when she was first brought to your house," Lanqi said to Talia. Back when Hyperion was first sent to Tata's home with a plea for protection, she had indeed been surrounded by mortal peril and quite weak. But now, even without Antanas and Sinora guarding her, Hyperion was remarkably strong and secure in her own right. "True enough," Talia conceded after a moment's thought. "Tata, you have to tell me the same thing when I head out," Sigrid said, turning toward Talia and wheedling playfully. "Uh, sure." Talia had originally wanted to point out that Sigrid was practically invincible whenever she stepped outside, but in the interest of fairness, she decided to treat Hyperion and Sigrid equally. "By the way, isn't Pranay with Antanas and the others?" Lanqi recalled that during breakfast, Pranay had been chatting with the Witch of Ice and Snow, Migaiya, and Iphatia. Pranay shouldn't have gone to the Vince Freedom Memorial Palace either. "Abigail asked him to go over to the opera house," Talia explained between bites. Pranay had originally gone to see Toliado, but thanks to his vast erudition and deep understanding of Demon Realm culture and history, Abigail had roped him into staying at the Brillda Opera House. The background of Holy War Romance was set in the Northern Continent a century ago, before the Holy War broke out. When it came to the state of the demon race back then, Pranay was probably the most knowledgeable among all living demons—far clearer on the details than the original author, Toliado. Thus, Abigail had enlisted him as a historical consultant. Curiously, though, Pranay always seemed to make a strained face whenever he looked over the script. "Well, they're historical figures themselves, after all," Sigrid said with a shrug. She firmly believed that neither Pranay nor Toliado needed to study history to write a story grounded in the past; they had lived straight through the turn of an era, and Pranay was a demon scholar to boot. "..." Talia's fork froze. She felt directly targeted. "No, no, no, that's not what I meant, Tata!" Sigrid waved her hands frantically, at a loss for how to explain herself. Lies never stung; it was the truth that cut like a razor. "Having a Tata at home is like having a treasure," Lanqi chimed in consolingly. "..." Talia was even more dumbfounded. At first listen, Lanqi sounded as though he was praising her. Yet on second thought, this fellow was unmistakably insinuating something rotten! "Lanqi, your penalty is washing the dishes." Talia promptly sidelined Lanqi, thrusting her empty plate into his hands so he could carry it to the kitchen. "Sigrid, I shall take my leave," Lanqi conceded defeat gracefully, taking the plate and heading toward the kitchen. His banter with Talia was a battle of wits anyway; since she had seen right through it, he naturally had to take the loss. Doing the dishes was infinitely preferable to being tackled and pinned to the floor. "Oh, right, I'm full too. After resting a bit, let's head out to the monastery's affiliated hospital this afternoon. I just need to change my clothes and we can go," Sigrid said, handing her own plate and fork to Lanqi as well. According to their schedule for today, she and Lanqi would be heading out together in the afternoon, while Tata stayed behind to prepare dinner. "Wait a minute, aren't you wearing Hyperion's clothes?" Lanqi's gaze lingered on the casual outfit Sigrid wore, and he suddenly spoke up. He had thought her clothes looked familiar today; now that he looked closely, it seemed to be an ensemble Hyperion had worn before. "Oh, I guess I am. I must have grabbed it by mistake," Sigrid looked down at her clothes and realized. They shared the same wardrobe, each using one side. Sigrid hadn't brought much luggage with her to Brillda, and once the weather turned cold, she hadn't bothered to go out shopping for new clothes. When she opened the wardrobe this morning, she had simply grabbed whatever felt right for the weather. "Why don't you wear Tata's?" Lanqi thought back and realized this wasn't the first time Sigrid had borrowed Hyperion's clothes over the past few days, yet she had never touched Tata's. "The size doesn't quite fit," Sigrid replied after a brief pause. Tata's clothes were a bit small for her. Unless it was a loose, oversized cut, they were simply too tight. "Why are you two still standing here gossiping? Lanqi, you've already been sent off," Talia reminded them. Lanqi immediately picked up the dishes and slipped away. "Then I'll go change into something more formal now," Sigrid told them, walking toward the stairs to the second floor. Her current attire was far too casual—fine for strolling down the street, but hardly respectful enough for visiting a Great Priest. Sigrid had already been surprised to learn that Lanqi had a wolf warrior brother; she had never imagined the Southern Continent would harbor a Tier 8 wolf sage as well. *** In the ground-floor kitchen adjacent to the foyer, Lanqi quietly washed the dishes. In truth, it didn't take much effort; a quick rinse in the sink was all that was needed before loading them into the magic-craft dishwasher to be cleaned thoroughly. Before long, the kitchen door pushed open. Talia walked in carrying the last of the plates and silverware. "You really don't harbor a shred of grievance when doing chores," Talia noted, stepping beside Lanqi to help clear up, taking the freshly rinsed plates from the sink and loading them into the dishwasher one by one. "I'm not Lanfu. Besides, compared to what you do, the little housework I handle is hardly worth mentioning," Lanqi remarked. Lanfu was only Tier 1 and consumed so little energy; helping with card crafting was already doing plenty, so one could hardly expect her to handle everything. "Are you angling to get penalized again?" Talia now suspected that every single word out of Lanqi's mouth held a hidden barb. "Well, Tata, Violet was full of praise for your cooking today. She said she was very grateful to you," Lanqi quickly pivoted to the main topic, knowing that another penalty might result in him being literally taken down. "Is that so?" Hearing praise for her culinary efforts brought a pleased smile to Talia's face. "And when I asked if there was anything we could do for her, she told me that she couldn't forget that big gray cat she saw last time. She wants to give it a hug," Lanqi continued, his tone laced with a hint of conflict, unsure of how best to handle it. "You're joking, right!" Talia froze instantly, glaring at Lanqi. "Can't you tell whether I'm lying or not?" Lanqi pressed a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture. He had no desire to be secretive, nor was there any real need for it. However, Talia had always been averse to transforming into a cat, and Lanqi had promised never to tell anyone else. Whenever Lanqi gave his word, he would honor it no matter what, so he would keep Talia's secret safe. "That's true..." Talia immediately realized she had raised her voice, which might have been overheard outside the kitchen, and Lanqi was indeed telling the truth. Recalling the early days of their acquaintance, Lanqi had spent every day unable to speak the truth, yet equally unable to tell a lie, while constantly talking to her. Over time, Talia had subconsciously stopped trusting her own lie-detection talent. She had been thoroughly confounded by him. "I didn't agree on your behalf. I only told Violet that I'd try to ask the big gray cat for its opinion, so whether her wish gets granted is entirely up to you," Lanqi closed the dishwasher door and turned to Talia. "This..." Talia pursed her lips. She truly wanted Violet to know why she was repaying her kindness. Right now, by merely cooking meals, Violet simply assumed she was receiving special care from a chef. Yet Talia could not bring herself to voice the truth. After hesitating for a long while, Talia finally retrieved that [Polymorph: Cat] card and stared at it. To be fair, being a cat hadn't felt all that unpleasant, and being held by Lanqi while fed pastries had been a wonderfully cozy and unforgettable experience. She had thought she would never do it again in this lifetime. Since Violet desired it so earnestly, she might as well repay the favor in the form of a cat. Possessed by a sudden whim, Talia gritted her teeth. "Just this once. The very last time." Her pride as a princess would not allow her to turn into a cat ever again. Taking a deep breath, she activated the translucent natural magic card engraved with a cat paw emblem. A shroud of silvery brilliance enveloped her form, and the silhouette within began to shrink under the spell of the magic card. A moment later, the silver light dissolved, leaving behind only a plush, doll-like big gray cat on the floor. "Lanqi, pick me up this instant, meow," Talia commanded, raising a fluffy, ball-like paw toward him. "Then we'll take you along when we go out shortly. Make sure you don't speak anymore," Lanqi crouched down and lifted the gray cat into his arms. If Sigrid asked, they could simply say Talia was taking an afternoon nap; after all, Talia hadn't planned on going anywhere this afternoon. "Meow, meow." The gray cat squirmed twice at first, still uneasy about losing her footing, but once Lanqi held her securely, she settled down and rested quietly against his chest. She felt Lanqi holding her without the slightest reservation once more. Even though this body didn't feel entirely like her own, his warmth transferred to her unabated, forcing her to remind herself frantically that this was already her second time and she had no reason to panic. "You're quite heavy, haha," Lanqi chuckled, holding the hefty gray cat. "Drop dead, drop dead, meow!" Cat Talia instantly threw a tantrum, flailing her paws and trying to claw Lanqi, thrashing so hard he could barely hold on. "Stop it, stop it!" Lanqi struggled to hold the gray cat securely and keep her from wreaking havoc. Just as boy and cat were tussling in the kitchen, the kitchen door clicked open. "What are you two doing?" Sigrid stood on the threshold with her hand on the doorknob, looking puzzled. She had thought Lanqi was fighting with the dishes, only to find him playing with a big gray cat. The instant she laid eyes on the fluffy gray creature, all drowsiness vanished from Sigrid's gaze, replaced by pure sparkle.