Volume 2 Chapter 14 (1/2)
Chapter 14 – The Dilapidated Country and Cat God-sama’s Rebirth
I was crying
I was crying as I flew onthewith people in the afternoon The onco wind blew the teardrops out of my eyes
”Stop right there!”
”Don't let that witch escape! Capture her!”
”Don't let her leave this place alive!”
The people chasing ician a to catch up to me However, they were not my only enemies
”Leave it to me!”
”damn…! I nearly had her!”
”Don't let her get away!”
”After her! Keep up the chase!”
All the people in the street were ju me off my broom
People who had been fawning over cats untilan ani, and soender
I dodged all their attacks
At this point, the whole country considersto bring their country to ruin
Unfortunately, that is the truth
”Kuuuuuuh!”
I wiped away my tears and looked forwards I seem to be in very bad shape compared to usual Theforward in a straight line I feel like I'll crash into the ground instantly if I let uard down for even a second
I putthe broo the broo to mob me
The girl I was carrying in h flying
”I feel sick…”
She softly uttered those words in a voice that only I could hear
”Please try to endure it… I' to deal with it as well”
I wasn't able to breathe properly Every tihpoured into s
The girl looked at me with her round, blue eyes
”Well, do your best Look, we're alate”
After saying that, she happily ainst mine
I cried evenbecause I was happy? Or was it for some other reason? I really wonder
”Bring Cat God-sama back!”
I could hear such voices reverberating through the street behind ain said ”Nyaa,” as if to reject their words
○
Let's go back in time for a little while Around two entire revolutions of the hands of the clock backwards Or one entire cycle of the sun and moon In other words, about this time yesterday
”Oh, so that country has soe customs”
”Indeed”
I was at a village that I happened across during my travels I casually asked the people there if they knew about any interesting countries nearby, and the the villagers told me about that country
”What exactly do you e customs?'”
”Apologies, Milady, but I know not the answer Many souls have departed this place for that country, but nary a single one hath ever returned”
”Ah, sorry, but can you please speak normally?”
”…I'e, either The only thing we know for sure is that that country is a mysterious place”
”Hoho—”
Oh, e
Froe used to attract tourists by ood!』 Further foolish people froe would be free and peaceful, without any conflicts, to e and settle down there
However, a strange country cae was all but forgotten
The village sent some spies to the country to discover their secrets so that they could imitate them, but even the spies on over by that country The rey of, 『Well then, let's try and appeal our rural char the e speak,』 and so drove their country further into obscurity
Apparently, that's what happened
That sounds like a really interesting place I' it really is
”So, how do I get to that country?”
When I asked theers carefully explained the route to
Under a e and fleith my broom pointed to the west I flew over the plains, crossed over a s over the plains again
The green lands seemed to infinitely stretch on , but I soon started to see a few thin conifer trees, and the landscape gradually changed from plains to a forest At around the same time, the country came into view
The large walls were quite faded despite the fact that this country was supposed to have been for on the walls s
When I flew closer while avoiding the increasing nuate that was closed It looked like only this part had been recently refurbished as it looked brand new, and thereby stood out fros which had achieved a balance with nature
After I landed and disate I saw the silver-colored helh that
”Who goes there?”
”I'm a traveler I'm also a witch My name is Elaina”
”What business do you have in this country?”
”I heard that there was a wonderful country here, so I came to take a look If possible, I would like to stay for a few days”
The guard gave a small nod
”…Very well However, if you want to enter this country, you must answer a question”
And then,
”Do you love cat-samas?”
He asked me that out of the blue
”Eh, cats…?”
”Not cats Cat-samas”
”…What's the difference?”
”It's athe appropriate respect to cat-samas So, what's your answer? Do you love cat-samas?”
”Uuess I do love them, yes”
Although I've never even touched one before—I can't say that, no matter what Well, I do think that they look rather cute, and I have no reason to hate them so it should be fine
”…Very well Enter There are no bad people who love cat-samas”
”I-I see…”
”However, ill conduct a check of your belongings before you are allowed inside Enter through the side gate”
”Haaa…”
After that, I finished the procedures required to enter the country, and finally got inside
I had no idea what I would find waiting for e it was
○
The streets inside the city which were being used by pedestrians were quite old
The brick-faced buildings that faced the main street were neatly lined up, but they all had a faded color and, just like the city walls, they were covered in ivy I was a little curious about the fact that all the doors of the houses looked like square holes that you would need to crouch down and pass through in order to enter
The paving stones on the road were all covered in ave the i time
”………”
After looking around for a bit, I understood why the guard at the gate asked me that question before I was allowed to enter
This country is full of cats
If you just lower your gaze a little, you'll see cats everywhere Weaving in between the people, sunbathing in thewith the weeds
Everywhere I looked, I saw more cats It was so excessive that it could be considered strange It would be a hellish experience for anyone who dislikes cats, so asking that question before letting someone inside makes sense
I was thinking of such things while attracted by a pleasant wheat smell from a roadside stall
”Ah, I would like to buy some bread This one, this one, that one, and the one over there”
The kind-looking man on the other other side of the stall replied with a ”Sure,” and nodded He picked up one each of the breads that I pointed to with a pair of tongs, put the, and handed them to me
”Four coppers”
”Okay”
I paid I got the bread Yay
It happened right after that
”—Mister, I would like to buy some bread too This one, this one, that one, and the one over there”
At some point, another witch-san had appeared next to me and ordered the exact sa a blue robe and a tricorne
She exchanged four coppers for a paper bag, nodded to the ht blue hair was cut short at the back, and swayed slightly in the breeze Her bangs were longer than average in contrast to her short hair at the back, so I could only see one of her eyes
”GoodI haven't seen you around before Are you perhaps a traveler?”
I pulled one of the breads out of the paper bag, took a bite, and replied
”Yes, that's right Who are you?”
”I'm a witch Also, I live here”
”Ho”
”Ah, sorry for calling out to you all of a sudden I'icians here in the first place, so I just started talking to you out of curiosity I hope I' you”
”Well, I was surprised when you started talking to me all of a sudden”
She gave me a bitter smile
”Sorry about that—by the way, have you already finished looking around this country?”
After taking another bite of bread, I shook my head
”I just got here a few o”
When I said that,
”I see—do you want e place by ordinary standards, so if you walk around without a guide you et swindled out of your money or arrested for some reason”
She suddenly proposed that
True, there arethis culture that lets cats run raive me a tour, that's perfect It's very convenient for me
”I would like that veryas you promise to not swindle me out of my money”
”Ahaha Don't worry, I won't charge you for the tour or anything I cah a lot of hardshi+p when I first came here This country has several unique laws, and if you break one accidently you ht be sent to prison”
”Sent to prison…”
This is the first I've heard about that
”Yes I'll explain things to you to keep so”
She said, ”We ether in this country in the future,” and smiled
At that time, I still didn’t properly understand what she meant by that
While eating our bread, alked side by side around the city
”I haven't introduced ht—my name is Rushi+e The Witch of Fair Skies, Rushi+e”
”I'm Elaina The Witch of Ashes”
I slightly bowed , and she said ”Nice to
I responded with the same
”Well then, letyou around To start with, there are three laws in this country that you must follow at all times”
”Ho”
”Well, I say that, but two of the laws are fairly si those—the first law is 『Regardless of the circumstances, thou shalt not cause harm to cat-samas』”
”What happens if you break that law?”
”Eh? You'll be sent to prison, usually”
”Isn't that a bit harsh…”
”Any person despicable enough to harm a cat-sama deserves that, don’t you think? Also, the second law somewhat overlaps with the first… 『Thou shalt only interact with cat-sas of endless love』”
”That's pretty abstract… By the hat happens if you break it?”
”Prison”
”……”
I've seen some bad laws, but this really takes the cake…
”Umm… So what exactly should—achoo!”
”Are you okay? Do you have a cold?”
”Excusewith cats?”
”Well… I guess you can just interact with the cat-samas normally”
”But does interacting with the endless love…?”
I don’t even knohat's going on anymore
”That's right, maybe it would be easier to understand if you see it for yourself Let's see—ah! Look, over there”
While I was still perplexed, Rushi+e-san tugged on my sleeve and pointed at side of the road
I saw a stall that was selling fish, and a calico cat that was intently staring at the rows of fish in the stall
The calico cat stalked closer to the stall without attracting the attention of the shopkeeper, and rose up suddenly on its hind legs once it was directly beneath the stall After adroitly snagging one of the fish with its claws, it popped the fish into its mouth
”Ah!”
However, the shopkeeper spotted it just as it grabbed the fish
The surprised calico cat glared at the shopkeeper
Uwaah, he's going to get angry
Or so I thought
”Cat-sa! Please, take as many as you would like!”
For sorabbed the fish that were lying on his stall and threw theround
More cats gathered around right away, and started to fight over the fish
………Huh?
”What's going on?”
”It's love”
”That doesn't answer my question…”
I feel like the two of us are on different wavelengths Are the people in this country changing the way they speak, just like those people in the village? How annoying
”Ah, over there! Maybe you'll find that easier to understand”
”………”
With her proaze
And I was shocked speechless This was even worse
”Ah! Cat-sama! Cat-sama! Thank you! Thank you so much!”
There was a s stretched out He had an ecstatic expression on his face
Atop hi on him with its eyes narrowed, and looked pleased as it poked at the man's stomach with its forepaw
”What's that?”
”It's love”
”………”
I looked away from the reality that was beyondI saas also an inco
”Arararara you're so cute~ nyaa nyaa~”
There was a lady carrying a cat like one would carry a baby, and speaking to it in a creepy voice Why is she talking like that?
”What is that?”
”Love, of course”
”What exactly is 'love' again…”
I continued to walk around the city while feeling confused, but the more I saw—as the number of cats increased, the state of the people pluly
People who took the effort to walk around cats that were lying in the middle of the street A devilish cat that stole thelunch in a restaurant—and the victiaze upon it with happiness Cats that were like the incarnation of evil gathered around clothes that were for sale, climbed up on them and reduced them to shreds—and the shopkeeper and custo
Not a single person tried to stop the rae number of cats, and they let the cats do as they pleased
”This is what is meant by endless love”
Rushi+e-san spoke proudly
”It looks like you're surprised, but the people of the country—no, even the people who come here from outside become that way eventually Everyone starts to interact with the cats in a loving manner”
”I can only see it as people losing their sense of reason and pa the cats”
”Well, the cat-samas of this country are especially cute compared to the ones outside It can't be helped if people feel like pah, Elaina-san”
”I don't think I'll ever understand it…”
Maybe it's because I've never touched a cat?
”Actually, I don’t even see how the cats here are different from the ones outside”
”Eh? They're at least hundreds of tiinally caet away from here because of how cute the cat-samas here are”
”What kind of work?”
”Eh? I came here to spy”
”……”
”The people in the village where I used to live told me to come here and carefully observe the culture, and steal the ideas that could be useful as a reference”
I feel like I've heard that somewhere before
”…You say you came here to spy, but you look like you've settled down quite nicely here”
”It's fine! I' to enjoy my life to the fullest while I'm here until that day comes!”
”…Don't you think you've lost sight of your original goal? Are you really okay?”
”Does it look like I've lost sight of it?”
”Would I ask you that if it didn't?”
”Ah, a kitten-sama”
It looks like she has even lost the will to talk totowards us with uncertain footsteps, she immediately bent down, stretched her hand out towards it, and started ue
I'ed to reach her hand
And then, it started to gnaw on her finger It firer and continued to gnaw at it gently
”Ah…”
Rushi+e-san started at it in blank amazement for a some time, and then,
”Aaaaaaaaaaaah! So cuuuuuute!”
She looked like she was about to faint She riggling her body, and her breathing becaer as if it was looking for milk
Isn't she enjoying this a little too much? Is this person okay?
”Ah… Ahhhh! Haaaaaaa!”
”………”
It looks like she's done for
I couldn't help but draay froe I felt very uncomfortable
She had been talking normally withover a kitten Looking at this made me feel itchy, and I felt like I wanted to scratch myself all over my body
It was so bad that I considered just leaving this place then and there
○
”Achoo!”
I sneezed as I alking How many times does that make it today?
Did I perhaps catch a cold? My body also started to feel strangely heavy since a little earlier The back of my throat feels somewhat hot as well…
In any case, let ht's sleep today
”Does this country have any good inns that are equipped with the necessary amenities?”
Rushi+e-san, as in exceptionally high spirits after receiving the relentless attacks of the kitten, answered
”Let's see… I would recommend that inn over there It's a heavenly place where you can entangle yourself with a large number of cat-samas”
”Maybe I asked the wrong question Please let h standard of living”
”What about the cat-samas?”
”I don't need any”
”………”
After slightly pouting as if she had found
”In that case, that inn ood—”
A little while later
We continued to walk around the city as before I had Rushi+e-san show ood restaurants that served delicious food (however, they were all filled with cats, without exception), and several other things besides
At so our tour of the city, I realized that the sun was low in the sky The sky is red
I suppose it's time to call it a day? Just when I was able to see the end of the city tour, I re I needed to learn
”By the hat's the third law?”
If I remember correctly, there were three laws that I had to follow at all tiht?
”Oh, I'otten”
”Please tell me what it is If not, I don’t think I'll be able to sleep at the inn in peace”
I definitely don't want to spend the night without sleeping while in prison
”Ahaha But as for the final rule, it's pretty rare to even encounter that situation in the first place, so I don’t think it will be a problem Let's see, the third law is—”
It happened just as she had opened her mouth to tell me about the final rule
The people alking in the streets suddenly started to itation spread out like a wave, and voices of admiration could be heard from here and there
When I was looking around to try and understand as going on, I saw that all the people were facing in one direction without exception
And then,
”Ahh… It's Cat God-sama!”
”Cat God-saraced us with her presence!”
”It's been so many days since we last saw her”
”She's so beautiful…”
”She's wonderful…!”
While saying things like that, all the people knelt down on the spot Rushi+e-san was also not an exception
”Ah… How beautiful…!”
She said that in a feverish tone while sighing, and also knelt down like the other people
……What's going on?
There was a single cat in the direction that they were all facing It had black, glossy fur and blue eyes
”………?”
However, the atmosphere around this one was somehow different compared to the other cats
The cat that was elegantly walking towards us had two tails I'm pretty sure normal cats don't have those Also, its fur looked exceptionally fluffy It ht feel nice to hold
”Rushi+e-san, why does that cat have two—”
”Elaina-san! What are you doing? Do the same as me, quickly!”
She didn’t give ed on my robe
”………”
She wants ?
I'm supposed to kneel down and show respect to a cat?
I really don't want to do that…
But if I don’t do as she says, I ht be thrown in prison
”…Uuu”
It can't be helped
I reluctantly got down on one knee and respectfully bowed my head like the others
Just what a in a place like this?
”…Umm, Rushi+e-san”
”Be quiet We're in the presence of Cat God-saive offense”
Eeeh…
How a like that all of a sudden? There should be a limit to this unreasonableness, don't you think? I don't even knohat ht cause offense to a cat What on earth is a Cat God-sama, anyways?
I held back my words of bewilderment and annoyance in the back of
At the same time
”Nyaa”
I heard a voice It was fairly close by No, it was extremely close by
”………”
”Nyaaa~”
The black cat with two tails—the one they called Cat God-sama—had come to a stop in front ofstraight at me
”Nya”
And then, it waved both of its tails once and suddenly ju to my robe
”Eeh…?”
I was confused What exactly am I supposed to do now?
When I looked around at the other people,
”Wow…”
”To think that Cat God-sama would jump up on somebody of her oill…”
”Cat God-sanized her as somebody special”
Voices of admiration were raised from all directions
”I'm so jealous…”
I heard Rushi+e-san'sas well
I don't really get what's going on, but apparently it's not a bad thing
Speaking of which, this is the first time I've touched a cat—no, it has two tails, so I' it a cat
”…Ei”
I pulled back the knee on which I was resting, sat down on the ground, and hugged the cat that was clinging to , and rested comfortably in my arms
When I lightly patted its head, it looked at me with a sleepy expression and started to purr It felt like it was saying ”Pat me more”
It really is quite cute
I felt like I understood why the people of this country were attracted to cats so much
Well, I still don't feel like I love theh to abandon all sense of reason
”I-I-Incredible…!”
”This is…”
”I can't believe it…!”
While I was having fun patting the one they called Cat God-saain The people stood up and sloalked towards me to form a circle around me and Cat God-sama
What's going on?
When I tilted my head in confusion, fro up When I turned towards her, she was looking down at aze
”…I-I…!”
She , she pulled out her staff
”Eh? Umm…”
It was then that I realized that so However, it was already too late
”How rude!”
”How dare you pat Cat God-sama!”
”Get your dirty hands off Cat God-sama!”
”You… Do you knohat you're doing!?”
The people around ry
”Umm… Please, wait for a bit! Just what did I— ”
I had no idea what I had done to anger these people, and was starting to panic a little In itation, I raised both my hands over my head
The Cat God-sa was suddenly tossed into the air, and landed on s I felt pain as its claws dug into hs
That action caused further repercussions
”How dare you toss Cat God-sama into the air like that!”
”Not only is she rude, she did so no one who loves cat-samas would do!”
”Put her to death! Guilty!”
Rushi+e-san shouted loudly, in a voice that was almost a scream
”Rushi+e-san, please explain to them that I was unaware of the circumstances—”
”There is no point in arguing!”
Ehh… She's not listening…
Not only did she not explain my circumstances to the others, she hit ic My hands that were still raised in the air were suddenly pulled straight by an unseen force, and were bound by iron handcuffs created by her ic What's more, the handcuffs also caers to the handcuffs so that I could not clench my fists
I can't hold my staff like this
”…Umm”
When I looked up again, I saw that Rushi+e-san was still extrery She handed the key toat me
”Everyone! Let's throw this rude witch into prison!”
Rushi+e-san shouted, and the people around us raised their voices in agreement
”Umm… Please, just listen to me—”
”Now, stand up, Elaina-san! If you don’t, we'll drag you there!”
Rushi+e-san pulled me by the handcuffs as she started to walk
”Umm…”
”Seriously…! Only people who love cat-samas are supposed to be able to enter this country, so how did soe to slip in?”
”……”
Apparently,her
Still, her behaviour was so around the city, she felt like an entirely different person
She looks like she's lost her ability to think calmly Like she's lost all sense of reason
It was alency
”—I finally found you”
I felt like I heard that voice fro by Rushi+e-san
○
After that, I lost track of how much time had passed