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Chapter 72
Maybel stared down at the cat with a still-dazed expression.
‘It… seems like I can communicate with it…?’
It had freed her ropes, and it approached her to have the chain cut shorter.
‘Could it… be a beastman?’
Kellic had said before that newborn beastmen often appear as animals.
Some instinctively know how to take human form, while others aren’t very skilled.
That was probably why Kellic had assumed Aselt’s “pet” was just an ordinary animal and almost became its prey.
‘But even in animal form, beastmen are intelligent.’
Aselt had recognized this and treated Kellic carefully instead of harming him.
Could it be that this cat is actually a beastman too?
“Are you a beastman?”
“Meow~”
“…Are you a beastman?”
“Meow~”
Hmph, it couldn’t speak human language.
“Then if you are a beastman, meow once. If not, meow twice. Got it? Are you a beastman?”
“Meow-meow, meow-meow~”
“…How many times does that count as?”
As Maybel tried counting on her fingers, the cat flicked its tail rapidly.
Even without words, she understood what it meant.
‘So basically, it’s telling me to stop talking nonsense and just cut the chain.’
Maybel asked with a small laugh, and the cat meowed once—clear confirmation.
‘I think it was pretending not to answer before…’
Narrowing her eyes in suspicion, Maybel went along and broke the chain as instructed.
The shackles around its ankles were old; after a few hits with a stone, they crumbled.
“Done! Phew, that must have hurt, huh?”
The cat’s body trembled every time the stone hit the chain, soaked in blood and pus.
“Let’s just throw these away.”
Maybel tossed the shackles and chains into a corner with a flourish.
The cat approached her, rubbing against her as if relieved.
Melted by its cuteness, Maybel gently petted its head.
“You really might be a beastman after all.”
“Meow~”
The cat still played coy.
Maybel tore more of her skirt to firmly bind its back leg.
‘Temporary, but better than nothing. I’ll treat you properly once we get out of here.’
“Meow~”
The fragile-sounding cat limped onto Maybel’s thigh.
“Uh… huh?”
“Purr… purr…”
This was the legendary purring song!
The kitten was tiny but warm and slightly floppy.
When she stroked its back, she could feel its ribcage—thin from not eating.
Its stomach rumbled faintly.
“You must be hungry. I should’ve had something in my pocket.”
Before being kidnapped, Maybel had planned to eat lunch soon. She hadn’t snacked during her errands either.
“I have to get out of here quickly.”
She stroked the cat’s back, resolute.
But where should she go?
The cave she was in had paths branching to both sides—one presumably the exit, the other deeper into darkness.
‘Which way should I choose…?’
As the cat’s purring grew louder, a breeze blew from one direction.
“There! The wind’s coming from there!”
That must be the way outside.
Maybel picked up the cat, which showed no intention of leaving her lap.
“Meow~?”
The kitten looked up at her and mewed.
“Why aren’t you getting down? Oh right, your leg’s injured.”
She gestured to the leg she had just bandaged.
“You can’t walk on that. It’ll get worse if you try.”
“Meow~?”
“You’re not heavy at all. It’s fine! Tiny like baby fluff, huh?”
“Meow~!”
“All right, all right. You’re a fine boy, not a baby.”
The kitten twisted in her arms, nearly slipping from her hold.
Maybel readjusted it carefully, soothing the kitten.
“Ella and Master must be worried sick.”
“Meow?”
“Ella takes care of me, and Master is my teacher. Both are amazing people. They’ll definitely be looking for me.”
“Meow~”
Maybel talked quietly with the kitten as she walked toward the stronger breeze.
Until recently, she had assumed it couldn’t understand her—but it seemed this truly was a beastman.
Meanwhile, the candle she had brought had already gone out in the wind.
Walking through the pitch-dark cave, she began to sweat profusely from the effort.
The path seemed only to get darker and narrower.
Her foot caught on the uneven floor.
“Ah!”
She braced with her other hand, avoiding a fall, but her palm was scratched again.
“Ugh, seriously…”
Instead of crying, she grumbled and shook off her injured hand.
“Meow?”
The cat stared up at her with wide eyes.
“Does it hurt? Well, of course it hurts.”
“Meow~?”
“Well… crying doesn’t fix anything. And actually, I don’t mind pain that much.”
“…Meow.”
“Not a pervert!”
Maybel shouted, and her voice echoed off the cave walls.
The cat flicked its tail twice, apparently indifferent.
“I’m serious!”
“Meow~”
The cat didn’t even listen.
Maybel gritted her teeth but didn’t argue, not wanting a real fight.
“Try stepping out of here… and I’ll tell the vet to give you a super painful injection.”
“Meow~!”
Did it understand what an injection was?
The cat leapt gracefully onto her arm, curling its tail around her torso in what seemed like an apology.
It even bumped its head against her chest playfully.
“You’re scared of shots too?”
“Meow~”
Maybel chuckled and lightly stroked its head with her pinky.
“Anyway… earlier, we heard an echo here, right?”
She looked toward the path she intended to take. The cat followed her gaze.
“Echoes travel along walls, but the wind keeps blowing from here…”
Had they been going the wrong way?
‘Should I turn back now…?’
If they followed the wind, they would reach the previous area.
“Meow~”
“Right? Try meowing toward that side?”
She cupped her hands and shouted loudly.
“Yaa-hoo!”
Her voice was impossibly loud for a kidnapped child.
And then…
“There!”
From the direction she came, human voices responded!
“They’re over there!”
But the sound bouncing off the walls wasn’t a rescuer—it was the kidnappers!
Damn.
They must have returned while Maybel and the cat had been venturing deeper into the cave.
“Grab them! Don’t let them escape! Especially capture the Grand Duke’s pupil alive!”
“Yes, yes! Precious hostage!”
The men’s voices drew closer rapidly.
Maybel turned and ran deeper into the cave with the cat.
Of course, no matter how fast the child ran in the dark, the adults chasing with lamps were faster.
Thud!
Her crawling leg was caught.
“Hiiik!”
Too startled to scream, Maybel faced a man thrusting a lamp toward her with a smirk.
“Gotcha.”
