Chapter 02
“A cat?”
Why was there a cat here… No—more than that, what on earth had happened to it?
The cat’s limp figure was pitiful to behold.
Emilina quickly covered her mouth.
Its once glossy black fur was now matted with blood, and in between the clumps, deep gashes were visible.
The most serious wound was near its lower abdomen—it was so deep it looked fatal.
It was as if someone had slashed the cat with a sharpened blade.
And not just once, but several times.
“Are they insane?”
Judging from its small build, it was still just a young cat. How had something like this happened to it?
A look of sorrow crossed Emilina’s face.
“No, I can’t waste time. I need to treat it right away.”
The cat looked as if it could stop breathing at any moment.
She had to hurry and treat it immediately.
That meant getting out of the forest first. Only then could she treat it properly—or take it to a hospital.
Emilina hastily grabbed a cushion.
Then she crouched down toward the cat.
She thought it would be better to use the cushion to support it, rather than carrying it directly in her arms.
Just as she was about to lift the cat up—
The cat opened its eyes slightly, as if awakened by her movement, and their gazes met.
“Hssskhh…”
The weak, rasping cry carried a hint of wariness toward her.
Not wanting to startle it, Emilina spoke softly, her tone gentle and calm.
She wanted to show she meant no harm.
“Shhh. It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you. Can you stay still for a little while?”
The suspicion in the cat’s eyes faded.
As if it had actually understood her words.
Its golden eyes stared straight at her.
“Strange… I thought it would be more defensive.”
She assumed it would be hostile, since it seemed to have suffered at human hands.
Though puzzled, Emilina dismissed the thought—maybe it just had a gentle nature.
“You’re a good cat. Then, shall we go now?”
Carefully, she wrapped her hands around its body, being as cautious as possible not to touch the wounds.
But then—
Splatter.
“Ghhk.”
“Ah! Oh no—! I’m so sorry!”
Blood suddenly gushed out from the neglected wound.
The cat groaned in pain, its voice weak but clearly suffering.
Guilt welled up in Emilina’s chest.
“I have to get out of here quickly.”
Adjusting the cushion to support the cat more securely, she held it tightly.
At least she hadn’t panicked and dropped it after seeing the blood—that was a relief.
If she had hurt it twice, her heart would surely have been crushed by guilt.
Letting out a breath of relief, Emilina began walking carefully.
“…Wait. Where even am I?”
First, she had to find her way.
“Phew! My arms are going to fall off.”
Massaging her trembling arms, Emilina glanced down at the cat.
It was heavier than it looked.
She had to rest countless times on the way.
Still, if not for the cat, she might have been lost in the forest forever.
Whenever she tried heading the wrong way, the cat would let out a faint purr or sound, as if guiding her.
Thanks to that, she finally made it home safely. But that only left the next problem.
“What am I supposed to do now…”
Looking at the exhausted, limp cat, Emilina let out a troubled sigh.
She had no idea how to treat such terrible wounds.
Originally, she had intended to take it straight to a hospital after leaving the forest.
“Just hold on a little longer, I’ll take you to a hospital soon—ow!”
“Grrrhh!”
The cat, who had been quiet until now, suddenly bared its claws and growled fiercely.
No matter how she tried to soothe it, it refused to calm down.
In fact, every time she mentioned the hospital, it resisted violently.
When it even tried to escape her arms, Emilina realized—this cat was reacting specifically to the word hospital.
Almost as if it understood what a hospital was.
“Wait… how could a cat know what a hospital is?”
She was baffled. But since it seemed to hate the idea so much, she couldn’t force it.
So, she gave up on the hospital and brought it straight home.
If nothing else, I’ll just treat it myself, she thought—naively.
But when she actually looked at the wounds again, she froze.
She bitterly regretted not dragging it to the hospital by force.
“Not that it would’ve mattered much—it’s just a regular hospital anyway.”
There were no veterinary clinics nearby. That was the best she could have done.
Of course, Emilina truly wished she could show it to a proper veterinarian.
But the central city was far away.
And above all—she had no money.
No travel costs, no treatment fees.
With no hospital as an option, she had no choice but to try herself.
“Alright… I’ll just have to do it.”
Steeling her resolve, Emilina’s expression grew firm.
The cat lay there with its eyes shut, as if lifeless.
“…It’s not actually dead, right?”
Listening carefully, she heard a faint, ragged breath.
Relieved, she fetched a damp cloth and began wiping the blood from its fur.
Her touch was painstakingly gentle, careful not to open the wounds further.
Beads of sweat formed on her forehead from the intense focus.
Once the blood was cleared away, she applied some ointment—meant for humans, but hopefully effective.
The cat whimpered now and then but never woke.
Finally, she clumsily wrapped its wounds with bandages.
Only then did she allow herself a sigh of relief.
She had done all she could. The rest was up to the cat’s own strength.
“Ugh… I must’ve concentrated too much. I feel drained.”
Pressing her fingers against her temples, Emilina muttered.
Now that the tension was gone, fatigue weighed on her.
What she needed now was something sweet to replenish her energy.
That was when she remembered the bag she had forgotten about in all the commotion.
“Ah, that’s right!”
She rummaged through the bag and pulled out a paya fruit.
A perfect snack to satisfy her craving for sweetness.
It felt a little wasteful to eat now—but then again, why not?
“When else would I eat it?”
She could always gather more later.
Heading to the kitchen, Emilina grabbed a knife and neatly sliced off the top of the fruit.
A thick, white liquid shimmered inside.
Though tempted to drink it straight, she shook her head and fetched a spoon.
Better to eat it slowly, back in her room.
Returning to the room, she sat by the sofa where the black puffball of a cat still lay unmoving.
“Will it stay asleep until I’m done eating?”
She wanted to savor it at a relaxed pace.
If the cat woke up, she’d either rush through it or forget altogether.
Hoping it wouldn’t wake too soon, Emilina lifted a spoonful of the sweet fruit.
“Ahh—”
Just then—
Grrrgggle.
A rumbling like thunder came from somewhere, making her hand freeze midair.
She tilted her head and glanced down at her stomach.
She didn’t feel hungry at all—how odd.
“Did I imagine it?”
She moved to take another bite.
But then—
Grrrooowwl!
Even louder this time. She had no choice but to lower the spoon.
“Great timing, huh…”
Swallowing hard, Emilina turned to her side.
The cat had opened its eyes and was staring straight at her.
Its mouth hung slightly open, drool practically ready to fall.
It looked desperately hungry.
“Uh… do you want this?”
“Meowrrr!”
The cat let out a sharp cry, as if to say yes.
Emilina’s heart sank.
With eyes that pitiful, how could she refuse?
“Alright, I’ll share with you. But you have to get better, okay?”
She gently tapped the cat’s nose.
The cat blinked once, then rubbed its cheek against her finger.
It felt almost like a thank you.
A warm smile spread across her face.
How could she not smile at such innocent affection?
