“Mghm… huh?”

Good morning Ignis.

You sure took your time waking up.

“Where am… oh…”

Yeah, it’s a little strange waking up in a room with no windows, isn’t it?

It almost makes you think you have been kidnapped and dragged into some underground facility…

…

Well, that IS kind of what Kuro did to us, but…

“Phew… nothing happened while we slept…”

Of course nothing happened!

What did you expect?

It’s just the secret underground base of cats!

What could possibly happen?

“So, what should we… oh right! We should turn in the quest!”

Wha-

…

Well, you sure know your priorities, don’t you…?

I thought you would be a bit more concerned about Cana and the others coming after us!

“What are you staring at me for? I need to keep my perfect track record! It’s important, you know!”

…

Sure.

Whatever you say.

I guess you’re the type to revert to your regular self pretty quickly.

I mean…

Weren’t you freed from a mind-controlling charm like… yesterday?

If it were me, I would still be thinking about that!

“So where’s that cat? I don’t think we can leave without asking him first.”

You’re probably right.

I better look for him, huh?

Argh, so I DO have to wander around this place, after all?!

Dang it!

“Alright, I’ll be right ba-”

The door opened before I finished my sentence.

“Meow.”

Oh, Kuro!

My savior!

“Oh, he’s here!”

“Meorw?”

“Yeah, we wanted to go to the guild and turn in our finished quest!”

“Meow… meow!”

“Eh?! Ah… oh… err…”

What…?

You understand him?

“N-Nina… sorry about how I forced myself into your party earlier…”

“… it’s fine.”

I got quite annoyed back then, but it worked out fine in the end, didn’t it?

“Meow! Meeeow!”

“Huh…? No, I’m not charmed anymore!”

“Meow! Meow!”

“I swear! I’m completely and utterly done with that jerk! If I see him again, I will burn his face off!”

“… meow.”

“Yay! Thanks!”

…

How can you tell what he’s saying?!

Do you have a cat speech skill?!

This is not fair!

I’m supposed to be the one with all the cat related abilities!

“Hmm…? What? Is something wrong?”

“… nothing. Let’s go.”

And you are coming too, little black cat.

I hope you didn’t forget the spoils of our quest are in your possession.

“Ugh… do I have to wear this again?”

“Meow.”

“Fine…”

Hey, I want a blindfold too!

Or rather, the past me wants one!

Who says knowledge is power?

Ignorance is bliss!

Let me unsee those things!

…

Oh well.

It’s not like it would help now.

Let’s just get going.

Yep, the same way we came in.

Just ignore the death glares from the prisoners…

They must all be bad people.

No doubt about it.

They deserve to be in those cages.

Yes, totally.

We continued on and headed for the same entrance we previously came in through.

On our way out, the orange cat with a scar came to us and said something to Kuro.

I’m guessing that cat is something like his right-hand man…?

Anyway, after checking the surroundings for any witnesses, we crawled out of the tunnel one by one.

Kuro closed the barrel door behind us before jumping up and seating himself in his favorite spot, the top of my head.

We then walked out of the dark alleyway onto the main street and made our way to the adventurer’s guild.

Or so was the plan.

Unfortunately, on our way there, my senses picked up a familiar person.

And it seemed like this person has noticed me as well.

She approached and tried to surprise me.

I almost got tackled.

But thanks to my unmatched speed, I skillfully dodged.

Eat dust!

I’m not letting myself be crushed again!

“Guah! … Nina! That’s mean! Is this how you greet your friend?!”

The gorilla, whose attack missed, turned to me and complained.

Sorry, but I had a choice.

Either, I get crushed, or I don’t ‘greet’ you.

I picked the option that allowed me to live, thanks.

“Oh, hello there… you found a new friend?”

Mable noticed Ignis, who seemed confused at the sudden flow of events.

“… a-ahem! Hello, Nina’s friend! Nice to meet you! I’m the one and only Ignis!”

After the initial shock passed, Ignis proudly held her chest up and introduced herself.

“Ignis…? Wait, you mean the adventurer Ignis? The tall and beautiful flame mage with large br-”

“YES, THE ADVENTURER IGNIS!”

“… umm, but you look a bit…”

“Those rumors are a bunch of crap!”

…

A rumor that the adventurer Ignis is tall and has large chest?

The Rennie village chief implied the same thing…

The heck?

How did such a lie even spread?

Only a blind man would say these things about Ignis…

“Well, okay! Nice to meet you, I’m Mable!”

That was quick…

You’re a lot like Ignis, aren’t you?

I feel like you two will get along.

…

Oh, right!

I almost forgot!

“Mable… I need to talk to you…”

“Hmm? Sure! Talk away!”

“No, err… it’s something… serious…”

I glance at Ignis, who looks back nervously.

“… I see.”

Oi, do you always make such a scary face when you get serious?

I feel like you might have some kind of dual personality thing going on…

One cheerful and carefree and the other one dead serious.

We walked off of the main street into an empty corner where nobody would hear us.

“So? What is it?”

Mable still had her death glare mode on while Ignis nervously looked between me and her.

Well, how should I start…

Maybe reintroducing them would do the job.

“Ignis, this is Mable. She’s the one who defeated Fenrir.”

“Wha-”

She turned her gaze back and forth from me and Mable before finally landing on Mable.

I noticed cold sweat appear on her neck.

“… so, that’s what this is about.”

Mable squinted her eyes, which made her look even scarier.

T-this is the worst!

Argh!

Cat soul, activate!

Hah!

There we go!

Now I’m… still quite intimidated…

Dammit!

“Mable, this is Ignis… a former ally of that girl who summoned Fenrir.”

“A former ally, you say?”

Ghg!

The cat soul is not helping at all!

Do I need to turn on panther soul to withstand this pressure?!

Stop doing that already!

Look!

Ignis is trembling like a kitten, who is being glared at by a dragon!

…

Aaand she fell on her butt.

Still shaking.

…

And the furball on my head is also shivering.

“So? Why ‘former’?”

“… t-the girl from before… is charmed by someone… and Ignis was charmed by the same guy… but now, that charm has been dispelled…”

“Oh, is that so…? Hmm, you didn’t tell me you can dispel charms.”

I didn’t do it!

… I think.

Maybe I did.

Well, that’s not important here.

“The problem is… that guy will probably be coming to get us, so…”

“So, you want my help?”

“Y-yeah…”

“Hmm…”

W-what?

Why are you thinking about it?

Are you not going to help, after all?

“Well, alright.”

Oh, she agreed!

“So, what’s the plan?”

…

Umm, defeat them when they show up?

That’s not much of a plan, is it?

Ugh, I didn’t really think about this in detail!

“You don’t have one…?”

P-please forgive me!

I-if it’s my internal organs, you can have them!

Just stay away from my soul!

“… ah, well. Then I guess I’ll take charge of this.”

Oh…?

You…

You will?

That’s great!

Ahaha!

Not only will you join us, but you will come up with a strategy as well?!

This is great!

I love you!

“But I’ll want some compensation…”

…

My soul is still off-limits.

“Well now… stay still for a second…”

I…

I don’t like where this is going…

W-what’s with that mischievous smile?!

No!

Stay away!

AAAARGH!

Why meeeee?!

My ribs are cracking!

I’m gonna turn into a cat soup!

Let me goooooooooo!