After my rank up, the boring days began.

Despite what I thought, Cana and the curse boy took their time going after us.

And since we were anticipating their attack, we couldn’t really go and do quests outside of the city.

It would be like inviting them to ambush us.

And while, yes, my enhanced senses can detect people setting up an ambush, this is a little different.

I mean…

Since the last girl can turn into fog, there’s no way for me to detect her.

I could easily mistake natural fog for her, so I wouldn’t recognize her.

It would be real easy for her to sneak up on us.

Materializing her arm while it’s in my throat?

No, thanks.

I’ll stay in the city.

…

Huh?

She can do that even if I’m in the city?

W-well, that’s true, but…!

Surely, with so many people around she won’t dare, right?!

Moreover, we have three different ways to deal with her!

And Mable’s presence is vital for two of those!

Since Mable won’t follow us outside the city on all quests we want to do, we’ll just stay in the city, thanks.

And this is the problem.

If we can’t go do a quest outside the city, then what do we do?

Quests inside the city?

Yeah, no…

I’m not very keen on that.

I think I’ll leave the toilet cleaning and rat extermination to the professionals.

What’s that?

Cats are professional rat exterminators?

Well, that has nothing to do with me, because I’m not a cat!

Hmm…

What now?

To be honest, I don’t think there’s any point in being tense about this.

They’ll strike at some point and I’ll do my best then.

But for now, I’m not going to stress about it.

Yes, just think of it as school exams.

Getting nervous would be counterproductive.

So…

Let’s do other things!

There’s actually so much I wanted to do, but never got the chance.

This is the perfect time for it.

Well, before that, we gotta find an inn.

While a secret underground cat base is cool, I don’t really want to sleep there every day.

And sleeping in Mable’s room at the dorms also doesn’t feel right.

Getting our own place is better.

And so we did.

It’s much easier to find an opened inn when it’s daytime.

Who would have thought?

We got ourselves a nice room with a two single beds.

What?

We could have gotten a room with one double bed?

Well…

We could have…

But, you know…

This is much safer.

I don’t want Ignis sleepkissing me and roasting me from inside.

Yep, definitely want to avoid that.

Well, now that we found ourselves an inn, it’s time to go down my check list.

First order of business.

Find a church.

What?

No, I’m not a believer!

…

Wait, actually…

Isn’t it impossible to be an atheist after meeting god in person?

Eh, whatever!

Let’s just find his church.

There’s gotta be one in this city, right?

Well, that’s what I thought.

And I mean, I DID find some churches.

But none of them were dedicated to Kat.

In fact, it seems like nobody even knows a god called ‘Kat’.

Huh…

How strange…

Did he give me a fake name?

This isn’t some online social site!

No… that can’t be it.

My equipment is literally named after him!

There’s no way that’s a fake name!

But then, what gives?

Why does nobody know about him?

Instead of Kat, every priest talked about a god called ‘Nix’.

Who’s that?

Kat’s nickname?

I doubt it.

I tried to somehow call out to Kat in the church, but nothing happened.

Blessing of the Kat

Allows the user to wear equipment blessed by the Kat. The user is also sometimes able to communicate with the Kat at designated locations. Lastly, all feline creatures will become friendly.

Well…

Either I misinterpreted what the designated locations are, or I’ll have to keep searching for a dedicated church.

I’m a little disappointed, but oh well…

Looks like my first yelling-at-a-god session will have to wait for later…

After my visit to the church of Nix, a genius idea sparked in my mind.

Back in Buanna, I tried to learn magic.

But I couldn’t learn anything because all books about magic were way too expensive.

However…

Now, I have a master fire mage by my side!

With Ignis, I’ll learn proper magic in no time!

And I won’t even have to turn into an evil spawn of darkness to do it!

Well…

That was the idea at least…

“And then you release it forward and imagine it go boom!”

Yeah…

That sounds impossible.

I can’t release mana from my body.

That’s the main problem, you know?

Why are you skipping like five steps?

“Geez, are you so bad at this!”

You, shut up!

Your explanations are terrible!

Moreover, didn’t you say your curse is what awakened your talent for magic?!

Don’t compare me to a filthy cheater like you!

“Well, maybe you just have no talent for fire magic…”

You say that, but I tried every element already!

I thought I might have some aptitude for dark magic, because of panther soul, but no!

Nothing comes out!

All I can do, is mix the mana concoction inside my body!

It’s like shaking up an unopenable bottle of soda!

It won’t get out and it just makes me feel dizzy if I overdo it!

It’s useless!

Argh, I should just stop trying…

Magic is just impossible for me…

Yeah, I’ll move on…

Four girls, one cat.

Welcome to our secret meeting Deliah.

I sure haven’t seen you in a while.

“So… you are the girl he wanted to capture…?”

Ah, right…

That’s how it all started, huh?

Deliah was that guy’s target, but after I intervened, his focus shifted to me.

“I… guess…?”

I think she’s a bit overwhelmed.

We just told her all about the entire situation.

Including the fact that Ignis used to be on the side that tried to capture her.

Well, she’s free from the charm now, but…

I have a feeling Deliah still might have some reservations about Ignis.

“Then… erm… I’m sorry!”

Whoa, headbutting the ground?!

You didn’t apologize nearly as much to me!

And if I remember correctly, you planned to torture me until my mind broke!

“I-it’s fine… you were being controlled, right?”

Ooh…

What a kind and forgiving soul you are…

“You… forgive me? T-thank you!”

Tch, you didn’t beg for MY forgiveness…

…

What?

No, I’m not jealous!

“Yeah, umm… by the way.”

After Ignis sat back on the bed, Deliah spoke up again.

“Do you see that curse in your status screen?”

…

“My what…?”

Ah, right…

The status screen is sort of a secret, isn’t it?

Deliah didn’t even know it existed before I told her.

And I made her promise she wouldn’t tell anyone about it.

…

It’s fine.

No need to look at me in panic as if you messed up.

I only wanted you to keep it secret because I felt it would cause trouble back then.

But I think it’s fine now.

“Well then Ignis, looks like we will have thoroughly discipline you on how to not reveal a secret.”

No, we don’t need to go that far, Mable!

Also, you already knew about status screen?

I guess it comes naturally to those who played games in their previous lives…

“Wh- get away!”

Oi, what are you doing?

Where did the serious atmosphere go?

Stop touching her all over for no reason!

Argh, I knew you were a pervert, but come on now!

We were in the middle of something important here!

“Gyah!”

“Argh!”

They fell on top of each other.

Face on face.

Brilliant.

Close your eyes Deliah, this isn’t appropriate for kids.

“A-are you okay?!”

Hmm?

I know you fell on top of her, but there’s no need to panic that much, Ignis.

Something like that won’t cause injuries…

“Augh…”

Huh?

Why is-

Wait a second!

Don’t tell me…

You two kissed just now?!

This is bad!

The curse is gonna-

…

Huh?

What is this…?

“Umm…”

“Auugmm…”

Once Ignis got off of Mable, I got to see her face.

She was completely red and her eyes swam around.

She also kept babbling unintelligible words.

“… Mable?”

What’s happening to you?

Why-

…

Her crotch is wet.

Deliah, cover your eyes.

Right now.

“Ahem… now that was… an experience…”

You aren’t getting your dignity back.

It’s lost forever no matter what you do.

Also…

I thought you are immune to curses.

Didn’t you have a skill for that?

Or maybe you are merely immune to being cursed?

And when something or someone else is cursed, you aren’t immune to their side effects?

Hmm…

I guess that’s it.

“I can’t believe it… My curse weakened that much…”

Weakened, you say…

This… is the extremely weakened version of your curse, you say…

You know…

I find it disturbing that even the watered down version puts someone in such a state!

I mean…

Is this the joke?

Whenever you kiss someone they will feel hot inside?!

Is that what it was actually meant to do?!

That guy is a total sicko!

Was it just something for lewd purposes?!

And then he screwed up and increased the effect by a million percent?!

I’m SO done!

When I meet him, I won’t even ask any questions!

A straight full-powered punch into his face will be my greeting!

“A-anyway… about this ‘status screen’…”

Right.

We were talking about that, weren’t we?

“What is it supposed to be? Why is it such a serious secret?”

It’s not a serious secret.

Mable just tried to joke around.

And paid for it.

“Well, in short it’s…”