Chapter 94: If You Leave Now, I...
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 94: If You Leave Now, I...
Press.
Knead.
"Ravi."
"Yes?"
"Can you see it clearly?"
"Yes. It’s a bit better than before. Maybe it’s because my body is smaller, but the circuits are much more distinct."
Ravi, who had turned into a pale white cat, was perched on my back, inspecting my circuits. I guess her claim of being a "Magic Cat" wasn't a lie, considering how she was checking them. It wasn't much different from what she used to do when she was human.
Knead, knead.
"Mmm."
"What is it, Yoo Eon?"
"Nothing. Just..."
It was just a bit funny having a cat on my back instead of Ravi’s tiny hands. Judging by the purring, though, she didn't seem to mind.
"Meow?"
"Pardon?"
"Ah, sorry. It just came out of habit..."
Embarrassed, she groomed herself for a moment before hopping off my back and leaping high onto the table. Her reflexes seemed better than before.
"The results are in!"
"I see. And what are they?"
"Yoo Eon! You are no longer human!"
A very sudden declaration of human disqualification. According to Ravi’s inspection, the shape of my circuits no longer resembled a human's.
"Then what do I look like?"
"That’s a difficult question because there aren't any creatures I can really compare you to. It’s likely the influence of the Dragon Heart... but mana circuits of the Dragon Species vary wildly between individuals."
"I see."
It wouldn't cause any immediate problems, but since this was an unprecedented phenomenon, there was no telling what symptoms might arise. The only silver lining was that the circuits weren't breaking or deforming in a destructive way.
According to the expert opinion of Dr. Ravi, it didn't seem like any parts were being lost.
"Specifically, the circuit for this Unidentified Skill has expanded tremendously. It’s much broader than before."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Not at all. This happens occasionally—you could say that as you use a skill repeatedly, it develops functions that weren't there before."
She explained it was like a skill leveling up. Things that were impossible before become possible, or existing abilities get strengthened. In terms of getting stronger, it was a good thing.
But was there anything that had been impossible for me? I felt like I’d been able to do most things I wanted.
"Ah, and Yoo Eon. I have something to give you!"
"What is it?"
"Could you follow me for a second? And if you don't mind, please pick me up."
"Sure, why not."
I got up from the bed and stepped onto the floor. When I reached out toward Ravi, she suddenly hissed.
"W-Wait! Put some clothes on first!"
"Right."
I pulled my discarded shirt back on, picked Ravi up, and looked where her front paw was pointing. It was toward the bookshelf, where most of the books were neatly organized and free of dust.
"It’s the dark green book on the third shelf from the top."
"What’s this?"
"The Encyclopedia of Monster Anatomy. It’s a book that contains very detailed skeletal structures of monsters with unique frames!"
"I see. And why are you giving this to me?"
"Yoo Eon, you failed when you tried to sprout wings from your back last time, didn't you? Do you remember why?"
"Because connecting the bones was difficult."
When attempting to create new organs, connecting the skin wasn't that hard. You just had to wrap the exterior; as long as there weren't major gaps or areas rubbing together, it was fine. I could manage the muscles if I put my mind to it, but the problem was the bones.
Not only was it difficult to apply the periosteum that helps muscle adhere to bone, but I also needed to connect blood vessels to transport blood produced in the marrow to the rest of the body. Most importantly, the complex shapes of the cartilage connecting the bones were the biggest issue. If that part was made incorrectly, the skeleton could collapse, the internals could twist, and symptoms like muscle fiber entanglement could occur.
In severe cases, it could lead to internal bleeding and escalate into a major problem.
"And thus, the Encyclopedia of Monster Anatomy!"
"Ooh."
Ravi hopped onto the book on the desk and spread her front paws toward the sky. She seemed to be going for a "Ta-da!" moment, but since she was a cat, it didn't quite have the intended effect.
"If you read this book ten times—no, a hundred times! You, Yoo Eon, will be a Master of Anatomy!"
"I see."
"It contains information on endoskeletal monsters with twenty arms! There are even detailed anatomical diagrams of creatures with eight pairs of wings!"
"Whoa."
"You’ll probably be able to figure out the cartilage shapes you want, and even efficient muscle fiber placement! As you know, Yoo Eon, every muscle in a living creature has a different function, a different shape, and different strengths."
I certainly hadn't given that much thought. Which muscle should be used where for maximum efficiency? Usually, it was best to attach the muscles I harvested to their original corresponding areas.
Arm muscles on the arms, leg muscles on the legs. But I didn't need a fully functioning, living organism. Parts unnecessary for combat, like digestion and reproduction, were useless to me.
In fact, for a while now, I had been erasing my digestive organs the moment I entered a fight. This meant I needed a "Combat Form."
"This is helpful, Ravi."
"Ehehe... really?"
"Yes, definitely."
"I-In that case...!"
"In that case?"
Ravi the cat hesitated for a long time, grooming herself a bit. She suddenly spun in circles trying to catch her own tail, then scratched at the wooden bookshelf for a moment.
"Ahem... c-could you give me some butt pats...?"
"Pardon?"
"Hiss!! D-Don't make me say it again!"
"What? You want me to pat your butt?"
"D-Don't say it out loud either!!"
So, Ravi—who was currently a cat but had been a human until recently—was asking me for "butt scritches." It was such an unexpected request that I was genuinely stunned.
"Um... why?"
"W-Well, you see! Actually... when I went to the market to get food, someone did it to me... and, uh... that action is actually very beneficial for cats! The area around a cat's rear is very sensitive, with many nerve endings! Stimulating this area causes a cat to release endorphins, the pleasure hormone! Light patting gives the cat a sensation similar to a massage, which can relax muscle tension and help blood circulation! And also, cats form social bonds through physical contact with humans, so touching the rear area can act as a way to increase intimacy! Furthermore, cats are said to maintain social relationships by grooming each other, and, uh, uh... the act of patting the butt can provide stimulation similar to that grooming behavior, making the cat feel comfortable! Some cats even experience a release of tension when specific areas are touched!"
To summarize: butt pats feel good. Her voice was thick with embarrassment, but she sure gave a long-winded explanation for a simple request.
"Alright. It’s not like it’s hard. Come here."
"R-Really...?"
"Yes, I said I would."
At my answer, Ravi seemed to deliberate for a moment before hopping down from the desk and onto the bed where I was sitting. Anyway, she was in the form of a cat right now, and I’d just been holding her in my arms earlier. What was a little butt patting?
That aside, she went to the market to get food in this form? That’s impressive. I’d seen a few cats wandering the streets; were they all actually people?
"Come up on my lap."
"O-On your lap?!"
"Yes. It’s more comfortable for me that way."
"I suppose... alright..."
She tentatively poked my thigh with her front paw, testing the waters, her behavior perfectly cat-like. I mean, she was a cat right now, grooming and scratching and all. Was it normal for one's behavior to change like this?
Once she felt my lap was safe, she finally climbed up cautiously, curled her body into a ball, and settled into a comfortable position.
Pat, pat.
"Ravi, when did you get this skill, anyway?"
"About five days ago, I think."
Her voice trembled in sync with my pats. Yep, this was definitely Ravi.
"Why don't you delete it?"
"Well... this body has surprisingly many advantages... I don't need much food, and I'm very agile because my body is so light."
She was light before, too, but if she said so.
"And actually? They say people who master the Magic Cat skill can freely transform back into their original bodies!"
"Really?"
"Yes! That is the true value of the Magic Cat skill!"
She spoke proudly, her tail flicking back and forth, but honestly, I couldn't imagine it. She just looked like a cat to me.
"If that’s true, it’s cool, but how long does it take?"
"I'm not sure. It was hard for you when you first tried to use that Unidentified Skill, wasn't it?"
"That’s true."
Apparently, the Magic Cat skill even increases the user's magical power by about thirty percent. I’d heard that some famous mages even enter the labyrinths specifically to obtain this skill.
Though, entering a labyrinth aiming for a specific skill was like trying to win the lottery. Practically impossible.
"Have you tried it yet?"
"I'm practicing hard. I’ve tried about thirty times, but there’s no sign of it working yet."
"Have any other customers come by?"
"O-Of course they have! The Sateria Appraisal Office is always full of customers!"
"And? Didn't people say anything?"
"Ah, that... they just seemed to take it in stride?"
As expected of the Labyrinth City. People’s sensibilities aren't normal here. I should have known from the moment I saw a father of a primary school girl wandering the streets like it was nothing.
"It’s not like there’s a problem with the skill appraisals. Besides, I feel like the office has gotten much bigger, you know?"
"I bet it does."
Ravi, who had been enjoying the butt pats on my lap, suddenly snapped her head up to look at the clock. she stood up, gave her body a good shake, and hopped down onto the bed.
"It’s time!"
"Time for what?"
"Time for my mana to recover! It’s been eight hours since my last attempt, so I'm going to try the spell to turn back into a human one more time!"
"Oh, this should be interesting."
She let out a long, deep stretch in a cat pose on the bed. After spinning around to find the perfect spot, she planted herself right in the center of the bed and spoke to me.
"Yoo Eon! Watch closely!"
"Right. Give it a shot."
"Well... I don't think it’ll work, honestly."
With her eyes closed, she lowered her voice and began chanting. A slightly reddish magic circle began to form around Ravi the cat.
Oh, that’s neat.
I stayed quiet so as not to break her concentration, but this was the largest magic circle Ravi had shown me so far.
"Hyaaah...! Trasforma!"
In an instant, a brilliant white light flashed inside the cramped appraisal office. It was as bright as a flashbang, forcing me to squeeze my eyes shut for a moment. Then, I heard the sound of the bed creaking.
"Huh?"
"Ah."
A tiny witch hat that didn't fit her head.
Red hair that had grown back out in fluffy waves.
"A... Aaaahhh...!!!!"
And a woman in a cat-like pose, without a single stitch of clothing on her.
"I'm leaving, Ravi."
"If you leave now, I'll kill myself!!!"