The Black Cat's Farewell
Creaaak... A single black cat carefully pushes the door open with its head and steps out. Its legs tremble, but it forces itself to ignore the shaking and scans the surroundings first. The lingering scent in the air is so thick that memories it would rather forget come flooding back. It had lived quietly without ever setting a single paw outside, so why had trouble come all the way to its doorstep? The situation feels unfair, but there is nothing to be done. All it can say is that luck was against it.
It had pretended to sleep through all the embarrassing sounds coming from outside, holding its breath and staring into the darkness all night. That rotten bastard... Still, maybe it is for the best. Even if it had to borrow jealousy and stubbornness to reach a decision, it needed to make one now.
While keeping watch on its surroundings, the black tail that had been swaying gently begins to split and stretch into two, swaying back and forth. A jumble of messy scents remains as traces, but fortunately the one it had been most wary of seems to have left this place a long time ago.
Tap. The cat leaps onto the windowsill and looks down at the view from above. Surprisingly, it speaks in a human voice.
"...I have to leave."
No matter how it thinks about it, this is truly terrible luck. Just yesterday it had watched him rejoice at landing a job where he could help others with his abilities, genuinely hopping around that cramped studio apartment in excitement. It had only sulked and stared at him, yet the memory feels vivid, as if it happened moments ago. And of all places, that job had to be tied to its own inescapable past—and tied to it in the worst possible way.
"..."
Still, ever since its master picked it up, it had been able to enjoy at least a short stretch of happy days. A faint smile naturally rises to its lips. He had gently slipped into its heart and taught it the simple joys of everyday life. Even without doing anything special... on the days he stayed home to rest, just leaning against him and lazing around together felt cozy and comfortable. It had been truly wonderful. He is someone it trusts and likes that much.
Back then, in that dark corner of the park, it had been a life no one cared about, one that would have quietly ended in loneliness. Now most of its strength has returned, and it feels far better than before. It cannot drag its lifesaver—the only human it truly trusts—into trouble. In the first place, it had only planned to stay until its power recovered. It is simply a little late, but that time has finally come. There are no lingering attachments left.
*
The seventy-ninth underground floor, the lowest level of the seventh stratum and the section housing Risk Level 7 containment subjects, contains a large hot spring facility complete with an inn that feels completely out of place compared to the rest of the facility. Thanks to the characteristics of the layer directly below, this location saves energy needed to maintain the springs, and more importantly, two key friendly entities of the Eunrang Art Museum greatly enjoy bathing here.
"Hwaaaah... Uuu..."
And here, occupying an entire large bath by herself, is a young girl. Her black hair, long enough to exceed her height, floats messily on the water's surface, yet not a single strand is tangled. "Mmmh... It's so waaarm..."
The girl sprawls lazily against the edge of the bath, letting out a pleased sigh. However, a voice interrupts this peaceful moment—the very moment someone has just arrived.
"Founder, an urgent message has arrived."
A figure dressed like a hot spring attendant, face covered by a white cloth, appears without a sound and respectfully delivers the contents of the message that has reached the girl. The girl, as if she had already noticed the approach, does not even glance over and asks while still sprawled in the same position.
"Mm-hm, what is it?"
"The 'Dog Collar' you created has been damaged, and the 'Pitch-Black Box' has been stolen by the entity that was contained in that space..."
Crack...! Crunch! Craaack... Fsssh... Snap.
The girl's expression remains smiling, but the small fist she lightly brings down in displeasure easily shatters the stone floor of the bath. The attendant, long accustomed to such scenes, simply closes their mouth and waits. Soon enough, as if her anger has already faded, the girl beams again and finishes the rest of the urgent message herself.
"Mm... So you need my help, right?"
"That is correct."
"Hehe... Then I'll head over in a bit. I haven't finished bathing yet."
"Understood. Please enjoy your time."
Having successfully delivered the message, the attendant quietly retreats. The girl continues to grin as she gently strokes the broken floor. Rumble... Grumble... Miraculously, the shattered debris melts and fuses back together, as if living flesh were regenerating.
Step, step, step. Another girl walks across that floor, dragging long white hair behind her. The water pooled on the ground makes soft splashing sounds beneath her small feet. She seems to have just finished bathing as well; her hair, just as long as the black-haired girl's, hangs damp and heavy, yet her steps remain light.
"My lovely little sister...!"
"...What, you were here?"
The two look almost identical except for their hair color, eye color, and perhaps their eyebrows. They are clearly sisters. From the way they speak, the lively black-haired girl is the older sister, while the white-haired girl with her indifferent gaze is the younger one.
"Hehe, want to come in? Let's bathe together for once."
"No."
The white-haired girl firmly rejects the offer while adjusting the single towel covering her slender body. Her white lashes and pale eyes turn sharply away, emphasizing her stubbornness. Their relationship does not seem entirely harmonious.
"You always erase the bath I get into?"
The black-haired girl says something terrifying while still smiling. The white-haired girl pouts and expresses her displeasure in a passive way.
"...I hate you, sis."
"I love you so much...!"
In the end, the girl who had been trying to leave after her bath is caught and has no choice but to obediently step into the tub that now looks even more crowded because of the floating hair.
"Come here, come here... Mmm, so soft..."
"Ah, ngh..."
The black-haired girl rushes in first and hugs her tightly, then casually tosses the towel aside. Their bare skin presses together, sharing the warmth from the hot spring. "...I really hate this..." "I love it so much..."
Even as she says that, whether from the heat of the water or embarrassment, a faint blush soon colors the white-haired girl's pale cheeks. The two long strands of hair—one black, one white—that had been floating separately on the water are now twisted together, writhing.
"...Are you sure it's okay not to go right away?"
"Mm, the message? Just a little longer like this... Hehe..."
The skinship is so intimate it borders on excessive for sisters, and with no clothes between them, the younger one looks visibly burdened. The older sister pays it no mind.
"...That human you call 'Oppa' is probably in danger right now."
"We can't have that... Uuu, but I still want to stay with you a little longer..."
"...Humans are hard to bring back once they're dead."
"That includes that possibility too!"
Honestly, she does not care much whether he lives or dies. Spending more time hugging her sister like this is simply more important. Looking at her foolish older sister who does not think the way humans do, the white-haired girl lets out a small sigh.
"...Haa, no. If that human dies, we won't have time to enjoy baths like this anymore."
"Really?"
Because the things her sister creates keep interfering with the future she observes, these troublesome interventions have become necessary. Still, her sister has always loved making things... "Huu." "Yeah. The pigeons will start moving soon. That human needs to play the role of a variable in this fight."
"Uuu, got it... Then I guess there's no choice."
"...Sis?"
The white-haired girl, still being held, looks startled as the black-haired girl suddenly stands up. But the next words make it impossible to get angry.
"Hehe... Then let's go together! That way I can stay with you and check on Oppa at the same time! How about it? Aren't I smart?"
Unable to resist her sister's strength, the white-haired girl quickly gives up, deciding it is easier to just go limp.
"You're just going to go along with it, aren't you?"
"Yeah...!"
"...Then at least put some clothes on first."
"Oh right! Hehe..."
Shhhk... At the younger sister's suggestion, solid scales suddenly sprout across their bare skin visible through the steam, quickly forming into the black and white dresses they usually wear.
"Ready now? Let's go...!"
Smiling brightly, the black-haired girl hugs her sister and lightly taps the stone floor with her soles. The floor begins to ripple like water, and without hesitation the girls leap into it.
"Hyah!"
Only after even their long hair is completely sucked into the floor does it harden back into solid stone. The once-noisy hot spring falls silent again, leaving only the gentle sound of flowing water.