Chapter 106

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 106

Chapter Title: Thief Cat

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I unleashed a chicken-foot kick to punish the thief cat.

No matter what, I can't forgive thieves.

Stealing something someone worked hard for?

That's not the way of any living creature.

…

Of course, I'm different.

I do steal sometimes, but it's for the greater good.

In other words, I'm a thief with a righteous purpose.

But the cat in front of me?

It's a wicked fiend who stole my fish for selfish gain.

An act I absolutely can't forgive.

No matter who it is.

Squiiiish!

"Nyaaaaah!"

But contrary to my expectations, the chicken-foot kick missed.

The thing bent like a spineless invertebrate, dodging the attack at an absurd angle.

As expected of a cat, I suppose.

Not some fake cat like the Red Cloak— this was the real deal.

"W-Wait! Let's talk it out, nya!"

One exchange had passed, but there was no gain.

Not much of an exchange, really— it was just my one-sided assault.

A purple cat dodging attacks by slithering her body like a slime.

No, Cheshire Cat.

She didn't look ordinary at all.

Her level was higher than I'd expected, and the status description made it clear she was no run-of-the-mill creature.

And what about her skills and traits?

Her skills were all cat-themed, each at the same level of 6.

The traits stood out glaringly too— aside from the core "Striped Cat," the others were impossible to miss.

Extremely Flexible Bones.

Probably an upgraded version of my own Flexible Bones.

And Space Leap.

That must be why this Cheshire Cat ignores spatial limits.

The fact that both skills and traits were visible meant she was definitely no ordinary human.

Her appearance was nearly perfect humanoid, but think of her like Black Wolf— same category.

"Hmph! I can't take this anymore, nya!"

Cheshire Cat, who'd been dodging acrobatically, got angry.

They say the one who farts gets mad first— now the fish thief's throwing a fit?

"Big Crow, you're mistaken, nya. I'm a cat. You're a bird. Don't you know we have a clear predator-prey relationship, nya?"

…!

She's right.

Cats and birds have a perfect predator-prey dynamic.

"I was gonna settle for fish, but now you're offering crow meat too, nya?"

Cheshire Cat's eyes gleamed.

Street cats are living nightmares for birds.

Call them merciless avian exterminators.

"Caw?"

Well, that's between cats and birds on their level.

I spun my neck around.

At my size, there's no reason to fear a mere cat.

Have you ever seen an eagle or ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠owl fleeing from a cat?

"…Hmm, now that I think about it, I'm too full, nya."

Seeing my neck spin, Cheshire Cat retracted her statement.

She's scared.

"I'm not scared, nya!"

She is.

"…Nya! That's too much, nya! I didn't eat that much!"

"Caaaaw!"

If that's not a lot, what is?

I thought she'd dumped fish into a grizzly bear's den or something.

"Fine, fine, nya. I'll give you some pretty useful info, so be satisfied with that, nya!"

Good.

Truth is, she's the one in control here, and I'm at her mercy.

I needed her intel.

If she caught on, things could go south.

Like her demanding twenty more fish.

That's why I acted this way.

I'm not really interested in info, but if she's offering, I'll listen.

That was the plan.

"Cluck."

"You agree, nya? What info… Nah, a bird wouldn't care about that, nya. Instead, I'll tell you about the weird things I saw, nya!"

I urgently needed Lion Heart King info, but for now, play it cool.

And the info she's sharing now should be useful.

Coming from a Striped Cat information broker, no less.

"I saw two beings, nya. One's bird-shaped, covered in brown feathers. But its voice isn't a bird's, nya…"

"Cluck."

"And the other… like a ghost draped in black cloth, nya. Wearing a crown, too…"

"Cluck?"

I posed for another chicken-foot kick.

The info she described was way too familiar.

That's Moona and Swungswung, right?

"Hear me out, nya. You'll be interested, nya. Especially that brown bird's voluptuous body… What's with that look? And the ghost girl's youthful face is so…"

Huh?

This doesn't sound like Swungswung and Moona.

No matter what, "voluptuous body" doesn't fit Moona.

She couldn't mean that plump butt, could she?

"Nya nya. Others might not see it, but I did, nya. There are two such stunning beauties in this forest!"

Hoo.

This sounds like genuinely useful info.

Just the description makes them sound intriguing.

And yeah, it doesn't seem to be Moona and Swungswung after all.

Might as well hear more.

Not because she said "beauties" or anything.

"Ah, perfect— they're right over there, nya!"

Cheshire Cat pointed in one direction.

I whipped my head around immediately.

Toward the voluptuous brown-haired beauty.

Toward the slender beauty with a youthful face.

I could see them now.

"Hmm, they're thrilled to see me."

"Swungswungswung."

…

"Caaaaaw!"

I launched another chicken-foot kick without hesitation.

"…Nya. You could've just said they were your friends from the start, nya."

Cheshire Cat was on her knees.

Paying for her fish theft.

"Still unfair, nya! I only spoke the truth, nya!"

I wanted to make her raise her hands for insolence too, but the Sage stopped me, so I held back for now.

Wait, didn't Cheshire Cat claim she only told the truth?

She's spouting blatant lies.

Voluptuous beauties, my tail feathers.

"Hmmm. So you're the Striped Cat."

"Swungswungswung."

Just Moona and Swungswung.

"Nya nya nya. Spot on, nya! I wondered why there was such a big crow, but you guys must be those rumored ones, nya?"

Seems rumors about us reached even Cheshire Cat's ears.

Makes sense— an info broker not knowing would be weirder.

"Now I get it, nya. That familiar aura. The power of the Scarecrow in the crow's legs, and the Tin Woodman's power in the ghost girl's arms. So it's true you took them down, nya!"

"Cluck cluck."

"Don't worry, nya. My lips are heavier than you think. Since you gifted me fish, I'll keep quiet, nya."

She must've learned Skarnass's big crow wasn't some three-headed monster.

Common sense says no bird has three heads.

Though they do say there are winged lizards.

"Nya… But too bad, nya. I figured out the crow's goal, nya."

"Cluck?"

"You're heading to find the Lion Heart King, right, nya?"

"Cluck!"

I know the fairy tale, so I naturally understand the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Cowardly Lion's connections.

But the people of this world don't.

Dorothy's info isn't that widespread, nor are her comrades' adventure tales passed down orally.

Yet she drops the Lion Heart King name right away— Cheshire Cat here clearly has more intel than I imagined.

"Nyahaha!"

She grinned mischievously.

This is exactly why I didn't reveal my goal upfront.

Look at that playful expression.

Now that she knows we need Lion Heart King info, she's firmly in the driver's seat.

"I was gonna simmer that crow broth, but I found a nice compromise, nya. Wanna hear it?"

"Hmph, I'll ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠listen at least."

"Talking to the sexy big sis is even better, nya."

Sexy where?

She's just got a plump butt.

And why "big sis"?

"Our meeting here wasn't coincidence, nya? You know I gather info wherever I go, nya?"

"Yeah. Overheard it by chance."

"Nya nya. Always good to play your cards close, nya. Anyway, moving on, nya. You know what info I want, right, nya?"

"Dabih and Vega. Their love story, isn't it?"

"Nya nya nya! Right, nya, exactly! Sexy big sis gets it, nya!"

Cheshire Cat winked at me.

"You know what to say, nya."

"…Yeah. An info exchange."

"Find out the mysteries happening in this forest and the story of Dabih and Vega, nya! Then I'll specially tell you about the Lion Heart King, nya!"

I'd planned to blackmail her with the fish, but now that she knows we need info, that won't fly anymore.

"Cluck cluck."

Seems like we're circling back, but the direction's the same.

Goal: Get Lion Heart King info.

And for that, we need to uncover Dabih and Vega's story.