Weaker Than a Cat

Equipment fully equipped.

This was surprisingly comfortable.

It wasn't just pretty to look at—it moved with me effortlessly. Guess that was the point of combat gear.

More importantly, how did they even know my size?

I didn't know it myself.

Had they measured that during the examination too?

Thorough as hell.

…Maybe I should go ask them later.

I couldn't keep walking around in men's clothes forever.

I still felt a little resistance to putting on women's clothes, but…

No choice. Now that my body had changed, I had to adapt.

"Master, what's with you wearing proper clothes for once, nya?"

Ren yawned as she crawled out of the bathroom.

"…I've always worn proper clothes, you know."

They just hadn't fit my body, that was all.

"Get ready. We're heading ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out."

"Oh! We're leaving right now, nya?"

"Yeah."

"Where are we going to play, nya? An amusement park? Or the zoo?"

"Somewhere else."

I grabbed any old sword that was lying around.

"A place ordinary people can't go."

"……"

Ren narrowed her eyes from her perch on my shoulder and glared down at me.

"Master… you tricked me, nya?"

"Uh… no…?"

"You did, nya!"

She started punching my cheek with tiny fists.

"How is this a fun outing, nya?! There's nothing around here at all!"

"Hey now. 'Nothing'? That's rude."

"You're the one who was rude to me, nya!"

"Look, Ren. Check out that timer."

"Don't ignore me, nya!"

I lightly ignored her and kept talking.

"When that timer hits zero, monsters will appear."

"I said don't ignore me, nya!"

"Then we just kill those monsters. Simple, right?"

"No way, nya! I'm not fighting! I'm not doing anything for a lying Master, nya!"

"Premium Hanwoo beef."

"…!"

Ren's punches stopped cold.

"You ate your fill yesterday, so… time to work off the meal, yeah?"

"…You told me to eat as much as I wanted, nya."

"I said eat as much as you want. I never said it was free."

"……"

Ren's pupils started trembling. She looked rattled.

Sorry, Ren, but nothing in this world is free.

If you don't have money… you pay with your body.

Sad, but that's just how the world works.

The countdown ended, and just like last time, blue fragments gathered and formed into goblins.

Unlike before, there were a full five of them this time. And they were bigger, too.

But it was fine.

"Go! Ren!"

Right now I had Ren on my side…

"…Ren?"

At some point she had hopped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠down from my shoulder, coiled her body into a ball like a snake, and shut her eyes.

"I'm on strike, nya. Handle it yourself."

"…Huh?"

"I'm mad at you, nya. I thought you were a good Master. Turns out you're a bad Master, nya."

"……"

Well, this was an unexpected variable.

Come to think of it, if Ren decided to just sit on her ass and do nothing, I had no way to handle this, did I?

I'm fucked.

…No. Wait.

Right now I was geared up in the high-grade equipment the Association had given me.

On top of that, the sword was reinforced by my trait's effect.

…Though it probably barely did anything.

Anyway, it was reinforced. Technically.

Even if the reinforcement was complete garbage, the sword itself was good, so I'd figure something out.

I can do this. If it's me!

I gripped the sword tightly with both hands.

"Ren, just so you know—as the price of this strike, there's no dinner for you tonight."

"Nya?!"

Ren jerked her head up in shock and stared at me.

But it was already too late.

The enemies were already as good as dead.

Ride the Lightning!

Paaat—

…Did it work?

I had moved in a perfect straight line without the slightest obstruction.

The trajectory had been spot-on. I'd closed my eyes when I used it, but I'd locked onto the enemies' positions beforehand, so it was fine.

Still… I'd expected to feel at least a little resistance midway through. Just how good was this sword?

It felt like I hadn't cut anything at all…

Huh?

Where… did the sword go?

The sword that had been in my hands… was gone?

I turned around. Goblins were staring at me with dumb looks on their faces.

And… lying on the ground in front of them was… my sword…?

What the hell was it doing over there.

In that instant, one possibility floated up in my mind.

Strength D…

No way… did I drop the sword because my strength was too low?

What kind of bullshit gacha is this.

The goblins picked up the sword from the floor. They turned it this way and that, examining it with open curiosity.

"That's… mine…"

They ignored me completely and kept inspecting the blade. They even took turns swinging it around one by one.

"Give it back…. Please give it back…"

But of course my voice never reached them.

The goblins set the sword in the middle and gathered in a circle. After a brief huddle among themselves, one of them let out a cheer and snatched the sword up.

Leaving the other four behind, the goblin with the sword dragged the blade along the ground as it lumbered toward me.

"…Are you giving it back?"

Even goblins had some sense of business ethics, huh?

Sniff… The world was still a place worth living in after all.

But… why was it raising the sword overhead?

"Uh…?"

Shhk—

"…What a stupid Master, nya."

When I opened the eyes I'd reflexively squeezed shut, the goblin's head was rolling past my feet with a soft thud.

Ren stepped up onto the corpse of the goblin that had collapsed face-first and looked down at me. Her eyes said she was looking at a complete idiot.

"Is Master an idiot, nya? Of course it was coming to kill you, nya. Even dumb goblins wouldn't just hand a sword back, nya."

"…Sorry."

"Haaah. Whatever, nya. Just stand there and watch, nya."

Ren turned her back and walked slowly toward the remaining goblins.

"Tonight's dinner will be tuna sashimi, nya."

"Haaah."

If you'd just asked for help, I would've helped you, nya.

I'd clearly said I would do anything…

Did she still not trust me? Or was her pride too hurt to simply ask for help?

Probably the former.

…I thought I'd made myself clear enough, nya.

That I liked the person who had taken me in. That I would do anything if it was your order.

But… words alone hadn't been enough for that person, apparently.

I walked right up to the goblins' faces.

They trembled and shuffled backward.

Were they afraid after watching that other goblin die?

Well… I felt a little sorry, but there was no helping it.

Sorry, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠goblins.

To show my Master my loyalty…

You get to be the sacrifice.

"……"

Just now… what the hell did I just see.

Ren swung her right foot and the head of the goblin on the far right dropped to the ground.

She swung her left foot and the head of the goblin on the far left fell.

Then she shifted into human form, grabbed the remaining two heads with both hands, and simply crushed them until they burst.

She was… a lot stronger than I thought.

I'd figured she'd clear something like this easily after beating an Awakened, but one-shot kills?

This… she might even be C-Rank if we're lucky.

I'd assumed she'd be D-Rank at best no matter how strong she was. I'd underestimated her way too much.

Oh.

Four levels in an instant.

Plus a brand-new skill. Sweet.

When we got back I was going to pet Ren's head a ton.

Paaat—

Light swallowed us and we returned to the familiar room.

I immediately looked around for Ren.

"Ah, Re…"

"……"

…Yeah.

Something told me I shouldn't poke her right now.

She was coiled up the same way as before, radiating pure "I'm mad at you" energy.

Should I just leave her alone…?

Not because I was scared of getting smacked if I touched her or anything… she just looked like she wanted to be left alone…

No.

I was still her Master. I had to do what a Master should do.

"Ren."

"Nyaang?"

She glared at me with fierce eyes. If I got any closer she looked ready to bite.

Hmph. Like I was scared or anyth—

"I'm sorry."

I dropped straight to my knees.

"…Sorry. Next time I'll actually take you somewhere fun like an amusement park."

"…I'm not mad that we didn't go play, nya."

"…Then?"

"I'm mad that you didn't trust me, nya."

"…What?"

Ren uncoiled and walked over to me.

"Master, I told you I'd do anything you asked, nya. There was no need to lie just to drag me somewhere like that, nya."

"…Ren."

"Trust me a little more, nya. Got it?"

"…Yeah."

"Good enough, nya. I'm hungry, nya. Hurry up and order tuna sashimi, nya."

Ren climbed onto my lap and flopped down.

"……"

I watched her quietly for a moment.

"…What, nya?"

"Nothing. You hate it?"

"…I never said I hated it, nya."

"Then… mind if I pet you a little more?"

"…Do whatever, nya."

I snorted.

Really… what a dishonest little cat.

More importantly, what was that skill I just got?

"Status window."

"……"

What the hell is this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠supposed to be.