Ruby's First Day Home
Seha arrived home on the holiday with the demon. The moment he opened the front door, Ruby hopped out of Dahong's arms.
Tap, tap.
Ruby sniffed the floor, then slowly walked around, testing if the ground was solid beneath her paws. She quickly circled the living room.
Pat pat pat.
"Doesn't seem scared at all."
"Maybe even as a kitten, it's a Behemoth."
Ruby ignored their mutterings and continued exploring the unfamiliar space. She peeked under the sofa, checked behind the curtains, sniffed under the dining table, and finally sat in front of the balcony window, gazing outside. Her golden eyes looked down at the world below. It was high up. Ruby's ears flattened.
"Scared?"
Dahong crouched beside her and asked. Ruby looked up at Dahong, then back out the window. Her ears slowly perked up. Her golden eyes took in the city nightscape.
"It's fine, right?"
"……."
Twitch. Her ears flicked.
The two of them silently stared out the window for a while.
Rustle.
Seha watched their backs and opened the bag of kitten food. It was a sample set recommended by the pet shop clerk, with small bags of various brands and flavors. He portioned out bits in different spots to see which one she'd prefer.
"Ruby, dinner time."
As if understanding, Ruby approached. She stuck her nose into the first pile.
Sniff sniff.
Sniff sniff sniff.
Then she lifted her head.
"...Not this one?"
Seha cleared it away, and Ruby moved to the next spot.
Sniff sniff.
But again, she didn't touch it. She just pawed at it a few times.
"Hmm..."
Seha cleared the second one too. Ruby didn't even glance at the third or fourth.
Dahong came over and asked, "Not eating?"
"Yeah... Maybe not hungry?"
That's when it happened.
Grrrrowl.
"...?"
Seha and Dahong both looked toward the sound. Ruby was sitting there.
Grrrrowl.
"She's hungry!"
"Mewww—."
But Ruby just mewed, refusing to touch the food.
"Maybe she doesn't recognize it as food?" Seha muttered.
"Since it's a magic beast, maybe it eats something else?"
"Something else?"
"Like humans."
"......"
Seha was speechless. Honestly, it wasn't impossible.
"Humans would be a problem though..."
Dahong stared blankly at Seha. More precisely, at his hand.
"Seha."
"Yeah."
"Lend me one finger."
"...Pardon?"
"I'll give it back later."
"That's a lie!"
Ruby looked back and forth between them.
Growl.
"Mew—."
She seemed really hungry. Dahong slipped her hands under Ruby's armpits and lifted her up. Ruby went along without resistance.
"Mewww—."
As Ruby cried, her rice-grain-sized teeth were visible inside her mouth.
"Maybe she can't eat solid food yet."
"Ah."
Seha's eyes widened. She'd seemed a bit big for a kitten, but Ruby wasn't a cat—she was a Behemoth. Even if a little larger, she was still a newborn.
Dahong placed Ruby against her chest. Ruby sniffed, then started kneading with her paws.
"Wait, hold on..."
Seha watched and blushed.
Dahong said casually, "See? She wants milk."
"......I'll go buy some right now."
Seha grabbed his jacket and dashed out again.
A little later, Seha returned with kitten formula.
"Back?"
Dahong was sitting on the sofa. Ruby was still kneading her chest.
"Luckily they had it." Seha pulled out the bag and unfolded the instructions. Water temperature. Dilution ratio. Feeding method...
A sound came from behind.
Growl.
"I know, just a sec."
Growl growl.
Seha rushed to the kitchen and soon returned with formula in a bottle-like feeder.
He sat next to Dahong. Ruby looked at him.
Growl.
"Open up."
Ruby dodged the unfamiliar object, twisting her head side to side. Seha held her head and forced the feeder in.
"Meeow!"
As Ruby cried and resisted, the feeder slipped into her mouth. She bit down reflexively.
Her eyes went wide.
Suck. Suck suck. Suck suck suck.
"She's eating," Dahong said.
"She's eating." Seha let out a relieved breath.
Ruby suckled eagerly. Her ears twitched with each suck.
"......She's cute. Hard to imagine this is that terrifying Behemoth."
"......"
Suck suck suck.
Ruby quickly emptied the bottle but kept sucking on the empty one.
"Hang on... I'll make more."
"Mew—!"
Ruby hugged the bottle with her paws, refusing to let go. She lost it anyway.
Seha mixed another batch, faster and more skillfully this time.
"I'll feed her this one."
"Here."
Seha handed the bottle to Dahong. Ruby, now knowing it held something tasty, flailed her paws demanding it.
Suck suck suck suck.
Only after three bottles did Ruby calm down.
"Look at her belly. It's so bloated."
Dahong stroked Ruby's swollen tummy. Ruby blinked slowly, then started nodding off.
Dahong watched silently.
"Shall we have dinner too? It's pretty late."
"Yeah."
Dahong carefully set Ruby on the sofa. They had a simple meal with leftovers.
The next day.
"Meow!"
Seha rubbed his sleepy eyes as he came out of his room.
"Ugh..."
In the living room, Dahong was playing with Ruby using a fishing rod toy.
"Not tired?"
"Nah."
Ruby had cried all night, so neither had slept well. As a kitten, she needed feeding every two hours or so. Good thing it was a holiday after practical training day—otherwise, he'd have dozed off in class.
"How did that lich handle Ruby's feedings...? Can't imagine a lich bottle-feeding."
Seha muttered as he started mixing more formula. Dahong called to him.
"Oh yeah, Seha."
"Yeah."
"The cat tower arrived."
"Already? That's fast."
Seha looked up and saw a huge box in the corner of the living room.
"I'll assemble it later."
"Okay."
Jingle!
The feather shook, and Ruby leaped up.
After breakfast, Seha sat in front of the box. He tore the tape and opened it—parts everywhere.
"......A lot."
But assembling step by step wasn't too bad. Time passed.
As the wooden pieces started forming the cat tower's shape, Ruby and Dahong approached.
"Looking good?"
"Meow."
"About halfway done."
"Hmm."
"Mew."
To Seha, they looked like a big white cat and a little black one.
"Stay back. She might step on parts."
"Funny. Am I in the way?"
"Yes."
"How rude."
Dahong pretended to be hurt, but Seha ignored her. He'd grown a bit used to Dahong's antics.
Dahong picked up Ruby and plopped down next to Seha anyway. Her white t-shirt and dolphin pants looked comfy.
"Ruby, attack!"
"Meow?"
Ruby tilted her head. Dahong used Ruby's front and back paws to lightly tap Seha's head.
"Whoosh, Behemoth punch! Behemoth kick!"
"Please don't interfere..."
"Meow."
"Chance to fight an S-rank magic beast. Be honored."
"Baby Behemoths are ranked C. Ruby's even lower since she's young."
"Nyaa."
"Tch, no fun."
Dahong pouted and set Ruby down. Ruby lightly hopped out and started batting at a rolling screw.
Seha sighed, taking the screw from her.
"You wanted to bring her home... Just bear with it a little."
Dahong said indignantly, "Hey, did I bring her just for me? You got another summon. A lottery ticket guaranteed S-rank in time."
"......No one knows how long that'll take."
But it wasn't wrong.
"Did you know I'd succeed in the contract?"
"Who knows~?"
Dahong played coy.
"......Thanks for believing in me."
Dahong didn't reply. Neither did Seha.
About 30 minutes later, the cat tower was complete.
"Looks sturdy."
"Ruby's no ordinary cat. Got a good one."
"Indoctrinate her young with debt. Smart choice. So dirty and cunning."
"Don't say it like that..."
Seha picked up Ruby, who was wrestling a plastic bag, and placed her on the cat tower.
"Nyaa."
Ruby stood midway up, looking at Seha and Dahong. No interest in exploring it.
"How is it?"
"Hmm. Still awkward, I guess. Here, Ruby, look at this."
Seha used the fishing rod to lure her up. But Ruby glanced at the feather once, then turned away disinterested.
"Huh...? She liked it when you did it..."
"Your wrist snap's weak. That lame motion won't entice any cat."
"......It wasn't just random shaking?"
Ruby looked around, then hopped down. She went to the big box in the corner, sniffed it, and jumped inside.
"Ruby...?"
"Guess she prefers the box."
"No... This cost 200,000 won."
"Just bought a 200,000-won box then."
"......"
Seha looked deflated. The box rattled. Ruby was spinning inside, finding a comfy spot.
Dahong peeked in. Ruby lifted her head. Golden eyes sparkled amid the black fur ball.
"Comfy?"
"Nyong."
"Good enough."
"Good enough my foot..."
Seha sighed and sat next to the box. Two hours assembling. Ten seconds for Ruby to claim the box. Futile.
Snore...
Ruby's snoring came from the box. Afternoon sunlight filtered through the unused cat tower.