The Cat's Atrocities
Melina's events with the cat were relatively straightforward. Aside from the final boss fight against the evil god that capped it off, there were no particularly tough battles—most could be handled by Varis alone.
"Ugh... where did it go?"
Right now, in the gardens outside the Saint Academy, Melina was rummaging through the bushes. Anxiety etched her face, her desperation to find something plain as day.
"Hey, what's going on?"
Varis approached naturally and struck up a conversation. Melina looked up at him with startled eyes.
"Oh? You're that... friend who was with Arnold last time?"
This was supposed to be the moment the protagonist and Melina first met. But this time around, it wasn't a total cold introduction.
"Call me Varis."
"Anyway, what's the matter? You've been tearing through those bushes for a while now."
The overall flow was similar enough that it didn't seem like a problem.
"Well... I dropped something important somewhere... and no matter how much I search, I can't find it."
The first event kicked off with Melina losing a cherished possession. It was a ring from her royal family, gifted by her father the king on her fifteenth birthday.
"Really? I'll help you look!"
Varis showed up offering aid right when she lost that precious item, eventually found the ring for her, and earned her affection in the process.
"Really...? Thank you! You're so kind."
Varis flashed a bright smile to reassure her. Melina's expression lightened a bit at his offer to help.
"I dropped it somewhere around here."
"Got it? Let me take a look~"
As you can see, nothing dangerous, nothing for me to step in on. So I hid behind a wall, watching them.
I quietly waited for Varis to find her royal ring.
But.
"Hmm~ Yeah, it's definitely not here."
Something felt off.
"Hmm...?"
The two scoured the garden top to bottom, but as time dragged on, no ring. Resignation crept over Melina's face, and Varis stared off into the bushes beyond, looking flustered.
This shouldn't have taken so long. Normally, the sharp-eyed protagonist would spot it nearby and hand it over quick—that was the standard progression.
By now, Varis should've found it, and Melina should've been grateful, her affection rising.
"Right? At this point, it might've rolled off somewhere impossible to find..."
But those two had been searching the garden forever, and still no sign.
"...Target."
Sensing something wrong, I reluctantly cast a detection spell.
"Wha...?!"
Nothing registered at all.
In other words, her ring hadn't just been dropped—it was truly gone.
"Why..."
I mumbled in shock, my mouth agape. Because that ring should've been right there around them.
What the hell? Had it really vanished somewhere? Like it had ceased to exist in this world?
"Meow~"
Then a cat's cry echoed from somewhere.
"Rathus?"
Looking down, the white cat Rathus was rubbing against my legs. He dropped something from his mouth and looked up at me.
Ting—
"What the...?"
His eyes were so earnest and sparkling, like he desperately wanted me to have it. With no choice, I picked up what Rathus had dropped and checked it out.
"...?!"
My eyes bulged in a silent scream.
Because what Rathus handed me was none other than the ring Melina had been desperately hunting.
"No way... you've had it this whole time?"
I had no idea what to say.
But the shock didn't end there.
"Meow~ Meow~"
Rathus circled in place with innocent eyes, glancing between me and Melina like he was trying to tell us something.
It felt like he was saying I should hand over the ring.
"......"
I couldn't believe my eyes.
Was this cat seriously trying to make me win Melina's affection?
"This is insane..."
I clutched the ring, lost in thought for a long moment. Those two had no clue it was in my possession and were still scanning the garden floor.
Maybe I could slip it to Varis in a blind spot...
"Meow!"
But in that instant, Rathus yowled loudly, drawing their attention.
"Huh? Arnold!"
"Whoa, since when were you here?"
Melina and Varis turned to me. In the end, I'd been spotted lurking behind the wall.
"Oh? That ring... it's the one I've been looking for!"
Melina spotted the ring in my hand and couldn't hide her surprise. Her stormy expression brightened in a flash.
"Meow~"
Rathus, as if his job was done, darted off and vanished.
"Did you find what I dropped? Thank you!!"
Overjoyed, she grabbed my hand, beside herself.
"No, this is—"
I tried to deny it frantically, but my key witness Rathus was nowhere in sight.
"Seriously, I was so worried about that important ring."
Melina had already bought it hook, line, and sinker that I'd found it. She shook our clasped hands vigorously, moved to tears.
"No..."
In that moment, I realized I'd gained Melina's affection instead of Varis.
This was a problem. If the affection from returning the ring went to me instead of Varis, the whole story would get tangled up.
"Thank you so much! It might not seem like a big deal, but you're my savior, Arnold!"
But it was too late to turn back. She fed me the lines she was supposed to give Varis, and just like that, I'd hijacked the first event...
Thanks to Melina's white cat meddling, I'd stolen the first event. But I wasn't too worried. Plenty of other events left to bring Varis and Melina closer.
If I handed them all over from here on out and let him defeat the evil god too, Melina would fall for Varis.
"Phew..."
The next event was the infamous "flowerpot incident." Melina nearly gets crushed by a falling pot, but Varis saves her with split-second reflexes.
It granted a ton of affection, so this one had to go off without a hitch.
"Hmm~♪ Hmm hmm♪"
After class, during break, Melina strolled outdoors humming cheerfully. She wove through the crowd, and unlike before, Rathus trotted unsuspectingly at her side this time.
"Haah, classes are getting harder and harder..."
Varis happened to pass by her too, the event primed to start.
"Whoa, watch out!"
Just as Varis brushed past her exactly, a panicked voice rang out.
"Eek?!"
As predicted, a man-sized flowerpot plummeted toward Melina. Panicking, she squeezed her eyes shut and clutched her head instead of dodging.
"Whoa, danger—"
Of course, Varis reached out without hesitation to save the imperiled Melina.
"Nyaa-!!"
But another variable crashed the scene.
"Gah?! I can't see!"
Her cat lunged at Varis's face, pulling yet another unscripted stunt.
"What the—on my face...!"
Varis prioritized peeling whatever it was off his face over saving Melina.
"Urgh!!"
If this kept up, Melina would take a nasty hit from the pot.
"......Huh?"
"You okay?"
No choice—I stepped in again. It fell right to the brink, but I sprinted full tilt and barely snagged the pot.
"Arnold?! Ahh, thank you!"
Another event swiped.
"Meow~"
No sooner had I saved Melina than Rathus hopped down from Varis's face and nuzzled against me affectionately. Almost like he wanted praise...
"Looks like Rathus is grateful to you too?"
"Meow~"
What the hell was with this cat? From earlier, the white furball had thrown every plan into chaos.
"What do I do?"
Meanwhile, back in the classroom.
"I need to bring it up soon..."
Elisha propped her chin, groaning in serious contemplation.
"But if I rush and he refuses..."
The issue was the barrier between her and Arnold.
"Still, I have to play my hand before it's too late."
The divorce contract. Legally, they were still engaged. But if the validation period lapsed, their official bond would shatter forever.
The validation period gave each party two months with the contract after filing. If neither changed their mind and held onto it through that time, the engagement dissolved formally.
"Will he go for it? No, I have to say it with the resolve that he'll accept."
So Elisha wanted to get the contract from him, burn it like it never existed, and preserve their current relationship.
But even forgiven, her past loathing twisted her expression. What if he only wanted friendship?
"Quite the spectacle on your face."
Someone tossed mocking words at the brooding Elisha.
"...Eily."
Elisha glared sharply, muttering the name. Disgust plain—she treated her like an enemy, worse than blood foes.
"Mind your own business?"
"You seem to have ulterior motives."
Just looking at Elisha boiled dark urges in Eily. Or rather... with no one else around, it was all directed at her.
Eily couldn't tolerate other women near her master. Without him, her innocent facade vanished, leaving only cold, ruthless eyes and cruelty.
"I said mind your business."
"You're after the divorce contract, aren't you?"
Eily's words made Elisha click her tongue. She shot her a wary glare—Eily's instincts were too sharp.
"Tch."
"As shameless as ever."
"What?!"
Elisha bristled at the maid's provocation. Teeth grinding, the air turned icy, primed for a fight.
"Why? It's not wrong, is it?"
"You begged forgiveness knowing your wrongs, and now you want to cancel the divorce too? How hypocritical do you have to be?"
Elisha bit her tongue silently. Infuriating, but spot-on—she inwardly admitted it.
"He forgave you..."
"How long will you cling to that? Commit the sin, take the punishment—does that erase it? And you're dodging even that."
Even "he forgave you" no longer landed. Arnold might've, but she—who'd witnessed his atrocities—hadn't.
"Anyway... instead of scheming, atone to your master and accept your fate. Even as a mere servant, I'll never allow it."
With that, Eily strode into the hall. Icy hatred to the last.
"Ugh...!"
Elisha glared daggers at Eily's back, venting quiet loathing. Whether oblivious or dismissive, Eily walked on unfazed.
"Haa~"
But... out of Elisha's sight, Eily instantly crumbled into frailty.
"Master... please."
Her generous master would hand over the contract without hesitation, obviously. But the elf—who might become a rival—flashed in her mind.
"Even one is torment enough?"
What if that elf eyed the man she loved? Deep dread welled up.
"Please... don't make me sad."
If the divorce fell through and another woman appeared, her position would shrink for real.
"I beg you... please..."
Again—while Arnold stole Varis's flags and won Melina's affection.