"...Meow?"
A voice was heard from within the light.
No, it was a strange meowing sound.
The light that had surrounded Artanis' entire body gradually faded. Then, the result of the Elixir of Transformation began to show.
Standing upright like a human, with a black tail swaying, triangular ears twitching, and round black eyes staring at us...
"Meow?"
It was the form of a slender Catfolk.
"...."
Kim Jangcheol closed his mouth.
After a moment of thought, he spoke.
"Well, this is actually quite decent."
"Meow?"
"You probably can't speak yet. It's because your vocal cords have changed."
"Meow?"
"Yes, it's understandable. Hmm, to explain it simply... Artanis, you've transformed into a Werecat, that is, a Catfolk."
"Meow?"
"Yes, you're a Catfolk, entirely covered in black fur. You actually suit it better than I expected."
"Meow... "
"Would you like me to bring you a mirror to take a look?"
Nod, nod!
She eagerly nodded her head.
Zephyros brought a mirror.
After seeing herself in the mirror, her pupils shook intensely.
"Meow! Meow! Meow!"
"......."
Was she that upset with her transformed appearance?
"Hey, could you try writing it down with magic instead?"
-.......I can do that, but when I finally released the seal, I wanted to express myself vocally, meow.
"You can try speaking once you get better at it in this form."
-Yeah, meow. That seems better, meow. But why, meow? Why did it have to be Catfolk, meow?
"Well, it doesn't look bad, does it? But, hmm, why do you add 'meow' at the end of every sentence?"
-I don't know, meow. Why, really, why am I doing this, meow?
"...."
Artanis looked flustered.
She tried to grab her right hand, which was writing the strange letters, with her left hand to control it.
-These weird letters, meow... I don't want to write them... but it keeps happening, meow, like an instinct... it just attaches, meow... Ugh, meow!
"....."
The Elixir of Transformation... the effects are definitely powerful.
Kim Jangcheol chuckled wryly.
"Still, it doesn't look bad. From appearance to speech, you look like a perfect Catfolk."
-I don't like it, meow.
Artanis' emerald eyes narrowed into sharp slits as she spoke with a glare.
-Werewolves, Catfolk... those kinds of races are treated as nothing more than slaves in the human world, meow. I can't expect to be treated equally, meow. But... you want me to go out into the human world like this, meow?
"Uh, do you want a new Elixir now?"
-Yes, meow.
"Sorry, but that's not possible."
-Why, meow?
"Because it's extremely rare."
That was obvious.
The Elixir of Transformation could only be farmed ten times per cycle. And it had already been consumed by Zephyros, Asurat, Sirgi, Baal, and now Artanis.
And now only four remained.
"Thanks to that, we only have four left. But Artanis, your appearance might face some discrimination, though it won't incite hostility or suspicion from humans."
-......
"But another Elixir? No, that's not happening."
-But meow...
"You've seen pelican with huge size and suspiciously pink alpaca walking around without issue, right?"
-What, meow?
"Come on, Asurat, Sirgi? Show her."
"...Yes…"
"Haah…"
Poof! Boom!
Asurat and Sirgi sighed deeply and showed their transformed forms.
Artanis fell silent.
-....Sorry, meow.
"See?"
-But, meow...
"But what?"
-....Never mind, meow. I'll accept it, meow.
"Good decision. We must all live with the forms we are given. That is our fate. So it's important to accept and cherish our true selves."
-Are you mocking me, meow?
" ... Sorry."
Kim Jangcheol smiled faintly.
Then, it happened.
Clank!
The seal artifact, which had been inactive for three minutes, reappeared. With a clanking sound, it sealed Artanis' mouth again.
But... the seal artifact also seemed to have changed due to the Elixir of Transformation.
It was covered in heart-shaped patterns.
But, its purpose was still unmistakably clear.
It was clearly a pet muzzle.
"Ugh…"
Kim Jangcheol kept his mouth shut.
And thought to himself.
This Elixir of Transformation really works wonders.
Of course, Artanis' thoughts seemed somewhat different.
-Is this… right, meow?
"What?"
-Is this really right, meow?
"Uh, well, kind of?"
-How could this be, meow?
"Well, it's a muzzle, so maybe people will be less suspicious?"
-Less suspicious, meow?
"Yeah."
-Why, meow?
"Because it's the most obvious sign of 'Our pet doesn't bite...'"
-Should I tear it apart, meow?
"......Sorry."
-......
"Still!"
-Still, what, meow?
"You really look good with the heart patterns... ah!"
Click!
Artanis' furious meow punch came flying!
That evening, Kim Jangcheol almost got killed by her. It was summer... or rather, fall.
***
The next day arrived.
At the well near the fortress city of Magrat, which blocked the human world from the abandoned lands, a mysterious light glowed.
...….Whoosh!
Soon, numerous silhouettes appeared at the well.
Kim Jangcheol, Zephyros, Artanis, and Tbong, along with Asurat, Sirgi, Baal, and the 3rd Star Master Raster.
"Tbong! Tbong!"
Tbong, who had activated the well, proudly stood on two legs. He eagerly awaited the praise of the group, his round eyes sparkling brightly.
However, the group's reaction was...
"...Ugh... "
Everyone was suffering from the nausea of teleportation, vomiting uncontrollably!
"Ugh, sorry Tbong... ughhh..."
"....Sigh, Tbong..."
"Eh?"
"Tb?"
"Did you just say, 'Sigh,' me?"
"Bong?"
"......"
Kim Jangcheol gave Tbong a long stare, then turned his gaze toward the group.
"Well then, let's set off immediately. Everyone, make sure you carry your respective crop bags. 3rd Star Master?"
"Yes, Demon King."
"You stay here like before. Take good care of Tbong until we return."
"Understood."
The 3rd Star Master, Raster, bowed his head. He then let out a deep sigh, thinking to himself.
'Again... the babysitter role.'
He recalled the last time.
It had been the same when the Demon King's group went out to sell Super Potatoes. Tbong had activated the well to bring everyone here, and then waited for their return.
He had taken care of Tbong.
"......"
That little troublemaker.
He hadn't listened last time either. But with how cute he was, Raster couldn't scold him. He was so adorably mischievous that he couldn't bring himself to scold or punish him. Ugh, really. Ugh.
"......."
Well, it wasn't bad, right?
Raster unintentionally smiled and answered.
"I'll take good care of Tbong. You can rest assured, Demon King."
"Alright, then."
The farewell ended there.
The Demon King's group quickly moved southeast. Raster, who had been waving his pincers until their figures disappeared beyond the sand dunes, let out another heavy sigh.
"Haah…"
Here we go again, babysitting.
He steeled himself. Then, he turned to Tbong, who was confidently standing on two legs by the well.
"Tbong? This time, let's not get into any trouble, okay?"
But for some reason, there was no reply.
"Tbong...?"
He looked around the well.
Tbong was nowhere to be seen.
"......"
Where did that little guy go again?
What kind of trouble is he getting into this time?
"......Ugh, my fate…"
Another deep sigh escaped the 3rd Star Master's lips. But he didn't know. No matter how carefully he searched the area, he wouldn't be able to find Tbong.
***
'Tbong...'
-Shh.
Tbong cried from her arms.
Artanis silenced him, then wrote a message directed at Tbong, hidden within her chain dress.
-Don't let anyone hear you, stay quiet.
'Tbong...?'
-Are you happy that we're going together like this?
'Bong!'
-Shh, quietly now.
Pat, pat.
She gently patted Tbong's small back. Tbong, nestled inside her arms, shifted into a more comfortable position. It seemed like he was planning to fall asleep right there.
"......"
So warm.
As she felt the little warmth in her arms, Artanis smiled to herself, a soft, motherly smile.
Just then, the Demon King spoke.
"Alright, everyone, listen up. We're going to pass through the Magrat Fortress again."
"What's the plan this time to get through the fortress?"
Zephyros asked.
Kim Jangcheol grinned.
"With force and speed, we'll charge straight through."
"Baal likes it!"
At Kim Jangcheol's declaration, Baal raised both hands in excitement.
Kim Jangcheol continued.
"Last time, it was a bit difficult to charge through because we didn't know the structure of the fortress, but now, the situation's different."
It was true.
If they had tried to charge through the fortress last time, when they were heading to the human realm, they would have failed 100%.
Even if Aged Kimchi hadn't been in the fortress.
"Everyone remembers, right? The fortress is double-layered. Once the first fortress is attacked, the only bridge connecting it to the second fortress gets cut off. That's why, as soon as we break through the first fortress's walls, we need to run straight toward the bridge. We'll take the shortest route and go at full speed."
"We need to race against time before the bridge gets cut off, then," Zephyros remarked.
"Exactly."
The plan was decided on the spot.
Everyone's roles were set.
As expected, Baal would lead the charge.
"Baal! Break through! This is exciting!"
Boom!
The charge began.
....Bwoooom!
A frantic horn sounded from the fortress gate as the group was spotted.
But it was already too late.
"Baal! Push—!"
Crash!
The fortress gate was broken down with a single shoulder bash from Baal. The entire group followed closely behind, running fast.
Incredibly fast.
Not a single moment of hesitation.
Taking the most efficient route.
The new fortress commander, who had been enjoying a nice breakfast, was thrown into chaos.
"Stop them! Block them! Do whatever it takes!"
The commander recalled the time months ago when a group of demons had breached the fortress, cutting through the abandoned lands into the kingdom's territory. That incident had led to the dismissal and disgrace of his predecessor.
'Ah, no! I've just barely managed to secure this position! I can't be demoted like this!'
He had just gotten a nice pay raise as the new fortress commander, and with that money, he'd been planning to send his kids to a prestigious magic academy—he had even taken out loans for it.
"Block them! Set up a barricade!"
The commander's frantic orders continued to echo.
But by that time, Kim Jangcheol's group had already breached the first fortress and was crossing the bridge.
"Cut the bridge! Cut it now!"
The commander's command became a shout.
At that moment, the bridge was severed.
Crack!
The edge of the bridge.
The point where it connected to the second fortress.
A soldier waiting for the signal struck with an axe. The thick rope holding the drawbridge snapped.
...Crash!
One side of the bridge, severed, fell through the air in a huge arc toward the stormy sea below, carrying Kim Jangcheol's group with it.
"...Done!"
Seeing that, the new fortress commander clenched his fist in triumph.
He thought to himself.
Those arrogant demons, trying to break through my fortress. They tried to ruin my future and mess up my loan repayments.
Today, I've successfully overcome their intense threat. My future, with my position and repayment, is safe and secure.
He looked at the point where the bridge had fallen.
And, confirming that nothing unusual had happened, he muttered to himself.
"......Did we do it?"
In that moment.
Whoosh!
Dozens of black chains shot up from below, splitting the air and crashing into the cliffs leading to the second fortress.
And then... those damn demons stepped on the chains, climbing up and invading the second fortress! Thanks to that, even the last defense, the gate of the second fortress, which stood as the final stronghold to the kingdom's territory...!
"Baal! Push—!"
Crash!
"..."
The moment the new commander saw that, he dropped his command staff and slumped down in his seat.
And, with the sorrow of a corporate worker, he realized.
Ah, soon my title will have the word 'former' in front of it.