Chapter 323: Rat Rat
"I remember you. You're the Hollow Hunter Miyabi Hoshimi's boyfriend. Why did you stop me?"
Ellen looked at Kenji. And... isn't that pink-haired girl next to you staring a little too intensely? She felt like her tail was about to get scalded.
Is this... an "electric" stare?
"She wants to touch it. One hundred lollipops?"
"Deal."
Ellen agreed without a second thought. This time it was a beautiful girl, so she cared even less.
The lollipops Kenji gave her were just too good. They were the best she'd ever had. She had no idea where he bought them.
She'd already checked several candy stores, but couldn't find them.
The moment she agreed, Elysia shamelessly hugged Ellen's tail.
"?!"
Whoa, sister! I just said you could touch it! Why are you hugging it? Have you no sense of boundaries?!
"It feels great. You must take good care of it, right♪?"
It was Elysia's first time touching a shark-girl's tail. She was very satisfied with the texture.
Though... it wasn't as good as the space-faring whale that Eden turned into after her "Artificial Honkai Eruption." The whale's skin was thick, elastic, and incredibly smooth to minimize drag.
"Mhm," Ellen nodded. She spent a lot of time on maintenance and care for her tail.
Elysia didn't hold on for long and quickly let go.
...
"Squeak squeak squeak... (Why did I turn into a rat?!)"
"The Monkey Talisman is so fun."
"This time, she's really a 'Rat Rat' (meme for being pathetic)."
Jane Doe had been turned into a gray, fancy rat by Kenji using the Monkey Talisman he'd borrowed from Jade-kun. She was cute, just a little chubby.
"The agile Monkey grants you the power of shapeshifting."
A "Rat-ian" (Jane's species) turning into a literal "rat rat"... This was just too much fun.
"Squeak—!"
The "Rat Rat" squeaked in protest. She wasn't a real rat!
Jane Doe, as a consultant expert who often worked with the Peacekeepers, had been sent to secretly tail and investigate Kenji. The Peacekeeper higher-ups were curious about him.
They had run Kenji's face through the New Eridu population database, but... No results found. He was like an "undocumented person" who had appeared out of thin air.
Such an unknown and mysterious person, who was also involved with the Hoshimi family... they had to take action.
Jane Doe had waited for a chance when the Hollow Hunter (Miyabi) wasn't with Kenji. But... she failed. Kenji used a simple-looking stone to turn her into a rat.
Rat Rat... this time... my 'fur' (career) is on the line.
"So cute! Let's pet her♪."
Elysia stroked Jane-Rat's little head.
The Monkey Talisman was amazing. It was her first time seeing an ability that could turn a person into another species.
With this talisman... I could probably turn Mobius into a real snake-snake.
"In Tom and Jerry, Jerry eats cheese, right?"
Kenji thought for a moment. This was a stereotype from cartoons. So... he took out a piece of cheese.
"Squeak squeak— (I won't eat that!)"
Jane-Rat was speechless. What kind of rat likes this stuff? Don't rats usually like grains and fruit?
Wait, I'm a Rat-ian, not a real rat!
"Are you going to eat it or not?"
"There are a lot of cute cats in Section 6. Believe it or not, I can lock you in a room with one," Kenji threatened.
"Squeak—!"
Jane-Rat let out a tragic cry.
A rat meeting a cat... it's "love at first sight"... a deadly love.
Fine! I'll eat!
Nom... nom...
Jane-Rat endured the humiliation, nibbling the cheese in Kenji's palm.
"?!"
This is... delicious?!
Jane-Rat's eyes lit up. She didn't really like cheese, but this one didn't have that salty, briny taste. It was just... pure, rich, milky flavor.
So good~
All her grievances... were thrown to the back of her mind. It's Rat Rat's meal time!
Kenji smiled. This was the charm of gourmet food. You just can't stop.
"Darling, what are you going to do with this little rat♪?" Elysia asked.
"When we get back, I'll have Miyabi contact her old classmate, Zhu Yuan. She can come and... 'claim' this rat."
"The Peacekeepers probably sent her because I'm an 'undocumented person.' And... she failed."
Jane-Rat sighed. This was a huge embarrassment.
...
Back at the residence, Miyabi Hoshimi contacted Zhu Yuan.
"Huh... this is... Jane?"
Zhu Yuan saw the rat and was baffled. Jane Doe... she's a Rat-ian, not an actual... rat.
"Someone from your Peacekeepers was tailing my boyfriend. She failed," Miyabi Hoshimi said flatly.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know," Zhu Yuan said apologetically.
This order didn't come from her. This was the first she'd heard of it.
"I believe you. You can have this little rat back. Next time, I'm throwing her in the cat's den."
"Squeak— (I'm not a rat!)"
"Hmm?" Miyabi Hoshimi stared at Jane-Rat, deadpan.
"Squeak..."
Jane-Rat backed down. Lady Miyabi Hoshimi, I'm sorry, I squeaked too loud.
"Transform!"
Kenji used the Monkey Talisman to change Jane-Rat back into Jane Doe.
He had to say, Jane Doe's character design was... quite "appealing." She's called a Rat-ian, but she looks more like a Succubus-ian.
"I'm truly sorry for the disturbance," Jane Doe apologized.
When you're under someone else's roof, you have to bow your head.
One experience as a rat was enough. There was no need to keep "testing fate."
"I'll be going."
Jane Doe said and hurried off. She had lost all her face. She couldn't stay here.
"Miyabi... I didn't expect to see you like this," Zhu Yuan sighed.
Because of their jobs, the old classmates rarely had time to meet. They were both very busy.
"Mhm. Me neither. It's been a while. Are you well?" Miyabi Hoshimi nodded, her tone as "robotic" as ever.
"Same old work. Can't compare to you, the Hollow Hunter," Zhu Yuan said.
This was the difference in talent. A martial arts family that had produced a Hollow Hunter... their starting line was just miles ahead of others.
They were the same age, old classmates. In the years since graduation, Zhu Yuan was considered qualified to be the next Peacekeeper Chief, but she still had a long way to go. Miyabi Hoshimi... was already a Hollow Hunter, standing at the very pinnacle.
In a world like this, immense strength was the fastest way to advance.
"And... I haven't congratulated you yet. Where is your boyfriend from?"
Being investigated by Jane Doe... it must be because they couldn't find his ID.
"It's a secret. Don't worry. You know me, right?" Miyabi Hoshimi didn't know how to explain.
An alien?
Kenji wasn't even from this world. How could she explain? She could only keep it a secret.
Zhu Yuan nodded. If he was "approved" by her old classmate Miyabi Hoshimi, then he wasn't a threat to New Eridu.
"I understand. I'll report your intentions to the higher-ups when I get back. This won't happen again."
Since she was still on duty, she left.
Kenji's "auto-aim" eyes turned on, "appreciating" Zhu Yuan's figure. Miyabi Hoshimi herself admitted that the 'lower half' of Zhu Yuan's body... was 'heavy'.