Ch.71Where have you been, only coming back now?

# 71. Where Have You Been All This Time?

“Oppa~ Heheh. Mmm~ Oppa’s scent. I love it.”

“Come here.”

“Eek!”

I pulled Saex into my arms as she buried her face in my shoulder, sniffing contentedly. Mmm. Her scent was definitely much better than mine could ever be.

Though she was stronger than me, she pretended to be helpless and easily allowed herself to be captured in my embrace. Then, a signal came from my other arm.

“O-Oppa…”

“Yes, Seyeon, you too.”

“Heehee.”

None other than Cutjukyeora. With Saex in my left arm and Cutjukyeora in my right, I naturally found myself stroking their heads and backs.

Is this paradise?

“Oh right. Subin unni asked me to tell you something.”

“Subin? What?”

“Um… she said she’s going to kill you the next time she sees you?”

“What?”

I tried to bolt upright at those chilling words, but failed because of the two women resting on my arms.

“Oppa.”

“Huh?”

“Why did you disappear without saying anything?”

“…Huh?”

Both her eyes and tone were no longer those of the affectionate Saex from before. Though confused, I instinctively turned my head away.

But…

“Why… did you do it? Why did you leave us behind? You said we’d be together. You promised we’d go all the way together.”

“No, wait.”

The other side wasn’t an exit. It was another entrance to hell, named Cutjukyeora.

“I’m never letting you go, Yuri.”

“Yeah. I’m going to stick to you 24 hours a day.”

“Wait. Wait! Tap! TAP! L-let’s talk about this after you let go, okay?”

The pressure from the two women was merciless. And not long after, the door burst open, revealing Yebeobnojeong looking down at me with a cold expression, and behind her, the Physical Therapist sighing deeply.

“Subin! Noona!”

“Seonghyeon, this is all your fault.”

“W-what? What exactly is my fault?!”

“It’s all your fault, so just accept it. Unni.”

“Haaa… seriously.”

Then those two also approached where I was lying. Yebeobnojeong positioned herself above my head and grabbed it, while the Physical Therapist wedged herself between my legs and seized my thighs.

“Why are you all being so scary… Is this a prank? Huh? That’s it, right?”

“Let’s begin.”

“Yes, unni.”

“Begin what… AAAAAAHHHHH!!!”

**

“AAAAAAHHHHH!!!”

“NYAAAAAAHHH!!!”

[You scared me!!!]

Cold sweat covered my entire body. Only after feeling my face and body with my hands did I grasp the situation.

Ah. It was just a dream. A nightmare.

Thank goodness.

I woke up before seeing exactly what happened at the end, but anyway, I’m really relieved.

Only then did I notice the black cat sitting on my thigh, looking up at me.

Glossy black fur, a haughty face, a sleek, slender body, and a tail that swayed enticingly.

Without anyone telling me, I immediately knew the cat before me was Radaniya. After all, I was still in this space, so it could only be her besides me.

“Radaniya.”

“Nyaa.”

[Yes. You were suffering so much I had to wake you up.]

“What’s with that form?”

“Nyaa, nyaaaa…”

[Umm… maintaining my original form seems too difficult for you right now.]

In other words, she had transformed into her current appearance to minimize the burden on me. She said this was also magic she had learned in preparation for this ritual.

‘Come to think of it, even though Ayors had something called instinct liberation, they never completely changed their form and size like this.’

She added that the closer she stayed to me, the less burden I would feel.

“That’s fine, but Radaniya. Are you okay?”

“Nyaa, nyaaaa…”

[Yes. It’s a bit awkward but I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt. Rather, I’m sorry for causing you pain.]

Her meowing was so cute, and her eyes looking up at me while curled up were so pretty that I unconsciously stroked her back. She stretched out her body even more and began to purr.

“Nyaaa…”

[I’m happy…]

“Me too…”

For a moment, I forgot everything and enjoyed the sensation of petting the cat. I remembered my real self who had desperately wanted to raise a cat but was frustrated by allergies. Was it because my body had changed, or because Radaniya was a cat but not really a cat?

There were no allergies at all.

“Nyaa, nyanyaa…”

[Oh right. Wouldn’t it be problematic if you called me by my name outside?]

“That’s true. What should I call you then?”

Using the name of a legendary Ayor who died long ago for a mere cat?

And by a human who had just entered Ayord?

Even humans who often named their children after historical figures didn’t do that with animals.

Moreover, Radaniya was sacred to the Ayors of Ayord.

I nodded obediently and waited for her words, but her answer was unexpected.

“Nyaa, nyaaang…!”

[C-considering the situation, w-would you mind giving me a name?]

“What? Me? How could I possibly…”

“Nyaa! Nyaaang!”

[Not ‘how could you’! You’re my lifelong benefactor! I’m the one asking you!]

Radaniya protested, kneading my thigh with her two front paws. I actually liked it.

“Alright. Then I’ll call you by a nickname without changing your original name.”

Danya.

“How’s that?”

“Nyaat! Nyanyanyaat-!”

[I love it! From now on, when others are around or when I’m in this form, I’m Danya!]

Later, Danya would tell me that Radaniya meant “lady of spring,” and Danya meant “spring.” That’s why she liked it so much.

Anyway, suddenly becoming the owner of a cute, elegant, and beautiful black cat made me feel that reaching the third floor was worth it. Now I need to earn money like a dog again to buy clothes and equipment for my companions… Ah.

“Danya! How many hours have passed?”

“Nyanyaat! Nyaa…”

[Oh my! Let’s see, about 4 hours?]

“Ah.”

I’m screwed.

“Do you know where my companions are? Or can you take me to them?”

“Nya, nyaa…”

[W-well, about that…]

“Danya?”

“Nya, nyanyaat, nyaaat…”

[It’s just that in this form, I’m already at my limit maintaining this space. I can take you directly to where your companions are, but the burden on you would-]

“Can you see if something is happening to my companions right now?”

“Nyaa.”

[I’ll check.]

Placing her left front paw on my heart (heart-fluttering), Danya concentrated for a moment before meowing again.

“What? You’re saying some bastards are hitting on my companions?”

“Nya, nyaaat.”

[I didn’t put it quite like that.]

“Take me there. Right now.”

“Nya, nyaat!”

[O-okay!]

Burden or whatever.

When Yebeobnojeong’s predicted scenario actually came true, and while I was absent no less… I felt extremely disgusted.

‘What should I say when I appear to effectively drive those bastards away?’

Danya must have used some magic because my heart felt tight and constricted. But it wasn’t unbearable. I placed the limp Danya on my shoulder and squeezed myself into the small portal that appeared to be the exit.

**

“You know how women used to style their hair differently to show if they were married or not?”

“Oh, that. I think I’ve seen it. When they put their hair up and insert a hairpin, it means they’re married women, right?”

“Yes. I told you earlier. Ayors are quite strict about chastity. I can’t say there are no exceptions, but they style their hair this way just in case.”

It was essentially declaring themselves as taken, but what did it matter? It wasn’t real, no documents were signed, it was just a cover-up.

Though Cutjukyeora and Saex seemed to be taking it quite seriously.

“Wait, she was… married?”

“But didn’t you just touch her hair?”

“What does that matter? No matter how beautiful, you don’t mess with another man’s wife. Even if it’s a lie, those women have destroyed their own value.”

Most Ayor men clicked their tongues in disappointment but backed off obediently. But there are exceptions everywhere.

“You’re saying they let their wives wander around in a city of another race? Either something happened to their husbands, or the husbands don’t care about their wives at all.”

“It’s the fault of men who can’t keep their wives in check. Hehe.”

Just over 10% of the Ayor men still harbored ill intentions and clung even more persistently. Even after going this far, the situation wasn’t completely resolved, so everyone looked to Yebeobnojeong, but she didn’t have any better solutions either.

‘If we cause trouble and get expelled, the loss would be too great. We wouldn’t be able to buy consumables, let alone equipment and clothes.’

Cutjukyeora was trying to calm things down, which was helping, and knowing this, Saex was also restraining herself from getting more agitated.

There was still quite a distance to the inn, and the raid leader was nowhere to be seen, doing who knows what.

Yebeobnojeong, the deputy leader who should lead the raid in the leader’s absence, made a decision.

To force their way through to their destination, the inn, using Cutjukyeora and Saex as bulldozers.

Just as Yebeobnojeong was about to explain the plan to the raid members…

“Hey, miss. Are our words not making sense? Stop playing hard to get and let’s be nice about this. Having a meal together isn’t that difficult, is it?”

“Let go-“

“Words come from people’s mouths. And get your hands off my person, you bastard.”

As the voice of the person they’d been waiting for was heard at the perfect timing, Yebeobnojeong’s mind flashed.

She slapped away the Ayor’s hand from her shoulder, then approached the suddenly appeared person, gently leaning her face against him, and spoke in a voice she had never used in her life:

“Where have you been all this time, honey?”