Chapter 137 – The cat acts unseen

“Why do you butter up a human?”

“Why…”

Other beast people look at me with harsh eyes.

I live better than regular slaves, because the daughter of the count that bought me likes me.
Apparently she likes my face, so I act in a way that is agreeable to her.

I am obedient to her.
If she wants, I let her touch my ears and tail, although I don’t like it.
I act like she’s special, all for the sake of my captured friends.

I think the ends justify the means.
It’s not easy being on the receiving end of these stares, but no matter how hard it gets, I will achieve my goal.

I haven’t seen my mother or my sister… But I believe they’re still alive.
I have to believe it.

But sometimes I get anxious.
I start getting reckless when I think about them dying while I’m working like this.
But rushing leads to failure, and failure means all of this is pointless.

I deceive this lady, and have her gather beast people.
She is spoiled in this house.

I have to draw her attention, so it doesn’t wander into other beast people.

As she gathers more beast people, she starts being called things like beast people lover.

She, or rather, noble ladies in general place a lot of importance on ‘modesty’ apparently, so I don’t think she’s coming after my body, other than my ears and tail.

I talk her into not treating other beast people badly, and as a result, being a slave here is much better than elsewhere.

In the meantime, it’s announced in the kingdom next door that the miko they found is fake.

There’s a lot of confusion in the country, and the slaves may start something.
I hear of beast people like me trying to do something and being suppressed.

Suppressed… Does that mean they were killed, or caught?

There is a lot of disorder in the kingdom of Migha, but it still has power.
If a bigger turning point came along…

The lady here likes me, but a lot of people think I’m suspicious.
I’m a beast person, and no one would believe someone in my position would like this country.

She says she believes me, and that she doesn’t want me to be her enemy.

She doesn’t mistrust me at all.
I have complicated feelings about this, but it’s all for the sake of us beast people.

She gives me orders, in order to convince people around her.
I am prompted by them to do terrible things to other beast people.

I follow those orders and hit other beast people who are cowering, with genuine strength.
My heart hurts, but I have to do it for the sake of my goal.
I apologize to them quietly, but that doesn’t erase what I’ve done.

I do my best to show the lady that I’m not on the side of other beast people, but on hers.
I try to make it seem like I’m madly in love with her, and will do anything for her.

At the very least, I’m glad they didn’t order me to kill anyone or anything like that.
The people throwing accusations at her are all about the same age, so I’m glad they didn’t give orders to do more dangerous things.

The fact that I’m so relieved about that, probably means my resolve isn’t strong enough.

My goals will not be achieved without sacrifices.
I will try not to lose anyone on the way, but I don’t discard the possibility that I will lose people on the road to accomplishing my goals.

All I can do is wish that we lose as little people as possible, and that a lot of us escape this life of slavery.

After gaining her trust, I start spending more time with her.
Since she is a noble, that means acquiring more information that will be vital for us to make it out of here.

I don’t care if it happens slowly, but I am blending into human society, and the area in which I can move is slowly expanding here in this kingdom of Migha.

In the midst of this, it reaches my ears that the king is apparently acting strangely.

—The cat acts unseen

(The cat waits by a lady’s side for the sake of his goal of being released from slavery.
He hides his true feelings, and acts in the darkness.)