Chapter 3
The next day, I didn’t wake up until the sun was high in the sky.
Rising groggily from my bed, I stretched my legs wide and let out a long yawn.
“Niyaaah.” (Yaaawn.)
If I were still human, I’d have called it stretching, but now it was unmistakably a cat’s yoga pose.
I carefully extended my front paws, licked the soft pink jelly pads with care, picked away the sleep crust from my eyes, and groomed the fur around my chin.
After finishing my morning wash, I noticed a lone water bowl placed inside the cage.
‘When did they put this here?’
Since entering this body, I’d been sleeping an extraordinary amount.
Don’t they say cats sleep more than half the day?
It wasn’t unusual for me to nod off in the middle of eating, so I always had to make sure I ate in a safe place.
My appetite had also grown tremendously. Honestly, even I couldn’t handle my boosted hunger and sleepiness.
It felt like I’d gone back to being a baby.
‘Since I was basically reborn, I guess my face must’ve changed too…?’
I didn’t know when I might be able to turn back into a human, but if it were possible, I couldn’t help wondering what I’d look like.
‘Well, let’s drink some water first.’
While I was busy lapping at the water, my stomach suddenly growled.
The emptiness of my belly only made it angrier once water filled it.
‘Ugh, I’m getting mad…!!’
Another change since becoming a cat: my emotions were much more volatile.
Unable to suppress the irritation boiling up inside me, I trembled and shook my front paws.
“Kyaoong…!” (I’m hungry…!)
Who would’ve thought being hungry alone could make me this furious?
‘What’s that smell…?’
A delicious aroma wafted in from outside the storeroom, and my nose twitched involuntarily.
“Mmm, this is good. The cook must’ve put in some effort today.”
“Right? The juice is just oozing out—it’s amazing.”
I blankly watched two men sitting at a table, chewing away at what looked like steak.
‘That looks delicious…’
I wiped away the drool dripping from my mouth with a paw, then glanced down at my belly, which had grown noticeably flatter overnight.
Growl.
The fragrant food made my stomach rumble violently.
Since I’d been captured at the marketplace yesterday afternoon, I’d practically gone a whole day without eating.
Pitifully stroking my pink tummy, I clutched the cage bars and let out a desperate cry.
“Meow!! Kyaaaong!!” (Hey!! Give me food too!!)
As I rattled the bars violently, one of the soldiers eating looked over suspiciously.
“What’s wrong with it? It’s not sick or something, is it?”
“Well, it’s a stray, so maybe. Don’t get too close, though. It looks pretty dirty.”
At the disgusted looks they gave me, I hissed furiously in return.
‘Damn it, how humiliating…!’
Unfortunately, they weren’t wrong.
Even though I’d groomed myself all night to the point of nearly coughing up a hairball, I still looked shabby after living on the streets.
‘Can I really seduce this “Iblan” person looking like this…?’
I sighed, staring at my mottled fur.
In my mind, a cat’s killer points were fluffy fur, pink jelly paws, and bright, sparkling eyes.
I hadn’t seen my full reflection since changing, but the blurry image in puddles hadn’t looked too bad.
‘Well, baby kittens are practically cheat codes—anyone would find me at least half cute by default.’
Still, with my fur all unbrushed, I probably looked more like a round dust ball than an adorable kitten.
‘Isn’t there a better way…?’
As I agonized over whether I should just plan an escape, I suddenly heard a commotion from outside.
‘What’s going on?’
Since becoming a cat, my hearing had sharpened—I perked my ears.
The footsteps of twenty people or so. The most I’d heard since arriving here.
“Everyone out! Lord Iblan has arrived!”
“What? Now, during mealtime…?”
The soldiers hastily rushed outside, knocking over the table and sending food scattering across the floor.
And then, as if by divine providence, a juicy, glistening piece of meat rolled right in front of me.
Gulp.
‘N-no, I didn’t just swallow my saliva. I didn’t!!’
But denial was useless—drool was already dripping freely from my lips.
The steaming hunk of meat was an almost irresistible temptation for a tiny kitten like me.
I wiped the evidence of my uncontrollable salivation on my paw, took a deep breath, and tried to stay rational.
But my feeble self-control crumbled like a sandcastle before the irresistible aroma.
“Nyaaaong…” (I can’t hold back…)
If I stretched my paw, I could just about touch it.
The only problem was whether my dignity would survive eating food off the floor.
‘Who cares, no one’s watching anyway.’
I’d scraped by on whatever I could find these past two weeks. Snagging a scrap of meat was nothing new.
At last, I reached my paw out through the bars toward the glorious hunk of meat.
My untrimmed claws just barely grazed it.
‘Just a little more! A little more!!’
Only one more centimeter and I’d have it—
“Ngghhh…” (Nnnngh…)
Oh God, please, just let my claws hook onto it! I donated to the Salvation Army, and I tried to live decently!
Finally, my claw caught the edge of the meat, and I swatted it closer.
‘Yes! Almost there…!’
The meat rolled right up to my nose—
Thud.
A massive boot stomped down, crushing the meat flat.
“Nya, nyaaa?!” (W-what?!)
It happened in an instant.
My eyes went wide with despair.
“The floor is filthy. Be more mindful of cleanliness.”
“S-sorry, sir!!”
And just like that, the elegant shoe withdrew, leaving only the mangled remains of my prize.
“Nyaaong…” (M-my meat…)
I stared blankly at the ruined scrap, stunned.
Then the boot tapped against my cage.
“This the cat? Bring it out.”
Finally realizing what was happening, I bristled, baring my teeth.
‘Whoever you are, you’re dead.’
The moment I got out of here, I was going to pick a fight with that bastard.
I licked my paw pads, prepping for my ultimate Cat Punch.
Creak.
The rusty cage door opened, and a soldier reached in, scooping me up.
Dangling helplessly in the air, I flailed and swiped furiously.
“Nyaaa! Kyaaaang!” (Put me down, I said put me down!!)
This was grounds for harassment! How dare they manhandle a grown lady like this?!
“This one, my lord. It seems to match the conditions you were seeking.”
“…Hmm.”
At the mention of “Lord Iblan,” my furious pawing froze.
Could this slick-looking guy be the walking lottery ticket I’d been waiting for?
‘…He’s younger than I thought.’
I’d expected someone older, considering how terrified everyone seemed of him.
But the man named Iblan looked about my age.
With bright brown hair and sharp eyes, he gave off an impression of strictness.
His face was stiff, dry, and expressionless—too mature for his years.
‘So this is the guy I need to win over if I want a comfortable life.’
It was late, but I cleared my throat and tried to look dignified.
But Iblan’s first words cut coldly.
“Dirty. And ugly.”
I KNOW. You didn’t have to say it out loud!
I almost hissed in anger, but I forced myself to smile instead.
Though the smile quickly warped when Iblan, wearing gloves as though I were filth, started handling me like an object.
“At least it doesn’t have fleas or ticks.”
“Grrrr.” (You bastard.)
Just wait. That’s one Cat Punch on your tab.
While I ground my teeth inwardly, his gloved hand lifted the fur covering my eyes.
“Ohh.”
His face shifted in surprise as he leaned closer.
“Heterochromatic eyes. The exact colors I was looking for.”
At his words, the mustached man beside him spoke up.
“Of all the ones we caught, this one’s the most special. One eye amber, the other deep blue. Heterochromia isn’t rare, but ones this vivid are.”
Wait—so I have odd eyes?!
“Good. Take only this one. Prepare to leave immediately.”
“Yes, sir!”
The man cheerfully placed me in a different, fully enclosed cage and carried me to a wagon.
Clatter, clatter.
Darkness and rattling filled my ears as I was loaded into the carriage.
Even with my usual bravado, I couldn’t help trembling.
“Nyaong…” (Kinda scared…)
Would it kill them to at least tell me where we were going?
But to a poor kitten stripped of human rights, that was just wishful thinking.
‘Should I have just escaped?’
My guts shrinking to the size of a bean, I regretted coming along quietly.
That stern-faced Iblan guy didn’t give me a good feeling either.
‘Not sure this was the right choice…’
Still, time moved on regardless of my worries.
At last, the carriage stopped.
After countless doors opened and closed, I finally arrived at my destination.
“Here we are. Come on out, little cat.”
Drawn by a gentle girl’s voice, I cautiously stepped out of the cage.
“Miyah…?” (Whoa, what the…)
My eyes went wide at the sight before me.
Was this straight out of Arabian Nights?
An open marble palace adorned with mosaics and carvings, flanked by exotic palm trees—it was the very picture of luxury.
‘Is this a dream or real life…?’
Gold plating covered everything, blinding my eyes with its shine.
Columns glittered with rubies, diamonds, and lapis lazuli. I gulped.
‘…If I just snagged a few of those gems, I could live in comfort forever.’
I’d worry later about how to turn jewels into money as a cat.
Even if I failed to secure a “master,” these riches would more than cover my future.
“Adorable little cat, please wait here. Don’t cause trouble and stay put.”
The kind-looking maid set me on a plush cushion with a smile.
But as soon as she left, I dashed over to the jewel-encrusted pillar.
‘If I jump, I might reach it…!’
Boing!
I sprang upward with all the power of my feline body.
“Nyaoong!” (That’s it…!)
My target: the most valuable red diamond glittering among the gems.
If I got my paws on that, I could live out the rest of my cat life in luxury snacks and comfort.
‘Higher, just a little higher!’
Scratch, scratch.
My claws scraped the pillar as I climbed, leaving marks like a cat shredding wallpaper.
At last, my paw brushed against the gem—
“Pffft—pfffhhht!!”
A loud laugh rang out behind me.
Wh-who’s there?!
Startled, I froze in place and slowly turned around.
There stood Iblan, watching me with strange eyes, and a mysterious man covering his mouth, struggling to hold back laughter.
