BLACK CAT CHAPTER 76: RETALIATION

　The morning after the party, I left Ms. Leila’s apartment and headed to the guild.

　Today is my day off from activities as a Chariot member, so I intend to get as much of my requests taken care of as possible.

　Ms. Leila’s apartment is diagonally across the street from the Guild, so it’s incredibly convenient for me to go look for requests.

　Last night, after the launch was over, I served my role as a cuddle pillow.

　I will refrain from commenting on whether I washed every inch of Ms. Leila.

　It was a lot of work, but I was a gentleman… As I should be.

　We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the bar until the crowds in front of the reception desk ended.

　While I was receiving my tray and getting to my table, I was getting a lot of attention from people around me, but I guess it was because I was walking high up to avoid bumping into other people.

　It is natural for people to pay attention to you if you are walking in the air, even if you are a catkin, but this was different from the usual.

　Normally, they use steps to move, but today I am using the prosthetic legs I will use as my disguise.

　In other words, the stride is different.

　The feeling of taking just one step and moving swiftly forward is at a level that was commonplace in my previous life, but since I am used to the body of a cat person, it feels quite strange.

　Thanks to the practice standing up in the carriage on the way to and from the expedition, I still have some awkwardness, but I have improved to a level where I can walk normally.

　Now I just needs to finish practicing on my upper body and put on some sizeable clothes, and my disguise should be perfect.

　In the future, I am thinking of keeping my legs as they are and making manipulators for the arms so that I can control them and even fight.

　And if I can ride on it and control it, I believe I should be able to realize a remote-controlled void attribute robot.

　Or it would be more interesting to create and control an avatar using void magic.

　Because of the limitation of my magic power, it would not be possible to create an army, but I think it would be possible to create about five of them.

　When I sat down in an empty seat and looked around the bar, there was the trio a wolfkin, bearkin, and tigerkin who I had been involved with when I was eating breakfast here before, but they don’t seem like they plan to come near me today.

　Well, if they come, I’ll just turn the tables on them, but I’ll just take precautions.

　As I slowly enjoyed my breakfast, the crowd in front of the reception desk had cleared up.

　There seemed to be no danger of being kicked, so I walked normally to the counter.

“Good morning, Mr. Nyango.” (Jessica)

“Good morning.” (Nyango)

　The receptionist, Ms. Jessica, is a calm, dogkin who, for some reason, hides her Mt. Fujis.

　Well, she greeted me with a big smile, probably because I had done so well so far.

“Regarding the request you asked about yesterday, I would like to accept it, as Chariot’s activities are closed today.” (Nyango)

“Of course, so, which request would you like to take?” (Jessica)

“I’d like to go in the order of when the requests are sent. Also, is it okay if I do three requests today, just in case?” (Nyango)

“Eh, three requests today? That’s no problem, but… They’re all large warehouses.” (Jessica)

“I don’t know if I can go to all of them, but just in case, could you tell me where they are all located and who is in charge?” (Nyango)

“Okay, I’ll get the paperwork ready.” (Jessica)

　Ms. Jessica looked surprised when she heard that I plan to visit all three warehouses, but still she immediately prepared a map with the names of the clients, the person in charge, and the locations.

　She was very efficient and a very capable receptionist.

“Well, here they are.” (Jessica)

“Thank you. I’ll be back in the evening.” (Nyango)

“Of course, please do your best.” (Jessica)

“I’m going.” (Nyango)

　Most of the requests are in the warehouse district, so the direction is from the guild back to the base.

　I’ve been in Ibouro for about a week now, so I’ve gotten to know the city a little.

　I left the guild and headed down the main street, turning down an alley in the direction of the warehouse district, when I heard footsteps approaching behind me.

“Uryaa!” (Voice)

　I thought they were still a distance away, but then I heard a voice, and as I turned around, a [Shield] on my rear, a net came down from above.

“Meooow……” (Nyango)

　The net seemed to have chains sewn into it in various places, and the weight of the net forced me to a crawl into the alley.

“Now, go get ‘em!” (Voice)

　As I struggled to get out of the net, the trio guys from the other day came running up to me, holding staves in hand.

“Eat this!” (Wolfkin)

　The wolfkin adventurer swung his staff at me, but [Shield] surrounding the net only made a dull thud.

　Three large [Shield] are stacked on top of each other, so no matter how hard he swings his staff down, it can’t reach me.

“Damn, you’re using that weird magic again… how about this!” (Wolfkin)

　The bearkin and tigerkin adventurers grabbed the net and pulled.

“Funyaaaa!” (Nyango)

　Since I was only aware of the [Shield] outside and had prepared nothing for the inside of the net, I was pushed to the ground.

“The wall-like thing has disappeared, now! Let’s teach this f*cker a lesson!” (Wolfkin)

“Meooow…” (Nyango)

　The impact of being pressed against the ground loosened my focus and dispelled the [Shield], but I was able to put it back up just in time.

　Now, I was pushed to the ground by the net of three people, on top of which I put a [Shield].

“Damn, f*ck the net, pull and drag him out!” (Wolfkin)

“Fugyaaaaa……[Thumbing]!” (Nyango)

“Ugyaaa!” (Bearkin)

　The bearkin who had been pulling the net received a [Thumbing], but now the tigerkin on the other side pulls the net.

“Uraa, come on out, pussycat!” (Tigerkin)

“Meooow… [Burner]!” (Nyango)

“Waaa, it’s hot!” (Tigerkin)

　I couldn’t see in the direction of the tigerkin, so I burned him with a big [Burner].

　The bearkin and the tigerkin let go of the net so I could catch sight of the wolfkin.

“[Lightning]!” (Nyango)

“Gyaa!” (Wolfkin)

　The wolfkin adventurer fell with a short yelp when he came into contact with the less-than-easy-to-handle lightning magic circle.

　I crawled out of the net while the three of them were shocked, but my pride and joy fur was all ruffled.

“You all started this, so you’re ready for this, aren’t you?” (Nyango)

“No way, Donito.” (Kuzeil => Bearkin)

“Kuzeil, wake up Roif and run away.” (Tigerkin => Donito)

“There’s no way I can escape…” (Kuzeil)

　Donito, the tigerkin, and Kuzeil, the bearkin, rushed to the fallen Roif, the wolfkin, I surrounded the three of them with an void magic wall, with a latticework as the roof.

“Hey, Roif. Get up!” (Donito)

“Gah, gah…” (Roif)

“Damn it, we’re surrounded!” (Donito)

“Dammit, let me out of here!” (Kuzeil)

　Kuzeil pulled out a knife hanging from his waist and tried to thrust it into the wall made by void attribute magic, but the wall, which had been ingeniously devised until now, wouldn’t budge at that level of attack.

“Then, let’s start pouring water…” (Nyango)

“Ah, it’s cold! Goddamn it, what the hell are you doing?!” (Kuzeil)

“You’ll understand soon enough.” (Nyango)

　I made a water magic circle on top of the enclosure and pour water inside.

　One, two, three, four… When I increased the number of magic circles, the water pooled up to their knees in the blink of an eye.

“Kuzeil! (Donito)

“Hey, Roif. How long are you going to keep on fooling around?!” (Kuzeil)

“Ugh, huh? Waaa, what is this!” (Roif)

　The speed of the water pouring is accelerated by adding an even larger magic circle.

　The water level steadily rises from thigh-high, to stomach, to chest-level.

“Stop! Stop, I can’t swim!” (Roif)

“What, you’re a wolfkin but you can’t swim? But you’ll be fine.” (Nyango)

　Pointing to the top of the enclosure, the three men seemed to notice that there was a lattice-like enclosure above them as well.

“That’s not real… Hey, wait a minute, wait a minute!” (Kuzeil)

“I’m sorry, *cough*… Please, no more… *cough*.” (Roif)

　The water level finally exceeds neck height, and the three men’s feet begin to float.

　Roif, who says he can’t swim, desperately tries to climb up through the wall, but the surface is so slippery that he sinks several times and nearly drowns.

　Once under water, Kuzeil, the bearkin, lifts him up from below, Roif finally grabs onto the grate above.

“Hey, hey! I can’t get out, I’m going to die, I’m going to die!” (Roif)

　Roiff pressed his face against the grate, but the space between the bars was only wide enough to allow his arms to come through but not his head.

　The width of each lattice is no more than 30 centimeters, so if I poured water into the lattice, his head would be completely under water.

　The three of them were making a fuss, but the entrance to the alley was also walled off, so onlookers would not gather.

　And the water pouring is complete.

　I continue to observe the three of them through the transparent wall until they are just barely able to keep their breath.

　All three held their breath, threatening and begging me, then it was Donito, who was rampaging the most sank first, he sank releasing a big air bubble, and shortly after, Roif sank.

　Finally, when Kuzeil gasped out breath that probably included a curse, I made a [Step] ]up to a height where I would not covered by water and released the wall.

　A large amount of water flooded the alleyway, and the three men fell to the ground like fish on a wet surface.

　Kuzeil was the first to get up after coughing violently, and the other two regained consciousness after being punched in the stomach or slapped in the face, spitting out the water with a gurgle.

　It would really leave a bad aftertaste if I killed them, so I should let them off with this for today.

　I was covered in dust, clothes to fur from crawling around in the alleyway.

　I couldn’t go to my first customer in such a dirty and shabby look, so I decided to go back to the base to clean off the dust and change my clothes.

T/N: Boo! You should have blasted them out the main street to show everyone how capable you are. Shure will be disappointed.