Bear School Astartes

Being entangled by this little cat was something that quite surprised Lann.

It happened at the research base, before returning to the Star Base.

That night, the little cat, tensed and alert, knocked on Lann’s door.

Though it tried hard to appear mature and courageous, its puffed-up fur betrayed the nerves of this Three-Floral Kitten.

”Do you have something on your mind?”

Lann squatted down, greeting the little cat kindly.

Even without the armor, the vast difference in size and weight was still striking.

The little cat had performed bravely and meticulously in previous battles but seemed inept at social interactions.

Thus, it spoke with hesitation, its tail swaying back and forth behind it.

”It’s just... just meow, I heard I’m a cursed cat?”

It turned around, showing Lann its back.

That was where the Stag-Headed Spirit had once scratched it, and now an unobtrusive magic pattern was visible in the cat’s fur there.

However, there was no Chaos Magic Power on it anymore.

Lann patted the pattern, putting the furball’s mind at ease.

”The Stag-Headed Spirit has been banished, and there’s no magic on this pattern. What’s bothering you? Is there something troubling your companions?”

The Demon Hunter recalled the other two little cats from the Thief Adventurer Group, and considering the encounter with such a powerful and sinister monster, it was understandable to be sensitive about a ’curse’.

Even back then, when the two little cats rushed out, acting as if they were ready to live or die together, it might have just been a momentary surge of bravery.

”No, Miel and Cotton are both comforting me, meow.”

The furball quickly raised its head to explain.

After saying this, it lowered its head again.

”Just... just to be safe, meow, I shouldn’t stay on the Land Coral Plateau or in the Valley of Miasma, right?”

Lann pursed his lips, saying nothing.

Although the Stag-Headed Spirit had already been banished, others might follow those unclaimed, undiscovered totems to this place.

As for the curse on the furball, Lann was not entirely sure what it entailed.

Stag-Headed Spirits were inherently mysterious monsters, and even Demon Hunters knew little about them.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, the Three-Floral Kitten suddenly raised its head, looking seriously at Lann.

”Lord Lann! Let me accompany you on adventures as a companion cat, meow!”

”Hmm?”

Lann leaned back a bit, surprised.

The furball clenched its little paws in front of its chest, its big eyes filled with longing.

”I fought alongside Lord Lann against such an incredible monster as the Stag-Headed Spirit! During the battle, I confirmed that you are an incredibly strong Hunter! That is my lifelong goal, meow!”

Lann scratched his head, having heard that the Valley Raider Race was a very combative and courage-revering tribe among the Detel Race, and that companion cats sought to become companions out of a desire for adventure and self-improvement.

But he never expected to encounter such a situation himself.

After some thought, Lann still refused the furball.

”The adventures I experience might be quite different from the ’adventure’ you have in mind, little cat.”

The Demon Hunter looked at the Three-Floral Cat with the same seriousness.

”It’s not as simple as encountering a monster and then defeating it. I’ve witnessed many... indescribable things. Sometimes, the most terrifying things are not the monsters you can defeat with a sword, but the darkness that creates the monster.”

”If you put it like that, then I’m not afraid, meow!”

Even though Lann had already refused, the furball only became more determined.

”Born in the Valley of Miasma, I won’t fear terrifying challenges, meow! Unlike you humans who live in comfort, among our tribes in the Valley of Miasma, there were struggles for territory as well! To survive, one must be brave!”

”Furthermore, you mention ’the dark side’ and such, but it can’t scare me! I’ve heard in the Old Continent, Elu Cats do jobs like ’spies’ and ’Ninja Cats’, meow!”

”If those cats can work in the shadows, then if I follow you, there’s no way I’d bear less than them, meow!”

”Following me?” Lann didn’t quite understand. ”What does that have to do with anything?”

”Because Lord Lann is not someone from the ’dark side’, right?”

The furball crossed its little paws over its chest, shaking its triangular little ears confidently.

”I’ve heard from the Grand Commander about your work with the investigation group, meow!”

”Lord Lann is a good person, meow!”

Whether it was the cat’s intuition or something else, Lann found himself a bit unable to refute.

Finally, what eased Lann was the forlorn expression when the furball lowered its little head at the end.

”Miel and Cotton, although they care for me, I can sense it, meow... In the end, they became fearful of adventuring.”

”But it’s only natural, right? Even powerful Hunters would be terrified after encountering a group of Paralyzing Thief Dragons, Bomb Dragons, and the Stag-Headed Spirit, meow.”

”Both of them no longer prioritize maintaining their weapons, meow... I reckon the Thief Adventurer’s Group will soon disband. After all, I can’t just ignore their fears and force them into adventures as a friend.”

Its little triangular ears drooped atop its head.

The curse of the Stag-Headed Spirit, just to be safe, required it to stay away from its tribe. The fear of adventure from its adventure group’s two partners also resulted in it losing a community.

For social animals, it indeed seemed quite harsh.

”Phew~” Lann could only sigh as his large hand rested on the little head in front of him.

The Three-Floral Kitten looked up expectantly.

”If you can’t take it in the future, remember to notify me in time, got it? Contracts can be dissolved, right, as I recall?”

”Meowwo!”

The furball happily jumped up, simultaneously producing a prepared companion cat contract.

Under the kind smile of the Dragon-man Race granny at the research base, the human signed and placed a handprint on the contract. The cat also left its little paw print.

From that moment on, the furball would fight and work alongside Lann, and in return, Lann would need to provide food and shelter, teaching the furball to become a strong Hunting Cat.

A simple contract, bearing the style of the hunters of this world.

Lann and the furball stepped out from the front of the Star Base together, where Miel and Cotton had already said their goodbyes.

According to it, one of them was now working under the head chef, while the other was helping out by the alchemy cauldron.

Indeed, they’d developed a fear of adventure.

Yet from the look of the furball, it seemed reassured by its partners’ current states.

Not everyone yearns for the unknown and exploration; a stable life is equally worthy of pursuit.

The furball could understand this point.