"I'll say it again, but I'm not a cat but a human. Do you understand?" - Ruri
"Oh, I understand, I know" - Jade
Jade said whilst stroking Ruri with a smile.
He does not understand at all …
Ruri is currently on Jade's knee.
Since her being a human has been revealed, Ruri had decided not to ride on Jade's knee as she usually did, because she was hesitant and embarrassed.
However, it seems that Jade does not like her being apart from him and so he forcibly put her on his knee.
Although she had resists, in the end Euclase said "Just stay because Jade isn't doing his work,". It seems Ruri is living a life that is totally unchanged from the time she was thought to be a cat.
The fact that Ruri was not a cat but a human was also known by those working in the castle, but Ruri is not in human form and still is in her usual form similar to a pet.
If anything has changed, it would be the behaviour and facial expressions that Jade makes towards Ruri.
It seems that he is pampering and cherishing her more than ever.
Until now, Ruri had been at Jade's side fairly often due to his insistence, but after he learnt she was human he has been more persistent in keeping her with him.
Ruri did not care much, but what was troubling her was the expression Jade had when looking at her.
Even now, when the work load has lessened, and Ruri and Jade where alone together, he took out a tub of sweets from a drawer.
Jade opened the lid and picked a sweet out with his fingers, and held it up to Ruri's mouth.
"Look, Ruri" - Jade
"I can eat it by myself." - Ruri
Even after she refused, Jade keeps holding his hand up to Ruri's mouth.
From Jade's silent smile, Ruri can tell Jade will not withdraw, and so Ruri opens her mouth.
It was like a hard candy ball, but the moment Ruri put it into her mouth the outer layer crunched and the inside melted onto her tongue, Ruri was impressed by the taste and texture that she had never experienced before.
"It tastes amazing!" - Ruri
"It's a souvenir from when we visited the Spirit Kingdom.
I thought about getting something for cats, but I thought It would be okay because you ate the same things us humans do.
However, because your original form is human, there was no need to worry.
Do you want more?" - Jade
"Yes!" - Ruri
The flavour doesn't get old, and without shame Ruri eats one after another as Jade diligently feeds her.
Ruri, lost by the temptation of the sweets didn't say anything for a while, she looked up at Jade.
Then, Jade smiled.
A smile filled with compassion and love.
It was a sweet smile, different from a smile that would be given to a pet.
Jade had smiled like this at Ruri quite often recently.
Ruri would like him to stop, to be honest.
It could lead to a misunderstanding that Jade likes her. Jade's smile must be love towards a pet .......
On the other hand, Jade was so persistent to see her human form, Ruri though he would be distrustful of her because he hadn't seen her human figure.
As such, finally Kotarou came to see Ruri.
With the war against Nadarsia close at hand, Jade became too busy with preparations to have much time to spend with Ruri.
As Ruri was sunbathing in the first district's gardens with the faeries keeping her company, a shadow falls on her which was odd because the first district's gardens are above the clouds.
Looking up with confusion, Ruri could see the stomach of a creature with pure white hair, and the creature fell down from above.
"Oh nyo-ooo!"
Ruri screams.
Bump! Despite the fact that the white creature had fallen from a high place, the sound was not loud as it landed in the garden.
A wolf with pure white hair and long legs.
Ruri drew a breath looking at the wolf who was bigger than a human.
Ruri was confused, why is there a wolf here? And why does it carry a big bag on its back? But the fear of being eaten overwrites her confusion.
Ruri walks back and forth.
The wolf tilted its head curiously at Ruri.
For a moment she thought it was cute, but her opponent was a wolf. If you show a weakness you will be attacked.
However, as Ruri is thinking of how to escape the situation, Rin approaches the wolf, flapping her wings.
"Rin, no!" - Rudi
"Oh, it's ok. Its Kotarou." - Rin
"...What? Kotarou?" - Ruri
Ruri looks at the white wolf with disbelief, he shakes his tail joyfully.
"Um, I am Kotaro. I finally get to see Ruri." - Kotarou
"It talked!" - Ruri
Ruri is suprised, Rin is also amazed.
"Oh yes, I can talk. Its more strange that I couldn't speak in the first place, right?" - Kotarou
"Was it because you where using a body that was not your own attribute? I remember you had a body with earth attribute.
It's so surprising ...... " - Ruri
Kotarou had trouble communicating before, and was only able to bark. Ruri would be surprised if he's suddenly fluent.
"Well, for the time being, Welcome back Kotarou." - Ruri
Ruri heard Kotarou speak, so she no longer has any fear.
Looking up at Kotarou, the size difference is huge, so Kotarou lies down so he is in Ruri's line of sight.
"I'm home, Ruri.
How about it, I tried to find a body Ruri would like after looking around the world. Do you like it?" - Kotarou
It was already a nice body allowing Ruri to talk directly with Kotarou, rather than having the faeries translate for him, Ruri walks around Kotarou and looks at him.
The pure white hair is long and also fluffy and it seems pleasant.
As Ruri touches it it feels like she is touching the softest, smoothest hair.
Ruri could not endure, and she jumped onto Kotarou's body, falling into the fluff.
Kotarou's body also has reasonable proportion of meat so it is soft without hitting bones, it is a pleasant feeling.
Ruri definitely thought this would be her new napping spot.
Kotarou's body temperature is transmitted warmly, and she leans against him and feels like she could fall asleep.
"Im so happy" - Ruri
As Kotarou understands that Ruri is pleased, and his mood also rises, until he is swaying his tail to the left and right.
"I see that the water faerie was able to meet Ruri." - Kotarou
"I'm no longer called the water faerie. My name is Rin." - Rin
Just as Kotarou had previously boasted of the name given to him by Ruri, this time, Rin gloatingly announces her name.
"Rin, that's a good name." - Kotarou
"I guess. ...... By the way, what is that big bag you are carrying on your back?" - Rin
It is something she was confused about from before.
After Rin's question, Ruri also jumps off Kotarou and turns her eyes towards the cloth wrapped bag.
"It's a souvenir for Ruri." - Kotarou
Kotarou brings down the bag from his back with the power of wind.
After seeing it with her own eyes, Ruri could believe that Kotarou was a wind faerie.
Although Ruri was not doubting Rin's words, she did not believe it because she had not seen Kotarou use his power.
The luggage was wrapped in a cloth like a big furoshiki * , various items such as clothes, accessories and so on were included in the bag.
"Kotarou, you had money?" - Ruri
It would be quite a lot of money to buy all of these items. Ruri wonders if Chelsea had given him some money.
"No, once I got down to the town, the townspeople gave me all of these things as a tribute.
Because I got a lot, I thought it would be a nice souvenir for you Ruri. Are you pleased?" - Kotarou
"Yes, thank you.
I will have to give you something from me." - Ruri
Kotarou wags his tail.
He came home with a souvenir for Ruri, just like a faithful dog.
After he came home with his new body, he's become even more like a faithful dog.
"Well then, what happened to your previous body?" - Ruri
"I left it because it was in the way" - Kotarou
"I hope it wasn't eaten...…" - Ruri
In this world that demon beast would be a delicious free snack to the wildlife.
Ruri is worried about Kotarou's old body that had been left to be eaten.
Although the former body was a demon beast, it still feels disgusting that something could eat what was Kotarou.
She kept it in her mind, so she could confirm what happened with Jade.
While Ruri was playing with Kotarou, Joshua appeared.
"Hey, Ruri" - Joshua
"What's wrong, Joshua?
Aren't you busy making preparations? Are you skipping?" - Ruri
"If I skip, my father would kill me. I kind of want to though.
Damn, what is that? Thats a Holy Beast from the Spirit Kingdom." - Joshua
Joshua looks surprised as he looks at Kotarou.
"This is Kotarou.
Kotarou, this is Joshua. Chelsea's grandson" - Ruri
"Oh, the wind faerie from before, have you come to see Ruri?" - Joshua
"Hmm, Chelsea's grandson. Ruri is indebted to you. Call me Kotarou" - Kotarou
"Oh yeah ... you're like Ruri's guardian.
Well, I'm here to talk to Ruri about the future." - Joshua
Joshua sat down with his legs crossed.
"Soon Nadarsia's army will cross the border, invading the Dragon Kingdom.
I've heard that the Shrine Maiden has joined the army as well." - Joshua
"What!? Why. There's no way she can fight." - Ruri
If you can use magic freely by using the faeries like Ruri can, it wouldn't be a problem, but Asahi has less skill with faeries and magic than most human beings, she can only use charm magic.
Or has her charm power become useful?
It's reckless to use it. They used to live in a world where war was nothing more than a history channel on TV, but here she is standing a a dangerous place where she could be killed.
"She's probably on her way to get you back from your kidnappers." - Joshua
"Oh, that idiot!" - Ruri
"Well, do not worry. There is an order to catch the Shrine Maiden alive. Well I don't know if the order is satisfactory enough ... ... …" - Joshua
Joshua averts his eyes.
"What, that makes me more anxious" - Ruri
"Its because, it is human versus dragon kin.
In the first place the ability is different, I think Ruri also saw the training, dragon kin go crazy when fighting.
They forget all their senses and punch wildly until there is no-one standing. The human body is weak. "
Humans are not weak, dragon kin are abnormal.
For humans, it is severe if they are shot with an arrow or a hole is sliced through their belly. The dragon tribe laugh and discontinue their training for a while.
Ruri worries that the next time she sees Asahi she will be disfigured....... And she becomes severely uneasy.
It might be more likely than she thinks.
"Let me go, too" - Ruri
Unlike Asahi, Ruri doesn't have the courage or will to fight, but she has enough power to protect herself.
But, Joshua puts a stop to that.
"That's no good, you are supposed to come too Nadarsia's castle with me." - Joshua
"Why are we going to the castle?" - Ruri
"Because they have sent the army to invade the Dragon Kingdom, the castle's defences have been reduced, and because the King is crushing the Dragon Kingdom of all places he has sent quite a few soldiers.
In that time we will capture the King and Priest. After that, we will do what you requested and retrieve your luggage and destroy the summoning magic" - Joshua
"But I don't know where my luggage is or anything about how they summoned me." - Ruri
"Thats what I'm currently finding out, you can come with me." - Joshua
"Oh, Ruri the intelligence officer" - Ruri
Ruri looks at Joshua with respect.
"Would you like to kick the king and the priest?" - Joshua
"I did. But now, I have a plan to sharpen my nails." - Ruri
Ruri's hands currently, are like blunt claws.
"Oh, do not scratch yourself accidentally" - Joshua
After half a month a report came that Nadarsia's army had crossed the border and was advancing towards the Dragon Kingdom.
"Fufufu, be ready, King and Priest!!"