"Butler Go, I am leaving the mansion in your care."
"Leave it to me, Young Master."
Colt awoke without any Genesis family member attacking the manor so he assumed Yrva was alive. Vyra was also not causing a stir so everything is fine, right?
He was now aboard a carriage that is headed west. He is headed to the Lion State, where ironically where the Thunder Tiger Mountain was.
As Colt entered the carriage after Mina and Fluff a sense of freedom wept Colt. It was weird but it felt like he was finally free.
'With this, I should be able to find reasons to leave this place and the academy altogether.'
Colt had achieved what he needed. Butler Go had reported what happened to the capital to his parents and his name had reached a lot of ears.
He now has two monikers; one is Fluff Reaper which is the dominant moniker and would probably never go away even after he dies; the other would be Slumbering Tiger.
With the Edgeworths being the Black Tiger of the Kingdom and Colt being the "wastrel" of the family it was quite understandable on why he got such a moniker. From what Colt is aware of, he even has a sort of legend going about.
"With his head lowered, the tiger rests. A man of kindness and beauty, a majestic beast in a literal and metaphorical sense. But for anyone daring enough to try and awaken him, the Tiger shall rise and the Slumbering Tiger shall bear its fangs on the wicked."
It was funny just how much the Slumbering Tiger moniker had come.
The Fluff Reaper moniker also has its own unique story, but Colt curses that story to the bone so he would rather die than have it spread some more. One of the reasons why he hates it is because the ones who adore that moniker are the little boys and girls.
But to give a better idea what the Fluff Reaper moniker story is, it has something to do with him serving the King of the Fluffiest of Cats where he bows down and rub its belly all day long trying to satisfy the king.
Though the Tiger one is slightly edgy and screams chuunibyou, at least he's not the personal belly rubber of a cat.
But the worst part of it is that even now, Colt is rubbing the belly of Fluff…so it might just be true. Even if he tries to stop, Fluff will stand up and take his hand and position a free hand so its belly could be rubbed.
'Goddammit, the stories are true.'
It also doesn't help the fact that Colt is traveling with five cats.
Inside the spacious carriage, there are two soft seats that face each other. When Colt traveled with Mina, the other seat is empty as she likes to be by his side even if there is not to be talked about.
However, right now there are five cats on the other seat. Seated with their backs as straight as a cat could have their back straightened, Colt observed the five cats.
"Hmmm, you five, do you want some treats?"
No one responded to Colt's words. They were as taut as a palace guard; they could not be shaken by words.
"Nyashisi! MYAAA!" Fluff laughed in a strange manner as it "roared" at Colt and exchanged a very triumphant gaze with the human, as if to say, "You can't shake them, they are the elites of the elites! ELITES I TELL YOU!"
It is simple to say that Fluff was proud of what he had achieved. But seconds later, as Mina took interest on the cats, she suddenly brought out a weapon that broke the stoic expressions of the cats — a cattail had appeared.
Nyaa!
Nya!
Mew!
The cats began playing with the dangling cattail. They were doing their best to reach it but Mina mischievously laughed as she played with the Generals. Fluff wanted to be angry at the embarrassment, but the Lord was in the forefront of the bunch competing with the others.
'Yup, if this Lord actually successfully creates an army it will collapse the moment a mouse appears.'
Colt shook his head at the pitiful appearance of his Soul Partner. As Colt watched Mina laughed at the six cats, he sighed in delight as he gradually fell asleep.
The passage of time remained undisturbed. While they traveled with the Vice-Captain and some guards, Colt slept.
The carriage used in the world is not normal and the horses pulling it is also far from normal. Their carriage is like a high-end car and one can only imagine a carriage zooming through the path in haste.
However, no matter how fast they travel, this world is still quite large and their destination is still a week away from the capital even if they travel at full speed.
But because Colt never really liked to move like he was out of time and didn't want the guards to suffer, he asked them to travel at a reasonable speed. This trip will take three weeks, and after that, the month of April should already be ending.
If he decides to return to Filla for her birthday, he will still have plenty of time.
Without much happening, four days passed. It was night, and as Colt and the others camped out in the open, Mina was cooking for the tired guards while Colt watched Fluff reprimand the Generals for once again failing to fight the urges.
Mina had once again pulled out another "weapon" that destroyed their composure.
Colt laughed as it asked, "Hey Fluff, are you legible to tell them off like this? I mean you were the first one to jump at the feathers, right? So, how come you're telling them off?"
As Fluff listened to Colt's words, its body trembled and the anger within finally burst out!
"Nyaa! Myaa, myuu! Mewwwww!" [I know! I know what I'm doing wrong and I am ashamed of myself, but I cannot fight it! The urge is too strong, go on, laugh at meeeee!] (translation provided by Colt)
Fluff was on the verge of crying as the self-loathing it had within burst out.
Fluff cried and had its head lowered in shame. The five Generals saw this and an amber-colored cat touched his King's on the back trying to utter words that can comfort the saddened King.
"Mya, nya nya, myaaaa-mew, nyuu!" [Oh King, do not be disheartened. This is a trial we shall overcome together. We shall follow you, oh glorious and benevolent King!] (translation provided by Colt)
The amber cat said as the other four of the Generals nodded their heads in agreement. Fluff nodded its head and smiled before going in to hug the loyal Generals as it cried.
"Nyaaaa!" [I didn't choose wrong.] (translation provided by Colt)
While a drama transpired between the six cats, their archnemesis, Mina came to their side and presented them a plate of freshly roasted meat. The meat was three times bigger than a cat and as they looked at Mina with a glare all of them meowed at the same time.
"Nyaaa!" [Thank you, Saintess!]
Despite their grievances, the cats could have manners as they said their thanks to Mina.
"Thanks, they said." Colt relayed the message as he was passed his own food.
"You don't need to translate every single time they say it. I can understand that much." Mina laughed as she sat beside her beloved.
Colt and the rest were just about to eat, and as he took in a bite, a gust of wind blew past him and then, he heard it!
NYA! The angered sound of the cats echoed. And as Colt turned his head, he saw a young child, around the age of six or so. His skin was brown and he had brisk long hair. He had a pair of red eyes and he had nothing on other than a tattered cloth.
The kid seemed feral as it competed with Fluff's and the Generals' hisses of anger and on the side, Colt could tell that this kid was someone important in the story.
As he stared intently at the kid, Colt realized something.
'I don't know this one.'
As he thought of that, the cats and the child fought for the meat.