"Why don't you try this pencil? See if it suits your taste." After taking on the task, Eriri chose a pencil and recommended it.
Taking the pencil from Eriri, Homura tried it on the signature paper on the counter. In just a few breaths, a cute chibi version of a petite figure appeared on the paper.
"!!!"
"Huh? Why is it me?!" Eriri exclaimed in surprise.
Indeed, Eriri recognized at a glance that the cute chibi version character drawn by Homura was herself.
Watching Eriri's reaction, Homura chuckled amusedly.
"How about it? Is the drawing not bad?"
"It's not just not bad!" Eriri was a little shocked.
Although it was just a cute chibi version character, she still felt that it was more outstanding than most mangaka.
"...I didn't expect that you really have hidden talents!" She took a deep look at him as if she was getting to know him again, with an inexplicable tone, "I am looking forward to tomorrow and what kind of plan you will come up with!"
"Stay tuned!" Homura answered confidently but without being too proud.
Just because this skill was too easy to obtain, Homura did not want to become arrogant.
He believed that these skills were not yet his own. Before fully integrating them, Homura would not be so thick-skinned as to think that he was very outstanding.
===
After a big purchase, both Homura and Eriri breathed a sigh of relief.
There were simply too many tools. If it weren't for Eriri, Homura wouldn't have known when he would have finished shopping.
"Okay, that's it! Why did I have to go through all this trouble?!" Eriri complained, but Homura knew that she wouldn't complain about such a small matter. It was just her way of speaking.
Therefore, Homura comforted her.
"Don't worry. I won't let you do it for nothing. You'll know tomorrow."
"I hope so..." Eriri replied weakly.
Watching Eriri's lack of energy, Homura thought for a moment and said, "Eriri, let me take you home!"
She looked straight at him, then immediately looked elsewhere, pursing her lips.
"Forget it. You'd better think about how to impress me with your plan first!"
"Well then, I'm off! Bye-bye!" Eriri waved her hand and left.
Watching her leaving figure, Homura thought about his purpose for coming out. It was almost accomplished, so he decided to go buy other things now.
Then... go to the cemetery to "visit" his birth mother of this life.
===
Having bought fresh flowers and the food his mother loved, Homura arrived at the cemetery and stood in front of his mother's picture. With a warm smile on her face in the photo, he squatted down to arrange the flowers.
As he opened the tuna sashimi, his mother's favorite food, he whispered to himself, "Please don't worry! Your son hasn't had any accidents. We just merged together, so..." {TN: "We" refer to his past life/world and this life/world}
Unconsciously, Homura exclaimed, "Mom...I will take good care of myself and strive to make my life even more wonderful."
"Mom, I wish you all the best in heaven."
No matter what mood he had before, whether it was the fear of transmigration, the excitement of discovering the System, or the excitement of meeting Sagiri, Megumi, and Eriri; when he stood in front of his mother in this world, his feelings for her turned into the most sincere gratitude and love.
Inheriting each other's identity, life, memory, and relationships; and since they were also the same person from a parallel world, Homura decided to take on his responsibilities as well, hence he used the term "merge together."
"Mom, I'm going home now. I still have a little sister who needs my care."
"Next time, I'll come to see you again..." After bidding farewell to his mother, he was about to put down the tuna sashimi and head home.
"!!!"
"What is that!" Suddenly, a shadow darted out, came to the tuna sashimi, and startled Homura. The tuna sashimi in his hand scattered all over the ground.
Looking at the small figure in front of him, Homura was stunned, then recognized it immediately.
"...Haru?" He had just thought that this world might not only be a fusion of two worlds but here was another one.
Perhaps this was always the same world.
Homura reached out his hand to touch the little cat in front of him, but it instantly bristled its fur and growled, warning him not to come closer.
Withdrawing his hand, he glanced at the System and found that he had gained another skill.
[Other Skills]: Cat Language LV0
Homura: "..."
Well, he's used to it now. If Floor Language can appear, then why not Cat Language?
"Meow~?" Hearing the meow, Homura looked over and saw a cat staring at him.
After hesitating for a moment, Homura put three skill points into the Cat Language skill.
Cat Language LV0 → LV3
[Skill Points]: 1
Homura felt that at Level 3 of Cat Language, he should be able to understand what the cat was saying.
"Little one, what did you just say?" Homura asked the cat in front of him.
"Huh?! How can you speak cat language?" the cat was surprised and asked.
"Haha, I can speak a lot of languages!" Homura smiled and continued, "By the way, what did you just say?"
"Oh, I was asking why you're not eating it?" The cat replied to Homura's question.
"Don't even mention it..." Looking at the sashimi all over the floor, Homura said with a bit of irritation, "Luckily, I bought an extra box. If you want to eat, I'll buy some for you. But you can't touch this box."
He took out a new box and placed it in front of his "mother", then turned back to look at the cat.
The little cat seemed a bit confused as if asking, "Why?"
"Because this is for my mother. She used to love this the most." Homura said with some nostalgia.
Clapping his hands and standing up, Homura asked the little cat in front of him, "Little one, come with me! I'll take care of you from now on, how about it?"
"...No." The little cat replied with some silence.
"Why not?" Homura was puzzled.
After some hesitation, the little cat gave its reason, "Although you don't look like a bad person, I don't have any reason to let you take care of me."
"I eat your food, I'll repay you, and then... farewell."
What a sensible little one, although Homura knew it from his past life, seeing her like this made her even more adorable.
"Really not coming?" Homura smiled inwardly and was tempted, "You'll always eat this from now on..."
In an instant, the little cat's style changed. Originally sharp-faced and fierce-looking, its lines softened, its eyes brightened, and drool flowed on the ground.
"Will I really always eat such delicious food?" Unable to resist the temptation, the little cat was itching to move.
Homura looked at it with amusement and said, "Don't worry! I keep my promises."
Picking up the food, Homura turned to go home. Looking back, the little cat was still standing there, Homura then shouted, "What are you standing there for? Let's go home!"
With a different radiance in her eyes, she finally caught up, then thought to herself, 'Well, it's not because I can eat good food, but because I can't help but worry about this guy!'
The shadows of the big and small figures were particularly harmonious in the sunset...
"By the way! Little one, let me give you a name!"
"What is a name?" The little kitty asked.
"It's what I'll call you, can't always call you little one, right?"
"Oh, then what should I be called?" The little cat asked again.
"Just call you... Haru, how about that?"
"Food?" The little kitty felt strange.
"Not food, but... the warm sun."
"The warm... sun, huh?" The little cat... no, Haru listened to this name and felt warm in her heart. Is this my name?
"Well, not bad!"