"So, when did I sign up as your master?" I asked.
The panther stayed silent, avoiding my eyes. The little bastard was hiding something. I could feel it.
I narrowed my eyes, standing up with my hands on my hips, like I was about to knock some sense into someone. "SPEAK."
The panther, still avoiding my stare like a guilty little kid, mumbled, "You... you didn't, master."
"What!!!!!"
I scoffed, Pissed. "Then WHY the hell are you calling me master?!"
The blue animal tilted its head—again, with that casual, annoying tone that made my blood pressure spike—and said, "Well, you're destined to be my master... master."
Pissed.
Totally pissed.
Should I just beat him up?
No, no, no. Animal abuse is a crime, right? Even if it's a glowing blue panther with a weird obsession.
"Master... what happened?" it said again, tilting its head all innocent-like.
"Master, master, master!" I snapped, my voice practically echoing through the forest. "You keep calling me that like I'm some chosen messiah or something! Listen here, buddy, I ain't interested!"
My hands were itching to smack something, but I clenched them tight because, well... self-control. But if I hear master one more damn time, I might just forget this animal abuse rule for a hot second.
Hahhh... I should've just listened to Zoren when he tried to stop me. He had practically begged me not to come into this creepy dark side of the forest. And what did I do? Ignore him. Of course. Because I'm Eun Byun-Lee. Aka Cecilia. Aka Certified Idiot.
The panther blinked at me, unbothered. "But, master, you—"
I pointed a finger at it, glaring hard enough to make a grown man cry. "Finish that sentence, and I swear, glowing fur or not, I'll throw hands!"
It blinked again, like it wasn't even remotely scared. "...You're my master."
Oh. My. God.
I'm done.
I'm so done.
Zoren was right, and I'm an idiot.
A total idiot.
As I stormed off, muttering every curse word I could think of, the panther's footsteps padded behind me.
I spun around. "Why the hell are you following me now?"
It tilted its head—again—and said, "Because, master, I must stay by your side."
Fine. Fine. Everything is fine. I can deal with this.
I plopped down on the ground, legs crossed, and let out the longest, loudest sigh of my life. "Huuuuuuufffffff…"
Deep breaths. In and out. Don't lose it, Eun Byun-Lee.
The panther watched me. Finally, I glared at him and asked, "Alright, tell me—how the hell am I your 'destined master' or whatever?"
The panther's eyes glimmered like it had been waiting for this question. "Because I can see. You have a pure soul, master."
I scoffed so hard I nearly fell backward. Pure soul? Me? Was this panther blind?
"You've gotta be joking," I said, pointing at myself.
What a joke.
I'm a criminal back in South Korea. I knock people out for a living. I've literally put grown men to sleep with my fists, and I have a PURE SOUL?
The panther just stared at me with those annoyingly calm eyes and said, "Why would I lie, master? I can see it clearly. You possess very strong mana—it's just that you haven't recognized your power yet."
I blinked.
Mana? Right. This was some kind of magical, novel world. Of course, mana and glowing beasts were the norm here. But still... me? Strong mana? Does real Cecilia possess some power or what?
Ah, whatever. It's not like this mana or powers would stop her—my—death.
But then, just when I thought this was as weird as it could get, the panther said something that hit me like a brick to the face.
"You're not the real owner of this body, right, master?"
I froze, my breath catching in my throat.
"...What?"
The panther just stared at me with those eerie, glowing eyes, calm as ever. How the hell did it know? "How… how do you—" I stammered, trying to force the words out, but my voice cracked.
The panther, like it was reading my damn mind, said. "The real owner of this body," it said slowly, "is the one who brought you here, master. She summoned you."
"What?!" I shot up, my voice echoing through the eerie forest.
I was summoned here?
By the real Cecilia?
My brain was doing flips. Does that mean she was the one who dragged me here? But why?
Oh, hell no… don't tell me this chick didn't wanna face death, so she just casually summoned me to take her place like, Hey, good luck!
Or wait… could it be like those cliché fantasy novels? You know, where the original character gets tired of their life and just taps out, like, I'm done with this world. Tag, you're it!
"AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" I groaned, clutching my head.
My thoughts were spinning so fast I was getting dizzy.
I glared at the blue panther. "Hey, you! Why the hell did Cecilia summon me here? Huh? Spill it!"
The panther blinked, tilting its head again, and it said, super casually, "Well… that, I don't know, master."
I squinted at him. "You don't know? Seriously? What kind of magical beast are you?"
"But—" the panther began.
"But what?"
"I can help you find your answers," it said with a flick of its tail, like it was offering me a bargain of a lifetime.
"Answers?" I echoed, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
I don't even remember what the hell this novel is about, and now you're tossing me another mystery? Just fantastic.
I rubbed my temples, thinking. Maybe this panther could actually help… or maybe he's just another headache. But what other choice did I have? Running around clueless wasn't exactly working out for me.
I sighed, long and loud, before looking at him again. "Alright, fine. I'll let you tag along."
The panther's ears perked up, and it actually looked… smug? Like it knew I'd give in.
And just like that, my life as Cecilia Von Arlen got a whole lot messier. More complicated. More twisted. What did I do to deserve this?
I looked up at the sky, hands on my hips. "Gods! You guys up there playing some games together or what? Am I your favourite player now?"
No answer. Just silence. Typical.
I sighed again, shaking my head. "Screw it. What can I even do about it?"
***
Out of the Creepy Jungle,
Later...
Now, as I landed in yet another typical situation, here I was, watching the most dramatic glaring match of my life. Not between me and someone else—oh no. This was between Zoren and the blue panther.
The two were locked in an intense eye fight, neither blinking, neither moving. Just pure, silent tension radiating between them like two rival gangsters in an underground fight ring.
"Master…" blue Panther finally broke the silence, his voice dripping with disdain. "What's this thing doing with you?"
I scoffed. Thing? Did he just call Zoren a thing?
Zoren's ears twitched, and it turned to me with a look that practically screamed, Did you hear that, master? This guy just disrespected me.
Before I could even think of a comeback, Zoren glared at me. And boy, it was the ultimate glare. You know the kind—the one that says, I was worried sick about you, but instead of dying, you went and brought someone here with you.
Why's he glaring at me like I just betrayed him? Seriously?
"Hey, hey! Don't look at me like that! I didn't invite him, alright? He just… wouldn't leave."
Both Zoren and the blue panther whipped their heads toward me at the same time. It was like being caught between two territorial wolves. One was glaring at me like I owed him an explanation for ruining his day, and the other? Smirking like it'd already won this ridiculous argument.
I sighed so hard I felt my soul leave my body. "Alright, fine. Whatever. Let's just go back—it's already dark now."
Zoren didn't say anything, but he gave me one of those looks. You know the kind. The one that screamed, Oh, now you wanna act like this is normal? But he didn't go more dramatic.
The blue panther, though, was definitely feeling itself. Trotting along beside me, all smug and glowing like a damn trophy.
I climbed onto Zoren's back, settling in as he started moving.
I'd come here to blow off some steam, to vent out my frustration, and maybe kick a few things around. But instead? Instead, I walked out of that damn jungle with an extra headache.
No big beast. No victory. Just more questions piling up like unpaid debts. My head felt heavier than Zoren's hooves stomping through the dirt.
I leaned back, staring at the dark, endless sky above. The stars didn't look like the ones I used to see back home. Too many. Too bright. Like this world was mocking me for being out of place.
"I just hope I won't be having more complicated situations in the future," I muttered, more to myself than to anyone else. I can't afford to deal with more nonsense. I'm already tangled up in this mess like a fly in a spider's web. Not anymore.
But still…
This was just the beginning. I could feel it in my gut.