Here I am, standing in front of a small forest that somehow looks more like a forbidden forest than a place to search for a cat. This is it, the forest where Momo the cat supposedly went.
I'm really hoping that the cat is actually a cat. If it turns into a dragon or something, well... I already know what's going to happen.
With steady steps (for someone who has no idea what they're doing), I started walking into the forest. The big trees towered above me, and suddenly, the atmosphere became... unnervingly quiet. Like... something was wrong. But oh well, let's just pretend we don't care.
I kept walking, kicking a few twigs on the path while talking to myself, "Wow, this is fun. A mission to find a cat that might be the harbinger of death... now this is an adventure."
I kept walking, looking around, hoping this lost cat wasn't about to turn into a forest monster or some alien from another dimension.
The sound of crows cawing echoed again, this time more suspiciously.
"...Mmm, fresh meat here," I mimicked the crow's voice, sounding like a joke but maybe not a joke.
I kept walking, hoping that the cat was just hiding behind some bushes or a tree nearby. But...I ended up finding something... stranger.
Up ahead, between two large trees, something moved. I could only see a shadow, but it wasn't a cat.
It was... bigger.
Something that sparkled.
Its noise... sounded like something that could tear this world apart if it wanted to.
Okay, now I get it—the cat isn't just weird. This might be a cat with a contract with some dark entity that likes to toy with people's lives. But I've already taken this mission. And I'm already here, right? So, well... I might as well keep going.
I cautiously approached the shadow, step by step.
As I got closer, the sound became clearer. It wasn't the sound of a cat, but the sound... of a human? Or something not human? It seemed like it was scraping against something.
A cat? I'm doubtful.
But as I tried to get a clearer look, what appeared was... an old piece of cloth waving in the air, as if something was pulling it.
I took another step forward, slowly. Then I heard it again... the voice.
"Who... who is coming?" The voice sounded distorted, like... a voice from underground. A voice that couldn't be placed, coming from nowhere. Like someone who was... in pain.
I... kept walking.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm here for that cat, not to stir up trouble..." I said, continuing my steps, pretending I didn't care. But I could feel it, the atmosphere around me was changing. Something was off, but hey, who cares?
Finally, after what felt like hours, I found the cat. On a big rock, with eyes that were an unnatural shade of red. The cat was sitting there, staring at me with a sharp gaze, as if saying, "You're late."
I stepped closer, still acting indifferent, crouched down, and waved the mission paper in front of it with one hand.
"So, you're Momo? Well, you're not as pretty as people say, but... thanks for not turning into a dragon."
The cat didn't react. It just kept sitting there, its gaze getting even more intense.
Oh, I really hope this is just a regular cat, and I'm not going to take home more than just a reward. Not some ritual sacrifice or dark entity.
Then... the cat stood up, staring at me with eyes that were glowing brighter.
"Who are you?" The voice came again, now clearer.
Finally, I raised my hand, grinning, "I'm just an adventurer looking for work, so don't bother me, alright?"
The cat nodded. Then... it disappeared.
I just stood there. No cat. Just the surrounding forest, full of silence.
So... what just happened?
Ah, never mind. I don't care. Probably just an illusion or a forest trick. I then headed back to the guild, holding the cat that... suddenly vanished into thin air.
I returned to the Noa Adventurer Guild, still holding the mission paper that had been signed, even though there was no cat involved. The mission was finished, right? Although I couldn't say it was a "success" with full confidence, at least I didn't die. That's progress.
But as soon as I stepped into the guild, the atmosphere felt different.
Everyone... was whispering.
The sound of whispers was clear from the corners of the room.
People in this guild never really shut up.
They're like surveillance cameras always having the latest gossip.
They don't care who's around them—including me.
So, I just sat at a table, ordered a drink, and waited for my mission report to be accepted.
But then, a conversation started that immediately grabbed my attention.
"Hey, did you hear? That cat... the one that's supposed to have the power to reverse the world's fate?"
"Pfft, I don't believe that. It's just an old story to scare people. I'm sure it's just a myth."
"Do you believe that cat really exists? They say it can suck the life out of people. I heard someone went missing in the forest because of it."
"Ah, that's just nonsense. Most likely, the cat ran away from its owner and people got paranoid. I went searching for it once, found nothing."
I just raised an eyebrow, listening to the conversation with my usual 'I don't care' attitude, which had become my specialty.
Seriously, they were talking about a cat that supposedly could reverse the world's fate, which, when I thought about it, sounded more absurd than my mission to find the cat earlier.
But you know? Maybe it was just a story to scare people. And besides, this world is full of magic, so maybe that cat really has some strange powers—but if that's my problem? Not really.
One of the adventurers at the next table chimed in.
"Yeah, some people say that cat shows up when people are starting to lose hope. That's why many don't return after searching for it."
"Man, that's crazy. If the cat really is dangerous, why would people still keep searching for it?" "Because… the reward's huge, bro."
They all laughed, and I just sat there quietly sipping my drink. On one hand, I felt a little wary—but on the other hand, I wasn't really interested. What kind of cat could make people so afraid?
Suddenly, the guild master, sitting behind the desk, gave me a cynical grin as if he knew I was listening to the conversation.
"If you're looking for a cat, Aria, you're going to find more than just fur." I just responded with a wide smile.
"Well, who knows. Maybe I'll find a cat with the power to make the world even more chaotic."
I then headed to the inn.