"There are human-eating monsters in the forest nearby."

Nobody knew when this rumor started to spread around the villagers, but it somehow developed into many versions.

A young traveler quietly listened to a young boy and a young girl arguing about this rumor as he blew away the hot steam on his tea.

"It's a female monster cheated by a man. I heard she loved to dig out men's eye balls and eat them."

"Huh? You girls are so much trouble. You just can't have any story without love or relationship. It was nothing but an aggressive monster. I'm sure the adults will get monks to cleanse it sooner or later."

"You are bluffing, Tarou. 'Nothing but a monster'? You don't even dare to enter the forest."

"Shut, shut up!"

The young traveler slowly finished the last bite of his food and interrupted them as the two almost started a fight. "Excuse me. I'd like to enter the forest, but which way should I take?"

"Are you going to the forest?!"

"Wow, you are going to the forest!"

Both the boy and the girl were shocked.

"I am the master of the Shrine. Just like the 'monks' this young fella mentioned, I also have the ability to cleanse monsters."

"Are you serious?" The boy looked at him in doubt. There's no way that this somewhat handsome man can be a monster fighter.

Seeing their reaction, the younger traveler let out a little sigh and gave up asking. Nobody ever believed in his identity, but he had no clue what went wrong.

"Wait a sec," The boy stopped the traveler as he picked up his hat and prepared to leave. "I… I will take you there."

The girl looked at him in shock, but the boy headed straight toward a small path full of weeds. He didn't even look back to check if the traveler was following.

The forest was right at the end of the path. There were weeds everywhere – ever since the rumor of the monster started, no one had ever dared to enter.

At the entrance of the forest, the boy stopped and asked the traveler again. "Are you sure you are going in?"

"Yes."

"But, there is a… man-eating monster!"

"Have you seen it?"

"No…"

"Has somebody you know got eaten?"

"N-no…"

"Then why are you so sure about this man-eating monster?"

"Because all the adults said so… And how can there be a monster that doesn't eat humans?!"

"There's an old proverb that says 'the only difference between a buddha and a demon is the thought'. Put it in layman's terms, whether you are a good or a bad person has nothing to do with your origin. It depends on what you want to do. And the same applies to monsters... Aye— You don't understand, do you..." The traveler looked at the boy and smiled with resignation. No matter how many times he repeated this, humans only believed in what they wanted to believe.

Prejudice isn't something that can be removed with just a few conversations.

The traveler bid farewell to the boy and walked into the deep parts of the forest alone. It was a beautiful and dynamic forest, with lots of sounds made by insects and birds. He saw no monster but lots of man-made traps in bushes and roadside. They seemed to be set up to catch animals.

Ordinary villagers seldom came to the forest, but hunters saw that as an opportunity to catch more preys.

As the traveler squatted down to check the traps, he heard something sharp piercing through the air behind him. He quickly rolled away, and saw a few bamboos canes stuck into the land where he was standing.

He looked up at the direction where the canes came from, and found a pair of red, resentful eyes among the leaves not far away. The pupils had become slit in the sunlight. Two long and thick tails hung from the branches and struck the tree trunk occasionally as their owner made warning sounds.

It was a nekomata. These monsters were often described as friendly and kind; many books wrote that they would transform into young girls and approach humans. However, this one looked very aggressive for no reason.

The traveler quietly moved a few steps to one side, so he could see the nekomata's hidden body among the leaves. Its right rear foot seemed to be heavily injured. No wonder it was only warning but not attacking.

He thought of the traps along the way. Could this nekomata be those hunters' target?

It wasn't a good time for monsters, especially for those who could transform into girls - they could sell a very good price in underground black markets. With this in mind, it was not difficult to understand where the nekomata's hostility came from.

"Um, I didn't come to catch you... But you probably won't believe me, will you? Haha..."

The traveler laughed awkwardly as the cat started hissing immediately when he opened his mouth. Seemed it had zero trust in humans.

He quietly took a bean from the sleeve and threw it under the tree while the nekomata wasn't paying attention. It quickly sprouted and grew into a vine that spiraled upward along the trunk.

To distract the nekomata even further, the traveler took out an amulet he picked up from a trap just now. It had a very ordinary style and looked quite dated. The embroidered text was difficult to distinguish as the amulet was soaked in blood.

"Do you recognize this?"

When the nekomate saw the amulet, it suddenly went berserk and tried to pounce over with an injured leg. However, the vine entangled it first and slowly sent it to the traveler.

"I knew you could..." He flipped the amulet around and thought for a while as his fingers massaged the two embroidered characters. "I shall use it then. Hope it can make the spell work better."

Holding onto the amulet, he started chanting a complicated, difficult spell. Light red energy started to emit from the nekomata's body and flow into the amulet.

Soon, there was only a cat sleeping calmly on the ground. The traveler walked up and tied the amulet on its neck, then gently stroked its head.

After the nekomata was sealed, the vine also retracted and turned into a lovely girl.

"Master, why did you put a seal on it?"

"Right now, it has too much hostility toward humans. Instead of simply telling it that there are good people in the world, I prefer to seal all the bad memories away and let it re-learn how to live with humans on its own. Nekomatas have a natural affinity with humans."

"But... seals are like honey, they will eventually expire. One day, all the memories will break the seal and come back. What shall we do then?"

"Let's hope that it has enough inner strength to fight the memories by then. Fate can never be predicted."

Still confused, the girl squatted down and patted on the cat's head too. "Welcome to the Mahjong Soul Shrine, little kitty."

The boy waited for the traveler anxiously outside the forest. A long time had passed, just when he thought the traveler was already eaten by the monster, he saw a man walk out of the forest with a cat sleeping in his arms.

"Did you meet the monster?" The boy rushed to him. He peeked at the cat in his arms, confused about what really happened in the forest.

"It's nothing but a rumor. There is no monster in the forest, but I found a little cat who had lost its way."

"But..."

"If the monster is real, how could I come back alive?" The traveler adjusted his hat and squinted his eyes under the brim's shadow, resembling some kind of cunning mammal.

The boy was only half-convinced, but could not find any reason to reject him as the traveler looked completely unscathed.

If this weak-looking man can come out of the forest alive, this place shouldn't be as dangerous as the rumor suggests, should it?

"It was nothing but a rumor spread by poachers to scare the villagers off. Don't worry." The traveler gave the boy a pat on the shoulder and headed away with the cat. He seemed to be mumbling something though. "Ouch… You little one hit me really hard."

Little one? Does he mean that cat?

What a chaotic day, the boy thought. But he started to think about what the traveler said. What are monsters? And what makes a human?

Can monsters really live like humans and refrain from eating them?

"Come to the address below if you care about Ichihime's safety."

I found this note in Ichihime's bedroom after searching all over the Mahjong Soul Shrine. The letters on it were cut and pasted from newspaper. Wait a sec, isn't this a common kidnapping plot in dramas?

Oh no, she's in danger!

But I flipped the note back and forth 3 times and could not find the address. What a lousy kidnapper!!!//nGuess I had to find the clues myself. Let me first ask if any witness had seen Ichihime.

I walked out of Ichihime's bedroom and saw Miki Nikaidou coming. She's Ichihime's best friend. Let me ask her.

{character:player}Nikaidou, when was the last time you saw Ichihime today?

{character:Miki Nikaidou}Ichihime? I remember it was 5 hours ago. She said she was going to the Japanese confection shop at the park to have some yokan. Oops, is she still not back yet?

Miki Nikaidou looked surprised. It seemed she didn't really know Ichihime's whereabouts.

{character:player}She's probably sleeping somewhere. I'll go find her.

After Miki Nikaidou left, I started to analyze the situation. She last saw Ichihime 5 hours ago, so Ichihime could have been missing for 5 hours already.

I guess I shouldn't let too many know she was kidnapped, otherwise she could be killed. Let me check the Japanese confection shop.

{character:Owner}Welcome!

{character:player}Excuse me, has the Priestess of Mahjong Soul Shrine been here today?

{character:Owner}Oh, the Priestess? Yeah, she did. She also had lots of food, without paying.

I have a bad feeling after hearing the shop owner. Did she just dine and dash?

{character:Owner}Excuse me, are you Jyanshi {var:player_nickname}?

{character:player}Yes. How do you know?

{character:Owner}Right, here's the bill. After the Priestess finished eating, she told me to hand the bill to you. It's 5,000 coppers in total.

{character:player}5,000!!! How is that possible?!!

{character:Owner}Oh well… I've been running my shop for over 20 years, but I have never seen any girl eating as much as she did. In total, she's had 12 yokan, 16 dango, 21 wagashi, 7 cups of uji matcha…

{character:player}E, enough…

• The owner's words alone are not sufficient evidence.
• It must be Ichihime since she ate so much.

{character:player}I think I know what happened. Here's 5,000 coppers.

{character:Owner}That's really nice of you. Speaking of which, are you here for the Priestess?

{character:player}Yes. Did she say where she was going after she finished eating here?

{character:Owner}Not really, but my waiter said she was heading toward Asaha High School.

{character:player}About what time did she leave?

{character:Owner}Hmm… 4 hours ago, maybe.

That, that's impressive. She managed to eat so much in less than an hour! I ran to Asaha High School immediately after leaving the shop...

I met Nana Shiraishi at the entrance of Asaha High School. She seemed to be waiting for someone.

{character:player}Shira…

Before I was able to greet her, Nana Shiraishi rushed to me and patted my shoulder enthusiastically.

{character:Nana Shiraishi}Yo, junior! Perfect timing. I was just about to look for you.

I felt a crushing pain on my shoulder, so I took a few steps back to avoid her hand.

{character:player}What can I do for you?

{character:Nana Shiraishi}You know that little cat? She came to me today! To--tally unexpected.

Little cat? She probably meant Ichihime. But Ichihime never had much interest in her. That was unexpected indeed.

{character:player}What did she want from you?

{character:Nana Shiraishi}She borrowed 5,000 coppers from me, said you would pay me back later, then ran away. Are you guys planning something?

{character:player}5,000 coppers again!!!

{character:Nana Shiraishi}Again? Did she also borrow from others?! Oh no, I thought she was finally taking me as a close friend. Guess I was just one of the many people she borrowed from…

{character:player}You're missing the point! Don't make yourself sound so bitter!

Wait, did she ask me to pay for Ichihime?

{character:Nana Shiraishi}Hey junior, you are not going to run away without paying me, are you?

• Nana Shiraishi doesn't look like lying.
• Ichihime would never ask her for that.

{character:player}Sorry, I can't pay for her. You should wait for the Priestess to come back.

{character:Owner}Oh hey, don't run away! You need to pay for your bills!

I could still hear the owner's voice after running past a block. How terrible.

Next, I searched everywhere in One Han City but could not find Ichihime until it got dark outside.

My phone suddenly rang, it was Nikaidou. She told me Ichihime had already returned to Mahjong Soul Shrine…

What on earth happened today? And what was that note all about?//nI felt so lost...

{character:player}Of course not. Here's 5,000 coppers. Please take it.

{character:Nana Shiraishi}I know you are a trustworthy one! Anyway, I think the cat said she was going to ask some big boss for donation. I hope she's not doing anything dangerous!

A big boss to donate for Mahjong Soul Shrine… There's only one I can think of…//nI said goodbye to Nana Shiraishi and walked toward Osamu Saitou's company.

I felt like the receptionist was expecting me. After hearing my name, she politely "invited" me to Osamu Saitou’s office and left with a smile. Another bad feeling just came to me.

{character:Osamu Saitou}Here is a detailed breakdown of your debt.

{character:player}What, what debt?

{character:Osamu Saitou}You are the master of that Priestess at Mahjong Soul Shrine, aren't you?

{character:player}Actually… whatever, yes, I am.

{character:Osamu Saitou}Right then. Sign here, and you can make your payment at the reception downstairs. We take cash, card or online transfer.

My hands were shaking as I took the bill and looked at the amount. 100,000 coppers!!!

{character:player}Um, what kind of debt is this?

{character:Osamu Saitou}The Priestess broke one of my antique vases in the office. 100,000 coppers is its market price.

• I don't have so much money in my bank account
• If I don't pay, I probably won't be able to walk out of here today

{character:player}It's not that I don't want to pay, but I just cannot imagine Ichihime approaching you, let alone borrowing money. Why would she go through so much hassle when she could have asked me directly?

{character:Nana Shiraishi}Are you saying that I lied to you?

{character:player}I'm sorry, but I must see Ichihime in person to confirm it. Your words alone are not enough.

{character:Nana Shiraishi}Alright then, junior! I shouldn't have trusted you!

After saying that, Nana Shiraishi left in anger, riding her skateboard.

I searched around Asaha High School for hours but didn't see Ichihime anywhere. I asked a few other students, but none had seen anyone like Ichihime. She probably had never come to Asaha High School.

As the day got darker, I decided to return to the Shrine and discuss with others if I should call the police.//nWhere could Ichihime be?

Looking at Osamu Saitou's poker face and the locked door behind my back.//nI take out my credit card with reluctance, but after all, she calls me master. I will make sure I give her a good lesson after we get home.

After paying 100,000 coppers at the reception, I realize I still don't know where Ichihime is.

{character:Waiter}Are you looking for Miss Ichihime?

{character:player}Yes. Do you know where she is?

{character:Waiter}When she headed out, she said she was going to find Miss Mikami.

Miss Mikami…? I thought of Ichihime's friends, she probably meant Chiori Mikami. Whatever, let me go to her place first.

It was a rare case that Chiori Mikami didn't go to the Mahjong club today, so I met her at her house. Speaking of it, do all the rich people like to live in big houses?

I look at the decorations in her living room. They all look like expensive antiques to me, so I pray hard that Ichihime didn't break anything again.

{character:Chiori Mikami}Oh? Aren't you that perverted Jyanshi at Mahjong Soul Shrine? Are you here to pay off Ichihime's debt?

{character:player}I knew it! What did Ichihime do again this time?

{character:Chiori Mikami}Pff! I can't tell you the details, but I can let you pay for it. Aren't you thankful?

{character:player}How am I supposed to pay for it when I don't even know what it's all about?

{character:Chiori Mikami}Easy, just sign on this agreement. Chiori doesn't have much time to play with you today, so hurry up, you fool {var:player_nickname}!

I took the agreement from Riu Kujou and started to read. "Ichihime hereby purchases a piece of confidential information from Chiori Mikami at a price of 999,999 coppers. The above-mentioned cost will be paid by {var:player_nickname}."

{character:player}This number is just ridiculous. Did your keyboard get stuck or what? How could I possibly have so much money?!

{character:Chiori Mikami}Of course, a person as lowly as you won't be able to afford it. Well, turn to page 2 then, Chiori's kind enough to give you an alternative.

I looked again, and saw the second page of the agreement. "If poor Jyanshi {var:player_nickname} is unable to pay 999,999 coppers, he or she can choose to carry Chiori Mikami's handbag for a month as a form of payment."

{character:Chiori Mikami}How's that? Aren't you excited about the alternative? Pff! I can see your inner perverted self already. How disgusting.

• {character:player}I will carry your bag hands down!
• This agreement is obviously Chiori Mikami's prank.

{character:player}Sorry, I may not be able to pay for her.

{character:Osamu Saitou}Hmm?

{character:player}Insufficient balance in my bank account...

Osamu Saitou let out a long sigh. He looked up at me helplessly.

{character:Osamu Saitou}That Priestess said exactly the same thing. Are you going to find someone to pay for you?

{character:player}I... cannot find anyone.

{character:Osamu Saitou}Well, you will have to pay with your body then.

My body? I wrapped my arms around myself and moved back to the corner.

{character:player}What do you want?

{character:Osamu Saitou}One more step, and your debt will become 200,000.

I looked behind my back and found an expensive-looking vase going to fall. I immediately put it back.

{character:Osamu Saitou}From today onward, you will work in this company until your debt is paid off. You won't get any salary either.

What are you, a devil?//nSadly, I could only scream this to myself.

Osamu Saitou is definitely an evil businessman.//nAfter I was forced to sign the agreement, I started to run errands for him. When I realized, it was already dark outside. But I still had no idea where Ichihime was...

999,999 and one month of labor… Of course the latter one is easier!

{character:player}I will carry your bag hands down!

After I said this, Riu Kujou seemed to give me an even fiercer look from not far away…

{character:Chiori Mikami}Well, now that you are my servant, I shall show you some mercy and take you to Ichihime.

{character:player}Do you know where she is?

{character:Chiori Mikami}Of course, there's nothing that Chiori cannot do. Hmpf!

I carried Chiori Mikami's exquisite teddy bear handbag and followed her. However, the road started to look really familiar...

{character:player}Isn't this the road to Mahjong Soul Shrine?

{character:Chiori Mikami}Oh? I never know that your stinky brain can also think. How surprising! Of course this is the road to Mahjong Soul Shrine.

{character:player}But Ichihime…

Actually, when I think about it, I don't have any real evidence to prove that Ichihime was kidnapped… That note could well be someone's prank, for example... When I look at Chiori Mikami, I feel like I've fallen into an incredible trap.

{character:???}Master, welcome back, nyaa!

A red thing bumped into me as soon as I stepped into Mahjong Soul Shrine. It was Ichihime.//nBefore I could ask, she pulled me into the garden of Mahjong Soul Shrine.

Today, the shrine looked different. There were decorations everywhere: stars, lights, banners... and I could also smell something delicious from not far away. Ichihime looked at me proudly. She seemed to be expecting something.

{character:Ichihime}...

{character:Ichihime}...

{character:Ichihime}Strange, nyaa. Why doesn't master praise Ichihime, nyaa?

{character:player}Why should I do that?

{character:Ichihime}Because Ichihime did something super great today.

{character:player}What's that?

{character:Ichihime}Ichihime realized something this morning. Master, when you first arrived at Mahjong Soul Shrine, you didn't have any welcoming party, nyaa!

{character:player}Welcoming party?

{character:Ichihime}Yeah, you know, the kind of party where everyone would circle the newcomer and clap to welcome, nyaa!

{character:player}So… Is this my welcoming party?

{character:Ichihime}Yeah, just like what you think, nyaa! Ichihime's done a lot of preparation for this party, nyaa! 10 minutes, probably!

{character:player}Was leaving me a note saying you were kidnapped also a part of the planning?

{character:Ichihime}That was Ichihime's favorite part of the whole party. If master stayed in Mahjong Soul Shrine, we couldn't put up the decorations. So Ichihime came out with a brilliant idea to trick you out, hehe.

{character:player}What about the Japanese confection shop at the park?

{character:Ichihime}I know Miki is good! She managed to persuade you to pay. How could Ichihime prepare the party with an empty stomach?

{character:player}...You made me speechless. What about Nana Shiraishi? Was what she said also true?

{character:Ichihime}That was tough, nyaa. Ichihime didn't like her at all, but Chiori said she was the only one who would lend me the money without any condition...

Ichihime's voice lowered, so did her ears and tail.//nShe seemed to really hate borrowing money from Nana Shiraishi. Thank goodness I paid for her.

{character:player}Did you use the money to buy these decorations?

{character:Ichihime}Nuh-uh. The businessman sponsored them, nyaa. Here's what I bought with the money!

Ichihime ran back to her bedroom and took out a huge gift box. She looked at me eagerly as I opened it. It's a set of one-piece pajamas with the same kind of cat ears and tail as hers.

{character:player}Is this… for me?

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa~nyaa~

Ichihime seemed to be really happy. I had mixed feelings looking at the expensive and embarrassing pajamas.

• This gift is awesome. I feel so touched.
• This gift is too expensive.

{character:player}I will not pay one single cent before you tell me the details of your deal. Plus, 999,999 is just way too much.

{character:Chiori Mikami}How dare you lowly slum dweller talk to Chiori like that? Riu, teach him some manners.

{character:player}Wait a...

Before I could explain myself, Riu Kujou came to me and threw me over her shoulder.//nI heard Chiori Mikami's voice when the back of my head hit the floor.

{character:Chiori Mikami}Did you just kill him?!

I wanted to get up and tell her I'm still alive, but all I saw was darkness as I lost consciousness.

{character:player}Thank you, Ichihime. I really like it!

{character:Ichihime}Nobody knows master better than me in Mahjong Soul Shrine. I knew you would like it, nyaa!

{character:player}I like both the gift and you.

The welcoming party was nothing but an excuse... These guys just wanted to eat and drink, didn't they?!//nUnder the light, I could see everyone's smiling face. Ichihime was too tired from the day and had fallen asleep on my legs. My pants were wet from her drooling.

My wallet took a big hit, but I felt full of happiness inside. Today would be an unforgettable experience in many ways...

{character:player}I'm sorry, Ichihime, but I really can't take this pajamas.

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa…

{character:player}I can feel your good intention, but you shouldn't have done it this way. I don't want Ichihime to be in danger because of me. I was really scared when I saw that note.

{character:Ichihime}Sorry, nyaa...

It suddenly rained at night, so the welcoming party had to be moved indoors.//nAfter everyone else left, Ichihime curled up next to the window, looking at the twinkling starry lights under the eaves. She looked lonely and sad...

Ichihime had been acting weird recently. Normally, she would pounce on me enthusiastically when she saw me, but for the last couple of days, she always ran back to her room immediately after returning home. This really concerned me.

• A girl at her age has many secrets. Leave her alone
• I just really care about Ichihime's wellbeing. Definitely not interested in any gossip!

Not knowing what happened to Ichihime, I wanted to ask those familiar with her first. I went to Wanjirou, but he immediately asked me to forget about it.

{character:Wanjirou}I suggest you not ask her anything.

{character:player}Why?

{character:Wanjirou}See this mark on my face? She gave it to me the last time I asked. Tsk, she hit me hard.

I carefully examined Wanjirou's face and found three visible scars under his short fur. Looked like they were left by some sharp blade.

Well, I better not ask her then. Girls at her age often have some secrets, I don't want Ichihime to think that I want to spy on her.

I've known Ichihime for a long time but she has never been like this. I need to make sure she is fine.

I knocked on Ichihime's door. To my surprise, she didn't let me in, but opened the door slightly and looked at me warily.

{character:Ichihime}Master?

{character:player}Ichihime, is everything alright?

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa? Ichihime doesn't know what you are talking about, Master.

{character:player}You look like something's been bothering you. If you don't mind, you can talk to me about it.

{character:Ichihime}Ichihime is fine, I only want to sleep. Don't worry, master! You should go, nyaa!

Ichihime closed her door. It seemed she didn't want to talk to me.

I had no choice but to give up investigating.

I never thought that over the next few days, Ichihime's situation didn't improve but got worse. I even saw a lot of dirt on her clothes once when she rushed into the room.

Given that she didn't want to explain to us, I decided to follow her secretly to find out what she had been doing.

I pretended to be chatting with Wanjirou in the garden of Mahjong Soul Shrine. When we saw Ichihime sneaking out, Wanjirou and I exchanged looks and followed her stealthily.

Ichihime didn't go to anywhere remote. Instead, she came to the central park. It was a very busy place with lots of children playing every day.

However, she didn't play with the kids in the sandpit but watched them from the bush behind the bench instead.//nWe were too far away and could not see the look on her face.

A football suddenly flew over and hit Ichihime's head hard.

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa—

Frightened Ichihime jumped out of the bush and bumped into the boy who was trying to pick up the ball.

{character:Boy A}Woah—the monster has come again!

Hearing his screams, the boy's friends gathered over.

{character:Ichihime}I am not a monster!

{character:Girl A}Look at her ears and tail! Does she remind you of the man-eating cat monster?

{character:Boy B}Argh—so scary!

All the kids immediately ran away, screaming. A few bold ones even picked up stones from the ground and threw at Ichihime.

Wanjirou and I rushed over to help Ichihime leave the central park.

After returning to Mahjong Soul Shrine, I felt that Ichihime's recent behaviors probably had something to do with what happened today, so I followed Ichihime to her room.

{character:player}Ichihime, do you know what the man-eater cat monster was all about?

{character:Ichihime}Recently, there was this strange website-nyaa... It said a man-eating cat monster appeared in the central park, and posted an image that looked really like Ichihime.

Ichihime opened a website on my phone as she spoke.

Looked really like...? That was just a photo of Ichihime herself!!!//nThe photo looked like a sneak shot taken in the central park. There were also some notes about the cat monster written in red. It was very suspicious.

{character:player}Did you go to the central park because of this rumor?

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa... Ichihime is a priestess. How can I just sit and watch the cat monster hurt innocent people? I was hiding in the park, trying to protect them, but I never thought...

{character:player}You never thought that they could mistaken you for the monster cat.

{character:Ichihime}Master...

I saw grievance and resentment from Ichihime's eyes.//nThis incident was definitely planned and I must investigate. But what should I do?

After returning to Mahjong Soul Shrine, I felt that Ichihime's recent behaviors probably had something to do with what happened today, so I followed Ichihime to her room.

• It's time to bring my great friends
• It's time to demonstrate my capabilities

When I chatted with Hana Ninomiya a few days ago, she mentioned a famous hacker "Ice" who would provide help if someone post an internet-related query on Asaha High School's forum.

I took Ichihime to Asaha High School and found Hana Ninomiya, who was taking care of the garden.

{character:player}Good afternoon, Hana Ninomiya.

{character:Hana Ninomiya}Oh, it's you, {var:player_nickname}. You don't often come to me, so there must be something that you need my help with.

Now that she found out why I was here, I feel a bit embarrassed to ask for help.

{character:Ichihime}Master, is this the friend that you mentioned who can help us?

{character:Hana Ninomiya}Hah, I knew you came to me looking for help.

{character:player}...

{character:Hana Ninomiya}Well, you don't look like a bad guy, so I can help you this time.

{character:player}Could you help us to contact Ice?

{character:Hana Ninomiya}I can, but Ice will not help you if the request may harm others.

{character:player}We just want to investigate a website posting malicious rumors.

Opened the website posting the cat monster incident and showed it to Hana Ninomiya.

{character:Hana Ninomiya}People really are getting more and more stupid. How could they believe in such nonsense without evidence?

As she spoke, Hana Ninomiya logged onto Asaha High School's forum and furiously typed a post.

Meanwhile, Ichihime's attention was caught by the butterflies on the flowers. She probably forgot this was all about her.

{character:Hana Ninomiya}There it is!

Half an hour later, Hana Ninomiya's phone received a message.

It showed a set of coordinates and a photo that looked like it was from a surveillance camera. On the photo there was a young man whose face was covered by a cap. The time, marked in red, was "19:30".

We opened the map and found the coordinates. It was a bar named "LULLABY".

{character:player}It's a bar... Only adults can get in...

{character:Hana Ninomiya}Hmph...

Hana Ninomiya pushed her glasses back up her nose and put up a mysterious smile.

We showed up at LULLABY in the most awkward way possible: Hana Ninomiya was wearing a tight buttocks skirt and a wavy wig, while Ichihime disguised herself with an oversized hat, sunglasses and a maxi dress.

{character:???}Welcome to LULLABY.

While we were looking around for somewhere to sit, a young bartender came to us.

{character:???}My name is Natsuki Shinomiya. I am a bartender of LULLABY.

Natsuki Shinomiya introduced himself politely and took us to a table in the corner.

A moment later, he brought us three cups of milk.

{character:player}Excuse me, I don't think we ordered any milk?

{character:Natsuki Shinomiya}Milk is good for kids. Also, minors are not allowed in this bar. I will let you walk this time, but never again.

Looking at his cunning smile, I knew our disguise didn't work.

{character:Hana Ninomiya}My disguise had always been perfect! How did he manage to tell!?

Hana Ninomiya stared at Natsuki Shinomiya's back and mumbled.//nIchihime suddenly approached me and pointed at the milk in front of me.

{character:Ichihime}Master, would you like Ichihime to help you with it?

Realizing she finished her milk long ago, I gave mine to her unwillingly.

We started to chat in the bar to kill time. As the clock pointed at 19:30, someone came in with a laptop.

It was just an ordinary young man who looked like a frequent customer. He sat at a table not far from us and turned on his laptop. We could see his screen from our table, and it happened to be that website containing Ichihime's rumor.

{character:player}It's him!

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa!

{character:Hana Ninomiya}Wait a sec, this is a public area. Let's not make a mess.

Hana Ninomiya stopped Ichihime and I from rushing over.//nFortunately, that man seemed to be bothered by something and didn't stay long.

We followed him out of LULLABY and stopped him at an empty laneway.

{character:Ichihime}Hola! You there, give us your laptop! Nyaa—!

{character:Hana Ninomiya}Did you hear us?! Hurry up before we teach you a lesson the hard way!

{character:player}...

The moment we stopped him, Ichihime and Hana Ninomiya rushed up like gangsters. The man backed off into a corner and looked at me helplessly.

{character:player}Um... excuse me, we just wanted to have a look at your laptop.

{character:Man}W-what do you want from me! I have no money. If you really have to take something, you can take my body...

{character:player}...I'll just be frank. Did you make this website?

I took out my phone and opened the website. The man looked pale.

{character:Man}Y-yes, I made it.

To my surprise, he admitted it.

{character:player}Why did you do that?

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa! Why did you say that Ichihime was a monster!? Look at my claws, they are poisonous, you know? I can kill you with them!

Ichihime flaunted her claws in front of the man. He collapsed to the ground and finally spoke after a long time.

{character:Man}Sorry, I didn't mean to harm you. I saw your cat ears and tail in Mahjong Soul Shrine the other day, and they reminded me of the cat monster legends I heard when I was a kid. So I made this website as a joke. I never thought that...

{character:Hana Ninomiya}That so many ignorant people would actually believe in it.

{character:Man}Right, right. I was also surprised that so many people would believe in this nonsense.

{character:Hana Ninomiya}Nothing surprising. When people are bored, they start to spread rumors. The more absurd the rumors are, the more excited they get.

{character:Man}Yeah... What should I do now?

{character:player}The internet forgets a thing within an instant. Once you change your website to a disclaimer and apologize publicly, everyone will lose interest. Soon, this will pass.

{character:Man}Okay.

I didn't expect this incident to be resolved so easily. Ichihime seemed to be satisfied too.

{character:player}Ichihime, are you just going to let him walk like that?

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa? The problem's solved, isn't it?

{character:player}But you were misunderstood and hurt because of it.

{character:Ichihime}Yeah... But Ichihime went to the central park to protect people in the first place. Knowing there is no cat monster, Ichihime's goal has been achieved, nyaa!

I see a genuine smile on Ichihime's face. The cat ears and tail may make her look different, but this girl is more kind-hearted than anyone.

Based on my instinct developed from years of Mahjong, this must have been done by someone who had contact with Ichihime. The first suspect that came to my mind was the rabbit who just arrived at One Han City, Kaguyahime.

For some reason, she and Ichihime really couldn't get along. They almost always started to quarrel whenever they saw each other. If this incident was meant to be a prank, she could be the one behind it.

I took Ichihime to Kaguyahime's home. She seemed to have just woken up and was still yawning while dragging a large hugging pillow.

{character:player}Good afternoon, Kaguyahime.

{character:Kaguyahime}Gya—! W-why are you here?! And you even brought this dwarf along!

{character:player}But you two have the same height!

{character:Ichihime}Hah? Stupid rabbit, are you trying to start a fight again?

I had to stop them before it turned into another fight.

{character:player}Easy, easy. Kaguyahime, we came here for something very urgent.

{character:Kaguyahime}Hmph! State your business then.

I opened the website on my phone and handed it to Kaguyahime.

{character:player}Recently, we found this malicious website posting rumors about Ichihime. I'd like to know if you have anything to do with it.

{character:Kaguyahime}Hah? Why would a great deity like me need such filthy method to deal with that dwarf? You are humiliating me.

{character:player}But I have thought about all possibilities and you are the only one who doesn't get along with Ichihime. Who else can it be if it's not you?

{character:Kaguyahime}Hmph! Despite your rudeness, I can still teach you a method. I am such a kind goddess.

{character:player}What method?

{character:Kaguyahime}Whoever made this website must know Miss Dwarf in person, so he or she would never expect to see a real cat monster, uhehe!

I immediately understood Kaguyahime's plan. She sure was good at pranks.

Over the next few days, many blurry photos suddenly appeared on the internet, claiming that they had witnessed the cat monster in the central park.

It was a beautiful afternoon and I got a call from Kaguyahime. She asked me and Ichihime to go to the central park.

When we came to the central park, Kaguyahime was sitting on a bench touching her own ears. A young man stood next to her, looking at the ground. There were many people around them.

Kaguyahime stood up and waved when she saw us.

{character:Kaguyahime}Well, now that the victim has arrived, you can explain what you have done. Hurry up.

Kaguyahime looked to the young man. He raised his head and looked at me and Ichihime, then hesitated a while before he finally spoke.

{character:Man}Sorry, the website was made by me.

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa?!

{character:Man}I didn't mean to harm you on purpose. I saw your cat ears and tail in Mahjong Soul Shrine the other day, and they reminded me of the cat monster legends I heard when I was a kid. So I made this website as a joke. I never thought that...

{character:Kaguyahime}That you actually summoned the cat monster? Uhehe.

{character:Man}Y-yeah. I thought my joke would be forgotten after a few days, but I never thought that... a cat monster really showed up in the central park. I...

{character:player}There is no cat monster.

{character:Man}What?

{character:player}It was just a plan to lure you out. The photos were purposely blurred. This was the actual thing.

I took a scarecrow that had the shape of a cat monster from the bush nearby and handed it to the crowd.

{character:Man}So are you saying this is all fake and there is no cat monster?

{character:player}Right. The cat monster never existed in the first place. Both your website and our photos were fake.

{character:Man}That's good... awesome... I was so worried. It's really good that the cat monster doesn't exist.

{character:player}Well then, don't you have something to say?

The man thought for a while and bowed to the crowd, and to Ichihime separately.

{character:Man}Sorry, everyone. The cat monster wasn't real, it was just a prank that I made. I never thought it would cause you so much trouble, please forgive me.

I heard someone clapping immediately after he spoke. To my surprise, it was Ichihime.

{character:player}Ichihime, don't you hate him?

{character:Ichihime}I was a bit annoyed in the beginning, but knowing the cat monster isn't real, Ichihime feels much better. As a priestess, Ichihime's duty is to protect everybody, nyaa!

{character:Kaguyahime}Tsk!

Surprisingly, Kaguyahime didn't argue with Ichihime. Instead, she walked to the young man and patted his shoulder.

{character:Kaguyahime}Do you know why you failed?

{character:Man}W-why?

{character:Kaguyahime}Uhehe! Of course it's because you are still an amateur. But I see great potential in you. Let me teach you how to do great pranks, uhehe!

Kaguyahime grabbed the young man and left. Seeing them walk away, I already started to worry about One Han City's future.

{character:Ichihime}Master.

{character:player}Hmm?

{character:Ichihime}Don't worry-nyaa, master! As long as Ichihime is around, Ichihime will protect master and the One Han City that you love, nyaa!

Ichihime's promise dispelled my worries like sunshine. With her around, I'm sure everything will be all right.

To thank us for helping out in Tenhoukaku over a week, Miki Nikaidou wanted to prepare us a dinner in person. When we saw her in an apron, Wanjirou grabbed me and ran out of Tenhoukaku. I could only hear someone screaming behind us...

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa——————————

Ichihime finally returned to Mahjong Soul Shrine when it was dark. She looked full of energy.

Full of energy?//nWhenever Ichihime ate Miki Nikaidou's food, she would become very disheartened and felt sick. But today was the opposite. I felt confused.

{character:player}Ichihime, did you have dinner at Nikaidou's place today?

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa? Ichihime has not have any dinner yet.

But I saw she was "taken" by Miki Nikaidou. How could she have not eaten anything? That's definitely not Miki Nikaidou's style, given that nobody could ever refuse her food... Perhaps there were other reasons.

{character:player}Let me make you something for dinner then.

I made a simple dinner for Ichihime using the ingredients available in the kitchen. She enjoyed it thoroughly.//nWhen I cleaned up the dishes, I casually asked her a question.

{character:player}How do you find the taste?

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa? Ichihime has not have any dinner yet.

No way!//nI saw her finish two large bowls of rice.

{character:Ichihime}Master, Master, why are you cleaning the dishes already? Ichihime hasn't had any dinner yet...

With tears in her eyes, Ichihime grabbed my clothes and looked at me like an abandoned stray cat. Confused, I made her some food again.

She soon finished the food again, but I couldn't see any shape change in her tummy. Was her stomach linked to a blackhole?

When I cleaned up the dishes, I subtly tried to get more information from her.

{character:player}How do you find the taste?

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa? Ichihime has not have any dinner yet.

If Ichihime wasn't joking with me, then she had some serious problem. She seemed to have no memories about whether she had dinner or not.

{character:Ichihime}Master, Master, why are you cleaning the dishes already? Ichihime hasn't had any dinner yet...

Still having tears in her eyes, Ichihime grabbed my clothes and complained about "not having" any dinner. She looked helpless... but she sure could eat a lot.

• Third time's a charm. Give her another meal, I dare her to forget again
• She cannot eat anymore. Even a blackhole can be filled up

Looking at Ichihime, I struggled a little bit before cooking her another dinner, only to see her throwing all the food into the "blackhole" again.

Now that should be enough, right? I cleaned up the dishes again and thought about it.

{character:player}Ichihime, was the dinner enough for you?

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa? Ichihime has not have any dinner yet.

{character:player}You just had your third dinner!

I was worried that eating non-stop could harm Ichihime's body. There was no blackhole after all.

{character:player}No, you can't keep eating! You have already had two meals!

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa?! Impossible! Master must be lying, nyaa!

{character:player}Look at all these uncleaned dishes. They are all here because of you.

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa! But Ichihime doesn't remember having any dinner at all!

The look on her face was genuine. I didn't think she was lying, but I had never encountered such a problem. So I sent Wanjirou a message hoping that we could find a solution together.

A couple of minutes later, I saw a plump figure at the door, sweating and gasping.

{character:Wanjirou}*Heavy breathing*... W-what happened to Ichihime?

{character:player}Ichihime always said she didn't have dinner, but I saw her eating multiple meals... She didn't seem to be lying either. Could there be something wrong with her?

{character:Wanjirou}That's not good... But thinking again, Ichihime was all good until she went to that woman's place. Could it be that she ate something poisonous?

Wanjirou's suggestion was exactly what I guessed. Given Miki Nikaidou's "superb" cooking skills, I wouldn't be surprised if Ichihime became poisoned.

{character:Ichihime}Yawn——————

While we were discussing, Ichihime took a long yawn and fell asleep on the table. She probably had too much food and all the blood went to her stomach.

{character:player}No other problems are found at this stage. I say we let her sleep and check again tomorrow.

Wanjirou looked at the already drooling Ichihime, nodded to my suggestion.

I was woken up by Wanjirou's multiple calls in the early morning. When I entered Ichihime's room, I saw Wanjirou and her sitting face to face. Ichihime was pouring some tea, while Wanjirou looked desperate.

Ichihime... looked fine. Completely normal. Did she recover or not?

{character:Ichihime}Master, here you are, nyaa! Let Ichihime get you some tea.

She didn't mention the dinner, so hopefully she is fine now.

I took the cup of tea from Ichihime. It was just the right temperature - neither too hot nor cold. When I finished the tea and handed back the cup, she raised her head and glanced at me.

{character:Ichihime}Master, here you are, nyaa! Let Ichihime get you some tea.

As she spoke, Ichihime handed me another cup of tea.//nI felt very lost and took it blankly, drank it blankly and returned the cup blankly.

{character:player}What's this...

{character:Ichihime}Master, here you are, nyaa! Let Ichihime get you some tea.

Before I could speak, Ichihime handed me another cup of tea.

{character:Wanjirou}Just drink it. I have already had three pots of tea and really can't drink anymore.

{character:Ichihime}Master, don't you like Ichihime's tea?

Ichihime looked confused as I hadn't taken the cup she offered. I had no choice but to finish it again.

{character:player}Wanjirou, this must stop. We need to make Ichihime realize what's going on.

{character:Wanjirou}Do you think I don't want to do that?

{character:Ichihime}Master, here you are, nyaa! Let Ichihime get you some tea.

While I discussed possible solutions with Wanjirou, Ichihime had been pouring tea for me non-stop. Soon, she finished a pot of water. I immediately stopped her from boiling more water.

{character:player}Ichihime, do you know that you are suffering from amnesia right now?

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa? Amnesia? What's that?

{character:player}Amnesia is memory loss... For example, you have just made me a tea, but when I finish it, you would forget and pour me another cup.

{character:Ichihime}Really? But Ichihime doesn't recall anything at all, nyaa...

{character:player}Because you lose your memories every now and then!

{character:Ichihime}Okay... Ichihime somewhat understands it.

I finally got her to understand the seriousness of her problem and didn't have to drink tea again. I gave Wanjirou a thumbs up, only to get a disdainful look in return and hear Ichihime's voice again.

{character:Ichihime}Master, here you are, nyaa! Let Ichihime get you some tea.

…………//nAre you a goldfish?!!//nBut one thing I know is, if I don't think of a solution quickly, I soon will be drowned in tea.

• This is a medical issue and must be addressed immediately. Take Ichihime to a doctor.
• The person responsible could also be the solution. Take Ichihime to Miki Nikaidou.

I grabbed Ichihime and prepared to head for the hospital.

{character:Ichihime}Master, Ichihime hasn't made tea for you yet, nyaa—

{character:player}That's okay. In fact, I'm not that into tea.

She would soon forget whatever I said anyway. I only wanted her to stop giving me tea. I felt like I could hear the tidal waves in my stomach as I walked.

When we arrived at the hospital, there was already a long queue all the way from the main hall to the hospital entrance. Weirdly, everyone seemed to be in good spirits, making me wonder if I had come to the wrong place.

{character:player}Excuse me, do you know what happened today? Why are there so many people at the hospital?

I patted the person in front of me, trying to understand the situation.

{character:Stranger A}Are you also here to see a doctor? I don't really know what happened either.

{character:player}Alright, thanks.

{character:Stranger A}Are you also here to see a doctor? I don't really know what happened either.

...//nThis sounds so familiar. Did they also eat Miki Nikaidou's food?

{character:Ichihime}For some reason, Master suddenly brought Ichihime to the hospital! Do you know why?

As I was thinking, Ichihime started to chat with the person standing next to us.

{character:Stranger A}Are you also here to see a doctor? I don't really know what happened either.

{character:Ichihime}For some reason, Master suddenly brought Ichihime to the hospital! Do you know why?

{character:Stranger A}Are you also here to see a doctor? I don't really know what happened either.

{character:Ichihime}For some reason, Master suddenly brought Ichihime to the hospital! Do you know why?

...//nNow we have two repeaters.//nJust when I was worried about how to separate them, someone patted me on the shoulder.

{character:Stranger B}Just give it up. It's not Sekai's fault.

{character:player}What do you mean?

{character:Stranger B}Her name is Sekai. She had become like this ever since a man in a black cloak gave her a strange candy. Fortunately I didn't eat it.

{character:player}What kind of candy?

He took something from his pocket and put it in my hand. It was a candy in the shape of a rabbit's head with a familiar grin.

I immediately recalled the final scene of the cat monster incident.

{character:player}I think I know who is behind all this mess. Can I borrow this candy?

{character:Stranger B}I wanted to take it to the doctor, but looking at the length of the queue, we probably won't be able to see one until the end of the day. I think we can trust you for this one. The future of Sekai depends on you!

I took the candy and Ichihime to Kaguyahime's home. She was talking with a young man in a black cloak, while the man was holding some similar rabbit-head candies in his hand.

Here came the evidence.//nI rushed over and grabbed the young man, who was trying to run away the minute he saw us.

{character:player}I knew it was you guys!

{character:Kaguyahime}Uhehe, you came here really fast. You certainly deserve my attention.

{character:player}Why did you do this?

{character:Kaguyahime}Oh c'mon! This is clearly a gift from the goddess. How dare you question my decision?

{character:player}How do you call this intermittent amnesia a gift?

{character:Kaguyahime}Uhehe, getting rid of the bad memories is a blessing, isn't it? Take that poor kitty for example. I helped her to forget the horrible food she ate yesterday, you know?

{character:player}...Whatever, give me the elixir.

{character:Kaguyahime}There is no elixir, but the duration of this pois-I mean, gift, is not that long anyway. It will last one day at max.

{character:player}You said poison, didn't you?! Hey!

{character:Ichihime}Woah~~~~~~~~~ Master, why are you swinging back and forth? Oops? What's going on? Why am I seeing more Masters?!

{character:player}What are you talking about!? You are the one swinging around!

{character:Kaguyahime}See, they will heal themselves. A goddess never lies! Well, now that the dwarf is alright, I shall excuse myself. Bye-bye!

I didn't have time to run after Kaguyahime because I had to catch Ichihime, who was still swinging.

{character:Ichihime}Master, Ichihime feels so sick. My stomach is burning... Nyaa-ouch, Miki's cooking is so terrible...

Did that candy manage to delay the effect of yesterday's dinner until now?//nSo the bad memories weren't erased. They are just delayed!

Thank goodness Ichihime is fine. I will make that rabbit pay for this later.//nBut Ichihime really should stop eating food offered by strangers.

Nothing could be done before we learn more about Ichihime's conditions. I must find out what happened to Ichihime at Miki Nikaidou's place.

Wanjirou and I took Ichihime to Miki Nikaidou. He had been complaining all the way.

{character:Wanjirou}Look at the time, I'm sure that woman has already started preparing lunch. Aren't we just going to kill ourselves?

{character:player}Ichihime seems to be getting worse. We can't just sit and wait anymore.

{character:Wanjirou}But why do I have to go with you?

{character:player}If four of us can start a Mahjong game, maybe Nikaidou will forget to cook.

{character:Wanjirou}I think you are just trying to take revenge on me for making you drink the tea.

{character:player}How can you think so mean of me? But yeah, that's exactly what I'm thinking.

{character:Wanjirou}...

Miki Nikaidou's Tenhoukaku is not far away from Mahjong Soul Shrine. Seeing her in an apron, I tried to not run away and pushed Ichihime forward.

{character:Ichihime}Miki, good day, nyaa!

{character:player}Nikaidou, please help Ichihime.

{character:Miki Nikaidou}Oopsie, what happened? Ichihime looks alright, doesn't she?

{character:player}Ever since she came back from your place, she kept repeating the same thing.

{character:Ichihime}Miki, good day, nyaa!

Meanwhile, Ichihime demonstrated her symptoms.

{character:Miki Nikaidou}Oh? This is quite interesting.

Miki Nikaidou walked around Ichihime as if she had discovered something fun.

{character:Ichihime}Miki, good day, nyaa!

{character:Miki Nikaidou}Good day, Ichihime!

{character:Wanjirou}What exactly did you give her yesterday? She's been like that for all night.

{character:Miki Nikaidou}Oh, yesterday... Hehe, speaking of that, you are quite lucky. I was just about to improve yesterday's cooking techniques and make the same dishes. Why don't you eat them yourselves?

{character:player}I don't think... we need to eat them in person.

{character:Miki Nikaidou}Hmm? But how can you know where the problem is without eating?

{character:player}You've got a point, but...

{character:Wanjirou}What if all of us end up like her?

{character:Miki Nikaidou}Hmm... That's a good point. Well, guess I won't eat then. If something really happens, at least I can still remember the recipe and explain the situation to the doctor.

...How confident must she be to accept the connection between Ichihime's problem and her cooking without even questioning? Wanjirou and I exchanged looks. Guess we had no choice.

Miki Nikaidou had always been very enthusiastic about cooking. But enthusiasm alone wouldn't be enough for a lot of things.

As we ate, I saw Wanjirou's face turned darker. But I certainly wouldn't look any better.//nWhen I swallowed the last mouthful of food, I suddenly heard Ichihime's screaming.

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa——————

I looked up. She seemed terrified.

{character:Ichihime}Since when did the day start?! Ichihime had been eating from dinner all the way to lunch at Miki's place!!!

{character:player}Ichihime, do you still remember what happened after last night's dinner?

{character:Ichihime}Nyaa... Ichihime felt terrible. Someone gave Ichihime a candy and said I would feel better after eating it... When Ichihime finally realized what happened, it's already this time...

{character:player}Nikaidou, have you ever given Ichihime any candies?

{character:Miki Nikaidou}Nope. She finished the meal and really wanted to go back, so I let her go.

It must be someone else then. But who could it be?//nI really couldn't find any clue and had to give up. I must teach Ichihime to not eat food offered by strangers.

The incident was finally resolved, and my vision went dark as I lost consciousness.//nMiki Nikaidou's dishes were surely toxic... Hope Mahjong Soul Shrine and Ichihime would remember my sacrifice.