NOVEL WEB Chapter 82.2
A Stray Kitten Gets Some Neko-manma
Not knowing what to feed the werecat, Yuuri dished out some leftover rice from breakfast. As he absentmindedly prepared the food, his hands moved on their own, crafting… neko-manma—a simple dish of rice topped with fish flakes.
No one commented on his choice. In fact, Aroru and Camille, unfamiliar with Japanese customs, had no idea what it even was.
A simple dish made by mixing bonito flakes into rice. This is what’s called neko-manma. It can be rice with miso soup poured over it or rice mixed with bonito flakes—basically, a quick, lazy meal that makes use of leftovers. Back in the day, when pet food wasn’t really a thing, people in Japan fed their dogs and cats with leftover food. That tradition has stuck, giving rise to this strange dish, neko-manma.
“… Uh, I guess this really isn’t okay, huh…?”
Just as Yuuri was about to clear the neko-manma, a small hand reached out. It landed with a soft tap on the bowl. Before Yuuri could react, the kitten on top of Rooks’ head straightened up, snatched the bowl of neko-manma with surprising speed, and plunged its face into the bowl to start eating.
“… Whaaa? It’s actually eating the neko-manma???”
“Yuuri, are you sure that’s not livestock feed or something?”
“Well, it’s technically food meant for cats, so I guess… But I never thought it’d actually eat it.”
“Nyaa!”
The kitten scarfed down the entire bowl, lifting its face with rice grains stuck all over it. It then held the empty bowl out to Yuuri, all while remaining perched on Rooks’ head.
“… Uh, neko-manma is good? I could make something else, you know.”
“Nyaa!”
“… I think it really likes it.”
“But it’s just rice mixed with bonito flakes!”
At Camille’s muttered comment, Yuuri couldn’t help but yell. There weren’t even any seasonings—just plain rice with some bonito flakes mixed in. And yet the kitten seemed to love it. Maybe it was just that hungry. With a resigned sigh, Yuuri took the bowl and prepared another serving of neko-manma. The kitten, impatient, meowed incessantly as if urging him to hurry.
In the end, the kitten devoured three whole bowls of neko-manma. Yuuri, Camille, and Aroru were all left wondering how such a tiny body could fit so much food.
Once full, the kitten picked the remaining rice off its face with its paws, licked them clean with surprising skill, and let out a satisfied “Nyahh” before flopping down on top of Rooks’ head again. It was the kind of gesture you’d expect from a small child who eats until they pass out.
“… Aroru, what do we do with this kitten?”
“… It’s hard to believe a child of a werecat would end up in a place like this.”
“… So, it’s lost?”
“Kyuu.”
“Rooks, just… be quiet for a bit.”
“Kyui.”
Yuuri held out a hand, signaling Rooks—who was happily bouncing with the sleeping kitten still on his head—to stop. Even though the kitten didn’t understand their words, it was easy to guess what Rooks was thinking. He probably wanted to keep it. After all, Aroru’s deep frown said everything Yuuri needed to know.
“… If we appraise it, could we figure out where it came from?”
“… Werecats are people, though.”
“Yeah, but… let’s just say it’s an emergency.”
“… Fair enough.”
“… Agreed.”
Aroru and Camille both nodded at Yuuri’s suggestion. Normally, they’d have contacted their supervisor by now—someone was always left behind at their hideout to stand watch. If you’re quick to catch on, you might already know where this is going. The one on duty today was Professor Jake, the scholar. Not exactly reliable.
Yuuri quietly activated the [God’s Eye] to appraise the kitten, who was blissfully sleeping. After a moment, Yuuri slumped to the ground, overwhelmed by what he saw.
There was no blame in his whispered, “Why…?”
“… Yuuri?”
“… Yuuri?”
Aroru and Camille exchanged puzzled looks. Yuuri gave them a teary-eyed, half-laughing smile, muttering the results of the appraisal. He needed to share the truth—there was no way he could keep this to himself.
“… It says the species is Royal Werecat.”
“”Whaaaaat?!?””
The word Royal hit Yuuri like a hammer to the head. Even someone as unfamiliar with this world’s ways as Yuuri could grasp the significance. Royal likely implied something to do with royalty. Aroru groaned, muttering, “You’ve got to be kidding me,” while Camille buried her face in her hands. All Yuuri could do was give them a dry, helpless laugh.
Once again, Yuuri and his friends had stumbled upon the seeds of trouble. A moment of silence for their fate.