Bonus Episode — A Day in the Life of a Black Cat in a Peaceful Town

The only sounds in the living room were the steady hum of the air conditioning and the occasional dry crunch of potato chips.

My owner was sunk deep into his "Throne of Sloth," staring at the monitor with eyes half-closed. On his lap, he felt the warmth of my curled-up body.

"Honestly, Tama... having the world revolve on autopilot like this is the absolute peak of existence."

His fingers slowly traced the fur behind my ears.

"Mrrp. (...Well, as long as my nap quality is guaranteed, I have no complaints.)"

Purring softly, I looked up at him through slit eyes.

The reforms in Felsen were now functioning as a self-sustaining "system." Thanks to Gustav and Argo constantly optimizing everything on their own, Zect no longer had to rack his brain just to scrape together Lumina Points.

Hearing his breathing shift into a contented snore, I slipped off his lap.

I glided out into the night forest through the "Sanctuary’s" window, which was left open just a few centimeters as usual.

***

Under the moonlight, I shifted into my human form—the silver-haired adventurer, Meina.

With my hair fluttering in the night breeze, I stood atop a hill overlooking Felsen’s newly completed main thoroughfare.

"Hmph. It’s certainly become a clean town."

Below, magic-lamp streetlights stood in orderly rows, illuminating the streets as if it were day. From the night school Argo had opened, I could still hear the faint murmur of students reciting numbers. From Garam’s factory, the rhythmic, comforting sound of waterwheels echoed through the air.

Discrimination, poverty, filthy back alleys—all the "trash" he had discarded as "inefficient" was nowhere to be found in this city anymore.

(This massive garden he built... I can’t let anything ruin it.)

I turned on my heel and headed deeper into the forest.

Recently, ancient magic beasts lurking in the depths had become active, drawn by the scent of "Order" emanating from Felsen. Now that the supply of Divine Power was stable, there was no need to grind for points, but hunting felt more like a "feline instinct" to me now.

"Hey! Meina! Over here!"

At the entrance of an old ruin on the forest border, Kyle stood waving, his massive shield slung over his back. Beside him, Rin was lighting the tip of her staff with an air of boredom.

"You’re late again, Meina. You’re not an actual cat, so try to be on time."

"...Sorry. My brushing took longer than expected."

"Haha, same as always. Alright, let's go! Today’s the day we finally get a look at the boss of this 'Uncharted Floor'!"

The three of us stepped into the depths of the dungeon.

Thanks to recent equipment upgrades, Kyle and Rin were much tougher than before. Still, for them, these lower floors remained a "life-or-death battlefield."

—ROOOAAARRRR!!

From the depths of the corridor, a massive Earth Dragon with skin like solid rock emerged.

"Here it comes! Rin, support! Meina, wait for an open—"

(Wait for an opening? I don't have time for that. If I'm not back soon, he’ll wake up and start looking for me.)

Without waiting for Kyle to finish, I kicked off the shadows and blurred across the ground.

Lately, I had noticed my body felt incredibly light—and incredibly powerful. Even after points were no longer a priority, the constant hunting I did to protect his "Sanctuary" seemed to have pushed my specs into a state of "overclocking."

I didn't even bother summoning my obsidian black sword. I dove straight into the Earth Dragon’s guard with my bare hands.

I gave my fingertips a light flick.

That alone created a spatial fracture, as if the world itself had been rent by invisible claws. The Earth Dragon’s massive frame disintegrated into dust without even a whimper.

"......Wait, what?"

Behind me, Kyle’s shield hit the floor with a hollow clang. Rin stood frozen like a stone statue, her half-cast incantation dying on her lips.

"Meina... What did you just do? No sword, no magic... you just erased that Earth Dragon in a second..."

"...I just hit a pressure point. Anyway, why don't you go open the treasure chest in the back? I'm heading out."

Leaving the two of them in a daze, I made my way toward the dungeon exit.

(Did I overdo it again? Well, it’s not like his points are going up from this, so I doubt anyone will find out.)

The mana swirling inside me now far surpassed what I possessed back when I was called the "Savior." Every step I took felt as if the world was warping to match my breath.

But even this god-like power was nothing more than a "self-defense technique" to ensure I could keep napping by his side.

***

Before dawn, I slipped back into the living room through the window without a sound. I shed my human skin and returned to my soft, pitch-black fur.

My owner was still asleep on the sofa, his mouth hanging open slightly.

"...Mm. Tama? You there?"

Groggy and fumbling, he pulled me toward him and scooped me onto his stomach.

"...You smell like dirt again. Did you dig up the garden? Maybe I'll have Bartos fill the holes back in later..."

"Mrow. (...I just took care of an Earth Dragon, you moron. You should be grateful.)"

I gave the button on his pajamas a playful nip before curling up against his chest. No matter how much of a supreme predator I was in the outside world...

Being held in the arms of this "King of Sloth" was the only place where I truly belonged.

"Man... it’s peaceful, isn't it, Tama?"

"Meow. (...It sure is. Goodnight.)"

In the quiet living room, the gentle breathing of a man and his cat overlapped. The world would surely continue to get better on its own while we slept.

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