Unlimited Ambition

“That’s right, otherwise how could we perform the surgery?” the doctor said to me with a big smile.

"Surgery? Is it very painful?" I asked.

"It doesn't hurt at all, it's just that most people would find it a little scary. So it might frighten you. That's why we used an anesthetic."

"—Then why didn't you do it while I was sleeping?"

"Huh?"

"...Okay, never mind, hurry up and get the mirror."

"Oh."

The brat handed me a mirror. Before this, I had already checked the rest of my body; I was still fit, and my physique was about the same as before. Although my physical fitness was slightly worse, I believed that with consistent exercise, I would improve quickly.

So I started looking in the mirror.

—Speaking of which, isn't that me in the mirror?—No, no, no, that statement has some flaws. What I mean is that the appearance of this face is exactly the same as when I was the King of Angels and the Demon Prince.

"How did you know?!" I couldn't help but blurt out.

"How did you know that?" The brat looked at me strangely, as if he found my human form quite novel.

"I mean, my current appearance... um... where did you get this from?"

"Isn't it pretty? I think it's cute." The brat pouted slightly, clearly dissatisfied.

“That’s not the point. I mean, what do you mean by my appearance—who exactly did you use as a reference to design me like this?” I asked.

"Hmm..." The brat thought for a moment, then ran out. He ran back again, this time with a yellowed photograph in his hand.

“This is it,” the brat said, pointing to the person above who looked exactly like me.

"This..." I was also conflicted—anyone would be conflicted, right? When he saw someone who looked exactly like him. Even if that person seemed to have passed away, leaving only a photograph behind.

"So, who is this guy...?" At this point, I had a bad feeling. I silently prayed, hoping it wouldn't come true.

"It's my dad."

Well, life is full of disappointments.

I put my hand to my forehead and then asked, "So who is that guy next to him who looks almost exactly like Nana?" I asked, pointing to the girl in the photo who looked very close to "me".

"It's my mother."

...Well, good fortune never comes in pairs, but misfortunes never come singly.

I continued to rub my forehead with one hand.

"Sakamoto, what's wrong?" the professor asked.

"It's okay, you'll get used to it in a while," I said, while touching the top of my head with my palms facing upwards. Then I felt what seemed to be a pair of triangular, furry ears on my thick, long black hair, which swayed from side to side with my will.

A pair of cat ears.

Besides, something seemed amiss behind me. After years of living as a cat, I decisively activated a muscle in that area, and a fluffy cat tail appeared in front of me, caught in that brat's hand.

“…What’s going on?!” I yelled at the brat.

"What? What happened?" the brat asked, oblivious to the world.

"Ears, and a tail! Why would a normal human grow things like that?!"

"Because it's cute," the brat replied.

"Where is it cute?!"

"Everywhere is lovely!!"

"Hurry up and get these things away from me!"

"Absolutely not!!!"

"Have you ever seen an ordinary person with cat ears and a cat tail?!"

Akihabara.

……

Barley

Okay, I'm defeated by her.

In fact, I should have known from the very first moment that I absolutely couldn't persuade this brat. Think about how good a relationship Nana had with her, and how many times she had earnestly begged Nana to remove the wind-up key from her back. And in the end, the brat just rejected her with that one sentence: "It's cute!"

...Well, it's a little bit chibi-style, but not unacceptable. At least it softens the fierce look in my eyes considerably. So when people see me, their first impression is: "Wow, this guy is so cute!" instead of: "Holy crap! Run! The demons of hell have come out!"

That's about it.

So I wasn't too happy to accept these two accessories. Then, for the first time, I sat down at the same table to eat with two girls.

Nana complained slightly, "Mr. Sakamoto, you've eaten too much."

"No way. Most men should eat this much."

“But… before, a little strawberry milk was enough… but this time I have to eat four tomatoes. If this continues, we’ll have trouble making ends meet.”

"...I'll go out and look for a job this afternoon." That was the only answer I could think of at that moment.

After that, the brat said: "Nano, you can go to school now. There won't be any problems. Sakamoto-nyan will earn the tuition herself, right?"

……

Well, managing to earn enough tuition for a little girl who isn't particularly unpleasant doesn't seem like such an unacceptable thing.

I dragged my heavy steps onto the street.

To my slight surprise, people in this world seem to have a remarkably high level of awareness about rather unusual things. They didn't seem to find my cat ears and tail strange at all. However, a few strange aunties were discussing dragging me into a dark alley to humiliate me. Terrified, I ran away as fast as I could.

Um... should I go get a job? Wash dishes? That doesn't seem to suit my status.

So... what else can I do?

Yes, politicians, military leaders, and diplomats.

...Okay, let's think of something else.

I speak dozens of foreign languages ​​and am very familiar with humanities and geography. I'm also quite good at philosophy and logic... I guess I could barely be a university professor who just coasts along and collects a salary?

—Wait a minute, if Nana is going to go to school, it should be high school... Hmm, the closest one to here should be Tokisada High School. So, it seems like it would be interesting if I became a teacher there... Hehe, hehe, hehehehehe.

Afterwards, I walked to Tokisada High School. Then I arrived at the principal's office. After a long conversation, the bald principal was completely impressed by my erudition and eloquence. He agreed to offer a new philosophy course and appointed me as his sole designated philosophy teacher, with a monthly salary of 120,000 yen (approximately 10,000 RMB).

Okay, all done. After signing the contract, I can start working here tomorrow. Just a few words in class and I can easily earn a monthly salary of 120,000. It couldn't be simpler.

That's about it.

But there's nothing to do if I go back now. I'll probably just get played by that brat again. I put up with her for ages back when I was a cat. I don't want to get caught up in her antics anytime soon. Hmm, judging by the time, Nana should be out buying groceries by now. I'll just wait for her at the door and we can go out together later.

"Mr. Sakamoto? Why are you standing at the door and not going in?" After a while, Nana came out with a basket and asked me this question as she looked at me standing at the door.

"Ah, it's nothing, I just got back too. I suddenly remembered that you were going out to buy groceries, Mina, and I don't have anything to do anyway, so I thought I'd go with you."

"Hey? Mr. Sakamoto, don't act like the professor. There's no extra money left at home to buy you snacks."

"...Is this how you see me?"

After that, on the way to the supermarket, I explained to Mingnai that I didn't need her to buy me snacks, and that I had found a pretty good job and wouldn't be a freeloader at home anymore. I told her not to worry.

"Is that so? Mr. Sakamoto is amazing."

Nao's smile seemed capable of encompassing all the evils of the world, inspiring an irresistible urge to protect her.

And so, we arrived at the supermarket entrance. The streetlights were already on; judging by the time, it was almost eight o'clock.

"Ah, I was so busy talking to Mr. Sakamoto that I didn't realize it was so late. Let's hurry up and split up to buy the things. Otherwise, the professor will get impatient."

Ming was saying this at the supermarket entrance. But I seemed not to hear her. My eyes were fixed straight ahead.

"What?" Nao was slightly angry, then followed my gaze and saw a girl with long silver hair and snow-white skin squatting next to the supermarket, Eucliwood Helsaz.

"Mr. Sakamoto, what's wrong with you?! Don't keep staring at pretty girls just because they're pretty, you'll scare them!" Nana pulled me forcefully into the supermarket. Throughout, I didn't resist. Or rather, I wasn't ready to see her again.

What should I do? Forgive her? Don't forgive her? Or should I just kill her?

"Mr. Sakamoto, cheer up!"

"That's what Nana said loudly to me from the side."

Chapter Eight: Deep Misunderstanding

At that moment, as You watched me being pulled into the supermarket by another girl, she felt a pang of heartache. She immediately began to plan:

"Is it him? Or not him? If it really is him, why won't he talk to me? Why does he have cat ears and a cat tail (just ignore this, girl)? Why is he being all over other girls behind my back?"

But if it wasn't him, how could there be two people in this world who are so similar (in fact, there really are, as mentioned in the previous chapter)? And after he saw me, he clearly became very flustered.

but--

No, there are no "buts." Even if it really is him, so what? I did such a terrible thing to him. Am I supposed to have the nerve to beg for his forgiveness? Or should I just let him kill me?

……well.

"Perhaps we should leave first."

And so, in a daze, I was dragged around the supermarket. When we came out again, that guy was gone.

Have they left?

That moment just now, it couldn't have been my imagination, right?

excellent……

Actually, if you were to beg me, I might really forgive you...

To be honest, I've always been soft-hearted when it comes to girls.

Ugh……

That's about it. By the time we got home, it was almost nine o'clock. The little brat, who had been waiting and was practically in tears, gave me a good scolding. She only stopped when Mina promised to buy her double the snacks the next day.

“Sometimes I really feel that you spoil her too much.” I said to her as we washed the dishes together after dinner.

"The Doctor is still just a child. It's not unreasonable to give in to her a little. Besides, the Doctor doesn't have any other relatives besides us."

"No?"