Léon: The Cat Killer

The last sentence was suddenly spoken by Matilda, who had been eavesdropping on her mother and sister's conversation... Although Nana knew that the little one was just repeating herself, the others didn't know that.

Upon hearing the little guy's words, Susuru immediately grabbed Nana's sleeve. Ace didn't laugh out loud but just chuckled to himself. Huang, on the other hand, was quite bold and pounced on Nana from behind again.

"No! Rhodes Island is really not a heartless company! It's just that most of our staff stayed in Kazdel. I promise, we're not usually this busy..."

Seeing Nana dodge the big cat's pounce and catch up with her, Kal'tsit continued with an expression that suggested she might be about to be sent flying:

“Huang is right, but it’s true that Rhodes Island is short-handed. After all, not all the old staff from Kazdel will come to Rhodes Island, and the maintenance of the landships also requires manpower, so I’ve said things like we need to be mentally prepared many times.”

"And this will be your and the kitten's future home... I hope you can truly immerse yourself in it, which is why I want to take you to try out different departments... Shipping department, wanna go?"

Supporting herself with her hands as she tried to hug her big cat, Nana nodded in agreement to Kal'tsit, while the little cat being held by Cole on the other side thought of her new friend.

Amiya came along too?

This mention seemed to remind Kal'tsit, who was walking at the front, of the rabbit beside her:

"Speaking of which...Amiya..."

"...I'm...sorry, Dr. Kal'tsit, I'll go back to my room now."

Seeing the little bunny turn away as if it were scared, the kitten wearing the hat became unhappy. But with its mother and sister watching, the kitten couldn't do anything... So it decided to glare at the bad guy.

Such an obvious action naturally couldn't escape the notice of everyone present, and Kal'tsit wouldn't stoop to the level of a child... In fact, she called Amiya over because she wanted her to interact more with people her own age... It should be said that the little guy who was glaring at her came at just the right time.

“No need, you are free… I meant that this little one will be living with you on the ship for a long time in the future… Take her with you… Of course, remember to do your homework… As for Matilda’s studies… We’ll make arrangements after all her medical reports come out.”

After saying that, Kal'tsit looked at Nana and gestured for her to cancel the spell.

The potted cat did this partly because she wanted the children to live with their peers, and partly because... she wanted to separate Matilda and Medic so that they wouldn't both become immersed in the hypocritical life of witchcraft.

Nana had no idea what Kal'tsit was giving her, but it didn't matter that Nana didn't understand; Cole could see it.

So she put Mia down and let the kitten run over and take Amiya's hand.

I think it's a good idea... I was just wondering what to do about Mia going to school...

[So Mia, remember to do your homework together too! We'll check it together after Nana gets off work~]

Hearing her sister's teasing, the kitten puffed up her cheeks in dissatisfaction. But just as she looked to Nana for help, Nana glanced at Cole, who was gradually disappearing as the kitten walked away, and said the same thing as Kate.

"If you don't understand anything in your homework, you can come and ask me..."

"Ugh! Nana-neechan is naughty! Amiya, let's go... This boat is big, we can play hide-and-seek~"

Seeing the two little ones run off into the distance, Nana, feeling a little worried, was about to call them back to be careful, but Kal'tsit called out to her from the other side:

“Amiya knows where she can and can’t go… while Matilda doesn’t have permission to go anywhere else, so she can only follow Amiya, so it’s fine.”

Is everything alright...?

Although Nana didn't show it when saying goodbye to Sussuro, Kira, and Ace, it would be strange if Nana wasn't worried about letting the kitten run around with its new friends on a ship that wasn't fully outfitted.

But the fact that Cole and Kate, the kittens' two direct blood relatives, were discussing the texture of flour right next to her ear, seemingly completely unconcerned about their daughter and sister, made Nana's blood pressure rise... Or was Nana just worrying unnecessarily? 'Don't you two really need to stay with the kittens?'

"Don't worry, Mia's Originium Arts are the strongest among us... I have the magical ability to discern people's hearts and see through their emotions, and Mia seems to be born with this ability. Because of this, she's very... straightforward, so you often see her clashing with the other children. But this is also why Mia didn't abandon her father even after Andy became seriously ill and nearly went insane... She can tell whether Andy loves her and whether he will protect her."

As for threats of violence, I think there's even less to worry about. After all, in terms of pure destructive power, she's even stronger than you... That's probably why we can stay by your side with peace of mind.

Actually, you don't have to stay by my side... Of course, I can't say that out loud.

Exhausted, Nana followed Kal'tsit back to the top-level central hub, encountering the drone that had been circling them several times along the way.

"Gong Ling from the Shipping Department mainly relies on the PRTS system for semi-automatic processing of Wu Linjiu's work. Among all the projects I need to pay attention to, the Shipping Department is probably one of the easier ones..."

"What you need to do here is first plan the course, avoid sensitive areas, ensure the supply channels for ships, pay attention to the reports from disaster messengers, and submit a geological condition analysis report of the tunnels every day... Don't look like that. The shipping department's office environment is state-of-the-art. With the help of PRTS, the paperwork is actually the easiest."

Nana: "So... what's not easy about it?"

Kal'tsit: "...Confirming the ship's condition, such as daily maintenance of the propulsion system, checking the wear and tear of the tracks, activating the communication antennas, and mast maintenance in bad weather..." "Isn't that the engineering department's job?"

Seeing Nana's complexion, which seemed even worse than in the morning, Kal'tsit weakly responded while receiving the PRTS report:

"The shipping department is the central hub of the land-based ship. Here, you are the provider and maintainer of hardware for all departments... Your every move affects whether the work of other departments can proceed normally... In short, help me first."

Seeing that Kal'tsit didn't even need to say anything like 'try,' and directly asked Nana for help... poor Miss Medic couldn't refuse, and could only put on the tool belt that Kal'tsit had pulled out of the cabinet with a face even uglier than Kal'tsit's.

In less than a day, the cat killer, whose expression gradually became similar to that of his new boss, boarded the central elevator, put on a beige helmet with the words "Safety First" written in green, and used a glow stick with an indicator hanging from his waist to sway in the wind on the open deck.

Her target was the communications antenna on top of the air traffic control tower... In addition to cleaning up the Originium dust and other interference that might affect communications, Kal'tsit also told her to go to the top floor to retrieve some... cargo?

Nana was completely baffled by this. Who would put their goods on the top-floor antenna?

"Kal'tsit, tell me the truth, before I arrived, did you really handle all this messy stuff yourself?"

Yes, because everyone has their own things to do... For example, Ace's team is the only action team accompanying the ship on this trip. In addition to serving as the ship's armed force to guard against potential dangers in the wilderness, they are also responsible for maintaining security on board... And then there's Sussurro...

"...Ah, Sussuruo said today that it was her first day working as the lead surgeon, and she seemed very happy." (Group chat)

After attaching the safety harness, Nana tugged at the rather worn-out rope, unsure whether to worry about the rope itself or the ladder made of metal hooks no thicker than a finger... But chatting with the person on the other end of the communication line during the mission reminded her of her past experiences on missions arranged by her manager. The cat-killer, already familiar with high-altitude operations, immediately began climbing with practiced ease.

[Sussurro is a clinical physician with a professional background... If she hadn't contracted Oripathy while treating infected individuals, she would have been a rising star in minimally invasive surgery within the Syracuse medical system...]

"...So why would someone as talented as her come to Rhodes Island? From what you're saying, it seems you feel sorry for Sussurro..."

[Because the current world situation is... apart from Rhodes Island... any company capable of sacrificing profits to house the infected and quell internal public opinion is a top-tier global player... Sussurro has nowhere to go, but thankfully I finally saw the resume she sent.]

"So... even the HR work is something you're doing on a side job, Kal'tsit?!"

[From a purely rational standpoint, you were also specially recruited into Rhodes Island by me.]

Unable to refute her, Nana could only silently climb upwards.

[Have you already climbed up to the air traffic control tower?] Five

"Hmm, it looks completely empty inside..."

[If you'd like to work in the shipping department, I might assign you to temporary duty in the control tower when an aircraft is scheduled to land that day...] Nine

"It's possible... but is Rhodes Island really capable of landing a spacecraft in its current state?"

As she spoke, Nana stood atop the control tower, fastening her safety harness to the communications mast. Braving the fierce wind, she glanced back down. The distance to the top deck of the land-based ship wasn't high; Nana could clearly see the unfinished hangar elevators and the weathered, exposed deck paint, its surface peeling and cracked…

But considering Rhodes Island's own altitude, looking out of the ship, Nana felt the horizon was within reach.

Upon reaching the top of the sailing landship for the first time, the cat killer couldn't help but open her arms to the wind. With the added speed of the rapidly moving landship, Nana felt as if she were in the middle of a storm.

Rhodes Island has currently ordered two aircraft for its land-based fleet... That person meant you can use all vehicles, including the land-based fleet...

"Yes, if necessary, I can pilot all vehicles, including land-based ships, 07IV transport aircraft, and combat aircraft... That's why you suggested I work in the shipping department, isn't it?"

Yes, there's a lot you can do... The medical department's field operations need your battlefield first aid skills, the medical clinic can perform internal imaging on infected individuals, and you've proven your abilities with magic in the logistics department... If you can even adapt to the shipping department, then I imagine you can find a place in the engineering and equipment departments as well.

So, have you thought it through? What kind of life do you want to live...?

Hearing Kal'tsit's question, Nana, whose tail and skirt were flapping against the mast with a thud from the side wind, honestly answered:

“I don’t know… but I will honor the contract.”

[I've always felt you were a victim of the ICA's pure contractualism... but that person did indeed use this method to construct a modern social personality for you that even a disillusioned person could adapt to... Okay, now it's about time you learned some of Rhodes Island's secrets... Judging from the surgery you assisted with this morning, you don't discriminate against Infected individuals.]

"...They are just sick, I don't discriminate against patients."

[Well said. So... as someone who is both a Felin and a Sarkaz, what are your feelings towards the Sarkaz?]

Kal'tsit's abrupt and unrelated statement left the cat killer completely bewildered.

Just as Nana climbed to the top of the communications mast, and the assassin took out a steel wool pad to clean the communications antenna, a white package swaying in the wind below the antenna mast caught Nana's eye.

"...Sarkaz, hold off on that for now...Kal'tsit, I think I saw the 'goods' you mentioned..."

"Hmm, you can look at her more closely, and then remember to bring her back..."

"Who's the cargo?!"

"...The goods spoke..."

She responded calmly to the white object that fluttered in the wind like a banner. Even Nana, who always had some difficulty focusing with one eye, could see it clearly when she got close enough.

This isn't a 'package' or 'goods'...it's clearly a person tied up in a bag and hung on a communication antenna!

Putting aside who would be so bored as to hang someone on such valuable technical equipment, the question that puzzles Nana the most right now is why someone would hang on the top of a land-based warship.

The cat killer's expression at this moment was quite like contemplating the true meaning of truth, constructing the boundaries of the universe, and considering the ultimate mathematical principles... But in the end, she still used the words that her agent sometimes sighed about how things had developed unexpectedly but didn't know how to describe to describe the abstract situation in front of her.

"...This is incredible...So you Sarkaz blood demons like to sleep hanging high up?"

Even the long-lived Sarkaz, the white-haired, red-eyed Blood Demon, in his current state where his brains were practically sloshing around, still managed to cure Nana's low blood pressure immediately upon hearing her words:

"Do I look like someone who tied themselves to the mast because they liked it?!"

"...I heard that Blood Demons rest in coffins...Isn't that sleeping bag your coffin?"

"This tent packaging doesn't look like a sleeping bag at all!"

After uttering these complaints, a burst of crimson blood energy appeared around them, and the Blood Demon, which had been fluttering like a flag, finally stabilized itself.

Disheveled white hair obscured the other person's face; apart from that deathly pale half of her face and the sharp teeth that peeked out when she smiled, nothing else could be seen.

"However, you are truly surprising... Knowing that I am a Sarkaz, knowing that I am the Blood Demon, you not only did not stay away, but are actually getting closer to us?!"

"...Kal'tsit told me to take you away...If you don't want to, that's fine too."

"No! Take me with you, take me with you!"

Seeing the cat that was just approaching suddenly turn around and prepare to go up and down the escalator, the Blood Demon, who had been quite imposing just moments before, immediately withdrew all his blood energy and wriggled like some kind of insect.

Not only did his tone lack any of the majesty that an immortal Sarkaz should have, but in Nana's eyes, his image was reduced to nothing more than 'a lunatic who hangs himself on a mast and lets the wind blow on him'.

After Nana untied the woman as Kal'tsit had requested, the white-haired Sarkaz woman smoothed her wind-blown hair, revealing her beautiful face...

Completely different from the blood demons Nana had gleaned from various literary and artistic works—the kind who would kill your entire family without a second thought—the blood demon who called himself 'Warfarin' surprised Nana from his very first self-introduction:

"So you're the exception Outcast was talking about...? I was planning to pick you up yesterday, but Kal'tsit said she didn't know how you felt about the Sarkaz, and wouldn't let me see you no matter what... But you still came to see me in the end~ Do you find it annoying, Sarkaz?"

Looking at the white-haired woman in front of her, who was also wearing a medical armband, Nana helped her fasten her seatbelt while speaking incoherently:

"...Generally, it's not as scary as in the stories...but...there is danger...but it can be handled..."

"Is it because of your Guardian Gun? But I never expected that you actually possess a real Laterano Gun..."

Seeing the other person casually take the pistol from her purse, Nana puffed out her cheeks and immediately snatched it back:

"This is something important given to me by someone important... Don't touch it..."

"Hmm... Kal'tsit, even after I took her Guardian Gun, she didn't shoot me... I think you can put your worries to rest now."

Ignoring Warfarin's report, which was clearly a test, Nana was slightly angry... Her manager had told her never to test her friends.

So, is Rhodes Island, which is testing me, a friend?

Even if Nana doesn't mind the Sarkaz touching her gun... such behavior does reduce Nana's favorability towards Rhodes Island and Kal'tsit, who may know the truth.

Okay, tomorrow we'll go on a passive strike in front of that potted plant film... no, that's called a protest, that's called a strike!

Let's set the time between midnight and 4 a.m. for now.

Thinking this, Nana puffed out her cheeks and carefully wiped Rhodes Island's communication antenna. Then she put the steel wool covered in Originium crystals back into the Originium dust disposal bag hanging on her engineering belt. After that, Nana stopped talking to the Sarkaz who was smiling and looking her over.

The cat killer, holding onto the safety rope, embarked on the journey back to the ground with Warfarin.

“Oh no… Kal'tsit, your new kitten seems to be angry… Ah, it’s alright, she’s just throwing a tantrum and dragging me toward the deck.”

Watching Nana not even bother to look up, focusing solely on fastening the safety rope section by section, Warfarin's smile carried a hint of helplessness as the two climbed downwards:

"Actually, I was stuck there because Kal'tsit wouldn't let me see you. Sorry, testing you was just a spur-of-the-moment thing. After all, Outcast said you're a Sarkaz recognized by the Discipline, and a Chimera like our little Amiya... But since you're connected to that 'Discipline,' a 'demon' like me has to test you a bit, right? Don't be angry, okay?"

"I am not angry."

Hearing that the kitten beneath her had stopped tormenting the safety latches, the white-haired Sarkaz simply hopped off the escalator. As she flung her body over the safety railing, Warfarin, gripping the handrail with one hand, matched her descent speed to match her ascent, as if she were treading on a staircase of thin air.

"How about I introduce myself? It was my fault this time. How about I treat you to something delicious when we get to Kazdel? I'm the head of the blood bank at Rhodes Island Medical Center, codename Warfarin."

Looking at the heavy lever that the other person could support her weight with one hand, Nana suddenly wondered if, given the other person's physique, she could be thrown off the mast onto the deck without getting hurt.

Thinking this, the cat with the beautiful blue eyes responded:

"Medic...Nice to meet you."

PS: Today's cat

By the way, did anyone know that Sussurro had long hair during her job search before joining Rhodes Island?

PS2: Publicly available information... Upon learning that a second 'Chimera' existed in this world, Warfarin, as Amiya's attending physician, was the most surprised person in Rhodes Island... and even in Babel...

That's why Kal'tsit hung her on the mast... because this blood demon, whose eyes were practically glowing, really looked like he wanted to devour Nana...