“Josette, are you really going to wear this?”
“What? Is there a problem if I wear this?”
Kent, his mating finished, was choosing an outfit to replace Josette’s dress, which had fallen apart and become unwearable after he’d pulled the emergency cord, causing its parts to scatter. He was selecting it while listening to Josette’s opinion through the terminal, but…
“Meow? Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s… very good.”
Clothes sold at home centers are mainly work clothes or plain designs. However, sometimes, for reasons unknown, the procurement manager makes questionable choices, stocking bizarrely designed items. What Josette chose was precisely one of those. She wore black winter overpants on the bottom. On her upper body, she had on a thick black hoodie with cat ears, layered over an inner shirt. For her feet, she wore slippers designed like cat paws and gloves made to resemble cat paws. While it was adequate for warmth, it also looked like a black cat cosplay depending on how you viewed it. Josette, with the cat ear hood up, was incredibly cute.
“I am Cat-san now. Purr meow.”
Saying this, Josette rubbed herself against Kent. Since Josette had been living on the streets like a stray cat until recently, she seemed to be enjoying the lingering sensation by fully embodying a cat.
(This is bad. She’s too cute.)
“Master, you look very happy.”
Al watched the couple’s overly affectionate display with a detached gaze. Even in her conspicuous attire, the people passing by didn’t seem to pay any mind. This seemed to be thanks to Josette’s special ability. Kent and his companions were heading towards Marie’s Bakery. After their mating and settling down, he had prepared clothes for Josette. Once that was done, he contacted Marie, Elnet, and Rachel, who had split up to search for Josette. He had managed to get in touch with everyone, and they had all agreed to gather for a discussion about future plans.
“Kent, mufufufu.”
Despite what had happened earlier, Josette was in a very good mood. While she hadn’t yet mentioned the existence of the Fairy’s Tear, she readily accepted Kent’s proposal to meet and talk, saying she wanted to apologize for all the trouble she had caused.
“Older brother, thank you for finding Josette. I was so worried… really! Wait, what is this? She’s so cute. No way, I can’t believe it. I feel like squealing. Squeeeeze. It stinks!”
Upon returning to Marie’s Bakery, Rachel, who had arrived earlier, rushed over. She impulsively hugged Josette, surprised by her unusual attire. However, the smell of Josette’s body, having walked around town for several days without bathing, was strong. The moment Rachel embraced her, she immediately pulled away.
“How rude to say I stink… Do I really smell that bad?”
Mmm-hmm.
Josette, taken aback by Rachel’s harsh reaction, cautiously asked. Rachel nodded emphatically. Seeing this, Josette’s face suddenly turned bright red with embarrassment.
“K-Kent, I’ll borrow your bath!”
Josette hurriedly ran out of the shop and headed to Kent’s house.
“Ah, Josette left. But it’s good she seems fine,” Rachel said, watching Josette depart with a look of relief.
“I’m relieved Josette has been found. I seem to have slept through the time Kent and the others were desperately searching because I was so tired. I’m truly sorry. So, where is Josette?”
“She’s in the bath right now!”
While Josette was bathing, Elnet and Hanako returned. Not seeing Josette anywhere in the store, they asked Rachel about her whereabouts.
“I’m sorry. I went to search a bit further away, so I’m back late.”
“I’m back.”
A short while later, Marie and Emily also returned.
“Rachel, speaking of which, where’s Miken?”
“She said she was back at the shop and going to sleep. I wonder how many hours she sleeps a day?”
When Kent and the others returned, Rachel was alone. Miken, who should have been with them, was nowhere to be seen. When Kent asked, Rachel mentioned that Miken had already gone home.
“I am deeply sorry for causing everyone so much trouble this time.”
“I’m just so glad you were found safe. I shuddered to think what if we hadn’t found you and you’d gone to the castle.”
“Oh, Rachel, how did you know I was going to the castle?”
Josette asked Rachel with a puzzled expression.
“Did brother not explain anything to Josette?”
“Well, uh, what can I say…”
Kent, unable to say “We were making out in town without any explanation,” was at a loss for words.
“I am a cat.”
“A cat…you say?”
“What about the cat?”
“Come to think of it, when you returned to the shop, Josette, you were wearing cat clothes, weren’t you? Could that be related?”
Elnet and Marie reacted to Josette’s answer, and Rachel followed up with a question.
“No, it’s unrelated.”
“My party dress became unwearable, so Kent kindly arranged this replacement for me through the terminal.”
Kent immediately denied it, and Josette explained the circumstances that led her to wear the costume.
“Ah, right. I’m so sorry about the party dress you made for me, it ended up like this.”
Josette handed Rachel the original party dress she had been wearing, now in a paper bag.
“Ugh, it stinks. Let’s see… oh, it’s completely ruined. And it looks like the emergency cord has been pulled. Did you and brother… have a go at it?”
“W-we did not!”
(We did it three times, so what Rachel’s saying is wrong!)
Kent denied it with a nonsensical theory.
“Well, it’s fine. Hmm, this looks difficult to repair.”
“Indeed. I am so sorry.”
“It’s okay, I can just make another dress. More importantly, it’s good that Josette was found safe! Squee-. Mmm, it smells good now.”
“Rachel.”
Rachel hugged Josette. This time, having bathed, she didn’t smell and had a faint, pleasant scent of soap tickling Rachel’s nose.
“By the way, Josette, what are you wearing?”
“Um, I didn’t have any spare clothes, so I borrowed some from Kent.”
“Uwah. It looks so lewd when Josette wears it.”
Josette had left her change of clothes at Kent’s house, so she seemed to have borrowed Kent’s shirt without permission. Her chest strained against the fabric, and she was wearing no pants, revealing her bare legs.
“If that’s the case, you could have used my clothes. Excuse me for a moment.”
“Eh, Kya!”
“You’re not wearing underwear, are you? Kent, could you do something about this?”
When Marie lifted Josette’s shirt, she found that the expected underwear was missing.
“Josette’s size should be…”
Prompted by Marie, Kent began searching for Josette’s underwear on his terminal.
“It’s arrived. Well then, Josette, please.”
“Thank you. I’ll excuse myself then…”
Josette began putting on the underwear on the spot. With only women around besides Kent, and having been seen by him multiple times, she showed no signs of embarrassment.
“Ah, right. We were supposed to have our discussion now.”
Rachel suddenly spoke up as if remembering.
“Then, for the time being, let’s sit at the table.”
Kent said to everyone present. They then sat around two tables in the dining area.
“First, this is the fake medicine Josette had.”
Kent placed five small bottles containing the medicine Josette possessed on the table.
“Huh? This is fake?”
“Hmm. I don’t know the ingredients, but I’m pretty sure it is.”
Rachel said this to a surprised Josette.
“Hmm, I’ll have a taste. Lick.”
“H-Hanako, that could be dangerous medicine, so don’t lick it!”
Hanako suddenly grabbed one of the small bottles, removed the cap, sprinkled its contents on her hand, and licked it. Rachel panicked and tried to stop her, but it was too late.
“Hanako, are you alright?”
“Hanako-chan!”
“Hanako.”
“Geez.”
“Well, I don’t think she’ll die.”
Kent cautiously watched Hanako’s condition, while Marie, Josette, and Elnet looked on with concern. Al and Emily looked at Hanako with exasperated expressions.
“Mmm, Boss. This is a drug.”
“Wh-what?!”
They didn’t know who Hanako’s “Boss” was, but Kent and the others exclaimed in surprise.
“So, do you know what kind of drug it is?”
Kent asked Hanako.
“Mmm, it’s a potent stimulant. Possession carries no penalty in this country, but use is strictly punished. By the way, I’m not human, so even if I lick this drug, the laws of this country don’t apply to me.”
“Th-that… What if I had infiltrated the castle and used this drug on the prince…”
Josette’s face turned pale upon hearing Hanako’s words.
“So… that’s why? That’s why you desperately tried to stop me… Kent, you are my benefactor. I will follow you for the rest of my life. Kent, Kent!”
“Uwah, Josette, don’t suddenly hug me like that.”
Knowing the reason for Kent’s desperate efforts to stop her, Josette hugged him.
“Alright, alright. The future is more important now. Do that later. Uh, well, what I mean is, if you’re going to do it, I’d like to join too…”
“Elnet, if you say so, I will too.”
Elnet and Marie said this with blushing faces.
“Sigh. The conversation isn’t progressing at this rate.”
Rachel, left out as the others were rallying around Kent, sighed.
