Scepter

Part 27

"Ah!" The elf baby also noticed the little black cat, exclaiming and reaching out to grab it. It almost slipped from Yannick's arms. Just as its chubby hand was about to grab the fluffy tail, the cat agilely turned around, slipping its tail away from the elf's grasp and jumping to the other side to rub against the priest's leg.

"Whose cat is this?" The priest looked around, but nobody seemed to be looking for a cat, indicating that this little creature likely sneaked in on its own.

It didn't look dirty, but it might be hard to tell due to its dark color. However, its fur was sleek and shiny, not typical of a street stray.

"Little one, where did you come from?" Yannick reached out and petted its head. The cat purred in enjoyment, turning its head to lick his fingers. Its slightly prickly tongue gently brushed against his skin, causing a tingling sensation.

Yannick poured the remaining half cup of honey the elf hadn't finished onto a saucer and placed it on the floor. Surprisingly, the cat didn't seem interested and didn't even spare a glance. Instead, it tilted its head and looked at him with round, emerald-green eyes, charming and endearing.

Seeing this, the priest raised an eyebrow and lifted the adorable little cat onto the table.

The table was filled with freshly served food, steaming and fragrant, but the cat didn't rush over to sniff or wander around. It simply walked to Yannick's hand and lay down, its soft body pressing against his hand, belly rising and falling.

This uninvited little black cat drew the attention of both men. The dark-robed mage stared at it for a while, then, before it could escape, he grabbed it by the scruff of its neck.

Only then did the priest notice that the cat seemed injured, moving less agilely than usual.

"Is there something wrong with this cat?"

Chris: "Its tail is longer than other cats'."

The cat, caught by the mage's ruthless claws, struggled desperately, seeming to want to turn its head to find the priest. It meowed pitifully, stirring the priest's scarce sympathy.

"...Let it go."

As Chris released his hand, the cat slipped back into Yannick's arms with a flick, then leaped onto his shoulder, causing the elf baby to follow suit, excitedly babbling along.

Upon closer inspection, Yannick found that the cat's tail was indeed slightly longer than that of a typical cat, incongruous with its petite body. Its tail fur was long and fluffy, swaying behind it.

"The tail fur of black cats can be used to make high-level scrolls. With one this long, we could make several." The dark-robed mage's eyes gleamed with obvious eagerness, and the priest even felt the little black cat shudder and its claws dig tighter into his clothes as the mage spoke.

To shift his teacher's enthusiasm away from his cat-researching thoughts, the priest had to change the subject. "These dishes are delicious. Are people in the Jardet Empire fond of food?"

"The best chefs on the continent are the Saratians. In Jardet, if you come across good food, it's usually made by Saratian chefs." As a native with broad knowledge, Chris knew more than Yannick.

The priest's eyes lit up. "So, if you can make various dishes, they'd be popular in any country, right?"

The mage glanced at him. "Can you cook?"

"..." Not really, but making things like noodles or dumplings shouldn't be difficult. Okay, Yannick realized, similar food is also available here; the Orlin continent is not medieval Europe, and the culinary skills here have reached a high level. He once saw residents of Jed Town adding a special spice when making noodles, allowing the noodles to emit a pure fragrance without the need for broth.