'Radiant City might not be as safe as the newspapers and news reports claim, but it's still the most livable place around. From what I've seen in travel magazines, other cities are still in deep trouble...'
'After all, in an era like this, where can you find a truly safe utopia? I just have to work hard, improve myself, and become a capable and ambitious young man to protect myself and my sister.'
Lloyd muttered to himself for a bit before turning around. He happened to see the strange little kitten, trembling as it clung to the edge of a box, looking like it wanted to jump but didn't dare.
'Heh~ Trying to run?'
Since the kitten was so hesitant, Lloyd decided to give it a helping hand.
The kitten looked back and saw a hand, bigger than its entire body, reaching for it. It couldn't worry about anything else and mustered its courage to jump.
But it lost its balance and couldn't land properly. It tumbled twice on a lower box before getting back on its feet, then hurriedly scrambled on its little short legs, trying to escape Lloyd's clutches.
But it was just too tiny, and its head was too big and round. It only ran a few steps before tripping on flat ground three times, unable to pick up any speed.
In the end, Lloyd easily vaulted over the box and snatched it up in his hand.
"Found a cat, fam!"
Lloyd grinned mischievously and gave the tiny kitten a good squish.
'Its behavior is a bit odd, but this little thing is seriously cute.' Its tabby fur was beautiful, and it was so round it looked like a fat caterpillar. Its soft fluff felt amazing to pet.
Of course, he had also checked it with his inspiration. There was nothing wrong; it was just an ordinary kitten, lacking the Spiritual Contamination that was standard for Demons.
But the kitten had no intention of surrendering. It let out a tiny, squeaky roar at Lloyd and raised its little paws, which looked like they were wearing white gloves. It flailed them about, looking adorably fierce.
"MEOW MEOW MEOW!"
Lloyd just scoffed and rubbed his stomach with his other hand.
"Speaking of which... I'm getting a little hungry myself. And since you don't look too happy, why don't we..."
Kitten: Σ(っ°Д°;)っ
It immediately went quiet, its big head drooping, wearing an expression of utter despair.
With that, Lloyd stuffed the kitten into his uniform pocket, leaving only its fuzzy, round head poking out. He scratched its pointy ears with a finger and soothed it.
"Don't worry. Stick with me from now on, and you'll eat well and have a bright future. Why suffer out here, starving and freezing? I promise, as long as I have food to eat, you will too."
"Meow..."
The kitten responded weakly. It was hard to tell if it believed him or had simply surrendered.
And so, Lloyd left the neighborhood, boarded a tram, and returned to his apartment.
On the ride, he briefly reviewed the results of his trip. All in all, level 3 [Divination] was truly amazing.
Even using only the simplest Divination techniques, it had only taken him an hour to find a Spiritual Object he was fated to have. Although the final outcome wasn't ideal, the accuracy was still quite impressive.
'Of course, my interpretations of the Omens were also quite precise. In the end, it was thanks to those interpretations that I managed to turn a dangerous situation around and gain some incredibly valuable practical experience. If I ever encounter that kind of Orbit again, I'll know how to handle it.'
'It's a shame I couldn't get the Spiritual Object I wanted, but there's no need to rush. I still have two days of vacation, don't I?'
After his review, Lloyd was quite satisfied with his performance on this outing. It fit his persona as a progressive, well-educated young man.
...
When he got back to his apartment, Evelor wasn't home from work yet. Lloyd went to the bathroom first to fill the tub with hot water, then, ignoring the kitten's fierce protests, he dropped it in.
"If you're going to learn to be a mature kitten, you can start by learning to bathe yourself."
"Meow meow..."
The kitten's round head drooped as it flailed limply in the water for a bit. When Lloyd decided it was enough, he fished it out, dried it with a towel, and placed it on the windowsill in his room.
"If you're going to learn to be a mature kitten, you can start by learning to dry yourself."
Next, Lloyd drained the tub and refilled it with fresh hot water. This was for his sister, Evelor.
Finally, he plopped down unceremoniously on the sofa, picked up the travel magazine he'd bought earlier, and started flipping through it casually.
Before long, the apartment door opened. Evelor came home, looking weary from her travels, carrying bags big and small full of groceries.
The moment she stepped inside, she kicked off her small black leather boots. A pair of small feet, snugly wrapped in white stockings, emerged from the shoes, looking like popsicles being taken out of their wrappers.
Then she set down her bags, undid her twintails, and shook her head vigorously, fluffing up her long white hair. Wiping the fine sweat from her forehead, she noticed that the dazed hair at her hairline was sticking straight up.
"Huh?"
While she was wondering about it, Lloyd suddenly jumped out from the side, holding a newly bought Hammerhead Shark Puppet, wanting to give his sister a surprise.
"Hehe, Yi, you're back so early today?"
Evelor smiled sweetly, pretending to look surprised.
'Actually, I knew my little brother was already home from the shoes by the door.'
"Yeah, even the Judgment Court needs a break, you know."
As he spoke, Lloyd stuffed the Hammerhead Shark Puppet into his sister's arms and then took the initiative to pick up the grocery bags from the floor.
"A little gift for you."
"It's so cute!"
Evelor's emerald eyes lit up. She quickly hugged the Hammerhead Shark Puppet, rubbing her cheek against its snow-white belly, her smile turning both gratified and sweet.
"Do you like it?"
"Mhm! As long as it's from you, I love it."
"Hehe, Sis, why don't you go take a bath? I've already drawn the hot water. I'll make dinner tonight!"
"Okay~ It's been so long since I've had your cooking."
And so, Evelor first went back to her room and placed the Hammerhead Shark Puppet neatly beside her pillow. Then, she changed into a set of cartoon pajamas for lounging at home. Finally, she slowly peeled off the white stockings from her legs, revealing her sweet, delectable skin bit by bit.
But whether it was an oversight or she just didn't care, she didn't close her bedroom door...
Fortunately, Lloyd was currently busy in the kitchen, making a racket. It was unclear if he was cooking or concocting an elixir.
A short while later, Evelor came out of the bathroom, smelling fragrant and looking dripping wet.
Lloyd also emerged from the kitchen, holding two plates of simple, Earth-style dishes.
Stir-fried green peppers and tomatoes, and scrambled eggs with potatoes.
They didn't look too bad. At the very least, they probably weren't lethal.