The story of the struggle in another world of the divine cat Mii-chan and the cat supplies summoner

52: Divine Cat Mii-chan Meets the Alter Merchant Caravan

The guild staff responded quickly when they heard the word “emergency” and guided me to a room in the back.

“Welcome to the Settimo Hunter Guild. I am Grenda, the chief supervisor.”

“I’m Nero. This is Mii-chan.”

“What an adorable staff member you have.”

“Mii~”

I handed Grenda the staff ID, the emergency pass, and the letter.

After reading the letter, Grenda returned the staff ID and emergency pass to me.

“I understand the situation. We’ll dispatch hunters immediately. Also, the letter mentions that you are scheduled to arrive tomorrow…”

“I arrived early because Sumire was in good condition.”

“I see. You’re staying in this town for the night, correct? Do you have a place to stay?”

“Could you recommend a place? Preferably one that can accommodate my horse.”

“Considering your departure tomorrow, an inn near the north gate would be best. I’ll draw a map for you.”

As I left the Hunter Guild, escorted by Grenda, I noticed a commotion outside. A man was petting Sumire excessively, and she was visibly uncomfortable.

“Hey! Sumire doesn’t like that!” I shouted.

The man turned around, looking somewhat surprised. He was dressed in a merchant’s outfit, indicating he was likely part of a traveling caravan.

“Ah, my apologies,” he said, stepping back. “I didn’t mean to cause any distress.”

Sumire snorted, clearly still annoyed. I patted her neck to calm her down.

“Sumire is a bit particular about who touches her,” I explained.

“I see. I meant no harm. I’m part of the Alter Merchant Caravan. We just arrived in town and couldn’t help but admire such a fine horse.”

“I’m Nero, and this is Mii-chan,” I introduced us, holding the cat carrier bag with Mii-chan peeking out.

“Mii~”

“Nice to meet you, Nero. I’m Revin, one of the caravan leaders. We’re staying at the same inn Grenda recommended. Perhaps we’ll see each other there.”

“Maybe so. Just be careful with Sumire,” I said, giving Sumire another reassuring pat.

With the commotion settled, I followed the map Grenda had given me to the inn near the north gate. The inn was bustling with activity, typical for a place catering to travelers and merchants. I made arrangements for both myself and Sumire, ensuring she had a comfortable place in the stables.

As I settled into my room, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation. The journey to the capital was moving quickly, and I was eager to see what awaited us. For now, though, a good night’s rest was in order. Tomorrow promised new adventures, and we needed to be ready for whatever came our way.

“Mii-chan, let’s get some sleep. We’ve got a big day ahead.”

“Mii~” she replied, curling up next to me.

With Mii-chan by my side and Sumire safely stabled, I drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the road ahead.

“Mii~”

“What’s this? You the owner of this nag? You should be grateful I’m taking it off your hands.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?!”

“You should be thankful I’m taking this scrawny horse! I’ll feed it and sell it for a good price!”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

“Mii~!”

“What, you wanna fight, punk?”

The man drew his sword. What now? Hey, Grenda? Grenda just raised her hands to her shoulders and shook her head. So, I have to handle this myself…

Since he drew his sword, this is self-defense, right? I blasted him with an air cannon at point-blank range… and he went flying.

“Is this okay?”

“Yes, well done. Arrest him and put him in jail! He’ll be stripped of his hunter license and put on trial.”

The surrounding hunters were visibly shocked.

“This man drew a sword on a guild employee and tried to steal a horse on an urgent mission. This is a crime punishable by death.”

The man was quickly apprehended by guild staff, and the tension in the air began to dissipate. Sumire calmed down as I patted her reassuringly.

“Thank you, Grenda. I appreciate your support.”

“No need to thank me. You handled the situation well. Now, go get some rest. You’ve had a long day.”

I nodded, leading Sumire to the stables and making sure she was comfortable before heading to my room. With Mii-chan purring contentedly in her carrier bag, I finally allowed myself to relax. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, it was time to rest and recharge.

“Goodnight, Mii-chan.”

“Mii~”

As I drifted off to sleep, I felt a sense of resolve. The road to the capital might be fraught with dangers, but with companions like Mii-chan and Sumire, I knew we could face whatever lay ahead.

The hunters seemed to accept Grenda’s words, and they tied up the unconscious man with a rope.

“I’m sorry. To think we had such a fool in our guild is disgraceful. It looks like we need to reassess our members. By the way, was that skill you used earlier an ability?”

“It’s an atmospheric skill.”

“Atmospheric skill…”

“I’ll file a report about the skill with the guild soon.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

After parting ways with Grenda, I headed to the inn. The entire way, Sumire was visibly upset. It was as if she was angry about the indignity of having her body touched so rudely, like a true lady affronted by improper behavior.

Upon arriving at the inn and getting a room, I spent some time cleaning Sumire. She stayed grumpy until I finished washing her down and provided her with a bucket of water and some feed. Finally, she seemed to calm down. “We’ll need you tomorrow too, Sumire.”

Back in the room, I had dinner with Mii-chan. But as soon as we finished and returned to the room, Mii-chan started pacing and meowing at me anxiously. “You have your litter box right there, Mii-chan.”

Mii-chan began to get visibly frustrated, hitting the table with her paws. “What’s wrong?”

Eventually, she resorted to drastic measures and pulled out a plate with anko (sweet red bean paste) on it.

“You want to eat this?”

“Mii~”

“But you just ate dinner.”

Mii-chan looked at me with big, pleading eyes, clearly hoping for some more of her favorite treat. I sighed, knowing that despite my earlier decision to limit her anko intake, it was hard to resist that adorable face.

“Alright, just a little bit more, okay?”

“Mii~!”

I gave her a small portion of the anko, and she happily licked it up, purring contentedly. After she finished, I made sure she drank some mineral water to help with digestion.

“You’re such a spoiled cat, you know that?”

“Mii~”

With Mii-chan settled and Sumire resting, I finally allowed myself to relax and prepare for the next leg of our journey to the capital. Tomorrow would undoubtedly bring more challenges, but for now, we were safe and comfortable.

“Mii~”

It’s like she’s saying desserts have their own special place in the stomach. Where did she even learn that? Oh well…

“Just a little bit, okay?”

“Mii~”

Mii-chan happily ate the anko. What was it about anko that struck a chord with her? I wonder if she’d eat other sweets too. Maybe I should try making some pudding next time, honey pudding perhaps. I’d like some too.

The next day, we set out before dawn again. Sumire was in top form, speeding along swiftly.

Along the way, I noticed a familiar caravan, so I had Sumire slow down. It was the Alter Trading Company caravan. I called out to the person in charge, Zeff.

“Hello there.”

“Oh, it’s Nero. What brings you here?”

The caravan decided to take a break.

“Nero, isn’t that horse a battle horse? Where did you get it?” asked Farlen, the leader of the Eight-Eyed Fang, who seemed particularly interested in Sumire.

I gave a brief explanation of what had happened since we last met. The fire-wielding woman from before commented,

“You sure do lead a tumultuous life, don’t you?”

I smiled wryly and nodded. “It certainly feels that way sometimes.”

Zeff looked thoughtful for a moment. “We’re heading towards the capital as well. Would you like to travel together? It might be safer, considering the unpredictable events you seem to attract.”

“That’s a kind offer. Traveling together sounds like a good idea.”

With that, we decided to join the caravan. It was reassuring to have their company, and it would likely make the journey to the capital more secure.

During the break, I took the opportunity to chat with some of the caravan members. Mii-chan, of course, attracted a lot of attention with her charming demeanor.

“Your cat is quite the little celebrity, Nero,” said one of the merchants.

“Mii~,” Mii-chan responded, as if she understood the compliment.

As we resumed our journey, the caravan’s pace was slower than Sumire’s usual speed, but it was a good opportunity to enjoy the scenery and exchange stories with the others. It was a pleasant change from the usual hurried travels.

By late afternoon, we reached another village. It was earlier than planned, thanks to Sumire’s swift pace.

“We’ll rest here for the night,” Zeff announced. “Let’s make sure all the animals are well taken care of and prepare for an early start tomorrow.”

I nodded, tending to Sumire and making sure she was comfortable. Mii-chan explored the area around us, occasionally returning to me for some attention.

The camaraderie of traveling with the caravan brought a sense of normalcy and ease. It felt good to be part of a group, even if it was just for a short while. Tomorrow, we’d continue towards the capital, and I was looking forward to the adventures that awaited us.

It’s hard to tell if I’m being praised or criticized. The caravan seems puzzled by the talk of goblins, as it means traveling right through the heart of enemy territory.

“Well then, Nero, you’re heading to the capital?”

“Yes. Since Sumire is fast.”

“She’s a bit thin but seems like a smart and good horse.”

Faren is patting Sumire’s head, and she doesn’t seem to mind, unlike the man from yesterday.

“Take care, everyone.”

“You too, Nero.”

After parting ways with the Alter Trading Company caravan, I head to my next destination. I took a leisurely lunch along the way, but by late afternoon, I arrived at the town of Sesto, which is quite a bit ahead of schedule. At this rate, we should reach the capital the day after tomorrow.

First things first, I’m going to explore the bazaar. Lately, I’ve been finding bazaar hunting quite enjoyable. It feels like searching for a gem among the sand, and the interactions with the shopkeepers are thrilling.

Mii-chan seems to like this atmosphere too.

“Mii.”