"Fine. It's none of your business. But when you become my queen, think about it. Not yet. But when you're a queen, you're in trouble when you act like you do now."
"The Lady's behavior means that it can be considered Al's will, right? I understand."
"Yeah. That's the thing. It's fast and helpful."
Al smiles and nods.
- Oh, isn't this like really marrying him?
I laugh.
Earlier on, I just didn't think he deserved it.
Even if I tell myself so far, am I willing to marry Al after all?
I, uh, looked into the alley, frightened of myself thinking that right away.
"Oh?"
"Hmm? What's wrong? Lili...... wow"
Al, who followed my gaze, raises his voice as if he was surprised.
Ignoring that, I stared at what I discovered in the corner of the alley.
"... cat?
corner of the alley off the boulevard. There was a cat there. The size of the kitten or adult cat is subtle. I guess he's a white cat, but he's thinly dirty and grey.
And the cat was astonishingly frivolous.
"... nah"
The cat that noticed my gaze rang small.
The voice said, "Anyway, you think you're a mess, too, don't you?" I thought I heard it, and I blinked.
……
"Lili?"
Al called out, but I also ignored that voice and approached the cat about time. Somehow, but because I felt like I was called.
……
A wildcat could get away with it.
I thought so, but the cat stared at me, but still squatted on the spot.
"Ah... injury?
I noticed because I approached him, but the cat was injured all over his body. It is clear that the body is also thin and hasn't eaten anything on a busy basis.
"You, you're not feeding? You're hurt and you can't move? Could it have been abused by humans?
Running over unexpectedly, the cat backed off as surprised. Not until we get away with it, but we still seem to be on guard over this one.
"Lili, it's dirty. A wild cat. I don't know what kind of illness you have. Better not touch it inadvertently."
"I know, but that kid, he's hurt. And I'm thin, and I don't think he's eating much food. Maybe he's still a kitten..."
"Kitten? You look like an adult to me."
"Maybe because my face is still young. If we stay like this, maybe we'll be dead soon."
I haven't even eaten the bait in a busy manner. Even your health will run out in no time when you are also injured.
We have to protect it.
I tried to give her a hand gently so she wouldn't be scared by that feeling, but the cat went further back.
"... don't run away"
"Lili, maybe you're willing to help that cat?
Al asks in a whisper. I nodded, careful not to gaze at the cat.
"I'm not going to be so flirtatious as to overlook a dying creature"
Besides, I don't even know my family, but I like animals. I never said it because my family, especially my brother Hugo, hates animals, but my particular favorite is cats. There's no way I, the cat lover, can leave this, the cat that's dying.
"Come... Come..."
When I call desperately, Al will hear me again.
"... you don't have to pick up such a clumsy cat for anything, do you?
"Then I have to help you even more. 'Cause there's no one to try to help but me."
If you're abandoned because you're scrupulous, now, if I don't help you, this kid will surely die. I really didn't like that.
But at the same time, I wonder.
A while back, I would have abandoned this kid just because I like animals, no matter how much, because they're 'scrupulous'. If I didn't deserve something that wasn't beautiful, I might not even have been able to put it in my sight.
Even here, little by little, little by little, but surely I am changing.
"I'll help. And then I don't throw it away."
"Seriously, what?
"Yes."
Nodding at Al's words, he sighed and said, "Okay."
"I'll help you catch the cat, too. But you're a really good kid, aren't you? I don't know my brother because he calls you" Miss Villain Warrant. "
I hear that, and I smile.
Good boy, what they say is itchy.
"I was just thinking right now that I must have ignored you when I met you. If you're going to tell me you're a good kid about me, I'm sure it's because of Al. This is what I can do now because you're here and you're right about me that's wrong. Without you, I'm sure I wouldn't have changed. I don't think I could escape the Villain Warrant."
Little by little, I'm moving on. Must be far from the 'Villain Lady'.
But that would still be to the point where I was just 'a little' away and would be back as soon as I had some kind of cut.
If Al let me go now, for example, I'm sure I'll be back in The Villain Warrant before I realize it. I feel that way.
"I'm sure I can't do this without Al. So please stay on your side until I can properly say I'm no longer a 'villain warrant lady'"
"... it doesn't matter, I'm here."
"... thank you. So, seriously, the cat's going to get away with it, do you have any ideas?
Attacks against cats are still ongoing. The cat goes back for that if I try to get close. The tail is swollen to be vigilant, and the gaze is tight. You'll be on the run in less than a few minutes as it is.
No matter how much you're injured, I don't think you can catch a cat running after him with all your might.
"somehow... somehow..."
"Then why don't you sing a song?
"To?"
To Al's sudden suggestion, I was consolidated as if I had been poked in the void. Al tells me even as he captures the cat into sight.
"You just have to sing it.... I'm relieved that your song is strangely reassuring. Now the vigilant cat may also be relieved of vigilance"
"I don't know, whether it works or not"
"It's better than getting away with nothing, isn't it?
"Well, that's true."
"Your song has magic in it. If the song itself contains magic, it should work for cats as well as humans. Theoretically."
"In theory..."
"If the theory is perfect, I think it's worth a try."
……
Silence, contemplation.
Surely what Al said is reasonable. Maybe I could give it a try. But outside like this, I didn't think it would sing for cats either.
I was hesitant to have to perform my, never good song in a place like this.
That's what Al says to me.
"You want to help the cat, don't you? I don't think I have time to worry about it."
"! That's right, right? I'll try."
You're absolutely right. It's not always when a cat gets away with it while it's bothering.
That's all I wanted to avoid, I just changed my mind and started singing the song I used to sing in front of Al in a whisper.
……
It's a short, one-minute song.
Finished singing, staring at the cat. Will there be any change? I'm glad to hear that.
"Ah."
The tail that was swelling all the time fell off. The eyes that seemed angry are also a lot calmer.
"... nah"
When the cat rang, she came closer to me. Until just now, it's as big as a lie.
"Wah..."
The cat, who came all the way under his feet, began to rub his head against his feet. He hurriedly kneels down to the spot and strokes his head. The cat delighted and narrowed her eyes cuddly.
"Cute......!
"... no, I don't think so."
"Al, please shut up."
"... sorry"
I was completely in the same mood as my child, and I was angry that he had spoken ill and stared at Al too much.