"Are you okay?" I chuckled as I looked at Nia. She had her claws dug into my shoulder even though I had come to a stop after nearing the entrance of the town. Her fur was stood on end and her eyes were wide.
"D-Did you have to do all those flips?" She meowed weakly.
"I thought it would look cool, so yes," I replied.
"Mmm." She lowered herself onto my shoulder in discomfort.
"I'm sorry." I apologized as I scratched her head with a finger. "I won't do that next time."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"Good." She pranced into the collar of my coat before transforming back into her normal form, her arms in my coat sleeves with mine. "Hey, darling," she purred into my ear. "You do remember what I said, don't you?"
"Mmm," I grumbled as I stepped forward and pulled my arms from the sleeves, leaving it on her. "Good boy." She giggled as she adjusted them to fit her arms. "Now let's go!" She wrapped her arm and tail around my arm. "I've always wanted to see the capital!"
Everyone's eyes were on us as we walked. Or really, they were on Nia. Their eyes glared at her as they spoke.
"Is that a Beastkin?"
"What's one doing in Raetia?"
"They should stay in the Elden Provence where they belo-"
"HUSH!" A bystander silenced them. "Don't you see whose arm it's attached to?"
"It!?" I glared at the man.
"Isn't that-"
"The Battle Junkie!"
"Why is that the title they go by first?" I grumbled in thought. "Why not the Hero of Love?"
"Because first impressions mean everything. Your mate said that too, did she not?" Azrael answered. "Their first impression of you wasn't as a hero, but rather a crazed maniac that smiled as he toyed with his enemies."
"Screw you and always being right."
"He's alive!"
"No one's heard from him in nearly two months! I thought he got himself killed."
"I guess he was in the Elden Provence for some reason." Another bystander answered.
"I know he's supposed to get stronger by making girls fall in love with him, but...a Beastkin girl? Why?"
"Because cat girls reign supreme!" Nia spat at them as they spoke.
"Nia!" My face flushed as I waved my hands in surrender at the crowd. "I-Ignore her!"
"Huh!" She looked at me. "Why are you denying it? You're the one who said, and I quote, 'Cat girls reign supreme, cat girls are my life,"
"NIA!" I cried as I attempted to cover her mouth. She dodged around me as she continued.
"Cat girls in my dreams, cat girls' ears feel nice. Cat girls cat girls NYA NYA NYA!" She jumped up and down and waved her hands like paws with each meow, and I covered my face in embarrassment.
"Why did I have to say that out loud?!" Tears fell from my cheeks as the crowd around us chuckled.
"That sounds like something he'd say."
"I did hear from his friend, Han, that he had an unhealthy obsession with Nekomorians."
"No, it's not unhealthy at all," Nia purred as she walked up to them. "It's purrfectly healthy!" She beamed a smile at them, and their faces flushed red.
"I've never seen a Beastkin in person."
"Are they...are they all this cute?"
"Back off!" I glared at them as I wrapped my arms around Nia from behind and pulled her close. "She's mine! Get your own cat girl!"
"He's right." Nia pointed to the collar around her neck before lifting an arm and forcing my neck to the side, exposing the scar on the left side. "And he's mine." She purred in delight.
"Is that a scar in the shape of a bite mark?"
"She bit him?"
"I hear some people are into that."
"Idiots," a man scolded from the crowd. "It's a Beastkin custom. The scar and collar represent two mates. It, in our custom, is the equivalent of marriage."
"Ohhh! You know about our culture!" Nia trilled as she approached the man. She was...a very social cat. But I was glad she was getting along with the townspeople. I had feared they would hate and resent her and that I would have to threaten them to back off.
"Just a little. I'm intrigued by your kind. I've always wished to visit the Elden Provence to learn more, I just don't have the time," he sighed.
My eyes narrowed. Everything he had said was a lie. I didn't know what the truth was, but I didn't like the vibe he was giving off, and I pulled Nia away softly.
"Right. Well, we have to go." I said as she wrapped her tail and arm around mine once again. My eyes never left the man's, and his never left mine. "Come on Nia, the guild is this way."
"Okay!" She chirped as we began walking. "I'm glad they didn't yell at me." She smiled as she looked up at me. "I was worried that if they did, you would go all Rabbit on them." She giggled.
"Hey!" I hissed softly. "What did I say about calling me that or mentioning anything about me being an...Evolved Monster." I still wasn't used to calling myself that.
"Okay, okay," she pouted. "But I hate not being able to tell people that my mate is the strongest living being, on top of being one of the Heroes." She purred. "I still can't believe your God accidentally wrote the name you gave yourself, making you the Hero of Love."
Yep. That was the lie I had told her. I hated doing it. Lying I mean, especially to her. But I still wasn't ready to tell anyone I wasn't from this world. Plus, if I told her that, it would eliminate the 'I'm the Rabbit' story I had, and then she would know I wasn't an Evolved Monster but rather the host of the Demon King.
"Yeah, she's pretty stupid." I laughed sheepishly as I scratched the back of my head. "Anyway, we're here." I stopped at the entrance of the Guild. "Remember what I told you," I looked down at her. "I'm a Human, not an Evolved Monster, not the Rabbit."
"I get it!" She frowned. "Now let's go! I want to see what a Guild looks like!" She burst through the doors. Everyone's attention went to her, but then quickly shifted to me.
"The Battle Junkie?!" One adventurer exclaimed as he pointed at me.
"He's alive!"
"He is!" Torappu's voice sounded as they ran from the steps to me with inhuman speed. "Ki!" They wrapped their arms around me in a hug. "Welcome back!"
"""WELCOME BACK!!!""" The entire Guild erupted into cheers.