Sherry watched Anis tease the monster in front of her with a cabbage leaf, as if playing with a cat. She didn’t step forward to stop this dangerous act, merely watching coldly from the side.
This monster was exactly the same as the one from her previous life. Not a shred of aggression could be felt from it. Its attacks on the commoners had been born purely out of the desperation of hunger.
Her true purpose for coming out with Anis was happening right now.
Sherry reached into her pocket and gripped a necklace tightly. Anis seemed to have completely forgotten to guard herself. ‘If I strike now…’
*Hiss—*
The sound of hissing startled her out of her thoughts. To Sherry’s surprise, the big kitty was actually hissing at her!
“Hmm? What’s wrong?”
Anis looked back. The moment her gaze fell upon Sherry, the look in her eyes changed ever so slightly.
While she appeared calm on the surface, she leaned her side against the wall of the snow cave and held the cabbage leaf to the large cat monster’s mouth.
“Go on, eat.”
The big kitty sniffed the leaf a few times before slowly beginning to eat.
The look in Anis’s eyes grew increasingly tender as she watched it. Once the monster swallowed the last bite of the leaf, she stood up from the snow cave as if she had made a firm decision.
“I’ve decided. I’m going to keep it.”
“What did you just say?”
Sherry’s eyes widened. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You want to raise this monster?”
Even if the creature wasn’t aggressive, it was still a highly dangerous monster! Even a cornered rabbit would bite!
“I’m certain of it. This child isn’t a natural monster. It accidentally ate magic crystal ore in the North, causing its body to mutate. It has never hurt anyone. Even when it was being driven away, it only fled because it was forced to. It isn’t bad at heart.”
“I can’t bear to hurt such a wonderful little treasure.”
It was exactly as the book had described. Its nature was actually very kind. With a little guidance, it would definitely become a reliable partner.
Developing her own faction was an essential step on the road to freedom.
Anis drew her wand and whispered a low incantation. A faint, cyan-blue light emerged from the wand, wrapping around the large cat monster like a gentle stream of water.
A magical scene unfolded. The fur of the large cat that had consumed the magic crystal began to soften and flatten, and its body shrank at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Its coarse cries became high-pitched and thin. Finally, a normal-sized tabby cat lay upon the snow.
*Meow…*
The tiny, pinched meow made Anis’s heart melt. She stepped forward, scooped up the small, soft creature with both hands, and tucked it against the full curve of her chest while gently scratching its head. “Good kitty…”
After doting on the kitten for a moment, Anis looked back at Sherry. “Now then, there shouldn’t be any problem with me keeping her, right?”
“I don’t think you’re actually asking for my opinion,” Sherry said with a practiced smile. “May I hold it?”
“Of course, if she’s willing.”
Anis held the cat out to Sherry, but just as Sherry’s eyes lit up and she reached out to pull the cat into her arms, it suddenly began to struggle!
*Meow—!!! Hiss—!!!*
Such a strong reaction even gave Anis a start. She quickly pulled the cat back to her chest, rubbing its head while offering soft comforts. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. There’s a good girl…”
“Oh dear, am I that hated?”
Sherry stared at the cat with a look of displeasure. “Fine, why am I arguing with a cat? Since the matter is settled, let’s head back. It’s getting late. We can handle the rest tomorrow.”
Anis had no objections. She planned to let the news of this event spread before she solved the commoners’ winter food crisis.
First, it would make it easier for her to communicate with the people later. Second, she could gain prestige among the populace, making it impossible for the Frost family to keep her existence hidden away.
Back in the carriage, they headed north.
Sherry had gone from lively and cheerful to silent and withdrawn. Once they were back in the carriage, she even curled up in the corner, leaning against the wall with her eyes closed as if she were napping.
Anis, having been busy all day, was no different. Sitting in the carriage, her eyelids felt heavy and were practically fighting to stay open.
However, she didn’t dare fall completely asleep. Recalling what had happened in the snow cave, she felt a wave of lingering fear.
Sherry had clearly been harboring some twisted intent back then. If not for this cat protecting her, that necklace would likely be around her neck by now!
‘Thank you. You saved me back there.’
Anis buried her face in the top of the kitten’s head and gave its soft ear a light kiss.
“Come home with me. From now on, you won’t have to wander anymore.”
*Purr, purr…*
The monster kitten affectionately rubbed against Anis’s chin, letting out a deeply healing purr.
Sitting across from them, Sherry was actually pretending to sleep. She narrowed her eyes into tiny slits, quietly observing the girl and the cat.
To be honest, she felt a bit of jealousy and a bit of resentment.
A cat was actually getting to snuggle so closely with Anis! It even got to enjoy the delectable curves of Anis’s chest!
‘I was here first, okay?!’
During this trip, Anis’s guard against her had been almost at its peak.
She had finally found a perfect opportunity, only for it to be ruined by a cat at the last second!
But this trip hadn’t been entirely fruitlless.
Sherry thought back to the way Anis fought while capturing the cat. At first, she had used highly aggressive methods, but then she suddenly shifted gears halfway through and found the most appropriate solution!
There was only one logical explanation for such inconsistent behavior: the first wave of attacks had all been tests. She knew the habits of this monster like the back of her hand!
It was almost as if…
‘It’s almost as if… she’s lived through a past life.’
Sherry looked at Anis, her gaze growing deeper.
When that thought surfaced in her mind, even she found it absurd. But since the same thing had happened to her, it was hard not to lean in that direction.
If she followed that line of thinking, did Anis already know what the necklace did? Was that why she was so guarded?
Though she had no evidence to prove it, she had a strong intuition that her guess wasn’t far off.
This was getting interesting.
The things she had to face next were going to be even more troublesome.
Sherry closed her eyes completely. She reaffirmed her most important goal since her rebirth once again in her mind.
‘I have to save her before that old geezer sends her to her death.’
Then, she would slowly test the waters to see if Anis really was like her—someone who had lived a previous life.
If that conclusion was correct, then her plan to use the necklace to control her was basically a failure.
If that failed, what method should she use to win Anis over in the future?