Knock, knock, knock.
I opened my apartment door, only to see Aaron standing there. The man in his early sixties looked back at me with a small smile. He looked past me and into the apartment room, scanning the surroundings for anyone else. At this hour, Shinso and Damien were both awake, engrossed in novels lining the shelves. The white-haired boy didn't pay heed to Aaron's presence, pretending to read a novel far out of his own grammatical comprehension.
On the other hand, Shinso set his book down on the nightstand beside his bed and looked towards the both of us.
"Aaron?" Shinso stood up and walked over, leaning against the wall.
"Yep, it's me." The man rolled his eyes and chuckled, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
He grabbed the both of us by our shoulders and led us out of the room, closing the door behind him. I could also see Ayumi in the hallway, having presumably been gathered by Aaron too. The hallway was silent for a few moments before Aaron spoke up again.
"I figure I'd take you all out for a bite, how's that sound?"
"Isn't grain and food getting more expensive?" Ayumi asked, feeling a wave of suspicion wash over her.
The man nodded his head, recalling the current economic situation. "I know it is us, but at this moment, it's you fellas' that matter."
"This is quite sudden; you've never done this kind of thing before," Shinso commented, walking beside Aaron as they descended down the apartment stairs and into the lobby.
Aaron nodded as he rubbed the back of his neck, his face flushing slightly. "I know, I know. But you've never done anything bad or me, or anyone I know. So, I'm just treatin' you all to a bite to eat."
It was at this moment when my heart sank to my feet. I had done something to Aaron's friend—I had killed Isaiah during the Blood Moon.
...
Aaron had taken us to a small restaurant near the center of Seraphis Kingdom. Even with its current location, it didn't seem all that popular amongst the people. Perhaps it was only due to the time, nearing ten at night, or the food was lackluster and the customer service was nothing less than horrid. The outside of the restaurant was wooden, almost homey to an extent.
Small potted plants were situated in the windows, mostly green and blues that complimented the snow outside. A small trail led to the door, which had a small bell over it that rang whenever someone opened or closed it.
Aaron walked forward, a small smile on his face as he grabbed the doorknob and opened the door, gesturing for us to enter. Even from a small distance, I could smell whatever was inside. I smelt wood, some food, and the scents of flowers in the air. As the three of us moved forward, we were greeted by the restaurant's interior.
The floor beneath us was carpeted, the walls lined with books, animal heads, and firewood. A small fireplace was situated in the corner, filling the entire building with a warm, comfortable ambience.
We all found a table and sat down, a table near the corner of the restaurant, mostly out of view. Shortly after, Aaron called a waiter over, who carried small paper menus in his hands. Ayumi immediately perked up upon seeing a few of the choices, and she immediately turned to Shinso.
"T-they have spicy pasta?"
The pasta was seasoned with garlic, pepper, and shredded cheese. Boiled and strained to perfection, and topped with a delicate tomato and bolognese sauce, it provided a hearty combination that made her lick her lips. Shinso, on the other hand, immediately opted for something more meaty. He turned to me, gesturing towards a hearty steak pie.
It was composed of sliced ham, beef steaks, butter, lard, flour, and a side sauce made of peppercorn.
I wasn't that hungry, so I opted for a singular slice of cheesecake—a simple yet delicate choice. Topped with a creamy cheese spread, fluffy batter baked to perfection, and sided with a myriad of exotic fruits and berries from all over the continent.
We didn't know what Aaron had decided on, but we didn't have time to ask, as he had already summoned the waiter to our table. She was a chubby lady with cruelty blonde hair and dashing brown eyes, freckles peppered her cheeks, and her lips plump and puffy.
As she wrote down our orders, she suddenly spoke up. "I'm quite lucky I'm not forced to endure long shifts. You should see what a restaurant downtown was doing."
"Huh?" Shinso felt a pang of curiosity and arched an eyebrow.
"Apparently the owner wasn't alright in the noggin', so he made his cook and bartender work seemingly twenty-four hour shifts! Can you believe that?!"
Hearing the words "wasn't alright in the noggin'" my mind immediately ran with thoughts. Was the owner one of Isaiah's victims, or was it a genuine mental problem that nobody knew about?
The waiter left without saying anything else, leaving us suspended in silence waiting to be severed by conversation.
We waited for about five minutes before anyone spoke up. In the end, we discussed various things in secret, such as potion digestion, pathway advancement, and where to get the next potions. I also lowered my voice to discuss the horns atop my head. It was at this moment when Ayumi asked a question.
"I saw what you did during the Blood Moon, how the hell did you do that?"
"U-uhm..." I fell silent, my fists habitually clenching.
The others at the table all stared at me, the three pairs of eyes reflecting palpable curiosity. I knew the waiter wasn't going to return soon and sever this conversation, so I swallowed a large amount of spit and spoke up with a trembling voice.
"I ...I got help..."
"From who?" Aaron asked.
I instantly called with my mind-voice. "Should I tell them about you? Would they die or something if they looked at you?"
The Umbridge replied, speaking in an illusory voice. "Yes. If they gazed upon my true form, they'd die on the spot due to them not being on the Apocalypse pathway."
An illusory scroll suddenly manifested in front of me. I instantly recognized it, it was the instructions for the descent ritual they had previously given me. With it, I could bind the Umbridge to anything nearby, even an object. That way, they'd be able to communicate with them without fear of damage.
"How would I do that?" I pressed, my voice still illusory.
At this moment, I felt a brushing against my leg. My body habitually tensed, thinking it was someone's boot, but when I looked under the table, I saw a black cat rubbing against my leg. It was Mishu, the cat Shinso had found!
"You're not serious, are you?"
"Find the nearest bathroom."
...
When I excused myself to the bathroom I blamed it on digestive troubles. The inside of the bathroom was small, but not crammed in any way. A small mirror was positioned beside the counter and toilet. The floor below was also carpeted, which couldn't help but make me feel a little uncomfortable. I sat down on the toilet, looking at the illusory scroll in front of me. Judging by my companions' lack of reaction, they couldn't see the scroll.
"So ...you want me to bind you to a cat? Would you just 'meow' at my friends and they'd understand it?"
"No, I'd be able to speak. A talking cat is the least interesting thing in this world."
"Alright..."
I began to closely read the instructions for the descent ritual, acknowledging its lack of complexity. All one needed was a few drops of water, a single drop of blood, and to slightly slice the object or individual you wanted to bind the concept to. The entire time, I was holding the black cat in my arms, which looked around with curiosity evident in its large, yellow eyes.
Looking back at the sink, I turned the faucet and collected the corresponding water amount. I had placed a towel over the drain to prevent the water from rushing off too quickly. Following that, I held my breath as I raised the palm of my hand to my horns, running it over the tip of my horns. The wounds were small, but I surely had enough blood to accommodate the ritual. I let the blood run down my finger and into the sink.
The moment the two connected, a strange, illusory chime echoed through the bathroom. I couldn't help but feel a little confusion within me. Why would such a seemingly 'normal' combination exhibit supernatural effects now? Is it due to the active presence of the ritual?
"I'm sorry," I winced, poking my horn against a sliver of the cat's fur. The animal let out a yelp as it instantly jumped from my arms, hissing loudly while backing into the corner.
At this moment, its wide eyes shimmered with a flicker of crimson as the cat collapsed, curling up and convulsing on the bathroom floor. I watched with wide, terrified eyes as the cat's form seemed to change, as if working to accommodate the presence of this enigmatic entity.
"This body is...small...and uncomfortable..." the cat yowled, adjusting to the sensation of walking on all four legs.
After the Umbridge got themself situated, they looked around the bathroom, before jumping on my shoulder and gesturing towards the door.
"This is gonna take some getting used to." I chuckled, walking out of the bathroom.
Returning to the table, I gazed upon the rest of my friends, who all seemed enraptured by the presence of the cat. Shinso was the first to speak.
"How'd Mishu get here?"
"I don't know; she just appeared," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.
"Actually, I followed you guys," The Umbridge's voice emanated from the cat's mouth, layered and illusory.
"What the hell?" Ayumi backed away, her eyes wide with terror. Her hands moved habitually, clinging to the hem of Shinso's shirt.
Shinso and Aaron seemed just as shocked, deeply taken aback yet awestruck at the prospect of a talking cat.
"Hey! No animals in here!" The waiter stormed back to the table, swatting her hands to scare off the cat. In return, The Umbridge let out a low hiss, causing the waiter to suddenly go stiff.
Her eyes seemed to glaze over, reflecting a deep crimson color within her pupils. Without saying anything else, she abruptly walked back into the kitchen like a soldier obeying commands.
"T-the cat can ...d-do that?" Shinso stammered out, his face now slightly pale as he gazed into the cat's eyes.
The eyes of the cat, now a slight crimson, flickered as it turned back to Shinso, nodding its head. "Yes, and your boyfriend can do the same."
"H-huh?" Shinso's face flushed immensely as he turned to me, trying his hardest to disperse the fluster in his expression.
I sighed heavily, my hand moving to my hair as I replied in a low, shaking voice. "I-I kinda ...consumed a pathway potion before you guys did."