"Your body isn't in much trouble. You just need to adjust your diet—eat fewer shellfish and snails, and more mushrooms, and you'll be fine, meow."
As a support-type Felyne specializing in healing, Haibara Meow medical skills were naturally top-notch. With just a little demonstration, she had already won over the people of the Sorbet Kingdom with her ability.
By the time Klee Meow and the others arrived, not only had the elderly patients gathered tightly around the little kitten, but even the doctors who had been organizing the free clinic had come over to observe Haibara Meow at work.
"Big Sister Haibara~" Klee Meow leapt over the crowd and landed beside Haibara Meow, hugging her affectionately and rubbing against her. "Seijuro Meow said you were here helping people, you're amazing, meow!"
As the leader of the Investigation Team Praise Squad, Klee Meow cheerleading might be simple, but it always lifted the mood.
After all, her little praises, though nothing more than "so amazing," carried high-level buffs like "childlike innocence," "genuine sincerity," and "doting daughter/little-sister charm."
So although Haibara Meow kept a calm and aloof expression on the surface, her upright tail and perked ears completely betrayed her emotions.
Sherwin didn't even need to use Observation Haki to sense it—he knew the little kitten was overjoyed and proud right now.
Casting an approving glance at Seijuro Meow, Sherwin opened his arms and hugged Klee Meow tightly as she leapt into his chest, planting two big kisses on her cheeks.
The reason he had asked Seijuro Meow to call all the Felynes over wasn't just to tease Haibara Meow—it was also to let her feel her own value and how much everyone appreciated her…
Sigh… where else could you find such a good Hunter like me, who even cares about the mental health of his own Felynes?
While Sherwin stroked the little doll-like kitten, he was secretly praising himself in his heart.
The other Felynes soon crowded over as well, each giving their own compliments to Haibara Meow.
(=ΦωΦ=)bLink Meow simply gave her a thumbs-up, but Sherwin and the others still received a wave of praise in return…
I have to say, this little leopard cat talent was truly convenient.
"Little Sister Haibara medical skills really are the best in the world! All these people are crowding around you instead of going to the other doctors, meow!"
"With Lady Ai here, we'll never have to worry about our health again, meow."
Hua Mei Meow, who best understood how to handle kittens (and Hunters), took a different approach.
Instead of directly praising Haibara Meow, she turned to the nearby patients and other doctors, asking for their opinions about her…
This kind of direct "customer feedback" was no less effective than Klee Meow flattery.
Haibara Meow tail tip swayed unconsciously back and forth, and her whiskers twitched slightly.
Even the elderly patients with failing eyesight could tell that this proud little kitten looked as if she might burst out laughing in the very next second.
Sherwin let out a huge sigh of relief. With this, that silly little kitten should stop overthinking things…
Luckily they had come across this free clinic. Otherwise, Sherwin might never have noticed that this little Felyne had been carrying such heavy thoughts inside.
After settling the matter of his Felyne mental health, Sherwin finally shifted his attention elsewhere—and then he noticed something strange.
The doctors gathered around Haibara Meow weren't simply observing her skills, as he had assumed… instead, they seemed to be evaluating something.
What was going on?Sherwin couldn't make sense of it, but for now, he decided to keep watching…
After all, they were just ordinary doctors, their auras weak and unremarkable. There was no way they could threaten Haibara Meow right under his nose.
After a little while, the doctors who had surrounded Haibara Meow returned to their posts and began treating other patients again. Their reason for stepping away was perfectly reasonable—
"We can't let this little kitten who came to help get too tired, right?"
The elderly patients, though somewhat reluctant, quickly dispersed.
With Haibara Meow and the other doctors working together, all the patients were soon treated—after all, none of them had been suffering from any serious or life-threatening illnesses.
Ah… that probably why those doctors didn't keep watching earlier, Sherwin realized belatedly.
His guess was soon confirmed. Once the patients had been sent off, those same doctors gathered around again, this time striking up a conversation with Haibara Meow under the pretense of "discussing medical techniques."
But to Sherwin, it looked less like discussion and more like testing her.
"Admiral, these doctors seem kind of strange, meow," Hua Mei Meow whispered. Clearly, Sherwin wasn't the only one who had noticed something odd—her keen instincts had picked it up too.
"Let just watch for now."
Since the little doll-like Felyne, their living alarm, and Haibara Meow herself hadn't reacted in any unusual way, it meant these doctors likely had no ill intent. Maybe they were facing some kind of difficult illness and wanted Haibara Meow help?
The more Sherwin thought about it, the more that seemed like the only reasonable explanation.
After all, given Haibara Meow youthful appearance and small size, it wasn't strange that the doctors might want to test her ability before taking her seriously.
"Awuu… Klee head feels a little dizzy, meow…"
(=@△@=)As the doctors' discussion grew more and more complicated, the little doll in Sherwin arms began spinning her eyes in circles.
Sherwin chuckled and scratched Klee Meow under the chin, then quickly distracted her with a game of paw taps. The dizzy little doll immediately perked up again.
Sherwin didn't get any rest either. He had to comfort Hua Mei Meow, who wanted him to pet her, deal with Sanji Meow who was sulking and kicking at his calf out of jealousy, and keep an eye on Link Meow and Seijuro Meow, who were getting bored and looked like they were about to challenge each other to a sparring match…
Well, there was no helping it. The things Haibara Meow and the doctors were discussing were way over everyone else heads, and most of the Felynes didn't exactly have much patience. As the Hunter, it naturally fell to Sherwin to take responsibility for keeping the little cats entertained.
And so… Sherwin ears, hair, hands, and calves all ended up becoming the Felynes' toys…
He really needed a Clone-Clone Fruit or something! Or maybe he could get Vegapunk to make a few "cat enthusiasts" just for situations like this!
While Sherwin endured his painful yet oddly happy wait, the doctors finally finished their "evaluation" of Haibara Meow.
The little kitten folded her arms proudly and asked with no small amount of arrogance, "So, what exactly are you all planning to do, meow? I've met your requirements, haven't I, meow?"
As mentioned before, Haibara Meow had inherited Haibara Ai sensitive heart, and with her Observation Haki—practically a spy radar—she had long since noticed something suspicious about these doctors.
The only reason she hadn't exposed them was because she was genuinely interested in their medical exchange.
But now that the exchange was over, the tsundere Haibara Meow wasn't so easy to deal with anymore:"Let me make this clear first—I might not agree, meow."
"Sorry, it just that this matter is far too important to us, so we had no choice but to be cautious."The lead doctor, an elderly grandmother, first offered Haibara Meow an apology before continuing:
"I don't know if you've ever heard of 'Jade Scale Disease.' We have a child who been stricken with it… and he has less than five years left to live."
"Jade Scale Disease? Never heard of it, meow…" Haibara Meow shook her head.
Although the little kitten had read plenty of medical texts along the way, the contents were mostly about common illnesses.
Something as rare and incurable as "Jade Scales" was not the kind of thing that would be recorded in ordinary medical books.
"It a truly terrible disease," the grandmother sighed with visible sorrow, yet she still went on to explain:
"The patient cannot be exposed directly to sunlight or moonlight. If they are, jade-like cales' will begin to grow across their body. But even if they remain hidden from the sky, those fatal scales will still gradually spread…"
"Mmm, sounds pretty serious, meow."
Now intrigued, Haibara Meow set aside her tsundere pride. Her ears flicked as she wanted to ask where the patient was.
However…
The little kitten turned her head to look at Sherwin.
With her sharp mind and keen sensitivity, Haibara Meow could naturally sense everything Sherwin and the other Felynes had been doing for her sake. And so…
This time, she decided to give that idiot Sherwin a little bit of face, meow~Hmph!
The tsundere little kitten flicked her tail, mercifully thinking so in her heart.
Sherwin didn't know exactly what Haibara Meow was thinking, but judging from her expression, he could more or less guess.
Smiling, he reached out and patted the little kitten on the head as he said in agreement,"Let go take a look together. Treating illness and saving lives—that your job, isn't it, Haibara?"
"Hmph~"
Feeling both valued and praised, even Haibara Meow usual haughty hum came out softer and sweeter than normal.