"What?"
The old woman before her didn't have any expression on her face but Evy knew that she was probably disappointed or angry.
"You were seen and you know, this will cause you to lose a merit point."
The merit point was actually calculated in a really weird way. They checked how many merit points were lost and not how many were obtained in the assessment. Evy had performed more than fifty missions by now but she had never lost a merit point.
"I didn't know that someone was watching me," She mumbled.
The old lady sighed. Her office was on the ground floor of the building and now, it was flooded with the afternoon sunlight. There was a light fragrance of rose flowers. It could be an incense stick or there might be real flowers in a vase somewhere. Evy didn't bother to check.
"It's okay. Don't make any mistakes again. You can leave."
Evy didn't need more convincing. She practically ran out. Her heartbeat that was running calmed down when she saw the cat demon waiting for her.
She walked to its position and kneeled before the cat.
"Are you waiting for me? Come, let's get you registered."
There were actually three distinctions in the demons according to demigods. There were high demons- demons who were born with demon powers, low demons- demons who were converted, and demon animals. Compared with all of them, demigods liked demon animals. Why? Because they believed that demon animals were a kind of enlightened demons who were more godly inclined than demons.
It didn't make much sense but it could be because demon animals didn't make demons vomit or run away and they liked that. Normal animals had an affinity towards demigods so there were some demigods whom the animals loved and some whom the animals hated. Evy was the latter part. No animal liked to come near her.
Evy walked with the cat demon to the Animal department. There were so many animals roaming there. This department had animal officers who controlled the hybrid demons just like the weak chicken demon she caught.
"Yo, Evy, you finally found someone who didn't hate you?"
It was a crow talking. Evy didn't take the statement to heart.
"Yeah, just like how Brent likes you, I like this sweet, awesomest cat."
The crow demon flew and landed on her shoulder as if pointing the directions to the registry window.
There was no one there so she could finish the registration now.
"Mal, hi!"
A pink-haired, bubblegum-chewing girl looked up from her computer and smiled at Evy.
"What brings you here, Evy Chewy?"
Evy winced at the nickname.
"I have a cat demon I want to register."
Mal stood up and she could see the huffing white cat demon beside Evy. She laughed.
"Come, come," Mal opened her window partition and a table with a stone basin came into view.
"Cat, jump on it."
The cat listened this time.
"Hmm, good physical values, no demonization, and perfect condition to be awakened."
Evy's heart that was in her throat settled down. The cat was perfect in every way.
"I'll approve the demon registration now. What name do you want to be registered as, Mr. Cat?"
She looked at the cat demon curiously. Evy also wanted to know if the cat had a name.
The cat meowed.
Evy couldn't understand anything but Mal smiled.
"Right away, Mr. Cat."
Mal moved away and then took a form from her cabinet and started filling it. Evy stood on her tiptoes to look at the same field but the form looked redacted to her. She sighed at the powers working there that prevented any kind of identity theft.
Mal was done in a while and then she walked to the cat demon, kneeled before it, and handed the document that she had stamped.
"This is your identity document. It can change to any form you want. We welcome you to our Society of God Seekers!"
With this solemn vow, the cat touched the document and it changed into a bell tie around its neck.
"Thank you!"
A kid's voice sounded.
"You are a kid?"
Evy thought the cat demon was an adult as it was alive in the presence of a low-level demon, a small kid couldn't survive that.
"What kid? This cat is a king cat. You dare say I'm a kid?"
The scowling cat made Evy calm down.
"Okay, okay, come, I'll take you to get your salary."
"Evy, as a potential demigod to your car demigod, I have a few suggestions for you. Listen carefully."
Evy looked at her with deep concentration as if she was shooting a video in her mind.
"One, only demigods who are potential partners will be able to mind talk with their demon animal. Two, as a registered demon animal, we can all understand what the animal says so you have to be careful in the human world. There could be some humans who have a weak godpower and hear your cat. Don't blow our cover. Third, never allow your demon animal to be in danger and maintain your bond with love."
Evy nodded. She knew the statement of secrecy that they all followed, no part of their existence should be known to humans. And she would definitely love the demon cat more than anything in her life.
"Thank you, Mal."
"It's my job."
Well, it was her job. Mal was the demigod who was from the lineage of beast gods. She understood every animal and that made her perfect to communicate with new additions to their society. She was the one who was sent when they had to affirm their position to animals who were irritated by demons.
Evy walked with the cat to the door of the building and then stepped into the portal. She appeared in her apartment. This was the one she had got as a gift from her parents.
She looked at her table and found two letters waiting for her.
Evy
Sweetheart, we decided to go see the northern lights too. So we will be back next week. Take care of yourself and don't tell Grandma, okay? I'll get you loads of gifts.
Mom
She then picked up another letter.
Daughter
Sorry, but we really wanted to see the northern lights. How about I give you another apartment as a gift? I'll tell your cousin.
Evy sighed. She fell on the sofa and watched the cat survey the whole apartment as if it were its new territory.
Well, it was!
She then thought about her parents.
There were some struct pureblood demigod families that didn't allow marriages with humans. Her mother was from such a family. And she snapped out of their beliefs. She married a human.
That's why even if her grandparents didn't like her father, they still loved her. Their love was strict but she still felt that they loved her.
Her parents, on the other hand, loved to travel and be in their own world. Evy was brought up by her grandparents so she was actually closer to them than her ever-absent parents. Her parents made up by showering her with gifts so she had a nice treasury.
Her father was a second-generation rich heir and his brother treated him very well.
She got up. She could be hungry but her sweet cat shouldn't be hungry.
"Come, I have fish from White Pond for you."
The cat demon walked with her and waited impatiently as she put the plate before it.
Watching the cat demon eat happily, she made a sandwich for herself.
"So, what about your family?"
"I have a sister."
Evy's eyes lit up.
"Can I adopt her too?"
The cat demon looked at her and nodded slowly.
"Okay, that's settled. We will get your sister tomorrow."
The cat glanced at her, "Why not today?"
Not knowing that she was walking in dangerous waters, Evy answered readily, "I have to go and get the person who saw us to forget. Before that, we can't go."
The cat purred.
"You go rest. We have TV here. If you want, you can watch it."
Evy was waiting for her summons. She was sure she had to go soon. But she made her apartment cosy for the cat.
Her phone rang.
"Evy, come, you have to go with the enforcer to erase memory."
Finally, the moment had come.