The injuries on Runova's arms healed at a visible rate.
Rhode, seeing this, shook the empty bottle with satisfaction, tossing it casually onto a pile of rubble, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Speaking of which, a panacea that can heal most injuries and illnesses, while not very useful for me personally, I can't always let others profit from it..."
He murmured thoughtfully.
"Should I go 'kidnap' another person with the ability to [Harmonize] to use... Is there anyone I can invite at this time...?"
"The previous sentence..."
"Huh?"
"What did you mean by your previous sentence?!"
Runova glared at Rhode with a feigned fierce look, her voice low and aggressive, clenching her fists to hide her inner trepidation and longing.
"Hm?"
Rhode looked up, a hint of playfulness and tenderness in his eyes, he slowly extended his hand, smiling as he looked directly into her eyes.
"That's right, I am inviting you."
"Runova, I want you to join my organization."
"Of course, if you want to become my family directly, I'd be happy to~"
Upon hearing Rhode's sincere invitation, a sense of panic arose in Runova's heart.
She had expected to refuse decisively, but in that instant, the word 'yes' had almost slipped out.
Runova knew very well that ever since her earlier observations and investigations of Rhode, especially when he unhesitatingly stepped forward for her, she had quietly acknowledged this man in her heart.
In fact, she had also considered finding a place to settle down—but that person absolutely could not be Rhode.
This time, she couldn't maintain her facade of toughness.
The cold expression slowly receded, and Runova showed a smile mixed with complexity and tenderness.
"I'm happy to receive your invitation, but... I can't."
She was afraid Rhode would misunderstand, so she self-deprecatingly raised her fists to indicate.
"Since you know me, you must have heard about my past, right?"
"My days are actually just spent fighting, bleeding, and killing."
Runova's eyes lowered, her voice bitter.
"My hands, they've long since... become dirty."
The nickname 'Black Fist' wasn't because of some cool black gloves.
Instead, it was because she often beat her opponents to the point of torn flesh, broken bones, and shattered skulls, her fists stained crimson-black with a large amount of blood.
Those in the same profession who witnessed this spread the word and gave her this terrifying nickname.
In her mind, she could almost see her fists, darkened and stained with blood from beating people too fiercely, and hear the astonished, even fearful, whispers of the onlookers.
"You are the kind of 'righteous' Familia that brings hope and happiness—pure, bright, and revered."
"It's only natural for someone like me, who profits from chaos and is no different from a mercenary, to be disliked."
"I don't want my reputation to bring trouble to you."
In a brief glance, Runova's self-deprecating smile appeared, feigning strength to hide her vulnerability.
"Besides, I'm used to acting alone, and it's not very convenient to be with many people..."
She thought these reasons were firm enough, and Rhode might try to persuade her a bit, then obediently respect her choice.
But unexpectedly, Rhode seemed to have completely ignored her excuses, reaching out on his own, very naturally grasping her hands, which were stained with blood and sin, a heartfelt smile on his face.
"Great, welcome to my organization!"
"Wait, wait—I didn't agree at all!"
Runova almost jumped up, her palm held but unable to break free, feeling both annoyed and at a loss.
Rhode ignored her reaction and continued.
"Independent housing, high salary, additional bonuses for performance, exclusive equipment, weapons, and potion supplies."
"The only requirement—is absolute loyalty to me. How about it? The conditions aren't bad, are they?"
"Not just not bad, it's like heaven..."
Runova's expression instinctively shifted, she couldn't help but nod, then realized and shouted in exasperation.
"Wait! I already said I wouldn't join the Astrea Familia, can't you listen to a word I'm saying?!"
Rhode blinked, the corner of his mouth curving slightly.
"So, when did I say I wanted you to join the Astrea Familia?"
Runova froze.
"Huh?"
-
"Only fools would obediently stay there, meow!"
Ke Luoyi, struggling to hold her injured arm, stumbled through the shadows of the alley.
Every step made her muscles ache, and she couldn't help but scold her past self.
"Just a stray cat, yet had to pretend to be some hero... Now I don't know how long I'll have to recover, meow..."
However, the confusion in her heart was more painful than the physical pain.
Although the last mission had some mishaps, it ultimately failed perfectly as intended.
Her career as an assassin was over, but what about her future?
But where to go next? What to do? She had no direction at all.
Just then, a slender, brown-furred cat-girl suddenly appeared at the end of the alley, lightly and silently blocking her path.
Ke Luoyi instinctively pulled down her hood, trying to just brush past her.
But the cat-girl suddenly spoke with alert, her soft voice murmuring.
"You've become dull, meow... I rushed here as fast as I could, but the battle was already over."
Ke Luoyi heard the other party's words and immediately understood that this person was also looking for Rhode!
Hmph, this guy has too much appeal to women.
And there's even another cat-girl by his side, how excessive!
Ke Luoyi secretly glanced at her anxious-looking kin, thinking to herself.
But you really don't need to be sad about being late, could it be that that guy's fighting was just too fast...? After all, I almost didn't get away myself...
The cat-girl noticed Ke Luoyi's gaze and asked kindly.
"Hello, do you know what happened around here, meow?"
"...I don't know."
"Oh, I see, then do you know where I can find that guy, meow?"
Ke Luoyi didn't want to get entangled with this cat, she forcefully suppressed her verbal tic, trying not to reveal her own information, and casually pointed to the back of the alley in a perfunctory manner.
"I think I just saw Rhode go that way."
....
The cat-girl narrowed her elongated eyes, staring at Ke Luoyi with eyes untainted by knowledge.
"Oh? The cat didn't even say who she was looking for yet, meow~"
!!!
"Heh heh heh, Miya Mama often says I'm silly, but it seems I'm quite clever after all!"
Ke Luoyi saw her triumphant kin and immediately felt a surge of anger.
Damn it!
If it weren't for the exhaustion and mental fatigue from the previous battle, how could I have been fooled by such an idiot!
The only thing more frustrating than being outsmarted is being outsmarted by a fool!
Ke Luoyi's expression instantly turned cold.
"If you're looking for someone, go quickly. Don't block my way."
Hearing this, the Cat-Person girl leisurely took out a long, slender, blunt, stick-like weapon wrapped in white cloth from behind her back and held it horizontally across her chest, blocking the path.
"Although I don't know who you are, my [Intuition] tells me I can't let you leave, meow."
"A suspicious person appearing at a battle scene, can you explain your identity?"
Ke Luoyi was so amused she almost laughed, and she also gritted her teeth and drew her dagger.
"In that case, let me show you what I can do!"
That madman Veto could instantly kill me, and that weirdo Rhode also had incomprehensible tricks up his sleeve, but I can't possibly be weaker than just any cat in Orario, right!
Let this foolish cat know the true value of a [Black Cat]!
As soon as she got into position, she saw the other party calmly pull off the white cloth—revealing an exquisitely crafted spear adorned with golden embellishments, and her confident expression instantly froze.
Ke Luoyi's eyes widened instantly.
"A golden-crafted spear, could it be…?"
Ke Luoyi had heard of it before.
In the [Goddess of Beauty's Major Faction], there was a Cat-Person adventurer hailed as the [Fastest], who wielded a silver spear, and she actually had a younger sister.
The title given to this golden spear wielder, who had vanished from the public eye without a trace, was—
"You're the [Chariot's Doppelgänger]?!"
Hearing the title Ke Luoyi spoke, the Cat-Person girl's ears drooped as if she was very sad.
"It's been a long time since I heard that name, meow…."
But it only lasted for an instant; she quickly regained her spirits and retorted with a lively smile on her face.
"The cat is just an abandoned cat now, her name is Anya, and she's never heard of any [Chariot's Doppelgänger], meow!"
With that, she spun her spear in the air and gracefully took up a fighting stance.
"The cat must quickly defeat you, and then go find Rhode, meow!"
"Ugh… if you have the guts, come at me!"
Although she had uttered harsh words, Ke Luoyi, who had just experienced a major battle, was almost sent packing by Ke Luoyi in a single exchange.
"Huh? So you're a Cat-Person just like the cat, meow?"
With her hood pushed back, Ke Luoyi glared fiercely at her opponent.
"You, are you trying to kill me…?! "
"Since we're of the same race, aren't you tired of maintaining that way of speaking, meow? I advise you to stop pretending and properly show your true self, meow!"
Ke Luoyi felt as if a certain string in her heart had snapped.
"Uwaaa—!! Stop spouting nonsense, meow! Don't you dare interfere with this lady's business, meow—!"
"Oh~ that's it! I always felt you had the same scent as the cat, meow!"
"Don't compare the cat to an idiot like you, meow!"
"Who are you calling an idiot, meow—!!"
The two Cat-Girls thus meowed and squabbled at the alley entrance, each refusing to back down, their cat ears twitching.
"The cat knows what this is, meow! In the words of a god, it's 'character overlap', meow!"
"Who's overlapping characters with you, meow!? You look closely, meow, the cat is a [Ice Queen] with a slender figure and tail, meow!"
"Heh heh, but the cat's chest is bigger, meow!"
"You, you dare…!!"
Anya put her hands on her hips and proudly puffed out her chest. Seeing this, Ke Luoyi was even more enraged, completely losing her composure on the spot.
Just as the two were arguing fiercely, footsteps echoed from the alley.
Anya's eyes lit up, and she eagerly stood on her tiptoes, peering inside.
Ke Luoyi's expression instantly froze.
Damn it, I got tangled up with this stupid cat!
Rhode and a largely recovered Runova slowly approached, first greeting Anya with a smile.
"Anya, thank you for coming to save me."
Anya shyly lowered her head, her tail drooping softly.
"Actually, the cat didn't help at all, meow…."
Rhode shook his head, his peripheral vision lingering on the golden spear for a moment.
"No, I know it took a lot of determination for you to pick up that weapon again, so I understand completely."
Anya hugged the golden spear, her pretty face slightly flushed, and her tail wagged happily.
Then, he turned his gaze to Ke Luoyi, who was still trying to sneak away, and said with a half-smile.
"Yo, isn't this the famous Black Cat? Didn't I tell you not to leave? How did you end up here?"
Seeing this, Ke Luoyi simply gave up on the idea of escaping, turned her head, held her neck high, and glared at Rhode, huffing.
"The cat did try to assassinate you, but it didn't succeed, did it? Why are you still chasing the cat so relentlessly, meow?!"
Rhode sighed regretfully at her words.
"So that's what Ke Luoyi thinks of me. And here I was, admiring your skills and wanting to invite you to join my organization."
Runova, with the mindset of dragging others down with her even after being tricked, immediately interjected to block Ke Luoyi's excuse.
"Not joining the Astrea Familia, but Rhode's own organization!"
Ke Luoyi looked at Runova in surprise, not expecting this lone wolf, just like herself, to be persuaded by Rhode.
Runova looked at her, covered in scars, and sighed inwardly.
"He can accept even me, so there's no reason he can't accept you."
The Black Cat was somewhat similar to her, and Runova secretly hoped that she would join and become her companion.
"For people like us, who have wandered for so long, it's probably time to want a warm home."
Ke Luoyi's face showed a conflicted expression, both anxious and nervous.
The stray cat, who had never communicated with anyone since her time in a criminal organization and lived a solitary life, didn't know how to join a group.
Ke Luoyi believed that this was much more difficult for her than taking someone's life.
However, the series of events that happened today quietly changed her ingrained perceptions.
Until now, all she had experienced was mutual slaughter, with only two choices: life or death.
But today, she successively met people who, after arguing and fighting fiercely with her, were still willing to talk and laugh with her.
Even the bickering with Anya just now, she actually felt a little happy inside.
And this was also the first time she had been sincerely and actively invited by someone…
"Eight to six, two days off a week, stable salary, quarterly bonuses… a small nest with an independent bathroom… custom weapons, potions…"
With every word Runova spoke, Ke Luoyi's heart pounded.
"And if your contribution is enough, you can ask the handsome Rhode to pet your belly and tail, it's not impossible~"
"!!!"
D-damn it, to offer such a great temptation that the cat absolutely can't refuse!
Ke Luoyi, who desperately wanted to agree immediately, saw Runova's playful gaze and forced herself to shout loudly.
"The cat is free, she won't obediently listen to others, the cat can do it herself…"
Just as Ke Luoyi was shouting against her inner feelings—
Suddenly, a "grumble~" sound came.
This cute sound originated from Ke Luoyi's stomach.
"….."
The stiff Ke Luoyi, the stunned Anya, the bewildered Runova blinking, and Rhode, who was trying hard to suppress his laughter.
In stark contrast to her outwardly tough demeanor, the Cat-Girl big sister's body honestly made a hungry sound, and her entire face quickly turned crimson.
"It seems your body is saying it needs to be fed."
Rhode chuckled, then stretched.
"Alright, how about we all go to The Benevolent Mistress for a meal~"
"Speaking of eating, how can you forget about pure and beautiful me!"
Anya, full of energy, swooped down from the sky and pounced onto Rhode's back, her pretty face rubbing against Rhode's neck with joy.
"Yay, Rhode, I knew you were fine!"
Ryu landed lightly, adjusted her mask, and lightly coughed.
"I saw that fusion magic sword skill from above, Rhode, you've indeed gotten stronger. L-let's continue training together next time!"
Kaguya elegantly (secretly wiping sweat) walked from the other side, glanced at Ryu, whose ear tips were red, and spoke without ceremony.
"Oh my, a certain useless elf wants to take credit in front of Rhode. At least surpass me in sword skills first."
"W-what, are you looking for a fight, Kaguya!"
"It's been a while since I taught a half-baked person a lesson, isn't it~"
"Then come on, your tone is just so annoying!"
Ryu and Kaguya, who inexplicably started arguing and were about to fight, left Runova and Ke Luoyi dumbfounded.
"The pure Star Maiden, is she like this in private…?"