I was Alraune, a plant monster.
Today, my younger sister grew cat ears.
I shifted my gaze toward the Little Witch, who was cradling the bucket I called home. Amidst her snow-white hair sat a pair of fluffy cat ears. Since her human ears were concealed by her locks, she looked exactly like a girl of the Beast-ear Race at first glance.
The sheer power of a witch's transformation magic never failed to amaze me.
Suddenly, my eyes met those of the cat-eared Little Witch. She looked down, speaking with a clear lack of confidence.
"Alraune... do I look weird?"
"You don't look weird at all! They suit you perfectly. In fact, you're... you're almost too cute!"
It was true. The cat-eared Little Witch was just too adorable for words!
I found myself staring at her over and over. Determined to sear this precious image of Rufe into my mind, I looked up at her again.
That was when I saw it—her cat ears twitched, all on their own!
"Hey, Rufe... can I touch them? The ears?"
"Eh? These? I don't mind, I guess..."
Success! I wasn't about to pass up an offer like that.
"Darn... my arms won't reach."
I was currently in my "Young Girl Alraune" form so I could fit inside the bucket, which meant my reach was severely limited. How tragic.
Since I had no other choice, I extended a vine toward the Little Witch's head. I used it to gently stroke the white cat ears.
"Wow! They're so soft! They feel just like a real cat's ears!"
"Hya?! A-Alraune...?"
The soft, downy fur brushed against the tip of my vine. As I traced the contours of the ears, my heart fluttered at their incredible texture. Losing all restraint, I summoned more vines and began to massage her cat ears with reckless abandon.
I stroked both ears at once, letting the vines crawl from the base to the tips. When I slid a vine inside the curve of her ear, the velvety inner hair enveloped my senses. Unable to endure the blissful sensation, I added even more vines to the mix.
A human only had two hands to pet with, but I was different. As a plant monster, I could move as many vines as I pleased!
The Little Witch trembled slightly every time my vines caressed her.
"Hey, Alraune... that tickles..."
"Your ears are incredible, Rufe. Just touching them feels... so therapeutic."
Every so often, Rufe would jump in reaction, a charming, cat-like movement that warmed my heart. Petting those ears made me feel as if I were being possessed by a grace that didn't belong to this world.
I never knew cat ears were such wonderful things!
Next, my gaze drifted down to the Little Witch’s feet. I spotted a cat tail extending from beneath her skirt, swaying rhythmically.
"Rufe, can I touch the tail, too?"
"Ugh... eh? The tail too?! N-No!"
She guarded her backside with both hands, trying to hide it. Even so, I didn't stop petting her ears. She seemed quite ticklish; I could see her eyes beginning to mist over.
It was a shame to stop, but she looked so pitiful that I decided to call it a day.
"Alraune... that's enough... the ears, too..."
"I understand. Rufe, thank you for letting me touch them."
The moment I withdrew my vines, the Little Witch clamped her hands over her ears. That bashful, kitten-like gesture only made her more adorable. Next time, I would have to convince her to let me touch the tail.
Shortly after, the cat-ear girl Siam told us where to find Beast Ogre Mantiger, and the Little Witch and I made our way through the settlement.
Along the way, we spotted several members of the Beast-ear Race emerging from their tents. Aside from the ears and tails, they didn't look much different from humans. In her current state, Cat-ear Rufe should have no trouble blending in.
Just as I was beginning to feel relieved, I overheard some of the locals talking.
"That white cat girl has beautiful ears-nyan."
"Was there ever a girl like that in our tribe-nyan?"
That was the missing piece—the "nyan"!
I had been so distracted by the texture of her ears that I’d completely forgotten. Rufe hadn't used the "nyan" verbal tic yet.
"Hey, Rufe. You forgot to add 'nyan' to your sentences."
"...It's a little... embarrassing..."
She seemed genuinely shy about it and stubbornly refused to do it. I thought it would be incredibly cute, though.
Eventually, we reached the Great Tent at the far end of the village. A wolf beastman stood tall at the entrance like a sentry. From inside the tent, I could hear the sound of rowdy, raised voices.
Kiri might be in trouble in there.
Determined to save her, the Little Witch and I moved to enter the tent, but the wolf beastman barked at us to stop.
"Hey, hold it right there!"
My heart hammered in my chest, and I swallowed some of my nectar out of nervousness. Had we been exposed?
The guard narrowed his eyes at the Little Witch.
"You. What's that you're carrying?"
"This is Al... I mean, it's a potted plant. A rare specimen."
"Hmm? Looks like a small Alraune. Someone just brought in a Mandrake a moment ago, and now another plant monster? You cat-ears really are simple-minded."
That Mandrake was definitely mine! It really had been taken to Beast Ogre Mantiger.
I'll save you soon, I thought, twitching a vine in anticipation. However, the guard's gaze turned sharp as he focused on the Little Witch again.
"Still... for a member of the Beast-ear Race, you talk a lot like a human."
"Th-That's..."
This was bad. He was getting suspicious. It really was because she wasn't saying "nyan"!
"And for a beast-ear, you don't smell like a beast at all. You smell... human."
The wolf beastman leaned in, sniffing the Little Witch’s head. At this rate, he’d realize she was a fake!
"Sniff, sniff... wait. This sweet scent... is this Saint Nectar?"
"...Eh?"
He turned his gaze toward me. Was the scent of my nectar leaking out?
This was my chance. While his attention was on me, I had to force the Little Witch to play the part! I secretly extended a vine and flicked her cat ear.
"Hya?!"
Her face flushed crimson as she gave a little hop. She stared at me, wondering what I was doing, so I mouthed a silent command.
(Say "nyan"!)
The message got through. Her lips trembled as she took a deep breath. Looking down with a bashful, sidelong glance, she finally spoke.
"I have... brought a tribute for Lord Beast Ogre Mantiger... nyan."
Her cat ears flattened against her head. Her tail lashed about erratically, betraying her extreme embarrassment.
"Hm? Your voice was too quiet. What was that?"
"It's... a tribute... nyan!"
She practically buried her face in her chest as she said it. She was so incredibly cute!
I made a mental note: I was definitely going to make her grow cat ears again in the future.
The "nyan" seemed to do the trick. The wolf beastman grunted and stepped aside to let us through. Thanks to Cat-ear Rufe’s brave efforts, we successfully entered the Great Tent.
However, we couldn't let our guard down. Depending on what we found, a fight could break out the second we stepped inside. If Kiri was being harmed by Beast Ogre Mantiger, I was going to hit him with everything I had.
Hang on, Kiri! Mandrake! We’re coming!
But the moment we entered the Great Tent, my ears—which were primed for the sounds of battle—caught a shout that was entirely out of place for the situation.
And so, that was the Rufe cat-ear episode. Next time: The Beastman Departure Ceremony.