A cat meowed, and immediately all the cats started meowing incessantly, "meow, meow, meow."
Some cats swaggered up to the girl's feet, rubbing their heads against her shoes with a coquettish air, while others gently nibbled on her socks. The tiger-striped cat, in particular, leaped forward, eyeing Richard with a wary gaze, its body crouched as if ready to attack at any moment.
The girl's expression changed slightly, and she looked at Richard nervously, stammering, "Uh, don't be scared, these cats aren't evil creatures, they... they're all very gentle pets, they won't attack you, nor bring you misfortune or disaster. Just now, I was startled by one of them—'Napoleon' bumped into me. I wasn't hurt, so... so..."
The girl was clearly at a loss for words, not sure what to say, and after an awkward pause, she blurted out, "My grandfather agreed to keep them, so, you... you can't make me kill them."
Done speaking, the girl stared at Richard with wide eyes.
"Hmm?"
