Lisa and Todd both looked at me with curious eyes. Since Ducas called me out aloud, it was obvious he knew me.
I really wanted to keep pretending I didn't recognize him, but there was no way I could do that now.
Sigh...
I got up from the chair and turned toward the door. I had only taken a step when I noticed the white cat standing between me and the exit. The same cat that had been sleeping on the couch when I first entered the office.
I looked down at her and she was already staring up at me with her blue eyes. Though she was just a cat, I could sense curiosity in her gaze. I crouched down to pick her up.
She didn't resist, but her eyes remained fixed on me. I held her in my arms, ignoring her intense stare, and walked toward Todd and Ducas.
Ducas watched me with delight, while Todd's expression was one of shock. Both reactions were unpleasant.
I stopped at the doorway, staying within the barrier Lisa had placed around the office. Todd stepped aside, and Ducas moved forward, stopping just outside since I blocked the entrance.
"Sir Arthur," he began, his face bright with happiness. "I'm glad we could meet again."
I had tried so hard to avoid him, yet this problem had followed me all the way here.
"I heard what happened... about the incident, and I—"
"Ducas."
"...Yes?"
"Shut up."
He immediately fell silent at my commanding tone. The urge to hit him surged within me. He spoke without considering who might be listening—it was infuriating.
"I'm in the middle of an important meeting. Wait outside quietly."
Ducas nodded rapidly, like a scolded child, his expression slightly dejected. I ignored it and turned to Todd, who was still gaping at me.
"Todd."
He flinched when I said his name. His mouth opened and closed as if he wanted to speak but couldn't find the words. I didn't need to say anything else—he understood the situation was resolved.
He closed the door, and I was about to turn around when I realized Todd had never actually told me his name. Maybe that was what he wanted to ask about. I decided to deal with it later if it became an issue.
Returning to the chair across from Lisa, I sat down and offered an apology.
"I apologize for the inconvenience, Miss Lisa."
As soon as I looked at her, I was met with an odd tension.
Her expression mirrored Todd's shock, but she wasn't looking at me—she was staring at the cat in my arms. I smiled inwardly. This was the perfect opportunity to solidify my position as her assistant.
Putting on an embarrassed smile, I spoke smoothly.
"Sorry, I picked up your cat without asking."
Despite my words, I made no move to put her down. Instead, I settled the cat on my lap and continued petting her. She seemed comfortable, though her blue eyes never left me. I simply smiled back.
Finally, Lisa tore her gaze from the cat and looked at me with disbelief. She opened and closed her mouth before speaking after a long pause.
"You... don't know who that cat is?"
"...A white Persian cat?" I replied, feigning confusion.
Of course, I know exactly who she is—but I played ignorant.
Sigh...
Lisa exhaled heavily. It is obvious this cat is special. Everyone at the school rever her.
The answer came as Lisa pointed at the cat in my lap.
"She's the one people in 'Trivia' address as the Headmaster."
I widened my eyes in shock, mimicking Todd and Lisa's earlier expressions.
"Huh? She's the legendary cat rumored to be Goddess Hekate's pet?"
The school 'Trivia' is said to have once been Hekate's mansion. Everyone knew the goddess adored cats, but she had a favorite—a white cat. But it is not like the school hadn't just chosen any random white cat as Headmaster. This one is said to be extraordinarily intelligent and has lived in the mansion for centuries. There are even stories of her protecting the school on multiple occasions. And often spotted observing classes and assisting with lectures and research.
"Yes, that's her. And she's never let anyone touch her before," Lisa confirmed.
I stopped petting the cat, pretending to be stunned.
Meow~
She meowed, demanding more attention. A genuine smile crossed my face—this was going even better than I'd hoped. I resumed stroking her fur. Though her gaze never wavered, she seemed content. Lisa kept glancing between us, baffled.
"So, Miss Lisa... about my position as your assistant?"
"You start tomorrow."
"Thank you."
I'd expected that answer. Now that I am officially her assistant, I could stay close to her. Closing my eyes, I focused on marking her as my Blesser. When I opened them again, messages appeared before me:
+
[You have targeted an existence as your Blesser.]
+
I felt the reality in my vision pulled between us, creating an effortless energy. The carnation aura stretched.
+
[A Lower Existence 'Lisa Hart' has been marked as your Blesser.]
+
[Affection Attribute is being processed. An attribute has been placed.]
+
I had successfully marked Lisa. The Affection Attribute activated, and a heart-shaped icon materialized above her head, the number 12 inside it.
+
[Affection of the existence toward you is less than 40.]
+
[The targeted existence cannot become your Blesser.]
+
The log carnation colour thin line fell and disappeared like a ghost.
Though I had marked her, she couldn't fully become my Blesser yet—her affection was too low. I'd have to change that.
Lisa pulled out an assistant contract, filled in my name, and signed it before sliding it toward me.
"Come tomorrow morning at exactly 7:00 A.M."
"I'll be on time."
I set the white cat on the table and took the form. Smiling at both of them, I said,
"See you in the morning, Miss Lisa. And you too, Headmaster."
"Call me Professor."
Meow.
I grinned at their responses and walked out of the office.
I closed the door behind me, and as soon as I stepped out, a headache pulsed through my head.
+
[The Nubecula 'Gumiho' comments: "Tell me what you did inside."]
+
[Some Nubecula are curious about Gumiho's question.]
+
[The Nubecula 'Hwang Jini' is curious.]
+
[The Nubecula 'Whose Heart Bleeds For Heartbroken' is curious.]
+
[The Nubecula 'Raziel' likes the existence 'Ducas'.]
+
Messages flooded in—silenced earlier by the barrier Lisa had placed around her office.
But why did it feel like I was being accused of something? And Raziel taking an interest in Ducas? That was unexpected.
Ducas stood near the office door like a dutiful guard. Our eyes met, and he opened his mouth to speak, but I ignored him and strode toward the reception desk.
I motioned with my finger to Ducas to follow me, I watched his face brighten instantly.
Todd waited at the desk. I handed him the form Lisa had given me.
He didn't seem surprised. Apparently, seeing me hold the white cat had shifted his perception of me. He scanned the form, made a copy, and then filed it away before returning the original to me.
"Follow me. I'll take you to your room."
As an official assistant to a professor, I'd be granted a room in the faculty building. While it wouldn't rival a professor's quarters, it would still be a significant upgrade.
Todd led the way, with Ducas trailing behind me like an overeager shadow. Between an assassin, a cheat character, and an even stronger existence walking beside me, I felt remarkably safe.
I noticed Persephone lost in thought, looking dazed. Ever since we'd entered Lisa's office, she'd felt uneasy. I already knew why, but I hadn't pressed her—though the Soul Contract made her discomfort echo through me.
-What's wrong?
She snapped back to attention, by my message.
"It's... nothing."
-Tell me. The Soul Contract means I feel it too.
"That cat... it's like she's watching me without even looking at me."
I nodded. I'd expected this.
-It's because that cat is Hekate.
"What are you talking about?"
-Not just her familiar. That cat is Hekate.
Persephone stiffened.
"You mean the cat rumored to be that witch's pet?"
-No. That cat is Hekate.
Yes—the white cat is the Nubecula Hekate herself. One of the school's best-kept secrets. Only Lisa knows the truth, being her Blesser. No wonder she'd been stunned to see the cat in my arms.
"That witch is really down here? I'd heard rumors, but it's surreal to think she'd stay in the lower realm."
-She's one of the few Nubecula considered neutral. Her presence here doesn't disrupt the balance.
Persephone absorbed this, then nodded slowly.
"That explains the unease. She's always unsettled me, but I never understood why."
She shrugged, but her words baffled me. She didn't know?
-You've never heard the story of Persephone and Hekate?
"What story?"
Sigh...
Unbelievable. She'd taken the goddess's name without even knowing the myths tied to it.
-Hekate was a virgin goddess devoted to Persephone. She mastered witchcraft and death magic, then spent her life searching for the Queen of the Underworld.
I recounted the tale—the reason Hekate felt drawn to Persephone, and why Persephone felt such discomfort around her.
It also explained why Hekate, in her feline form, hadn't resisted me. The Soul Contract bound me to Persephone, meaning I carried a fragment of her essence. Hekate must have sensed it.
"There's a story like that?"
-I'm shocked you didn't even research the goddess whose name you became.
"I just took the name. I'm not tied to any of them, so I didn't bother learning."
Learn? Nubecula don't need to learn—they simply just know. But the gravity in her voice reminded me of her words on the island, so I held my tongue.
After a long walk, Todd brought us to the fifth floor. The hallway stretched endlessly, lined with sparse, numbered doors—guest rooms repurposed for faculty.
He stopped at Room 203, handed me the key, and left without another word.
I placed the key in the keyhole and inside, the room was lavish—comparable to a five-star hotel. A balcony overlooked the grounds, plush couches framed a low table, and a massive bed occupied one corner. Bookshelves, thick carpets, and a door leading to what I assumed was a bathroom completed the space.
After glancing at it, I sank into the couch, exhaling as the cushions embraced me. Then I noticed the other occupant besides Persephone—Ducas, who was inspecting the room with childlike wonder.
A single question nagged at me:
Why is he so adamant to find me?