Tenebrous Wolf
Chapter 56: Cat Dispute

Chapter 56: Cat Dispute

When Klaus came to, he immediately apologized to Briar for his actions and excused himself.

He must have been out cold for a while because the sun had already set, and it was relatively late, but he didn’t complain. The cool night breeze carried by the wind was refreshing against his skin, soothing his nerves and clearing his mind.

Lately, it felt like he had been losing control. First, he had severely injured Seraphim and sent her to the infirmary. Now, there was this incident with Briar.

Something was wrong. He was usually calm and composed, so this kind of behavior was completely out of character.

Was he... changing? Becoming more violent?

Klaus didn’t want to believe that. It wasn’t possible for someone to change overnight. The more plausible explanation was that the accumulated stress and anxiety had finally pushed him past his limit and clouded his judgment. That made sense. But still, it didn’t explain what had happened during his fight with Seraphim.

Was that... a temporary blackout? At this point, he no longer knew the answer and didn’t want to dwell on it either.

Lost in thought, Klaus continued walking absentmindedly. At some point, he passed several wind turbines along the road. Looking up at their spinning blades, his gaze drifted toward a blimp floating in the evening sky. The massive exhibition screen on its side flickered, displaying the day’s news. Apparently, a high-profile incident had shaken the city.

The screen displayed footage of a ruined building barely holding together as emergency crews worked tirelessly to clear the debris. Flames flickered in the wreckage. A news anchor’s voice echoed through the air:

[Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the explosion. Investigations are still ongoing, and citizens are advised to remain cautious...]

An explosion, huh?

Staring at the screen with a blank expression, Klaus soon shifted his gaze and continued his stride. The news today wasn’t that interesting. Maybe if it had been a weather forecast, he would’ve paid more attention, but he doubted anything could pull his mind away from reality.

Then, as if the universe itself was playing a cruel joke, Klaus suddenly stopped mid-step and began to question reality. Because,

... That’s Seraphim, isn’t it?

A few steps ahead, by the side of the road, he spotted a girl crouching beside a cardboard box at the base of a wind turbine. A small black cat peeked out from the box, its ears twitching as it gazed up at her.

She was feeding it something. Candy, maybe? From this distance, he couldn’t quite tell what was in her hand, but there was no mistaking her movements that she was offering the cat food.

But Klaus’s brain began to emit warning signals. This scene did not make scene. According to his knowledge, Seraphim hasn’t been discharged from the infirmary and was still unconscious so she couldn’t be there.

.... Or at least, he shouldn’t be seeing her there.

Am I slowly going crazy? It can’t be, right?

Shaking his head, Klaus closed the distance and approached the crouching girl. Upon closer inspection, he realized she wasn’t Seraphim.

From her short, pale blue hair, fair complexion, and pear build, this girl was undoubtedly Yuki Asahina.

He let out a sigh of relief.

"...Thank goodness. For a second there, I thought I was going crazy. What the hell is wrong with me today?"

Yuki Asahina suddenly froze, pausing mid-motion as she fed the black cat. She remained unnaturally still for a moment, staring down at the small creature with a blank expression.

Then, without moving her body, she turned her head like a lighthouse beacon until her gaze locked onto Klaus.

In such a situation, Klaus greeted:

"Uh... hey?"

Yuki replied:

"Good evening, Aspirant Nikolaus."

"Yeah, but just Klaus is fine. We’ve known each other for a week, so it’s strange if you keep addressing me so formally."

"Aspirant Klaus?"

Klaus sighed.

"Ugh. That’s good enough. What are you doing here anyways?"

"Ah, this."

Yuki returned her gaze to the black cat inside the box and extended her already outstretched hand, holding what appeared to be a sweet bun.

"As I was on my way to visit Onee-sama, I saw this stray cat lying around and decided to feed it. I heard cats don’t like sweet foods, but this is all I have. Do you think it will be okay?"

Her usual monotone voice carried an air of familiarity, but her question was a bit tricky.

Scratching the back of his neck, Klaus replied hesitantly:

"Well, I’m not an expert, and I’ve definitely never owned a pet before, especially a cat. But I guess food is food? Also, you said you have an older sister?"

Yuki nodded.

"Yes. As I mentioned, I was on my way to see her before I got distracted. She sustained a serious injury and is currently resting in the infirmary."

"Is that so? I hope it’s nothing too severe."

"No," Yuki shook her head. "Her condition has already stabilized. According to Nurse Vespera, she should regain consciousness either today or tomorrow."

"I see. That’s certainly good news. Hey, do you mind perhaps if I come along?"

"You want to come with me? Can I ask why?"

Klaus explained with a wry smile:

"It’s nothing really. To begin with, I came out here to clear my head a bit, and I also like the atmosphere of the infirmary. Plus, I was planning on going there to visit someone, so I figured I might as well tag along with you."

Yuki blinked, considering his words for a moment before nodding.

"I don’t mind. But first, I need your assistance with this cat."

"Why do you need my help with this cat?"

"Naturally, there’s an abandoned cat here and without shelter, it would either receive an illness or die of starvation, so why did you not think of taking it in? Do you know how cats are treated when they are taken in by the health centres? I’ll provide an example to create a vivid illustration. First they put the animal within a clear polycarbonate case and inject a nerve gas called ASD10 inside their bodies."

Klaus frowned.

"Wait, hold on. Are you saying they gas them?"

Yuki nodded matter-of-factly.

"Correct. ASD10 is a fast-acting euthanasia agent used for stray animals. It paralyzes the nervous system within thirty seconds, inducing a painless death. However, the procedure is not always immediate. Some animals exhibit resistance, prolonging their suffering for several minutes before succumbing."

Klaus felt a chill crawl up his back. It wasn’t an illusion.

"That’s... pretty grim."

"It is simply the reality of stray animal control," Yuki continued in her usual monotone. "Given the high population of abandoned animals, authorities often resort to this method to manage numbers efficiently."

She glanced down at the black cat, who was now nibbling at the edge of the sweet bun.

"Thus, if you are truly concerned about this cat’s wellbeing, the logical course of action would be to take responsibility for it yourself."

Klaus looked at the cat, then back at Yuki, puzzled.

"Wait, are you asking me to adopt it?"

"Yes. Otherwise, it will most likely die."

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Don’t casually say depression things like that with a straight face! Besides, you’re the one that found it first. Doesn’t it make sense for you to adopt it yourself?"

"... It is impossible for me to adopt this cat despite my feelings," honestly replies Yuki. "I live in a different environment that you’re unfamiliar with so I won’t be able to adopt this cat."

Klaus knew that the academy’s dormitory had strict rules against keeping pets, applying equally to both male and female students. Even if he wanted to adopt the black cat, there was no way the dormitory manager would approve. Not to mention, he wasn’t sure how Briar, who seemed like a stray cat herself, would react to sharing a space with an actual one.

Yuki Asahina crouched down and stared intently at the black cat.

Klaus couldn’t be certain, given her usual expressionless gaze, but something about her posture and the slight tilt of her head gave him the impression that she wanted to adopt it.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he considered his options.

"Look, Yuki, I get what you’re saying, and I do feel bad for the little guy, but it’s not that simple. The dorm rules..."

"The dorm rules are not necessarily absolute. There are ways around them. You simply need to be discreet."

"Are you seriously telling me to smuggle a cat into the dorms?"

Yuki blinked.

"Smuggling is an incorrect term. This is an act of benevolence."

"And what If I get caught?"

"Then I will assume responsibility."

Even if you say that.... Klaus paused and stood still. If she was willing to take responsibility, then why couldn’t she adopt the cat herself? He didn’t understand, but he had a distinct feeling that he was somehow being cornered.

He glanced back at the black cat, who had finished nibbling on the bun and was now staring up at him with wide, golden eyes. It gave a soft meow, as if voicing its own opinion on the matter.

Damn it. He was starting to waver.

Before Klaus could say anything else, Yuki reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, neatly folded cloth. She carefully picked up the black cat and wrapped it securely, cradling it in her arms. Then, without hesitation, she extended the bundle toward him.

"Here."

"Wait, hold on. You’re just handing it over?"

"Yes. The decision is yours now. The fate of this cat is within your hands."

"...You’re really pushing this responsibility on me, huh?"

"That is my intent."

"How could you say something like that with a straight face?! And quit staring at me with those expressionless eyes of yours! I understand! I understand! I will not abandon this cat!"

With a defeated sigh, he reached out and took the bundle from her, feeling the cat shift slightly in his grasp. It was surprisingly warm.

"Oh, that’s right. At the very least, since you’re the one that picked up the cat, it’s yours, which means it’s your responsibility to pick a name for it!"

"... I should name it?"

"Yes, yes. Be a good parent and pick a name for this lonely soul!"

The car timidly shifted its gaze from Klaus to Yuki, who returned its gaze and continued to stare at it with her usual expressionless face. A few seconds later, she finally opened her mouth.

"Dog."

Klaus blinked.

"Eh?"

Yuki repeated.

"I said I’ll name the cat ’Dog’. That cat is a cat yet its name is Dog. Don’t you think that’s an interesting and ironic name? Heh heh."

Why does she have the expression of someone who just remembered a funny joke. It’s a bit scary.

Speaking of which, Yuki has been behaving out of character today. Crouching down in the middle of the night and feeding a stray cat with sweet bun was certainly uncharacteristic for the quiet girl. Or could he say that he never imagined her doing this till now.

... Wait a damn minute!

Klaus immediately snapped out of his reverie and retorted.

"No.... Please, take this seriously and give the cat a good name, so it won’t resent you in the future."

"Ah."

"What’s with that expression? Don’t tell me you didn’t consider something like that happening?"

Yuki Asahina blinked at Klaus and tilted her head slightly as if processing his words.

"...Resentment? Is that something cats experience?"

Klaus groaned.

"I don’t know, but if I were a cat and my owner named me Dog, I think I’d be pretty pissed, yes?"

Yuki remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"I see. That is a valid point. Then what about Schrödinger?"

"Uhhhh! I see what you did there but that’s not funny at all! Do you just enjoy making things complicated?! What am I supposed to do; keep the cat in a box and never open it?! That’s practically cursing the poor thing with an existential crisis from birth! Look at it! Does this look like the face of a cat that wants to be burdened with quantum mechanics?!"

"What about a dignified name?"

"Sorry, but I don’t trust anything that comes from that naming sense of yours! If I leave you alone, you might end up naming it after a legendary samurai from the Edo era or something!"

Yuki’s eyebrows furrowed.

"What’s wrong with samurai names?"

Klaus felt like his whole head was going to explode.

"EVERYTHING IS WRONG WITH SAMURAI NAMES!! DO YOU WANT THE POOR CAT TO BECOME A TREACHEROUS WARRIOR?! I KNEW IT! I CAN’T LEAVE IT TO YOU AFTER ALL!!"

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