Vitality rippled in Igor's body, ready to expunge his annoying friend into a deadly hailstorm of needles. In that moment, the little kitten that had been trailing them suddenly dashed toward them. Igor paused his impending attack and sat up in surprise. His eyes lingered on the forest, waiting for what was coming.
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|DxD|- Chapter 115- The Little Kitten
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Igor perked up and watched the little girl darting between the trees. She was quite fast and swiftly caught up.
She emerged from the forest onto the road. She was barefoot with little in the way of garments. Her exposed arms and legs made Igor worry if she wasn't cold.
Baraquiel stopped the cart and all eyes were on Shirone, curious to see what this little cat would do. Glowing golden eyes fell on Igor, not with malice, but with sparkling curiosity. She sniffed the air a few times as she slowly approached, then leaped off the ground. She clung to the cart's side and flung herself over without hesitation. Sairaorg flinched a bit, truly surprised to see such a daring nekomata.
Igor waited with a raised brow as she crawled over him and took his hand. She sniffed it, frowned, and forcefully began prying his fingers open.
Igor raised his other hand and flicked her on the forehead, causing her to yowl. She rubbed her forehead and he wagged his finger before her.
"That's disrespectful. You don't do that to someone you've just met."
"Oh…"
Shirone held her frown and reached for his finger, but Igor pulled it back.
"No. Introduce yourself first. My name is Igor. What is yours, little one?"
Igor couldn't suppress an amused smile at this very odd situation. This little kitten unhesitatingly entered a cart with four strangers. What was this if not childish bravery? Those bright eyes showed no fear, only annoyance at being corrected.
"Shirone…"
"Shirone, huh? What a cute name."
Sairaorg leaned over next to Igor and extended his finger to her.
"My name is Sairaorg, but you can call me Big Brother Sai."
"..."
Shirone leaned forward and sniffed his finger. Her nose scrunched a few times and her soft breaths felt warm on his finger. She pulled back and four seconds passed as she sat idly. Then, her muscles tensed and she pounced onto Igor's arm. She wrestled his wrist and Igor leaned back with a chuckle when her tail whipped past his nose.
Shirone was quite the violent one. Her little hands had grabbed his fingers firmly and pried them open. Igor had a hunch on what she was after, and so he gave it to her.
Vitality gathered in his palm, and energy ballooned in front of her. Shirone's reaction was…surprising. It wasn't fear or alertness, but careful inspection. The little kitten acted like a swift burglar. Ten claws blossomed from her fingers and she swiped at the hovering ball of energy half her size. All her focus was occupied by it, even forgetting her back was pressed against Igor's stomach.
"Quite the interesting find, Igor. It seems we've uncovered another aspect about vitality."
Diehauser commented with interest. His eyes glowed as he watched Shirone interact with the sphere. Baraquiel still faced ahead and steered the beasts through the turn. The village entrance was still quite a distance away and a powerful being had their senses on them.
He feigned ignorance when he saw a seven-tailed cat move so fast not even Diehauser noticed her. She was shrouded in an illusion, and when she landed on the second cart, no one saw her.
"I have to say, Igor. I didn't expect such a cute little passenger. Why don't you use that magnet of yours to call us another one? I want to stroke a little one's head as well."
Sairaorg grinned when Igor realised he had absentmindedly began stroking Shirone's head. The little kitten had nearly forgotten the ball and was falling into a trance.
"Keep going, 'daddy'. She enjoys it~."
Sairaorg jolted to the side when a needle passed right where his eye was. It wouldn't have pierced it, but it most certainly would've stung enough to itch for the whole day.
"Okay, okay, Igor! Please stop! I don't want to be on guard the whole day."
Chuckling, he raised his hands in surrender, and Igor lowered his finger. His eyes still held warning against Sairaorg's cheeky grin.
"?"
Igor glanced down. Shirone had bitten his finger and was shaking her head side to side like a ravenous shark. He felt her little fangs solidifying her hold. She wasn't biting to hurt, but it still wasn't a good habit to form.
He flicked the back of her head with his left hand and she let go.
"Ah?"
She turned to face him and Igor chided her.
"Don't bite people, Shirone. It's not a good thing to do."
"Unless they ask for it~."
Sairaorg's words were met with a sharp slap to his hand. It was the kind that stung and itched at the same time.
"Don't teach the child wrong things."
"Sheesh."
Sairaorg scratched his hand and spoke with a frown.
"So if she's in battle, she can't bite her opponent? That's just disadvantaging her."
Igor ignored Sairaorg and made two tiny orbs for Shirone to play with. Her sharp claws swatted at them as they revolved around the larger ball. When she hit one, it popped and Igor would form another to replace it.
There was a gentle smile as he guided Shirone, and Sairaorg had to admire Igor's soft heart for children. He grinned foolishly, until a pang of pain exploded on his forehead.
"Ow!"
He rubbed furiously and questioned Igor.
"What now!?"
"You know what you meant earlier."
"You're STILL there?!"
*Glare!*
"Okay, okay…"
Sairaorg quieted down and faced to the side.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were her father."
His grumbles did not go unheard by Shirone. She stopped playing and turned around to face Igor. Her face held little emotion, for all of it shimmered in her eyes.
"Father…?"
"No, Shirone."
Igor raised a finger and booped her nose.
"Brother. Big brother."
Chapter 115
END