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"I'm in."
Once Blake figured out that being a bounty hunter could actually make money, he didn't hesitate for a second.
"Let's sign an eternal contract—one that lasts a lifetime!"
It wasn't just Kuroneko who needed cash. He needed it too. Now that there was a legal, legitimate way to earn money, only an idiot would turn it down.
"Phew…"
Goko Ruri let out a breath of relief, her eyes lighting up as she looked at him.
"You really agreed, Blake?"
"Yeah."
"That's a relief…" She pressed a hand to her chest, finally relaxing. "I thought you might hesitate… or even refuse."
"Why would I refuse?"
"Well…" Ruri hesitated, clearly a little embarrassed. "Ordinary people are always bound by all kinds of moral hang-ups… Using special abilities to make money—doesn't that feel a bit… vulgar?"
"As long as you're not scamming or stealing, there's nothing shameful about earning money with your own abilities." Blake's tone was steady and serious. "In this world, only people who are financially free have the right to say they're not interested in money."
Make money.
Make a lot of money.
That was the proper way to use magical powers.
If a normal person suddenly gained special abilities and chose to earn honest money instead of going down some shady path, there was nothing to criticize.
"As expected, Blake isn't a foolish two-legged creature."
Ruri's eyes sparkled as she looked at him, like she'd finally found someone on the same wavelength. A bright, genuinely happy smile spread across her face.
It was the first time Blake had seen Kuroneko smile like that.
Her eyes curved into crescents, faint dimples appeared on her cheeks, and her neat row of white teeth showed—honestly, it was ridiculously cute. He froze for a solid two seconds.
Girls are always quick to notice changes in a guy's gaze. Catching it instantly, Ruri snapped her smile away, cheeks turning red as she straightened up. She hurriedly opened her bag and pulled out a notebook.
"This… is the Book of Eternal Contracts…"
Sorry, but it looked like a completely normal notebook.
"Once we sign our names, the bond of fate will be forged—forever." Ruri kept a straight, dramatic expression. "Anyone who breaks the contract will suffer a lifelong curse!"
Blake raised his hand. "And what exactly is the curse?"
"Um…" Ruri clenched her small fists, hesitating for two seconds. "It's terrifying. If you break the contract… you'll lose every game you play from then on!"
You just made that up on the spot, didn't you? And if someone doesn't play games, that curse is completely useless!
"Come on, Blake, sign it…"
She scribbled something quickly into the notebook, then handed it over along with a pen.
"Use this pen. It requires blood to activate the contract."
Hey, hey—it's clearly just a red ballpoint pen. Don't make it sound so scary.
Blake took it and looked down. Written in red ink was a crooked, almost illegible line that looked like something between calligraphy and a doodle:
[Lord Black Cat and the Foolish Biped Blake Form an Eternal Pact]
Blake went expressionless.
"Why am I the foolish biped?"
"B-because you can't use your real name when forming a contract… Just sign it already!"
"…Fine."
—
After finishing their lunch, Blake and Kuroneko left the rooftop together.
"Do you have any club activities this afternoon?" Ruri glanced up at him and asked quietly. "If not, we can head out right after school?"
Anyone could see the missing cat poster at the intersection. If someone else found the cat first, that 100,000 yen reward would be gone. They had to move fast.
"I'm in the 'go-home club,'" Blake said, shaking his head. "I'm free after school."
Ruri's eyes lit up, feeling even more like they were kindred spirits.
"I didn't join any clubs either."
(Lions walk alone, sheep move in flocks… Blake really is one of my kind!)
Blake stopped at the stairwell entrance. "Then let's meet at the gate after school?"
"Mm!" Ruri nodded quickly.
—
The two afternoon classes flew by.
Before long, the dismissal bell rang.
Blake grabbed his bag and hurried out of the classroom.
"Huh? Why's Blake in such a rush?"
Anna Yanami held a piece of bread, watching his retreating figure with a puzzled expression as she took another bite.
"That's kinda weird… Should I follow him and see—"
Right then, another girl walked up.
"Anna, there's a new ramen shop on the shopping street. It's amazing, and they've got a grand opening discount. Wanna go check it out?"
Anna's eyes lit up instantly. She stuffed the rest of the bread into her mouth in two bites.
"Let's go! Of course we're going!"
—
Blake stepped out of the school and immediately spotted Kuroneko waiting in a corner, looking around expectantly.
"Ruri, sorry to keep you waiting."
He walked over and greeted her.
"I just got here too." Ruri tilted her chin up slightly, glanced at him, then quickly lowered her gaze again. "Let's head to the station first?"
"Sure."
"A lost familiar wouldn't go too far. It should still be near its owner's home." Ruri spoke softly, laying out her plan. "We'll go straight to the nearby park and ask the stray cats for help."
"There's probably a phone number on the poster, right?" Blake reminded her. "Let's call first and confirm whether the cat's already been found. It's been half a day—if no one's found it yet, then we can head to the park."
"That makes sense." Ruri nodded seriously. "I almost forgot someone else might have already found the familiar."
—
Twenty minutes later, Blake followed behind Kuroneko as they got off the train at a station.
"The poster is over there."
Ruri raised her hand and pointed toward a wall not far away.
They walked over together, and Blake quickly confirmed that the details matched exactly what she'd said earlier.
"Um…"
Ruri hesitated, looking troubled.
Blake glanced down at her. "What's wrong?"
Her cheeks flushed faintly as she lowered her voice.
"W-when I travel across the endless worlds, I'm always alone… I'm not good at dealing with… foolish mortals…"
Got it.
Blake understood immediately.
People often have a gap between their online and real selves. Like Kuroneko—online she's the grand, chuunibyou "Fallen Angel Black Cat," but in real life, she's shy and easily flustered.
"I'll handle talking to the owner from now on."
He pulled out his phone and dialed the number.
The call connected quickly.
Without thinking, Ruri tiptoed closer, lightly grabbing his sleeve with both hands so she could listen in.
A moment later, she heard what she wanted:
"My orange cat is still missing…"
So the cat hadn't been found yet. They still had a chance—it wasn't a wasted trip.
Blake hung up and looked at the chuunibyou girl beside him, whose eyes were shining again.
"Let's go. We should get to the park as soon as possible. That cat could be found by someone else at any moment."
"Mm!" Ruri nodded eagerly. "I know where the park is—just follow me."
Blake quickly caught on.
"You saw the poster this morning on your way to school… which means you live nearby, right?"
"That's right…"
Ruri pressed her lips together, a bad feeling suddenly creeping up inside her.
"…We're not going to run into someone you know, are we?"
"No!"
"Please—anything but that!"
"....."