ch-4

The black panther and I began our cohabitation.

Although I say that, my mentality is that of a girl. And since the black

panther speaks in that wonderful masculine voice, doesn’t this mean we’re like

a couple living together?　Or so I thought, but I’m his pet.

Thinking that makes my heart beat a little faster.

『……What are you thinking about？』

『No、nothing really.』

This dekaneko(big cat) has a surprisingly good intuition.

『Ah, right right, there’s something I wanted to ask you about~.』

『……What is it？』

Albeit in a suspicious tone, the black panther unexpectedly replied

without reluctance.

Although the area we were in was the black panther’s territory, it

wasn’t his dwelling place. Since we didn’t require neither sleep or meals, we

had no need for a location that guaranteed safety.

Nevertheless, although I did wish for a safe place, seeing as how my

body is that of a kitten, the stronger demons that would normally attack me

wouldn’t draw near, fearing the black panther.

『This place we’re at…where is it?』

In response to my very much vague question, the black panther slightly

narrowed his eyes…and replied after several seconds.

『By this place…you mean, rather than by my territory, where we are within

this world?』

『Right right, that’s it』

He’s so smart~…..I’m alone in my idiocy huh.

『Even with such intelligence that allows you to converse, you don’t

understand…? 　Didn’t you learn words after being summoned?』

『Su, summoned?　No, I was born just recently……』

『What……』

While I was nervous from the black panther’s surprised growl, I decided

to explain. Of course, it was to explain about the dream world, but ever since

he mentioned the word 『summoned』, I felt that it was better not to speak of the

part where I was a human.

『Memories of a dream……what a strange thing.』

『I know right~.』

A huge black panther and golden kitten, seriously nodding at one

another…surreal.

Surprisingly, the black panther easily accepted my explanation. There is

the fact that he is highly intelligent, but more than that it must be that the

strong didn’t fuss over such small things.

『And so, it’s about this world but……』

『That’s right……this world has various names. The truth of the matter is

that you can’t truly understand unless you’re one of those that have existed

since the beginning of this world.』

T, that kind of technical detail isn’t what I wanted to hear….

『But the humans use a mere few words to portray this kind of world. They

call it the 【spiritual realm】.』

『……Spiritual realm…？』

The black panther explained in simplified terms to the silly me that

couldn’t understand.

The 【material realm】was where the beings with life existed, such as

humans, animals and the like.

And in this world, the 【spiritual realm】, was where those that were the

exceptions…the beings that possessed no flesh and bones, existed.

『Take a look above.』

『Above you say…』

When I did as the black panther said and looked up at the sky, what I

saw wasn’t the sun and the blue sky that I knew from my memories, but the usual

hazy, dark emptiness.

『Try to perceive that somewhere far up there, 『something』 exists.』

『………Ah』

Upon being told that something exists up in the sky, I tried searching

for it…and in a place that was considerably high up, I saw s.h.i.+ny clouds

that spread out far.

『Have you become aware of it?』

『……That is？』

『The spiritual realm doesn’t consist of a single plane, but is divided

into several. That is one of them…the border into the fairy realm.』

I was surprised upon hearing that, but didn’t feel particularly

confused.

Ever since learning about summonings, I had already grasped a feeling

for this world…. This is that, isn’t it. The domain of myths and fantasies. I

vaguely remember reading such books, among the ones that my siblings brought to

me in my hospital room.

The black panther hadn’t personally gone there before, but apparently

even further above, there was also the ghost realm.

『Then, is there a celestial realm？』

『……I’ve never heard of it.』

I wonder, is it that it doesn’t exist, or that he just hasn’t heard of

it?　But rather

than that……

『……Nee(hey)…』

『What is it？』

『This place…..no, how does the humans call us…?』

I questioned the black panther, ignoring the bad premonition I foresaw.

『Let’s see……if you mean how our existences are called as a whole then…the

humans call us 【demons】.』

『………』

A, as I thought….I was hoping that at the very least, we would be some

type of dark spirits, but the truth was a dimension apart huh~.……

For a demon, the black panther unexpectedly had quite the calm

personality. ……Or so I thought, but he was really a demon after all.

On one occasion, we were roaming far and wide in search of snacks.

『Don’t fall off.』

『……Okay.』

Today, I wasn’t being held in the black panther’s mouth, but was riding

on top of his head like a blond wig.

But even if I were to fall off, I mustn’t cling on with my claws. If I

did such a thing, I would get munched on.

『There it is.』

『……Eh.』

In the next moment, the black panther was racing across the ground at an

unthinkably fast speed towards a tiny gray colored monkey and in a flash,

snapped it up into his jaws.

In the place of flesh and blood, the bittersweet scent of apple wafted

in the air.

『Is it tasty？』

『……It, it’s delicious.』

Certainly it was delicious but…I thought I recognized something of a

will from the mini monkey. I mean, the fear-filled eyes of the monkey had met

my gaze, right before the moment it was bitten to death.

Even after that, the black panther continued to slaughter. Truly, it was

delicious.

But you know~……this place we’re in…is something like the demon realm,

and seeing as we’re one of the demons that exist here, doesn’t this count as

cannibalism?

『Nee(hey)、black panther-san.』

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