About Strength / Playing Dumb and Testing the Waters

"Hey! Wait a minute!"

Watching Griseo walk towards Fumizuki, Rope wanted to chase after her, but she was also a little afraid. After hesitating for a moment, she stomped her foot hard and quickly ran in another direction.

There's no way to save her; you should go find Miss Felis!

On the other side, after noticing Rope leave, Shirayuki lowered her voice and said to Fumizuki, "My lord, should we leave the person behind?"

"No need, let her go. At such close range, Pardofelis probably already noticed my arrival." With that, Fumizuki withdrew her gaze and looked meaningfully at the small figure walking towards her not far away.

She wasn't surprised that Pardofelis could sense her arrival. What truly astonished her was the target's keen awareness and quick reaction this time...

At this moment, Fumizuki could roughly understand why Liberi's two guardians would feel comfortable letting such a young child go out alone... But, was everything really that simple?

While Fumizuki was pondering and speculating, Griseo successfully crossed the crowd and arrived in front of her.

"Little sister, is something the matter?"

Looking at the person who came before her, Fumizuki collected her thoughts, revealed a gentle smile, and tentatively asked.

"Hmm, fluffy..." Faced with Fumizuki's probing, Griseo did not respond, but instead looked her over seriously with a small expression.

"?"

The moment Fumizuki heard the word "fuzzy" from Griseo's mouth, her body stiffened almost imperceptibly, and then she subconsciously began to examine herself.

After looking around, although I really didn't want to admit it, the skin I wasn't covered by clothing and that was exposed was indeed hairy...

"Is the fluffy thing's name Fumizuki?"

Before Fumizuki could react and say anything more, Griseo innocently uttered a form of address that instantly put her and Shirayuki on high alert.

"Little sister, can you tell me how you know this name?" Upon hearing this, Fumizuki neither admitted nor denied it. She simply continued to guide Griseo without showing any abnormality, trying to get her to reveal more information.

"Hmm, Taru... Sister Talulah told me. Is that furry thing?" Faced with Fumizuki's guidance, Griseo didn't keep her in suspense and said in a calm and direct tone.

To be honest, the little girl didn't want to waste any more time with Fumizuki here, because it was pointless... If she could, she just wanted to shove the letter into her arms and then go play with Pardofelis or go find Chen.

"Little Tal actually mentioned me... Yes, I am Fumizuki." Upon hearing the familiar name, Fumizuki's eyes flashed slightly, and then she lowered her gaze and admitted it.

"That's right... Here you go." With that, Griseo took a letter out of the small bag that Pardofelis had just bought and handed it to her.

"Before I left, Talulah told me that after I met Sister Hui-chieh, a fluffy creature named Fumizuki might come looking for me. She told me to give this to her when I saw her."

"This..."

Upon hearing this, Fumizuki accepted the item with a wry smile, a fleeting hint of guilt flashing in her eyes.

"Did Little Tal say anything else to you?"

After receiving the package, Fumizuki did not intend to open it immediately. Instead, she solemnly put away the envelope and her surging emotions for the time being, and then smiled and spoke again.

Chapter 91 About Strength

"Did the Little Tal tell you anything else?"

"Hmm, yes... Talulah told me that if a long-haired man named Wei Yenwu came looking for me, I should tell him I wanted to see him, and then not to talk to him too much, and just wait for me to come and give him the letter..."

Upon hearing this, Griseo thought for a moment and then spoke the truth.

"And after that, nothing else happened that involved you, fluffy thing."

"..."

If Fumizuki could still laugh before, her expression instantly turned ugly after Griseo said those words, and the emotions she had forcibly suppressed surged up again.

The little guy's seemingly "differential" remarks, combined with the introduction, might just be seen as a lighthearted joke between close friends by others.

However, Fumizuki, who knew the past, was very clear that it wasn't like that... This was a genuine difference in attitude, and the child was probably resentful towards Wei Yenwu.

No, it's not just a possibility. For a child who has experienced something like that, feeling hatred, disgust, or even resentment is perfectly normal...

Thinking it over, Fumizuki suddenly lost the mood and patience to continue testing the waters. To be honest, if she didn't have good self-control, she probably would have already opened the letter right there and now.

Then, Fumizuki lowered her eyes and quickly composed herself. When she looked at Griseo again, her expression had returned to its previous gentleness, and she said:

"... Let's not talk about that. Griseo, what are your plans for your trip to Lungmen? If you need a guide, I can help you."

"There are no specific arrangements, and a tour guide isn't needed... However, there are a few things that absolutely must be done."

Faced with Fumizuki's question, Griseo blinked her beautiful eyes gently and answered truthfully without hiding anything, "I promised to draw pictures for Hui-chieh and the others, and I also wanted to buy some gifts for everyone over there."

"Oh, right, I also made plans with Hoshiguma- neechan to go out and have fun together during my vacation."

"Oh, that's a bit of a shame. If you need anything later, you can contact Auntie. You can also come to my house to play if you have time." As she spoke, Fumizuki smiled gently at Griseo.

"..."

Upon hearing Fumizuki's words, Shirayuki, who had been watching from the side, couldn't bear to look any longer and quietly shifted her gaze, becoming wary of her surroundings.

Honestly, isn't her master trying to abduct her? Yes, he is!

"Okay, I understand... When we buy a gift for Talulah, does the fluffy thing want to come along? I can help carry things over." Upon hearing this, Griseo first nodded her little head gently, and then asked seriously.

The little girl had already said all that, and she wanted to see how Talulah's aunt, or rather, the couple, would react...

Having come all this way, Griseo would feel like she'd lost out if she didn't try to get something for her Talulah. As for whether Talulah would accept what she got, that was a matter for later; she could always return the package.

Now, what the little girl cares about is the couple's attitude towards this matter; it's all about "my sister can do without it, but you absolutely cannot refuse to give it to her—it's a matter of attitude."

"A gift... of course, no, I should say please be sure to contact me when the time comes." Fumizuki was slightly taken aback by Griseo's words, then her tone changed as she spoke seriously, as if she had thought of something.

"???) Hmm... then what's your contact information?" With that, Griseo took out her newly bought phone from her small bag and handed it over.

Fumizuki looked at the phone handed to her, said nothing, and simply took it, opened it, and saved her frequently used private contact information.

"Okay, this is my usual way of contacting you. Unless there are special circumstances, you can usually reach me through this."

"???)Um..."

Just as Griseo Fumizuki were having a harmonious conversation, at one of the intersections of this street—

"Something terrible has happened, Miss Felis!"

Rope, who had run all the way from Griseo, saw Pardofelis carrying her drinks after finishing her queue and couldn't help but call out to her.

"Oh dear, the sky isn't falling, Rope, don't worry, take a break." Seeing An Rope rushing up to her breathlessly, Pardofelis gently patted her back with her free hand to comfort her.

After all, she knew what was happening over there, and it would be really unfair to keep her friend so worried when she already knew.

"I... you two... Griseo there..."

"Shh~"

Pardofelis smiled and stopped Rope, who was panting and anxiously trying to say something, saying, "No need to explain, we know what happened over there. Here, have something to drink and rest!"

"Huh? Oh...?"

Suddenly interrupted and given a drink, Rope was taken aback at first, then looked at Pardofelis with a puzzled expression, waiting for her explanation.

"Wow, what's with that expression, Rope? Even though we're not that strong, surely we can still sense Fumizuki's obvious presence approaching without noticing?" Facing her underling's questioning gaze, Pardofelis gently swayed her tail and explained helplessly.

After hearing Pardofelis's explanation, Rope's lips twitched involuntarily, and then she said "annoyedly," "For most people, it's normal not to notice, right... Even though I noticed it before, I still want to say it again!"

"Miss Felis's definition of 'average strength' and 'weak' is absolutely outrageous!?"

"Really? I'm really not that strong..." Faced with Rope's teasing, Pardofelis awkwardly touched her nose.

When defining her own abilities, the cat doesn't just compare herself to other versions of herself, but also considers the actual situation.

For example, it would be fine to send her to assassinate a few people now, but a large-scale operation like a massacre of a city would take some time, since she doesn't have any large-scale destructive attacks...

"Yeah, not strong at all." Upon hearing this, Rope gritted his teeth and emphasized a few key words in his words.

She didn't believe a single word her "cheap boss" said about his abilities!

"Oh dear, don't say that! Rope want to become stronger, I can ask some people I know to teach you later!" As she said this, Pardofelis stroked her chin, as if she remembered something, and muttered something under her breath.

"However, maybe an easier method will emerge in the future..."

"What?" Rope, who hadn't heard Pardofelis's last sentence clearly, asked instinctively.

"It's alright, it's about time, let's go find Griseo!"

"Good."

Chapter 92 Feigning Ignorance and Testing

Just as Fumizuki and Griseo were chatting idly, Shirayuki, who was not far away, seemed to have noticed something and whispered a reminder, "My lord, we've spotted Pardofelis and the others. They're approaching this way."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Fumizuki nodded slightly to indicate that she understood. Then, she continued to look at Griseo, "Oh dear, it looks like your people have arrived."

"???) Hmm... Has Sister Pardofelis arrived?" Upon hearing this, Griseo subconsciously looked around, but because of her height, she did not see the two familiar figures in the crowd.

"If it's not a case of sharing the same name, then I think it is."

"Speaking of which, little Griseo, when and how did you meet Miss Pardofelis?" Fumizuki smiled slightly after hearing Griseo's words, and then asked softly in a gentle tone with a smile.

"Well, it's because of the Canned Food... and then we bumped into each other by chance this afternoon, and that's how we met." As she spoke, Griseo gestured with her hand to show the plump shape of the Canned Food.

"I see. But since Miss Pardofelis is someone I just met, that means you went out alone this afternoon. Won't you encounter any danger?"

"A child as adorable as little Griseo, even I would like to take her home and raise her." As she spoke, a look of worry appeared on Fumizuki's face, making her look like a gentle elder concerned for the child's safety.

"No need to worry... I have companions protecting me. If I encounter bad guys, the Mister Knight will come out and drive them away..." Looking at the person in front of her who showed worry, a strange look flashed in Griseo's beautiful Roland eyes before she slowly explained.

The little girl could tell that Fumizuki's concern and worry for her were genuine, as was the probing in her words. However, she could understand, since, up to this point, her identity was still questionable in the eyes of these people.

"A partner? Mister Knight..." Upon hearing this, Fumizuki was taken aback at first, then a dark glint flashed in her eyes. Were there others lurking in the shadows whom they hadn't yet investigated? Who? Could they pose a threat to Lungmen?

Just as Fumizuki was lost in thought, Pardofelis, carrying Rope, quietly appeared before her.

"Long time no see, Madam Wen Yue! What brings you here today, chatting with your sister Griseo?"

"Heh~ I just took a break from my busy schedule and happened to run into such a lovely child as Griseo, so I came up to chat for a bit." Looking at Pardofelis, who greeted her so casually, Fumizuki chuckled softly and explained in a calm and unhurried tone.

"But compared to me, Miss Pardofelis should be the busiest person today. After issuing such a notice, shouldn't you have started preparing in advance?"

"Hey! You found out about this so quickly!?" Upon hearing Fumizuki's words, Pardofelis immediately became alert and asked in surprise.

The surprise that Cat was showing at this moment wasn't entirely feigned. It was because she realized that Fumizuki seemed interested in her plan to steal... something from Swire's house...

Wait a minute! Weren't you guys planning to do something big for me?! Why does this look like you're going to do it tonight???

"Heh~ It seems Miss Pardofelis was prepared for what I would find out." Fumizuki paused slightly, then changed the subject, "But aren't you afraid I'll get angry by being so blatant this time?"

"Um... of course I'm scared, after all, I don't want to be wanted or anything like that." Hearing this, Pardofelis was a little embarrassed at first, touching her nose, then seemed to perk up as if she had thought of something and said:

"But we still really want that cargo!"

"But don't worry, we'll pay. And after this, we won't... we won't be doing anything big for a while, I promise!"

"Hmm? You really want it? Then why not go find Swire? Is it because of your reputation, like before?" Fumizuki wasn't angry at Pardofelis's words; instead, a hint of curiosity flashed in her eyes as she asked.

Normally, when others wanted to know something, Fumizuki would have to probe and try to get information from them indirectly. But she didn't use that tactic with Pardofelis.

Because she realized it was completely unnecessary; she already knew that the cat in front of her, with its less-than-clean paws, possessed an unusual purity and a carefree personality.

She might not understand if you beat around the bush, so it's better to ask directly. She'll usually just tell you what she can tell you.

"This time it's not... after all, we've already established a connection with you guys. As for why we didn't go to Swire to buy it, let's not even talk about whether we could actually buy it, even if we could, it would be different!" With that, Pardofelis stretched and added, "..."

"One I bought, and the other I sourced through my own abilities! They're different!"

As for why Pardofelis is so fixated on the piano in the Dagu Square, besides the fact that it would have been smashed in the original storyline, but is now safe because of "herself" and she feels it's a pity, she wants to salvage it.

Furthermore, the cat plans to give this piano as a gift to Eden, who is currently still in Lungmen but has already expressed a desire to Eden. After all, one can't keep accepting jewels without reciprocating...

"... Heh~" After hearing Pardofelis's words, Fumizuki was stunned for a moment, then chuckled and said, "I see, it's because of your own persistence."

"However, Miss Pardofelis, are you prepared to pay the price for this perseverance?" Upon hearing this, Fumizuki, though still smiling, instantly underwent a dramatic change in her aura.

Like a sword suddenly drawn from its sheath, its sharpness is aimed directly at the person in front of it.

"Waaaaah! Madam Wen Yue, please don't do that so suddenly! You might scare someone!"

Sensing Fumizuki's sudden change in aura, Pardofelis exaggeratedly screamed, while simultaneously shielding Rope and Griseo, who had been watching the show with a dazed expression, behind her.

"..."