Cats Should Act Like Cats

She saw Surtr in the flames.

The Surtr she saw was completely different from usual.

From the lips of the Flame-haired Girl came sharp but deep words.

"Kal'tsit, you Foul-mouthed Lynx..."

His scarlet eyes looked at her as if she were his prey—she instinctively took a step back.

"I've put up with you for far too long!"

The next moment, Flame Tide surged forth!

Chapter 83. A cat should act like a cat.

Miss Surtr kept thinking before taking action.

—To what extent?

—At what point will you stop?

—And...what exactly should I do?

Should I hurt her?

No, even the slightest physical harm inflicted on her or Kal'tsit would still break his heart. After all, the Foul-mouthed Lynx was just that—foul-mouthed. Kal'tsit had never been lax in her cooperation, and as for holding him back—well, there's no point in talking about that. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. If you consider 'messing things up and requiring extra work' as holding someone back, then he's been held back far more often than not.

—I couldn't stand it anymore because of Kal'tsit's attitude towards me. Why? What did I do to deserve this? Out of all the people on Rhodes Island, why is she singled out for me?

—I don't remember offending her at all. And even if something like that did happen, couldn't we just lay it all out and say it directly? If it was truly my fault, I would naturally apologize, make amends, and repay the debt. Instead of getting stuck here like this, making me... and uncomfortable!

The flames burned silently, yet the emotions surging within her were exceptionally high. At the moment she made her move, Miss Surtr could clearly sense the sudden movement of people within a radius of several hundred meters. And she didn't need to think much to know that for the foreseeable future, no one would disturb her, no matter what she did.

Persephone knew what was happening here; it was only natural. This entire mobile city held no secrets from her. She could appear anywhere in this city at any time, doing whatever the laws of nature permitted, whenever she wished.

She wasn't there, so her will was tacit—she used various reasons, coincidences, and unexpected events to transfer all the surrounding personnel away. This meant she was prepared to eliminate any potential problems and take responsibility for whatever she might do in the future.

—Indeed, once they are not in a hostile or even neutral position, Persephone becomes exceptionally reliable.

—After this, I should thank her properly.

The shift in her emotions was completed in microseconds. What came into view was the empty corridor and Kal'tsit's aloof figure—her emerald eyes, sharp and cold as she turned away. Even as flames engulfed her, the lynx seemed to consider herself the victor.

'Whose time are you trying to waste this time?'—This emotion seemed to be revealed in her emerald eyes.

The next moment, rage engulfed Miss Surtr's heart. With a series of explosions, all the doors and windows in the corridor shattered. A blazing red flame tore through the walls and shot into the sky, leaving behind only a vast, irreparable, empty ruin.

'Bang—'

An explosion and a crimson flash came from outside the window. Amid the commotion, Amiya, who had been busy from night to day and battling numerous documents from dawn to dusk, tilted her head in confusion—her vision was blurred, and she could only vaguely see a bright red patch appearing on the other side of the window.

"Hmm... what happened?" The young Little Rabbit rubbed her eyes and reached for what was probably her sixth cup of coffee of the day—perhaps because she was too focused, she couldn't grasp the handle even after several attempts. Then—

She heard the soft sound of the bottom of the cup scraping against the table. And her fingertips successfully touched the warm cup.

"Thank you..." Although she didn't know who it was, she still thanked them first. After drinking half a cup of warm coffee, her body warmed up and she regained her energy, and her vision cleared up.

She saw the helping hand appear before her.

"Doctor!?" The Little Rabbit was overjoyed and tried to stand up, but the anemia caused by sitting for too long made her dizzy the moment she stood up—she exclaimed and was about to fall, but the next second, the slender hands from Persephone firmly supported her and the coffee cup in her hand.

"You've been busy for a long time, take a break." Persephone's voice was the same as always, without any change or inflection. But the Little Rabbit seemed to be able to detect some concern in it, so much so that as soon as it steadied itself, a silly smile appeared on its lips.

"Hehehe, Doctor, you've really worked hard. All the documents here have been approved by you, Doctor." Amiya didn't refuse and stood up with Persephone. She moved her body a little, and immediately became energetic again. Even the pointed ears on her head stood up and bounced around energetically.

Her gaze inadvertently drifted to the spot outside the window that had been glowing red. Then—

She saw streaks of red light rise from the ground, shoot into the sky, and burst into countless sparks and fireworks.

"This is...?"

"Saint Helena Memorial Day in Ursus," Persephone said calmly, helping Amiya toward the window. "This holiday hasn't been celebrated for a long time; it's a tradition abandoned by Chernobog. But I thought that holding a small celebration at this time would help the people in this city release the fear and anxiety that have accumulated in their hearts. So I've allocated some resources to let everyone relax."

"Especially you, Amiya. Staying in a city rife with unease must be a heavy burden for you."

She saw the Little Rabbit beside her and her eyes lit up.

"I'm alright, Doctor." The Little Rabbit gazed at the sky ablaze with color from the fireworks, listening to the city's hustle and bustle and the joy that filled the air. She breathed softly, her tense nerves relaxing slightly. "But... well, Doctor, you're right. Just sitting here, I can feel how tense and scared everyone is, so I can't help but want to do something for them..."

"That's why you're working overtime here." Persephone reached out and patted the head of the Little Rabbit, who was about the same height as him. "But now, you no longer have to bear this heavy responsibility—you don't have to worry about the noise of the celebration and the explosions of fireworks causing hysteria among the local residents. With me here, everything will be fine."

"Mmm... Doctor, you're the best." The Little Rabbit nestled against her shoulder, nuzzling her, its breathing and heartbeat gradually becoming calm and long. "It's such a pity... the emotions outside are so complicated. I can't sense Doctor Kal'tsit anymore. Otherwise, I could..."

Her voice grew weaker, and her body gradually relaxed.

Then--

A faint sound rang in Persephone's ear.

"Doctor... do you want to kill me now?"

Persephone remained expressionless, quietly watching the magnificent fireworks at the edge of the sky. Among the many colorful sparks and fragments, only one streak of crimson stood out.

"There was some yesterday, but not today. After all, I didn't die today." — And I've found other ways to deal with this problem.

"Really? That's wonderful..." The voice became even lighter, and within that lightness was a hint of reassurance. "But if Doctor, one day you can't hold back anymore, please... don't hesitate."

The Little Rabbit's voice disappeared. The poor girl, who had worked two days and one night shift, finally had time to rest. So Persephone carried her and put her back on the bed in the break room. As she covered Amiya with the blanket and was about to turn and leave, she saw Theresia's reflection in the dressing mirror.

The pink-and-white Princess made a face at her, but she pretended not to see it. Someone could talk to this guy, communicate with him, and have no effect whatsoever. But she, Persephone, couldn't do the same.

And that pinkish-white thing must have known the limits of her abilities and her strong self-control, which is why it was causing trouble around her at this time and in this place.

Boring.

She didn't respond, but she 'accidentally' broke the doorknob of the lounge, just like breaking a rib.

Then the obstructive figure in the mirror let out a silent scream and vanished without a trace.

The door-changing drone flew over quickly.

Before that, she had already found a better place to sit. Then, she gazed into the distance—and incidentally prepared some sour food for herself.