Rumors of Lanchi Spread Throughout the City

"Hey, cats can talk?"

Elsa lowered her head in surprise, looking at the Little Black Cat in her arms.

"Of course! Do you have any idea what tier of spirit cat I am?"

Cat Boss proudly raised its head.

"..."

Lanchi rested one hand on the doorframe and merely looked at it with pity, saying nothing.

That gentle gaze seemed to be telling it—

You really should stop humiliating yourself.

"Meowww, I don't want to talk to you anymore!"

Cat Boss curled into a black ball of coal and whimpered resentfully.

The cat is good, but the human is bad!

"Elsa, is there anything else you wanted to say?"

Lanchi looked at Elsa's face and asked gently.

From the moment he had first met Elsa, he had felt that she seemed hesitant.

"Brother, I heard that you've been getting quite close to the Imperial Special Operations Division lately, becoming their honorary adviser, and that even Duke Dex thinks highly of you. Is that true?"

Elsa hesitated for a moment. A trace of worry showed in her violet eyes before she finally spoke.

Although what she wanted to talk to her brother about most was the change in her body, she somehow couldn't bring herself to say it. She also didn't want to trouble her busy brother, so instead, she voiced the concern she had been keeping bottled up for a long time.

"Yes. It's a rare opportunity that allows me to do my part for the Empire."

Lanchi admitted it openly.

"What's wrong, Elsa? You don't seem to approve."

He bent his back slightly so that their eyes were level, making sure he wouldn't put any pressure on her.

"Brother, I know you've always wanted to serve the Empire, but the Special Operations Division... It's not a simple place, after