I need to get out of here.
NOW!!!
The bearded man suddenly lunges at me, his thick hand sweeping toward my face like a claw.
Something inside me snaps.
Before I can even think, my body moves entirely on instinct. I twist away with startling speed, ducking low and slipping to the side faster than I should realistically be able to. His filthy fingers scrape through my hair, barely missing my head.
I hear the sharp rush of air.
Then his frustrated snarl.
His hand closes around nothing.
My heart slams wildly against my ribs.
Run.
JUST RUN!
I bolt down the hallway as fast as I can.
"HEY! GET BACK HERE!"
The roar behind me shakes the walls.
"GRAB HER!"
Heavy boots thunder after me almost immediately, pounding against the wooden floorboards with terrifying force. Their ragged breathing echoes through the narrow corridor behind me, accompanied by the nauseating stench of sweat and alcohol.
Don't look back.
Don't look back!!!
I sprint toward my room and practically throw myself through the doorway. The moment I'm inside, I slam the door shut and fumble desperately for the lock. My hands are shaking so badly that I almost miss it.
Click.
BAM!
The entire door jolts violently beneath a massive удар.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The pounding grows louder and more frantic, rattling the hinges hard enough to shake the walls around me.
"OPEN UP, YOU LITTLE BITCH!" one of them bellows from outside.
"COME ON! WE JUST WANNA HAVE SOME FUN!"
BAM! BAM! BAM!
I press my back tightly against the door, struggling to breathe as panic crushes my chest. My heartbeat feels like a trapped bird battering itself against my ribs, while tears blur my vision despite my desperate attempts to stay calm.
I can't let them in.
If this door breaks down, I'm so fucking finished.
Then suddenly—
"HEY! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"
A new voice cuts through the chaos. An angry shout from an angry man.
The pounding stops instantly.
Silence crashes over the hallway so abruptly that it almost feels unreal.
For one suffocating moment, the only sound left is my own uneven breathing.
"Tsk…" one of the men mutters bitterly. "Fucking old man…"
"We weren't doin' nothin'," the other slurs, his voice suddenly trying—and failing—to sound innocent. "Just wanted to introduce ourselves to our new Furren neighbor, that's all…"
"She doesn't want to meet you," the older man growls. His voice is calm, but there's iron beneath it. "And you sure as hell aren't bothering her again."
A tense silence follows.
I barely even dare breathe.
"Now get the hell out of my inn before I throw both of you out myself!" the old man shouts.
Another pause.
Then finally—
"Relax, old man! No need to get worked up!" one of them replies.
A few seconds later, I hear their heavy footsteps retreating down the hallway until the sound gradually fades into the distance.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, I remain completely still.
I can't move.
My back stays pressed tightly against the wood as I struggle to catch my breath, my entire body trembling from the lingering terror. My legs feel weak enough to collapse beneath me at any moment, while every muscle aches from how tense I've become.
Then—
Knock. Knock.
I nearly jump out of my skin, my heart leaping straight into my throat.
But then the old man's voice follows.
"Hey, girl. You alright in there?" His tone is still rough, though much calmer now. "Sorry about that. Those bastards are gone."
I swallow hard, my throat painfully dry.
"I-I'm okay," I manage to say, though my voice comes out weak and shaky.
"Good." The old man lets out a tired grunt. "Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on them. You're safe now."
Safe.
I want to believe that.
God, I really want to believe that.
"Th-thank you," I whisper softly.
"Get some rest, kid."
A moment later, I hear his footsteps slowly retreat down the hallway.
And yet, even after he leaves, I still can't bring myself to move.
My palms remain pressed against the door while my chest rises and falls in uneven breaths. No matter how hard I try, my thoughts refuse to settle down.
The fear clings to me stubbornly, wrapping itself around my body like a second skin.
Still…
At least I'm safe for now.
I think.
****
That was absolutely terrifying.
Now curled up on the floor with my knees pulled tightly against my chest, I squeeze my eyes shut and try desperately to calm myself down.
But I can't.
Because my mind keeps drifting back to the same horrible thought.
If I had been just a little slower…
If they had caught me…
Then what would be happening to me right now?
The thought wraps itself around my mind like choking vines, squeezing tighter and tighter until I can barely breathe. My body trembles uncontrollably, and before I even realize it, tears are already rolling down my cheeks.
SLAP! SLAP!
I smack my own cheeks hard enough to sting, trying to force myself back together.
Man…
Why couldn't I have reincarnated into some luxurious mansion instead? With elegant catgirl maids serving me tea and calling me "master" or something?
Wouldn't that have been nice?
Instead, I'm stuck in this crooked, filthy inn with no idea what I'm supposed to do next, then almost got assaulted by those disgusting creeps within the first hour of arriving in this world.
A violent shiver runs down my spine, and I wrap my arms tighter around myself.
God… I need something. A sign. A tutorial message. A magical cheat ability. Hell, I'd even settle for a rusty sword at this point.
Anything to make this feel less like a nightmare and more like the fantasy adventure it's supposed to be.
Then suddenly—
I pause.
Oh.
Right.
That reminds me.
"STATUS!" I shout immediately, my voice echoing through the tiny room.
"STATUS WINDOW, OPEN!"
"SYSTEM, ACTIVATE!"
Every isekai protagonist gets a system, right? There's always a floating screen or magical interface or something.
I wait expectantly.
…
Nothing happens.
Absolutely nothing.
The room remains silent.
"…Nyaaahhh, I'm so screwed…"
Groaning, I slump back against the wall and bury my face in my hands—only to jolt violently at a sudden sound.
Click.
The door.
Someone is unlocking it from the outside.
My entire body stiffens as panic crashes into me all over again.
Fuck.
Did those bastards come back with another key?
My heart pounds wildly against my ribs while raw terror floods through my body. I don't even stop to think before reacting on instinct.
I snatch up the nearest object—the wooden chair—and scramble backward into the farthest corner of the room. My hands grip the chair so tightly my knuckles ache, while my tail puffs up behind me like an angry cat's.
Slowly, the door creaks open.
A figure steps inside.
And I freeze completely.
------------------
Catgirls fun fact #2:
Catgirls have really good reflexes. They can react and easily dodge incoming arrows.