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"Stay steady. Don't panic."
Seeing the Angel wobble like she was about to fall, Blake reacted instantly, reaching out and catching her in his arms just before she hit the ground.
Thud.
The bicycle tipped over, its wheels still spinning.
"Phew…"
Mahiru Shiina lay against Blake's chest, letting out a shaky breath of relief.
"That was really close…"
But as soon as the danger passed, embarrassment rushed in to take its place.
"P-please put me down…"
Her voice came out small and flustered.
"Sorry." Blake remained calm as he gently set her back on her feet. "It's normal to fall when you're just learning. No need to stress. At the rate you're going, you'll be riding on your own in a few days."
"Thanks, Mr. Blake… but let's stop here for today." Mahiru took a deep breath, pressing a hand to her chest. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, the tips of her ears already tinged red. "Let's practice again tomorrow evening."
"Sounds good."
…
A few days passed in the blink of an eye.
Over the next several days, Blake spent his afternoons going to the mall with Yanami to challenge the mirror maze, earning a handful of hot spring vouchers. In the evenings, he went to the park with the Angel to practice cycling.
By now, Mahiru Shiina had successfully learned how to ride and could take to the streets on her own.
As for Yamada Elf, she was still sneaking out every day while invisible to gather material, apparently with zero intention of going back to school.
Before long, it was Friday.
Lunchtime.
Blake was in the classroom eating his bento when his phone suddenly buzzed.
He glanced at the message. The sender was none other than the wealthy Mrs. Suzuki, the one they had helped find a cat for last week.
"Mr. Blake, are you free this afternoon?"
He immediately set down his chopsticks and asked what was going on.
Turns out, a neighbor of Mrs. Suzuki had lost her cat. After hearing about Blake and Black Cat's "bounty hunter duo," she wanted to hire them as well. The reward this time was 500,000 yen.
Blake didn't hesitate. "No problem. We'll head over after school."
Birds of a feather really do flock together. Rich people's neighbors were rich too.
Mrs. Suzuki replied, "Please come today if you can. Ever since you discovered someone abusing cats in the mountains last time, I warned my neighbors to stay alert. But that monster has only gotten worse. This time, they dumped a tortured, dead cat at the foot of the mountain… Please find the missing cat as soon as possible, or it might fall victim too."
After ending the chat, Blake immediately messaged Goko Ruri.
"Ruri, don't leave after school. Darkness has struck again."
The message was read almost instantly.
"Another job?"
"Yeah. The reward is 500,000 yen."
"…That's a lot of money!"
After explaining the situation, Ruri agreed without hesitation.
If you're not eager to make money, something's wrong with your mindset.
…
School ended in the blink of an eye.
Blake grabbed his bag and dashed out, heading to the school gate, where a long-haired girl dressed in black was already waiting.
After a quick exchange, the two boarded a train, transferred to the subway, and headed straight for Mount Takao.
They didn't talk much along the way.
Once they arrived, they stopped by a convenience store to buy cat treats and canned food, then started climbing the mountain in search of their "part-time cats."
"Haah… haah…"
Before long, the girl's breathing grew uneven again.
"Careful, Ruri," Blake said. "Try not to fall this time."
Ruri's cheeks flushed slightly. "I am the Black Cat of the Night… I won't make the same mistake twice!"
Since it was a weekday, there weren't many hikers. The two made their way up the mountain, and after a while, they finally spotted a stray cat that looked familiar.
"Meow, meow."
Ruri hurried over to communicate.
The orange stray seemed to remember them from last week. Tempted by food, it agreed to help again, becoming a temporary "worker cat."
After settling on a price, the orange cat quickly rounded up a few companions. Once Blake paid a deposit, the cats scattered in all directions.
Twenty minutes later, the orange cat emerged from the bushes, meowing urgently.
"We've got something." Ruri's eyes lit up as she stood, but soon her brows knit together. "That cat… doesn't sound like it's in good shape."
Blake picked up his bag. "Let's go see first."
"Okay…"
They followed the orange cat deeper into the forest, off any marked path.
"Haah… haah…"
Not even three minutes in, Ruri was struggling to catch her breath again.
Blake looked at the steep slope ahead, a bad feeling creeping into his chest. He extended his right hand.
"Just to be safe… want to hold my hand?"
"I am the Black Cat of the Night, one who traverses endless worlds. Why would I need help climbing a mere hill—"
She started to refuse, but when her gaze fell on the wound on Blake's forehead, she hesitated. In the end, she grabbed his hand, cheeks burning.
"It's only because the burden of fate is too heavy… not because I lack exercise."
Sure. Keep telling yourself that.
Hand in hand, they struggled up the slope until they reached a shaded path.
And then they saw it.
A Siamese cat lay by the roadside, its body mangled and lifeless—exactly the missing cat from the photo.
"H-how could this…" Ruri's face went pale as she tightened her grip on Blake's hand. "To treat a cat so cruelly… that's pure evil!"
Blake frowned and silently pulled out his phone, calling the cat's owner.
…
A short while later, a mother and her young daughter rushed over. The girl, only seven or eight, burst into tears at the sight of the cat, clutching its body and insisting on taking it to a vet.
The mother wiped her tears, trying to comfort her while pleading with Blake and Ruri for help.
They followed quietly, escorting them down to a pet clinic at the foot of the mountain.
The attending doctor was a middle-aged man with glasses, looking gentle and refined. The name on his white coat read "Sao Kazuto." He took the cat with a pained expression, offering soft words of comfort to the mother and child.
But in the corner, Ruri suddenly grabbed Blake's hand.
"What's wrong?"
Seeing her pale face, Blake lowered his voice.
"I… I just heard the other cats talking…" Ruri took a deep breath, then leaned up to whisper in his ear. "The strays in the clinic said they saw it with their own eyes… that doctor, Sao…"
"…is the one abusing the cats."
"....."