"Meow~ (Where did this little trash come from?)"
"..." Tail remained silent, offering only stubborn silence in response.
"Meow~ (Trash, remember to show some respect next time.)" Finding Tail so unamusing, the Phantylia Kitten nestled deeper into Lumina's arms, narrowed its eyes, and resumed napping.
Helping out like this isn't so bad, meow~
Cradled in Lumina's embrace, Phantylia mused to herself.
Lumina's arms were incredibly comfortable—the perfect spot for a nap.
Phantylia changed her mind. Given how comfortable Lumina's arms were, when she eventually escaped her control and turned the tables, she wouldn't kill her. Instead, she would put a collar on her and force her to serve as its humiliating "sleeping bed" forever...
The Phantylia Kitten purred contentedly in Lumina's arms, completely unaware that it had fallen into a gentle trap...
"Just what is this kitten...?" Tail murmured, letting out a sigh of relief as the Phantylia Kitten closed its eyes and snuggled back into Lumina's arms.
The moment the kitten had glanced up, Tail had felt a primal fear grip his soul.
Even Cirrus had never inspired such fear in him...
Judging by his Tail's reaction, only the Flint Emperor or the Heliobus, beings of equal stature, could likely achieve such a feat.
Though this Tail couldn't quite grasp what this "Little Kitten" truly was, it knew one thing for certain: this creature was undoubtedly connected to the Heliobus!
"Aww, this Little Kitten is so cute!" Having recovered from the earlier commotion, Guinaifen finally noticed the kitten in Lumina's arms. Her eyes lit up with admiration, clearly smitten.
"Here, hold her," Lumina said, gently patting the Phantylia Kitten's head, unconcerned whether it was sleeping or not. With a gentle push, she handed the kitten to Guinaifen.
"E-eh, is that okay?"
"She won't bite, right?"
Despite her reservations, Guinaifen cradled the kitten in her arms, stroking its head.
"Meow! (I'm not a Little Kitten!)" Irritated by being treated like a pet, the Phantylia Kitten bristled, its fur standing on end, making Guinaifen's touch rather uncomfortable.
"Don't worry, she's very well-behaved," Lumina reassured her.
"Isn't that right...?"
"Phan—ty—lia."
Though Lumina wore a gentle smile and spoke nothing out of place, the Phantylia Kitten saw this as a naked threat.
If I don't obey, that wretched woman will find some stray cat to play with me!
"Meow... (Wretched woman, just you wait!)"
"Meow, meow, meow! (When I rise again, I'll turn you into a little kitten too, keeping you by my side every day to play with as I please!)"
The Phantylia Kitten swore a mighty oath in its heart, vowing to keep Lumina by its side and relentlessly torment her.
But for now, it had no choice but to cooperate...
The Phantylia Kitten relaxed its body, its bristling fur instantly flattened.
"Meow~"
To further demonstrate its complete lack of defiance, the Phantylia Kitten obediently rubbed its head against Guinaifen's palm, emitting a humiliating meow.
Damn it!
One day, I'll make that wretched woman meow in my ear every day!
Though the Phantylia Kitten maintained its composure on the surface, its heart was already bleeding with shame.
For a Lord Ravager to be forced into a submissive meow... If word got out, I'd be the laughingstock of the realms!
The Phantylia Kitten wasn't afraid of being a cat, but she dreaded the thought of her feline escapades becoming public knowledge.
"So that's how it is," Lumina nodded, a look of understanding spreading across her face as she heard the Phantylia Kitten's inner thoughts.
Meanwhile, the Phantylia Kitten remained cradled in Guinaifen's arms, completely oblivious to Lumina's knowing smile as she continued to be stroked and petted.
Perhaps the Phantylia Kitten had long forgotten that Lumina had warned her from the moment she first imprisoned her: no matter how well she concealed her thoughts, they would always reach Lumina's ears.
Therefore, Lumina had been aware of every single thought the Phantylia Kitten had harbored from beginning to end.
As for why she hadn't acted against her?
Naturally, the Phantylia Kitten's thoughts were far too amusing. Lumina couldn't bear to relinquish such an entertaining treasure to the stray cats for their lewd amusement.
As for the Phantylia Kitten's rebellious desires—her dreams of overthrowing her master and betraying her benefactor—Lumina couldn't care less.
Or rather, if the Phantylia Kitten could actually manage to defeat her, what harm would there be in Lumina obediently following her around for the rest of her life, meowing like a kitten?
Alas, such an outcome was utterly impossible.
For Lumina's plan to tame the Phantylia Kitten was on the verge of success.
Recalling the Phantylia Kitten's earlier, utterly dependent clinging to her embrace, Lumina's lips curled into a villainous grin.
Lumina didn't dwell on Phantylia's affairs. Given her nature as a Lord Ravager, completing her grand scheme would likely take considerable time.
She turned her gaze to Guinaifen and Huohuo. "By the way, what are you two... up to?"
"A circus performance?"
"Oh, that..." Guinaifen paused her cat-stroking, a hint of embarrassment coloring her delicate features. "We're practicing a chest-smashing stunt."
"Just... there was a slight mishap."
The memory of Huohuo's massive hammer swinging down earlier sent a shiver of fear through Guinaifen.
She had never imagined such immense strength could be hidden within Huohuo's petite frame—a force that nearly sent her flying from the Xianzhou Luofu straight to Heaven.
"Hmm... that was a rather 'slight' mishap," Lumina nodded, choosing not to expose Guinaifen's charade.
If Lumina hadn't been there earlier, Guinaifen would likely have been lying here for quite some time.
With the surrounding crowd, Huohuo might even be mistaken for a "murderous culprit" and taken in for interrogation.
Even if she were eventually cleared, Guinaifen's notoriety on the Xianzhou Luofu meant this incident would almost certainly make the news...
Something like: Shocking! Ghost Hunting Squad wreaks havoc in the Inner Harbor! Member Strikes Little Gui, Resulting in Immediate Death! Is This Human Depravity or Moral Decay?!
"Aha ha ha..." Guinaifen's embarrassment resurfaced, deepening. She continued, "We used to perform street acrobatics like this all the time."
"But back then, Sushang was always the one at the bottom..."
"Lately, she's been swamped with Cloud Knight duties, so Huohuo and I came out instead."
"Seeing Sushang remain completely unfazed when the hammer came down, I thought I could handle it too..."
"But I never imagined..." Guinaifen sighed, her gaze falling on Huohuo. "Huohuo's strength is just too great..."
"N-no... it wasn't me! It was... the Tail... the Tail did it! It has nothing to do with... with me!" Sensing Guinaifen's piercing gaze, Huohuo quickly shifted the blame onto Mr. Tail.
Hmm... maybe it wasn't really shifting the blame, since he actually did it.
"Alright, alright, I was wrong, okay? I was wrong, okay?" Mr. Tail, ever the model of admitting one's mistakes, readily confessed to his wrongdoing.
But confessing to one crime only led to judgment for another: "It's all this girl's fault for being such a scaredy-cat! I couldn't stand watching her struggle."
"It's not like I was sending her to some dark, terrifying place to catch ghosts. She couldn't even swing a hammer and smash it down properly!"
"You're still young and don't understand anything. Just wait until you grow up—I'll be watching to see how you handle things then!"
Mr. Tail lectured Huohuo like a stern father.
"Waaah..." Huohuo, knowing Mr. Tail was right, twiddled her tiny fingers, looking utterly pitiful.
"It's alright," Lumina said gently, her maternal instincts overflowing as she gazed at the pitiful Huohuo. "Some things you fear as a child naturally become clearer when you grow up."
She approached Huohuo, knelt down, and gently stroked her head with her palm. Her voice was soft, her tone gentle, and every movement was tender.
This all-encompassing tenderness flowed from Lumina's palm into Huohuo's body, filling her with warmth, comfort, and contentment. It felt like being cradled in her mother's arms again, like being a child once more.
Hmm?
Something felt a little off.
"Um... I'm already an adult."
Despite the warmth, Huohuo couldn't help but raise her hand to correct Lumina's earlier statement.
"But your body doesn't look like an adult at all," Lumina replied, continuing to stroke Huohuo's head. "So, let's think about these things when you're older, okay?"
Does Lumina really not know if I'm an adult or not? Huohuo wondered, squinting her eyes at the warmth spreading through her.
"Then... I guess I'll never become an adult," Huohuo murmured.