Kays Translations

Chapter 11: A Very Big Secret

Author note:

Horse = approx. 50 kg at birth ▶︎ 400 kg for Arab species

Tiger = about 1 kg at birth▶︎100-300 kg

Henry = 78 kg (190 cm tall)

In the previous story, I was unsure if I should compare the giant cat to a horse or a tiger, so I compared it to a pony.

***

　What emerged from the darkness resembled a black leopard, but it wasn’t. Its face was like a cat’s.

　When the cat spoke to me, my first thought was, “This is indeed a land of swords and magic. There is a big cat that can talk, too.”

　I don’t know much about this country, after all.

“Cat, did you just speak?”

“Yes, I did. Please don’t take those clothes with you. I’ll end up walking around naked when I turn back into a human.”

　Back to human?

　Although I didn’t recognize the cat’s voice, I did recognize the tone of its voice. Mr. Henry’s clothes, a cat speaking in his tone. These two things finally connected, and my mouth dropped open. I stared at the black cat for a long time.

Illustration by Mitemin

I came to myself and closed my mouth before speaking to the cat.

“Did you…”

“I’m afraid so. It’s Henry Howler. Please don’t take those clothes.”

“Okay. I won’t take it with me, but ……. Mr. Henry, why are you a cat?　Is that normal?”

 “It’s not normal at all. Mai, you’re not scared at all.”

“That’s because it’s you, Mr. Henry.”

　The huge black cat stepped closer to me out of the darkness and sighed a truly human sigh, “Haaah.”

“It will take me a long time to tell you how I came to be like this. In time I will return to my human form, so please leave me be. You don’t want to be faced with a naked man when I return to normal, do you?”

“I don’t want to see you naked, Mr. Henry, but that, you will be able to return to normal, won’t you?”

“Maybe… I can go back.”

　This is the first time I’ve ever seen a cat that looked so unsure.

“Maybe?　So you might not be able to go back?”

“I haven’t looked like this since I was five.”

“Then I will leave after making sure you’re back to normal. It would be a big problem if you didn’t.”

“That’s right. ……”

　From there, we were both silent. I would’ve loved to keep looking at Mr. Henry, the big cat, but he seems to be in a really unwilling situation. I felt sorry for him, or rather, for the cat him, to be looking at him. So I decided to squat down next to him, facing forward and talk.

“Can you tell me what’s going on until you turn back into a human? I can’t believe it’s real that you’ve turned into a cat. Hmm? Am I dreaming because I lack too much of cat nutrients?”

“Cat Nutrients?　No, it is not a dream. It is reality. The circumstances are complicated so I can’t tell you everything, but I can give you the gist of it.”

“Just to the point, please.”

　I was surprised to hear Henry the cat’s story, as I was not familiar with this world.

“The beastmen live on the Old Continent, which is far away across the sea. There are almost no beastmen on this new continent. My mother is a cat-type beastman. I am a child born between a beastman and a human, which is said to be a rare occurrence. If people found out I was half beastman, I would lose my job as a civil servant, and my adoptive family would lose face.”

　Did Henry’s mother disappear from the man she was dating’s life after she became pregnant because she was a beastman?　And even then, would she lose her job or her reputation?　Is being a beast a bad thing?

“I have many questions about what you just told me, but the biggest question is why you became a cat now when you haven’t been one since you were five years old.”

“I don’t know either. I felt something like an unusual fever welled up inside me and I began to transform, so I rushed outside and immediately turned into this form.”

“What triggered it?”

“I had a premonition of the transformation when I heard …… you and your friend talking.”

　The big black cat is downhearted.

　I know it is inappropriate at a time like this, but he is so cute. I want to stroke his drooping back and comfort him by saying, “It’s okay, it’s okay, cheer up.” I want to touch it so badly!

　But this is Mr. Henry, who looks like a cat. I clenched my itching hands tightly and held back.

“I’m sorry for making you worry, Mai.”

“I am here because I want to be here, so don’t worry about it. Everyone has some secret that they want to keep hidden.”

“Everyone?　Even you, Mai-san?”

“I have a big secret, a big secret that rivals yours, Mr. Henry.”

　In my case, I’m in a situation where there’s not much I can tell people.

“I have a secret that is beginning to become too much for me to bear alone. Now that I know your big secret, shall I tell you one of mine?　Or is there no need to tell you one?”

“If it would make you feel better if I asked you, Mai, would you be willing to tell me your secret?”

“Okay. Please wait a moment. Ah, there it is.”

　I went through my pockets and pulled out the store keys. I held the key between my two hands and quickly gripped it with my left hand before placing both fists in front of Mr. Henry the cat.

“I have a very big secret and a rather big secret. If you guess which hand contains the key, , I’ll tell you the very big secret. If you can’t guess, I’ll tell you the pretty big secret.”

“Aren’t they both big secrets? Are you sure I should ask?”

“I also found out about your secret, Henry. Besides, a secret is something you can’t complain to anyone about, and you can’t discuss it with anyone, can you?　I have too many things I want someone to listen to.”

　The big black cat approached me. The more I looked at it, the bigger it seemed. If I didn’t know it was Mr. Henry, I would have been scared. But it was graceful and beautiful. Mr. Henry has a handsome face, but this cat is also a beautiful cat. It has shiny black fur, and because it is dark, its pupils are round and cute. His black whiskers are sticking out. Oh, I want to touch it. I want to pet it.

“Are you sure it’s okay for me to ask that? I can guess.”

“Please go ahead. If there’s anyone I could tell a secret to, it would be you, Henry, who has just let out such a secret.”

“May I smell your hand?”

“Sure.”

　Cat Henry puts his nose close to my fist and twitches his nose, which seems moist and wet. Damn, he is so cute!

“Over here.”

　Saying this, he touches my left hand with his paw. His big paws were soft. I opened both hands and showed him the key.

“Bingo. You can tell by the smell.”

“The smell of iron is easy to detect.”

"Since you were right, I’ll tell you a very big secret, but do you think you’re changing back to being human yet? My story is going to take quite some time."

“I don’t even know when I’ll be able to go back ……. I’m feeling pretty anxious right now.”

“Then why don’t you come over to my house and listen to it by the fire until you change back?”

　Henry the cat looked lost, his emerald eyes darting from side to side. I waited patiently for a reply, and he nodded.

“Please.”

“Then let’s go!”

　I can’t help it if my voice got a little excited. Because I’m finally inviting a cat into my home. And it’s a talking, super-sized cat. Isn’t this the best of the best?

　Henry the cat is graceful in the way he walks. Come to think of it, I remember how smooth and beautiful he looked when he ran. Maybe that’s because he’s half cat.

　Even though it was an emergency for Henry, I almost grinned. I walked, biting my back teeth to keep from grinning. I chose a street with as few pedestrians as possible. As soon as we left the downtown area, the night road became dark, and the black cat blended into the darkness and was not noticeable. I’m glad there is no moon in this world.

　We entered the house and I build a fire in the fireplace. Henry got so close to the fireplace that his whiskers were almost burnt, and he started purring. He seemed to realize that he was purring halfway through, and when he stopped purring, he glanced at me.

“Please. Purr as much as you like. I’m replenishing my cat nutrients.”

“Cat nutrients……”

“Would you like some hot tea?　Oh, tea is not good for cats, is it?”

“No, thank you. Even though I look like a cat, I’m still a human being. Even in this form, I don’t eat mice.”

“I see.”

　I put Mr. Henry’s clothes, which I had carried, on a chair so they wouldn’t get wrinkled, and brewed tea in the kitchen. It is always a good idea to transfer that tea to another cup to lower the temperature. Mr. Henry has a sensitive tongue.

“Here you go. Here’s your tea. It’s ready to drink.”

“Thank you for the tea. I am sorry, but could you please not watch me drink it?”

　I hurriedly turned my back. Behind me, I could hear the sound of tea being drunk.

 “That’s enough. It was delicious. Now let’s hear your secret, Mai-san.”

“Yes, I will tell you, but first, can I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead.”

“Did you take your clothes off by yourself?”

“Yes, I did. If I were to turn into this figure while still wearing my clothes, I wouldn’t be able to undo the buttons or belt. And I would be stuck in my clothes.  I quickly took them off so I could get away quickly if someone saw me.”

“Henry-san, you are very calm even in an emergency situation. You are indeed an able civil servant. Now it’s my turn to tell you a secret.”

　With that, I sat down next to Mr. Henry.

There is a cautious side to me that thinks, "Is it okay to tell him my secret?" and a side that wants someone to listen, thinking, "I'm tired of keeping this secret alone. I want to confide my secret to him and have someone to talk to when I'm feeling down. Besides, I know I can trust you, Henry."

　I sat cross-legged next to Henry, and while sitting next to him looking at the flames in the fireplace, I confessed.

“I’m not from this world.”

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