Chapter 3: The Apprentice Magus and Her Feline Companion

The morning cat food consisted of a small amount of goat’s milk and fresh chicken.

The chicken had been meticulously shredded into small, delicate strips, making it easy for a kitten to eat. Mixed with the goat’s milk, it exuded an inexplicable aroma.

Evidently, this breakfast had been prepared with the utmost care.

‘But would anyone actually like this smell?’

The black cat guarded the food bowl, glaring with hostility at the drooling, panting dog before him. ‘Go away! Get out! Don’t you dare touch my breakfast!’

“Woof?!” The dog looked at the black cat with an aggrieved expression, letting out a mournful whine.

‘Go! Just go away! You’re already fat enough! Don’t even think about my breakfast!’

“Woof…”

‘Go! Get lost! If you don’t leave, I’ll hit you! I really will hit you!’ The black cat threatened the dog with utmost seriousness.

“Woof…”

Just as the two faced off, the tension thick and the battle on the verge of erupting, the blonde girl walked in through the doorway. “Gasla~ You can’t eat Rinna’s food, you know. Rinna is growing right now, so you can’t snatch it from him.”

‘Exactly! The litter-scooper is right! Try to steal it again, and you’ll be dragged out.’

“Woof…” The dog tilted their head, looking at the human girl with a wronged expression.

“Alright, alright, Gasla is a good child too.”

The dog whimpered softly, tucked their tail, and lay down under the table, though their eyes remained fixed on the black cat.

‘That’s more like it. Why bother trying to steal my breakfast?’ Seeing the dog retreat, Votila contentedly prepared to eat.

However, the food bowl was moved.

Votila looked displeased, letting out a few growls at the girl who had moved his bowl. ‘What are you doing?! Are you going to let me eat in peace or not?!’

The girl crouched down and extended her palm towards the black cat. “Rinna, shake hands.”

‘What does that mean?’ Votila stared at the serious-faced girl, not understanding what this lass was trying to convey.

The girl wiggled her palm. “Rinna, give me your paw. I’ll feed you after you learn to shake hands.”

‘Is this lass crazy? A mere human trying to tame a dragon?’ Votila ignored the hand entirely, simply walking around the girl towards his breakfast.

*Snap!* The cat’s food bowl was covered by a lid.

The girl remained serious. “Rinna, paw!”

‘Is she trying to force me into submission with food?!’ Votila felt a surge of anger. ‘Why are you so obsessed with shaking hands, you stinky lass!’

“Rinna, paw out,” the girl urged again, her expression still serious.

‘Fine, you win!’ Votila decisively placed his paw on the girl’s hand.

‘It’s just extending a paw! You despicable human, to use food as blackmail.’

“Good boy~” The girl stroked Votila’s head with satisfaction.

***

In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed since Votila reawakened in this world.

He had gradually grown accustomed to living in his current feline body, experiencing a similarly calm, aimless existence, yet it felt entirely different from his time as a dragon.

This was because he now had a mischievous dog and a nominal litter-scooper by his side.

The girl who adopted Votila was named Mulee Hua Apocalys, an apprentice magus. Her mother had died young, and her father, a high-ranking magus, had ventured deep into the forest years ago and never returned. Later, someone brought back his belongings.

After her father’s passing, Mulee Hua and her younger brother went to a magic academy in a nearby large city to study magic. However, for unknown reasons, Mulee Hua later dropped out.

Returning to the small town alone, Mulee Hua ran a small alchemy workshop, which, of course, had been left behind by her and her brother’s father.

But with her father gone, the small workshop was practically half-abandoned, and customers were scarce, as the girl was only an apprentice magus, not even a formal one.

Fortunately, the townspeople were very supportive of the young girl. Members of the militia stationed at the village entrance often came to purchase basic alchemical items. Combined with the savings left by her parents, the girl managed to scrape by.

As for the girl’s younger brother, Votila had not seen him appear once in the past month. However, whenever the girl mentioned him, a hint of sadness would invariably surface on her face.

Votila, being just a cat, could not yet comprehend human emotions.

***

After breakfast, Votila stretched contentedly. A new day had begun with a perfect start, far more comfortable than his previous life as a dragon, exposed to the elements.

‘So, what should I do today?’ The black cat pondered this just as he saw the blonde girl walking towards him.

‘Hmm? Is there new work today?’ Votila tilted his head. He remembered now; he had indeed received a new commission yesterday.

The girl gently stroked the kitten’s small head, then extended her hand in front of him. “Let’s go, Rinna, time to work.”

‘Alright! Let’s go to work.’ Votila happily climbed up the girl’s arm and settled on her shoulder.

Votila was quite interested in the girl’s work; it was one of his few hobbies. His interest stemmed from a deep curiosity about human technology and knowledge.

The girl’s primary task was to use the magic-powered alchemy furnace in the workshop to create alchemical items.

***

A small three-story building near the southwest corner of the town was Mulee Hua’s home. The first floor of the building had been converted into a shop, while the second and third floors were private living quarters.

The shop displayed various armors and weapons. Upon closer inspection, one would notice a small, subtle mark in inconspicuous corners of the finished products—a delicate flower-and-leaf motif, the crest of the Apocalys family.

These were all works from Mulee Hua’s father. Of course, the shop also contained many more alchemical materials like ores and magic crystal cores.

Mulee Hua’s alchemy workshop was located in the basement of this three-story building.

Today’s work was to be carried out in the basement alchemy workshop.

Votila was the first to run to the entrance of the alchemy workshop, letting out a “Meow” as he waited for the girl to open the door.

The basement entrance also served as the workshop’s entrance. A steel door made of an unknown alloy sealed it, requiring the girl’s personal key to open. The workshop had no other entry points; this was the sole way in.

“Rinna. You’re so impatient.”

Mulee Hua arrived at the basement door, pulled a silver key from her clothes, inserted it into the keyhole of the heavy metal door, and gently twisted.

She could hear the internal mechanism turning. *Click*, and the heavy metal door opened by itself.

A faint waft of cool air emerged from behind the door, giving a chilling sensation. Beyond the door, a descending escalator plunged into darkness, its full extent unseen.

“Let’s go, Rinna,” Mulee Hua said, leading the way down.

Votila did not hesitate, immediately following her.

As the girl and the cat descended the escalator into the basement, the entire workshop’s lighting system activated on its own.

Dazzling magic-powered light tubes transformed the previously dark basement into a space as bright as day, revealing a rugged, industrial masterpiece of steel.

Truth be told, the first time Votila came to this alchemy workshop, he too felt a touch of awe at the sight before him.

The entire basement seemed to have been transformed into a steel jungle, with reinforced walls cast from metal all around.

At the very center of the workshop stood the magic-powered alchemy furnace—a colossal steel drum, nearly five meters in diameter and two meters tall.

Its surface was embedded with numerous multicolored crystals.

Surrounding the steel drum, an intricate labyrinth of crisscrossing steel pipes formed a profound and complex maze, with countless transparent crystal tubes clinging to the steel framework like vines.

It resembled a sprawling steel beast, exuding a wild, untamed aura, seemingly chaotic yet meticulously organized.

Around the alchemy furnace lay a myriad of strange instruments, tools, and bookshelves.

These were all the fruits of Mulee Hua’s father’s labor, especially the central magic-powered alchemy furnace, which was his life’s masterpiece.

Votila considered himself to have some understanding of human alchemy, believing its essence to be nothing more than the simple “analysis, decomposition, and reconstruction” of matter.

However! The array of objects before him completely surpassed Votila’s knowledge and comprehension. It was then that Votila realized just how little he truly knew about humans.

Each time he saw the colossal steel monster in the center of the workshop, Votila couldn’t help but marvel at human creativity.

It was precisely because of this that Votila was now immensely interested in human knowledge and technology.

At that moment, Mulee Hua walked directly to the alchemy furnace and activated its main switch.

Votila knew the girl was about to begin her work. He immediately scurried up, gripping her skirt, and climbed onto her shoulder, watching her prepare.

Throughout the girl’s work, Votila remained quietly perched on her shoulder, observing her skilled operations at the alchemy furnace’s control panel.

First, she added raw crystal ore into the furnace, then typed a dizzying sequence of programs into the main control panel of the alchemy furnace…

Votila couldn’t understand what the girl was inputting into the alchemy furnace’s control panel; he was unfamiliar with human runes and magical programs. Yet, this did not prevent him from appreciating her smooth, fluid movements.

As Mulee Hua operated it, the mechanical components around the alchemy furnace began to whir and click. The entire magic-powered alchemy furnace roared like a wild beast, emitting a low, growling sound.

After a series of dazzling operations that left Votila bewildered, half an hour passed, and Mulee Hua’s task for the day was finally complete. The girl used metal tongs to retrieve the items from the alchemy furnace.

They were five transparent, greenish crystal chips, each about the size of a human finger and as thick as a fingernail.

Upon closer inspection, one could discern swirling vortexes, like miniature tornadoes, flowing within them. A pure magical energy could be felt emanating from them.

Carefully placing the transparent crystal chips into a small, padded box, and then tucking the box into a small black pouch, the girl let out a relieved laugh. “Commission complete.”

Votila recalled that the commission order had stated “Wind Crystal Scrolls.” The price was five hundred silver coins; for comparison, one silver coin could buy two baguettes outside.

“Rinna~” Mulee Hua gently stroked the black cat’s head on her shoulder. “Let’s go, we’re going to deliver it.”

‘Deliver it? To that militia group, right? Does that mean we’re going out?’ Votila thought.