On the cat's once glossy black fur, several large gashes, clearly visible, were caused by sharp objects.
Perhaps because it was not an ordinary life form, Hikari's healing spells had little effect, only managing to stop the continuous secretion of fluids before making any further progress.
I watched as the small creature lay quietly on my lap, looking up at me. I reached out and gently scratched its neck, helping it block out the pain in its body.
Even so, the cat's condition visibly deteriorated. The bright liquid solidified, forming a dark, blood-like stain on its body, clinging to its soft fur and tangling into clumps. Its usually proud and colorful head now drooped completely in my palm, and the pulse I could feel was no longer as lively and strong as before.
"Could you please explain this to me?" I asked calmly, observing the cat's condition. "Did anything happen before I woke up?"
"Oh, this."
The rabbit, tightly bound to the back of the chair, wriggled as if it wanted to speak, but was immediately interrupted by Miss [Aisha], who had been waiting quietly for a long time: "As someone who witnessed everything, please allow me to recount the cause and course of events."
Clearing her throat slightly, the artist [Aisha], with a hint of weariness, began her statement in a calm and unhurried tone: "This morning, I took [the cat] with me, intending to follow my recent habit and go for a walk in the grove outside the library after finishing my stroll in the hall."
"I really like the environment here. There are no outside disturbances or endless things to think about. The mild climate and the breeze blowing through the grass bring a faint fragrance, which makes me feel peaceful and full of the desire to get close and paint. However, when I passed by a certain room, I noticed that the cat suddenly stopped at the door, as if it was on guard against something."
"It circled around, first meowing at me, then trying to scratch at the door with its paws. Worried that it might damage the building, I quickly prepared to pick it up. But before I could even move it, the rabbit suddenly appeared from the side, chanting 'Get rid of the pests that are near the owner,' and began to unilaterally attack the cat. I felt helpless, because I was just a painter's lingering regret. By the time I finally managed to rescue the cat from danger, it had already suffered and become what it is now."
As she spoke, she even pulled a plain white handkerchief from her bosom and gently wiped her eyes. But her eyes were clearly dry, without a single tear. It was unclear whether it was because Cannan lacked the physiological function of producing tears, or whether she wasn't as heartbroken as she appeared.
"Ahem, um."
A soft cough sounded from the other side. Turning around, I saw the scruffy rabbit, who had somehow managed to break free from its restraints, standing leisurely on the table, bowing respectfully. Its three-lobed lips curled slightly, and even under the gaze of everyone present, it remained completely at ease: "Alright, now give me the time. Everyone's looking at me—I need to explain my actions."
"First of all, this morning, ah, to be precise, around dawn, I received orders from Master Yao that, starting today, I would be responsible for protecting my new master. I thought to myself, I should at least show him some appreciation and try to win his favor, so I took the initiative to stand guard near the door..."
"Why do you need close protection? Mr. Yumi is actually very powerful," Hikari interjected.
"This... even if you ask me, I don't know either." The rascal paused for a moment, then curled his paws in front of his mouth as a cover. "As an excellent personal butler, my lifelong mission is to faithfully carry out my master's orders, even if it means sacrificing my life, I will not even blink an eye."
"Where do dolls get eyes to blink?"—that's what I wanted to say, but to maintain a serious demeanor, I tried my best to keep a blank expression while staring at the rabbit in front of me.
Thank you for your high praise, little idiot. Although I feel a little ashamed, I am very pleased.
Hikari looked surprised, as if she understood something, while the rascal continued her narration: "It was just dawn, and seeing that there was no danger nearby, I went inside..."
"Stop! How did you get in the room?!" I almost jumped off my chair.
Alice, puzzled, stroked the hairs on her ear and said matter-of-factly, "I had the maids who work nearby open the door for me."
"But I clearly remember locking the door before I went to sleep..."
"When have you ever seen a puppet need a key to open a door?" The rabbit gave me a strange look. "Their hands can transform into any small tool they need, so opening the door is a piece of cake, isn't it? After all, they're made of clay."
Okay, I understand. I'll go change the way I close the door. Those puppet maids absolutely can't break the multi-elemental arcane defensive barrier! I don't want to wake up one day to find myself being carried off my bed by these faceless maids; that would leave me with serious psychological trauma! Absolutely!
"Anyway, after entering the house, I also tidied up the things scattered around. Please rest assured, as an excellent butler, it is essential to maintain the master's dignity at all times and to avoid touching forbidden areas. I only tidied up the things that needed to be tidied up, and I didn't intend to touch the rest at all. When you got up, you didn't even notice it, did you? That's the result of the butler's work."
Has it gone astray somewhere...? I silently gazed at Alice's dancing figure, and began to calculate in my heart how many times I should make Hikari punish it.
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