Chapter 22: Irreplaceable

"W-w-we, y-y-you should stay out of the capital Boss!" Tarou yelled in a shaky voice. "C-c-cats are barely allowed there. Everyone thinks cats are familiar spirits --instruments of evil," he sputtered almost incoherently. Mina looked at the grey mouse.

With her whiskers sideways, Mina revealed two fangs as if smiling at the vast darkness before her.

'Finally, an adventure!'

"I'll go where my human goes," Mina stated firmly after looking at the area where the general disappeared. She has been dead set on going to the capital, and she wanted to explore more of this world. The danger excited her.

"Observing humans is one way our elders teach us about survival. Humans, they always put themselves first. They are devious creatures! That Luca gave your human a risky idea --using you to sow fear in people's hearts --a devil general!"

'Devil general.'

She loosened her hold on the mouse and sat beside him while crouching down in a relaxed position eager to learn more.

Mina could imagine how easy it would be for the general to gain a reputation as a demon on the battlefield. If she gained his trust enough to accompany him in battles, she would be part of Artha's history.

All statues featuring the general would include her, in all paintings and portraits she will be there standing proud for all future cats to envy. She never heard of Artha in school, but she never paid attention to those excruciatingly long history lectures anyway. It should be somewhere in one of those dusty tomes in the library, Mina reassured herself.

Oblivious to Mina's dreams of greatness, Tarou disturbed her daydreams and continued to warn her.

"People could condemn him along with you. It is dangerous! We still have time to turn back."

"I have faith in my human. He will put my name in history."

"Is fame more important than your survival?" Tarou asked in a series of shocked squeaks.

"Perhaps someday, I will tell you all about it Tarou," Mina replied, her mind still caught up in imagining temples created in her honor.

"But, can't you see, the capital is the one place you should avoid!" Tarou insisted in a voice filled with urgency.

"Have you ever been to the capital? When did you hear about this? Do you actually know how cats are received there?"

"Well, no. I did hear that there were only a handful of cats in the capital, making it a mouse haven. My goal has always been to join my brothers in that kind of paradise," Tarou gushed excitedly before looking at Mina with wide, guilty eyes.

"If you are so glad to finally be on your way to the capital, why are you discouraging me to do the same?" she asked in confusion.

"Because I feel guilty about letting you walk to your death!" Tarou admitted. "I may be a terrible mouse but I have principles." Mina chuckled when she heard Tarou's retort. This cute, chubby mouse talking about how ruthless he could be was too adorable.

"These rumors of yours are unreliable," Mina concluded. Still amused, Mina asked, "Do you have anything else to relay?"

"Your human had a situation with the princess earlier," reported in a resigned voice.

Mina's ears shot up when she heard what the mouse said. 'My human and the princess?' Before she could ask Tarou for clarification, the mouse revealed another piece of information quickly.

"B-b-barca... Barca that guy used to be in love with her too..."

'The princess is on a roll.' Voicing her thoughts, she quickly asked, "Is the general interested in her?"

Tarou seems to have missed her question and went on to spill more details. "Barca, your human, and the princess all come from Covin."

"Covin?"

The mouse answered without being prodded further.

"It's a kingdom in the west -- a mountainous area with the tastiest peaches and melons. It used to be a festive kingdom before Artha conquered the territory. The old emperor conquered the city because of its resources, leaving the citizens with nothing but the clothes on their backs. That's what the people in my village said."

"What is the kingdom like today?"

"Covin's people were known for worshipping animal and forest deities --Artha sees this faith as the work of the devil. After Covin fell, Emperor Katou who ruled Artha then, issued an edict banning all kinds of animal ownership except for cattle, horses, and the like. Covin suffered the greatest damage, almost every family there had a pet. Those people had to slaughter their animals lest they are labeled as devils."

Mina nodded, signaling him to continue.

"Many people in Covin refused. The day the edict was issued, Artha's army spared no one. Covin was filled with dead bodies of all suspected devil worshippers holding their animals close to them. It was impossible to find a street not lined by human corpses and animal carcasses. The army burned temples trapping both humans and animals, but..."

Tarou paused and looked at the black cat as if he blurted out something he shouldn't. Annoyed at the mouse's hesitation, Mina growled at him to continue. Tarou quickly resumed his tale, "they said one temple burned to the ground but people and the cats inside suffered no damage. The army retreated when they saw a black cat emerge from the embers. A deadly disease spread all across Covin followed shortly, killing almost everyone from outside the kingdom."

Mina looked at him with an expression filled with awe and listened intently as Tarou continued. "That's why raising a cat in the empire is illegal unless the animal goes through the purification rites."

Mina had a lot of questions but she ultimately found herself asking, "What did the King of Artha do?"

"Covin was sold by its king. At present, the kingdom has no monarch, only a governor from Artha. The living conditions are far from ideal."

Tarou paused to catch his breath before squeaking. "That's why I'm warning you against minding human affairs! You and him --that's a lethal combination! "

Mina stared at the mouse with amazement. This creature may be unreliable at times but he is the best resource for information about Artha, Tarou was like her Wikipedia in this world.

Who would have thought that a mouse knew everything happening in the empire? Using mice to spy on the enemy would revolutionize warfare. Mina could help but pat Tarou gently, afraid she would make him tremble in fear.

"Tarou, you are amazing!" she exclaimed. Mina gave Tarou another toothy smile while imagining how cats in the future would envy her.

"Good work today. Continue reporting important matters to me."

Finally feeling content for the first time after they were reunited, Tarou continued, "...And Boss. You are not the first cat to shower that human with gifts."

The mouse continued cheekily, obviously trying to sow discord between her and the human, "Cats used to bring him things when he was young. One cat even treated him like a kitten."

Mina grinned. She will find a way to groom her human to be one of the most notable generals in history. In the distant future, everyone will know about him and the cat who played a crucial role in his immense success.

Looking at Tarou, she meowed with conviction.

"I may not be his first or last cat but I will be the irreplaceable cat."

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