My lady becomes a cat -First Half
"Hehehehe..."
Inside a room at the Duke's mansion, which served as a magical workshop, Isabella stirred a bubbling, eerie-colored liquid in a large cauldron, wearing a mischievous smile.
"Last time, I made mistakes, but I won't repeat them."
Taking the lessons learned from the previous chaotic incident into account, the room was now neatly organized. There was no chance of unintended materials getting mixed in. Most of the necessary ingredients were already in the cauldron, and now it was time for the final touches.
"Now, with this..."
To add the final ingredient, Isabella briefly stepped away from the cauldron and approached a shelf along the wall. She grabbed a potted plant placed there and casually plucked its leaves, pulling them out with a swift motion.
"Gaahhhh!"
As soon as the plant was uprooted from its pot, a piercing scream echoed through the room.
It was a plant-like magical creature with a humanoid root structure, a Mandragora. Its scream, filled with magical energy, directly attacked the minds of those who heard it, capable of causing death.
"Oh my, no matter how much you scream, it's useless."
But Isabella, who should have been close enough to hear the cries of impending death, remained calm and wore a smirk.
For Isabella, a practitioner of wind magic, sound-based attacks posed little threat. The wind barrier she had cast in advance completely blocked out any surrounding noise, ensuring that the screams couldn't reach Isabella.
With its only means of attack sealed, this Mandragora had become nothing more than a mere ingredient.
"...By the way, it's much redder than what I saw in books."
After neutralizing the threat, Isabella closely examined the Mandragora, which made her tilt her head slightly in response to a subtle difference.
The Mandragora she had read about in books should have had white roots, but the one before her, screaming, had roots as red as blood.
What could this possibly mean?
".....Well, I suppose there can be variations."
For a moment, the thought crossed her mind that she might have obtained a defective specimen. However, aside from the color, the other characteristics matched what Isabella knew. Therefore, she decided not to dwell on it and proceeded to use it as an ingredient for her pot.
"What? Hold on!"
"Gyaaaah!"
"Eep!?"
As Isabella shifted her focus from the Mandragora in her hand to the pot, the previously screaming Mandragora suddenly began to flail its limbs and thrash about.
Startled by the unexpected turn of events, Isabella accidentally let go of it. The Mandragora, now unrestrained, made agile movements and leaped toward her.
Isabella ended up on the receiving end of a powerful flying kick to her face, which sent her tumbling backward, colliding headfirst with a wall shelf.
The impact caused the shelf to collapse, burying Isabella beneath a pile of materials.
"What the heck, you darn monster!"
Despite taking quite a hit, Isabella quickly cleared the materials and crawled out.
It appeared that she had completely lost her temper after the earlier attack, as she wore a twisted smile with a visible vein throbbing on her forehead.
"Seriously, what's going on? Mandragoras aren't supposed to attack like that, are they?"
Mandragoras were renowned magical creature ingredients used for crafting potent potions. Their characteristics were widely known. However, Isabella had never heard of Mandragoras launching attacks like this before.
"Settle down, you!"
"Gyaaaah!"
However, since it was actually attacking, Isabella couldn't just stand there and do nothing.
An enraged Isabella extended her right hand forward, and the magical gem on her ring sparkled.
Numerous invisible blades of wind were unleashed, but the Mandragora deftly avoided them using its thin limbs.
Normally, it shouldn't have been able to move on its own since it was buried underground. However, this Mandragora displayed remarkable agility, as seen in its previous flying kick.
"This... is so elusive!"
"Gyaaaah!"
Once again, the gem on the ring sparkled, and the Mandragora evaded the released blades. The blades missed their target, blowing away a line of shelves in a straight path and scattering valuable materials that had been neatly arranged.
The released blades, the dodging Mandragora, and the high-quality materials being blown about.
The room, which had been meticulously organized just moments ago, quickly turned into a chaotic scene with countless materials scattered all around.
"Don't you fool me around!"
Without a care, Isabella continued to unleash magic, causing a level of destruction akin to tearing the room apart.
Isabella was completely carried away by her emotions. But did she remember what she had been doing just moments ago?
The pot that had been left in the center of the room started shaking with an unpleasant rattling sound, as if it had a mind of its own. Potion mixing was an extremely delicate process that required precise control of even the slightest magical fluctuations. However, the relentless spells Isabella was casting had thrown the room's magic into turmoil, causing the magic of the potion to spiral out of control.
"Oh no!"
"Gyaaaah!"
"Eeep!?"
Isabella finally noticed the out-of-control pot, but her opponent wasn't one to give her any respite. In the split second her attention wavered, she received a spectacular flying kick to the back of her head from the Mandragora, and her body went crashing into the pot.
The pot, on the verge of a meltdown, couldn't withstand the impact...
"Oh..."
Isabella involuntarily let out a silly-sounding voice, but it was already too late. Immediately afterward, a deafening explosion rocked the room.
◇◆◇◆
"Meow..."
( "Ouch... What happened, exactly? ")
After a while, Isabella slowly attempted to sit up as she regained her senses.
However, a large, cloth-like object covered her, making it difficult to move freely.
Nonetheless, Isabella managed to twist her body and free herself from it.
"Huh?"
( "...What?" )
She immediately sensed that something was wrong.
This was understandable, given that the room's appearance had drastically changed from just a few moments ago.
There was a toppled pot, a broken cabinet, and scattered materials.
That wasn't the real issue.
By retracing her recent memories, she could figure out why this had happened.
The problem was that everything, not only her surroundings but the entire room, seemed to have expanded significantly.
Or, to put it differently, this was...
"Meow, meow, meow?"
( "Am I... getting smaller?" )
Isabella felt a bit dizzy from the strangeness of it all.
It seemed she had messed up another potion.
As a result, her body appeared to have shrunk due to the potion's effects.
When she examined things more closely, she realized the cloth that had covered her earlier was actually her own clothing.
"Meow!"
( "Could someone please make that cat stop meowing?" )
Isabella, already grappling with the fact that she had made yet another mistake, felt quite irritated by the continuous meowing coming from a nearby cat. She swatted it away, but then she realized her hand had turned into a cute little paw with soft pads.
"Meww!?"
( "Wait, am I a cat!?" )
She couldn't believe it. In a panic, Isabella looked into a piece of glass that had rolled nearby and locked eyes with emerald-colored cat eyes staring back at her. The golden ears atop her head twitched nervously, confirming her transformation into a cat.
"Are you all right, Mistress?"
In the midst of this unbelievable situation, while Isabella struggled to make sense of it all, Eins appeared. Eins had come to inspect the situation after hearing the explosion. Eins surveyed the room's destruction and then noticed the solitary figure of Isabella, now in the form of a cat.
"A cat...? Why are you here?"
"Meow, meow!"
("It's me! Notice me!")
"Could it be... Mistress?"
Eins scanned the room again, but Isabella, who should have been there, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was only an unfamiliar cat. While it seemed unbelievable, Eins couldn't ignore the possibility. She locked eyes with the cat before her.
"Mw! Meow, meow, meow!"
("Yes, it's me! I somehow turned into this form!")
"Hmm, I see..."
"Meow!"
("Eins!")
Isabella did her best to convey the situation to Eins, who understood it right away. Eins nodded several times, attentively listening to Isabella's efforts to communicate. As usual, Eins remained dependable even in such a bizarre situation.
"...I have no idea what you're saying."
"Hiss!"
(Why act like you understood earlier!)
After listening to Isabella's explanations, Eins concluded with a sigh. Isabella couldn't help but protest, but it was only natural. No matter how skilled Eins was as a maid, she couldn't understand cat language.
"Now, I'll ask you some questions. If the answer is 'yes,' please raise your right leg. If it's 'no,' raise your left leg. Is that okay?"
"Meow."
Recognizing that Isabella was trying to communicate, Eins asked simple questions to confirm. This way, even without a shared language, they could communicate. Isabella raised her cute right leg to indicate consent.
"Alright, are you Mistress Isabella?"
"Meow."
Right leg.
"Do you have any siblings?"
"Meow."
Right leg.
"Are you a commoner?"
"Meow."
Left leg.
"You are..."
"It seems like she is indeed our Mistress."
"Meow-oo."
(That's what I've been saying!)
Having completed the questions, Eins seemed to be convinced that the cat before her was indeed Isabella. Isabella, frustrated, let out a protesting meow.
"So, is it safe to say that this happened because of another failed potion experiment?"
"Meow..."
(Ugh...)
Eins correctly deduced the cause of the current situation from the surroundings and Isabella's behavior. Isabella couldn't say anything since it was her own mistake once again. Repeating the same failure was nothing but humiliating.
"If it's due to a potion, you should return to your original size with time. I'm sorry, but you'll have to bear with it until then."
"Meow..."
(Well, I guess there's no other choice...)
Since it was her own fault, Isabella couldn't argue with Eins's words. She would have to wait until the effects of the potion wore off, just like the previous time.
"Meow?"
(What's that...?)
During this, debris behind Eins started to collapse. Wondering what was happening, Isabella looked and saw the Mandragora that had attacked her earlier.
"Meow-oo-oo!?"
(Eins, watch out!?)
"Goooraaah!"
"Huh!?"
Isabella tried to warn Eins, but the Mandragora's movements were faster. The Mandragora, unfazed by the previous explosion, immediately spotted Eins and leaped toward her, emitting a strange cry.
"Hah!"
"Goorah!?"
Realizing it was too late, Isabella prepared to look away, but in that moment, Eins swiftly flipped her skirt and spun around, delivering an elegant high kick to the Mandragora attacking from behind. Struck by this unexpected counterattack, the Mandragora let out a surprised cry and crashed into the wall.
"A Mandragolla, I see. It seems this is the reason for your recent mishap, Mistress."
"Meow?"
(What are you talking about?)
As she slowly lowered her raised leg, Eins kept her guard up and stared at the Mandragora that had been slammed into the wall. The somewhat unfamiliar name left Isabella tilting her head in confusion.
"Mandragolla is a special kind of Mandragora. It's rare and known for its powerful properties compared to the regular kind, but it's hard to find... To think you'd come across one in a place like this, Mistress, you're quite lucky."
"Mwoo..."
(Well, luck isn't what I'd call it...)
Eins, who knew a lot about herbs and magical plants, acknowledged the rarity of this creature. But Isabella couldn't feel lucky when this unique magical being was the reason behind her current predicament.
"Mandragolla is very aggressive, so when dealing with them, you need to prepare beforehand, and...!"
Thunk!
As Eins continued explaining, she approached the struggling Mandragolla. She slowly raised her right leg and then forcefully stomped down.
"Gooorah..."
Eins' right foot accurately crushed the floor right next to the immobile Mandragolla. The creature, realizing what could happen if Eins had missed, lost its previous confidence and went limp.
"So, you see, it's crucial to break their fighting spirit like this."
"Mew, meow..."
(W-well done...)
While recovering the now passive Mandragolla, Isabella, though somewhat startled, expressed her admiration for Eins's skills as she continued her explanations calmly.
"My lady, are you all right!?"
"Me, meow!?"
(C-Crow!?)
As the Mandragolla situation was resolved, the door flung open once more, and this time, Crow, Isabella's butler, hurried in.
"Sir Crow, Mistress is here..."
"Meow, meowmeow!"
(Just hold on a moment!)
While Crow panted and attempted to explain, Eins, naturally, tried to point out the cat-like Isabella at her feet. In response, Isabella urgently voiced her objections.
"...Hmmm, please wait a moment."
Whether Eins understood the desperate protest or not, she decided to pick up Isabella in her cat form and turned her back to Crow.
"Is there something the matter, Mistress?"
"Mew, meow-meow."
(Just... don't tell Crow about this!)
Isabella tried to convey her message to Eins in a hushed tone, smacking her left leg to express her strong disagreement.
"Are you asking me to keep this a secret from Sir Crow, Mistress?"
"Mew-ou."
(Yes, that's right!)
"It's not like Sir Crow would mind, but..."
"Nyooo!"
(It's no joke! I can't stand the thought of him seeing me like this!)
While Eins seemed somewhat exasperated by the situation, she ultimately agreed to respect Isabella's wish, well aware that Crow finding out about her cat form would be a blow to Isabella's pride.
"I understand. In that case..."
With a somewhat incredulous look directed at Isabella, Eins accepted her request.
After finishing her conversation with Isabella, Eins turned to address Crow.
"Thank you for waiting, Sir Crow. Mistress has been taken to the infirmary."
"Is Milady all right!?"
"Yes, it seems she had a mishap while concocting a potion. There are no injuries, and she is in good health."
"I see. That's a relief..."
Although he had appeared quite concerned due to the earlier explosion and the state of the room, Crow's expression shifted to relief upon hearing Eins's explanation, knowing that Isabella was unharmed.
"However, she insisted that Sir Crow wouldn't be meeting with her for a while."
"W-Why...!"
Learning of this additional information from Eins, Crow was taken aback and looked bewildered. In reality, Isabella was currently not in the infirmary but in Eins's arms in this very place. This decision had been made to comply with Isabella's request, but it was clear that it was a considerable shock to Crow.
"It seems there have been some external changes due to the potion's effects, and Mistress doesn't want you to see her until she's back to normal," Eins explained.
"Kh... If Milady insists, I have no choice..."
Crow reluctantly accepted the explanation, acknowledging that it was his duty to comply with Isabella's request. Although he reluctantly agreed, his expression conveyed that he was far from pleased with the situation.
"By the way, what's she like now?"
"I apologize, but I've been ordered not to disclose any details."
"I see..."
"Meaaw-ou..."
(What are you doing?...)
Curious about Isabella's altered appearance despite the understanding that they wouldn't meet, Crow tried to discreetly inquire with Eins. However, since Isabella was present, Eins had no intention of providing an answer, leaving Crow's question unanswered. Seeing Crow's dejected look, Isabella decided that her earlier feelings of guilt were likely misplaced.
"By the way, what's up with the cat you've been holding?"
With Isabella's problem sorted out, Crow, now back to his senses after the shock, brought up something he hadn't paid attention to earlier.
"...That's right. I have a message from Mistress. She wants you to look after this cat for a while until she returns."
"Me-Mew?!"
(Hold on, what are you talking about?)
Eins suddenly made a statement that left Isabella feeling flustered. She was pretty sure she hadn't mentioned anything like that. Eins calmly spun a little white lie while firmly keeping Isabella from voicing her protest.
"From Milady?"
"Yes, indeed. She told me to have you take care of it as her stand-in until she comes back."
"Where did she even find it... Well, if that's the case, I can't help it. Hey, stop squirming!"
"Meow, meow, meow!"
(Who gave you the right to decide on your own?)
Saying this, Eins somewhat forcefully passed Isabella, who was wriggling, to Crow. Crow, looking bewildered, took Isabella in reluctantly, all because it was Milady's wish. But he got scratched when Isabella resisted.
"I'll check on Mistress now, so I'll be leaving. Excuse me."
"Meow!"
(Hold on, don't leave me behind!)
"Alright, I'm counting on you with Milady."
"Meow!"
(You better remember this!)
With that, Eins handed Isabella to Crow and quickly left the room. All that remained were Isabella's protesting meows echoing through the room.
TLNOTE: Same as the previous chapter, this is a short story.
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