9 God Cat Mii-chan Goes to Work

“Stand by, number 47.”

“Number 2, confirmed.”

“Number 36, on hold.”

Ever since the guild opened, the speaker has been continuously busy, relaying messages without interruption. My task is to mark the bulletin board according to what I hear, but it’s no easy feat. There’s no time to rest, and I can’t afford to make mistakes. If I post incorrect information on the bulletin board, it would inconvenience the hunters and receptionists, and I might lose this job opportunity. I have to stay focused.

As Mii-chan’s owner, I can’t be a slacker. Even if things get really bad, I have Mii-chan’s cat food and mineral water to keep us from starving. But that’s a too optimistic mindset I need to change.

By the way, the numbers the receptionists mention are request numbers. “Confirmed” means someone has accepted the request, “on hold” means it’s still being processed, and “stand by” means the request was temporarily rejected and put back on the waiting list.

This has been going on for nearly an hour. Occasionally, I take a sip of Mii-chan’s mineral water to recharge my energy. This water is amazing—it instantly rejuvenates me and sharpens my focus. If I had this during my exams, I might have passed.

Oops, I need to stay focused.

After about an hour and a half, the flow of voices from the speaker begins to slow down. Almost 70% of the requests I wrote this morning have been confirmed. The remaining ones are mostly low-paying or temporary jobs.

There are some odd requests too, like looking for a conversation partner or a test subject. I wonder what kind of experiments they need subjects for? The pay isn’t bad, but if no one is taking it, it must be dangerous. Maybe I’ll try it when I’m bored… or maybe not.

“Nero-kun, well done. You did a great job.”

Pamil-san’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts.

“Thank you. Honestly, it was a bit overwhelming.”

“You did great. Considering how well you handled everything, you’re quite capable. The reception has settled down for now, so you can take a break. I’ll take Mii-chan with me.”

It seems Mii-chan’s work is about to start. Do your best, Mii-chan!

“Mii~”

Mii-chan looks very eager and ready to go.

Since I have some time, I decided to explore the Hunter Guild’s premises. Stepping outside, I take a walk around the building. The guild is a four-story stone structure with a fairly large training ground covered by a roof at the back. I see hunters training there. There are also stables and storage buildings. I’m surprised at how extensive the Hunter Guild is.

As I was about to head back to my room, Pamil-san waved me over.

“You’re done with that work for today. Now, let’s conduct an aptitude test for the tasks we need to assign you in the evening.”

An aptitude test? She leads me to a desk covered with various items.

“First, try appraising this.”

She handed me a dark stone, so I appraised it.

“It’s a Goblin Core.”

“Alright, and this one?”

It looks similar to the first one…

“It’s a Goblin Core, damaged.”

“Correct. Your appraisal skill seems reliable. Next, identify the materials in this potion.”

She hands me a small vial of green liquid. I appraise it carefully.

“It contains Lesser Healing Herb, Freshwater, and a hint of Magic Essence.”

“Perfect. Your ability to discern ingredients is impressive. Let’s move on to something a bit more complex. Can you appraise this weapon?”

She hands me a short sword. I focus on it and appraise.

“It’s a Steel Short Sword, crafted with moderate skill. It has a minor enchantment for durability.”

“Excellent. Your ability to appraise is definitely above average. This skill will be very useful for the guild.”

“Thank you, Pamil-san. I’m glad my skills can be of help.”

“You’ve done very well. Take the rest of your break and then we’ll discuss the evening tasks.”

Feeling more confident, I step out of the appraisal room. It seems like my abilities are more valuable here than I initially thought. Mii-chan’s work seems to be going well too. I’ll do my best to ensure we can stay here comfortably.

“That’s enough. You’re more competent than I expected.”

Pamil-san explained more about the cores. Cores are often referred to as the second heart of monsters. They are located somewhere in the monster’s body, and destroying them means the monster is finished—essentially, a weak point. However, these cores are extremely valuable and also serve as proof of a monster’s defeat.

From what she told me, it seems like these cores are the backbone of this world’s economy and technology. The energy produced by the cores powers almost everything, including the lamps in the rooms. So, while destroying a core might mean a monster’s defeat, it also means losing a potential source of income. Broken cores can still serve as proof of a kill, but they are less valuable, making life more challenging. It’s a tough world.

Examining the subtle differences between intact and damaged cores will be my job in the evening. However, since the value of the cores varies based on the extent of the damage, others will handle the actual appraisal.

“Next, let’s move on. Here, take this.”

She handed me what looked like some sort of fur.

“Rabbit fur.”

“And this?”

This one looked similar to the previous one…

“Rabbit fur, high quality.”

“Well done. You’re quite adept at this. Starting this evening, you’ll help with the purchasing.”

Helping with the purchasing sounds interesting and important. Knowing that I’m contributing and that my skills are valued here feels good. Mii-chan seems to be doing well with her tasks too. It looks like we’re settling in nicely.

In the evening, I’ll be helping with the appraisal of materials brought in by returning hunters. Those without the appraisal skill have to rely on their real-world knowledge to make judgments, which can be time-consuming. To ease the congestion a bit, I’ll use my appraisal skill to evaluate the materials and then pass on the information to the buying staff to set the prices.

Even though my help might not make a huge difference, this is a perfect opportunity to learn about this world’s values. I’ll do my best.

The last hour was spent cleaning the lobby. As it was time to leave, I went to find Mii-chan and discovered she was being doted on by the receptionists.

“Mii-chan, it’s time to go home.”

“Mii~”

“Aww!”

“Don’t go!”

“My little source of comfort…”

“Bye-bye, cutie…”

Ignoring the disappointed receptionists, Mii-chan jumped into my arms, rubbing her face against me. Their envious stares were a bit intimidating… Let’s make a quick exit.

“Alright, I’ll be back before the fourth bell in the evening.”

“Looking forward to it, Nero.”

Now, let’s head home and have breakfast. It’s been a while since I’ve felt this hungry in the morning. Back home, my parents didn’t get along well, and since high school, they never made breakfast for me. I rarely had breakfast, and it became the norm. But now, I realize that this kind of morning is what normal should be. That world was the one that was off.

For me now, this world feels more normal. If asked whether I have any regrets or attachments to the other world, I’d probably say yes, but I don’t regret coming here.

And I have Mii-chan with me, too.

“Mii~”