A cat was walking through a forest.

As usual, it was enjoying a leisurely stroll, basking in the sunshine, when it noticed something blocking its path.

It wasn’t even that large, so it could easily jump over it or just walk around it.

However, being a naturally curious cat, it couldn’t just pass by the object sprawled on the ground. Cautiously, it approached the mysterious thing.

Since it was lying there completely motionless, perhaps the cat didn’t feel any wariness.

To get a better look, the cat jumped on top of it and began poking at it with its paws and sniffing it for further inspection.

It was then that the cat noticed that the eye, which had been tightly closed, was now wide open and staring directly at it.

“Shaaaah?!”

Startled by the large eye fixed on it, the cat sprang up like a spring and dashed away.

When it stole a glance back, it noticed the eye had closed again. When it opened once more, the gaze held something similar to what the cat had seen just moments before.

The entity that took on the appearance of a girl began to observe the world with curious eyes.

Curiosity can be a source of fear for some, but for those with inquisitive spirits, it is merely a novelty and intrigue.

Thus, for the girl, the world filled with so many unknowns was an interesting place filled with wonders, no matter where she looked.

Naturally, she began to feel a desire to learn more about the unknown.

However, the girl didn’t know how to satisfy that desire. Initially, she could only stare blankly at the world.

As she quietly observed her surroundings, she discovered a pair of eyes watching her from afar.

“Meow…”

The small cat that had run away earlier couldn’t suppress its curiosity and had returned.

Yet, perhaps due to its earlier fright, the cat didn’t close the distance any further and only watched the girl from a distance.

The girl felt a similar spark of curiosity.

Perhaps this is why.

Unconsciously, she mimicked the actions of the cat she saw in the distance.

She tried standing on all fours and tried meowing.

Of course, such actions wouldn’t satisfy her curiosity.

What should she do?

Lost in thought while looking at the cat watching her from a distance, the girl felt a sudden impulse.

Maybe if she could become like that cat, she could fulfill this curiosity.

And the moment she wished for it,

she found herself as a cat.

To be precise, she had draped her body in a form identical to that of the cat in the distance.

However, merely copying the outward appearance obviously wouldn’t quench her curiosity.

“Hyaaak…!!”

Moreover, the distant cat displayed hostility by hissing.

Instinctively, the girl realized that completely imitating its appearance might actually provoke it.

Understanding this, the girl changed to a form slightly different from the one in front of her, while still maintaining a similar overall vibe.

At this, the cat, previously hostile, cocked its head in confusion and approached her, circling around her as it sniffed.

Seeing this behavior, the girl became eager to understand why this little creature was acting this way.

And as she earnestly wished for it,

she became able to understand the cat in front of her.

She comprehended the life it had lived and the mindset it possessed, as well as why it was behaving this way.

And the girl realized something.

To know such things was akin to loving them.

With her new understanding of cats, the girl naturally began to feel fondness for the cat before her and cautiously nudged her nose towards it.

For a cat, this was likely a gesture of affection.

And though the cat hesitated for a moment, seemingly confused by her action,

“…Meow.”

Ultimately, the girl was able to befriend the cat.

*

Thus, starting with the cat, the girl wandered to many places and learned many things.

At times, she became a bird flying in the sky.

At others, she morphed into a fish swimming in the water.

And sometimes, she took the form of a wild creature roaming the land.

Occasionally, when faced with difficulties, she would grow larger to intimidate.

As she explored the world surrounded by countless unknowns, she grew increasingly knowledgeable.

Of course, as the unknowns dwindled, she felt no regret.

On the contrary, the more she learned, the more she came to love this world than before.

One day, as the girl satisfied her curiosity, she saw them.

“Emily… are you sure it’s okay to come this far? Aren’t you overdoing it?”

“Hehe, but if I don’t move around when I feel alright, I won’t get to roam like this.”

The sight of them, seemingly communicating with curious sounds, stirred the girl’s intrigue.

Bipedal creatures were rare, and she realized she had once looked similar to them.

She wanted to learn more about them.

Feeling this impulse, the girl began to observe their actions from a distance.

She had learned through experience that some creatures could be extremely wary of intruding upon their territory.

Of course, they didn’t seem overly exclusive.

Yet, despite appearing unrelated by blood, they were together.

“Ugh… Hi, I’m tired…”

“I knew it… I’ll carry you home, so come here.”

“Uh-huh, I’m sorry, teacher…”

Seeing a male and female, it was likely they were a couple, but it didn’t give off that particular vibe—what kind of relationship did they share?

As she pondered this, the girl quietly followed them and observed.

Eventually, she learned that they lived in a large nest made of wood.

Most of the external activities, like foraging for food, were undertaken by the older male while the younger female stayed in the nest, cared for without ever venturing out.

In truth, from a distance, she could gather little beyond that, prompting her resolution to approach them.

To learn more, she needed to bridge the physical gap between them.

Thus, the girl transformed back into her original bipedal form.

Though her appearance differed slightly from the young female in the nest, she maintained a resemblance.

Thinking that resembling the younger female while being attended to by the older male might facilitate her approach, the girl headed for their nest.

“Eh…? Teacher! Come here for a moment!”

“What is it, Emily… Who’s this? Don’t know? Hey there, you, where are your parents… No, come in for now.”

Entering their nest, the girl successfully made physical contact with them.

And, as always, the girl did what she did best.

Through her ability, via the memories and subconsciousness of the two, she learned about them.

About these two.

About beings called humans.

And at that moment, the girl…

“Ah…! Teacher, he’s crying…”

“…Did he perhaps get separated from his parents?”

For the first time in her life, tears flowed down her face.

She couldn’t control her emotions.

Beings called humans possessed more complex emotions than any other creatures.

They formed intricate relationships unlike any other beings.

Understanding this was a shocking experience that could completely reshape the girl’s existence thus far.

With tears streaming down her cheeks, she looked at the two before her, Emily and Peter.

The girl understood their lives.

She understood their relationship.

She understood their thoughts and emotions.

Thus, she did not merely acknowledge them but deeply understood them.

If knowing was a process of coming to love, then what would understanding be?

The girl pondered.

If she could express this overflowing feeling in her heart through human language,

it would surely be love.

This was a feeling she had never experienced when she had merely transformed into other beings to satisfy her curiosity.

She sincerely thought,

“I want to become a being like them – complex yet

beautiful,

and incredibly lovely.”

And that was the moment the girl began to love humanity.

At the same time, it was the moment she grew envious of humanity.